This study investigates the potential for adoption of self-service technologies (SSTs) in the apparel retail environment. The importance of motivation factors (e.g., intrinsic vs. extrinsic) for adopting SSTs in the apparel retail environment is explored as is the moderating effect of familiarity in potential SST adoption. Data were collected via a self-administered questionnaire completed by undergraduate students at a large southeastern university. A total of 494 usable questionnaires were collected. Respondents were predominantly female (82.6%), and ages ranged from 18 to 57 years, with an average age of 22 years. The majority of participants were Caucasian/White and majoring in a business-related field. Measures were based on the existing literature and assessed using a 7-point Likert-type scale and a 7-point semantic differential scale. Because many apparel retail settings do not currently offer self-service technology, participants were provided a definition of SST and an apparel shopping scenario involving the use of SST prior to completing the survey. Structural equation modeling technique was employed via a LISREL 8.8 to test the hypotheses. Results obtained for the main effect of the conceptual model revealed a χ 2 of 1283.14 (df = 339; p 2 / df = 3.79. A χ 2 of 115.97 (df = 9; p 2 / df = 12.89 was revealed for the moderating effect. Results indicated that individuals who perceive SSTs to be personally enjoyable are likely to display a favorable attitude toward using SSTs in the apparel retail environment. In contrast, individuals with a general fear of using technology are less likely to exhibit a favorable attitude toward using SSTs. Regarding the extrinsic motivation factors, perceived usefulness was an important element affecting attitudes toward using SSTs. Results further suggested that individuals who believe that using SSTs would be personally enjoyable and would make the shopping task more efficient are likely to use SSTs when shopping for apparel products. Findings also indicate a significant moderating effect of familiarity with using SSTs on the relationship between technology anxiety and attitudes toward using SSTs. In other words, the influence of technology anxiety on attitudes toward using SSTs tend to be weaker in high levels of familiarity toward technology usage than in low levels of familiarity toward technology usage conditions. This study contributes to the growing knowledge base about consumers' shopping behaviors in relation to SSTs, and fills a gap in the literature about the potential for SST use in the apparel retail shopping environment. Findings can aid apparel retailers looking to enhance their service offerings by providing an additional means for customers to purchase merchandise in the store. Future research is needed that applies the model to different populations, different types of SSTs, and relative to different types of apparel retailers.


Recent advances in the study of pollination networks have improved our ability to describe species interactions at the community level. In this study, we compared the abundance and network strength of facultative and obligate nectar-feeding bats to determine their roles in pollinating mixed fruit orchards. We were particularly interested in the effect of distance from forests and caves on the foraging activity of these two bat groups. For this study, we examined 10 pairs of orchards; each pair consisted of one orchard near to ( 7 km) the forest edge. We estimated the abundance of each bat group (nectarivorous vs. frugi-nectarivorous) using video observations to determine floral visitation rates. A pollination network was then created for each of the 20 study orchards and network strength was calculated for each bat group at each orchard. We found that nectarivorous bats showed higher abundance and network strength than frugi-nectarivorous bats. Both bat abundance and network strength were negatively correlated with distance to the nearest cave, however, only network strength was affected by distance to the forest. These results corroborate the importance of nectarivorous bats in pollinating crops within southern Thailand's mixed fruit orchards. Higher network strength of bats near forests and caves emphasizes the role of natural habitats as pollinator sources.


Biphasic calcium phosphate (BCP) scaffolds have been widely used in orthopedic and dental fields as osteoconductive bone substitutes. However, BCP scaffolds are not satisfactory for the stimulation of osteogenic differentiation and maturation. To enhance osteogenic differentiation, we prepared alendronate- (ALN-) eluting BCP scaffolds. The coating of ALN on BCP scaffolds was confirmed by scanning electron microscopy (FE-SEM), energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDS), and attenuated total reflectance-Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (ATR-FTIR). An in vitro release study showed that release of ALN from ALN-eluting BCP scaffolds was sustained for up to 28 days. In vitro results revealed that MG-63 cells grown on ALN-eluting BCP scaffolds exhibited increased ALP activity and calcium deposition and upregulated gene expression of Runx2, ALP, OCN, and OPN compared with the BCP scaffold alone. Therefore, this study suggests that ALN-eluting BCP scaffolds have the potential to effectively stimulate osteogenic differentiation.


English Gothic Misericord Carvings: History from the Bottom Up by Betsy Chunko-Dominguez explores misericords from the perspective of their several potential viewers. It is the first book to move beyond textual dependence and traditional iconographic analysis when examining this subject.


The objective of this paper is to analyze the development of US natural gas infrastructure over the last two decades and to discuss its perspectives. In particular, we focus on the relationship between the regulatory framework for the natural gas sector and the development of investment in LNG terminals, interstate pipelines, and storage facilities. We also discuss some cross-sectional investment issues related to financing (cost of capital, financial markets) and regulation (price caps, siting). We conclude that while some improvements in the regulatory framework might enhance investments in the US natural gas sector, there is no reason to be overly concerned about infrastructure investments, resource adequacy, or supply security.


This monograph addresses one aspect of New Testament constructions of legitimacy. It examines the significance and value of Christians' withstanding suffering and persecution as a means of corroborating and affirming their identity and status. It does not address historical constructions of early Christian persecution, but rather offers "... an examination of how the NT's assorted claims about persecution function in the formation of religious identity - confirming believers' standing in Christ because they withstood persecution in the past, or if they will remain faithful amidst present or anticipated oppression" (vii).


A scene in the tomb of Nebamun has been accepted without reservation since 1904 as portraying a Syrian patient sailing to Egypt in a Syrian ship while onshore he is being sent off by Syrians standing beside Asian humped bulls hitched to Syrian chariots. An analysis of this ship's features indicates it is an Egyptian ship. Furthermore, contemporary evidence in Egypt shows that Egyptians also had chariots, were breeding Asian humped bulls, and owned Syrian slaves. This scene can therefore be interpreted as a cured Syrian patient returning home in an Egyptian ship after being transported to the port of Thebes by Nebamun's personal slaves in his ox-drawn chariots or carts. Such a scene of departure would enhance Nebamun's status as a successful physician and produce a more tightly integrated subject consistent with other scenes in his tomb.


A tunable optical rail is embedded into the cavity of a nonlinear-polarization-rotation (NPR) mode-locked fiber laser to generate a sampling pulse with different repetition frequencies and realize bit-rate-adaptive software synchronous optical sampling. Two ultrashort pulses (20.26677 and 20.22900 MHz) are derived, and a 100-MHz data signal is sampled twice with these pulses based on sum-frequency generation (SFG) in periodically poled lithium niobate (PPLN). The eye diagram is successfully recovered, and an estimated bit rate of 102.22 MHz is derived. This method is feasible for bit rates ranging from 200 MHz to 1 GHz, with <3% relative error.


ABSTRACT One new species belonging to the genus Neanura MacGillivray, 1893 was found during taxonomic investigations of Tatra Mts, the highest mountain range in the Carpathians. Neanura judithae n. sp. is characterized by the conspicuous reduction of chaetotaxy on dorsal side of the body. It is closely related to the sympatric species N. parva (Stach, 1951), from which it differs in having a non-ogival labrum (vs ogival in N. parva) and complete fusion of tubercles Di on the abdominal segment V(vs incomplete in N. parva). Furthermore, the new species is distinguished by absence of chaetae De3 on abdominal terga I-III and 2 + 2 chaetae Di on abdomen V. An illustrated description and short remarks on the ecology of N. judithae n. sp. are presented. Additionally, data on morphology of all known species of the genus are also provided in the key.


Purpose: Research that focuses on the emotional, mental, behavioral and cognitive capabilities of individuals has been abundant within disciplines such as psychology, sociology, and anthropology, among others. However, when facing complex problems, a new perspective to understand individuals is necessary. The main purpose of this paper is to develop an agent-based model and simulation to gain understanding on the decision-making and problem-solving abilities of individuals. Design/Methodology/approach: The micro-level analysis modeling and simulation paradigm Agent-Based Modeling Through the use of Agent-Based Modeling, insight is gained on how different individuals with different profiles deal with complex problems. Using previous literature from different bodies of knowledge, established theories and certain assumptions as input parameters, a model is built and executed through a computer simulation. Findings: The results indicate that individuals with certain profiles have better capabilities to deal with complex problems. Moderate profiles could solve the entire complex problem, whereas profiles within extreme conditions could not. This indicates that having a strong predisposition is not the ideal way when approaching complex problems, and there should always be a component from the other perspective. The probability that an individual may use these capabilities provided by the opposite predisposition provides to be a useful option. Originality/value: The originality of the present research stems from how individuals are profiled, and the model and simulation that is built to understand how they solve complex problems. The development of the agent-based model adds value to the existing body of knowledge within both social sciences, and modeling and simulation.


Around the railway station of Schiphol, railway traffic is controlled by an automated dynamic traffic management system (DVM). This system is not optimal for the future service pattern of NS and NS Hispeed. My research explores the possibilities of a new DVM by analysing different rescheduling elements by means of microsimulations in OpenTrack.


