Bentham was convinced throughout his adult life that law reform in both theory and practice was his vocation. As a deliberately briefless barrister he set out in the early 1770s to establish jurisprudence on the principle of utility. From the first, however, he was repeatedly diverted from this central task. Confronted by the authority of Blackstone, he wrote, without completing, his Comment on the Commentaries, and turned within that context to the specific theme of his Fragment on Government (1776). In the later 1770s he took up the subject of punishment as his principal theme (dealing with an immediate problem in his 1778 View of the Hard-Labour Bill). His Theory of Punishment was projected as his contribution to the siècle des lumières, in which he would stand beside Hume, Helvétius, Voltaire and d'Alembert. That contribution, however, took yet another form when he decided in 1779 to enter (though he did not in the end carry out his intention) the Berne competition for a penal code. For the next ten years he wrestled with the text and eventual destination of his 'Code' – still incomplete when the French Revolution took Bentham's attention elsewhere.


Abstract. We explore the relationships among the geographic ranges of genera, the ranges and positions of their constituent species, and the number of species they contain, considering variation among coeval genera and changes within genera over time. Measuring range size as the maximal distance, or extent, between occurrences within a taxon, we find that the range of the most widespread species is a good predictor of the range of the genus, and that the number of species is a better predictor still. This analysis is complicated by a forced correlation: the range of a genus must be at least as large as that of each of its constituent species. We therefore focus on a second measure of range, the mean squared distance, or dispersion, of occurrences from the geographic centroid, which, by analogy to the analysis of variance, allows the total dispersion of a genus to be compared to the mean within-species dispersion and the dispersion among species centroids. We find that among-species dispersion is the principal determinant of genus dispersion. Within-species dispersion also plays a major role. The role of species richness is relatively small. Our results are not artifacts of temporal variation in the geographic breadth of sampled data. The relationship between changes in genus dispersion and changes in within- and among-species dispersion shows a symmetry, being similar in cases when the genus range is expanding and when it is contracting. We also show that genera with greater dispersion have greater extinction resistance, but that within- and among-species dispersion are not demonstrable predictors of survival once the dispersion of the genus is accounted for. Thus it is the range of the genus, rather than how it is attained, that is most relevant to its fate. Species richness is also a clear predictor of survival, beyond its effects on geographic range.


The design of bridges has been traditionally done on a member by member basis and little consideration is provided to the remaining capacity after the failure of one structural element. As a consequence of several tragic collapses that followed the failure of single elements, the evaluation of the structural robustness of bridges has become of primary importance.
In this work, a methodology is proposed to for the evaluation of the redundancy and robustness of bridges under lateral loads. The basis of the study is the research conducted under the auspices of the U.S. National Cooperative Highway Research Program (NCHRP) which developed approaches for the redundancy analysis of bridge superstructures and substructures. Generally, engineers have treated these two structural sub-systems separately by uncoupling their response assuming that the connections are due to bearing supports.
Recently, the design of integral bridges has become more common especially in seismic hazard zones. In these cases, the bridge has to be analyzed as one monolithic system and a global evaluation of the structural redundancy of the entire system must be performed. The proposed method of analysis, which is based on a static non-linear analysis (pushover) using a finite element 3D space frame model, is applicable for the redundancy analysis of sub-systems connected by bearing supports as well as the entire system with either bearings or integral connections.
The proposed analysis accounts for material non-linearity using realistic models for the stress-strain relationships of the different material constituents based on plasticity models that take into consideration the interaction between the axial forces and bending moments when necessary. A lumped plasticity model is adopted.
A push over analysis is adopted because it provides an adequate indictor of the post-elastic behavior of the entire system. Load-response curves are hence calculated for the intact structure and for the damaged system, and then compared to evaluate the loss of capacity and safety. The results can be used to analyze the redundancy of existing bridges, give guidelines for robust design, and evaluate the quality of different retrofitting schemes and selecting the best option.
In this work the proposed approach is applied to structural systems with increasing levels of complexity. First, the analysis is performed for a simple column, followed by the analysis of a multi-column bent, a retrofitted bent, a scaled bridge model and a full scale bridge. Emphasis is placed on the analysis of the full scale bridge to evaluate the variation of the redundancy indicators in relation to variations of some critical structural and geotechnical parameters including foundation stiffness and deck piers connection assumptions.


