Inhomogeneity in the lung impairs gas exchange and can be an early marker of lung disease. We hypothesized that highly precise measurements of gas exchange contain sufficient information to quantify many aspects of the inhomogeneity noninvasively. Our aim was to explore whether one parameterization of lung inhomogeneity could both fit such data and provide reliable parameter estimates. A mathematical model of gas exchange in an inhomogeneous lung was developed, containing inhomogeneity parameters for compliance, vascular conductance, and dead space, all relative to lung volume. Inputs were respiratory flow, cardiac output, and the inspiratory and pulmonary arterial gas compositions. Outputs were expiratory and pulmonary venous gas compositions. All values were specified every 10 ms. Some parameters were set to physiologically plausible values. To estimate the remaining unknown parameters and inputs, the model was embedded within a nonlinear estimation routine to minimize the deviations between model and data for CO2, O2, and N2 flows during expiration. Three groups, each of six individuals, were studied: young (20-30 yr); old (70-80 yr); and patients with mild to moderate chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). Each participant undertook a 15-min measurement protocol six times. For all parameters reflecting inhomogeneity, highly significant differences were found between the three participant groups ( P < 0.001, ANOVA). Intraclass correlation coefficients were 0.96, 0.99, and 0.94 for the parameters reflecting inhomogeneity in deadspace, compliance, and vascular conductance, respectively. We conclude that, for the particular participants selected, highly repeatable estimates for parameters reflecting inhomogeneity could be obtained from noninvasive measurements of respiratory gas exchange. NEW & NOTEWORTHY This study describes a new method, based on highly precise measures of gas exchange, that quantifies three distributions that are intrinsic to the lung. These distributions represent three fundamentally different types of inhomogeneity that together give rise to ventilation-perfusion mismatch and result in impaired gas exchange. The measurement technique has potentially broad clinical applicability because it is simple for both patient and operator, it does not involve ionizing radiation, and it is completely noninvasive.


In this chapter we draw on a theoretical and methodological approach to the study of endurance and the lived distance-running body: sociological phenomenology, which to date has been relatively under-utilised in sports studies generally. Given the highly embodied nature of endurance running as lived experience, the phenomenological quest to uncover and explore the essential structures of embodied experience seems highly applicable. Here, for those unfamiliar with its tenets, we introduce a 'sociologized' variant of the phenomenological approach (see Allen-Collinson, 2011b, for a discussion), and situate our own research within the context of a literature we have been developing on the sociological phenomenology of distance running (Hockey, 2005; Hockey & Allen-Collinson, 2007; Allen-Collinson, 2009; Allen-Collinson & Hockey, 2011; 2013). We then describe the autoethnographic and autophenomenographic project on distance-running, from which our data derive. The project's findings are subsequently theorised, drawing upon insights from sociological phenomenology, and phenomenologically-inspired work, such as that of Drew Leder (1990). Leder's (1990) notion of corporeal 'dys-ease' is particularly apposite in exploring 'doing endurance' in distance running, where the body is at times brought acutely and forcibly to the forefront of consciousness in training and racing, during experiences of 'intense embodiment' (Allen-Collinson & Owton, 2014). Enduring, as a particular mode of being-in-the-world is not just an individual phenomenon, but is shared by and communicated between distance runners, constituting an interactional subcultural practice.


The Swiss system of direct democracy is in many ways paradoxical.
The federal structure counteracts the formation of centralizing
state hierarchies and protects the egalitarian representation of local political
interests. Simultaneously, local political structures can have hierarchical
and exclusionary effects, especially when democratic processes are
turned into values. This article considers the tensions between egalitarian
and hierarchical values in Swiss democratic structures in the wake
of the rise of anti-foreigner and anti-EU passions harnessed by extreme
right-wing parties. These tensions are heightened in the context of global
processes that are transforming the structures of the state, as corporate
power undermines state apparatuses with the potential to subvert democratic
practices.


ABSTRACT One of the main challenges associated with e-government adoption is lack of security. Thus, the aim of this research is to investigate the role of security in e-government adoption by integrating security, trust and privacy with the Unified Theory of Acceptance and Use of Technology 2 (UTAUT2). In addition, this research will also investigate the factors that influence the end users' perception of e-government security. Thus, the research starts with a qualitative study to investigate security antecedents, and this is followed by a quantitative study to validate the qualitative study and determine the role of security in e-government adoption. Data from 625 Saudi citizens were gathered and used in the model assessment. The findings show that user interface quality, security culture and cybersecurity law positively affect security perception. In addition, security perception was found to have a strong effect on trust. Trust is ranked as the third most critical factor affecting behaviour intention after performance expectance and habit. The results make a significant contribution to academic research and have practical implications regarding understanding the role of security in e-government adoption and the factors that affect end users' perception in e-government security.


'Phiz' - Hablot Knight Browne - was the great illustrator of Dickens' fiction. For over twenty-three years they worked together, and Phiz's drawings brought to life a galaxy of much-loved characters, from Mr Pickwick, Nicholas Nickelby and Mr Micawber, to Little Nell and David Copperfield. But, from the mystery of his birth onwards, Phiz himself led a life as rich as any novel. He came from an old Huguenot Spitalfields family, ostensibly the fourteenth child of debt-ridden parents: but his eldest sister Kate had been engaged to a Captain of Napoleon's Imperial Guard, who disappeared, presumed dead, at Waterloo- In late 1815, Phiz arrived. Soon his official father too vanished without trace. The Browne children struggled on. In this vivid, lively memoir - the first full biography, long-awaited by Victorian scholars - his great-great-granddaughter Valerie Browne Lester tracks Phiz's path to marriage and fame, his travels around England and Ireland and work with Dickens, Trollope and the Irish best-selling novelist Charles Lever, and his packed private life. He was hopeless with money and had far too many children yet remained an eternal, sunny optimist until his death in 1882 - marked by a poetic obituary in Punch. In his inimitable way, Phiz was a memorable artist and his story bustles with character and adventure, celebrations and arguments, laughter and tears. Hunting for her ancestor, the author pursued a quest that took her around the world, unearthing a hoard of unpublished material. Her enchanting book, packed with surprising and delicious illustrations, is a perfect present for all who love Dickens, art and the hidden byways of Victorian life, rich as a round plum pudding.


Under suitable conditions, deforested land used for agricultural crops or pastures can revert to forest through the assisted or unassisted process of natural regeneration. These naturally regenerating forests conserve biodiversity, provide a wide array of ecosystem goods and services, and support rural economies and livelihoods. Based on studies in tropical and temperate forest ecosystems, we summarize cases where natural regeneration is occurring in agricultural landscapes around the world and identify the socio-ecological factors that favor its development and affect its qualities, outcomes and persistence. We describe how the economic and policy context creates barriers for the development, persistence, and management of naturally regenerating forests, including perverse outcomes of policies intended to enhance protection of native forests. We conclude with recommendations for specific economic and policy interventions at local, national, and global scales to enhance forest natural regeneration and to promote the sustainable management of regrowth forests on former agricultural land while strengthening rural communities and economies.


INTRODUCTION AND AIMS
The aim of this study was to examine heroin careers among former users to assess desistance factors and explanations for sustained abstinence.

DESIGN AND METHODS
The study surveyed 107 former problematic heroin users who have achieved long-term abstinence about their experiences of achieving and sustaining abstinence. The cohort was recruited opportunistically from three sources, drawing heavily on former users working in the addictions field.

RESULTS
On average, the group had heroin careers lasting for just under 10 years, punctuated by an average of 2.6 treatment episodes and 3.1 periods of abstinence, and had been heroin abstinent for an average of 10 years at the time of completing the survey. The most commonly expressed reason for finally achieving abstinence was 'tired of the lifestyle' followed by reasons relating to psychological health. In contrast, when asked to explain how abstinence was sustained, clients quoted both social network factors (moving away from drug-using friends and support from non-using friends) and practical factors (accommodation and employment) as well as religious or spiritual factors. Treatment was not mentioned widely either in achieving or sustaining abstinence, in contrast to 12-Step, which was endorsed widely.

DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSIONS
The study supports a careers perspective for examining heroin careers and indicates that, while achieving abstinence is possible for chronic opiate users, the path to sustained abstinence is complex and often reliant upon external support systems.


Objective To examine the frequency, nature and determinants of clinical pharmacy interventions in paediatric electronic prescriptions. Design Prospective cohort with nested case–control study. Setting Tertiary children's hospital, The Netherlands. Patients Patients 0–18 years with at least one drug prescription admitted to hospital between 1 March 2004 and 1 January 2008, excluding patients receiving intensive care. Interventions Electronic medication prescriptions for paediatric inpatients were verified and if necessary interventions were made by the paediatric clinical pharmacy. Prescriptions requiring intervention (cases) were compared with prescriptions not requiring interventions (controls). Main outcome measures Frequency of clinical pharmacy interventions, per 10 000 paediatric electronic prescriptions, and the determinants thereof. Results Interventions were made for 1577 (1.1%) of 138 449 prescriptions. 81% of the interventions concerned correction of a prescription that might have had adverse clinical consequences. Interventions in prescriptions for antibacterial agents for systemic use were made most often. Most corrections concerned wrong doses (45%). 1577 cases were compared with 1983 controls. The risk of interventions was higher for children aged 1 month to 2 years than for 12–18-year-olds (OR=1.97 (95% CI 1.63 to 2.38)). The risk for 'free-text' prescriptions was five times higher than for 'standardised structured template' prescriptions. No differences were found between day, evening and night shift prescriptions. Significantly more interventions were made in the oral dosage form (OR=1.63 (95% CI 1.41 to 1.88)) and administration route (OR=1.80 (95% CI 1.55 to 2.09)) than for other reasons. Conclusions Paediatric prescribing errors occur frequently and are not completely prevented by electronic prescribing systems. This study provides information for improvements in electronic prescribing for paediatric patients. Incorporating tailored solutions, such as minimised free-text entry, certain obligatory fields and integrated dose checking and indications, can improve the quality and efficiency of electronic prescribing in paediatrics.


