A mobile node needs at least the following information: a home
address, a home agent address, and a security association with home
agent to register with the home agent. The process of obtaining this
information is called bootstrapping. This document discusses issues
involved with how the mobile node can be bootstrapped for Mobile IPv6
(MIPv6) and various potential deployment scenarios for mobile node
bootstrapping. This memo provides information for the Internet
community.


Nestor Mendez was elected to be the ninth Assistant Secretary General of the Organization of American States (OAS) on March 18, 2015. He began serving his five-year term on July 13, 2015 with a commitment to work closely with the Secretary General and the member states to reinvigorate and modernize the institution. The Assistant Secretary General based his platform on five main thematic areas: improving regional inter-connectivity; fostering economic growth, addressing the impacts of climate change and natural disasters; promoting partnerships for development, and working to empower and respond to the needs of the youth across the hemisphere. Upon receiving the mandate from member states, he pledged his "unwavering commitment to seize the opportunity that is before us to work together to transform the OAS into the Organization that we want and that the people of the Americas deserve." Prior to his election, Nestor Mendez was a career diplomat in the Foreign Service of Belize. He served as the Ambassador to the United States of America, Permanent Representative to the OAS, and NonResident High Commissioner to Canada. He holds a Master's Degree in International Policy and Practice from George Washington University in Washington, D.C., a Graduate Level Certificate in Diplomatic Studies from Oxford University in Oxford, United Kingdom, and a Bachelor's Degree in Business Administration from the University College of Belize in Belize City, Belize.


Little is known about soil redistribution by tillage and its impact on the properties of soil profiles with thin soil layers on hillslopes. In this study, consecutive tillage by hoeing was performed 5 and 15 times on an Orthic Regosol within a steep hillslope landscape of the Sichuan Basin, China, to simulate the impact of short- and long-term tillage on soil profile properties at different slope positions. After intense tillage, significant changes in Cs-137 inventories of the soil occurred in the summit and toeslope positions. The soil profile (originally <= 0.3 m in depth) disappeared on the slope summit due to intense soil downslope translocation, and the soil profile was truncated in upper slope positions in the proximity of the summit, while a thickened soil profile was present in toeslope positions, where the original soil profile was buried. The summit was characterized by an exposure of bedrock corresponding to areas of 4.77 and 10.0% of the experimental plot for 5 and 15 tillage operations, respectively. Soil organic C (SOC) and P were completely depleted with the disappearance of soil profiles at the summit position, while a substantial increase in SOC and extractable P inventories of the post-tillage soil profile was found in the toeslope position. Intense tillage caused remarkable soil redistribution within the landscape of the steep slope, resulting in net soil loss and gain close to the upslope and downslope boundaries of the field, respectively. Tillage results in an intense transformation of soil profiles and the variation in soil properties in steeply sloping fields.


The enormous widespread and relative maturity of collaborative and social applications in Web 2.0 has encouraged metropolitans worldwide to incorporate them into their emergency management systems. This paper describes SWIMS (Semantic Web Based Incident Management System), a middleware system that integrates Web 2.0 collaborative/social applications with software agent technologies on GIS-based platform in an aim to enhance emergency management practices in urban transportation networks. The paper then compares the IT needs of this domain (incident management domain) with those of construction IT. A set of lessons and similarities are explored to guide the development of a collaborative, process-oriented system for urban incident management. Three of the main goals behind developing SWIMS are: (i) efficient information dissemination to increase public awareness of current emergency conditions in order to influence their commuting decisions, (ii) increase public participation in emergencies reporting and description to enhance the efficiency of emergency response processes, (iii) and provide a GIS-based middleware for optimized response resources allocation and management.When it comes to emergency reporting, finding equilibrium between public participation and information credibility is crucial for the system success. In this context, the authors propose a model to validate the integrity of received information; helping to provide a good balance between public participation and information reliability. In addition the paper illustrates the role of software agents in handling the enormous continuous flow of data resulting from massive anticipated public participation and due to the nature of emergency management process in general. Agents communicate using asynchronous message passing, acting as an interface between various Web 2.0 collaboration systems and SWIMS. This also helps to overcome any syntax and/or schematic heterogeneity between SWIMS and collaborative applications data structures. The roles of software agents in response resources allocation and management as well as coordination of relief efforts and decision updates are also discussed. The experiences in developing and implementing this project are thoroughly discussed and analyzed in this paper.


Advances in sensor and computer technology are revolutionizing the way remotely sensed data is collected, managed and analyzed. In particular, many current and future applications of remote sensing in Earth science, space science, and soon in exploration science will require real- or near real-time processing capabilities. In recent years, several efforts have been directed towards the incorporation of high-performance computing (HPC) models to remote sensing missions. A relevant example of a remote sensing application in which the use of HPC technologies (such as parallel and distributed computing) is becoming essential is hyperspectral remote sensing, in which an imaging spectrometer collects hundreds or even thousands of measurements (at multiple wavelength channels) for the same area on the surface of the Earth. In this paper, we review recent developments in the application of HPC techniques to hyperspectral imaging problems, with particular emphasis on commodity architectures such as clusters, heterogeneous networks of computers, and specialized hardware devices such as field programmable gate arrays (FPGAs) and commodity graphic processing units (GPUs). A quantitative comparison across these architectures is given by analyzing performance results of different parallel implementations of the same hyperspectral unmixing chain, delivering a snapshot of the state-of-the-art in this area and a thoughtful perspective on the potential and emerging challenges of applying HPC paradigms to hyperspectral remote sensing problems.


The recent implementation of the Appreciative Advising framework in the Academic Review and Retention Office at the University of Southern California (USC) has led to a significant decrease in the number of undergraduates who are involuntarily withdrawn (academically disqualified) from the university at the end of every Fall and Spring semester. Two mandatory Appreciative Advising meetings with an Academic Review Counselor per semester are required of all academic probation students. During the meetings, the six intrusive phases of Appreciative Advising are incorporated. The purpose of this paper is to discuss the implementation of the Appreciative Advising framework as a tool to retain students by helping them overcome academic probation.


Due to the male's elaborate songs, the Hwamei Garrulax canorus is the most popular caged bird in the global Chinese community. Three allopatric Hwamei subspecies have been described: G. c. canorus in central and southern China and northern Indochina, G. c. owstoni from Hainan and G. c. taewanus from Taiwan. We sequenced the entire mitochondrial cytochrome b gene to reconstruct the molecular intraspecific phylogeny of the Hwamei. Molecular phylogenetic trees indicated that individuals of the three subspecies formed three monophyletic clades with high bootstrap support (> 95%). The basal clade was G. c. taewanus. According to a conventional molecular clock (2% divergence per million years), G. c. taewanus split from the other Hwamei taxa around 1.5 million years ago, and G. c. owstoni diverged from G. c. canorus around 0.6 million years ago. Considering the periodic connection between the Asian mainland and nearby continental islands during the glacial periods, habitat vicariance may have played a more important role than geographical vicariance in facilitating the differentiation of these taxa. Molecular diagnosability, population integrity, and concordance between the population ranges and the topology of the phylogenetic tree suggested that the Hwamei should be delimited into at least two full species: G. canorus and G. taewanus. Our work represents one of the first attempts to re-evaluate the intraspecific systematics for an eastern Asian bird species using molecular data.


The Millennium Challenge Corporation (MCC) is one of the brilliant innovations of the eight-year Bush presidency. It is brilliant because it was designed expressly to avoid the shortcomings that have plagued other aid programs for decades. It is innovative because no other aid agency has such a purposeful mandate, such operational flexibility, and such muscle.The MCC started off on the wrong foot in 2004. New leadership a year later put the MCC back on track, but the federal government's severe budget constraints and the MCC's inability to show results could jeopardize the agency's existence. The latest jockeying for the fiscal year 2009 budget serves as a sobering example. The Appropriations Subcommittee in the House of Representatives pushed back against an increase, recommending instead the same amount appropriated the year before ($1.54 billion), while the Senate appropriators offered $254 million, nearly $2 billion below the administration's request of $2.225 billion. The Obama administration and the new Congress will have an opportunity to give the Millennium Challenge approach a new lease on life that could enable it to achieve its potential as the world's most effective catalyst for economic growth. The main complaints about the MCC are that it has disbursed only a small fraction of the funds appropriated to it by the Congress, and it has not yet produced any measurable results. These are not real problems. They reflect unrealistic expectations. The biggest problem we see is risk aversion. Under pressure to prove it is not wasting taxpayer monies, the MCC has opted to use familiar techniques and partners, and to push for early results. These choices could ultimately doom the concept. Development is a messy process. Impatience is the chief enemy of effective development assistance. With highly visible domestic problems, such as our health care and financial systems, it is especially unhelpful to expect developing countries to achieve quick and efficient results.