Broadband is a public utility with positive effects on competitiveness, employment and growth. Although evidence shows that broadband development is increasing, this increment is not homogeneous between urban and rural areas. The main cause is the high cost for deploying next generation networks in rural areas, and especially the cost linked to civil engineering works. In order to overcome the investment challenges arising in the context of broadband deployment, the European Commission made mandatory the sharing of existing telecommunication and non-telecommunication infrastructures and facilities. This paper proposes and presents a novel tool that enables the estimation of the expected savings from exploiting existing infrastructures when deploying a broadband network. This is followed by a number of general principles and recommendations that policy makers and national authorities could embrace to diminish deployment costs and promote broadband deployment.


Aim/Purpose This paper examines the behavior of financial firm employees with regard to information security procedures instituted within their organization. Furthermore, the effect of information security awareness and its importance within a firm is explored. Background The study focuses on employees' attitude toward compliance with information security policies (ISP), combined with various norms and personal abilities. Methodology A self-reported questionnaire was distributed among 202 employees of a large financial Corporation Contribution As far as we know, this is the first paper to thoroughly explore employees' awareness of information system procedures, among financial organizations in Israel, and also the first to develop operative recommendations for these organizations aimed at increasing ISP compliance behavior. The main contribution of this study is that it investigates compliance with information security practices among employees of a defined financial corporation operating under rigid regulatory governance, confidentiality and privacy of data, and stringent requirements for compliance with information security procedures. Findings Our results indicate that employees' attitudes, normative beliefs and personal capabilities to comply with firm's ISP, have positive effects on the firm's ISP compliance. Also, employees' general awareness of IS, as well as awareness to ISP within the firm, positively affect employees' ISP compliance. Rational Based Beliefs and Awareness 110 Recommendations for Practitioners This study can help information security managers identify the motivating factors for employee behavior to maintain information security procedures, properly channel information security resources, and manage appropriate information security behavior. Recommendations for Researchers Researchers can see that corporate rewards and sanctions have significant effects on employee security behavior, but other motivational factors also reinforce the ISP's compliance behavior. Distinguishing between types of corporations and organizations is essential to understanding employee compliance with information security procedures. Impact on Society This study offers another level of understanding of employee behavior with regard to information security in organizations and comprises a significant contribution to the growing knowledge in this area. The research results form an important basis for IS policymakers, culture designers, managers, and those directly responsible for IS in the organization. Future Research Future work should sample employees from another type of corporation from other fields and should apply qualitative analysis to explore other aspects of behavioral patterns related to the subject matter.


The main purpose of this study in the High Central Zagros area near the townships of Lordegan and Yasuj was to investigate the nature of the High Zagros Fault (HZF) and the structural styles in the adjacent foreland. A second task was to determine whether the prolific petroleum plays productive further out in the Zagros Foreland would extend into the study area and if new petroleum plays could be recognized. Two selected cross-sections across and one just behind the HZF provide evidence for its overthrust nature. In some places the HZF exhibits a low-angle thrust plane, locally with a substantial amount of thrusting over the foreland. The interpretation is based on surface geological mapping, available well data, remote sensing from satellite data, aeromagnetic and high resolution gravimetry data, magnetotelluric, WARRP (wide angle reflection refraction profiling) and reflection seismic data. The integration of this unique set of newly acquired geophysical data complements recently published papers, which were based more on surface geology and rather limited subsurface data. The data were integrated to construct a regional balanced cross-section and to develop structural petroleum play concepts for the area investigated. Play potential may exist both in the overthrust terrain of the High Zagros as well as in the subthrust. Analysis of the width of the surface anticlines (or more precisely: their frequency) gives a first indication of the depth of the décollement plane. Within the adjacent Zagros Foreland evidence was found for the presence of multiple detachment planes above the ubiquitous deep Hormuz level, i.e. at the level of the Kazhdumi and the Pabdeh–Gurpi Formations. These intermediate décollement planes are thought to be responsible for the generation of deeper structural plays unrelated to the structuring that can be observed at the surface.