The main obstacle of using corporate Web 2.0 systems as management tools is that these systems are usually not a result of the initiative of the employees of all the hierarchical levels existing in the organization, but an "upside‐down" initiative of the senior management. Due to this reason, the activity of employees in using such systems can be less than expected due to psychological factors inclining the employees to resist the senior management's innovative initiatives. Consequently, a necessity arises to develop instruments allowing achieving the expected level of the employees' activity in accepting and using corporate Web 2.0 systems. To develop such instruments, it is important to figure out factors influencing the employees' activity in accepting and using the corporate Web 2.0 systems and to develop models allowing predicting the influence of these factors on this employees' activity. One of the most promising models of such kind is the Unified Theory for Acceptance and Use of Technology (UTAUT) model that is summarizing views on the factors influencing the employees' activity in accepting and using new technologies developed in a number of various management theories. As for the moment, the UTAUT model is not being actively used in management practice, as currently the model is on the stage of testing its validity. One of the shortcomings of the empirical testing of the model's validity by its authors is that it is tested on the samples belonging to a single national culture, namely that of the US. Most of the articles testing the validity of the UTAUT model in crosscultural settings are also working with constrained samples: either samples of single organizations from countries other than of the Anglo‐Saxon culture or the samples of similar organizations (e.g., universities) from a number of different countries. In this paper the validity of the UTAUT model is tested on a sample of 108 respondents facing the implementation of corporate Web 2.0 systems in three Russian organizations belonging to different industries. By means of including employees of different organizations into one sample, the influence of industry or organization specificity on the dependencies included in the model is decreased to a certain extent, thus allowing a deeper analyze of the national specificity influences. The Principal Component Analysis results show five statistically significant factors that are logically interpretable within the UTAUT model logic. This proves the validity of the UTAUT model in relation to the sample under scrutiny. A number of conclusions are made in the paper about the specificity of factors influencing the acceptance and use of corporate Web 2.0 systems in the organizations included in the sample. On the basis of this specificity, recommendations are given about development of instruments of stimulating the activity of acceptance and use of these systems in Russian companies. Finally, further directions of research development are suggested in the paper.


This study sought to predict the use of dietary supplements marketed to enhance athletic performance among 1,737 adolescent athletes. An anonymous, paper-and-pencil, self-report survey was administered to the participants. Grade level, participation in multiple sports, and scales representing attitudes, subjective norms, and intention were all significant predictors of current dietary supplement use. The results of this study allow for the development of more appropriate prevention and intervention strategies that can target specific groups of adolescent athletes. The authors recommend that attitudes of adolescent athletes be addressed in interventions and that salient others be included in program planning.


This article surveys the history of environmental animation and charts the aesthetic possibilities it offers for environmental representation, in order to prompt a reconsideration of indexical media's dominant role in environmental communication. Given animation's formal capabilities, it has the potential to depict imperceptible, indeterminate and interactive environments. Distinct representational practices have emerged in animated environmental films: the visualization of environmental mutability, the representation of environmental interaction and the revelation of the environment as a construct. This article defines three periods of environmental animation: the 1960s to early 1970s, the late 1980s to early 1990s, and 2005 to the present, and analyses how these practices transformed during each cycle. Early short films pioneered the depiction of a mutable environment. In the second period, mutability became less significant, but feature films expanded the possible modes of environmental interaction. Most recently, films have begun to reflect on the environment as a visual construct.


We study the Cauchy problem for the oscillation equation of the couple-stress theory of elasticity in a bounded domain in R. Both the displacement and stress are given on a part S of the boundary of the domain. This problem is densely solvable while data of compact support in the interior of S fail to belong to the range of the problem. Hence the problem is ill-posed which makes the standard calculi of Fourier integral operators inapplicable. If S is real analytic the Cauchy-Kovalevskaya theorem applies to guarantee the existence of a local solution. We invoke the special structure of the oscillation equation to derive explicit conditions of global solvability and an approximation solution.


In 1942, the Supreme Court handed down its decision in the case of D'Oench, Duhme, & Co. c. FDIC. This decision established an equitable estoppel under the umbrella of federal common law to protect the insurance fund of the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC) from secret agreements between borrowers and banks which misrepresented the value of a bank's assets. In the last fifty years, the D'Oench doctrine has been greatly expanded by the courts, and its purported legislative counterpart, 12 U.S.C. Section 1823(e) has enjoyed similar expansion. More recently, courts have even created a fiction by holding that the FDIC enjoys rights as a holder in due course under federal common law as a necessary extension of the original D'Oench doctrine. During this expansive development, one consideration has remained constant. The goal sought to be preserved by this unbridled growth of the doctrine was the protection of the insurance fund as an integral part of regulatory failed bank policy. The core value inherent in this goal was, and continues to be, economic. However, neither courts, legislators, nor academicians have suggested any major reconsideration of one of the most misguided disciples of failed bank policy—the D'Oench doctrine. With the tidal wave of litigation involving the FDIC, Resolution Trust Corporation (RTC), and successor financial institutions, serious critical analysis needs to be given to D'Oench and the current economic approach to the failure resolution system. This analysis will show that the D'Oench doctrine has placed economic values on a pedestal, effectively trumping ethical values of common decency and fair play, and that it is time to apply a new value-based approach to banking regulatory policies.


This book provides an accessible introduction to the basic theory of fluid mechanics and computational fluid dynamics (CFD) from a modern perspective that unifies theory and numerical computation. Methods of scientific computing are introduced alongside with theoretical analysis and MATLAB codes are presented and discussed for a broad range of topics: from interfacial shapes in hydrostatics, to vortex dynamics, to viscous flow, to turbulent flow, to panel methods for flow past airfoils. The third edition includes new topics, additional examples, solved and unsolved problems, and revised images. It adds more computational algorithms and MATLAB programs. It also incorporates discussion of the latest version of the fluid dynamics software library FDLIB, which is freely available online. FDLIB offers an extensive range of computer codes that demonstrate the implementation of elementary and advanced algorithms and provide an invaluable resource for research, teaching, classroom instruction, and self-study. This book is a must for students in all fields of engineering, computational physics, scientific computing, and applied mathematics. It can be used in both undergraduate and graduate courses in fluid mechanics, aerodynamics, and computational fluid dynamics. The audience includes not only advanced undergraduate and entry-level graduate students, but also a broad class of scientists and engineers with a general interest in scientific computing.


We analyze the rupture process of the 1999 M_w 7.1 Duzce earthquake using seismological, remote sensing, and geodetic data. Ground deformation measured from the subpixel cross correlation of Satellite Pour l'Observation de la Terre (SPOT) images reveals a 55 km long fault trace and smooth surface-slip distribution peaking at 3.5–4 m. The westernmost segment overlaps for over 10 km with ruptures from the M_w 7.4 Izmit earthquake. The 15 km long easternmost segment, which cuts across mountainous topography, had not been reported previously. We determine a well-constrained source model using a four-segment fault geometry using constraints on surface fault slip and inverting Global Positioning System and Interferometric Synthetic Aperture Radar data along with strong-motion records. Our results show that some variability of the rupture velocity and an eastward supershear velocity are required to fit the strong-motion data. The rise time, up to 6 sec, correlates with cumulative slip, suggesting a sliding velocity of about 1 m/sec. The source model predicts teleseismic waveforms well, although early by 2 sec. This time shift is probably due to the weak beginning of the earthquake that is not observable at teleseismic distances. Strong-motion records are relatively well predicted from a source model derived from the teleseismic data using the fault geometry derived from the satellite images. This study demonstrates the benefit of using accurate fault geometries to determine finite-fault source models.


Collaborative Filtering Recommender Systems predict user preferences for online information, products or services by learning from past user-item relationships. A predominant approach to Collaborative Filtering is Neighborhood-based, where a user-item preference rating is computed from ratings of similar items and/or users. This approach encounters data sparsity and scalability limitations as the volume of accessible information and the active users continue to grow leading to performance degradation, poor quality recommendations and inaccurate predictions. Despite these drawbacks, the problem of information overload has led to great interests in personalization techniques. The incorporation of context information and Matrix and Tensor Factorization techniques have proved to be a promising solution to some of these challenges. We conducted a focused review of literature in the areas of Context-aware Recommender Systems utilizing Matrix Factorization approaches. This survey paper presents a detailed literature review of Context-aware Recommender Systems and approaches to improving performance for large scale datasets and the impact of incorporating contextual information on the quality and accuracy of the recommendation. The results of this survey can be used as a basic reference for improving and optimizing existing Context-aware Collaborative Filtering based Recommender Systems. The main contribution of this paper is a survey of Matrix Factorization techniques for Context-aware Collaborative Filtering Recommender Systems.


Abstract Poltys and the genera Cyphalonotus, Homalopoltys, Ideocaira, Kaira, Micropoltys and Pycnacantha have historically been considered members of the tribe Poltyini. There is little published information on most members of the group and their potential relationships in the context of recent advances in araneid systematics. Information is sought on possible relatives of Poltys. All araneid members of the group except Pycnacantha were added to the data matrix compiled by Scharff & Coddington (1997), which already contained Kaira. Homalopoltys was found to be a tetragnathid when males were identified and was not considered further. The full data matrix of 74 taxa and 82 characters was run in PAUP* and NONA. The resulting placement of Poltys was not well supported but it frequently occurred in association with members of a slightly modified version of the 'Hypsosinga clade' of Scharff & Coddington, including Kaira. Cyphalonotus may be placed close to Araneus and Ideocaira may also belong in the same area of the araneines. Micropoltys may belong in the sister clade to these two.