Background and purpose: Digital subtraction angiography (DSA), a minimally invasive procedure for an exceptional visualization of cerebrovascular angioarchitecture, has become an important imaging technique for inclusive evaluation and therapeutic embolization. Our purpose is to share the importance of DSA for evaluation of cerebral aneurysms.
Material and method: A total of 148 patients with suspected intracranial aneurysm underwent digital subtraction angiography during January 2005 to December 2009. Preliminarily aortogram was considered in old age group (>50yrs) before supra-aortic angiography. Patient's selection criterion included both ruptured and unruptured aneurysms. 3D rotational effect was applied for all complex cerebral aneurysms with unfavorable dome neck ratio. DSA was accomplished into 2- 6 standard projections for every vascular territory for optimal visualization and accurate evaluation of cerebral aneurysms.
Result: 21 were males and 48 were females. Age difference was ranged between 26-78 years with an average of 51.5years. Among 288 patients, total detected aneurysms were 480. 32 presented with SAH, 21 presented with headache and 14 patients came with cranial nerve dysfunction during admission. 3 had negative angiography irrespective to spontaneous subarachnoid hemorrhage. Delineation of aneurysmal neck improved with rotation effect of 3D DSA in 80% of patients. Parent vessel and its relationship to adjacent vessels was better demonstrated with rotational angiography in >50% of cases. Endovascular embolization was done in 80 patients in same setting.
Conclusion: DSA with 3D rotational technique is an essential radio-imaging tool for accurate characterization of cerebrovascular diseases and subsequently beneficial to elaborate on their potential treatment protocols.


Textile reinforcement structure plays an important role in the reinforcement/composite performances during the composite manufacturing and in-service life of the composite material. Structures with a three-dimensional (3D) fiber topology are desired due to their superior multiaxial performance and efforts have been made to modify 2D textile technologies to produce complex 3D shapes. Most of these 3D solutions are based on the principle of adding out-of-plane reinforcements to a planar 2D fabric. Well-established 3D textile methods such as braiding and knitting have also been demonstrated to directly produce near net-shape structures. To understand these potentialities, the first section of this chapter will present the several textile technologies with strengths and weaknesses of these processes to manufacture technical reinforcements for composite applications. In the following sections, several applications with specific textile architectures will be given, in particular, the applications of the through-the-thickness reinforcement and 3D textile ply during the composite manufacturing.


The occurrence of several water crises in India over the years has resulted in the formulation of strategies that promote sustainable development of groundwater resources. For such planning efforts, the evaluation of groundwater recharge zones is a vital component of the water balance equation. Therefore, this study presents a systematic scientific analysis of various morphometric parameters relating to groundwater flow in hard rock terrain. The numerical classification scheme presented herein constitutes an integrated approach that shows how to leverage basic watershed information to evaluate prospective sites and measures at various scales for the purposes of water resources development and management. We have used our morphometric analysis of the Mamundiyar watershed of southern India to demonstrate the use of this classification scheme as a helpful tool in the watershed development planning process. The results of this relative ranking of Mamundiyar subbasins, using various parameters that are ultimately indicative of surficial rock permeability, show the usefulness of this classification scheme in identifying suitable rainfall infiltration sites. Together with an evaluation of the various hydrogeologic conditions in a given basin, this type of numerical classification scheme can be developed and applied to properly identify recharge sites in the planning stages of sustainable watershed development, as well as in already active watersheds, perhaps where extractive industries are working or certain land use practices exist, to evaluate potential relationships between hydrogeologic regimes and these anthropogenic activities.


The main aim of this study was to investigate the effects of carrying backpack on the balance of female students aged 9-11 years. In the present study, 30 students (mean age of 15.02±2.07 years, height of 140±8 cm, and weight of 41.51±15.26 kg and body mass index of 20.68±5.39 kg/m2) were randomly selected. Their static and dynamic balances were evaluated using single-leg stance and Y tests in both cases of with and without a backpack. Based on the research findings, there was a significant difference (P═0.035) between the cases of with and without carrying a backpack (as much as 10% of body weight) in a static balance in girls aged 9-11 years. Also, a significant difference was found between the anterior direction (P═0.003) in the left leg and internal posterior (P═0.003) and external posterior (P═0.003) directions in the right leg in the dynamic balance, while no significant differences were seen in other directions in the two legs. Moreover, in the assessment of the effect of backpack on different directions using Y test, it was observed that backpack weight has the greatest effects on both legs in the internal posterior direction. The results of the current research showed that carrying a backpack weighing 10% of the body weight by female students aged 9-11 reduced static and dynamic balances. According to the results, it is suggested that school health officials and parents should apply effective planning and training for students on carrying backpack with suitable weight.


Pakistan is situated at the convergence of three geo-economically significant regions of South Asia, Central Asia and West Asia. It offers shortest route to the sea for all landlocked countries of Central Asia alongside the Western China and figures significantly, in this connectivity, due to Karachi port, Qasim port, and Gwadar port along the Arabian Sea. This is recognised by most of the Central Asian governments which consider Pakistan as a rapidly emerging connection for several corridors of cooperation among all the three regions in the fields of energy, trade, transportation and tourism. In addition to it, Pakistan's largest province Balochistan, is very rich in natural resources particularly hydrocarbons. Pakistan improved its relations with the Central Asian States when the charter of Economic Cooperation Organisation (ECO) was signed on November 28, 1992 for the sustainable economic development of member states among the Central Asian states, Pakistan, Iran and Turkey. In this era of globalisation, extensive developments and communication links are required to integrate the Central and South Asian regions. In this connection, Pakistan is located at the crossroads and can play an important role in the integration of the region. This paper will deal with two main questions i.e., What prospects are there for the ongoing projects of regional economic connectivity? How successful will they be to counter parochial political narratives on geopolitics and geostrategic issues, which have increasingly made the world a reservoir of arms and ammunitions?


The paper presents an adaptive neuro fuzzy inference system for predicting sea level considering tide-generating forces and oceanic thermal expansion assuming a model of sea level dependence on sea surface temperature. The proposed model named TGFT-FN (t ide-Generating Forces considering sea surface t emperature and Fuzzy neuro-network system) is applied to predict tides at five tide gauge sites located in Taiwan and has the root mean square of error of about 7.3 - 15.0 cm. The capability of TGFT-FN model is superior in sea level prediction than the previous TGF-NN model developed by Chang and Lin (2006) that considers the tide-generating forces only. The TGFT-FN model is employed to train and predict the sea level of Hua-Lien station, and is also appropriate for the same prediction at the tide gauge sites next to Hua-Lien station.


This dissertation presents an alternative approach to formulate
and solve optimization problems arising in real-time model
predictive control (MPC). First it has been shown that by
using a quadratic penalty function, the linear MPC optimization
problem can be formulated as a least-squares problem
subject to bounded variables while directly employing
models in their input/output form. A theoretical analysis
on stability and optimality is included with a comparison
against the conventional condensed approach based on linear
state-space models. These concepts are straightforwardly
extended for fast nonlinear MPC with bounded variables.
An active-set algorithm based on a novel application of linear
algebra methods is proposed for efficiently solving the
resulting box-constrained (nonlinear) least-squares problems
with global convergence, numerical robustness, and easy deployability
on industrial embedded hardware platforms. Finally,
new methods and tools are devised for maximizing
efficiency of the solution algorithm considering the numerically
sparse structure of the non-condensed MPC problem.
Based on these methods, the problem construction phase in
MPC design is systematically eliminated by parameterizing
the optimization algorithm such that it can adapt to real-time
changes in the model and tuning parameters while significantly
reducing memory and computational complexity with
a potentially self-contained matrix-free implementation. Numerical
simulation results included in this thesis testify the
potential, applicability, numerical robustness and efficiency
of the proposed methods for practical real-time embedded
MPC.


---We have carried out neutron and magnetic studies on N d ~ F e 1 7 - ~ T , (T=Si, Mn) alloys. The unit cell of the compounds contracts with both Si and Mn substitution. Si atoms avoid the 6c site, prefer the 18h site strongly, fill the 9d site steadily and fill the 18f site only at relatively high Si concentration. Mn atoms avoid the 9d sites but prefer the 6c site strongly, while the 18f site and 18h site fill slowly. The Si site occupancies appear to be dominated by the crystal environment while the Mn site occupancies are dominated by steric considerations. The Curie temperature of the compound Nd2Fe 17 increases significantly with Si substitution but is only affected slightly by the Mn substitution. Although the unit cell contracts with increasing Si concentration, the average length of bonds to the Fe(6c) and the Fe(l8f) sites increase slightly at x<4.


Each title in the "First Experiences" series introduces very young children, in an amusing and friendly way, to a situation they might find themselves in for the first time. The use of simple vocabulary also enables slightly older children to read the books for themselves. The series aims to offer just the right amount of information and provide an opportunity for children and adults to share new experiences, while the illustrations are packed with things for children to look for and talk about.


What constraints on impartiality govern agency officials responsible for decisions in proceedings other than on-the-record adjudications'? The past few years have witnessed the emergence of a striking body of professional debate, statute, and case law concerning ethics in government and the control of "special interest" influence on governmental decisions. Higher standards for conflict of interest, expanded constraints on ex parte communications, and enlarged concerns about separation of functions within the agencies are parts of this development. Another strand, tangled with the others yet doctrinally distinct, concerns the disqualification of responsible government officials for their prior contacts with or expressions of opinion on issues to be brought before them for decision. In the familiar setting of on-the-record adjudication, near-judicial impartiality is a conceded requisite. Today, arguments for disqualification are being pressed with vigor, and responded to, well beyond this setting. This paper is addressed to these developments.


Silene (Caryophyllaceae) is a large genus with about 700 species distributed worldwide. Auriculatae is the largest section of this genus with 21 endemic species represented in Iran. Seed micromorphology of S. commelinifolia, S. lucida, S. nurensis and S. eremicana from 18 populations was studied by the light microscopy. As a result, 6 populations were adopted for further SEM studies. A great variation was observed in seed shape and size, lateral and peripheral surfaces of seeds, and shape of testa cells edge. Totally, 16 quantitative and qualitative seed features were measured and evaluated. Seed size varied from 1.28 × 1.43 mm in Alvand population of S. eremicana, to 1.97 × 1.50 mm in Bozghosh population of S. lucida. PAST and SPSS software was applied to demonstrate the species relationships. S. eremicana and S. lucida were closely grouped, which is in accordance with their morphological similarities. Seed micromorphology revealed that the species, which are similar to S. commelinifolia are clearly separated from each other. Therefore seed morphology is of taxonomic importance in the studied group.


