This systematic investigation of the interaction among international and European institutions provides both a theoretical framework for analysis and the first broad overview of this largely uncharted field of research. By offering detailed case studies and a systematic analysis of results, the book examines the effects of institutional interaction on environmental governance and explores the ways in which international and European Union policies can either reinforce or undercut one another.After a conceptual overview in which Oberthur and Gehring identify three causal mechanisms by which institutional interaction can affect environmental governance, ten case studies apply this theoretical approach. Six cases use an international institution as their starting point and four begin with a European Union legal instrument. The international regimes examined include the widely known Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Flora and Fauna (CITES), Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD), and World Trade Organization and United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC). The EU instruments analyzed include lesser-known directives on the protection of habitats, the deliberate release of genetically modified organisms into the environment, and air quality. The studies show that although conflict and interference among different regimes and institutions do take place, synergistic interactions are common. The findings on the importance of, and mechanisms behind, these outcomes offer valuable insights for both scholars and policymakers.Contributors:Beatrice Chaytor, Clare Coffey, Andrew Farmer, Thomas Gehring, John Lanchbery, Sebastian Oberthur, Alice Palmer, G. Kristin Rosendal, Jon Birger Skjaerseth, Olav Schram Stokke, Ingmar von Homeyer, Jacob Werksman, Jorgen Wettestad


This paper considers the radial variation function $F(r,t)$ of an analytic function $f(z)$ on the disc $D$. We examine $F(r,t)$ when $f$ belongs to a Besov space $A^s_{pq}$ and look for ways in which $F$ imitates the behaviour of $f$. Regarded as a function of position $(r,t)$ in $D$, we show that $F$ obeys a certain integral growth condition which is the real variable analogue of that satisfied by $f$. We consider also the radial limit $F(t)$ of $F$ as a function on the circle. Again, $F \in B^s_{pq}$ whenever $f\in A^s_{pq}$, where $B^s_{pq}$ is the corresponding real Besov space. Some properties of $F$ are pointed out along the way, in particular that $F(r,t)$ is real analytic in $D$ except on a small set. The exceptional set $E$ on the circle at which $\lim_{r\to 1}f(re^{it})$ fails to exist, is also considered; it is shown to have capacity zero in the appropriate sense. Equivalent descriptions of $E$ are also given for certain restricted values of $p$, $q$, $s$.


This chapter investigates how a vocabulary for talking about
body actions can emerge in a population of
grounded autonomous agents instantiated as humanoid robots.
The agents play a Posture Game in which the speaker asks
the hearer to take on a certain posture. The speaker either
signals success if the hearer indeed performs an action to
achieve the posture or he shows the posture himself so that
the hearer can acquire the name. The challenge of emergent
body language raises not only fundamental issues in how a
perceptually grounded lexicon can arise in a population of
autonomous agents but also more general questions of human
cognition, in particular how agents can develop a body model
and a mirror system so that they can recognize actions of
others as being the same as their own.


Starting from a high-level problem description in terms of partial differential equations using abstract tensor notation, the Chemora framework discretizes, optimizes, and generates complete high performance codes for a wide range of compute architectures. Chemora extends the capabilities of Cactus, facilitating the usage of large-scale CPU/GPU systems in an efficient manner for complex applications, without low-level code tuning. Chemora achieves parallelism through MPI and multi-threading, combining OpenMP and CUDA. Optimizations include high-level code transformations, efficient loop traversal strategies, dynamically selected data and instruction cache usage strategies, and JIT compilation of GPU code tailored to the problem characteristics. The discretization is based on higher-order finite differences on multi-block domains. Chemora's capabilities are demonstrated by simulations of black hole collisions. This problem provides an acid test of the framework, as the Einstein equations contain hundreds of variables and thousands of terms.


Oligomerization of cadherins could provide the stability to ensure tissue cohesion. Cadherins mediate cell–cell adhesion by forming trans-interactions. They form cis-interactions whose role could be essential to stabilize intercellular junctions by shifting cadherin clusters from a fluid to an ordered phase. However, no evidence has been provided so far for cadherin oligomerization in cellulo and for its impact on cell–cell contact stability. Visualizing single cadherins within cell membrane at a nanometric resolution, we show that E-cadherins arrange in ordered clusters, providing the first demonstration of the existence of oligomeric cadherins at cell–cell contacts. Studying the consequences of the disruption of the cis-interface, we show that it is not essential for adherens junction formation. Its disruption, however, increased the mobility of junctional E-cadherin. This destabilization strongly affected E-cadherin anchoring to actin and cell–cell rearrangement during collective cell migration, indicating that the formation of oligomeric clusters controls the anchoring of cadherin to actin and cell–cell contact fluidity.


Abstract A fruitful direction for research on the European cultural heritage is to adopt a transnational approach. Rather than see cultural heritage as predominantly expressed in national contexts, it could be seen as primarily transnational and as plural. Such a view would also suggest a conception of national histories as themselves products of transnational encounters. In this perspective, the European dimension is not then necessarily something over and above nations, but part of their heritage. Moreover, as fundamentally transnational, the European heritage is not exclusively confined to Europe. Cultural heritage is not something that is fixed or based on an essence; it is produced and reinterpreted by social actors in different but overlapping contexts. This is also an interpretative approach that draws attention to the entangled nature of memories and especially the cultural logic by which new conceptions and narratives of heritage emerge from the encounter and entanglement of different memories. Such an approach offers new opportunities for comparative research on the European heritage as an entangled mosaic of histories and memories. This approach thus rejects not only particularistic but also universalistic ones such as alternative Eurocentric accounts.


Purpose

There is no argument that using games (gamification) is an efficient way of learning in higher education. The questions, though, are which gamification approach is most suitable at that level and how to assess its suitability? This paper aims to attempt to partially answer these two questions, in the context of lean thinking education.

Design/methodology/approach

The paper offers an assessment criteria to investigate the impact of lean gamification based on the evaluation of motivational, cognitive and social processing during games. In addition, a study is conducted among selected games using these assessment criteria. The study included statistical as well as comparative analysis. The study was based on a sample of undergraduate students learning various lean thinking concepts through physical games over the course of six months.

Findings

Results showed different interaction levels between the three evaluation criteria depending on the type and design of the lean game. The reported scores and analysis drew various lessons on how to use gamification in the context of lean teaching, outlined some best practices in lean games design and suggested recommendations in mapping lean games from industrial domain to higher education domain.

Research limitations/implications

The scope of this research was bounded by the sample size of students as well as the selected nine lean thinking games. Larger pool of students as well as other lean thinking games can offer further insights and confirm the outlined ones.

Practical implications

The presented work will help lean thinking educators in higher education to better understand the student dynamics associated with engaging them in this type pf pedagogical approach. It will help guiding lean thinking games' designer on how to better cater for this segment of lean thinking learners. Finally, it will aid in promoting lean gamification as an effective learning tool.

Social implications

The social impact is achieved through enhancing lean thinking education to a wide number of students. This will positively impact the society through the application of the effective lean tools at different stages, levels and places in these students' life experiences.

Originality/value

This study offers one of the very few applications in gamification assessment in the context of lean thinking. Furthermore, it integrates the social processing criterion for the first time with the classical two other criteria (motivation and cognitive) used in games education assessment. Finally, it offers new insights for lean thinking game designers for higher education learners.


Abstract. Relict and present-day periglacial features have been reported in the literature for the upper reaches of the High Atlas mountains, which is the highest range in North Africa (Djebel Toubkal – 4167 m a.s.l.). A lobate feature in the Irhzer Ikhibi south at 3800 m a.s.l. has been previously interpreted as an active rock glacier, but no measurements of ground or air temperatures are known to exist for the area. In order to assess the possible presence of permafrost, we analyse data from June 2015 to June 2016 from two air temperature measurement sites at 2370 and 3210 m a.s.l. and from four ground surface temperature (GST) sites at 3220, 3815, 3980 and 4160 m a.s.l. to characterize conditions along an altitudinal gradient along the Oued Ihghyghaye valley to the summit of the Djebel Toubkal. GSTs were collected at 1 h intervals, and the presence of snow cover at the monitoring sites was validated using Landsat 8 and Sentinel-2 imagery. Two field visits allowed for logger installation and collection and for assessing the geomorphological features in the area. The results show that snow plays a major role on the thermal regime of the shallow ground, inducing important spatial variability. The lowest site at 3220 m had a thermal regime characterized by frequent freeze–thaw cycles during the cold season but with few days of snow. When snow settled, the ground surface remained isothermal at 0 °C , indicating the absence of permafrost. The highest sites at 3980 and 4160 m a.s.l. showed very frequent freeze–thaw cycles and a small influence of the snow cover on GST, reflecting the lack of snow accumulation due to the wind-exposed settings on a ridge and on the summit plateau. The site located at 3815 m in the Irhzer Ikhibi south valley had a cold, stable thermal regime with GST varying from −4.5 to −6 °C from December to March, under a continuous snow cover. The site's location in a concave setting favours wind-driven snow accumulation and lower incoming solar radiation due to the shading effect of a ridge, inducing the conservation of a thick snow pack. The stable and low GSTs are interpreted as a strong indicator of the probable presence of permafrost at this site, which is an interpretation supported by the presence of lobate and arcuate features in the talus deposits. We present first results and further observations using geophysics, and borehole measurements are foreseen. This is the first time that probable permafrost has been reported from temperature observations in the mountains of North Africa.