The methodology of automatic detection of the event basis of information operations, reflected in thematic information flows, is described. The presented methodology is based on the technologies for identifying information operations, the formation of the terminological basis of the subject area, the application of cluster analysis with cluster centroids, determined by analyzing the terminology of the information flow. The clusters formed in this way reflect the main events occurring during the information operations and reveal the technique for their implementation.


Previously, governments have responded to the impacts of economic failures and consequently have developed more regulations to protect employees, customers, shareholders and the economic wellbeing of the state. Our research addresses how Accounting Information Systems (AIS) may act as carriers for institutionalised practices associated with maintaining regulatory compliance within the context of UK Asset Management Houses. The AIS was found to be a strong conduit for institutionalized compliance related practices, utilising symbolic systems, relational systems, routines and artefacts to carry approaches relating to regulative, normative and cultural-cognitive strands of institutionalism. Thus, AIS are integral to the development and dissipation of best practice for the management of regulatory compliance. As institutional elements are clearly present we argue that AIS and regulatory compliance provide a rich context to further institutionalism. Since AIS may act as conduits for regulatory approaches, both systems adopters and clients may benefit from actively seeking to codify and abstract best practices into AIS. However, the application of generic institutionalized approaches, which may be applied across similar organizations, must be tempered with each firm's business environment and associated regulatory exposure. A balance should be sought between approaches specific enough to be useful but generic enough to be universally applied


The stable isotope amount effect has often been invoked to explain patterns of isotopic composition of rainfall in the tropics. This paper describes a new approach, correlating the isotopic composition of precipitation with cloud height and atmospheric temperature using NEXRAD radar echo tops, which are a measure of the maximum altitude of rainfall within the clouds. The seasonal differences in echo top altitudes and their corresponding temperatures are correlated with the isotopic composition of rainfall. These results offer another factor to consider in interpretation of the seasonal variation in isotopic composition of tropical rainfall, which has previously been linked to amount or rainout effects and not to temperature effects. Rain and cloud water isotope collectors in the Luquillo Mountains in northeastern Puerto Rico were sampled monthly for three years and precipitation was analyzed for δ18O and δ2H. Precipitation enriched in 18O and 2H occurred during the winter dry season (approximately December–May) and was associated with a weather pattern of trade wind showers and frontal systems. During the summer rainy season (approximately June–November), precipitation was depleted in 18O and 2H and originated in low pressure systems and convection associated with waves embedded in the prevailing easterly airflow. Rain substantially depleted in 18O and 2H compared to the aforementioned weather patterns occurred during large low pressure systems. Weather analysis showed that 29% of rain input to the Luquillo Mountains was trade wind orographic rainfall, and 30% of rainfall could be attributed to easterly waves and low pressure systems. Isotopic signatures associated with these major climate patterns can be used to determine their influence on streamflow and groundwater recharge and to monitor possible effects of climate change on regional water resources.


Introduction: The main goal for preventing and controlling periimplantitis is the reduction of oral bacteria load, through home and professional procedures. The aim of the present study was to evaluate the impact of a professional standard non-surgical therapy and the motivation to the use of domiciliary interdental brushes (Gunchi - South Korea) in a cohort of 75 patients with at least 1 implant placed with a minimum of 2 years follow-up and maximum 5 years.
Materials and methods: Seventy-five patients were screened on the basis of specific inclusion and exclusion criteria and were grouped into three different controlled cohorts based on their age: Group 1: patients aged 25-39 years; Group 2: patients aged 40-54 years; Group 3: patients aged 55-69 years. All subjects received oral hygiene instructions and a standard professional non-surgical treatment with ultrasonic debridement, polishing and ozonated water rinse by a specific professional device for a minute (Aquolab® - Italy). After the education and motivation session patients were instructed to use interdental aids (interdental brushes, Gunchi South Korea).
Patients were monitored for a total of 2 months follow-up. The following clinical parameters were measured on each patient before dental debridement and oral hygiene motivation (T0) and at 30 days (T1) and 60 days (T2):
Probing pocket depth (PPD), Recession (Rec), Modified Plaque Index (mPI) and Modified Sulcus Bleeding Index (mSBI).
Results: Each group showed significant improvements on Probing Depth (PD), mSBI and mPI at T1 an T2 follow-up. No statistically significant differences were found in terms of soft tissue recession. The difference between T2 and T0 and between T1 and T0 were computed on each parameter (ΔPPD, ΔRec, ΔmPI, ΔmSBI) for the comparison in efficacy between groups using the T-student test (p-value<0.05). The group-2 had statistical significant improvement in PPD respect to group-3, and in mPI and mSBI then group-1 respectively in T1 and T2 (p-value<0.05).