Over the past decade there has been a dramatic transformation of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection - one that has brought about an increased focus on the adverse effects of antiretroviral therapy. Although antiretroviral drugs were available in clinical practice from 1987 onward with the introduction of zidovudine (ZDV, also known as azidothymidine or AZT), HIV therapy was initially characterized by the rapid development of drug resistance in patients receiving treatment. This meant that after a period of adequate response to treatment generally lasting several months, the inevitable development of drug resistance meant that patients again experienced and inexorable decline in immunologic status due to a high burden of productive viral infection, becoming susceptible to opportunistic infections and other acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS)- defining illnesses that were associated with considerable morbidity and, eventually, mortality. However this era came to an end in approximately 1996, with the introduction of combination treatment regimens (commonly referred to as "highly active anti-retroviral therapy" HAART) that were capable of profoundly suppressing HIV replication for prolonged periods, thereby reducing the risk of drug resistance and also halting and subsequently reversing the effects of the virus on immune function in infected patients. According , there are profound prognostic benefits associated wit HAART that are now well documented in observational cohort studies.


Need to move a relational database application to Hadoop? This comprehensive guide introduces you to Apache Hive, Hadoops data warehouse infrastructure. Youll quickly learn how to use Hives SQL dialectHiveQLto summarize, query, and analyze large datasets stored in Hadoops distributed filesystem.This example-driven guide shows you how to set up and configure Hive in your environment, provides a detailed overview of Hadoop and MapReduce, and demonstrates how Hive works within the Hadoop ecosystem. Youll also find real-world case studies that describe how companies have used Hive to solve unique problems involving petabytes of data.Use Hive to create, alter, and drop databases, tables, views, functions, and indexes Customize data formats and storage options, from files to external databases Load and extract data from tablesand use queries, grouping, filtering, joining, and other conventional query methods Gain best practices for creating user defined functions (UDFs) Learn Hive patterns you should use and anti-patterns you should avoid Integrate Hive with other data processing programs Use storage handlers for NoSQL databases and other datastores Learn the pros and cons of running Hive on Amazons Elastic MapReduce


The paper presents a formal model for a knowledge repository shared by members of a Virtual Community of Practice (VCPs), describes how the repository can be used to underpin collaborative problem solving, and how to build computer support for such processes. The repository comprises the resources used and developed by VCPs particularly through problem solving. As a case study, the paper illustrates how the problem solving process and the underlying repository can be applied in disaster prevention and handling. The repository and the process are formally described using the RAISE Specification Language.


This paper develops a locomotive dynamic model to study the coupler compressed stability and locomotive running safety under severe longitudinal compressive forces, taking into account a new model of the flattened pin coupler and buffer system employed by heavy-haul locomotives. In this new model, the arc surface contact friction element is built up for the first time to simulate the compressed contact friction process between the arc surfaces of the coupler tail and the following plate. An improved nonlinear mathematical model of buffers and a coupler rotation angle stop element are also included. After validating the presented locomotive dynamic model by comparing its calculated results with test data, simulations are carried out to analyse the influences of the coupler-tail arc surface and locomotive secondary suspension parameters on the coupler compressed stability and locomotive running safety. Results indicate that the friction coefficient and the arc radius of the coupler-tail arc surfaces have a remarkable influence, and that the locomotive secondary lateral stop and lateral stiffness also have a significant effect. Optimising these parameters could significantly improve the coupler compressed stability and locomotive running safety. Finally, a real example of Chinese heavy-haul trains is shown to confirm the importance of the coupler-tail contact friction action.


High-Cr number (Cr#) chromitites with exceptional concentrations of platinum (up to 7000 ppb) and palladium (up to 4400 ppb) occur in sulphide-poor dunites exposed along the western side of the ultramafic Herbeira Massif at Cabo Ortegal, NW Spain. The Pt–Pd enriched chromitites are restricted to the exposed top of the c. 800 m thick Herbeira Layered Complex, which comprises two dunite-dominated units (lower and upper dunites) separated by a garnet-bearing pyroxenite-dominated unit. The Herbeira Layered Complex is interpreted as lower crustal and is underlain by high-Al spinel harzburgite interpreted as mantle tectonite. Dunite lenses within this underlying tectonized harzburgite also contain high-Cr# chromitites, but these are Pt–Pd depleted (Pt and Pd have been strongly fractionated into the overlying Herbeira Layered Complex). Highest Pt and Pd concentrations are restricted to the top of the upper dunite, where a negative Ru anomaly also becomes apparent. The Cabo Ortegal ultramafics form part of a high grade terrane with HP granulites, garnet pyroxenites and eclogites, and are similar to PGE-rich chromite concentrations in arc root complexes in Pakistan (Jijal) and Alaska (Talkeetna and Tonsina). The Cabo Ortegal chromitites are interpreted as having crystallized from a sulphide-poor, mantle-derived suprasubduction melt deep within an arc massif subsequently thrust over the Gondwanan continent during Variscan collision.


The trochoid coiling mode is the most dominant amongst hyaline foraminifera. The parallels in shape with especially gastropods neatly explains the use of the same terms to describe the spiral coiling. Other terms came in use, at first well-defined, but gradually losing their precision. Because of growing demands of systematics and changes in stress of use and value of characters, the inadequacy of this terminology has become a stumbling block. The terms ventral/dorsal and spiral/umbilical denote different things and are therefore all useful: the latter pair should not be relinquished as suggested (Haynes, 1990: 512). Historically, the terms ventral/dorsal and upper and lower side have been used by most students of the foraminifera with only few exceptions (notably Reuss and Loeblich & Tappan). Despite the protist nature of foraminifera, dorsal and ventral continued to be used, analogous to terms used to describe, for example gastropods. Far fewer problems beset the terms spiral and umbilical, which arc generally defined (Oxford English Dictionary) as: spiral a.. n. & v. 1. a. Coiled; winding about a centre in an enlarging or decreasing circular motion, either on a flat plane or rising in a cone. spire n. Spiral, coil; single twist of this; upper part of spiral shell [F. f. Lf. Gk speira coil] umbilical a. 1. Of, situated near, affecting, the umbilicus 2. Centrally placed. umbilicus n. Navel; (Bot. & Zool.) navel-like formation; (Geom.) point in a surface through which all cross-sections have same curvature [I., rel. to Gk omphalos] ORIENTATION: A GEOMETRICAL . . .


SummaryThe aim of the study was to compare helminth community structure of urban and forest blackbird populations. 24 helminth species in 98 blackbirds were found. Higher species richness was noted in the forest population of the blackbird (23 species) in comparison to the urban population (14 species). The response of the helminth fauna to a synanthropic habitat, contrary to a natural habitat, consists in a significant reduction in most parasitological parameters. Higher species richness has been noted in spring (17 species) than in autumn (14 species). Urban habitat, in contrast to the forest, may cause changes in the abundance of helminth communities in male and female blackbirds. The helminth fauna of nestlings, in spite of low species richness is characterized by a higher prevalence and intensity of infection in comparison to blackbirds feeding on their own. Helminth fauna of the blackbird seems to be a good indicator of environmental quality.


A new edition of Gregory Dix's masterpiece, still essenytial reading for students and scholars and in print constantly for fifty years. Dom Gregory Dix's classic account of the development of the Eucharist rite continues to be the definitive and authoritative work on the subject. He presents his massive scholarship in lively and non technical language for all who wish to understand their worship in terms of the framework from which it has evolved. He demonstrates the creative force of Christianity over the centuries through liturgy and the societies it has moulded. His great work has for nearly fifty years regularly been quoted for its devotional as well as its historical value, and has regularly attracted new readers. In this book for the first time, critical studies in the learned periodicals of many countries have been carefully sifted and the results arranged to give a clear picture of the development of the Eucharistic rite.


Purpose To report the observation of hyper-reflective dots in the vitreous cavity using spectral domain optical coherence tomography (SD-OCT) after uneventful phacoemulsification cataract surgery and to investigate their association with cystoid macular edema (CME). Materials and Methods Medical records of consecutive Asian patients who had no preoperative retinopathy and underwent uneventful phacoemulsification cataract surgery from March 2012 through February 2013 were reviewed. SD-OCTs were performed before, 1 week, and 1 month after surgery. The number of vitreous hyper-reflective dots (VHDs) was counted in 5 OCT images of high-definition 5-line raster scans. The development of CME was assessed using postoperative 1-month OCT. Results In 74 eyes of 74 patients, all of three SD-OCTs with a signal to noise ratio of 0.6 or more were available and were analyzed in this study. In preoperative OCT, the VHD was observed in 2 (2.7%) of 74 eyes; one eye had 1 VHD and the other eye had 2 VHDs. In 72 eyes with no preoperative VHD, VHDs were observed in 40 (55.6%) eyes at 1 week after the surgery. In the multivariate analysis, the number of VHDs measured at 1 week after the surgery was significantly associated with CME development at 1 month after the surgery (odds ratio = 1.93, 95% confidence interval = 1.15 to 3.24, P = 0.012). Conclusions VHDs were frequently observed in OCT after uneventful phacoemulsification cataract surgery. VHDs observed at 1 week after the surgery may be a risk factor for the development of pseudophakic CME. Further studies are needed to identify the source of the VHDs.