A majority of today's visitors to the Auschwitz memorial site take photos to document their stay. By calling attention to visitors' photography on site, this article investigates the role of visual perception and visual techniques of memory for visits to memorial sites and empirically discusses the significance of historical imagination in linking the past with the present. Visitors' photography at Auschwitz can be considered a mnemonic practice because seemingly lookalike, amateur pictures express modes of experience which are negotiated within an ethical and social framework. The strongest emotional impulse expressed in amateur photography on site is the feeling of the sublime, which supports the need to promote moral ideas like freedom or justice in the face of the past. Through participant-orientated research, this article contends that visual perception regulates sensual impressions during a visit and identifies six dominant photographic genres through which visitors focus their historical understanding of the site. Single images function within this as "storyboards" because of their strong narrative as well as mnemonic quality.


Microorganisms that can accumulate lipids at more than 20% of their dry mass are defined as oleaginous species. The majority of these lipids are triacylglycerol containing long-chain fatty acids, which are comparable to conventional vegetable oils. The recent, increasing interest towards the oleaginous microorganisms is due to the potential use of microbial triglycerides as feedstock for biodiesel production.
The oleaginous yeasts used in this thesis work appear to be very promising, due to their versatility, as they allow the use of different kinds of residues as nutrients. In particular, Lipomyces starkeyi is so far one of the best used, as it has been proved to store large amounts of lipids.
Lipomyces starkeyi were first grown in the presence of olive oil mill wastewaters (OMW), a medium difficult to process by biological treatments, due to the antimicrobial activities of their phenolic components. We demonstrated that Lipomyces can produce, without external organic supplements, a significant reduction of both the total organic carbon (TOC) and the total phenols content, leading to a significant increase of the germination index. The fatty acid distribution showed a prevalence of oleic acid, demonstrating the potential of L. starkeyi as a source of lipids to be used as a feedstock for the synthesis of II generation biodiesel. The performance of Lipomyces was improved by a preliminary dilution of OMW.
Lipomyces were able to grow also in the presence of wastewaters from cheese factory, leading to a satisfactory growth and to a significant reduction of the TOC levels.
Cellulosic agricultural residues were also evaluated as feedstock for oleaginous yeasts. Lipomyces starkeyi were first grown in the hydrolysate of tomato wastes, containing mainly peel and seeds, at different nitrogen contents. The yeasts showed a favorable growth, with no need of addition of external nutrients.
Hydrolysates of Sorghum and Giant Reed were also studied as nutrients for the Lipomyces starkeyi. The conditions to maximize the lipid yield and the efficiency of the biomass conversion were found in terms of H2SO4 concentration (for the preliminary hydrolysis) and of medium composition (for the yeasts growth). Detoxification of hydrolysate with overlime and activated charcoal was carried out to reduce the concentration of microbial growth inhibitors, improving the growth of the yeasts in the undiluted hydrolysate.
In conclusion, the potential of oleaginous yeasts was demonstrated by the satisfactory microbial growth in the presence of different waste materials, and by the favorable composition of the triglycerides. Further studies are ongoing to optimize the preliminary hydrolysis of lignocellulosic materials and the lipid fraction of the yeasts.


A temperature dependent sub threshold drain current model for junction less (JL) Gate all around (GAA) MOSFET with high-k Gate Stack is developed in this paper. Poisson's equation in cylindrical coordinate has been solved using Parabolic Potential Approximation (PPA). The effect of temperature variation from 300-500 K on the sub threshold performance of the JL-GAA MOSFET by varying the gate stack thickness has been obtained using the proposed model. The developed model has also been used to study the Sub threshold- Slop of JL-GAA MOSFET at high ambient temperature. Band-gapnarrowing is also included in the analytical model as the doping concentration is very high. Atlas-3D device simulation tool has been used for the numerical simulations. Developed temperature dependent model for JL-GAA MOSFET with high-k dielectric has close agreement with the simulation results. Developed model is very useful for the device optimization; as the device dimensions reduces in radial direction the oxide thickness reduction becomes necessary and the use of high-k stack as a dielectric is demanded.


Civil Registry Office Probolinggo regency as one of the agencies conducting public duty permit services that can serve as legal evidence in determining one's position. Action and efforts to reform, especially in a world of bureaucracy to have the support and appreciation as well as eliminating all forms constraints such as work processes are highly procedural and the supervision super-tight against the apparatus in carrying out their duties and functions basing the organization to the rule. Abandonment
the values embodied in the organization's vision-mission of the organization will only making the bureaucracy becomes rigid and unresponsive to changes environment. With the problems based on the notion that apparatus facing bureaucratic organization, it is an attempt to improve the weaknesses and anticipate environmental changes the necessary measures to establish a bureaucratic apparatus that reliable, professional and upholds the value of honesty and professional ethics in carrying out their duties and functions as the steering committee development and public service providers.
This research was conducted by using a qualitative approach
with descriptive methods. Data collection techniques performed through: Observations and interviews and documentation. After examination keabsahanya, the data are analyzed by means of data presentation and analysis and drawing conclusions.
From the results of the data obtained (1). Reform of public services by Civil Registry officials Probolinggo District is shown in development officer's ability in carrying out their duties and functions and are able to effectively respond to environmental dynamics. Like speed up processing time of service. Because the process of service quickly felt very helpful people to get services fast and affordable prices. On the other hand aspects of responsiveness was bumped by the existence of formal rules that clearly set what the duties and functions of the Civil Registry, which means that the authorities Civil Office refers more to the boss rather than refer to the instructions to the public with the initiative to make any changes that can facilitate the public to obtain services
prima. Another reform is, if you had used the civil service system catan pick up the ball on the now discontinued because of the need community. (2) The factors that hamper public service reform by Civil Registry officials Probolinggo regency in running duties and functions of the organization is the presence of the Head of Civil Registry
just run the administrative leadership of the technical nature only. In addition to the division of tasks within the organization sub-units of smaller of the organizational structure of the Civil Registry is more than meet regulatory requirements rather than trying to mewujdkan mission to be achieved. Leadership in the Civil Registry is more of a from the representative of the formal rules and the chief executive rather than play a role as a motivator and facilitator for subordinates in respond to public aspirations. Thus there seemed no breakthrough and lobby-lobby to the executive head of the Office to start a new way of working which in turn improve organizational performance add worse the performance of Civil Registry officials. Leadership is only oriented to formal rules alone.
Thus the results of this study can be concluded that
reform of public services by the apparatus District Civil Office Probolinggo is implemented bai premises were hit only by the existence of formal rules that clearly state what is to be set the task and functions of Civil Registry. Factors that hinder reform public service in carrying out their duties and functions of the organization is presence of the Head Office only runs leadership technical administrative nature only.


Breaking the reciprocity of light propagation in a nanoscale photonic integrated circuit (PIC) is a topic of intense research, fostered by the promises of this technology in areas ranging from experimental research in classical and quantum optics to high-rate telecommunications and data interconnects. In particular, silicon PICs fabricated in processes compatible with the existing complementary metal-oxide-semiconductor (CMOS) infrastructure have attracted remarkable attention. However, a practical solution for integrating optical isolators and circulators within the current CMOS technology remains elusive. Here, we introduce a new non-reciprocal photonic circuit operating with standard single-mode waveguides or optical fibers. Our design exploits a time-dependent index modulation obtained with conventional phase modulators such as the one widely available in silicon photonics platforms. Because it is based on fully balanced interferometers and does not involve resonant structures, our scheme is also intrinsically broadband. Using realistic parameters we calculate an extinction ratio superior to 20dB and insertion loss below 3dB.


Aldosterone synthase (CYP11B2) is a promising therapeutic target for the treatment of cardiovascular diseases related to abnormally high aldosterone levels. On the basis of our previously identified lead compounds I–III, a series of 3-pyridinyl substituted aliphatic cycles were designed, synthesized and tested as CYP11B2 inhibitors. Aromaticity abolishment of the core was successfully applied to overcome the undesired CYP1A2 inhibition. This study resulted in a series of potent and selective CYP11B2 inhibitors, with compound 12 (IC50 = 21 nM, SF = 50) as the most promising one, which shows no inhibition toward CYP1A2 at 2 µM. The design conception demonstrated in this study can be helpful in the optimization of CYP inhibitor drugs regarding CYP1A2 selectivity.


From Catalonia to Kurdistan, Crimea to California, and Scotland to St. Kitts, secession has become a hotly debated political issue. While secessionist disputes appear to hinge on high power politics, they also have an important constitutional dimension. This Article offers a comprehensive exploration of how the world's constitutions treat secession, and how constitutional secession clauses can affect real-world secessionist disputes. Drawing on an original dataset that captures how the world's constitutions have dealt with secession from 1789 to 2015, we make a number of contributions.

First, we document the various ways in which constitutions have dealt with secession. While the bulk of the literature has been focused on a right to secession, such clauses are exceedingly rare in constitutions today, and most of the countries that constitutionalized such a right have broken up. Instead, where constitutions deal with secession, they tend to prohibit it, either by banning it explicitly or through an implicit prohibition that emphasizes territorial integrity. Other constitutions remain silent on the matter, even when there are live secessionist disputes. We provide a taxonomy of these various approaches and show how they have changed over time.