The need for multiple access strategies arises whenever a number of users have to share a communication resource, since it is usually either cost prohibitive or impractical to dedicate a communication channel to a particular user. A need for such algorithms arises in many instances, particularly in applications utilizing wireless systems where all users access a common channel or medium. Such random access techniques as ALOHA and slotted ALOHA have been successfully implemented in a number of wireless applications. One of the major drawbacks of these algorithms is the necessity of a return path from the central station to each system user, which makes their use both inefficient and expensive for applications where one-way communication would suffice. For such applications, a need remained for a random access algorithm which can maximize the probability of successful message transmission in a one-way communication environment. A random access technique that addresses the above-mentioned need is developed. With this technique, each user sends an original message of predetermined length to a central receiver. The user then retransmits the message a specified number of times in a predetermined interval reserved for the retransmission process. The time interval between each successive retransmission of a given message is random. Assuming total annihilation of all colliding messages, the expression for the probability of successful transmission of a given message in terms of the major channel parameters is theoretically formulated. This technique offers a significant improvement, compared to a single transmission, in ensuring that a message is successfully received. The actual message collision dynamics in this system are experimentally studied using two different types of direct-sequence spread spectrum receivers, one employing a sliding correlator and the other using a matched filter. The spreading code in such systems offers extra protection for messages against possible interferers. The results indicate that it is often possible to properly receive a given message in the presence of co-channel interferers, thus significantly improving the overall system performance. These results are subsequently incorporated with the propagation data for several different types of microcells to arrive at a more precise theory of the link.


Concerns about the role of energy consumption in global warming have led to policy designs that seek to reduce fossil fuel consumption or find a less polluting alternative especiallyfor the transport sector. This study seeks to estimate the elasticities of price, income, education and technology on transport gasoline demand sector inGhana. The Structural Time Series Model reports a short-run price and income elasticities of -0.0088 and 0.713. Total factor productivity is -0.408 whilstthe elasticity for education is 2.33. In the long run, the reported price and income elasticities are -0.065 and 5.129 respectively. The long run elasticityfor productivity is -2.935. The study recommends that in order to enhanceefficiency in gasoline consumption in the transport sector, there should beinvestment in productivity.


Background Approx 27 000 new cases of cancer are reported in Uganda in each year affecting 1.5% of the population. A shortage of Doctors, wide geographical distribution, and poor transport systems lead to many patients experiencing severe uncontrolled symptoms. Hospice Africa Uganda developed a community volunteer worker programme where local villagers are trained to identify patients with palliative care needs. The volunteers refer patients to the hospice and provide basic care and support for patients and families. A training course with ongoing support has resulted in 85 volunteers practicing out of the hospice in Kampala (40) and Hoima (45).The volunteers receive no payment, except for a bicycle enabling them to reach remote areas. Aim To explore personal impact of being a palliative care community volunteer. Methodology A qualitative methodology using semi structured individual and group tape recorded interviews was adopted for the study. Data was collected from the volunteers based in two sites (Hoima and Kampala). A purposive sample of 32 volunteers participated in the study. Data was analysed for emerging themes using thematic analysis. Results The volunteers all reported how they found the role to be of great value to themselves, including having an increased knowledge and satisfaction at helping the dying in their villages. Interestingly they all commented on the pride of being a volunteer, how they felt when they put on their uniform and the resulting respect they received. Discussion This paper will discuss these findings as well as the challenges that the volunteers are finding regarding language barriers and old bicycles.


Cisco Express ForwardingUnderstanding and troubleshooting CEF in Cisco routers and switchesNakia Stringfield, CCIE® No. 13451Russ White, CCIE No. 2635Stacia McKeeHow does a router switch a packet? What is the difference between routing a packet, switching a frame, and packet switching? What is the Cisco® Express Forwarding (CEF) feature referred to in Cisco documentation and commonly found in Cisco IOS® commands? CEF is a general term that describes the mechanism by which Cisco routers and Catalyst® switches packet-switch (route) frames. CEF is found in almost all Cisco routers and Catalyst switches, and understanding how CEF operates can improve the performance, scalability, and efficiency of your network.Cisco Express Forwarding demystifies the internal workings of Cisco routers and switches, making it easier for you to optimize performance and troubleshoot issues that arise in Cisco network environments. This book addresses common misconceptions about CEF and packet switching across various platforms, helping you to improve your troubleshooting skills for CEF- and non-CEF-related problems.The first part of the book provides an overview of packet-switching architectures and CEF operation and advanced features. It also covers the enhanced CEF structure and general troubleshooting. The second part of the book provides case studies that focus on the common topics that have been problematic for customers and those supporting Cisco networks.Full of practical examples and configurations, this book draws on years of experience to help you keep your Cisco networks running efficiently.Nakia Stringfield, CCIE® No. 13451, is a network consulting engineer for Advanced Services at Cisco, supporting top financial customers with network design and applying best practices. She was formerly a senior customer support engineer for the Routing Protocols Technical Assistance Center (TAC) team troubleshooting issues related to CEF and routing protocols. Nakia has been with Cisco for more than six years, previously serving as a technical leader for the Architecture TAC team.Russ White, CCIE No. 2635, is a Principle Engineer in the Routing Protocol Design and Architecture team at Cisco. He is a member of the IETF Routing Area Directorate, co-chair of the Routing Protocols Security Working Group in the IETF, a regular speaker at Cisco Networkers, a member of the CCIE Content Advisory Group, and the coauthor of six other books about routing and routing protocols, including Optimal Routing Design from Cisco Press. Russ primarily works in the development of new features and design architectures for routing protocols.Stacia McKee is a customer support engineer and technical leader of the Routing Protocols Technical Assistance Center (TAC) team. This team focuses on providing post-sales support of IP routing protocols, MPLS, QoS, IP multicast, and many other Layer 3 technologies. Stacia has been with Cisco for more than six years, previously serving as a technical leader of the Architecture TAC team and a member of the WAN/Access TAC team. Learn the key features of packet-switching architectures Understand the basics of the CEF architecture and operation Examine the enhanced CEF structure, which improves scalability Learn how to troubleshoot in software-switching environments Understand the effect of CEF on a Cisco Catalyst 6500 Supervisor 720 Configure and troubleshoot load sharing with CEF Evaluate the effect of CEF in an MPLS VPN environment Review CEF design considerations that impact scalabilityPart Ii¾ i¾ i¾ i¾ Understanding, Configuring, and Troubleshooting CEFChapter 1i¾ i¾ i¾ i¾ Introduction to Packet-Switching ArchitecturesChapter 2i¾ i¾ i¾ i¾ Understanding Cisco Express Forwarding Chapter 3i¾ i¾ i¾ i¾ CEF Enhanced Scalability Chapter 4i¾ i¾ i¾ i¾ Basic IP Connectivity and CEF TroubleshootingPart IIi¾ i¾ i¾ i¾ CEF Case StudiesChapter 5i¾ i¾ i¾ i¾ Understanding Packet Switching on the Cisco Catalyst 6500 Supervisor 720Chapter 6i¾ i¾ i¾ i¾ Load Sharing with CEFChapter 7i¾ i¾ i¾ i¾ Understanding CEF in an MPLS VPN EnvironmentPart IIIi¾ i¾ i¾ i¾ AppendixAppendix Ai¾ i¾ i¾ i¾ ScalabilityThis book is part of the Networking Technology Series from Cisco Press®, which offers networking professionals valuable information for constructing efficient networks, understanding new technologies, and building successful careers.Category: NetworkingCovers: Routing and Switching1587052369


The 3 km long Bellevue Core was recovered from the Upper Zone (UZ) and Main Zone (MZ) of the Northern Limb of the Bushveld Complex—the largest known layered mafic intrusion. We present abundance data for 57 trace elements hosted in plagioclase, clinopyroxene, low-Ca pyroxene and olivine, obtained by laser ablation inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry. These data permit the first comprehensive investigation of trace element distribution in the Bushveld Complex on a mineral-by-mineral basis, and show that the Cr content of pyroxene is the only proxy that records three cryptic magma injections, coincident with two pyroxenite horizons and the UZ–MZ boundary. On the basis of Cr abundance, we infer that an 'anomalous' troctolitic horizon at the base of the Bellevue Core was related to injection of relatively primitive magma, analogous to the Lower or Critical Zone magmas in the Eastern and Western Limbs of the Bushveld Complex; this horizon defines the greatest inconsistency of magmatic stratigraphy between the Northern Limb and the Eastern and Western Limbs of the complex, and is prospective for platinum-group element exploration. However, the most significant finding of this study is that plagioclase, pyroxene and olivine have undergone extensive diffusive modification. The major and trace element geochemistry of these minerals records sub-solidus equilibration during the prolonged cooling of the Bushveld Complex, controlled by diffusion rates and local partitioning between adjacent minerals. By analogy, texturally mature cumulates in any layered intrusion are also likely to be chemically re-equilibrated.


In Prejudicial Appearances noted legal scholar Robert C. Post argues modern American antidiscrimination law should not be conceived as protecting the transcendental dignity of individual persons but instead as transforming social practices that define and sustain potentially oppressive categories like race or gender. Arguing that the prevailing logic of American antidiscrimination law is misleading, Post lobbies for deploying sociological understandings to reevaluate the antidiscrimination project in ways that would render the law more effective and just.

Four distinguished commentators respond to Post's provocative essay. Each adopts a distinctive perspective. K. Anthony Appiah investigates the philosophical logic of stereotyping and of equality. Questioning whether the law ought to endorse any social practices that define persons, Judith Butler explores the tension between sociological and postmodern approaches to antidiscrimination law. Thomas C. Grey examines whether Post's proposal can be reconciled with the values of the rule of law. And Reva B. Siegel applies critical race theory to query whether antidiscrimination law's reshaping of race and gender should best be understood in terms of practices of subordination and stratification.

By illuminating the consequential rhetorical maneuvers at the heart of contemporary U.S. antidiscrimination law, Prejudical Appearances forces readers to reappraise the relationship between courts of law and social behavior. As such, it will enrich scholars interested in the relationships between law, rhetoric, postmodernism, race, and gender.