We examine how scarcity pricing can be used to assist with urban water demand management in Sydney in low rainfall periods using an estimated aggregate daily water demand function. Modelling shows that current water supplies and water prices are inadequate to prevent Sydney reaching critically low water storage levels should there be a low rainfall period similar to what occurred in 2001 2005. Simulations indicate that, in low rainfall periods, the water price needed to balance supply and demand exceeds the marginal cost of supplying desalinised water. The policy implication is that even with expected increases in supply (groundwater withdrawals, recycling), Sydney water prices must be substantially raised over their current levels, preferably at predefined water storage trigger levels, in response to low rainfall periods.


This paper examines the proposition that the climatic shift has been responsible for creating adverse effects on economic growth, and the authors have analysed this situation for India. They consider the number of oceanic storms in the Indian Ocean and the annual mean temperature of India for the 1971-2010 periods. Using vector error correction and causality analysis, they have tried to identify the impact of India's fossil fuel-based energy consumption on climatic shift, and have found significant unidirectional and bidirectional causal associations between parameters of climatic shift and drivers of economic growth. The links identified in this paper largely address the missing feedback link issue in the environmental Kuznets curve hypothesis.


The purpose of study was to compare the quality of life between the elderly people who live in nursing home and elders who live with family. The research method used comparative study. The study was conducted in two population were in nursing home Khusnul Khotimah Pekanbaru on 30 elderly using total sampling and in Labuh Baru Barat village on 30 elderly using purposive sampling. The instrument of the research used a questionnaire have a validity the questionnaire is WHOQOLBREF. The analysis used was univariate using frequency distribution and bivariate analysis using T independent tests. The results of research about quality of life showed that elderly who lived with family have high qulity of life more than elderly in nursing home were 16 elderly (53,3%) in nursing home  and 13 elderly (43,3%) in family. Based on the statistical tests (T independent) results, it is concluded that there is no difference between quaity of life between  elderly people living in nursing home and elderly who lived with family (ρ value 0,198). Based on the result of this result, it is expected to family for give  caring to elderly people and suport that optimal like a give suporting elderly people for routine visite to social service. Keywords: Elderly, Family, Quality of life, Social Institution


To date, experimental comparisons of menu layouts have concentrated on variants of hierarchical structures of sequentially presented menus. Simultaneous menus-layouts that present multiple active menus on a screen at the same time-are an alternative arrangement that may be useful in many Web design situations. This article describes an experiment involving a between-subject comparison of simultaneous menus and their traditional sequential counterparts. A total of 20 experienced Web users used either simultaneous or sequential menus in a standard Web browser to answer questions based on U.S. Census data. Our results suggest that appropriate use of simultaneous menus can lead to improved task performance speeds without harming subjective satisfaction measures. For novice users performing simple tasks, the simplicity of sequential menus appears to be helpful, but experienced users performing complex tasks may benefit from simultaneous menus. Design improvements can amplify the benefits of simultaneous menu layouts.


This practice based PhD explores experimental notation within the work of Cornelius Cardew. This exploration is undertaken, not only through historical theoretical research, but also through my practice as a film maker: the score is employed as a model for moving image production, and the potential relation between the score and the script investigated at the level of practice. Using a methodology that collapses the binary between theory and paractice and argues for practice as an equally valid form of knowledge production, this research is constituted by an introductory essay, three films, a publication and a screenplay. These works are presented as in conversation with Cardew, a testing out of his methods within the landscape of the contemporary.

The title of this thesis points to its deployment of Cardew as a biographical character - a trope Giles Deleuze might term a conceptual persona - whose own compositional trajectory fundamentally encapsulates the issues at the heart of this PhD: its investigation of the relationship between theory and practice, form and content, aesthetics and politics. Cardew's work is thus used as narrative device to navigate the terrain of experimental notation, and to tease out a set of strategies inherent to post war composition that are then subsequently applied to film making. Two scores in particular are addressed: Treatise and The Tiger's Mind. Cardew's assertion, in his accompnaying handbook to Treatise, that 'notation is a way of making people move' is key to the trajectory of the research. The term movement is explored on several levels, from the literal - the gathering together of bodies - to the more abstract - the interpretive shifts triggered by the indeterminancies of notation as a linguistic system. Finally movement is considered in relation to emotion, and with that a more speculative direction for future research proposed.


During the summer of 1967, race riots swept across U.S. cities. Detroit was the scene of one of the worst of these. "The State of Black Michigan" is a landmark volume that investigates how, since 1967, Michigan's black population has changed, how its interactions with the white community have altered, and, most important, how policymakers can act to further narrow the "equality gap" that continues to persist.In the wake of the 1967 Detroit riots, in which 43 people were killed, President Lyndon Johnson established the National Advisory Commission on Civil Disorders and posed these questions: What happened? Why did it happen? What can be done to prevent it from happening again? The commission concluded that white racism spurred the violence and that "our society is moving toward two societies, one black, and one white - separate and unequal. "The State of Black Michigan" takes Johnson's questions further and applies them to Michigan's black citizens today: Are the ingredients of the explosive mixture that erupted in 1967 still present? What differences are there forty years later? Is Michigan in fact a state with two separate and unequal societies?The twenty essays in this volume pursue the answers to these questions by studying a broad range of topics, including socioeconomic inequality, black self-help, black business development, residential segregation, crime, health, and political representation. The essays report and reflect on the racial disparities that still remain. "The State of Black Michigan, 1967-2007" uses the most recent data available and expands on reports the editors published annually between 1984 and 1993 with the Urban Affairs Programs at Michigan State University and the Michigan Council of Urban League Executives. With the goal of racial equality still frustratingly elusive, and with reliable data often difficult to obtain, it is hoped that The "State of Black Michigan" will serve as a magnet for conversation and debate about race, inequality, and the need for action.


The Lower Mississippi Valley provides an exceptional fi eld example for studying the response of a continental-scale alluvial system to upstream and downstream forcing associated with the large, orbitally controlled glacialinter glacial cycles of the late Quaternary. However, the lack of a numerical chronology for the widespread Pleistocene strata assemblage known as the Prairie Complex, which borders the Holocene fl oodplain of the Lower Mississippi River, has so far precluded such an analysis. Here, we apply optically stimulated luminescence (OSL) dating, mainly on silt-sized quartz from Prairie Complex strata. In total, 27 OSL ages indicate that the Prairie Complex consists of multiple allostratigraphic units that formed mainly during marine isotope stages 7, 5e, and 5a. Thus, the aggradation of the Prairie Complex is strongly correlated with the sea-level highstands of the last two glacialinterglacial cycles. Fluvial incision during the sea-level fall associated with the MIS 5a–MIS 4 transition extended as far inland as ~600 km from the present-day shoreline, testifying to the dominant downstream control of fl stratigraphic architecture in the Lower Mississippi Valley. In addition, the short reaction time of the Lower Mississippi River suggests that large fl uvial systems can respond much more rapidly to allogenic forcing than is commonly believed.


The importance of infrastructure as an alternative asset has emerged significantly in recent years. Based on a novel dataset, this paper investigates the long-run relationships and short-run dynamics between direct and securitized infrastructure returns and the relationsship to the relevant real estate indices. Based on a cointegration analysis, we are able to detect the existence of a long-run relationship between direct and securitized infrastructure driven by a common underlying infrastructure business factor. This result implies that investors are not able to realize long-term portfolio diversification benefits by allocating funds to both direct and securitized infrastructure, since they are substitutable over the long run. However, in the short run indirect infrastructure is driven by the general stock market and follows the direct infrastructure market - a status (similar in particular to the "pre-Reit era"), which might reflect the lack of segmentation and focus of listed infrastructure companies. Furthermore, we are unable to investigate the relationship between direct infrastructure and direct real estate returns, either in the short run or long run - a result which contradicts to the assumption of infrastructure as being a subset of or substitute for real estate.


In "Watchmen in the Night," Theodore Sorensen, lawyer and advisor to President John F. Kennedy, offers a comprehensive examination of Watergate and what Richard Nixon's reign and resignation mean to the American Presidency. Rejecting both the assertion that Nixon was a mere aberration and the assertion that Watergate was a culmination of what other Presidents had done, Sorenson sorts out what was new and different in Watergate, including some frank admissions about the Kennedy White House.The Presidency as seen from the inside is not as powerful as it looks from the outside, he writes, commenting on the limitations imposed by the bureaucracy, the press, the Congress, and the courts. Sorensen, while acknowledging a change in perspective since his White House days, still favors a strong Presidency and in fact believes it should be stronger on economic matters. Nevertheless, he feels too strongly about Vietnam and Watergate to defend the status quo, and insists on specific steps to implement "accountability." He deflates the mystique of the Presidency, urges reform in our selection of Presidents, and suggests specific clues for which to look in predicting presidential megalomania. His comparison of the Nixon and Kennedy staffs is particularly insightful.All of this is illustrated with examples of good and bad uses of presidential power. "Watchmen in the Night" gives the reader an extraordinary sense of how the White House is run and how it should be run.