Introduction In their sociological research into academia in the UK and the US, Becher and Trowler (2001) describe the knowledge landscape as being measured in two different dimensions, one being a continuum between the soft and hard disciplines, and the other graduation being between pure and applied academic pursuits. Within this framework, engineering and computer science occupy academic territories in the quadrant described by the intersection of the hard and applied dimensions, thus they are purposeful, pragmatic disciplines that focus on technique development and production. More specifically, Ylikoki (2000) found in a Finnish study that "the disciplinary culture of the computer science tribe is professionally oriented, emphasizing the virtue of hard expertise wanted by computer firms in business life". Not surprisingly, these descriptions resonate with the study of Computer Science here at our university in Melbourne, Australia. In line with the described disciplinary culture, our undergraduate teaching curriculum places a strong emphasis on the acquisition of skills and expertise, such as programming and problem solving. Additionally, like many other institutions (Upchurch & Sims-Knight, 1997), the capstone task in our degree is a software engineering project designed to solve a particular business problem for an industry client. With such an applied and practical focus, it is perhaps not surprising that we have noticed a disparity between staff and student beliefs similar to that reported in the Finnish study mentioned above. There, of the four disciplines examined "Only in the case of computer science is there a difference between teachers' and students' conceptions, since the former try to steer the disciplinary culture in a more academic direction and the latter in a more business life direction" (Ylikoki 2000, pg 395). This paper reports upon the introduction of an assessment task designed to realign these conceptions by broadening the student experience. By deliberately shifting some of our teaching along the axis between the pure and applied (Becher & Trowler, 2001) towards the pure sciences, we hoped to expose students to some of the 'pure' aspects of our discipline and to encourage them to recognize and appreciate the scientific mindset within Computer Science. The vehicle chosen to do this was the elective study of Intelligent Systems in our undergraduate degree. This course is an introduction to the various problem solving strategies and heuristics of artificial intelligence covering such diverse topics as expert systems, robotics, machine intelligences, genetic algorithms and neural networks. Typically students attempt this elective in their third and final year since some programming and software development experience is required to contend with the broad scope of the subject. By introducing an assignment task where students were asked to explore a problem solution by conducting several (Computer Science) experiments, we hoped to shift student focus more onto the process rather than the solution, i.e., towards the 'pure' end of the computer science spectrum and away from the applied. To achieve this, students were asked to maintain a Research Diary during assignment completion where they recorded their thinking and behaviors. Even more unique from a student's perspective was that 'failure' to solve the given problem by experimentation was a viable option; their efforts would be rewarded given they conducted themselves 'scientifically' in their attempt. Rationale for & Design of the Task Although much academic argument continues about the true nature of science and the scientific method (Chalmers, 2003; Popper, 1972; Stewart, 1995), in their advice for research students Phillips and Pugh (2000) point out there are two quite separate aspects of the scientific approach. The first aspect is that of the classic hypothesis testing and deductive logical approach, recognizable to most readers as the use of experimentation to decide between possible alternate hypotheses or problem solving strategies being under investigation. …