Enterprise resource planning systems (ERP), like SAP systems, build the backbone of the business processes in today's large enterprises. This is why a weak performance of a SAP system tremendously decreases the performance of the user and thus of the enterprise. Today many SAP hosting providers make use of virtualization techniques, but disregard the impact of such solutions. In this paper we focus on the impact of virtualization solutions on the performance of SAP systems and follow a quantitative approach to ascertain several benchmark results. We make four contributions: 1) On the basis of a quantitative investigation we give a recommendation how to configure a SAP system for heavy workload. The recommendation helps to avoid hardware resource shortage. 2) We show that the average performance of a SAP system increases up to +2% if a container-based virtualization solution is used. 3) We show that the performance of a SAP system is decreased up to -33% if a Xen-based virtualization solution is used. 4) On the basis of the quantitative results we give recommendations for a new sizing process in order to meet the requirements for virtualized SAP systems.


Objectives
Accumulation of visceral fat mass (VFM) is a major risk factor for cardiovascular and metabolic disease. Both gut microbiota and diet have been shown to impact host adiposity in an interdependent manner, but the exact nature of their joint contributions has not been characterised. Here, we aimed to estimate and separate the effect of gut microbiota composition from that of nutrient intake on host VFM in of 1760 older female twins.

Methods
The gut microbiome profile was assessed by 16S sequencing. VFM was measured by DEXA whole body scan and nutrient intake was assessed through food frequency questionnaires. We used a combination of pair-wise associations, random forest modelling and mediation analysis to separate the effect of the gut microbiota and nutrients on VFM.

Results
Pairwise analyses revealed that 93 OTUs and 10 nutrients were significantly linked to VFM. Five of the 10 nutrients (fibre, trans fatty acids, magnesium, vitamin E and biotin) were also associated with 23% of the 93 VFM-associated OTUs. To separate the effects of the gut microbiota from nutrients on VFM we carried out conditional analyses. We observed that the majority (87%) of the 93 OTUs remained significantly associated with VFM irrespective of nutrient intake correction. In contrast, we observed that fibre, magnesium, biotin and vitamin E were no longer significantly associated with VFM when adjusting models for OTUs (P > 0.05), implying a role of the gut microbiota in mediating these nutrient effects on VFM. Formal mediation analysis revealed that the individual effect of fibre, biotin, magnesium and vitamin E on VFM were mediated at 69, 43, 41 and 31% respectively by OTUs. Moreover, we estimated that accumulated effect of OTUs on VFM (R2 = 0.19) was twice the one of nutrients (R2 = 0.11) and so were their prediction potential determined using random forest classification.

Conclusions
Our results suggest that while the role of certain nutrients on VFM appears to depend on gut microbiota composition, specific gut microbes may affect host adiposity regardless of dietary intake. The findings imply that the gut microbiota may have a greater contribution towards shaping host adiposity and VFM, compared to diet alone.

Funding Sources
We gratefully acknowledge support provided by the JPI HDHL funded DINAMIC consortium (administered by the MRC UK, MR/N030125/1).

Supporting Tables Images and/or Graphs


Primary productivity (PP) and fisheries yield were analysed in 14 large marine ecosys- tems (LMEs), which encompassed temperate boreal shelves and the Eastern Boundary Currents (EBCs), from 1998 to 2002. PP was estimated by means of a depth-integrated neural network model based on Sea-viewing Wide Field-of-view Sensor (SeaWiFS) data and aimed at providing conserva- tive PP estimates. Landings records were extracted from the global spatial database provided by the Sea Around Us Project (SAUP). Correspondence analysis performed on yield data outlined the role played by different trophic levels (TLs) in LME catches. PP temporal variability was significantly and positively correlated to average trophic level of catches (TLc) so that higher yields in less variable ecosystems were characterised by a lower TLc. From a functional perspective, high PP temporal vari- ability was associated preferentially with demersal fishes and lower yields, while pelagic-dominated catches were harvested in conditions with lower PP variability. Primary production required (PPR) to sustain fisheries in each LME showed that the highest yield occurred in combination with moderate fishing pressure especially when TLc was intermediate to low. High fishing pressures were associated with intermediate total yields and high TLc, a condition which seemed to occur in high-latitude boreal LMEs. The %PPR and TLc were used to assess fisheries impact on ecosystems. PP model choice affects the assessment of exploitation levels, in that a more conservative estimation of PP could con- tribute to a more precautionary approach to fisheries management where high levels of exploitation are more easily attained.


We map the weekly position of the Antarctic Polar Front (PF) in the Southern Ocean over a 12-year period (2002–2014) using satellite sea surface temperature (SST) estimated from cloud-penetrating microwave radiometers. Our study advances previous efforts to map the PF using hydrographic and satellite data and provides a unique realization of the PF at weekly resolution across all longitudes (doi:10.1594/PANGAEA.855640). The mean path of the PF is asymmetric; its latitudinal position spans from 44 to 64 S along its circumpolar path. SST at the PF ranges from 0.6 to 6.9 C, reflecting the large spread in latitudinal position. The average intensity of the front is 1.7 C per 100 km, with intensity ranging from 1.4 to 2.3 C per 100 km. Front intensity is significantly correlated with the depth of bottom topography, suggesting that the front intensifies over shallow bathymetry. Realizations of the PF are consistent with the corresponding surface expressions of the PF estimated using expendable bathythermograph data in the Drake Passage and Australian and African sectors. The climatological mean position of the PF is similar, though not identical, to previously published estimates. As the PF is a key indicator of physical circulation, surface nutrient concentration, and biogeography in the Southern Ocean, future studies of physical and biogeochemical oceanography in this region will benefit from the provided data set.


Theravada is one of the three main branches of Buddhism. In Asia it is practiced widely in Thailand, Laos, Burma, Sri Lanka, and Cambodia. This fascinating ethnography opens a window onto two communities of Theravada Buddhists in contemporary America: one outside Philadelphia that is composed largely of Thai immigrants and one outside Boston that consists mainly of white converts. Wendy Cadge first provides a historical overview of Theravada Buddhism and considers its specific origins here in the United States. She then brings her findings to bear on issues of personal identity, immigration, cultural assimilation, and the nature of religion in everyday life. Her work is the first systematic comparison of the ways in which immigrant and convert Buddhists understand, practice, and adapt the Buddhist tradition in America. The men and women whom Cadge meets and observes speak directly to us in this work, both in their personal testimonials and as they meditate, pray, and practice Buddhism. Creative and insightful, "Heartwood" will be of enormous value to sociologists of religion and anyone wishing to understand the rise of Buddhism in the Western world.


From 1949 to 1950, Paul Blanshard's American Freedom and Catholic Power dominated the New York Times best-seller list for eleven months, having captured the attention of American intelligentsia with its claim that "the Catholic problem is still with us" and its call for the formation of a "resistance movement." Sixty years later, Blanshard's bigotry is no longer defended in educated circles. Questions remain, though, concerning why Blanshard's ideas made progress in some of the smartest American minds and throughout much of the culture. Was Blanshard onto something subversive about Catholics? Are Catholics' commitments not compatible with the demands of American democratic philosophy and practice? Today, some scholars try to solve the Blanshard problem by changing the topic. "Liberal Catholicism," they intimate, is not the problem posed by the unmodified Catholicism Blanshard targeted more than half a century ago. If, however, we refuse to change the topic (on the ground that the Catholic religion has not changed in any relevant sense), the problem is of broader scope, as Pope John Paul II wrote in 1991: all those who are "convinced that they know the truth and firmly adhere to it are considered unreliable from a democratic point of view." Perhaps Blanshard was right to the extent he worried that Catholics have principled reservations about the scope of democratic legitimacy and the sweep of democratic authority. It is widely and justly celebrated that the Second Vatican Council (1962-65) declared the natural human right to liberty of conscience. What the same Council said about the liberty of the Church, the libertas ecclesiae, however, is little noticed, but of at least as much practical significance as what it declared about human conscience. Also little noticed, and also significant, is that the same Council said nothing directly about democracy. In light of these and other facts, this paper argues that faithful Catholics are indeed unreliable from a democratic point of view in the respect that they, in and through their Church, insist that the (democratic) socio-political order must be conformed to higher law and true human rights (through means that are both prudent and otherwise in conformity with valid positive law). Faithful Catholics deny the ultimacy or sufficiency of democracy and what it happens to deliver.This paper was originally delivered as the Yves R. Simon Lecture at the University of Chicago.