Second, we provide an analysis of how constitutional design choices about secession can have important real-world consequences. We develop a theory of how different constitutional design choices can affect downstream mobilization for secession. We test this theory empirically by replicating a number of existing studies, to which we add our own new data. Granting a right to secession, we find, is associated with a higher chance of a nation breaking up, and makes such break-ups less violent. By contrast, a clear and explicit prohibition of secession decreases popular support for secessionist movements and reduces associated violence, thus reducing the odds of a nation breaking up. Perhaps the worst option is for the constitution to remain silent on secession. Where the constitution is silent on secession, we find that secessionist movements are motivated to seize on this ambiguity and are able to garner popular support for the movement. Yet, these movements are surrounded by relatively high levels of violence, as central governments end up opposing the claim or the country's highest court rules that it is without constitutional basis. We find similar results for implicit prohibitions: they increase both popular support and secessionist violence. Overall, these findings suggest that constitutional ambiguity can be harmful: it allows secessionist movements to garner support, but produces higher level of violence without improving the chances of success. We further probe these findings by studying two recent high-profile secessionist disputes: Catalonia in Spain and Kurdistan in Iraq, which confirm our findings.

Our findings have important real-world implications for constitutional drafting. As a number of countries are debating various degrees of autonomy for regionally clustered minority groups, our findings suggest that it is important to address the question of secession head-on and that careful constitutional drafting can avoid violence and instability.


It is well known that the emission intensities of different elements exhibit different spatial patterns in the ICP. Even for a single element, the ionic and atomic emission transitions exhibit different spatial patterns. Usually a single compromise viewing position is chosen for most determinations of concentration. The commercial availability of fast sequential monochromators has made sequential-element determinations an important analytical tool. In contrast to simultaneous multielement measurements, the fast sequential measurements offer the theoretical possibility of optimization of all parameters affecting emission. With proper computer control, parameters such as power level, argon flow rate, sample introduction rate, and observation region in the plasma can be optimized and the settings reproduced for each element prior to measurement. Several authors have utilized multivariate (simplex) techniques in optimization studies. This paper focuses on a single aspect of optimization, observation position, presents a simple method for obtaining emission profile data, and compares results of compromise viewing position vs. individual element optimized viewing position on signal-to-background ratios.


The behaviour of individual birds before and during the breeding period may be an important factor determining reproductive success. One commonly observed behaviour during the breeding period in many species is the visitation of multiple potential breeding sites. Much research has attempted to determine the function and consequences of this behaviour, but traditionally studies have been limited to not examining individual‐level behaviour, or only considering a small number of individuals. We used automated recording of RFID‐tagged birds visiting nestboxes to study a population of 80 great tits (Parus major) making > 3500 daily visits across 74 breeding sites, to quantify the frequency, spatial patterning, and temporal occurrence of this behaviour from the pre‐breeding period onwards. We argue that 1) the tight spatial clustering of visits, 2) juveniles visiting more sites than adults, and 3) males (but not females) continuing to visit other sites even as egg laying at their own nest occurs, indicate that territoriality and extra‐pair mating may underpin visitation behaviour. Further, we find that spatial clustering of female visits relates to increased clutch size and fledging success, while frequently visiting a preferred nesting site increases the likelihood of obtaining a breeding site but reduces subsequent reproductive output for both sexes. Our study offers new insight into the mechanisms potentially driving breeding site visitation behaviour, and demonstrates its relationship to individual fitness. We suggest that although visitation behaviour may be related to different components of fitness, future work should use experiments to fully assess the causal factors and effects of visitation behaviour.


It is unusual for scholars and litigators who work in the Establishment Clause area to agree with what the Supreme Court has done to a doctrinal topic, particularly when that topic is standing. But that is what I do in this Article. While not the first piece to substantively address the Supreme Court's recent decision in Arizona Christian School Tuition Organization v. Winn, it is the first to support that decision and its interpretation of the much-maligned Flast v. Cohen. Winn distinguished Flast and thus rejected taxpayer standing to challenge an Arizona law permitting taxpayers to claim a tax credit for donations made to school tuition organizations that provide scholarships to children attending private religious and non-religious schools. The decision has become fodder for those displeased with the narrow scope of the taxpayer standing exception, those numbering Flast's days or already mourning its death, and those who believe the Roberts' Court has invoked standing to avoid deciding Religion Clause cases because a new, more permissive jurisprudence in this area is afoot. Rejecting each of these assessments, this Article offers a more realistic appraisal of the taxpayer standing doctrine and what Winn portends for future Establishment Clause tax credit challenges. It advocates for Flast's preservation, advancing a normative, conscience-based theory of taxpayer standing that recognizes government-compelled taxing and spending scenarios wherein a taxpayer's pocketbook harm implicates the conscience injury protected by the Establishment Clause. When the Flast exception is viewed in this light, Winn presents an example of doctrinal stability, not unrest. Any article endorsing Winn would be incomplete without confronting Justice Kagan's superbly written dissent, which predicts the complete demise of the taxpayer standing exception. I argue that Justice Kagan exaggerates the reach of Winn by ignoring the nub of the injury in Flast, conflating the legal incidence of tax credits and government expenditures in this area, overstating the potential for underenforcement of the Establishment Clause, and incorrectly assuming that the Flast exception applies to state taxpayers in federal court. More legitimate, however, is Justice Kagan's larger fear that Winn encourages government(s) to launder direct financial aid to religion by using tax credits in lieu of direct appropriations. I acknowledge this policy-based failure and examine three potential legal solutions in the tax credit arena: abandoning the rule against taxpayer standing, creating taxpayer standing by statute, or allowing such actions to be brought in a non-Article III court. Ultimately, I conclude that the Judiciary remains the best protector of the purpose and consistency of the taxpayer standing doctrine, even if it is not a perfect guardian.


Pityriasis versicolor is a frequent mycosis and the use of systemic corticotherapy is one of its predisposing factors. This is an observational, cross‐sectional, analytical and comparative study, conducted from January 2012 to January 2013 in the following outpatient clinics: Dermatology Service, Cassiano Antonio Moraes Hospital (HUCAM), Vitória, ES, Brazil; Nephrology Service, HUCAM; and Leprosy Department, Maruípe Health Unit, Vitória, ES, Brazil. Patients, undergoing long‐term systemic corticotherapy (or not), were assessed with respect to the presence of pityriasis versicolor. If there was mycosis, a direct mycological examination would be carried out. The spss 17.0 software was used for the statistical analysis. From the total of 100 patients, nine had pityriasis versicolor, being eight from the corticotherapy group and one from the group with no use of corticosteroids. Regarding the patients with mycosis, the prevalent age ranged from 20 to 39 years, with six patients; six were women; seven mixed race; eight were undergoing long‐term systemic corticotherapy; seven were taking low‐dose systemic corticosteroids; four had leucocytosis; five had normal total cholesterol and triglycerides; and four had normal glycaemia. There was increased frequency of pityriasis versicolor in the group undergoing systemic corticotherapy with statistical significance, corroborating the only study on the topic (1962).


Quantifying the notion of fairness is under-explored when users request different ratios of multiple distinct resource types. A typical example is datacenters processing jobs with heterogeneous resource requirements on CPU, memory, etc. A generalization of max-min fairness to multiple resources was recently proposed in [1], but may suffer from significant loss of efficiency. This paper develops a unifying framework addressing this fairness-efficiency tradeoff with multiple resource types. We develop two families of fairness functions which provide different tradeoffs, characterize the effect of user requests' heterogeneity, and prove conditions under which these fairness measures satisfy the Pareto efficiency, sharing incentive, and envy-free properties. Intuitions behind the analysis are explained in two visualizations of multi-resource allocation.


Robust state-feedback model predictive control (MPC) of discrete-time periodic affine systems is considered. States and inputs are subject to periodically time-dependent, hard, convex, polyhedral constraints. Disturbances are additive, bounded and subject to periodically time-dependent bounds. The control objective is given in terms of periodically time-dependent costs. First, maximum robust periodic controlled invariant sets are formally characterized and subsequently employed in the design of least-restrictive robustly strongly feasible periodic MPC problems. Finally, the proposed methods are applied to controlling room temperatures in buildings.


In this study, mass concentrations and chemical compositions of fine
particles, mass concentrations of coarse particles, light extinction, and
meteorological parameters in the atmosphere ofXiamenwere presented and analyzed to study the
chemical and optical characteristics of a typical haze episode from Dec 25,
2010 to Jan 1, 2011. The major chemical compositions of PM2.5, such
as water soluble inorganic ions (WSIIs), carbonaceous fractions (mainly composed
of organic carbon (OC) and elemental carbon (EC)), and elements were
determined. The results showed that with the typical haze episode process, the
concentrations of PM2.5 mass, WSIIs, OC, EC, and TE first increased and
then decreased. The average concentrations of PM2.5 mass in the
stages of Before Haze, During Haze, and After Haze were (88.80 ± 19.97),
(135.41 ± 36.20), and (96.35 ± 36.26) μg/m3, respectively. The corresponding
average concentrations of secondary organic carbon (SOC) were 6.72, 8.18, and 10.39
μg/m3, accounting for 46.5%, 27.0%, and 61.0% of OC, respectively. S42- , NO3-, and NH4+ were three major WSIIs species,
accounting for 31.4%, 26.0%, and 12.1% of total WSIIs. The major elements in PM2.5 were S, K, Fe, Zn, Pb, Ti, and Mn, covering 97.9% of the total elements, while the
percentage of the other ten elements was only 2.1%. The average value of light
extinction coefficients (bext)
was 371.0 ±147.1 Mm-1 during the typical haze episode. The
average percentage contributions to bext were 39.3% for organic mass, 19.9% for elemental carbon, 16.0% for ammonium sulfate, 13.0% for coarse
mass, and 11.8% for ammonium nitrate.