A technique to extract volume-area-elevation relationships was developed using MODIS–Terra images in the absence of accurate bathymetric data and was tested over the Urmia Lake, Iran, which is facing a very great degree of water shortage difficulty due to remarkably water decline over the past 20 years. Lake areas were estimated using satellite data and two simple image computation methods: Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI) and Normalized Difference Water Index (NDWI). The area computed from the imageries was compared with those retrieved from satellite images. The area-elevation relationships were created by fitting a third order polynomial trend line to each dataset. Results revealed that NDVI A-L relationship provides slightly a better accuracy (R2=0.97) than the NDWI A-L relationship (R2=0.96). A comparison between long-term variation of lake area provided by the reference A-L equation and NDVI A-L equation showed that radar altimetry information shows more considerable inaccuracy when the lake becomes drier and the reference A-L equation overestimates the lake area in comparison with the NDVI A-L equation. This weakness can be improved by combination with MODIS images when the lake becomes drier. The V-A equation of Urmia Lake was developed using NDVI area estimations and computed volumes of the lake by the reference V-L equation at concurrent dataset of the lake level. Our analysis shows that to restore Urmia Lake to a level to maintain ecological benefits, 12500 MCM of water is required that this is in fair agreement with those obtained by the reference V-L equation.


Records and variants provide exible ways to construct datatypes, but the restrictions imposed by practical type systems can prevent them from being used in ex-ible ways. These limitations are often the result of concerns about eeciency or type inference, or of the dii-culty in providing accurate types for key operations. This paper describes a new type system that remedies these problems: it supports extensible records and variants, with a full complement of polymorphic operations on each; and it ooers an eeective type inference algorithm and a simple compilation method. It is a practical system that can be understood and implemented as a natural extension of languages like Standard ML and Haskell. In an area that has already received a great deal of attention from the research community, the type system described here is the rst to combine all of these features in a practical framework. One important aspect of this work is the emphasis that it places on the use of rows in the construction of record and variant types. As a result, with only small extensions of the core type system, we are able to introduce new, powerful operations on records using features such as row polymorphism and rst-class labels.


The power of online auctions is attracting hundreds of thousands--if not millions--of users who want to turn their eBay hobbies into profitable businesses. While turning an eBay hobby into an eBay business might look easy, making that business profitable is much more difficult. Not enough sellers treat their eBay sales as a business, and subsequently are disappointed in the results. To launch a successful and profitable eBay business,i¾ the detailed instructions in this book will show you how to get started. It will help you determine what kind of businessi¾ you want to run, write an action-oriented business plan, establish an effective accounting system, set up a home office, obtain starting inventory, arrange initial funding, establish an eBay presence, and arrange for automated post-auction management. This book is a step-by-step guide fori¾ anyone serious about making money from their eBay sales. Unlike other computer-oriented titles, this is a straight-ahead business book that shows how to set up and run different types of eBay businesses, and how to maximize sales and profits while doing so. This book includes a section titled "Choosing Your eBay Business" that details six different types of eBay businesses you can start. Included in this section is a chapter on eBay Trading Assistants (AKA drop-off stores or consignment stores), which is the newest form of an eBay business.


Today, around 54% of the world's population lives in urban areas. By 2050, this share is expected to go up significantly. As a result, city logistics, which focuses on the efficient and effective transportation of goods in urban areas while taking into account the negative effects on congestion, safety, and environment, is critical to ensuring continued quality of life in cities. We review and discuss a variety of current and anticipated challenges and opportunities of city logistics. We hope this helps shaping an appropriate research agenda and stimulates more researchers to enter this exciting field.


A comparative of Pakistani Comprehensive Urdu Dictionaries has been undertaken in the thesis. For this purpose three lexicons have been chose, which are commonly used in offices and institutions: Ilmi Urdu Feroze-ul-Lughaat and Nasim ul Lughaat. In chapter one details are given in "MOQADMA" about this thesis and then thesis has been divided according to the alphabet, for instance the alphabet for Alif to Say (O« - O§) have been analysed in Chapter two. Chapter three has been devoted to Jeem to Kha (O® - O¬) and in the forth chapter alphabet Daal to Zhey (U˜ - O¯) have been dealt. In chapter five the alphabet Seen to Ghain (Oo - O³) are studies. Chapter six deals with letters Fay to Gaaf (U¯ - U�) and in chapter seven the alphabets from Laam to the last letter Yay (i»¯ - i»ž). Finally a general discuss on has been Conducted in chapter eight.

The diacrical sign ( io� )AI has been Taken from all the three dictionaries and all the words starting with ( O¢ ) have been put together that are in harmony with each other in their idioms, sayings, proverbs, composition, pronunciation and clligraphic shape and also in the masculine and feminie forms. Basides threr are such words that are found in TWO dictionaries and are not included in the THIRD dictionary. Such words and campsites are analysed separately.

In the case where in one alphabet the number of synonymous words, and proverbs are too many, are given on three/ fourth ¾ of the pages. The rest are given in annexture so that the volume of thesis does not get out of the proportion of other alphabets, and the size of the thesis does not get unwiedly.

The words are usually spoken in Punjabi are writen under separate headihg. It has been mentioned as to which word are found in a particular dictionary, and the others that are found in all the dictionaries have been mentioned. The meanings of such words as given in dictionaries are also mentioned.

Then there are words of English origin that have been urduised because of constant usage such words have been treated separately accoding to the dictionary where these occur. Feroze-ul-Lughaat has mentioned such words even when their synonyms in Urdu are available.

Lastly there is a list of words that have been mantioned differenly in one or two dictionaries in respect of pronunciation, discritical signs, shape, writing or in masculine or feminine forms. Such words have been researched critically with reference to other dictionaries. In majority of cases the unanimity of rules and the usage have been observed. Similarly the masculine and feminie forms have been authenticated and effort has been made to attend to all possible lexical aspects. In this way all the words from Alif to Yay ( OaU© U‰ - U"U� O§ ) have been analysed and researched.


Glencoe's Introduction to Computer Science Using Java provides students with a highly visual way of learning Java programming. This colorful text provides the information needed for students enrolled in Computer Science I courses, and for students planning to take the AP Computer Science A exam (which has recently switched from C++ to Java). An AP correlation chart is provided in the student edition to help readers locate information that is relevant to the A exam, and "AP Exam Prep" exercises throughout the book help students prepare for the AP test. The Teacher Resource Manual also provides AP information and resources for teachers, and links to important AP sites can be found on the book's Web site.

The textbook immediately introduces students to concepts that are essential to object-oriented programming and develops these concepts throughout various code programs and examples. Programs are examined line-by-line through in-text code blocks. Complete programs are then provided for students to compile and run. The output for every program is also provided either in the book or on the teacher CD so students can see what happens when the code is run.


On the basis of interviews made with twenty seven leading personalities from cooperatives and government institutions, it is identified, that two main dimensions, the economic and the social, are emphasized by different interest groups involved in the cooperative process. It is also indicated that the relationship between state and cooperatives, in varying degrees, combines these two basic dimensions over time in the actual cooperative law and thus focuses on one dimension, neglecting the other. Relationship is meant to anchor the economic and the social values of cooperatives in the political process, and enable them to be accepted. In conclusion, it can be argued that the state can influence the character of cooperatives by selecting specific actors in specific processes. For this reason, in order to secure a sustainable autonomous development of cooperatives, it is important to synthesize and take into consideration different interests in future relations between cooperatives and the state.


Self-productivity is a crucial feature in the process of skill formation. It means that skills and health acquired at one stage in the life cycle enhance skills and health formation at later stages. This paper presents an empirical investigation of self-productivity in early childhood in Germany. The data are drawn from the mother-child questionnaire of the German Socio-Economic Panel for the birth cohorts 2002-2005. The magnitude of self-productivity varies between skills and over time. A one percent increase in birth weight increase child's noncognitive skills by 0.34 percent and child's health by 0.64 percent at the age of 3-18 months. Until the age of 42 months a one percent increases in child's noncognitive skills enhances child's verbal skills by 0.57 percent and child's everyday skills by 1.04 percent. Furthermore, our estimates suggest synergies between child's health and child's noncognitive skills.


There are two distinct but related issues that affect legal representation in rural areas of the United States: the problem of attracting and keeping private attorneys,1 and the problem of satisfying the immense need for pro bono representation for low-income residents.2 Although these issues are interrelated—attracting attorneys to rural areas can help satisfy the need for pro bono representation—each state is handling the problems in distinctive ways.3 In Part I, this Note will demonstrate why the Northern Rockies—which consists of the states of Idaho, Montana, and Wyoming—is a distinctive region with enough similarities between states that a single proposal to improve legal services delivery would be effective across the entire region. In Part II, this Note will discuss the problems facing the Northern Rockies states in delivering legal services to rural areas. In Part III, this Note will examine some of the current solutions being employed in the Northern Rockies states, as well as across the nation, to increase access to legal services for low-, moderate-, and high-income rural residents. This Note will then argue that each solution is either ineffectual or insufficient to solve the issues related to the access of legal services facing rural residents of the Northern Rockies. In Part IV, this Note will recommend that the Northern Rockies states establish statewide networks of "Town Legal Centers," which operate as virtual offices in local communities where residents can meet with legal professionals from around the state. This Note will then propose that Town Legal Centers should be open not only to legal aid organizations but also to private attorneys offering paid legal services. With a rational basis referral system, these Centers can promote increased pro bono participation from the private bar and provide statewide volunteer opportunities for law students. Last, this Note will explore several different sources of funding that could be used to create and maintain Town Legal Centers and then argue that the program could potentially achieve self-sufficiency through a use fee for paid legal services.