Risk-based investing is experiencing growing success among investors, although some critics contend that the implicit "no-views" characteristic of these solutions might trigger other forms of risk, such as valuation risk. In this article, the authors introduce an analytical framework that allows investors to add active views on top of a risk-based solution, bridging the gap between risk-based investing and mean-variance portfolio optimization. Starting from a Black-Litterman approach, the authors derive closed-form expressions for the active risk-based portfolio weights and discuss practical implementation aspects. The framework is illustrated with a multi-asset allocation exercise over the period 1974–2016. Using views generated from macroeconomic regime signals, the active risk-based strategy is shown to outperform empirically both passive risk-based strategies and popular methodologies such as Equal-weight or Maximum Sharpe ratio.


The present study investigated learners' interlanguage pragmatic development through analysis of 99 requestive emails addressed to a faculty member over a period of up to two years. Most previous studies mainly investigated how non-native English speaking students' (NNESs) pragmalinguistic and sociopragmatic competence differed from native English speaking students (NESs) and compared learners with different linguistic and cultural backgrounds with NESs. In addition, most of the existing literature on developmental pragmatics has used elicited data. Naturally occurring data, in the form of emails, offer a more valid reflection of learners' pragmatic competence. This study adopted speech event analysis approach, which seeks to account for all parts of requestive emails and recognizes the "work" each part does in the production of the speech event. Results indicated that, although NNES students did not show much pragmatic development in the frequency and type of strategies they used, the NNES students used a more deferential style in the opening and closing of their emails compared to native speakers. Additionally, the findings revealed the merits of analyzing natural data in interlanguage pragmatics and offered the benefit of recognizing email requests as a situated event.


John Wood discovered his passion, his greatest success, and his life's work not at business school or helping lead Microsoft's charge into Asia in the 1990s but on a soul-searching trip to the Himalayas. He made the difficult decision to walk away from his lucrative career to create Room to Read, a non-profit organisation that promotes education across the developing world. By the end of 2007, the organisation would have established over 5,000 libraries and 400 schools, and awarded long-term scholarships to more than 3,000 girls, giving more than one million children the lifelong gift of education. If you have ever pondered abandoning your desk job for an adventure and an opportunity to give back, Wood's story will inspire you. He offers a vivid, emotional, and absorbing tale of how to take the lessons learned at a hard-charging company like Microsoft and apply them to the world's most pressing social problems.


This letter analyzes the implementation issues related to coherent receivers for UWB impulse radio with a special emphasis on timing and jitter problems. We propose a new jitter tolerant receiver design that is easy to implement. Analytical BER analysis and simulations verify that the performance of the proposed receiver is comparable to that of a correlator-based receiver that includes jitter. The new design is a promising candidate for low-cost low-power UWB IR receiver implementations.


This paper addresses the conflict between industrialized and developing countries over resources, the environment, and economic development. In the past, such North-South conflicts have usually resulted in virtual deadlock and the inability to reach joint decisions, limiting the effectiveness of the international negotiation process. In this case study of the forestry issue, viewed within the context of the United Nations Conference on Environment and Development (UNCED), an outcome -- a partial agreement -- was achieved despite very strong impediments and the opportunity for total impasse. The author explains the case analysis in relation to a conceptual framework that posits power and power asymmetry between the two major negotiating blocs as the principal catalysts in reaching a solution where the "weak" triumphs over the "strong."


The observation of a large Nernst signal eN in an extended region above the critical temperature Tc in hole-doped cuprates provides evidence that vortex excitations survive above Tc. The results support the scenario that superfluidity vanishes because long-range phase coherence is destroyed by thermally-created vortices (in zero field), and that the pair condensate extends high into the pseudogap state in the underdoped (UD) regime. We present a series of measurements to high fields H which provide strong evidence for this phase-disordering scenario. Measurements of eN in fields H up to 45 T reveal that the vortex Nernst signal has a characteristic "tilted-hill" profile, which is qualitatively distinct from that of quasi-particles. The hill profile, which is observed above and below Tc, underscores the continuity between the vortex-liquid state below Tc and the Nernst region above Tc. The upper critical field (depairing field) Hc2 determined by the hill profile (in slightly UD to overdoped samples) displays an anomalously weak T dependence, which is consistent with the phase-disordering scenario. We contrast the Nernst results and Hc2 behavior in hole-doped and electron-doped cuprates. Contour plots of eN (T,H) in the T -H plane clearly bring out the continuous extension of the low-T vortex liquid state into the the high-T Nernst region in holedoped cuprates (but not in the electron-doped cuprate). The existence of an enhanced diamagnetic magnetization M that survives to intense H above Tc is obtained from torque magnetometry. The observed M scales accurately like eN above Tc, confirming that the large Nernst signal is associated with local diamagnetic supercurrents that persist above Tc. We emphasize implications of the new features in the phase diagram implied by the high-field results, and discuss several theories.


Digitalization is a source for Industrial Internet, which solutions influence businesses and everyday life in many different ways. The digital transformation calls for understanding, not only about your customers, but also your whole organization. A digital business world opens up for seamless and borderless collaborations in product, service and production development, yet such a visionary future need both systematic and systemic changes in companies. As such open innovation approaches including participatory research studies could support regional growth and increase competitiveness among SMEs. This article describes how these issues have been managed in a transnational project for the Northern Nordics.


Both pandemic and seasonal influenza are receiving more attention from mass media than ever before. Topics such as epidemic severity and vaccination are changing the way in which we perceive the utility of disease prevention. Voluntary influenza vaccination has been recently modeled using inductive reasoning games. It has thus been found that severe epidemics may occur because individuals do not vaccinate and, instead, attempt to benefit from the immunity of their peers. Such epidemics could be prevented by voluntary vaccination if incentives were offered. However, a key assumption has been that individuals make vaccination decisions based on whether there was an epidemic each influenza season; no other epidemiological information is available to them. In this work, we relax this assumption and investigate the consequences of making more informed vaccination decisions while no incentives are offered. We obtain three major results. First, individuals will not cooperate enough to constantly prevent influenza epidemics through voluntary vaccination no matter how much they learned about influenza epidemiology. Second, broadcasting epidemiological information richer than whether an epidemic occurred may stabilize the vaccination coverage and suppress severe influenza epidemics. Third, the stable vaccination coverage follows the trend of the perceived benefit of vaccination. However, increasing the amount of epidemiological information released to the public may either increase or decrease the perceived benefit of vaccination. We discuss three scenarios where individuals know, in addition to whether there was an epidemic, (i) the incidence, (ii) the vaccination coverage and (iii) both the incidence and the vaccination coverage, every influenza season. We show that broadcasting both the incidence and the vaccination coverage could yield either better or worse vaccination coverage than broadcasting each piece of information on its own.


Lab tests in a long hydraulic circuit were developed to analyse hydrotransients induced by waterhammer effects under runaway conditions. The definition of suitable design criteria in hydraulic systems is of utmost importance and has become a priority for good design implementation. The dynamic behaviour of turbo-generators of small reaction turbines and the interaction with long hydraulic circuits are the major constraints for design criteria. In small reaction turbines, runaway conditions may cause significant discharge variations and consequently pressure fluctuations. A benchmark analysis based on the hydrodynamic behaviour of the system through computer simulations and experimental tests was developed. Specific unconventional protection devices were selected to control overpressures induced by runaway conditions in small hydropower systems with lesser environmental impacts. A spectral analysis was used in order to identify the influence of each type of disturbances in the system response.


Primary efficacy and safety endpoints in clinical trials are often subjective assessments made by site personnel. For international confirmatory trials conducted over broad geographic regions and different clinical practice settings, variability in these subjective assessments can be substantial. Centralized endpoint assessment committees (EACs) offer a mechanism through which to reduce assessment bias and potentially increase assessment precision and accuracy, particularly in open-label trials. An overview of regulatory agencies' rationales for an EAC is reviewed. In addition, the two main types of EACs, the blinded independent central review, and the consensus panel are compared. Selection of endpoints for EAC evaluation and design of EAC process to maximize EAC value proposition are also discussed.


The author of this paper seeks to explore what strategies are available for a multinational organization to manage knowledge, and to what extent a non-profit organization (NPO) have applied the same tools for managing knowledge within the organization as a multinational corporation (MNC). Through studying how knowledge flows within a MNC (Nonaka et al., 1995; Polanyi, 1966; Dani, 2006; DeNisi et al., 2003; Szulanski, 1996) and then analyzing the strategies for handling these flows the thesis will have presented a picture of Knowledge Management (KM), the processes for dealing with learning in the organization, which can then be compared to how KM works in a NPO – the World Bank. Through this comparison, this case study shows that all strategies employed by the World Bank are also used in MNCs, giving us the indication that NPOs can adapt KM strategies from MNCs and face many of the same challenges as an MNC does.


Armenia is a landlocked country which has gained its independence about 24 years ago. A big portion of population (44.2%) is still involved in agriculture and mostly consists of smallholder farmers. More than 20% of Armenia's GDP comes from agriculture. The government considers organic agriculture as a priority area in the country's agro-food policy as well as part of sustainable development. However, organic farming is still on its early stages of development just like in other Eastern European, Caucasian and Central Asian countries. Yet, the country already has an organic certification body which is recognized both in the US and the EU, organic supermarket in the capital city and a growing demand for organic products. Those smallholder farmers and especially the organic producers face difficulties accessing markets, gathering necessary information, meeting quality control and food safety requirements, certifying their production as organic or fair trade, accessing credits and so on. Researchers believe that smallholder agriculture can play an important role in reducing global poverty as a vast number of world's poor are rural households that are involved in agriculture. Armenian smallholders are not exception and they face most of the same challenges and problems that peasants from other parts of the world do. This paper studies one of the ways that these challenges can be overcome, that is, collective action which has proved to be successful in many cases. Although collective action can be very useful and helpful for smallholder farmers and there is even a small successful example from the organic sector in Armenia, it is not a panacea. Organizing a collective action is not an easy task and its success depends on many factors such as small group size, clearly defined boundaries, shared norms, past successful experiences and others.