Analysis of the distribution of reef plants and animals at over 150 sites around the
Tasmanian coastline and Bass Strait islands indicated that Bass Strait reef communities
were distinctly different from those occurring further south. This major division in reef
ecosystems reflected a boundary near Cape Grim and Little Musselroe Bay between two
biogeographical provinces. Each of the two bioprovinces was divisible into four
biogeographical regions (bioregions), which occurred along the northern Tasmanian coast
and at the Kent Group, Furneaux Group and King Island in Bass Strait, and along the
northeastern, southeastern, southern and western coasts of Tasmania. In contrast to these
patterns identified using data on coastal reef communities, regional classifications for
estuarine and soft-sediment faunas (based on the distribution of beach-washed shells and
beach-seined fishes) were less clearly defined.
In order to manage and protect Tasmanian inshore plants and animals in accordance with
the principle of ecologically sustainable development, an integrated system of
representative marine protected areas is considered a necessary adjunct to appropriate
regulations concerning individual marine species. The benefits of a marine reserve system
include (i) the provision of fish propagation areas, (ii) insurance against the possibility of
fishery stock collapses, (iii) the formation of areas where natural ecosystem processes can
be scientifically investigated, (iv) the maintenance of reservoirs of genetic diversity, (v)
the provision of recreational sites for divers and naturalists, and (vi) areas of focus for
public education about coastal life.
An integrated Tasmanian system of marine protected areas should include at least one
area within each bioregion extending for approximately 10 km of coast where plants and animals are
protected from exploitation. The recommended locations where representative marine
reserves should be declared are Maria Island, Port Arthur or Tinderbox, Port Davey,
Sloop Rocks or Point Hibbs, New Year Islands (King Island), the Kent Group, western
Franklin Sound (Flinders Island), Rocky Cape and Macquarie Island. Because no
Tasmanian marine reserve presently exists within the Bassian bioprovince, the immediate
priority is to declare a marine reserve in the Bass Strait region. The species diversity
protected within Tasmanian marine reserves will be maximised if that reserve is located
in the vicinity of Deal Island.
The identification and declaration of estuarine protected areas was not considered in the
present report but should also be addressed as a matter of urgency.


Background Digital information is increasingly becoming available on all aspects of the urban landscape, anywhere and anytime. Physical objects (c.f. the Internet of Things) and people (c.f. the Social Web) are increasingly infused with actuators, sensors and tagged with a wealth of digital information. Urban Informatics explores these emerging digital layers of the city. However, very little is known about the challenges and new opportunities that these developments may offer to road users. As we gradually spend more time using our mobile devices as well as our car, the tension between appeasing our craving for connectedness and road safety requirements grow farther apart. Objective The aims of this paper are to identify (a) new opportunities that Urban Informatics research can offer to our future cars and (b) potential benefits to road safety. Methods 14 Urban Informatics research experts were grouped into seven teams of two to participate in a guided ideation (idea creation) workshop in a driving simulator. They were immersed into different driving scenarios to brainstorm innovative Urban Informatics applications in different driving contexts. This qualitative study was then evaluated in the context of road safety. Outcomes There is a lack of articulation between Urban Informatics and Road Safety research. Several Urban Informatics applications (e.g., to enhance social interaction between people in urban environments) may provide benefits, rather than threats, towards road safety, provided they are implemented ergonomically and safely. Conclusions This research initiates a much-needed dialogue between Urban Informatics and Road Safety disciplines, in the context of Intelligent Transport Systems, before the fast approaching digital wave invades our cars. The dialogue will help to avoid driver distraction issues similar to mobile phones use in cars. As such, it provides valuable information for future regulators and policy makers in charge of shaping our future road transport landscape.


The article argues that in its recent antitrust decisions the Supreme Court has relied too heavily on abstract economic theory in determining whether a particular business practice is likely to injure competition. It does so by first outlining the limitations of formal reasoning as a tool of statutory construction, and then drawing an analogy between the Court's reasoning in Lochner v. New York, 198 U.S. 45 (1905), frequently cited as a classic example of legal formalism, and its reasoning in recent antitrust opinions. The article focuses on the Court's most recent decisions in three areas of antitrust law: vertical price fixing, tying arrangements, and predatory pricing. In each of these areas, it is argued, the Court has permitted formal reasoning based on economic principles to displace analysis of the facts in determining competitive effect, and has reached decisions that are at odds with legislative history and congressional purpose. For example, after the Court's decision in Brooke Group Ltd. v. Brown & Williamson Tobacco Corp., 509 U.S. 209 (1993), predatory pricing claims under the antitrust laws are no longer viable - a result clearly at odds with the legislative history of the Robinson-Patman Act, and arguably the Sherman Act as well. The Court's reliance on economic theory as an infallible guide rather than as a helpful tool in antitrust analysis has constrained the reach of antitrust legislation not only in the three areas that are the main focus of the article, but in virtually all areas of antitrust.


In the development of assistive technology for people with dementia, numerous physiological, anatomical and psychological variables should be taken into consideration during the design process. Many of these will not be obvious to those from a purely technical perspective targeting this type of user for the first time. As a result, these important variables only become apparent following user evaluations. Nevertheless, people with dementia can experience high levels of anxiety and confusion if the systems they are engaging with malfunction. To a certain extent this may have the impact of undermining their confidence which may lead to reluctance to try improved versions in ensuing evaluation cycles. This presents a barrier to using users with dementia in participatory design activities early in the design cycle.The presented approach is a combination of methodologies which have been used to assess user needs, such as cognitive walk-throughs, questioning the carer as a proxy of the patient and informal interviews with both carer and patient. Following the implementation of the technology, short trials were performed, limiting the potential for feelings of anxiety and confusion if the technology did not perform as expected. Subsequently, longer evaluations over several weeks have been performed, allowing the patients to incorporate the technology into their life. Weekly check up meetings allowed discussions relating to the benefits and concerns regarding the technology and any wishes for further functionality. Overall, feedback was gained by more than 40 patients and their carers.The involvement of users of assistive technology in the design and implementation stages is crucial to ensure subsequent uptake of the technology by the target user group. People with dementia can benefit immensely from such equipment, increasing or maintaining their independence whilst lowering the carer burden. The negligence to incorporate the subjective views of carers and patients, however, will lead to technology that may be delivering the required functionality but will not find acceptance by its targeted users and will thus fail in its quest to support.


Avifauna in silvopastoral systems in the Mesoamerican Biological Corridor, Tabasco, Mexico. Silvopastoral systems support local ecological and economical features as they enhance conservation of floral and faunal communities. As other animal communities, avifauna may be a good representative of habitat altera- tions, both as the species and functional levels. In order to attend the initiative of Mesoamerican Biological Corridor initiative (CBM) in the state of Tabasco, we studied the diversity of birds in two silvopastoral systems: scattered trees in pastures (ADP), and trees in boundary-hedgerows (AL). For this, we applied the fixed radius counting point method in three priority sites in Tabascos CBM during the dry and wet season of 2011, and a total of 56, 60 and 62 points were evaluated in Huimanguillo, Tenosique and Tacotalpa, respectively. We observed 2 084 individuals of 154 species (79-89% of expected diversity) and 36 bird families. We detected 92, 87 and 85 species in Huimanguillo, Tenosique and Tacotalpa, respectively, including 35 protected species, of which 23, 19 and 16 in each locality, respectively. All sites showed high diversity (H´≥3.20), low species dominance (D≥0.08) and high equitability (J≥0.77). Species composition showed differences between sites, being most similar Tacotalpa and Tenosique. Ten species were considered characteristic for sites. Although the silvopastoral system did contain protected species, the low diversity and the early successional character of the arboreal components were not attractive to frugivorous bird species. Diversification with native trees can improve the systems to create a complementary habitat and to increase landscape connectivity. The management of silvopastoral practices on cattle dominated landscapes in Tabasco could improve its ecological quality, and thus achieve the CBMs objectives of biodiversity conservation combined with human economic activities. Rev. Biol. Trop. 62 (3): 1031-1052. Epub 2014 September 01.


This research investigates why various mechanisms of cooperation among local authorities are chosen using the theoretical lens of institutional collective action (ICA). The article analyzes 564 local collaboration agreements drawn from four urban regions of China to explain the choices of environmental collaboration agreements among cities. Examples of three forms of interlocal agreements—informal, formal, and imposed agreements—are analyzed. Ordinal logistic regressions are estimated to test which factors predicted by the ICA framework influence the form of collaboration selected. The results indicate that the involvement of national or provincial government, the number of policy actors involved, heterogeneity of economic conditions, and differences in administrative level among the actors involved influence how collaboration agreements are structured. Examining the choice of agreement type contributes to the understanding of interlocal collaboration and provides practical insights for public managers to structure interlocal collaboration.


Pankaj Mishra's provocative account of how China, India and the Muslim World are remaking the world in their own image - shortlisted for the Orwell Prize 2013. It is shortlisted for the Orwell prize 2013. Viewed in the West as a time of self-confident progress, the Victorian period was experienced by Asians as a catastrophe. As the British gunned down the last heirs to the Mughal Empire or burned down the Summer Palace in Beijing, it was clear that for Asia to recover a new way of thinking was needed. Pankaj Mishra re-tells the history of the past two centuries, showing how a remarkable, disparate group of thinkers, journalists, radicals and charismatics emerged from the ruins of empire to create an unstoppable Asian renaissance, one whose ideas lie behind everything from the Chinese Communist Party to the Muslim Brotherhood, and have made our world what it is today. Reviews: "Arrestingly original ...this penetrating and disquieting book should be on the reading list of anybody who wants to understand where we are today". (John Gray, Independent). "A riveting account that makes new and illuminating connections ...deeply entertaining and deeply humane". (Hisham Matar). "Fascinating ...a rich and genuinely thought-provoking book". (Noel Malcolm, Sunday Telegraph). "Provocative, shaming and convincing". (Michael Binyon, The Times). "Lively ...engaging ...retains the power to shock". (Mark Mazower, Financial Times). "Subtle, erudite and entertaining". (Economist, New Delhi). About the author: Pankaj Mishra is the author of Butter Chicken in Ludiana, The Romantics, An End to Suffering and Temptations of the West. He writes principally for the Guardian, The New York Times, London Review of Books and New York Review of Books. He lives in London, Shimla and New York.