What controls clumped isotopes? Stable isotopes of a molecule can clump together in several combinations, depending on their mass. Even for simple molecules such as O2, which can contain 16O, 17O, and 18O in various combinations, clumped isotopes can potentially reveal the temperatures at which molecules form. Away from equilibrium, however, the pattern of clumped isotopes may reflect a complex array of processes. Using high-resolution gas-phase mass spectrometry, Yeung et al. found that biological factors influence the clumped isotope signature of oxygen produced during photosynthesis (see the Perspective by Passey). Similarly, Wang et al. showed that away from equilibrium, kinetic effects causing isotope clumping can lead to overestimation of the temperature at which microbially produced methane forms. Science, this issue p. 431; p. 428; see also p. 394 Methanogenesis renders clumped isotopes useful for constraining how methane forms deep underground. [Also see Perspective by Passey] Methane is a key component in the global carbon cycle, with a wide range of anthropogenic and natural sources. Although isotopic compositions of methane have traditionally aided source identification, the abundance of its multiply substituted "clumped" isotopologues (for example, 13CH3D) has recently emerged as a proxy for determining methane-formation temperatures. However, the effect of biological processes on methane's clumped isotopologue signature is poorly constrained. We show that methanogenesis proceeding at relatively high rates in cattle, surface environments, and laboratory cultures exerts kinetic control on 13CH3D abundances and results in anomalously elevated formation-temperature estimates. We demonstrate quantitatively that H2 availability accounts for this effect. Clumped methane thermometry can therefore provide constraints on the generation of methane in diverse settings, including continental serpentinization sites and ancient, deep groundwaters.


Automating tasks can make a smartphone easier to use and more battery efficient. However, currently little work has been done to help end-users to create such automations. In this paper, we explore an approach for automating smartphone tasks by demonstration. We have developed a mobile application called Keep Doing It that continuously records users' interactions with their smartphones. After users performed a task that they would like to automate, they can ask our application to create the automation based on their latest actions. Since users only have to use their smartphones, as they would naturally do, to demonstrate automations, we believe that our approach can lower the barrier for creating smartphone automations. Overall, an initial evaluation of the approach suggests that users would be willing to automate their phones by demonstration.


Objective: The aim of this study was to assess the achievement of pregnancy as well as the reproductive outcome after hysteroscopic septum resection in women with recurrent abortions or infertility. Design: retrospective, clinical trial. Setting: University hospitals. Patient(s): Fourty women with a diagnosis of uterine septum who had a history of pregnancy loss or infertility. They were randomized into two groups. Group I includes 18 infertile women and group II includes 22 recurrent miscarriage women. Intervention(s): Hysteroscopic metroplasty was performed on all patients in both groups. Result(s): 40 patients who were diagnosed with a partial septate uteri had hysteroscopic septum resection and were divided into two groups: Group I (18 patients) presented with infertility and Group II (22 patients) with recurrent abortions. The mean post-operative follow up period was 24 months. Group I, 12 patients (66.6%) and Group II, 17 patients (77.2%) achieved pregnancy, with respective abortion rates of 2 (11.1%) and 4 (18.1%). Conclusion(s): Using hysteroscopy to perform metroplasty on septate uteri makes the procedure safer, easier, and less complicated. This procedure is recommended for all cases diagnosed with an uterine septum.


The Midwest of the United States is a region extensively utilized for agriculture and livestock production despite great susceptibility to widespread and persistent drought. While the location and duration of droughts are related to dynamic meteorological factors, pinpointing when and where a drought will commence, how long it will persist, and when the drought will end, remains a challenge. This investigation examines significant Midwest drought events from a synoptic meteorological perspective through an assessment of air mass frequency over the past decade. A synoptic approach is useful since air masses characteristically describe multiple weather and climate parameters at the same time across wide areas. The daily air mass conditions in the Spatial Synoptic Classification that are dominant during extreme droughts are examined across the region and compared to "normal" periods without substantial or extensive drought. Extreme episodes are established with new criteria expanded from United States Drought Monitor information, normal average decadal and seasonal baselines are calculated, and the air mass frequency departures from these periods are examined for statistical and practical significance. Results indicate that the Dry Polar, Dry Tropical and Moist Tropical air masses exhibit important and statistically significant changes in frequency during drought. Tendencies for substantial increases in warm and dry types, regardless of season, and moist air mass declines are detected. The exact air masses with significant changes are unique for different sub-regions, particularly in the northwest and south. These patterns are consistent with changing upper-air flows such as southerly, meridional flow to more southwesterly, zonal flow.


Scholars have argued that there is a broad gender gap in support for the long-ruling Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) in Japan. We uncover strong evidence that age, rather than gender, along with rural or urban location, serves as the most critical determinant of party support. Through logistic regression, propensity score matching and simulation techniques applied to four large-scale datasets; we demonstrate that age effects are consistent but slowly diminishing across cohorts between the mid-1970s and the early 2000s. As Japanese women and men age, they come to support the LDP at similar rates controlling for education, income and other demographic factors. We argue that this age gap is a result of socialization and redistribution and not educational levels or socio-economic status, as is often suggested.


SUMMARY Storage of elastic energy is key to increasing the power output of many biological systems. Mantis shrimp (Stomatopoda) must store considerable elastic energy prior to their rapid raptorial strikes; however, little is known about the dynamics and location of elastic energy storage structures in this system. We used computed tomography (CT) to visualize the mineralization patterns in Gonodactylaceus falcatus and high speed videography of Odontodactylus scyllarus to observe the dynamics of spring loading. Using a materials testing apparatus, we measured the force and work required to contract the elastic structures in G. falcatus. There was a positive linear correlation between contraction force and contraction distance; alternative model tests further supported the use of a linear model. Therefore, we modeled the system as a Hookean spring. The force required to fully compress the spring was positively correlated with body mass and appendage size, but the spring constant did not scale with body size, suggesting a possible role of muscle constraints in the scaling of this system. One hypothesized elastic storage structure, the saddle, only contributed approximately 11% of the total measured force, thus suggesting that primary site of elastic energy storage is in the mineralized ventral bars found in the merus segment of the raptorial appendages. Furthermore, the intact system exhibited 81% resilience and severing the saddle resulted in a non-significant reduction to 77% resilience. The remarkable shapes and mineralization patterns that characterize the mantis shrimp's raptorial appendage further reveal a highly integrated mechanical power amplification system based on exoskeletal elastic energy storage.


Since 2001, there has been a consistent year-on-year increase in the period total fertility rate for England and Wales. At the same time migration to England and Wales has accelerated from the late 1990s. It is possible that the large number of migrants of childbearing ages moving to England and Wales, larger family size norms among foreign born women and a birth timing effect among recent migrants to England and Wales have led to the increase in the total fertility rate. However, the relative influence of any timing effect among recent migrants on the total fertility rate is not known. Research on migrant fertility in France (Toulemon, 2004) and Sweden (Andersson, 2004) has identified elevated fertility among migrants in the time period immediately after the migration event. Conversely, research in England and Wales has focused on period measures of fertility rather than estimating whether there is an elevated level of fertility among the large number of recent migrants to England and Wales. The first aim of this thesis is to accurately account for non-continually resident members of the Office for National Statistics (ONS) Longitudinal Study (LS) between census dates and use these LS members in fertility analysis. The second aim of this thesis is to investigate whether migrants to England and Wales show an elevated level of fertility after migration. It is only possible to estimate the fertility of recent migrants provided the sample exposed to risk of giving birth can be identified.


Hierarchical linear modeling (HLM) techniques have had significant impact on the evaluation of multilevel theoretical models in a variety of disciplines (that is, educational research, criminology, organizational psychology, economics, and family therapy; see Bryk & Raudenbush, 1987,1992; Draper, 1995; Hoeksma & Koomen, 1992; Hox & Kreft, 1994; Kreft & Leeuw, 1998; Moritz & Watson, 1998; Raudenbush, Brennan, & Barnett, 1995; Rogosa & Saner, 1995a, 1995b; Sampson, Raudenbush, & Earls, 1997; Thum, 1997; Vancouver, 1997). Despite its effect, HLM does not allow researchers to examine covariance structure models, such as factor analysis, path analysis, and structural equation models. Recognizing this limitation, researchers (for example, Harnqvist, 1978; Muthen, 1994; Muthen & Satorra, 1989) have extended HLM to the analysis of multilevel structural equation models, which is referred to as multilevel covariance analysis (MCA). This article illustrates the use of MCA by evaluating the multilevel nature of students' perceptions of school safety. The article provides readers with an overview of MCA, discuss its application to social work research, and demonstrates how Mplus 1.0, a structural equation model (SEM) program, can be used to analyze MCA models. Multilevel Covariance Analysis--Definition and Uses MCA represents an extension of hierarchical linear multivariate modeling to those situations that involve covariance structure models, such as factor analysis, path analysis, and structural equation modeling. The research and theory used to achieve this extension is based on the work of Muthen and colleagues (Muthen, 1994; Muthen & Muthen, 1998; Muthen & Satorra, 1989). Given the hierarchical nature of social and organizational behavior, social workers have a keen interest in multilevel analysis techniques. For example, these techniques help social workers gain a better understanding of the effects of both community characteristics and individual characteristics on residents' perceptions of neighborhood safety (see, for example, Sampson et al., 1997). MCA has several advantages and potential uses for social workers. Like HLM, the primary advantage is found in its ability to simultaneously estimate both within- and between-setting variance, and therefore more accurately estimate individual's outcomes within the setting (Muthen, 1994). MCA allows social workers to study the contribution to the variations in individuals' behavior that are associated with between-context variations and idiosyncrasies of individuals or their experiences. For example, it allows school social workers to examine the contribution that differences in school climate, compared to parent's cultural capital, play in student's academic progress. Like SEM, MCA makes use of two methodological traditions: Thurstonian factor analysis and simultaneous equation (path analytic) modeling (Kaplan & Elliott, 1997). These two methodologies allow social workers to develop statistical models that acknowledge the relationship among predictors and their direct and indirect relationships to outcome variables. In other words, MCA allows a social worker to examine the role that various community resources have on activism when both the relationships among community resources and individual's temperament are taken into account. In addition, MCA allows social workers to represent complex theoretical constructs as latent variables. For example, social workers studying sibling social behavior could represent social behavior as a latent variable, that is, composed of indicators of adaptive and maladaptive social functioning. In addition, the relationship among predictors of social functioning, for example, parental discipline and conflict resolution styles, could be studied. Advantages of MCA MCA seeks to incorporate SEM's ability to capture the complexity of multivariate relationships with HLM's ability to capture the nested nature of those relationships, both of which are needed to develop accurate statistical models of social phenomena. …