The present work focuses on the structure-property relationships of
particulate-filled thermoplastics and thermoplastic elastomer (TPE). In this work
two thermoplastics and one TPE were used as polymer matrices, i.e. amorphous
bisphenol-A polycarbonate (PC), semi-crystalline isotactic polypropylene (iPP),
and a block copolymer poly(butylene terephthalate)-block-poly(tetramethylene
glycol) TPE(PBT-PTMG). For PC, a selected type of various Aerosil® nano-SiO2
types was used as filler to improve the thermal and mechanical properties by
maintaining the transparency of PC matrix. Different types of SiO2 and TiO2
nanoparticles with different surface polarity were used for iPP. The goal was to
examine the influence of surface polarity and chemical nature of nanoparticles on
the thermal, mechanical and morphological properties of iPP composites. For
TPE(PBT-PTMG), three TiO2 particles were used, i.e. one grade with hydroxyl
groups on the particle surface and the other two grades are surface-modified with
metal and metal oxides, respectively. The influence of primary size and dispersion
quality of TiO2 particles on the properties of TPE(PBT-PTMG)/TiO2 composites
were determined and discussed.
All polymer composites were produced by direct melt blending in a twin-screw
extruder via masterbatch technique. The dispersion of particles was examined by
using scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and micro-computerized tomography
(μCT). The thermal and crystalline properties of polymer composites were characterized by using thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) and differential
scanning calorimetry (DSC). The mechanical and thermomechanical properties
were determined by using mechanical tensile testing, compact tension and
Charpy impact as well as dynamic-mechanical thermal analysis (DMTA).
The SEM results show that the unpolar-surface modified nanoparticles are better
dispersed in polymer matrices as iPP than polar-surface nanoparticles, especially
in case of using Aeroxide® TiO2 nanoparticles. The Aeroxide® TiO2 nanoparticles
with a polar surface due to Ti-OH groups result in a very high degree of
agglomeration in both iPP and TPE matrices because of strong van der Waals
interactions among particles (hydrogen bonding). Compared to unmodified
Aeroxide® TiO2 nanoparticles, the other grades of surface modified TiO2 particles
are very homogenously dispersed in used iPP and TPE(PBT-PTMG). The
incorporation of SiO2 nanoparticles into bisphenol-A PC significantly increases
the mechanical properties of PC/SiO2 nanocomposites, particularly the resistance
against environmental stress crazing (ESC). However, the transparency of
PC/SiO2 nanocomposites decreases with increasing nanoparticle content and
size due to a mismatch of infractive indices of PC and SiO2 particles. The different
surface polarity of nanoparticles in iPP shows evident influence on properties of
iPP composites. Among iPP/SiO2 nanocomposites, the nanocomposite
containing SiO2 nanoparticles with a higher degree of hydrophobicity shows
improved fracture and impact toughness compared to the other iPP/SiO2
composites. The TPE(PBT-PTMG)/TiO2 composites show much better thermal and mechanical properties than neat TPE(PBT-PTMG) due to strong chemical
interactions between polymer matrix and TiO2 particles. In addition, better
dispersion quality of TiO2 particles in used TPE(PBT-PTMG) leads to dramatically
improved mechanical properties of TPE(PBT-PTMG)/TiO2 composites.


Additive Manufacturing methods have been gaining popularity over the traditional manufacturing methods in the past three decades due to shorter product development cycles and reduced manufacturing costs. Selective Laser Melting is one of the most popular methods of Additive Manufacturing. In this paper, the effect of the manufacturing method on the performance characteristics of disc stack trims manufactured by Selective Laser Melting is investigated. Initially manufactured trim showed a reduction in the flow capacity as compared to the trim manufactured by Electron Discharge Machining. The reason for the reduction in flow capacity was found to be the increased surface roughness of the trim manufactured by Selective Laser Melting. Therefore, changes were made to the process parameters within the manufacturing method to improve the surface finish and its corresponding effect on the valve trim's performance was assessed. Furthermore, a new design of the disc stack trim to aid the manufacturing method was also tested. The results showed that the changes to process parameters produced a negligible effect on the trim's performance but changes to the design of the valve trim resulted in improvement of the performance. Results thus indicate that for critical applications it may be necessary to alter the design of the components to derive most benefits from additive manufacturing technology.


Detection is usually done by comparing some criterion to a threshold. It is often desirable to keep a performance metric such as false alarm rate constant across conditions. Using training data to select the threshold may lead to suboptimal results on test data recorded in different conditions. This paper investigates unsupervised approaches, where no training data is used. A probabilistic model is fitted on the test data using the EM algorithm, and the threshold value is selected based on the model. The proposed approach (1) does not use training data, (2) uses the test data itself to compensate for simplifications inherent to the model, and (3) permits the use of more complex models in a straightforward manner. On a microphone array speech detection task, the proposed unsupervised approach achieves similar or better results than the "training" approach. The methodology is general and may be applied to other contexts than microphone arrays, and other performance metrics than FAR


Phytophthora ramorum has been detected in official plant health surveys on Rhododendron, Viburnum and Camellia in ornamental nurseries in northern Spain since 2003. A collection of 94 isolates of P. ramorum was obtained from 2003 to 2008 from plants with symptoms at different geographical locations. Isolates were identified based on morphology and sequence of the rDNA ITS region. Mating type, genetic variation, sensitivity to phenylamide fungicides and aggressiveness of these isolates were determined. All isolates belonged to the A1 mating type, ruling out the possibility of genetic recombination. Seven microsatellite markers were used to study genetic diversity; three out of the seven microsatellite markers were polymorphic within the Spanish population of P. ramorum. This study confirms that all Spanish isolates of P. ramorum belonged to the EU1 lineage. Twelve intralineage genotypes were detected, five that are unique to Spain (EU1MG38, EU1MG41, EU1MG37, EU1MG39 and EU1MG40) and seven that are also present in at least one other European country (EU1MG1, EU1MG29, EU1MG22, EU1MG13, EU1MG2, EU1MG18 and EU1MG26). Genotypes EU1MG37, EU1MG39 and EU1MG40 were isolated from Rhododendron from one region; EU1MG38 and EU1MG41 were isolated from Camellia from two different regions. Isolates of genotype EU1MG38 were resistant to metalaxyl and mefenoxam. The level of genetic diversity within the Spanish population of P. ramorum is limited and indicates a relatively recent clonal expansion.


In this paper, an analytic model is proposed for the performance evaluation of vehicular safety related services in the dedicated short range communications (DSRC) system on highways. The generation and service of safety messages in each vehicle is modeled by a generalized M/G/1 queue. The overall model is a set of interacting M/G/1 queues, one queue for each vehicle. The interaction is that the server is shared as it is the contention medium. To make the model scalable, we use semi-Markov process (SMP) model to capture the shared server's behavior from one tagged vehicle's perspective, where the medium contention and back off behavior for this vehicle and influences from other vehicles are considered. Furthermore, this SMP interacts with the tagged vehicle's own M/G/1 queue through fixed-point iteration. The proof for the existence, uniqueness and convergence of the fixed point is provided. Based on the fixed-point solution, performance indices including mean transmission delay, packet delivery ratio (PDR), and packet reception ratio (PRR) are derived. Analytic-numeric results are verified through extensive simulations under various network parameters. Compared with the existing models, the proposed SMP model facilitates the impact analysis of hidden terminal problem on the PDR and PRR computation in a more precise manner.


Corporate governance is one of the most important issues for all local and international companies at the present time. The global financial crisis, which adversely affected world economy, has put the concept of corporate governance at center stage. Governance rules and regulations around the world aim at minimizing the abuse of shareholder interests by top management. Companies listed in NSE face various challenges such as; keeping in pace globalizations, government policies and regulation, integrity, client demands, resource management, market and customer loyalty, risk management, business complexity, competition and inadequate capital. The purpose of this study was to find out effects of corporate governance on the share price of companies listed in NSE. The population of interest in this study was companies listed in NSE, whose number stood at 64 as at 30th June, 2015. The study relied on a descriptive approach for the purpose of description of the responses of the sample of the study about their views on the level of corporate governance in companies listed on the NSE. The study relied on both primary and secondary data. Descriptive statistics was computed for all the variables to ensure quality of data. Regression was used as a main tool to measure the relationship between the dependent variable and the independent variable. Correlation was used to measure the significance level of the relationship. The study found that the board of Directors positively and significantly influenced the share price, responsibilities effective framework for corporate governance positively and insignificantly influenced the share price, role of stakeholders in corporate governance positively and insignificantly influenced the share price, disclosure and transparency negatively and significantly influenced the share price, responsibilities of the rights of shareholders and key ownership functions positively and insignificantly influenced the share price, and that equal treatment of shareholders positively and significantly influenced the share price of companies at NSE. The study recommended that the management of the listed firms should strive to achieve an optimal board of Directors for their firms in order to enhance their firms' value hence leading to an increase in their firms' share prices.