Lead-free alloys containing various amounts of zinc (4.5%, 9%, 13%) and constant copper addition (1%) were discussed. The results of microstructure examinations carried out by light microscopy (qualitative and quantitative) and by SEM were presented. In the light microscopy, a combinatorial method was used for the quantitative evaluation of microstructure. In general, this method is based on the phase quanta theory according to which every microstructure can be treated as an arrangement of phases/structural components in the matrix material. Based on this method, selected geometrical parameters of the alloy microstructure were determined. SEM examinations were based on chemical analyses carried out in microregions by EDS technique. The aim of the analyses was to identify the intermetallic phases/compounds occurring in the examined alloys. In fatigue testing, a modified low cycle fatigue test method (MLCF) was used. Its undeniable advantage is the fact that each time, using one sample only, several mechanical parameters can be estimated. As a result of structure examinations, the effect of alloying elements on the formation of intermetallic phases and compounds identified in the examined lead-free alloys was determined. In turn, the results of mechanical tests showed the effect of intermetallic phases identified in the examined alloys on their fatigue life. Some concepts and advantages of the use of the combinatorial and MLCF methods in materials research were also presented.


The paper considers several determinants of the size of the informal sector and explores the implications of corruption. It focuses attention on an issue that has not received much attention before, namely, the link between informality and corruption. We show that corruption affects both the size and composition of the informal sector in a significant manner. While small firms locate in the informal sector to avoid the fixed costs associated with the formal sector, we find that even larger firms might prefer informality because of their superior access to corruption. The paper shows that there is a U shaped relationship between a firm's share of its sales in the informal sector and the scale of its operations. We also show that imperfections in the credit market and wealth inequality are likely to be associated with a larger informal sector. We use a large cross-country firm level survey data to provide supporting evidence. The results of our exercise have considerable policy implications that extend beyond the micro level framework of this study to the wider macro economy.


The objective of this study was to review the previous research in the development of gaseous fuel injector for port injection CNG engine converted from diesel engine. Problem statement: The regular development of internal combustion engines change direction to answer the two most important problems determining the development trends of engines technology and in particular, their combustion systems. They were environmental protection against emission and noise, shortage of hydrocarbon fuels, specific fuel consumption and other technical and economic parameters. Approach: Several alternative fuels has been recognized as having a significant potential for producing lower overall pollutant emissions compared to diesel fuel. Natural gas, which composed predominately by identified as a leading candidate for transportation applications among these fuels for availability, environmental compatibility and natural gas is that it can be used in conventional diesel engines. Results: Some advantages of CNG as a fuel are octane number is very good for SI engine fuel, engines can be operate with a high compression ratio, less engine emissions and less aldehydes. In the diesel engines converted or designed to run on natural gas with the port injection (sequential) or trans-intake valve-injection system, a high-speed gas jet was pulsed from the intake port through the open intake valve into the combustion chamber, where it caused effects of turbulence and charge stratification particularly at engine parts load operations. The system was able to diminish the cyclic variations and to expand the limit of lean operation of the engine. The flexibility of gas pulse timing offers the potential advantage of lower emissions and fuel consumption. There are several advantages of port injection. The better possibility CNG engine is to equalize the air-fuel ratio of the cylinders, optimization of the gas injection timing and of the gas pressure for different operating conditions. Conclusion: The fuel nozzle injector multi holes geometries development was to produce optimum fuel air mixing and increasing the volumetric efficiency of the engine that will promote a comparable engine performance and efficiency.


I. INTRODUCTION II. THE HISTORY OF THE EUROZONE III. THE DEBT CRISIS A. The Stability and Growth Pact B. The Advantages of Eurozone Membership Cause Imprudent Fiscal Behavior C. The Contagion Effect IV. SOLUTIONS TO THE EU DEBT CRISIS A. Why an Expulsion Provision is Necessary B. The Removal Process V. CONCLUSION I. INTRODUCTION There is a Greek myth that tells the tale of Icarus and his father, who flew out of their prison in Crete on wings made of feathers and wax. (1) The story goes that before taking off, Icarus's father warned him not to fly too close to either the sun or the sea, but to keep on a straight path. (2) Icarus, giddy with excitement from the sensation of flying, ignored his father's instructions and flew towards the sun. (3) Eventually, after Icarus's wings began to melt and he was no longer able to fly, he fell into the sea and drowned. (4) Icarus's tale is meant to serve as an example of what becomes of those who succumb to hubris, the fault of pride and overconfidence. (5) And though the myth is ancient, its warnings are still relevant today. Modern Europe, giddy with the influx of economic advantages attained after the creation of its monetary union, could not control its fiscal policy, and flew too close to the proverbial sun. (6) Now, as the wings of economic prosperity and stability are melting away, it must find some way to keep from drowning. (7) Europe finds itself struggling to maintain its large economy while many of its founding members, namely Greece, Spain, Portugal, and Ireland, are bogged down with massive amounts of debt. (8) The dream of a common currency began when European leaders attempted to reconstruct the pieces of their war-torn continent and ensure, through economic unity, that such a catastrophe could never happen again. (9) Although this plan has successfully prevented any further military conflicts, it has created economic conflict: all countries in the Eurozone share a common currency and therefore are all economically tied to one another. The collapse of one could pose a disaster for all the others. (10) Greece finds itself facing default yet again, and its numerous bailouts have proven unsuccessful. (11) Other EU Member States, notably Germany and France, have been forced to pour billions of euro into failing Greece, causing their own credit ratings to fall. (12) Despite the bailout, Greece still finds itself unable to meet its upcoming debt obligations. (13) Faced with political backlash at home, some European leaders are now starting to ask whether Greece should be removed from the Eurozone. (14) Currently, the EU framework does not provide for a means of expelling a country from the Eurozone without a concurrent exit from the entire Union. (15) Therefore, an amendment to the Treaty on European Union (TEU) is necessary before any country can be expelled from the monetary union. (16) This comment argues that an expulsion provision is necessary because of the nature of the national governments, which habitually overspend and accumulate large debt bills. (17) An expulsion provision may be the only way to prevent the debt contagion from spreading across Europe and potentially damaging the viability of the European Monetary Union (EMU) project. (18) Additionally, the provision is still necessary even if the amendment process is too long to solve the Greek crisis. The European Union is continually expanding its borders to include developing economies, and is no longer a conglomeration of similarly built, strong, Western-European nations. (19) The Union now represents the third-largest people group in the world, with an assortment of differing languages, cultures, political views, and religions. (20) This diversity brings additional challenges, especially in the area of fiscal planning. (21) A one-size-fits-all approach to monetary policy is becoming harder to attain, and as a result, there is a higher incidence of violation of the debt thresholds set forth in the treaties. …


OBJECTIVE To understand the interrelationship of coronary artery disease (CAD) risk factors including hyperlipidemia, hypertension, and glucose intolerance to prevent and better manage this disease. RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS We performed a 100-g oral glucose tolerance test in 2,113 subjects, and we evaluated their plasma lipid levels, blood pressure (BP), and plasma glucose and plasma insulin responses. RESULTS Multiple regression analysis demonstrated a significant relationship of either BP, plasma triglyceride (TG), or high-density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol levels to plasma insulin and glucose response after the glucose load. Plasma cholesterol levels were related only to the plasma glucose response. In subjects matched for age, sex, and body mass index (BMI) with hyperinsulinemia or normoinsulinemia, the hyperinsulinemic subjects had a significantly higher mean BP and plasma TG level than the normoinsulinemic subjects (128.8/82.3 vs. 122.9/79.3 mmHg and 172.1 vs. 119.4 mg/dl), and the HDL-cholesterol level was significantly lower (43.9 vs. 47.8 mg/dl). Furthermore, subjects matched for age, sex, and BMI with glucose intolerance had a higher mean BP (128.4/81.8 vs. 123.5/78.7 mmHg) and higher plasma TG level (154.2 vs. 123.0 mg/dl) than those without glucose intolerance. CONCLUSIONS Based on these findings, subjects with hyperinsulinemia or glucose intolerance should be carefully managed to prevent CAD, because they have more numerous and more severe risk factors than subjects with normal plasma insulin levels or subjects without glucose intolerance.


Large numbers of migrants enter South Africa both legally and illegally in search of a better life and personal safety and security. Most are economic migrants and a minority are political refugees who had fled their countries because of a well-founded fear of being persecuted for reasons of culture, religion, political opinions, or the life-threatening conditions of war. The general public usually do not distinguish between economic migrants and political refugees, suspecting that all migrants are involved in crime and responsible for South Africa's high unemployment rate. Xenophobia and discrimination against, and abuse of refugees often result from this. This article reports on a research project undertaken in Pretoria on the victimisation of political refugees. A qualitative research procedure was followed to investigate refugees' experiences during their stay in South Africa. In-depth interviews were conducted with 40 respondents comprising men and women who sought help from a non-government organisation in connection with their personal and language problems as refugees.
All respondents fled from war-torn countries and some had to pay exorbitant prices to human traffickers to reach this country. It was found that most respondents were in one or another way verbally abused and financially exploited by government officials and security personnel on arriving in this country, as well as when they applied for refugee status or a work permit. Cases of physical assault by members of the public were reported and most refugees indicated that they were identified as "foreigners" by their accent, language, physical appearance or dress and called derogatory names.
Two respondents were detained under prison conditions inconsistent with legislation on refugees while waiting for asylum-documentation to be ratified or fetched from home. It was furthermore found that health care personnel were reluctant to attend to the needs of refugees. None of the respondents could find a permanent job because they were foreigners. All respondents expressed their disillusionment with South African society, and felt that they are the targets of discrimination, exploitation and abuse.