Although palm kernel cake (PKC) has been widely used as a feed for large
ruminant, its high copper (Cu) content is potentially poisonous to sheep and possibly
goats. It is well known that sheep are extremely intolerant of Cu toxicity. Sheep fed
high levels of PKC, showed high levels of Cu in the liver, which caused jaundice and
liver damage. Some studies showed that molybdenum (Mo) and/or sulfur (S) could
form complexes with Cu to make Cu unavailable, hence reducing the accumulation
in the liver. However, the optimum amount of S and Mo need to be added to PKC
has not been established.
In the present study, from 80 six months to one-year-old Malin cross sheep,
72 were selected and allocated randomly into 9 groups with 8 animals each. The
animals were offered PKC pellet (96-97%) supplemented with different levels of S
and Mo, hence, Diet A (Mo, 13ppm), Diet B (Mo, 26ppm), Diet C (52ppm), Diet D
(Mo, 1 03ppm), Diet E (S, 4400ppm, Mo, 13ppm), Diet F (S, 4400ppm , Mo, 26ppm),
Diet G (S, 4400ppm, Mo, 52ppm), Diet H (S, 4400ppm, Mo, 103ppm), Diet I (S,
4400ppm). The feeding trial lasted 6 months. The animals were slaughtered in two
g roups, i.e. , at the end of 3 months and 6 months of the feeding trial respectively.
When the animals were slaughtered, their livers were removed, prepared
and were analyzed for mineral concentration.
The blood was collected from the jugular vein of each sheep in heparinized
vacuum tubes and centrifuged to obtain plasma once every 2 months throughout the
trial. The plasma was prepared for the analyses of the mineral content and this was
carried out by Atomic Absorption Spectrophotometer (AAS).
The results showed that Mo when combined with S and Mo alone in high
levels were more efficient in reducing the liver Cu levels in sheep than Mo in low
levels or S. However, except for Ca, other elements analyzed also showed different
variations among treatments and the initial values.
The plasma minerals showed some differences from that of liver minerals.
Again, except for Ca, other elements presented some changes over time.
The causes of the above may be complicated, however, the major reason
considered is the dietary treatments. It is evident in this study that Mo and / or S
supplementation have prevented the sheep from chronic Cu toxicity as caused by
PKC, and the animals survived between 3-6 months of feeding trial. When those
treatments were compared, all Mo + S groups seem to be more efficient in lowering
the liver Cu levels.


Gap-junction connexin (Cx) channels are important determinants of myocardial conduction and synchronization that is crucial for heart function. Hypertensioninduced structural remodeling is associated with an increased risk of life-threatening arrhythmias and heart failure in both humans and experimental animals. Recent studies suggest that abnormal distribution and/or downregulation of Cx43 accompanied with altered protein kinase C (PKC)ε signaling in spontaneously hypertensive rats were linked with increased propensity to ventricular fibrillation compared to normotensive rats. By contrast, the long-term treatment of hypertensive rats with cardioprotective compounds such as melatonin, omega-3 fatty acids, or red palm oil resulted in protection from lethal arrhythmia. Their antiarrhythmic effect was attributed to the attenuation of abnormal Cx43 topology and modulation of Cx43 mRNA as well as protein expression and its functional phosphorylated forms. The latter might be attributed to upregulation of PKCε. It appears that maladaptive consequences of hypertension resulting in abnormal myocardial distribution of Cx43 and its downre‐ gulation can contribute to arrhythmogenesis and occurrence of malignant arrhyth‐ mias. On the other hand, the attenuation of myocardial Cx43 abnormalities by treatment with melatonin, omega-3 fatty acids, or red palm oil confers arrhythmia protection in rodent model of essential hypertension. Findings uncover novel mechanisms of cardioprotective effects of melatonin, omega-3 fatty acids, and red palm oil. Welldesigned clinical trials are needed to explore antiarrhythmic potential of these compounds in human essential hypertension. © 2016 The Author(s). Licensee InTech. This chapter is distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0), which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.


The Lower Palaeolithic, epitomized by the Acheulean biface technology, is characterized by a degree of temporal and geographical stasis that is unparalleled in the lithic record. The reasons for this phenomenon have provoked considerable debate. However, whilst it is important to understand the overall stability of this techno complex, it is also important to address the considerable degree of variability evident at the level of individual locales. Why, for instance, do bifaces show a range of shapes and degrees of refinement? Why do some show high degrees of symmetry whilst others do not? Whilst it is widely acknowledged that such variability is the result of a number of factors, to date proposed theories tend to stress one factor as being of paramount importance. These have encompassed, amongst others, the influence of raw material, subsistence function, cognitive ability and the social context of manufacture upon biface form. This article, informed by recent empirical, experimental and theoretical work, attempts to move away from these largely single-factor models to present a multi-factorial model for biface variability. This model envisages that variability is caused by the differing motivations and constraints — ecological, physiological, biological, cognitive and social — which act upon the individual agent at any given point in time.