This paper outlines the evolution of the Big Four one percent motorcycle clubs?Hell's Angels, Bandidos, Outlaws, and Pagans?from near-groups to well-organized criminal confederations. The insights of criminological theory unify a variety of journalistic and scientific sources into a holistic picture of the development of these organizations. The interaction of members' psychological needs with group dynamics and mainstream social forces lead to periods of expansion as core values shift to emphasize dominance over rivals. The resulting interclub tensions encourage the creation of organized criminal enterprises but also attract police attention. Internecine rivalries were eventually subordinated to these enterprises as their profit potential was recognized and intergroup warfare took its toll. Core biker values were reasserted as certain aspects of club operation became less countercultural in order to assure the future of the subculture and its basic components.


In the Mediterranean region, crop productivity and food security are closely linked to the adaptation of cropping systems to multiple abiotic stresses. Limited and unpredictable rainfall and low soil fertility have reduced agricultural productivity and environmental sustainability. For this reason, crop management technologies have been developed, with a special focus on the Mediterranean region, to enhance crop production by increasing land productivity and sustaining soil fertility under influence of climate changes and population increases. The main objective of this study was to analyse dryland Mediterranean cropping systems, and to discuss and recommend sustainable cropping technologies that could be used at the small-scale farm level. Four crop management practices were evaluated: crop rotations, reduced tillage, use of organic manure, and supplemental and deficit irrigation. Among the tested interventions, incorporation of crop residues coupled with supplementary irrigation showed a significantly positive effect on crop productivity, yield stability and environmental sustainability.


Due to the growing elderly population in many developed countries like Japan, assistive devices are increasingly needed to overcome the difficulties of their activities of daily living (ADL). The motion of standing up places a particular burden on the ankle and knee joints and connects static motions (e.g., sitting and lying) and kinetic motions (e.g., walking and climbing up/down the stairs). In our previous research, two types of standing-up assistance apparatuses were introduced according to the suitable standing-up motions. However, these devices are bulky and cannot be widely used in practical settings such as bus terminals. Regarding the suitable standing-up motions of the elderly in the previous literature, a standing-up apparatus with a pantograph mechanism is introduced to diminish the size of the mechanism based on three design principles: (1) the trajectory of the user's COG is an arc; (2) the trajectory of the user's hip joint while standing up is a straight line at an angle of 45 [deg] from the horizon; and (3) the user is supported until the knee angle reaches 60 [deg]. Simulations showed that the load on knee and ankle joint is decreased, and user may stand up easily with our proposed apparatus. A prototype of the apparatus that may be installed on various chairs in public was fabricated. Considering that the apparatus may be used in places without electric power supply, the apparatus is made simply with links and a gas spring instead of electric actuators. Experimental measurements of the trajectories of the center of gravity (COG) and hip joints show that the proposed apparatus may help users to stand in a way that minimizes stress on their lower-body joints.


Simulation offers a cost-effective way to conduct research on collision avoidance and accident prevention. To be effective, simulated performance must be a valid measure of real world performance. This project sought to validate real world driving performance based on the performance of individuals driving in simulation. The study presents performance data on 14 male and 12 female volunteer subjects who drove a route adjacent to the University of Minnesota campus and then performed in a similar computer-generated driving route. Generally, subjects reported the simulated driving test comfortable and realistic; performance and characteristics of driving in the simulator closely paralleled the real world; the qualitative pattern of driving was similar; and errors and the control parameters of driving performance suggested acceptable reliability between both driving worlds. Researchers concluded that the simulator performed reliably and provided a valid set of performance data that could be used to better understand driving behavior, especially as it related to accident prevention and collision avoidance.


Newly synthesized Polypropylene-g-Polyethylene glycol polymer was first time used for a compartment-less enzymatic fuel cell. Working electrodes based on Polypropylene-g-Polyethylene glycol were operated as unmediated and mediated system (with ferrocene and gold/cobalt oxide nanoparticles). Glucose oxidase and bilirubin oxidase was selected as anodic and cathodic enzyme, respectively. Glucose was used as fuel in a single-compartment and membrane-less cell. Maximum power density was obtained as 0.65 nW cm, 65 nW cm and 23500 nW cm from the unmediated, ferrocene and gold/cobalt oxide modified polymeric film, respectively. Power density was calculated to be ~16000 nW cm for undiluted wastewater sample with gold/cobalt oxide nanoparticles including system. Keywords—Bilirubin oxidase, Enzymatic fuel cell, Glucose oxidase, Nanoparticles.


Franz Boas proposed almost one hundred yeas ago that cranial plasticity explained the differences in cranial form between European-born immigrants and their American-born children. Plasticity refers to the idea that the body responds to environmental forces during growth and development. If the environment does affect cranial growth and development, than differences should be seen in populations living under different ecological conditions. In this study anthropometric measurements will be used to test for differences in head and face measurements of members of the Blackfeet Nation using multivariate statistics. The tests are designed to detect differences between the three tribes of the Blackfeet Nation (the Piegan, the Blood, and the Blackfeet). Blackfeet children sent to the Carlisle Indian School in Carlisle, PA are compared to the children that remained on the reservations. Lastly, this study examines the overall changes in the Blackfeet peoples throughout the nineteenth century as they were forced to change from nomadic hunter-gatherers to sedentary farmers living under AngloAmerican policy on restricted lands.


This paper examines the magnitude of public/private wage differentials in Pakistan using data drawn from the 2001-02 Pakistan Labour Force Survey. As in many other countries, public sector workers in Pakistan tend both to have higher average pay and education levels as compared to their private sector counterparts. In addition, the public sector in Pakistan has both a more compressed wage distribution and a smaller gender pay gap than that prevailing in the private sector. Our empirical analysis suggests that about two-fifths of the raw differential in average hourly wages between the two sectors is accounted for by differentials in average characteristics. The estimated public sector mark-up, ceteris paribus, is of the order of 49 percent and is substantial by the standards of developed economies. The quantile regression estimates suggest that the mark-up was found to decline monotonically with movement up the conditional wage distribution. In particular, the premium at the 10th percentile was estimated at 92 percent as compared to a more modest 20 percent at the 90th percentile.


Stresses from heat and drought are expected to increasingly suppress crop yields, but the degree to which current models can represent these effects is uncertain. Here we evaluate the algorithms that determine impacts of heat and drought stress on maize in 16 major maize models by incorporating these algorithms into a standard model, the Agricultural Production Systems sIMulator (APSIM), and running an ensemble of simulations. Although both daily mean temperature and daylight temperature are common choice of forcing heat stress algorithms, current parameterizations in most models favor the use of daylight temperature even though the algorithm was designed for daily mean temperature. Different drought algorithms (i.e., a function of soil water content, of soil water supply to demand ratio, and of actual to potential transpiration ratio) simulated considerably different patterns of water shortage over the growing season, but nonetheless predicted similar decreases in annual yield. Using the selected combination of algorithms, our simulations show that maize yield reduction was more sensitive to drought stress than to heat stress for the US Midwest since the 1980s, and this pattern will continue under future scenarios; the influence of excessive heat will become increasingly prominent by the late 21st century. Our review of algorithms in 16 crop models suggests that the impacts of heat and drought stress on plant yield can be best described by crop models that: (i) incorporate event‐based descriptions of heat and drought stress, (ii) consider the effects of nighttime warming, and (iii) coordinate the interactions among multiple stresses. Our study identifies the proficiency with which different model formulations capture the impacts of heat and drought stress on maize biomass and yield production. The framework presented here can be applied to other modeled processes and used to improve yield predictions of other crops with a wide variety of crop models.


Passive steering systems have been used for some years to control the steering of trailer axles on articulated vehicles. These normally use a 'command steer' control strategy, which is designed to work well in steady-state circles at low speeds, but which generates inappropriate steer angles during transient low-speed maneuvers and at high speeds. In this paper, 'active' steering control strategies are developed for articulated heavy goods vehicles. These aim to achieve accurate path following for tractor and trailer, for all paths and all normal vehicle speeds, in the presence of external disturbances. Controllers are designed to implement the path-following strategies at low and high speeds, whilst taking into account the complexities and practicalities of articulated vehicles. At low speeds, the articulation and steer angles on articulated heavy goods vehicles are large and small-angle approximations are not appropriate. Hence, nonlinear controllers based on kinematics are required. But at high-speeds, the dynamic stability of control system is compromised if the kinematics-based controllers remain active. This is because a key state of the system, the side-slip characteristics of the trailer, exhibits a sign-change with increasing speeds. The low and high speed controllers are blended together using a speed-dependent gain, in the intermediate speed range. Simulations are conducted to compare the performance of the new steering controllers with conventional vehicles (with unsteered drive and trailer axles) and with vehicles with command steer controllers on their trailer axles. The simulations show that active steering has the potential to improve significantly the directional performance of articulated vehicles for a wide range of conditions, throughout the speed range. © VC 2013 by ASME.


This collection comprises a diverse and stimulating collection of essays on questions of gender and sexualities, crafted by both established and younger researchers. The collection includes fascinating insights into topics as varied as the popularity of thong underwear in urban Kenya, the complexity of Tanzanian youth's negotiation of HIV-cultures, the dialogues between religion and controversial questions in sexualities activism, and the meaning of living as a Zimbabwean girl, who became HIV-positive because her mother had no access to antiretroviral drugs during pregnancy. Some pieces deepen contemporary debates, others initiate new questions. The collection seeks to sustain and invigorate research, policy-making and continentaly-focused thought on difficult, yet compelling, realities.