This paper examines the impact of participation in direct marketing on the entire distribution of farm sales using the unconditional quantile regression (UQR) estimator. Our analysis yields unbiased estimates of the unconditional impact of direct marketing on farm sales and reveals the heterogeneous effects that occur across the distribution of farm sales. The impacts of direct marketing efforts are uniformly negative across the UQR results, but declines in sales tend to grow smaller as sales increase. Producers planning to sell more in local outlets should expect sales to decline. Marketing experts and extension professionals can use this information to guide farmers who are considering initiating or expanding direct marketing activities.


As students from Petra Christian University at Indonesia and also Christelijke Hogeschool Noord (CHN) at Nedherland, the writers are obliged to write thesis as one of the requirement to finish the study. The writers?s objective of this thesis is to learn the importance of intercultural communication in order to maintain a good service in Lucky City Restaurant at Hoofddorp. Moreover, this thesis will analyze the influence of culture differences toward communication process of organizational member especially to support service performance. The writers choose this topic because in the working environment of Lucky City Restaurant there are a lot of people who hasve different culture and also different ways of communication. Therefore in order to understand each other the writers have to communicate but the problem is that the writers?s ways of communication are different from them that is why the writers are interested to study more about the importance of intercultural communication that deals with the good service. This thesis will be divided into 6 chapters. Chapter one will explain about the research review, the research problem, the research question, the research objectives, the purpose of research, the scope of research and the advantages of research. Research problem can be considered as the study case that needs to be analyzed and how it can be occurred and solved. Research objectives explain about the purpose of the analysis. Research objective will include the purpose of the research. Chapter two describes about the company where the writers do the research. It begins with the historical overview of Lucky City Restaurant. It also explains the organization chart, service sequence, and job description. Chapter three explain about literature review which contains a lot numbers of theory concerning the communication, culture, intercultural communication, and also a lot more about service. Chapter four will contain about the research methodology. In this chapter the writers will explain the research methodology that is being used which is qualitative method, and the data sources will be divided into two sources: 1. Primary data source, this source is compiled from interviewing, observation, and giving questionnaires. 2. Second data source, this source is taken from literatures which are related with the intercultural communication and service. Chapter five will be the main discussion of the thesis whereas all the sources have been collected through interview, observation and the analyzed questionnaire. The last chapter will be domiciled with the conclusion from the whole thesis and some recommendation which could be implemented in the restaurant in order to overcome the intercultural communication obstacles and what can be done to avoid misunderstanding. By the end of this thesis, writers will enclose the thesis with the appendixes and references that consist of the questionnaire format and all the information that deals with the thesis.


This volume brings together researchers active in the initiative called Computer-Mediated Communication and Social Media Corpora for the Humanities (http://www.cmc-corpora.org/) that is dedicated to the discussion of best practices on all aspects of open issues regarding the development, annotation, processing and analysis of corpora of computer-mediated communication (CMC). It includes eight chapters that have been written by 16 authors from 13 different countries and deal with the creation of CMC corpora, and with the analysis of CMC phenomena in 10 different languages. They tackle a diverse range of research questions and use a rich set of approaches, which is why they are organized into four broad thematic and methodological parts: Part 1 - Lexical analysis of CMC, Part 2 - Sociolinguistic analysis of CMC, Part 3 - Conversation and conflict in CMC, and Part 4 - Building and processing CMC resources.


In this thesis we explore and discuss some important methods for knowledge extraction from meclical data. This is done in relation to, and for the purpose of design and development of decision support systems, which could be population specific.To test data and extract knowledge, we use univariate and multivariate statistical methods, the rough sets theory and probabilistic artificial intelligence approaches. These methods are used to estimate characteristics of patient groups, disease profiles and other features relevant for medical problems. In particular, we apply them to clifferentiate among patient groups, develop patient models and derive decision rules. Our experience refers to two medical domains (patients with diagnosed and non-diagnosed, but suspected liver disease and patients with duodenal ulcer surgery).Extracted knowledge can be used both in clinical practice and health care programs, as well as in computer based decision support systems to adjust them to various clinical environments.


Sometimes the very people who are supposed to teach, nurture, and protect students in public schools — the students' teachers, principals, coaches, and other school officials — are instead the people who harm them. Public school officials have beaten students, causing significant physical harm. They have also left students suffering from depression, suicidal ideation, and Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder. When school officials cause such severe harm to students, all the federal courts of appeals to consider the issue have concluded that the Fourteenth Amendment at least in theory protects them, regardless of whether the form of the harm is emotional or physical. Yet, an analysis of the cases across the circuits reveals that the courts have yet to actually find that a case of severe emotional harm on its own violates the Constitution, even though they have been willing to find physical harm unconstitutional. Not only do the courts not find stand-alone emotional harm sufficient to make out a constitutional violation, they also collectively evaluate students' emotional harm very differently than their physical harm. This Article explores the distinction in the way the courts treat standalone emotional harm in public school students' Fourteenth Amendment cases. It contends that if the courts are going to recognize that the Constitution protects students from severe harm regardless of its physical or emotional form, as they do, then the distinction in treatment of emotional harm is untenable. Drawing on substantive due process theory, psychology, and law and emotions theory, this Article argues that the distinction in treatment is the result of emotions stigma, analogous to the long-recognized phenomenon of mental illness stigma, that discredits students' emotions-based claims. It proposes a paradigm for evaluating students' emotional harm that responds to and helps to overcome emotions stigma so the Constitution will protect students when school officials cause them severe emotional harm.


This paper analyses the influence of ownership, board of directors, and financial leverage on companies' performance when these either face, or do not face, profitable growth opportunities. Towards that end we examined a sample of 83 listed Mexican firms during the period 2005-2011. The results confirm the relevance of debt and board of directors in terms of firm market value by showing a negative relationship between performance and both, board of directors and leverage, in the presence of growth opportunities. In contrast, the relationship between debt and performance becomes positive when firms have no profitable investment projects. The results also demonstrate that the relevance of controlling shareholders on firm value is different when firms have or not growth opportunities. Therefore, our results show that ownership structure, composition and size of board and the level of leverage play a dual role on performance (increase or decrease the firm value) and determinewhether the firms have profitable investment projects.


During spring, writing lab directors are undergoing their own ritual. They are
gathering names of students from faculty who have been nominated for the job
of tutor, interviewing these prospective consultants, and, finally, making job
offers to the best and the brightest in order to secure the new crop of tutors for
the fast-approaching fall. Directors can now catch their breaths, assuming that
training can wait until the fall.
But can it?
As a director of a writing center, I've learned not to wait until the fall but rather
to use the last precious weeks of the spring term to expose newly selected
consultants to the world of consulting, so they can begin, even now their
process of becoming well-trained consultants.


What are people able to do and to be? And are they really able to do or be these things, or are there impediments, evident or hidden, to their real and substantial freedom? Are they able to unfold themselves or are their lives, in significant respects, pinched and starved? What about their environment--material, social, and political? Has it helped them to develop their capacities to be active in important areas of life? If people are like Pindar's vine tree, is their environment more like a rich soil tended by wise and just gardeners, or more like an arid soil tended by indifferent gardeners, or gardeners with a restricted conception of their task? More specifically, to focus on just one part of our larger question that touches on constitutional law: How have the basic constitutional principles of a nation, and their interpretation, promoted or impeded people's abilities to function in some central areas of human life? Does the interpretation of constitutional entitlements yield real abilities to choose and act, or are the constitution's promises more like hollow verbal gestures? The idea that all citizens in a nation are equally entitled to a set of substantial preconditions for a dignified human life has had a lasting appeal over the centuries in Western political and legal thought--less because intellectuals have favored it than because it has great resonance in the lives of real people. Appealing though the idea is, however, many things can go wrong when a nation sets up and interprets political principles that define citizens' basic entitlements. Often, in one way or another, citizens are less like substantially free people, who can choose to act in the ways most pertinent to human dignity, than like prisoners, unable to select modes of activity that are central to a life worthy of human dignity. This happens most obviously when a regime represses choice across the board, curtailing many of the entitlements that are traditionally thought central to such a life. Sometimes, however, imprisonment is only partial. It does not extend across the entire range of central entitlements, and yet citizens are like prisoners in at least some areas of life--as, for example, when a regime that supports some central opportunities curtails the freedom of religion or the freedom of speech. Sometimes, imprisonment is partial in a different way: only certain groups are affected. Some (privileged) people are free to select the core set of valuable functions, while other people are not--as, for example, when a hierarchical constitution accords basic entitlements to men and not to women, to whites and not to blacks, to the rich and not to the poor. Sometimes, these two types of partial imprisonment intersect, as when a regime treats blacks and whites, women and men, equally with respect to voting rights, but denies them equal educational or employment opportunities. Sometimes, imprisonment is subtle, almost hidden: the words in a nation's constitution may be promising, extending basic entitlements to all citizens on a basis of equality, but the interpretation of these entitlements is so narrow that groups of citizens are not really able to select some crucial activities. In name, they are equally free, but not in actuality. For example, a group of citizens might have rights to free speech and political participation, but be deprived of educational opportunities that are necessary to exercise those rights on a basis of equality with others. Or they might have the freedom of religion in name, but be unprotected against some common assaults against their equal dignity as citizens with diverse religious (and non-religious) views of the good life. Or they might be guaranteed protection against discrimination on the basis of sex, but discover that their legal entitlements have been interpreted in such a way as to render the meaningful exercise of that right extremely difficult. …


We present a technique for coupling simulated fluid phenomena that interact with real dynamic scenes captured as a binocular video sequence. We first process the binocular video sequence to obtain a complete 3D reconstruction of the scene, including velocity information. We use stereo for the visible parts of 3D geometry and surface completion to fill the missing regions. We then perform fluid simulation within a 3D domain that contains the object, enabling one‐way coupling from the video to the fluid. In order to maintain temporal consistency of the reconstructed scene and the animated fluid across frames, we develop a geometry tracking algorithm that combines optic flow and depth information with a novel technique for "velocity completion". The velocity completion technique uses local rigidity constraints to hypothesize a motion field for the entire 3D shape, which is then used to propagate and filter the reconstructed shape over time. This approach not only generates smoothly varying geometry across time, but also simultaneously provides the necessary boundary conditions for one‐way coupling between the dynamic geometry and the simulated fluid. Finally, we employ a GPU based scheme for rendering the synthetic fluid in the real video, taking refraction and scene texture into account.