Abstract The U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) is independently evaluating technical issues such as colloid-facilitated radionuclide transport in preparation for reviewing an anticipated license application from the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) for a potential high-level nuclear waste repository at Yucca Mountain, Nevada. For performance assessment computer simulations of evolving conditions many years into the future, the influence of colloids in enhancing radionuclide transport is difficult to estimate and highly uncertain. NRC staff is conducting a multipronged approach to assessing whether or not these uncertainties are sufficiently represented by performance assessment models. Preliminary simplified calculations providing a conservative estimate of calculated dose from colloidal Pu suggest that an effect on dose is plausible. A more sophisticated effort involves analytical modeling of colloidal Pu transport that uses laboratory and field data to represent more accurately processes such as kinetic controls on sorption (attachment) and desorption (detachment) of radionuclides at colloid surfaces. This modeling effort shows that slow desorption of radionuclides from colloids is a factor that could enhance radionuclide migration. Finally, an abstraction of colloidal transport is being implemented in the NRC total-system performance assessment model in order to integrate potential colloidal effects at the system level. This implementation is flexible enough that a variety of sensitivity studies can be conducted that will aid identification of the model parameters most significant to transport.


Purpose To evaluate the accuracy and reliability of functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI)-based techniques to assess the integrity of the visual field (VF). Methods We combined fMRI and neurocomputational models, i.e conventional population receptive field (pRF) mapping and a new advanced pRF framework "micro-probing" (MP), to reconstruct the visual field representations of different cortical areas. To demonstrate their scope, both approaches were applied in healthy participants with simulated scotomas (SS) and participants with glaucoma. For the latter group we compared the VFs obtained with standard automated perimetry (SAP) and via fMRI. Results Using SS, we found that the fMRI-based techniques can detect absolute defects in VFs that are larger than 3 deg, in single participants, and based on 12 minutes of fMRI scan time. Moreover, we found that MP results in a less biased estimation of the preserved VF. In participants with glaucoma, we found that fMRI-based VF reconstruction detected VF defects with a correspondence to SAP that was decent, reflected by the positive correlation between fMRI-based sampling density and SAP-based contrast sensitivity loss (SAP) r2=0.44, p=0.0002.This correlation was higher for our new approach (MP) compared to that for the conventional pRF analysis. Conclusions fMRI-based reconstruction of the VF enables the evaluation of vision loss and provides useful details on the properties of the visual cortex. Translational Relevance fMRI-based VF reconstruction provides an objective alternative to detect VF defects. It may either complement SAP, or could provide VF information in patients unable to perform SAP.


It is unclear whether the longitudinal relation between activity participation and cognitive ability is due to preserved differentiation (active individuals have higher initial levels of cognitive ability), or differential preservation (active individuals show less negative change across time). This distinction has never been evaluated after dividing time-varying activity into its two sources of variation: between-person and within-person variability. Further, few studies have investigated how the association between activity participation and cognitive ability may differ from early to older adulthood. Using the PATH Through Life Project, we evaluated whether between- and within-person variation in activity participation was associated with cognitive ability and change within cohorts aged 20-24 years, 40-44 years, and 60-64 years at baseline (n = 7,152) assessed on three occasions over an 8-year interval. Multilevel models indicated that between-person differences in activity significantly predicted baseline cognitive ability for all age cohorts and for each assessed cognitive domain (perceptual speed, short-term memory, working memory, episodic memory, and vocabulary), even after accounting for sex, education, occupational status, and physical and mental health. In each case, greater average participation was associated with higher baseline cognitive ability. However, the size of the relationship involving average activity participation and baseline cognitive ability did not differ across adulthood. Between-person activity and within-person variation in activity level were both not significantly associated with change in cognitive test performance. Results suggest that activity participation is indeed related to cognitive ability across adulthood, but only in relation to the starting value of cognitive ability, and not change over time.


The performance of the food production sector in Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) is critical for a number of reasons. Domestic production is the principal avenue to ensuring access to affordable food in poor countries with limited capacity to import food. The multiplier effect of sustainable food production on the economy is considerable as it has direct linkage with other activities such as transportation, marketing, tourism and local trade. In countries where the growth of food production outpaces demand, social and political harmony as well as macroeconomic stability can be maintained, paving the way for sustained economic growth. This paper examines changes in food production performance among 30 SSA countries over the period of 1968 to 2008. The results support previous findings that not many countries have managed to achieve a food production growth rate in excess of 3% per annum. Annual food production performance averaged 3% or more in 60% of the sample countries following the policy reforms. Nevertheless, rates of output growth varied from one period to the other and the recent improved performances were achieved not only through unsustainable expansion of land under cultivation, but also failed to satisfy the rapidly growing food demand. With domestic supply lagging behind, most countries have experienced unaffordable food import bills. Addressing political instability and building institutions that foster partnership between governments, farmers, traders and other operators along the food value chain to address market failures and inefficiencies in input, output, credit and risk managementis critical to ensure food availability, accessibility and stability in SSA.

 Key words: Sub-Saharan Africa, food production performance, food security.


The provision of cybersecurity is a responsibility not only of the IT department but every employee. Cybersecurity training of IT specialists and cybersecurity awareness for other employees are the first steps in creating effective cyber defence. These two types of educations must be provided in a realistic environment for which the computer virtualization is the best choice. The purpose of this article is to present a concept for building and developing a fully functional Security Operations and Training Centre (SOTC) at Nikola Vaptsarov Naval Academy (NVNA). This SOTC will operate as a training environment for IT specialists and as a Security Operations Centre for the academy's computer network. The author presents all design steps that must be implemented during establishing and enhancing the SOTC at NVNA, including key resource requirements and utilised technologies. A R T I C L E I N F O : RECEIVED: 19 JulY 2020 REVISED: 02 SEP 2020 ONLINE: 15 SEP 2020 K E Y W O R D S : cybersecurity, security operations and training centre, cyber range, virtualization, exercise team Creative Commons BY-NC 4.0


The Virtual Museum of the Pacific is a Digital Ecosystem that engages members of several communities, each with their own ontological relationships with the Pacific Collection of the Australian Museum. The Virtual Museum of the Pacific is intended to support on-line community interaction using social-media technologies to extend the annotation of objects to suit the stakeholder's own needs. The success of the system depends on leveraging the diffusion of language and encouraging a conversation between on-line communities. In this paper we explore the relationships between stakeholders, folksonomy and taxonomy, to reveal the design forces on our digital ecosystem. Our analysis defines the scope for the social tagging component that progresses the design of our data model and gives us some confidence that we are capturing the right data for the system's development into the future.


Language modeling for speech recognizer in dialog systems can take two forms. Human input can be constrained through a directed dialog, allowing the decoder to use a state-specific language model to improve recognition accuracy. Mixedinitiative systems allow for human input that while domainspecific might not be state-specific. Nevertheless, for the most part human input to a mixed-initiative system is predictable, particularly when given information about the immediately preceding system prompt. The work reported in this paper addresses the problem of balancing state-specific and general language modeling in a mixed-initiative dialog system. By incorporating dialog state adaptation of the language model, we have reduced the recognition error rate by 11.5%.


In recent years bottom-of-the-pyramid (BoP) models have emerged as a popular strategy for offering poor women the opportunity to earn an income by distributing goods and services door-to-door. In this article, we explore one recent example of BoP entrepreneurship: the CARE Bangladesh Rural Sales Program (RSP). The RSP is a partnership between CARE and several multinational and domestic companies that seeks to provide poor women with an opportunity to participate in new forms of economic activity, offering them a prospect to earn an independent income and provide a better future for their family by selling a mix of multinational and locally produced consumer goods across rural Bangladesh. Our research found that the RSP has opened up new pathways of empowerment for some marginalised women in a context of considerable socioeconomic and cultural constraints, yet whether such schemes will have traction as a model for economic empowerment over the long term remains an open question.


In the literature immersed boundary methods are employed to
simulate complex flows around moving arbitrary bodies without the
necessity of remeshing. These methods employ a regular Eulerian mesh
to simulate the fluid flow and a Lagrangian representation of the
boundary of the bodies. The two representations can be coupled through
an immersed boundary condition constraining the fluid to exactly
follow the boundary of the bodies (immersed boundaries). Typically
such methods suffer from accuracy problems, that arise from spurious
mass fluxes over the immersed boundary (IB), pressure boundary
conditions or high density ratios. The mirroring IB method Mark
(2008); Mark and van Wachem (2008) resolves these problems by ensuring
zero mass flux over the IB instead of employing a pressure boundary
condition. In this work the mirroring IB method together with a hybrid
IB condition are implemented and validated in IBOFLOW. IBOFLOW is an
incompressible finite-volume based fluid flow solver. The
Navier-Stokes' equations are coupled with the SIMPLEC Doormaal and
Raithby (1984) method and discretized on a Cartesian octree grid that
can be dynamically refined and coarsened, enabling grid refinement to
follow moving bodies. The variables are stored in a co-located
configuration and pressure weighted flux interpolation Rhie and Chow
(1983) is employed to prevent pressure oscillations. In the
implemented IB method the immersed bodies are represented by an
analytical description or by a triangulation. The method models the
presence of the bodies inside the fluid by an implicitly formulated IB
condition, which constrains the fluid velocity to the boundary
velocity with second-order accuracy. The original mirroring IB
condition mirrors the velocity field over the local IB and the hybrid
IB condition mirrors and extrapolates the fluid velocity onto the IB.
These IB conditions generate a fictitious velocity field inside the
bodies, which is excluded in the continuity equation to ensure zero
mass flux over the boundary. The fluid flow over an immersed sphere is
simulated to validate and compare the different IB conditions. The
simulated drag force is compared to experimental findings with
excellent agreement and a detailed convergence study of the error of
the fluid velocity integrated over the immersed boundary is performed
to show the strictly second-order accuracy of the implemented IB
conditions. It is shown that the error is reduced with the hybrid IB
condition compared to the original mirroring IB condition. In
addition, a sedimenting sphere with a moving grid refinement is
simulated to validate the hybrid method and show the potential of the
dynamic octree grid.