Crop planning is a Multiobjective optimization problem, also called as NP-Hard Problem. Agriculture has to face various challenges such as irrigation water management, land allocation, climate changes, human and other resources used for agriculture, which can be controlled by effective crop planning. Crop planning optimization gives an idea to utilize the minimum resources to get the maximum profit through optimizing the objectives. Agriculture plays an important role in the ecosystem management; using biofertilizer and green manure can improve soil fertility without any chemical effects. The main aim of the crop planning is to improve the profit and productivity with the low input cost and resources. The crop planning problem has many factors, in that some can be optimized and some cannot be optimized. There are many methods available to solve crop planning problem, like algorithms, optimization tools, decision making tools, software etc. but still it needs more improvement to get the best optimal solutions. This paper presents a general idea of Crop Planning and various algorithms which are used to solve this problem and also address the problems that need effective solutions.


I analyze the reason of the local protectionism from the point of view of fiscal decentralization, economical overtaking strategy, and promotions of government officials. We calculate the social welfare effects of these local protectionism by using "Harberger Triangle". Generally speaking, the local protectionism benefits the local public finance or local firms by exploiting the consumer's surplus. In case of subsidy, the local protectionism fights for the competitiveness of local business by sacrificing the social efficiency. So the local protectionism restricts the efficiency of the resource allocation, distorts the incentive mechanism and hinders the development of our economy. Based on these analysis, I propose policy suggestions to remove the local protectionism as well as develop the socialist market economy.


We examine the impact on stock prices of a major upgrade to the New York Stock Exchange's trading environment. The upgrade improved information dissemination on the trading floor and reduced the latency in reporting trades and quotes. The portion of the upgrade that reduced latency for electronic orders had significant impacts on liquidity, turnover, and returns. A portfolio that is long stocks undergoing the upgrade in the first 20 days of the upgrade and short stocks receiving the upgrade later has a return of roughly 3% over the period. The abnormal return was a priced effect of the improved liquidity produced by the upgrade. & 2013 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved. JEL classifications: G12; G14


Computational of Optical Micro-/Nanoprism Sarhan M. Musa and Orion Ciftja Role of Computational Intelligence in Photonics Technology Ufana Riaz and S.M. Ashraf Nanowire Photonics and Their Applications Sun-Kyung Kim, Thomas J. Kempa, Charles M. Lieber, and Hong-Gyu Park Modeling and Characterization of Nonlinear Optical Effects in Photonic Nanowires Rim Cherif, Mourad Zghal, and Amine Ben Salem Modeling Optical Applications of Nanofibers/Nanowires Yipei Wang and Limin Tong Cavity Quantum Electrodynamics: Application to Quantum State Transfer through Nanophotonic Waveguidance P.K. Choudhury and Md. Mijanur Rahman Nanopatterned Photonics on Probe: Modeling, Simulations, and Applications for Near-Field Light Manipulation Lingyun Wang and Xiaojing Zhang Coupled Mode Theory and Its Applications on Computational Nanophotonics Jianwei Mu and Yasha Yi Multilayer Coupled Nanoplasmonic Structures and Related Computational Techniques Mina Ray and Mahua Bera Advanced Techniques in Medical Computational Nanophotonics and Nanoplasmonics Viroj Wiwanitkit Computational Modeling Aspects of Light Propagation in Biological Tissue for Medical Applications Chintha Chamalie Handapangoda and Malin Premaratne Defense Applications for Nanophotonics Suman Shrestha, Mohit Kumar, and George C. Giakos Future Trends in Nanophotonics: Medical Diagnostics and Treatment, Nanodevices, and Solar Cells Chaya Narayan, Aditi Deshpande, Jennifer Syms, Chris Mela, Anandi Mahadevan, Suman Shrestha, Lin Zhang, Tannaz Farrahi, Ryan Koglin, and George C. Giakos Appendix A: Material and Physical Constants Appendix B: Photon Equations, Index of Refraction, Electromagnetic Spectrum, and Wavelength of Commercial Laser Appendix C: Symbols and Formulas Index


For over two decades, films and advocacy campaigns about child soldiers have consistently relied on tropes of visibility to mobilize empathy and action by distant spectators. The overwhelming trend, which has arguably reached its zenith—or nadir—with the release of Kony 2012, has been to make invisible aspects of child soldier subjectivity that contradict the paradigm of childhood innocence that tends to dominate human rights narratives. This article argues that the 1998 documentary film Soldier Child by Neil Abramson offers a unique and forward-looking exploration of the paradoxical nature of child soldier visibility, forcing the viewer to confront the child-as-soldier in photographs and on film. By examining the way Abramson shifts between moving and still images to arrest the gaze, it draws out the importance of seeing the subject's transitivity as an essential precondition for rehabilitative, transitional justice in northern Uganda.


This title offers a synopsis of a PhD study entitled "Food, culture and decisionmaking: implications for the food supply chain in Northern Ireland". The study consists of four projects linked to the stages of the life cycle; a childhood study with 8 to 11 year old children using both image-based research and an age-appropriate questionnaire; an adolescence study using computer-based questioning; an adulthood study exploring consumer typologies using Logit models; and an elderly study of in-depth interviews, creating personal narratives of life and food. Results have revealed how Northern Ireland's food culture is characterised by change. Traditional food practices have both disappeared and endured and culturally novel food practices have emerged and continue to evolve. This dynamic food culture promotes gastronomy in Northern Ireland, one that involves more than daily consumption of potatoes, cabbage, soups and stews.


Over the last several years, the male component of reproduction has begun to gain clinical momentum. The medical literature has traditionally focused on infertility from the female perspective, but recent publications have demonstrated that male infertility is an important marker of overall health for infertile men as well as their family members. In order to perform large-scale, quality research related to male infertility, comprehensive databases are necessary. Currently, research in male infertility is limited by the fact that there is not a centralized, comprehensive database specifically designed to collect patient information related to male fertility. A database of this nature exists for female infertility research in the form of the Society for Assisted Reproductive Technology (SART) clinical summary report and the National ART Surveillance System (NASS) published by the Centers for Disease Control (CDC). This review outlines the strengths and weaknesses of several male fertility data sources, including the National Survey of Family Growth, the Reproductive Medicine Network, the Andrology Research Consortium (ARC), the Truven Health MarketScan® databases, the Utah Population Database, and data available from the Ober Lab related to the Hutterites. While each of these sources has been instrumental in the creation of meaningful research within the field of male fertility, a need remains for the creation of a centralized database for use in future male fertility research. The ideal database would consist of vast amounts of patient data which link individuals and couples to biologic specimens as well as data from family members, designed with parameters specifically purposed for male fertility research. The use of electronic medical records (EMR) systems such as Epic may play a role in the development of such a database going forward. At present, although some information is available through current databases, researchers must utilize suboptimal data sources to perform studies.


This article explores the practice of the superior judiciary of Pakistan as it relates to freedom of religion and rights of religious minorities. Pakistan's successive constitutions, which guarantee fundamental rights and provide for separation of powers and judicial review, contemplate judicial protection against unlawful executive and legislative actions. The record of Pakistan's judiciary about protection of the rights of religious minorities is uneven and has gone through three phases. The first phase is remarkable for unequivocal protection of freedom of religion and religious minorities. The second phase contracted this protection through undue deference to the legislature. In the last phase the judiciary capitulated before ascendant forces of religious reaction and abdicated its protective role. By bringing into relief the remarkably divergent pronouncements of Pakistan's judiciary regarding the religious status and freedom of religion of one particular religious group, the Ahmadis, this article examines the context, nature, and doctrinal determinants of judicial practice in all the three phases.


OBJECTIVE
To examine the measurement equivalence of items on disability across three international surveys of aging.

METHOD
Data for persons aged 65 and older were drawn from the Health and Retirement Survey (HRS, n = 10,905), English Longitudinal Study of Aging (ELSA, n = 5,437), and Survey of Health, Ageing and Retirement in Europe (SHARE, n = 13,408). Differential item functioning (DIF) was assessed using item response theory (IRT) methods for activities of daily living (ADL) and instrumental activities of daily living (IADL) items.

RESULTS
HRS and SHARE exhibited measurement equivalence, but 6 of 11 items in ELSA demonstrated meaningful DIF. At the scale level, this item-level DIF affected scores reflecting greater disability. IRT methods also spread out score distributions and shifted scores higher (toward greater disability). Results for mean disability differences by demographic characteristics, using original and DIF-adjusted scores, were the same overall but differed for some subgroup comparisons involving ELSA.

DISCUSSION
Testing and adjusting for DIF is one means of minimizing measurement error in cross-national survey comparisons. IRT methods were used to evaluate potential measurement bias in disability comparisons across three international surveys of aging. The analysis also suggested DIF was mitigated for scales including both ADL and IADL and that summary indexes (counts of limitations) likely underestimate mean disability in these international populations.


Background: Process evaluation of community–academic partnership function and fidelity to principles of community-based participatory research (CBPR) is essential to achievement of intermediate and long term partnership goals. Objectives: This article describes the evaluation of B Free CEED, a community–academic partnership created to address hepatitis health disparities in Asian American and Pacific Islander (API) communities. Methods: A mixed methods approach with an online survey and qualitative key informant interviews was conducted with all partnership members at baseline and follow-up, 18 months later. Results: Survey findings showed stability over time, with some consistent differences in community and academic perspectives. Academic members were somewhat more satisfied with the partnership functioning. Key informant interviews provided contextual data key to further defining partnership functioning. Conclusions: Conducting ongoing partnership evaluations is necessary to reassess and align processes and protocols to enhance partnership functioning and strengthen group cohesion.