Though many special collections libraries and archives mentor graduate student interns, L. Tom Perry Special Collections at Brigham Young University's unique internship program primarily serves undergraduate students.  Fuelled by a strong university mandate to promote undergraduate learning and scholarship, Perry Special Collections seeks to nurture undergraduates with interests in archives and rare books. This article describes the genesis and current structure of the undergraduate student internship program, and how it enriches students and the special collections professions.


Objectives In a prospective phase IV trial of the first-line oral treatment dimethyl fumarate (DMF), we examined dynamics of neurofilament light (NFL) chain in serum, plasma and cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) samples collected over 12 months from relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis (RRMS) patients. NFL changes were related to disease activity. Methods We examined NFL levels by single-molecule array in 88 CSF, 348 plasma and 131 sera from treatment-naïve RRMS patients (n=52), healthy controls (n=23) and a placebo group matched by age, sex and NFL (n=52). Plasma/sera were collected at baseline, and 1, 3, 6 and 12 months after DMF. CSF samples were collected at baseline and 12 months after DMF. Results NFL concentration in CSF, plasma and serum correlated highly (p<0.0001 for all), but plasma levels were only 76.9% of paired serum concentration. After 12 months of DMF treatment, NFL concentration decreased by 73%, 69% and 55% in the CSF, serum and plasma (p<0.0001, respectively). Significant reduction in blood was observed after 6 and 12 months treatment compared with baseline (p<0.01 and p<0.0001, respectively) and to placebo (p<0.0001). Patients with NFL above the 807.5 pg/mL cut-off in CSF had 5.0-times relative risk of disease activity (p<0.001). Conclusions This study provides Class II evidence that first-line DMF reduces NFL in both blood and CSF after 6 months and normalises CSF levels in 73% of patients. High NFL concentration in CSF after a year reflected disease activity. NFL levels were higher in serum than in plasma, which should be considered when NFL is used as a biomarker.


Magnetic resonance is an imaging modality that implies a high complexity for radiographers. Despite some simulators having been developed for training purposes, we are not aware of any attempt to quantitatively measure their educational performance. The present study gives an answer to the question: Does an MRI simulator built on specific functional and non-functional requirements help radiographers learn MRI theoretical and practical concepts better than traditional educational method based on lectures? Our study was carried out in a single day by a total of 60 students of a main hospital in Madrid, Spain. The experiment followed a randomized pre-test post-test design with a control group that used a traditional educational method, and an experimental group that used our simulator. Knowledge level was assessed by means of an instrument with evidence of validity in its format and content, while its reliability was analyzed after the experiment. Statistical differences between both groups were measured. Significant statistical differences were found in favor of the participants who used the simulator for both the post-test score and the gain (difference between post-test and pre-test scores). The effect size turned out to be significant as well. In this work we evaluated a magnetic resonance simulation paradigm as a tool to help in the training of radiographers. The study shows that a simulator built on specific design requirements is a valuable complement to traditional education procedures, backed up with significant quantitative results.


Marrying deft social commentary to a rich, earthy comedy, the three comedies collected in Aristophanes' "The Frogs and Other Plays" offers a unique insight into one of the most turbulent periods in Ancient Greek history. This "Penguin Classics" edition is translated by David Barrett with revisions, an introduction and notes by Shomit Dutta. The master of ancient Greek comic drama, Aristophanes combined slapstick, humour and cheerful vulgarity with acute political observations. In "The Frogs", written during the Peloponnesian War, Dionysus descends to the Underworld to bring back a poet who can help Athens in its darkest hour, and stages a great debate to help him decide between the traditional wisdom of Aeschylus and the brilliant modernity of Euripides. The clash of generations and values is also the object of Aristophanes' satire in Wasps, in which an old-fashioned father and his loose-living son come to blows and end up in court. And in "Women at the Thesmophoria", the famous Greek tragedian Euripides, accused of misogyny, persuades a relative to infiltrate an all-women festival to find out whether revenge is being plotted against him. Shomit Dutta's introduction discusses Aristophanes' life, the cultural context of his work and conventions of Greek comedy. This updated version of David Barrett's translation also includes extensive notes and a preface for each play. Aristophanes (c.445-386 BC) was probably born in Athens. Little is known about his life, but there is a portrait of him in "Plato's Symposium". He was twice threatened with prosecution for his outspoken attacks on the prominent politician Cleon, but in 405 he was publicly honoured and crowned for promoting Athenian civic unity in "The Frogs". Aristophanes had his first comedy produced when he was about twenty-one, and wrote forty plays in all. The eleven surviving plays of Aristophanes are published in the "Penguin Classics" series as "The Birds and Other Plays", "Lysistrata and Other Plays", "The Wasps and Other Plays" and "The Frogs and Other Plays". If you enjoyed "The Frogs and Other Plays", you might like Aristophanes' "Lysistrata and Other Plays", also available in "Penguin Classics".


In Malaysia, 45% of the average household electricity consumption is by air conditioners. This high energy utilization is, to a large extent, related to poor thermal performance of the building envelope. To enhance the energy efficiency of buildings, it is therefore imperative that low thermal conductivity bricks be used. Numerous research has been conducted on the potential use of agricultural waste as a thermal enhancement additive in building materials. The aim of this study is to measure the thermal surface temperature of a constructed empty fruit bunch (EFB) clay brick masonry wall model over a period of time as an assessment of the effectiveness of EFB waste as an agent for brick thermal insulation. Two types of brick, namely 5% EFB and CB (Control Brick), each measuring 1.00 m long x 0.102 m width x 1.00 m height, were subjected to thermal surface temperature test using thermal imaging infrared camera. Data was recorded sequentially at regular intervals using the infrared camera, allowing the researchers to record the dynamic value changes of wall surface temperature. In addition, physical, chemical composition and mechanical property tests were carried out to identify the performance of EFB clay brick and CB. The results reveal that the 5% EFB brick minimizes the thermal conductivity as well as reduces the thermal surface temperature of the constructed masonry wall model. The outcome of this research suggests clearly that EFB waste is a potential additive material for thermal property enhancement of the building envelope.


Albucasis is one of the world's pioneers in surgery. In his book, "Al-Tasrif", he described the surgical procedures and tools, as well as post-operative care in detail. He introduced colorectal surgeries in detail and used topical substances to accelerate recovery. Albucasis considered different approaches for anorectal surgeries and used them according to the complexity of the cases. Many of these methods were first invented by him and the effect of his ideas on modern surgical methods is evident. In this article, we discuss anorectal diseases treated by Albucasis using surgical procedures. Albucasis: pioneiro da moderna cirurgia anorretal


The familial Alzheimer's disease gene product beta-amyloid (Abeta) precursor protein (APP) is processed by the beta- and gamma-secretases to produce Abeta as well as AID (APP Intracellular Domain) which is derived from the extreme carboxyl terminus of APP. AID was originally shown to lower the cellular threshold to apoptosis and more recently has been shown to modulate gene expression such that it represses Notch-dependent gene expression while in combination with Fe65 it enhances gene activation. Here we report that the two other members of the APP family, beta-amyloid precursor-like protein-1 and -2 (APLP1 and APLP2), are also processed by the gamma-secretase in a Presenilin 1-dependent manner. Furthermore, the extreme carboxyl-terminal fragments produced by this processing (here termed APP-like Intracellular Domain or ALID1 and ALID2) are able to enhance Fe65-dependent gene activation, similar to what has been reported for AID. Considering that only APP and not the APLPs have been linked to familial Alzheimer's disease (AD), this data should help in understanding the physiologic roles of the APP family members and in differentiating these functions from the pathologic role of APP in Alzheimer's disease.


Student Evaluations of Teaching (SET) are subjective measures of student satisfaction that are often used to assess teaching quality. In this paper, we show that heterogeneity in students' reporting styles challenges SET validity. Using administrative data that allow us to track all evaluations produced by each student, we are able to isolate student-specific reporting scales. We show that reporting heterogeneity explains at least one third of the within-course variation in SET.We also document that students sort across elective courses according to their reporting style. As a result, the average evaluation of two otherwise identical electives can differ only because of heterogeneity in the reporting style of students attending them. Using a simulation exercise, we show that this type of sorting coupled with large sampling variability severely alter the ranking of courses within a major, calling into question the use of SET to incentivise teachers.