J. A. Rogers, international correspondent of the Negro press and research student in African and European history of Negroes, returned to the United States last Saturday aboard the SS Albert Ballin of the Hamburg American line after spending four years in the best libraries of Europe; and traveling throughout Europe and North Africa seeking facts on early Negro history. Mr. Rogers was met at the pier by George Schuyler, author, lecturer, journalist, and organizer of the Young Negroes Co-operative League. ... Mr. Rogers returned with much material gathered during his long stay abroad, and plans a lecture lour of the United States to last seven months, during which he will discuss the startling information he found in his research work. He brought back 100 biographies of great Negroes, such as kings, statesmen, generals, philosophers, scientists, poets, etc; 150 photos of these notables of history; 24 photos of Negro kings of Egypt which he secured from museums in Cairo, and several prints of gods and goddesses of Egypt showing that they were unmistakably Negroes. --Floyd J. Calvin, Pittsburgh Courier, 1931 (1) The published works of Joel Augustus Rogers, journalist, historian, and author of the two-volume World's Great Men of Color, and other important histories of African-descended people are known currently to only a handful of scholars. Even those historians and anthropologists who are aware of Rogers's self-published and popular scholarly works tend only to remember him for the biographical portraits of African and African American leaders, and his investigations of the history of "sex and race" in antiquity and in the modern era. Most contemporary college students have never heard of J. A. Rogers nor are they aware of his long journalistic career and pioneering archival research. Rogers committed his life to fighting against racism and he bad a major influence on black print culture through his attempts to improve race relations in the United States and challenge white supremacist tracts aimed at disparaging the history and contributions of people of African descent to world civilizations. Born in Jamaica on 6 September 1880 in Negril, Westermoreland Parish, to Samuel Rogers and Emily Johnstone Rogers, we know little about Joel Augustus's childhood and early life in Jamaica. As an adult, Rogers was a private person and what is known of his early life comes mostly from his widow Helga Rogers-Andrews. According to Rogers-Andrews, Rogers's family moved to St. Ann's Bay where as a boy he met Marcus Garvey, who in 1913 founded the all-black Universal Negro Improvement Association (UNIA), which is considered the largest secular organization in the African Diaspora. After Rogers finished primary school, he applied for a scholarship to attend a university in the Caribbean, but was denied admission (where and why is not known). Writing in 1922 recalling his life in Jamaica, Rogers noted there were "few scholarships to universities in the British Isles and to local colleges." (2) Rather than pursuing schooling, Rogers decided to join the British Royal Army and served with the Royal Garrison Artillery at Port Royal for four years. The exact years of service are unknown, but according to Rogers-Andrews, "When his unit was to be transferred abroad, a medical examiner revealed a heart murmur, and Joel was considered unfit for foreign service. ..." (3) In 1906 Rogers decided to emigrate to the United States, briefly living in New York City and then Boston before settling in Chicago in 1908. While living in Chicago from 1908 to 1921, Rogers worked much of the time as a Pullman porter to help pay for his studies in commercial art at the Chicago Art Institute. Rogers also mentioned that he tried to enroll at the University of Chicago, but was denied admission because he did not possess the necessary high school credits. He had planned on studying to become an interior decorator, but when he became aware of the racist information and published literature pervasive in American society, as well as the racial violence, Rogers's outlook on life in the United States changed. …


PURPOSE
The purpose of this study was to examine the validity and reliability evidence for the Omron Healthcare HJ-151 and HJ-720ITC pedometers for prescribed and self-paced walking.

METHODS
A total of 47 adults (24 males, 23 females; age = 24 +/- 4.4 yr.; body mass index = 25.7 +/- 4.2 kg x m(-2)) participated in this study. Under prescribed walking conditions, 34 participants completed three randomized 100-m walking trials through a range of scripted walking speeds (slow, moderate, and very brisk) for each pedometer model. Under self-paced walking conditions, 31 participants completed one 1-mile walk on a standardized course for each model. HJ-151 pedometers were chosen at random from a pool of 54 devices and were worn along the waistband at the right hip, the left hip, and the midback, whereas HJ-720ITC pedometers were chosen from a pool of 24 devices and incorporated right pocket, left pocket, and backpack positions in addition to the three waist-mounted sites. Absolute percent error (APE) scores were calculated to examine pedometer accuracy between actual steps (a criterion measure) and pedometer-determined steps. Coefficient of variation (CoV) was computed to describe interdevice reliability.

RESULTS
With the exception of the HJ-720ITC at the backpack position in the prescribed walking setting (mean APE = 3.4%), the HJ-151 and the HJ-720ITC accurately reported step counts under prescribed and self-paced conditions (all APE values <3.0%). Moreover, interdevice reliability evidence was established for the HJ-151 and the HJ-720ITC under prescribed and self-paced conditions (all CoV values <2.1%).

CONCLUSIONS
The Omron HJ-151 and HJ-720ITC pedometers demonstrated validity and reliability at various mounting positions under prescribed and self-paced walking conditions with both healthy and overweight adults.


In the present study, we employed untargeted metabolomics to investigate the synergistic killing mechanism of polymyxin B in combination with an aminoglycoside, amikacin, against a polymyxin-susceptible isolate of Pseudomonas aeruginosa, FADDI-PA111 (MIC = 2 mg/liter for both polymyxin B and amikacin), and a polymyxin-resistant Liverpool epidemic strain (LES), LESB58 (the corresponding MIC for both polymyxin B and amikacin is 16 mg/liter). ABSTRACT In the present study, we employed untargeted metabolomics to investigate the synergistic killing mechanism of polymyxin B in combination with an aminoglycoside, amikacin, against a polymyxin-susceptible isolate of Pseudomonas aeruginosa, FADDI-PA111 (MIC = 2 mg/liter for both polymyxin B and amikacin), and a polymyxin-resistant Liverpool epidemic strain (LES), LESB58 (the corresponding MIC for both polymyxin B and amikacin is 16 mg/liter). The metabolites were extracted 15 min, 1 h, and 4 h following treatment with polymyxin B alone (2 mg/liter for FADDI-PA111; 4 mg/liter for LESB58), amikacin alone (2 mg/liter), and both in combination and analyzed using liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry (LC-MS). At 15 min and 1 h, polymyxin B alone induced significant perturbations in glycerophospholipid and fatty acid metabolism pathways in FADDI-PA111 and, to a lesser extent, in LESB58. Amikacin alone at 1 and 4 h induced significant perturbations in peptide and amino acid metabolism, which is in line with the mode of action of aminoglycosides. Pathway analysis of FADDI-PA111 revealed that the synergistic effect of the combination was largely due to the inhibition of cell envelope biogenesis, which was driven initially by polymyxin B via suppression of key metabolites involved in lipopolysaccharide, peptidoglycan, and membrane lipids (15 min and 1 h) and later by amikacin (4 h). Overall, these novel findings demonstrate that the disruption of cell envelope biogenesis and central carbohydrate metabolism, decreased levels of amino sugars, and a downregulated nucleotide pool are the metabolic pathways associated with the synergistic killing of the polymyxin-amikacin combination against P. aeruginosa. This mechanistic study might help optimize synergistic polymyxin B combinations in the clinical setting.


Privately commissioned public inquiries in extractive industries are an enormously rich source of data for scholars of global environmental politics. This untapped arena comprises a series of unconventional inquiries in response to contentious socioenvironmental events and incidents, whereby large resource companies commission studies, relinquish control over the process, and publicly release findings. These inquiries are an episodic but persistent feature of the resource governance landscape in the global mining industry—one of the world's most contentious, environmentally disruptive, and influential sectors. We argue that there is a certain independence or autonomy associated with these inquiries, justifying their analytical separation from internal corporate governance. Above all, these inquiries provide opportunities for scholars of global environmental politics to consolidate their activist roots and connect local realities to global debates. We offer a set of preliminary of research questions and describe points of access for future research.


We propose a new experimental scheme to produce clean isolated pulses lasting a few hundreds of attoseconds. It is based on high harmonics generation and uses the polarization gating technique combined with the ionization dynamics and the spatial filtering provided by the three-dimensional field propagation. The proposed method is easy to implement, robust against laser parameter fluctuations, and shows to be effective up to a 25 fs pulse duration.


Spasm of the near reflex is characterized by miosis, excessive convergence and accommodative spasm (pseuomyopia) that usually occurs, on a functional basis, in young adults with underlying psychiatric disorders (anxiety, depression, hysteria). When this disorders occurs on a functional basis, miosis is always present as well as variable degrees of convergence and accommodation with pseudomyopia. Accommodative spasm can also occur after a head injury as isolated entity of spasm of the near reflex and causes symptoms (blurred vision, headache, and nausea) that are reversible after cycloplegia. Spasm usually resolves spontaneously after 1-2 years from the head injury, but in some cases may persist for a long time and cycloplegics not provide an effective and definitive solution to the problem. We report a patient with a whiplash-associated accommodative spasm and pseudomyopia, treated with GABA-B receptor agonist (Baclofen) that improved accommodative spasm.