Trait Intellect, one of the two 'aspects' of the broader Openness/Intellect 'domain', predicts performance on a range of cognitive tasks including tests of intelligence and working memory. This has been explained in terms of the tendency for high–Intellect individuals to explore, or engage more effortfully with, abstract information. This theoretical perspective can be framed in the language of Resource Allocation Theory, in terms of high–Intellect individuals allocating more of their available cognitive resources to abstract cognitive tasks. In two experiments (total N = 160), we examined the relation between Intellect and cognitive engagement during a primary word–search task under conditions of both high and low secondary cognitive load. Both experiments revealed that high–Intellect individuals were more vulnerable to the impact of the secondary cognitive load on primary task performance. This suggests that, under low secondary load, such individuals were indeed allocating more of their available cognitive resources to the primary task. These results held after controlling for trait Openness, trait Industriousness (an aspect of Conscientiousness) and a measure of working memory capacity (N–back task). Our findings provide novel support for the cognitive mechanisms proposed to underlie trait Intellect. Copyright © 2016 European Association of Personality Psychology


Model M is a recently proposed class based exponential n-gram language model. In this paper, we extend it with personalization features, address the scalability issues present with large data sets, and test its effectiveness on the Bing Mobile voice-search task. We find that Model M by itself reduces both perplexity and word error rate compared with a conventional model, and that the personalization features produce a further significant improvement. The personalization features provide a very large improvement when the history contains a relevant query; thus the overall effect is gated by the number of times a user requeries a past request.


The quenching of the fluorescence background that accompanies the surface-enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) of Rhodamine B was quantified using a least-squares baseline correction algorithm. Silver nanowires (Ag NWs) were prepared by electroless deposition in hot ethylene glycol in the presence of polyvinylpyrrolidone (PVP). The Ag NWs were deposited on a paper and were used as SERS substrates to detect Rhodamine B (RhB) in concentrations between 4 - 10 µM. The fluorescence of the 4 RhB concentrations was suppressed by 93.53-97.15% which is attributed to the non-radiative process of electron transfer from the RhB to the Ag NWs. The fluorescence suppression made the Raman signals observable. The Raman signals were enhanced by a factor of 104 due to the amplification of the laser and the localized surface plasmons of Ag NWs. The results confirm that Ag nanoparticles could be integrated in laser scanning microscopes for fluorescence suppression in Raman spectroscopy.


In current computed tomography (CT) architecture, both X-ray tubes and X-ray detectors are rotated mechanically around an object to collect a sufficient number of projections. This architecture has been shown to not be fast enough for patients with high or irregular heart rates. Furthermore, both X-ray beams and detectors of the current architecture are made wide enough, so that the entire object is covered in the lateral direction without data truncation. Although novel acquisition protocols have recently been developed to reduce a radiation exposure, the high radiation dose from CT imaging remains a heightened public concern (especially for cardiac CT). The current CT architecture is a major bottleneck to further increase the temporal resolution and reduce the radiation dose. To overcome these problems, we present an innovative stationary-sources rotating-detectors CT (SSRD-CT) architecture based on the three stationary distributed X-ray sources and three smaller rotating X-ray detectors. Each distributed X-ray source has ~ 100 distinctive X-ray focal spots, and each detector has a narrower width compared with the conventional CT detectors. The SSRD-CT will have a field-of-view of 200 mm in diameter at isocenter, which is large enough to image many internal organs, including hearts. X-rays from the distributed sources are activated electronically to simulate the mechanical spinning of conventional single-beam X-ray sources with a high speed. The activation of individual X-ray beam will be synchronized to the corresponding rotating detector at the opposite end. Three source-detector chains can work in parallel to acquire three projections simultaneously and improve temporal resolution. Lower full-body radiation dose is expected for the proposed SSRD-CT because X-rays are restricted to irradiate a local smaller region. Taken together, the proposed SSRD-CT architecture will enable ≤50-ms temporal resolution and reduce radiation dose significantly.


Virtualization and related technologies like hypervisors, which create virtual machines on a single hardware machine, and containers (also known as zones), which create virtual operating systems running on a single operating system, are a totally new area for many system administrators. Oracle Solaris 10 System Virtualization Essentials provides an accessible introduction to computer virtualization, specifically the system virtualization technologies that use the Oracle Solaris or OpenSolaris operating systems. This accessible guide covers the key concepts system administrators need to understand and explains how to Use Dynamic Domains to maximize workload isolation on Sun SPARC systemsUse Oracle VM Server for SPARC to deploy different Oracle Solaris 10 and OpenSolaris environments on SPARC CMT (chip multithreading) systemsUse Oracle VM Server for x86 or xVM hypervisor to deploy a server with heterogeneous operating systemsUse Oracle VM VirtualBox to develop and test software in heterogeneous environmentsUse Oracle Solaris Containers to maximize efficiency and scalability of workloadsUse Oracle Solaris Containers to migrate Solaris 8 and Solaris 9 workloads to new hardware systemsMix virtualization technologies to maximize workload density Starting with a discussion of system virtualization in general termsthe needs of consolidation, the benefits of virtualization, and a description of the most common types of computer virtualizationthis book also covers many of the concepts, features, and methods shared by many implementations of system virtualization. Oracles computer virtualization technologies that are directly related to the Oracle Solaris OS are described in detail along with a discussion of the factors that should be considered when choosing a virtualization technology. Finally, several examples of these technologies and an overview of virtualization management software are provided, as well as a history of virtualization.


Aminoacyl-tRNA synthetases (ARS) are a family of enzymes that catalyze the charging of amino acids to their cognate tRNA in an aminoacylation reaction. Many members of this family have been found to have secondary functions independent of their primary aminoacylation function. Threonyl-tRNA synthetase (TARS), the ARS responsible for charging tRNA with threonine, is secreted from endothelial cells in response to both vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) and tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α), and stimulates angiogenesis and cell migration. Here we show a novel experimental approach for studying TARS secretion, and for observing the role of intracellular TARS in the endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress response and in angiogenesis. Using Western blotting, immunofluorescence microscopy and RT-qPCR we were able to investigate changes in TARS protein and transcript levels. We initially hypothesized that TARS was secreted by exosomal release, and so we treated a human ovarian cancer cell line (CaOV-3) with monensin, an ionophore that increases exosome production, and VEGF to observe changes in intracellular and extracellular TARS protein. Monensin treatment consistently increased extracellular and intracellular TARS protein, however CD63, an exosome marker protein, levels were unaffected by monensin treatment. VEGF had no effect on intracellular TARS. We therefore hypothesized that the TARS response was a result of ER stress. The unfolded protein response (UPR) is a series of signaling pathways that are activated upon ER stress. When CaOV-3 cells were treated with increasing concentrations of monensin, intracellular levels of TARS and p-eIF2α, a downstream UPR target, increased accordingly. Monensin increased intracellular TARS protein and transcript levels in CaOV-3 cells. Monensin also increased DNAJB9, an ER chaperone protein, transcript levels, further confirming ER stress. Interestingly, monensin increased VEGF transcript levels about 6-fold. Borrelidin, a natural TARS inhibitor, also increased VEGF transcript levels, and caused an increase in p-eIF2α protein. Although the mechanism of TARS secretion remains unresolved, these data indicate that intracellular TARS expression increases in response to ER stress by monensin. Given TARS and VEGF transcript expression increased accordingly, it is possible that intracellular TARS may have pro-angiogenic function. Future directions may include investigating TARS interactions with translational control machinery.


Static synchronous compensators have been broadly employed for the provision of electrical ac network services, which include voltage regulation, network balance, and stability improvement. Several studies of such compensators have also been conducted to improve the ac network operation during unbalanced voltage sags. This paper presents a complete control scheme intended for synchronous compensators operating under these abnormal network conditions. In particular, this control scheme introduces two contributions: a novel reactive current reference generator and a new voltage support control loop. The current reference generator has as a main feature the capacity to supply the required reactive current even when the voltage drops in amplitude during the voltage sag. Thus, a safe system operation is easily guaranteed by fixing the limit required current to the maximum rated current. The voltage control loop is able to implement several control strategies by setting two voltage set points. In this paper, three voltage support control strategies are proposed, and their advantages and limitations are discussed in detail. The two theoretical contributions of this paper have been validated by experimental results. Certainly, the topic of voltage support is open for further research, and the control scheme proposed in this paper can be viewed as an interesting configuration to devise other control strategies in future works.


The focus of this essay is a growing practice to which we can attach the label "Green Zoning" — the incorporation of LEED and competing privately generated standards into local government law, as part of the existing zoning or land use ordinance, or as a free-standing green building ordinance. After reviewing some of the pertinent literature on this topic, this essay will highlight and provide illustrations of six problems with Green Zoning practices: 1. The Delegation Problem — Can and should local laws be based on a moving target (standards set by private parties that continue to change and evolve)? 2. The Compatibility Problem — Are some green building standards inconsistent with good planning practices? 3. The Expertise Problem — Are already overburdened local officials up to the task of incorporating, administering, and overseeing Green Zoning? 4. The Eco-Political Problem — How or should local officials factor in the battles waged over green building standards? 5. The Laboratory Problem — Are variations from locality to locality a good idea, or do state standards make more sense in this area? 6. The Philosophical Problem — What role should builders, architects, and industry experts play in shaping zoning and planning ordinances?


This paper is an investigation into the history of India during the early nineteenth century with the birth of the Indian Nationalist Movement under the British colonizers. It is a post-colonial reading and it is in close relation to Rabindranath Tagore who was an active participant in the nationalist movement and his manifold reasons for his disapproval of the movement.