Oil exploration from artificial Islands in the Beaufort Sea has shown that grounded ice rubble fields often accumulate around such structures, preventing moving ice from acting directly against the structure. A simple, rigid body model, has commonly been used to estimate the load "seen" by the structure, with the result that no loading is expected until global rubble sliding occurs. It was realized that such an approach is not entirely realistic and so a collaborative field program was carried out, followed by theoretical modelling. The field work was done at a drilling location in the southern Beaufort Sea on ESSO's Caisson Retained Island (CRI). The three groups involved were ESSO Resources Canada Ltd., National Research Council of Canada (NRC) and Memorial University of Newfoundland (M.U.N.). The M.U.N. data and subsequent theoretical work is presented here, with the ESSO and NRC data summarized in the site description. -- Memorial University collected data from pressure sensor rosettes, a strain array, thermocouple arrays, rubble profiling, and ice property measurements. The most important data came from the pressure sensor rosettes and the thermocouple arrays. These indicated that average sea ice pressures against the rubble reached 350 kPa, and that a substantial and rapidly formed refrozen layer existed within the rubble, with a thickness exceeding 3 m near the rubble field periphery. -- Based on the field measurements, a theoretical model was developed to investigate the role of the rubble refrozen layer in load transmission through rubble. The rubble field was modelled as a system of springs and dampers to represent the elastic, frictional, and viscous stiffness of the various load paths. The deformations and load distributions were calculated using a commercial finite element package called ABAQUS. Each material property was assumed to have a range of values, the limits of which were determined from the literature, theoretical considerations and field measurements. -- The sensitivity of the output to each of the inputs was examined and the following was concluded; -- 1. From the analysis it appears that the elastic response of the rubble leads to the highest loads on the embedded structure because the transmitted load tends to decrease with time (creep). -- 2. The ice rubble properties that are the most important for further study are the delayed elastic and shear properties of un-refrozen rubble, as well as their variability within natural rubble fields. -- 3. Significant loads may be transmitted through ice rubble to a structure before global sliding of the rubble field occurs. -- 4. The presence of the refrozen layer gives the potential for substantial loads to be imposed on the structure during rubble field movement. -- 5. Possible future improvements to the ABAQUS computer model include the incorporation of; refrozen layer discontinuities, berm slope, non-rigid structure behaviour, kinetic and static friction values (rather than an average), and water and ice mass. Furthur research is also required on ice/rubble failure modes to esablish design pressures at the rubble field boundaries. -- 6. The sample 3D calculations show that viscous deformation may also be important, although it is also clear that the 3D method presented needs improvement. -- KEY WORDS: Sea ice; sea-ice; ice rubble; ice loads; landfast ice; rubble fields; Kaubvik; artificial islands; Beaufort Sea; pressure sensors; strain array; thermocouple array; refrozen layer; consolidated layer; ABAQUS; computer model.


Cone penetration test (CPT), standard penetration test (SPT), and shear wave velocity (V s ) are widely used for site specific evaluation of liquefaction potential and are getting increased use in regional mapping. We compare the statistical and spatial variability of SPT, CPT and V s liquefaction potential characterizations in the Oakland and Monterey Bay areas in California and use geostatistics to interpolate liquefaction potential at the site and regional scales. For the Monterey Bay area, we estimate the predictive capability of liquefaction potential measurements by comparing the predictions to observed liquefaction surface effects. We find that V s defines large geologic units with high potential for liquefaction, while CPT characterizes small-scale variability. Overall, the liquefaction potential measurements have broad distributions and liquefaction hazard maps should provide a distribution to represent the variability. Or, alternatively, geostatistical methods can be used to interpolate between observation locations to provide a detailed map of liquefaction potential.


The activity of the commercial enzyme Candida antarctica lipase B (CaLB), in aqueous solutions of the ionic liquid 1-decyl-3-methylimidazolium chloride, [C10mim]Cl, at pH 7.0 was investigated. The relative enzyme activity (ActIL/ActBf) for ionic liquid molar concentrations ranging from 0.000–0.150 mol L−1 show an increase up to six fold in ActIL/ActBf, with the ionic liquid molar concentration. This phenomenon is shown to be related with the formation of micelles originated by the self-aggregation of [C10mim]Cl. The enzyme activation energy is not affected by the ionic liquid presence, suggesting the absence of structural changes in the enzyme induced by the ionic liquid. It is here demonstrated, for the first time, that it is possible to significantly increase the activity of an enzyme simply by using aqueous solutions of ionic liquids.


Abstract. Modeling of sediment dynamics for developing best management practices of reducing soil erosion and of sediment control has become essential for sustainable management of watersheds. Precise estimation of sediment dynamics is very important since soils are a major component of enormous environmental processes and sediment transport controls lake and river pollution extensively. Different hydrological processes govern sediment dynamics in a river basin, which are highly variable in spatial and temporal scales. This paper presents a process-based distributed modeling approach for analysis of sediment dynamics at river basin scale by integrating sediment processes (soil erosion, sediment transport and deposition) with an existing process-based distributed hydrological model. In this modeling approach, the watershed is divided into an array of homogeneous grids to capture the catchment spatial heterogeneity. Hillslope and river sediment dynamic processes have been modeled separately and linked to each other consistently. Water flow and sediment transport at different land grids and river nodes are modeled using one dimensional kinematic wave approximation of Saint-Venant equations. The mechanics of sediment dynamics are integrated into the model using representative physical equations after a comprehensive review. The model has been tested on river basins in two different hydro climatic areas, the Abukuma River Basin, Japan and Latrobe River Basin, Australia. Sediment transport and deposition are modeled using Govers transport capacity equation. All spatial datasets, such as, Digital Elevation Model (DEM), land use and soil classification data, etc., have been prepared using raster "Geographic Information System (GIS)" tools. The results of relevant statistical checks (Nash-Sutcliffe efficiency and R–squared value) indicate that the model simulates basin hydrology and its associated sediment dynamics reasonably well. This paper presents the model including descriptions of the various components and the results of its application on two case study areas.


There are few scientific papers dealing with the packaging of fresh bread and consumer preferences as to the packaging. There are also few scientific papers on consumer behavior regarding shopping routines, storing, and the use of fresh bread in connection with food waste from households. The primary scope of this study has been to gain new understanding and expertise when comparing the characteristics of consumers who report no wasting of fresh bread with those who report wasting a significant quantity of fresh bread every week. In addition, the authors have identified and analyzed the main reasons for wasting fresh-packed bread in Norway, and the way in which those reasons relate to varying aspects of consumer behavior. This expertise is important for those working in the development, production, and sale of food. It will enable them to take effective measures relating to the various consumer groups so as to prevent the waste of bread by consumers. A web-based questionnaire has been employed, with 1000 respondents, in order to collect data for the analyses. There were significant differences between the groups who reported wasting a significant amount of bread (seven slices or more a week) and groups who wasted no fresh bread at all. This was especially noticeable when focusing on age and household size. Other factors were shopping behavior, and the freezing and toasting of bread at home, which can minimize the wasting of bread. Low wasters employ clear strategies to avoid food waste (freezing, re-packing, and shopping) and these strategies are not seen in the group of high-wasters. The findings from this study may provide useful insight for those working with the development of packaging and products in the food industry, as well as those in the retail sector, as it identifies consumer preferences, viewpoints on packaging and attitudes towards the freshness of bread. As a sizeable group of consumers in this study stated that they use an additional plastic bag in addition to the original packaging, it is clear that consumers do not perceive the original packaging as being good enough to preserve the quality of fresh bread.


The article reflects on the idea of both calendric time and its material supports used by the Zoroastrians of Iran in reference to the identity of the group. The qualitative analysis of the data collected during the fieldwork among the Zoroastrian community has shown that a distinctive time-reckoning system plays the role of an important marker that strengthens the community's Zoroastrian identity in the face of Muslim domination. In the post-Revolutionary Iran, the calendar is one of the key pillars of the Zoroastrians' collective self-awareness—both as an idea of a specific time-reckoning system designating ritual activities, and as a material subject that acts as a medium to promote specific values and ideas.


Gendered Enterprise and Markets (GEM) is Oxfam GB's approach to market systems development. The GEM approach facilitates change in market systems and social norms, with the aim of ensuring more sustainable livelihood opportunities for marginalized women and men. The GEM DFID AidMatch Programme (June 2014–February 2018) worked within the soya, milk and vegetable value chains targeting women smallholder farmers in areas of poverty. The programme aimed to benefit 63,600 people (10,600 smallholder households) living in Zambia, Tajikistan and Bangladesh through increases in household income, women having greater influence over key livelihood decisions within their households and communities, and engaging in livelihoods more resilient to shocks, such as natural disasters and market volatility. The GEM programme in Bangladesh was implemented under Oxfam Bangladesh's flagship REE-CALL programme (Resilience, through Economic Empowerment, Climate Adaptation, Leadership and Learning). GEM operated in seven districts across Bangladesh, with the project activities implemented by seven local partners. The project aimed to establish 84 producer groups for smallholder dairy farmers, and this was achieved during the first year. Building on these local networks, GEM aimed to deliver a suite of training and support covering assertiveness, rights and leadership skills, agricultural practice and disaster risk management. The evaluation was designed to investigate if and how the GEM programme might have contributed to its intended outcomes – not only in the lives of individual women smallholder farmers targeted by the programme but also in changes in their communities and the larger market system. It also sought to capture any potential unintended outcomes of the programme.