Kidney exchanges allow incompatible donor-patient pairs to swap kidneys, but each donation must pass three tests: blood, tissue, and crossmatch. In practice a matching is computed based on the first two tests, and then a single crossmatch test is performed for each matched patient. However, if two crossmatches could be performed per patient, in principle significantly more successful exchanges could take place. In this paper, we ask: If we were allowed to perform two crossmatches per patient, could we harness this additional power optimally and efficiently? Our main result is a polynomial time algorithm for this problem that almost surely computes optimal --- up to lower order terms --- solutions on random large kidney exchange instances.


The aim of this thesis is to investigate the patterns of phonetic reduction (i.e. phenomena resulting from a decrease of articulatory effort) in spontaneous non-native production. To address this issue, two studies are carried out describing changes in selected phonetic parameters across domains typically associated with varying degrees of phonetic reduction. The speech materials recorded for the purposes of the present investigation included primarily spontaneous task-based dialogues in Czech, Norwegian, and English spoken by native and non-native (Czech and Norwegian) speakers. In addition, read speech in English produced by the three speaker groups with different native language (L1) background was recorded.The first study aimed to describe the effect of speaking style (read vs. spontaneous speech) on temporal and spectral properties of the English function words in, of and to in productions of native speakers and two groups of non-native speakers (Czech and Norwegian speakers). The results showed that many of the phonetic parameters observed in the function words were significantly influenced by speakers' L1 background. The patterns of L1 effect, however, differed between the three observed words. While for the preposition in, none of the observed variables were found to vary depending on speakers' L1, in the words of and to, longer word durations in (some) non-native speakers' productions, and longer vowel durations as well as more peripheral vowel qualities in word tokens produced by non-natives as compared to native productions were revealed. This pattern of results seems to indicate non-natives' insufficient awareness of the so-called weak form words (of and to) resulting in their insufficient reduction. Further, a number of phonetic parameters were found to vary between the two investigated speaking styles, consistently across the speaker groups. However, only some of these parameters may be reliably related to a varying degree of production effort and precision. For example, shorter word durations, higher proportions of vowel and higher proportions of voicing within the fricative in the preposition of, or relatively shorter durations of plosive closure in the preposition to, in spontaneous as compared to read speech, may be seen as lenitions resulting from a decrease of articulatory effort in spontaneous speech. On the other hand, several other variables affected by speaking style were identified that are apparently related to different aspects of speaking style than production precision.The second study investigated the reduction of repeated mentions of content words in the course of a dialogue comparing native productions (in Czech, English and Norwegian) and productions in non-native English spoken by Czech and Norwegian speakers. The study focussed on durational, rhythmical and spectral aspects of reduction in the observed words. The results showed a consistent durational as well as spectral reduction of the repeated mentions of content words in all L1 productions, as well as in the English spoken by non-native speakers. However, a deviating pattern in the English productions of the Czech speaker group was revealed in the analysis of a rhythm-related measure (expressing the ratio of unstressed and stressed syllable durations). Here, the Czech speakers produced unusually long unstressed syllables resulting in noticeably higher unstressed-to-stressed syllable duration ratios in the first mentions of content words. In contrast to that, the ratio of unstressed and stressed syllable durations did not change much between the first mention and repeated mentions in the productions of natives and Norwegian speakers of English. This peculiar rhythmical pattern of hyperarticulation of first mentions of polysyllabic words is likely due to substantial differences in the phonological properties related to rhythm type between Czech on one side, and English and Norwegian on the other.


Year by year, law seems to penetrate ever larger realms of social, political, and economic life, generating both praise and blame. Nonet and Selznick's Law and Society in Transition explains in accessible language the primary forms of law as a social, political, and normative phenomenon. They illustrate with great clarity the fundamental difference between repressive law, riddled with raw conflict and the accommodation of special interests, and responsive law, the reasoned effort to realize an ideal of polity. To make jurisprudence relevant, legal, political, and social theory must be reintegrated. As a step in this direction, Nonet and Selznick attempt to recast jurisprudential issues in a social science perspective. They construct a valuable framework for analyzing and assessing the worth of alternative modes of legal ordering. The volume's most enduring contribution is the authors' typology-repressive, autonomous, and responsive law. This typology of law is original and especially useful because it incorporates both political and jurisprudential aspects of law and speaks directly to contemporary struggles over the proper place of law in democratic governance. In his new introduction, Robert A. Kagan recasts this classic text for the contemporary world. He sees a world of responsive law in which legal institutions-courts, regulatory agencies, alternative dispute resolution bodies, police departments-are periodically studied and redesigned to improve their ability to fulfill public expectations. Schools, business corporations, and governmental bureaucracies are more fully pervaded by legal values. Law and Society in Transition describes ways in which law changes and develops. It is an inspiring vision of a politically responsive form of governance, of special interest to those in sociology, law, philosophy, and politics.


This article explores the possibilities and limits of a hermeneutic way of being in the world, more specifically being a researcher as a part of human, embodied existence. Understanding existence as embodied highlights the subjectivity of a researcher. For a hermeneutic researcher this subjectivity is both a precondition for interpretation and something that might endanger the scientific endeavour. In this article, I examine the possibilities of combining Hans-Georg Gadamer's empathetic hermeneutics with Paul Ricoeur's critical hermeneutics as a means of both recognizing and, to some extent, controlling my subjectivity in the research process. With Gabriel Marcel I also argue for hermeneutics as an embodied experience. This is exemplified by my study with a focus on the existential dimensions of the nursing profession. The first part of the article introduces Marcel and his philosophical anthropology concerning our bodily existence as essential for shared lives with others. In the second part, this understanding of self and others is further developed by means of the hermeneutics of Gadamer and Ricoeur. In the third part, I present a way of applying hermeneutics in procedures for interviews, transcription, and analysis of data.


How do people come up with humorous ideas? In creative cognition research, exposure to good examples sometimes causes fixation (people get "stuck" on the examples) but other times sparks inspiration (people's responses are more creative). The present research examined the effects of funny and unfunny examples on joke production. A sample of 175 adults read scenarios that they completed with funny responses. All participants were instructed to be funny, but before responding they read (a) funny responses as examples of good responses to emulate, (b) unfunny responses as examples of poor responses to avoid, or (c) no examples. The participants' own responses were rated for funniness and for similarity to the example responses, and response times were recorded. Reading either funny or unfunny examples, compared to no examples, caused people to come up with funnier jokes. Similarity to the examples was low in all conditions, so fixation was relatively modest, but people who saw unfunny examples spent more time coming up with their responses. Taken together, the findings support the growing literature showing that examples are often inspiring rather than constraining, and they imply that good and bad examples spark creative thought via different paths.


Total crop losses can result from ascochyta blight on chickpea (caused by Ascochyta rabiei). A study was conducted to investigate effective fungicide application strategies in particular fungicide application timing as well as product choices, sequencing and mixtures for blight control. In addition, this study is expected to provide information on resistance management through fungicide rotations, mixtures or sequences. Fungicide trials were conducted in Saskatoon and Swift Current using Bravo 500, Quadris, Headline, BAS510 and Dithane in various sequences or tank mixes on cultivars Myles and CDC Yuma. Only Bravo 500 is registered on chickpea. Quadris had emergency registration in 2002. Applications were timed at the seedling stage, pre-flower, early-flower, late-flower and the podding stages. These results relate to the trial at Swift Current. Cultivar CDC Yuma developed higher infection levels than Myles. The level of disease control by each fungicide treatment was dependent on cultivar. The above average rainfall in Swift Current increased the level of blight severity and consequently it required several sprays especially on cultivar CDC Yuma to protect the crop. Cool wet weather towards the end of the season also delayed maturity and affected yield and seed quality. Disease severity was 97% and 82% in the untreated plots of CDC Yuma and Myles, respectively. In treated plots, it ranged from 13-50% in Myles and 15-96% in CDC Yuma. The yields varied from 434 to1956 kg/ha for CDC Yuma and 1430 to 2627 kg/ha for Myles. When spraying started before symptoms (per calender sprays with five applications), the high rate of Dithane at 2.44 kg a.i./ha reduced disease severity and increased yield more than the low rate of Dithane at 1.68kg a.i./ha. Sequencing Headline and Dithane in the per calender spray was better than per calender sprays with Dithane alone on both cultivars. However, per calender spray with a high rate of Dithane alone compared well with some treatments which included Headline or Quadris on Myles. Almost all other sequences were effective on Myles, but on CDC Yuma the most effective were those that included mostly Headline and in some cases Quadris. In general, at least three sprays to Myles and most treatments with at least four sprays to CDC Yuma reduced blight to less than 50% and also increased yields by up to 84% in Myles and up to 351% in CDC Yuma. The results suggest that there could be a range of different fungicides and sequences one might use to adequately protect chickpea, but this will depend on the registration of products other than Bravo 500..