Article history: Received May 1 2017 Received in Revised Format July 1 2017 Accepted August 11 2017 Available online August 11 2017 The wear of cutting tools remains a major obstacle. The effects of wear are not only antagonistic at the lifespan and productivity, but also harmful with the surface quality. The present work deals with some machinability studies on flank wear, surface roughness, and lifespan in finish turning of AISI 304 stainless steel using multilayer Ti(C,N)/Al2O3/TiN coated carbide inserts.  The machining experiments are conducted based on the response surface methodology (RSM). Combined effects of three cutting parameters, namely cutting speed, feed rate and cutting time on the two performance outputs (i.e. VB and Ra), and combined effects of two cutting parameters, namely cutting speed and feed rate on lifespan (T), are explored employing the analysis of variance (ANOVA). The relationship between the variables and the technological parameters is determined using a quadratic regression model and optimal cutting conditions for each performance level are established through desirability function approach (DFA) optimization. The results show that the flank wear is influenced principally by the cutting time and in the second level by the cutting speed. In addition, it is indicated that the cutting time is the dominant factor affecting workpiece surface roughness followed by feed rate, while lifespan is influenced by cutting speed. The optimum level of input parameters for composite desirability was found Vc1-f1-t1 for VB, Ra and Vc1-f1 for T, with a maximum percentage of error 6.38%. © 2018 Growing Science Ltd. All rights reserved


ABSTRACT Widespread concern over the credibility of published results has led to scrutiny of statistical practices. We address one aspect of this problem that stems from the use of balance tests in conjunction with experimental data. When random assignment is botched, due either to mistakes in implementation or differential attrition, balance tests can be an important tool in determining whether to treat the data as observational versus experimental. Unfortunately, the use of balance tests has become commonplace in analyses of "clean" data, that is, data for which random assignment can be stipulated. Here, we show that balance tests can destroy the basis on which scientific conclusions are formed, and can lead to erroneous and even fraudulent conclusions. We conclude by advocating that scientists and journal editors resist the use of balance tests in all analyses of clean data. Supplementary materials for this article are available online


BACKGROUND
the aim of this study was to analyze the clinical results of the multidisciplinary management of elderly patients with colorectal cancer in a single center and to describe postoperative quality of life.

METHODS
a comparative study was designed to compare the results and quality of life of patients treated in our center for colon cancer, aged from 80 to 84 years (study group) compared to a control group (aged form 75 to 79 years of age). Morbidity, mortality, oncological results and quality of life were analyzed.

RESULTS
eighty-seven patients aged between 80 and 84 years of age (study group) were compared to a control group, which was formed by 91 patients aged from 75 to 79 years of age. There were no significant differences in technique and morbidity. Survival at 30 days, 90 days and at the end of follow-up (median 48 months) were similar in both groups. There were no differences in quality of life except for one item with regard to physical function (p = 0.0138).

CONCLUSION
similar clinical results and quality of life were achieved after treating elderly patients with colon cancer with a multidisciplinary management approach.


This work addresses the need for robust rechargeable batteries that can operate well over a wide temperature range. To this end, a number of electrolyte formulations have been developed that incorporate the use of electrolyte additives to improve the high-temperature resilience, low-temperature power capability, and life characteristics of methyl butyrate-based electrolyte solutions. These electrolyte additives include mono-fluoroethylene carbonate (FEC), lithium oxalate, vinylene carbonate (VC), and lithium bis(oxalato)borate (LiBOB), which have been shown to result in improved high-temperature resilience of all carbonate-based electrolytes. Improved performance has been demonstrated of Li-ion cells with methyl butyrate-based electrolytes, including 1.20M LiPF6 in EC+EMC+MB (20:20:60 v/v %); 1.20M LiPF6 in EC+EMC+MB (20:20:60 v/v %) + 2% FEC; 1.20M LiPF6 in EC+EMC+MB (20:20:60 v/v %) + 4% FEC; 1.20M LiPF6 in EC+EMC+MB (20:20:60 v/v %) + lithium oxalate; 1.20M LiPF6 in EC+EMC+MB (20:20:60 v/v %) + 2% VC; and 1.20M LiPF6 in EC+EMC+MB (20:20:60 v/v %) + 0.10M LiBOB. These electrolytes have been shown to improve performance in MCMB-LiNiCoO2 and graphite-LiNi1/3Co1/3Mn1/3O2 experimental Li-ion cells. A number of LiPF6-based mixed carbonate electrolyte formulations have been developed that contain ester co-solvents, which have been optimized for operation at low temperature, while still providing reasonable performance at high temperature. For example, a number of ester co-solvents were investigated, including methyl propionate (MP), ethyl propionate (EP), methyl butyrate (MB), ethyl butyrate (EB), propyl butyrate (PB), and butyl butyrate (BB) in multi-component electrolytes of the following composition: 1.0M LiPF6 in ethylene carbonate (EC) + ethyl methyl carbonate (EMC) + X (20:60:20 v/v %) [where X = ester co-solvent]. ["Optimized Car bon ate and Ester-Based Li-Ion Electrolytes", NASA Tech Briefs, Vol. 32, No. 4 (April 2008), p. 56.] Focusing upon improved rate capability at low temperatures (i.e., 20 to 40 C), this approach was optimized further, resulting in the development of 1.20M LiPF6 in EC+EMC+MP (20:20:60 v/v %) and 1.20M LiPF6 in EC+EMC+EB (20:20:60 v/v %), which were demonstrated to operate well over a wide temperature range in MCMB-LiNiCoAlO2 and Li4Ti5O12(-)LiNiCoAlO2 prototype cells.


In vibration analysis of sandwich beam/plates, it is often assumed that there is shear deformation only, without extension or compression in the viscoelastic layer. Certainly, this assumption may have limitations, for example, with increase of the core thickness or frequency range of vibration. The purpose of this paper is to consider the normal, as well as shear strain of the core material for modal parameter estimation of the sandwich plates and to investigate how much error will be caused by neglecting the extension or compression in the core material. Natural frequencies and modal loss factors are estimated for a simply supported square plate by taking the normal as well as shear deformation into account for dynamic modeling. Nondimensional characteristic equations are formulated and solved numerically for various ratios of the base layer thickness to plate length, core layer thickness to base layer, constraining layer thickness to base layer, and shear modulus of core material to elastic modulus of base layer. The effects of the various parameters on the modal properties are shown to be intercorrelated to each other and hence difficult to summarize in one phrase. Normal deformation of the core material plays an important role when the thickness ratio of constraining layer to base layer is 0.5 and its Poisson's ratio is smaller than 0.49, and hence need to be included in the dynamic modeling especially for estimation of modal damping when one of the following conditions are met; 1) the ratio of base layer thickness to plate length is greater than 0.02, 2) the thickness ratio of core layer to base layer is greater than 0.01, 3) the wavelength of a mode is less than one third of the plate length, 4) the ratio of shear modulus of core material to elastic modulus of base material is less than 10 -5 .


This paper describes the implementation of multi-regional endogenous technological learning in the energy optimisation MARKAL model. A mapping procedure is implemented to group learning technologies inside one region or across several regions in a flexible way, in order to allow them to learn together. The approach is described and an illustrative example examining the response of a multi-regional global electricity generation system is presented. The multi-regional learning framework allows the examination of the spatial interactions and mechanisms that affect the technological learning processes in global energy systems. The mutual interactions between the learning and emission trading mechanisms are highlighted. Although emphasis is given to energy modelling, some policy insights can be gained. The results highlight the importance of fostering international cooperation to stimulate the learning process of emerging energy technologies.


This specification defines a TLS handshake message for exchange of
supplemental application data. TLS hello message extensions are used
to determine which supplemental data types are supported by both the
TLS client and the TLS server. Then, the supplemental data handshake
message is used to exchange the data. Other documents will define the
syntax of these extensions and the syntax of the associated
supplemental data types. [STANDARDS-TRACK]


Abstract Understanding the role of grain boundaries has been impeded by continued adoption of power law equations for identification of the processes governing creep and creep fracture of metals and alloys. In contrast, the dominant mechanisms can be clarified through new relationships which involve normalisation of the applied stress by the yield and ultimate tensile strengths determined from high strain rate tests at the creep temperatures.


By combining different aspects of auditing and by focusing on the individual auditor and observing auditors at work, this dissertation explores the auditing concept. It focuses on activities carried out by auditors in local settings and how the macro-level phenomenon of "auditing" is realised in micro-level, day-to-day audit work. In doing this, the following research question is addressed: What does the auditor do? The dissertation includes and discusses certain aspects of auditing. The aspects chosen provide certain opportunities and limitations and are as follows: the audit profession, audit quality, auditing standards, structure versus judgment, the production of comfort, expert systems and trust versus scepticism. The empirical material consists of observations and interviews. The findings suggest that from an auditor perspective auditing includes not only a professional side but also a more commercial side. It appears that auditors combine more traditional tasks such as quality assuring the client's information and reporting with tasks more directed towards assuring that the client firms' management is satisfied. The findings also suggests that from an auditor perspective audit quality is about comfort and that making structured judgments seems to be an important action towards reaching a sufficient level of comfort and, hence, to perform high-quality audits. Finally, the findings of this dissertation suggest that much of the "professionalism" in the audit profession lies with the audit firms. Substantial knowledge is "built in" to the audit firm system; an important auditor skill is to be able to operate the system whilst appearance, behaviour and conduct is about adhering to such effort and auditors are influenced by audit firm expectations on how audit work should be done. The consequences of such "audit firmalization", a concept identified in this dissertation, on the audit profession seem to be an important focus for future research.