It examines two of Tagore's famous novels, The Home and the World (1916) and Four Chapters (1934) with political uprisings as its background. The protagonists from both the novels represented by Nikhil, Bimala, Sandip, Indranath, Ela and Atin each embody the happenings that took place during the subjugation and their reaction towards the colonizers. Its main focus is on the discourse encompassing the cultural, political, social and economical issues that takes place in both the novels, reflecting the mindset of the people during that time.
The colonization of India by the British is clearly depicted in the role of the protagonists in both the novels of how they boldly rejected to subjugation and the reasons for doing so. Thus, the need for self-identity and recognition was beginning to take root in the heart and soul of the people of India. Tagore's initiative to instill self-worth into the colonized people is portrayed in the arguments and actions found in the novels.
The Partition of Bengal by Lord Curzon for easy administration divided the Hindus and Muslims accordingly. The extremists represented by the Hindu majority participated fully in the Indian Nationalist Movement whereas the Muslims formed their own movement. This division among the people of India had later on led to bitter riots and unnecessary killings.


Large document repositories need to be organized and summarized to make them more accessible and understandable. Such needs exist in many applications, including web search, e-rulemaking (electronic rulemaking) and document archiving. Even though much has been done in the areas of document clustering and summarization, there are still many new challenges and issues that need to be addressed as the repositories become larger, more prevalent and dynamic. In this dissertation, we investigate more informative ways to organize and summarize large document repositories, especially e-rulemaking feedback repositories (ERFRs), so that the large repositories can be managed and digested more efficiently and effectively. Specifically, we mainly consider the following four tasks: (1) identifying important aspects of ERFR, (2) constructing cluster descriptions for document clustering, (3) clustering of ERFR with simultaneous construction of succinct cluster descriptions, and (4) selecting representative arguments for ERFR clustering.
We propose to organize and summarize e-rulemaking feedbacks based on three different major aspects of the rulemaking process, in order to meet the different needs of the rule-writers or analysts; the three aspects are: opinions (O), issues (I) and stakeholders (S). We introduce an OIS-based approach to producing informative summaritive digest (SD) for given ERFRs. In addition, several novel concepts, approaches and algorithms are introduced, including the CDD measure, active feature selection (AFS), Pagoda search algorithms, etc.
An SD, simply put, consists of a document clustering, along with certain succinct cluster descriptions (SCDs) and representative arguments (RAs) for each cluster in the clustering. The clustering of an SD can be constructed in either a flat or hierarchical manner. For hierarchical clustering, each level of the hierarchy can be constructed by emphasizing one of the O, I, and S aspects. Different orders of O, I and S can be used for the levels of the hierarchy. Different clusterings could be used to meet the needs of different users. Given a goodness measure, a "best" clustering can be recommended to the user. An SCD consists of a set of carefully selected terms along with some statistics, and the RAs are some typical arguments selected from each cluster. An RA should be a statement where certain major stakeholders have expressed opinions on some of the important issues. Collectively, an SD provides an informative navigation aid for the rule-writers and analysts to manage and digest large ERFRs.
We conduct an experimental evaluation on our approaches by using some publicly available ERFRs. The results suggest that the SD not only helps user for "browsing" the feedbacks, but also gives the users some high-level sense about the feedbacks before they dig into each individual comment. The results also show that our approaches are efficient and scalable for managing large document repositories.
Even though we devoted special attention to the application of e-rulemaking, we believe that most of the ideas are very generic and can be easily applied to other types of repositories, including digital archives.


This chapter will review the rationale for and the need for pulmonary rehabilitation in patients with Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD). Its clinical effectiveness will be considered, including the evidence supporting a role for rehabilitation in improving exercise tolerance in COPD as measured. While the influence of pulmonary rehabilitation on dyspnoea, exercise tolerance and quality-of-life is clear, evidence for the benefits of rehabilitation on reducing healthcare utilisation such as admission to hospital or attendance at out-of-hours services is limited. The chapter will provide guidance on the setting up of a pulmonary rehabilitation programme and clinical staff required and the suitability of patients to enter such programmes will be outlined. There will be discussion on the key components of a programme including education, nutritional advice and the management of dyspnoea. Exercise is the central component of pulmonary rehabilitation. Assessment of the patient and prescription of an exercise programme will be outlined as will assessing a patient's improvement. One key goal of pulmonary rehabilitation is ongoing lifestyle modification to encourage patients to undertake a more active lifestyle in the future. Ways of activating patients to do this will be discussed and the evidence for the use of telehealth in this area will be reviewed.


Control of cell differentiation is thought to result from bistable regulatory networks that allow a transient developmental signal to cause cells to permanently adopt a differentiated state. In the nematode Caenorhabditis elegans, Johnston et al. examined such a network that determines the alternative fates of two taste receptor neurons, known as ASE left (ASEL) and ASE right (ASER). These neurons are bilaterally symmetrical but express distinct sets of chemoreceptors that are necessary for the worm's navigation in search of food. The authors find through genetic analysis that two key transcriptions factors, DIE-1 and COG-1, which promote expression of genes specific to ASEL and ASER neurons, respectively, act in a feedback loop in which they are linked by two microRNAs encoded by the lsy-6 and mir-273 genes. Expression of lsy-6 is enhanced by DIE-1 transcription factor, and the lsy-6 miRNA inhibits expression of ASER-promoting factor COG-1. COG-1 in turn promotes the expression of mir-273 miRNA, which inhibits expression of the ASEL-inducing gene die-1. Although the stimulus that causes switching of this loop to favor production of one or the other transcription factor remains unknown, the results provide the essence of a miRNA-containing transcriptional feedback loop that can account for the stabilized expression of terminal cell fate in the ASER and ASEL neurons. R. J. Johnston Jr., S. Chang, J. F. Etchberger, C. O. Ortiz, O. Hobert, MicroRNAs acting in a double-negative feedback loop to control a neuronal cell fate decision. Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. U.S.A. 102, 12449-12454 (2005). [Abstract] [Full Text]


PURPOSE
To evaluate (a) the displacement of the vaginal apex by a rod during radiation therapy simulation for gynecologic malignancy and (b) apical localization with implanted radiopaque markers.

MATERIALS AND METHODS
Metallic markers were implanted in the cervix or vaginal cuff in nine patients with cervical or endometrial carcinoma who underwent irradiation. In all but one patient, radiographs were obtained with and then without the vaginal rod. Displacement of the markers relative to bone landmarks was measured. The total displacement was the square root of the sum of the squares of displacement in each axial direction.

RESULTS
All patients showed displacement of the cervical markers by the vaginal rod (mean total displacement, 1.9 cm; range, 0.6-3.6 cm). The greatest displacement was cephalic (mean, 1.5 cm; range, 0.5-2.4 cm). Anteroposterior displacement occurred in all patients but was not as predictable as cephalic displacement. Displacement was anterior in five of the eight patients, posterior in three patients, and lateral in four patients.

CONCLUSION
Displacement of the vaginal apex and/or cervix with placement of the vaginal rod during simulation was marked in all patients. Use of implanted cervical markers to localize the vaginal apex or the cervix during simulation is more accurate than use of a vaginal rod.


Homes are essential contexts in which to understand how technologies are used and experienced. At the same time they hold substantial challenges for conducting research, exploring novel designs, and building understanding. In this paper we review approaches to studying the home, including recent innovations and issues that should guide further methodological reflection. We draw on the expertise of a large number of researchers experienced in studying technology in the home, who have formed a community to map the space of methods in use and share their experiences of the key issues faced in practice. Themes include utilising new technology as a source of data as well as an object of study, creating representations of home life that support discussion and reflection, revealing details of important yet routine or mundane activities, and supporting participation to overcome the complex ethical and privacy concerns inherent in the study of the home.


Expatriates are indispensable in the oil and gas sector, owing to the numerous roles they play in imparting knowledge, and representing their home offices. However, these expatriates face difficulties in communication, climatic change, culture difference, short term assignments and expatriates personal characteristics. Consequently, the main objective of this project is to assess the effect of these critical factors on expatriate assignment performance in the Nigerian oil and gas sector. Survey research design was adopted. Questionnaires were used to carry out a survey. A pilot test was also performed to confirm the reliability of the instrument (questionnaire) and after that the questionnaires were given out to 150 expatriates. After data collection, the five (5) hypotheses of the study were tested using multiple regression analysis. Findings of the study reveals the validation of all tested hypotheses at 5% level of significant. From the results obtained, the study found out that expatriates on international assignment in Nigeria do face problems due to difficulty in communication, cultural differences, shortterm assignment, expatriates personal characteristics and climate change. In conclusion, the study posits that open communication helps in creating an enabling environment that reduces communication difficulty for expatriates and then improve their performance. Majority of the expatriates noted that short term assignments have no negative impacts on their performance but long term assignment will be preferred, the culture shock experienced by most expatriates is counter-productive and can be reduced via cross-cultural trainings. Age and previous work experience are two personal characteristics agreed to impact most on job performance at work in Nigerian oil and gas sector. Expatriates identified the difference in climate condition as one factor that can reduce their performance at work but agreed that the climate in Nigeria is good and encouraged expatriate performance. The implications and contributions to knowledge of this study are as follows: a validation of the theoretical framework, as well as, guidance to any expatriate coming to Nigeria. This will certainly help the human resource professionals in knowing who to delegate for expatriate assignment based on age, experience and general attitude.