Background:
 Regulatory B cells (regulatory B cells, Breg cells) in recent years have been shown to be important immunoregulatory factors.
Aim:
 To review the role of Breg cells in autoimmune rheumatic diseases.
Methods:
 This descriptional review was carried out after research on PubMed using the keywords "Bregs and rheumatoid arthritis", "systemic lupus erythematosus", "Sjögren's syndrome", "systemic sclerosis", "vasculitis", and "dermatomyositis".
Results:
 Breg cells have an inhibitory effect on pro-inflammatory Th1 and Th17 cells and prevent the development of autoimmune diseases. Breg cells mediate their effects through interleukin-10 (IL-10, IL-10+Breg cells), but recently other Breg cells have been recognized that mediate their effects through IL-35 (IL-35+Breg cells), or through transforming growth factor-β (TGFβ, TGFβ+Breg cells). In experimental models of autoimmune diseases, Breg cells are decreased, and when expanded ex vivo and re-infused back into animals, they ameliorate disease. In humans, IL-10+Breg cells are decreased in active autoimmune diseases, such as rheumatoid arthritis, ANCA-associated vasculitis, and systemic sclerosis, and may increase to normal levels in disease remission.
Conclusions:
 The deficiency of IL-10+Breg cells during active autoimmune rheumatic disease suggests that Breg cells may be used as biomarkers and be a possible therapeutic target in these diseases.


Simulation-based training is increasingly being used within the military to practice and develop the skills of successful soldiers. For the skills associated with successful military leadership, our inability to model human behavior to the necessary degree of fidelity in constructive simulations requires that new interactive designs be developed. The ICT Leaders project supports leadership development through the use of branching storylines realized within a virtual reality environment. Trainees assume a role in a fictional scenario, where the decisions that they make in this environment ultimately affect the success of a mission. All trainee decisions are made in the context of natural language conversations with virtual characters. The ICT Leaders project advances a new form of interactive training by incorporating a suite of Artificial Intelligence technologies, including control architectures, agents of mixed autonomy, and natural language processing algorithms.


A slow feed batch fermentation is described for the production of glycerol from sugar. The conversion efficiency was approximately 1 mole of glycerol produced per mole of glucose utilized after the cell growth phase. The glycerol production phase was extended several-fold by periodic glucose addition. The yeast cell count remained constant during this time as limited by phosphate, a deficiency required for an efficient glycerol fermentation. A small amount of phosphate was supplied during the extended fermentation, maintaining an active culture, by the normal autolysis of spent cells. Interfering or inhibitory by-products did not accumulate, and the osmophilic yeasts are tolerant of high glycerol concentrations. These factors combined to allow a particularly efficient fermentation well suited to product enrichment by supplying large quantities of substrate over an extended period.


A spoken dialog system, while communicating with a user, must keep track of what the user wants from the system at each step. This process, termed dialog state tracking, is essential for a successful dialog system as it directly informs the system's actions. The first Dialog State Tracking Challenge allowed for evaluation of different dialog state tracking techniques, providing common testbeds and evaluation suites. This paper presents a second challenge, which continues this tradition and introduces some additional features ‐ a new domain, changing user goals and a richer dialog state. The challenge received 31 entries from 9 research groups. The results suggest that while large improvements on a competitive baseline are possible, trackers are still prone to degradation in mismatched conditions. An investigation into ensemble learning demonstrates the most accurate tracking can be achieved by combining multiple trackers.


Several washing agents (EDTA, CDTA, NTA, 8 HQS, Ti‐EDTA‐citrate, Ca2+, and H+) were tested for their ability to extract adsorbed metal from biological surfaces to distinguish between internalized and total cellular metal (Pb, Ni, Cd, Zn, and Cu) for a green alga, Chlorella kesslerii. Although a single extraction protocol cannot be provided that would be acceptable for all biological species and metals, several guidelines are proposed that should facilitate the interpretation of metal bioaccumulation data. It was shown that for the studied metals, a thermodynamic explanation was generally sufficient to explain the metal extraction results. At pH 6.0, a solution of 5 × 10−3 M ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid (EDTA) was an acceptable washing agent in most cases, whereas Ca or proton exchange solutions did not appear to quantitatively remove adsorbed metals. Conditions of ligand excess could be attained with relatively small concentrations of added ligand, effectively minimizing potential damage to the organism, including modifications in membrane permeability. Potential deleterious effects of the wash agents were verified. For example, a Ti‐EDTA‐citrate or an EDTA wash at high concentrations resulted in perturbations of algal membrane permeability. In spite of potential difficulties interpreting extraction data, the usefulness of the extraction protocols was clearly demonstrated for several organisms.


We present a 517-gene phylogenetic framework for the breadfruit genus Artocarpus (ca. 70 spp., Moraceae), making use of silica-dried leaves from recent fieldwork and herbarium specimens (some up to 106 years old) to achieve 96% taxon sampling. We explore issues relating to assembly, paralogous loci, partitions, and analysis method to reconstruct a phylogeny that is robust to variation in data and available tools. While codon partitioning did not result in any substantial topological differences, the inclusion of flanking non-coding sequence in analyses significantly increased the resolution of gene trees. We also found that increasing the size of datasets increased convergence between analysis methods but did not reduce gene tree conflict. We optimized the HybPiper targeted-enrichment sequence assembly pipeline for short sequences derived from degraded DNA extracted from museum specimens. While the subgenera of Artocarpus were monophyletic, revision is required at finer scales, particularly with respect to widespread species. We expect our results to provide a basis for further studies in Artocarpus and provide guidelines for future analyses of datasets based on target enrichment data, particularly those using sequences from both fresh and museum material, counseling careful attention to the potential of off-target sequences to improve resolution.


Abstract The request for more efficient fuel economy to save raw materials and to reduce air pollution becomes more and more crucial in the automotive industry. To fulfil this demand by weight reduction, conventional materials such as steel and copper are replaced by light metals. Due to its beneficial material properties e. g. low density, high strength, good formability and high thermal conductivity, aluminium becomes a frequently used candidate. Particularly in the heat-exchanger industry this change has already taken place. Heat-exchangers made of aluminium brazing sheets are used in various applications e. g. climate control, engine and transmission cooling and charge air cooling. Brazing sheets consist of a multilayer alloy system. A typical material combination in this field is an Al-Mn core alloy (AA3xxx) clad on one or both sides with an Al-Si alloy (AA4xxx). The benefit for this combination is given by the difference in the melting points of the two alloys. During the brazing process (around 590 °C) the core alloy provides structural integrity while the low melting point clad alloy melts and flows to provide upon cooling metallic bonding between the various components of the heat-exchanger. Due to the various conditions that a heat-exchanger is exposed to during its service life such as heating and cooling cycles, salt water environment on the surface and mechanical loading, the corrosion performance is a crucial point since it might cause perforation of the material resulting in a complete failure of the system. In order to understand the corrosion behaviour of the brazing sheets, it is necessary to have a deeper look at the microstructure, which is mainly determined by the composition of the alloying elements and heat treatments. The addition of alloying elements such as copper and iron provides beneficial material properties e. g. strength, good formability and brazeability, but can also change the corrosion mechanism from pitting, which is the preferred attack in pure aluminium, to more aggressive forms of localized attack, like intergranular and exfoliation corrosion. Furthermore thermal treatments such as solution heat treatment, aging, homogenisation or brazing significantly change the microstructure and hence modify the corrosion behaviour. To fulfil the requested corrosion performance, which is usually performed by salt spray testing (SWAAT), it is often necessary to apply a pre-treatment on the heat-exchanger. Besides protecting the aluminium brazing sheet of corrosion attack, the pre-treatment has to contain environmental friendly and low costs components. After accelerated corrosion testing of AA4045/3003/4045 brazing sheets by SWAAT and electrochemical techniques, the corrosion propagation was attributed to potential differences within the brazing sheet causing a galvanically driven perforation of the core material by the diffusion zone. Furthermore a correlation between the SWAAT and potentiodynamic and potentiostatic polarization measurements is observed, offering a substitution of the SWAAT by these electrochemical techniques and hence reducing the testing time from several weeks (SWAAT) to less that one day. Corrosion prevention is achieved by immersing of the brazing sheets in an aqueous sodium silicate solution. The resulting silica passivation layer consists mainly of a dense SiO2 network and provides a reduction of around 80% of the corrosion propagation during SWAAT exposure. It is shown that the barrier properties are dependent on the respective pre-treatments conditions such as bath concentrations, curing times, curing temperatures and dipping times.