We address the problem of separating stars from galaxies in future large photometric surveys. We focus our analysis on simulations of the Dark Energy Survey (DES). In the first part of the paper, we derive the science requirements on star/galaxy separation, for measurement of the cosmological parameters with the gravitational weak lensing and large-scale structure probes. These requirements are dictated by the need to control both the statistical and systematic errors on the cosmological parameters, and by point spread function calibration. We formulate the requirements in terms of the completeness and purity provided by a given star/galaxy classifier. In order to achieve these requirements at faint magnitudes, we propose a new method for star/galaxy separation in the second part of the paper. We first use principal component analysis to outline the correlations between the objects parameters and extract from it the most relevant information. We then use the reduced set of parameters as input to an Artificial Neural Network. This multiparameter approach improves upon purely morphometric classifiers (such as the classifier implemented in SExtractor), especially at faint magnitudes: it increases the purity by up to 20 per cent for stars and by up to 12 per cent for galaxies, at i-magnitude fainter than 23


Counterfeiting is a significant widespread problem, which is growing in scope and the economic and social impact is considerable. In spite of legislation, legal enforcement and efforts to fight counterfeits, the number of counterfeits available in the market increases. This study contributes to an understanding of counterfeiting within a Zimbabwean context.
This study attempts to provide insight into a South African automotive component manufacturer's fight against counterfeit products in Zimbabwe. Data were gathered through in-depth semi-structured interviews with two senior executive members of the participating company who deal with counterfeiting matters. The results were analysed using thematic analysis.
Recommendations to address counterfeits include the following: educating the stakeholders at the source; advertising and promotions; investigation and surveillance; creating new packaging; and legislation. There is a dearth of research on counterfeiting and this article provides a contribution to the existing body of knowledge, by demonstrating how brand owners can detect and fight counterfeiters.


Benefit-Cost Analysis (BCA) is an inherently controversial practice, but it could be rendered substantially less controversial than it is at present by improving its methodological consistency. As a matter of policy, the method of BCA has improved over the past two decades, but the practice of BCA in the federal government remains inconsistent and highly influenced by partisan politics. This paper explores the recent history of BCA policy and practice in the federal government and offers recommendations for further methodological improvements. Most importantly, this paper argues that the task of determining best practices for environmental BCA should be removed from the federal agencies that produce and consume those analyses. Because of their divergent institutional missions and political predilections, those agencies are unlikely ever to agree on a single, consistently applied set of best practice standards. And, after all, society does not rely on government agencies to determine best practices in other fields such as medical practice, scientific research, or agricultural production. In those fields, best practices are determined by the respective experts, i.e., doctors, scientists, and farmers. In the field of BCA, the National Academy of Sciences or some nongovernmental organization such as the Association of Environmental and Resource Economists or a new Society for Benefit-Cost Analysis should appoint a task force of economists, policy analysts, and maybe a legal scholar or two to establish best practices. The goal would not be to establish a neutral or objective set of practices; BCA simply contains too many subjective elements to ever claim that mantle of objectivity. However, a set of (revisable) best practices established by an independent group of experts is likely to be less politicized and more legitimate than any product of the OMB or other government agency. The best practices produced by an independent group of experts would not have direct legal force. They would, instead, constitute social norms to influence how government agencies prepare and use BCAs. To the extent regulatory BCAs deviated from those norms without explanation, those BCAs would be subject to criticism. It is even possible that the federal courts could adopt an independently derived set of best practice standards for assessing regulatory BCAs in judicial review under the Administrative Procedures Act. In sum, the adoption of methodological best practices for environmental BCA could have four positive effects: (1) it presumably would reduce, at the margins, political opposition to BCA as a policy tool; (2) it would render BCAs more regular in form and format and, thus, more readily assessable and replicable by social scientists; (3) it might reduce (though not eliminate) politically-motivated, inter-agency methodological disputes; and (4) it would provide a sound, consistent and independent basis for judicial review of agency BCAs.


The manner in which political institutions convey their policy outcomes can have important implications for how the public views institutions' policy decisions. This paper explores whether the way in which the U.S. Supreme Court communicates its policy decrees affects how favorably members of the public assess its decisions. Specifically, we investigate whether attributing a decision to the nation's High Court or to an individual justice influences the public's agreement with the Court's rulings. Using an experimental design, we find that when a Supreme Court outcome is ascribed to the institution as a whole, rather than to a particular justice, people are more apt to agree with the policy decision. We also find that identifying the gender of the opinion author affects public agreement under certain conditions. Our findings have important implications for how public support for institutional policy-making operates, as well as the dynamics of how the Supreme Court manages to accumulate and maintain public goodwill.


Physiological signals such as blood pressure might contain key information to predict a medical condition, but are challenging to mine. Wavelets possess the ability to unveil location-specific features within signals but there exists no principled method to choose the optimal scales and time shifts. We present a scalable, robust system to find the best wavelet parameters using Gaussian processes (GPs). We demonstrate our system by assessing wavelets as predictors for the occurrence of acute hypotensive episodes (AHEs) using over 1 billion blood pressure beats. We obtain an AUROC of 0.79 with wavelet features only, and the false positive rate when the true positive rate is fixed at 0.90 is reduced by 14% when the wavelet feature is used in conjunction with other statistical features. Furthermore, the use of GPs reduces the selection effort by a factor of 3 compared with a naive grid search.


Optical amplitude distributions of light inside periodic photonic structures are visualized with subwavelength resolution. In addition, using a phase-sensitive photon scanning tunneling microscope, we simultaneously map the phase evolution of light. Two different structures, which consist of a ridge waveguide containing periodic arrays of nanometer scale features, are investigated. We determine the wavelength dependence of the exponential decay rate inside the periodic arrays. Furthermore, various interference patterns are observed, which we interpret as interference between light reflected by the substrate and light inside the waveguide. The phase information obtained reveals scattering phenomena around the periodic array, which gives rise to phase jumps and phase singularities. Locally around the air rods, we observe an unexpected change in effective refractive index, a possible indication for anomalous dispersion resulting from the periodicity of the array.


An architecture is presented for a digital signal processor (DSP) intended for use in digital mobile phones. In this application, it is necessary to balance the requirement of high processing throughput with the demand of low power for extended battery lifetime. These requirements are addressed by a multi-level power reduction strategy, involving the use of a parallel asynchronous architecture, a configurable compressed instruction set, a large register file, the use of sign-magnitude arithmetic, and reduced support for interrupts.


This Article challenges the central premise of our campaign finance law, namely that restrictions on giving and spending money constitute restrictions on speech and thus can only be justified by compelling governmental interests. This claim has become so embedded in constitutional doctrine that in the most recent Supreme Court case in this area, Citizens United v. FEC, the majority asserts it without discussion or argument. This claim is often defended on the grounds that money is important or necessary for speech. While money surely facilitates speech, money also facilitates the exercise of many other constitutional rights. By looking at these other rights, this Article notes that sometimes constitutional rights generate a penumbral right to spend money and sometimes they do not. Thus the fact that money facilitates the exercise of a right is insufficient to show that the right includes a penumbral right to give or spend money. The first contribution this Article makes is to identify this question: when do constitutional rights generate a penumbral right to spend money? The second contribution this Article makes is to provide an answer. When a right depends on a market good for its exercise, the right generates a penumbral right to give or spend money. When a right does not depend on a market good for its exercise, the right does not include a penumbral right to spend money. Using this account, this Article argues that the right to give and spend money in connection with elections need not be protected as speech under the First Amendment.


The goal of the current study was to determine whether the MacArthur-Bates Inventario del Desarrollo de Habilidades Comunicativas – III (INV-III), a caregiver report language inventory developed in Mexico and normed on 30-47-month-old Mexican children, yields similar scores when administered to Guatemalan children. The inventory was completed in an interview format with the mothers of 44 Guatemalan monolingual Spanish-speaking children (ages 46-47 months) from a rural region of Guatemalan, primarily of lower socioeconomic status (SES), and their scores were compared to those of 54 monolingual Spanish-speaking Mexican children the same age from an urban region of central Mexico from the norming sample. The Mexican data were obtained using either a mail-in format or interviews, depending on the educational level of the parents. Guatemalan participants were credited with dialectal variants of words on the vocabulary list. No significant differences were found between the Guatemalan and Mexican samples on the Total Words or Sentence Complexity scores, in spite of group differences in maternal education levels. Item analyses revealed group differences on only 3 of the 100 vocabulary items (favoring the Mexican children), which may be attributed to cultural and/or SES differences between the groups, and only one of the Sentence Complexity items (favoring the Guatemalan children), which may reflect the use of an interview format with all of the Guatemalan participants and only some of the Mexican participants. The results suggest that the INV-III is a viable option for assessing Guatemalan children in this age range when word equivalents are given credit.


A multi-weighted tree based query optimization method for parallel relational databases is proposed. The method consists of a multi-weighted tree based parallel query plan model, a cost model for parallel query plans and a query optimizer. The parallel query plan model models three types of parallelism of query execution, processor and memory allocation to operations, memory allocation to buffers in pipelines and data redistribution among processors. The cost model takes the waiting time of operations in pipelining execution into consideration and is computable in a bottom-up fashion. The query optimizer addresses the query optimization problem in the context of Select-Project-Join queries. Heuristics for determining the processor allocation to operations and the memory allocation to operations and buffers in pipelines are derived and used in the query optimizer. In addition, the query optimizer considers multiple join algorithms, and can make an optimal choice of join algorithm for each join operation in a query.


Abstract By employing a generalized Riccati technique and an integral averaging technique, new oscillation criteria are established for a class of second-order nonlinear differential equations with damping term. These criteria extend, improve and unify a number of existing results and handle the cases which are not covered by the known criteria. In particular, several interesting examples that illustrate the importance of our results are included.


Web 2.0 can provide learners with increased interaction and online collaboration. Among its applications, weblogs have gained an increasing popularity as they allow bloggers to voice their own perspectives which can be delivered to a large audience through the Web. Weblogs can be integrated into teaching-learning process as they encourage learners to collaborate and freely voice their ideas. However, innovative technologies might not always lead to innovative distance education practices if timely adaptation lags behind. This study presents a review on instructional use of weblogs along with implications for open and distance learning.