Global reaction mechanisms and rate constants are commonly used in computational fluid dynamics models which incorporate chemical reactions to study aviation fuel thermal and oxidative thermal stability. Often these models are calibrated using one set of conditions, such as flow rate and temperature. New conditions are then calculated by extrapolation using the global expressions. A close inspection of the origin of global oxidation rate constants reveals that in systems that undergo autocatalysis or auto inhibition, a simple over-all global activation energy and reaction order are not good descriptors of the reaction process. Furthermore, pseudo-detailed chemical kinetic modeling of a fuel which experiences autocatalysis shows that the observed reaction order for oxygen consumption varies with initial oxygen concentration, extent of reaction, and temperature. Thus, a simple global rate expression used to describe oxygen consumption in an autoaccelerating system is insufficient to allow extrapolation to different temperature or time regimes.Copyright © 1997 by ASME


The purpose of this study was to examine a pilot's sensitivity to a change in angular motion after alcohol ingestion and determine the duration of effect after the time the blood alcohol content (BAC) reached zero. An earlier study determined that a pilot's threshold for detecting angular motion was affected by 30% with low doses of alcohol ingestion. An important question remaining is whether the pilot's sensitivity to angular motion will continue to be significantly affected after the time BAC reaches zero. Twelve instrument-rated pilots flew a partial panel rotating simulator under an in-flight scenario, and thresholds were measured before and after alcohol administration. As expected the pilot's sensitivity to angular motion (at BAC 30%) threshold and remained elevated when BAC returned to zero. However, within one hour after BAC reached zero, the mean thresholds had returned to their initial prealcohol level.


We develop a mixed-duopoly model in which a private firm competes against a state owned enterprise (SOE) who cares about social welfare and is privately informed of market demand. When the SOE's social concerns are sufficiently important and when the market competitiveness is sufficiently low, the SOE commits to fully disclose its private information. Otherwise, the SOE commits to withhold its private information. When the disclosure equilibrium prevails, the private firm can be more profitable competing against an SOE than another private firm. In this mixed-duopoly setting, the equilibrium social welfare is maximized when the SOE puts a positive weight on both social welfare and its own profit. Our analysis has further implications for both mandatory disclosure and market entry.


Implementation and analysis of mathematical models can serve as a powerful tool in understanding how intracellular processes in bacteria affect the bacterial phenotype. In this thesis I have implemented and analysed models of a number of different parts of the bacterium E. coli in order to understand these types of connections. I have also developed new tools for analysis of stochastic reaction-diffusion models. Resistance mutations in the E. coli ribosomes make the bacteria less susceptible to treatment with the antibiotic drug erythromycin compared to bacteria carrying wildtype ribosomes. The effect is dependent on efficient drug efflux pumps. In the absence of pumps for erythromycin, there is no difference in growth between wildtype and drug target resistant bacteria. I present a model explaining this unexpected phenotype, and also give the conditions for its occurrence. Stochastic fluctuations in gene expression in bacteria, such as E. coli, result in stochastic fluctuations in biosynthesis pathways. I have characterised the effect of stochastic fluctuations in the parallel biosynthesis pathways of amino acids. I show how the average protein synthesis rate decreases with an increasing number of fluctuating amino acid production pathways. I further show how the cell can remedy this problem by using sensitive feedback control of transcription, and by optimising its expression levels of amino acid biosynthetic enzymes. The pole-to-pole oscillations of the Min-proteins in E. coli are required for accurate mid-cell division. The phenotype of the Min-oscillations is altered in three different mutants: filamentous cells, round cells and cells with changed membrane lipid composition. I have shown that the wildtype and mutant phenotypes can be explained using a stochastic reaction-diffusion model. In E. coli, the transcription elongation rate on the ribosmal RNA operon increases with increasing transcription initiation rate. In addition, the polymerase density varies along the ribosomal RNA operons. I present a DNA sequence dependent model that explains the transcription elongation rate speed-up, and also the density variation along the ribosomal operons. Both phenomena are explained by the RNA polymerase backtracking on the DNA.


The establishment of the AU in 2002 created opportunities for an ambitious democracy and human rights agenda in the foreign and continental policies of African states. The Constitutive Act of the AU sets the normative basis for integrating various global instruments and protocols, including the UN's Universal Declaration of Human Rights and the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights. The African Governance Architecture and the African Peace and Security Architecture were intended to provide a substantive institutional basis to advance human rights through good governance and democracy. While progress has been made to advance human rights, this has been far too modest when measured against the ambitions that African states and continental institutions put forth in 2002. This policy brief argues that this is the result of persistent and strong sovereignty norms, including an inability by African states to integrate diplomacies of human rights, democracy and good governance as pivotal identities in their foreign policies. RECoMMEndATIonS


It was built to extend a four-decade record of Earth observations. One year after launch, Landsat 8 has deepened the archives and our insights — not just of the land, but of the sea and sky. Here are some of our favorite images to date.


Effective suppression of multiuser interference (MUI) and mitigation of frequency-selective fading effects within the complexity constraints of the mobile constitute major challenges for broadband cellular downlink transceiver design. Existing wideband direct-sequence (DS) code division multiple access (CDMA) transceivers suppress MUI statistically by restoring the orthogonality among users at the receiver. However, they call for receive diversity and multichannel equalization to improve the fading effects caused by deep channel fades. Relying on redundant block spreading and linear precoding, we design a so-called multicarrier block-spread- (MCBS-)CDMA transceiver that preserves the orthogonality among users and guarantees symbol detection, regardless of the underlying frequency-selective fading channels. These properties allow for deterministic MUI elimination through low-complexity block despreading and enable full diversity gains, irrespective of the system load. Different options to perform equalization and decoding, either jointly or separately, strike the trade-off between performance and complexity. To improve the performance over multi-input multi-output (MIMO) multipath fading channels, our MCBS-CDMA transceiver combines well with space-time block-coding (STBC) techniques, to exploit both multiantenna and multipath diversity gains, irrespective of the system load. Simulation results demonstrate the superior performance of MCBS-CDMA compared to competing alternatives.


The hydraulic turbine blade is a kind of large,complex and curved casting.It is susceptible to significant warping deformation in the heat treatment process because of no-uniform cooling and phase transformation,which is a serious problem for the dimension control of the blade.A non-contact temperature field and dynamic displacement measurement system is established with the infrared thermal imaging system used for temperature measurement and special devices for the deformation measurement.It is adopted to investigate the temperature distribution and deformation behavior of a blade at the cooling stages of normalizing and tempering in production.The results reveal the temperature evolutions and dynamic deformation of the blade in heat treatment.The deformations of the blade mainly occur at the cooling stage of normalizing owing to the effect of uneven cooling and phase transformation.While,it is small during tempering in which only uneven cooling effect exists.This research and the results are of great significance to the exploration and study of the deformation behavior of hydraulic turbine blades.And the established system is useful for temperature fields and deformation measurement for parts during heat treatment.


This paper reviews the literature on reciprocal spillovers to contribute to understanding these externalities in industrial organizations, location of multinational firms, and agglomeration of firms. Although the capture and representation of such externalities has been criticized, some work is presented herein showing the nature and importance of reciprocal spillovers. The method applied was bibliometric citation analysis using the Google Scholar database. Evidence exists that reciprocal spillovers manifest through patent citations, mobility of labor among firms, learning forms of organizations and production, magazine distribution channels, etc. It is, likewise, shown that reciprocal spillovers arise due to network configuration among multinational firms and the arrival of regional players. We conclude that while reciprocal spillovers are difficult to capture and measure, when the analysis is based on the technology transfer process, it is possible to trace these types of externalities.


This paper proposes near-optimal algorithms for the pure-exploration linear bandit problem in the fixed confidence and fixed budget settings. Leveraging ideas from the theory of suprema of empirical processes, we provide an algorithm whose sample complexity scales with the geometry of the instance and avoids an explicit union bound over the number of arms. Unlike previous approaches which sample based on minimizing a worst-case variance (e.g. G-optimal design), we define an experimental design objective based on the Gaussian-width of the underlying arm set. We provide a novel lower bound in terms of this objective that highlights its fundamental role in the sample complexity. The sample complexity of our fixed confidence algorithm matches this lower bound, and in addition is computationally efficient for combinatorial classes, e.g. shortest-path, matchings and matroids, where the arm sets can be exponentially large in the dimension. Finally, we propose the first algorithm for linear bandits in the the fixed budget setting. Its guarantee matches our lower bound up to logarithmic factors.


What are the aims of a criminal trial? What social functions should it perform? And how is the trial as a political institution linked to other institutions in a democratic polity? What follows if we understand a criminal trial as calling a defendant to answer to a charge of criminal wrongdoing and, if he is judged to be responsible for such wrongdoing, to account for his conduct? A normative theory of the trial, an account of what trials ought to be and of what ends they should serve, must take these central aspects of the trial seriously; but they raise a number of difficult questions. They suggest that the trial should be seen as a communicative process: but what kinds of communication should it involve? What kind of political theory does a communicative conception of the trial require? Can trials ever actually amount to more than the imposition of state power on the defendant? What political role might trials play in conflicts that must deal not simply with issues of individual responsibility but with broader collective wrongs, including wrongs perpetrated by, or in the name of, the state? These are the issues addressed by the essays in this volume. The third volume in this series, in which the four editors of this volume develop their own normative account, will be published in 2007.


Remote healthcare monitoring is the process of assessing the well-being of a patient when the patient and their healthcare professional are not located together. Advances in technology, specifically medical devices, sensors and high speed fixed and wireless communication networks have made it possible to bring the assessment process to the patient, as opposed to limiting the assessment to the constraints of hospitals and doctors' surgeries. It is also possible for patients to benefit from expert consultants anywhere in the world and receive their advice, without a face-to-face meeting. We discuss these issues in the context of home based medication management and propose a technical solution using emerging technologies. This uses a base station acting as a reservoir of medication and a means to connect the patient to an Internet based care model. The following details of the system are presented; an Internet portal in the form of a web based interface to support the prescribing of medication; an interface for the pharmacist to support the filling of medication containers; a caregiver's interface that provides a means to assess the patient's adherence to their medication regimen.