Twenty years into US newspapers' online ventures, many are stuck between a shrinking market for their print product and an unsuccessful experiment with digital offerings. Since readership is the foundation for subscription and advertising revenue, this study, through a longitudinal analysis of readership data (2007, 2011, and 2015) of 51 US newspapers, provides an up-to-date review on these newspapers' online and print readership. Results indicated that the (supposedly dying) print product still reaches far more readers than the (supposedly promising) digital product in these newspapers' home markets, and this holds true across all age groups. In addition, these major newspapers' online readership has shown little or no growth since 2007, and more than a half of them have seen a decline since 2011. The online edition contributes a relatively small number of online-only users to the combined readership in these newspapers' home markets. These findings raise questions about US newspapers' technology-driven strategy and call for a critical re-examination of unchecked assumptions about the future of newspapers.


The changing natural gas landscape—driven by the rise of liquid natural gas (LNG) projects, unconventional boom in North America, protracted global economic slowdown, post-Fukushima recalibration in the nuclear sector, and shifting geography of demand and supply—has renewed debate over the geopolitics of Russia's energy security. A common refrain is that the increasing interconnectedness and flexibility of global gas markets will introduce a welcome corrective to Russia's energy policies at home and abroad, encouraging pragmatic commercial dealings and political accommodation with European and Asian partners. Recent steps toward supply diversification and price renegotiation across Europe—especially among heavily importdependent Lithuania, Bulgaria, and Ukraine— are seen as harbingers of this power shift in Eurasian energy diplomacy. Others, including the leadership in Moscow, dismiss the enthusiasm for shale as a "soap bubble" destined to burst. They boast that Russia will continue to enjoy incremental supply advantages to promote political ambitions in relations with rival Eurasian producers and vulnerable transit states and European customers. They see new favorable long-term supply deals with Serbia and Armenia, the defeat of the Nabucco bypass pipeline, and the wooing of Gazprom in the sell-off of the insolvent Greek national gas company as suggestive of Moscow's lingering prowess and as evidence that its pooh-poohing of a global gas revolution may be more than wishful thinking. This debate is traced to an underlying controversy between realism and its critics over the significance of energy resource nationalism. Yet this formulation presents a false dichotomy between globalization and geopolitics and neglects Moscow's mixed record with gas diplomacy. As well, talk of the demise of a petro-gas state counts Russia down prematurely by overlooking Gazprom's lasting competitive advantages in established markets across Eurasia. It also treats the revolutionary effects of the LNGshale nexus as a given, without fully appreciating either the uncertainties of the latest trends or how Moscow's current choices can affect future opportunities. Jettisoning such


Reduced-form models of default that attribute a large fraction of credit spreads to compensation for credit event risk typically preclude the most plausible economic justification for such risk to be priced--namely, a ?contagious? response of the market portfolio during the credit event. When this channel is introduced within a general equilibrium framework for an economy comprised of a large number of firms, credit event risk premia have an upper bound of just a few basis points and are dwarfed by the contagion premium. We provide empirical evidence supporting the view that credit event risk premia are minuscule.


Two bongo zooplankton samplers are described and the methods of construction given. Each sampler consists of a pair of nets mounted so that the mouth openings of the rigid body sections are on either side and in front of the towing wire. The results of tests comparing the bongo samplers with a 1-m ring net and the Gulf III encased sampler indicate that the bongo samplers give a more representative sample of the ichthyoplankton community than either of the other two types. The results of testing the bongo samplers for filtration efficiency and the effects of different mouth areas, towing distances and towing speeds show that none of these factors had a significant effect upon the catch per volume of water filtered.


This thesis traces the development of British workers' theatre in the period 1925 - 1935, focussing on the institution which eventually constituted itself as the Workers' Theatre Movement, and relating the particular character of this organisation to the nature of British theatre as a whole. Whereas previous studies have ascribed the weakness of this movement, to its political immaturity, or to its failure to make use of highly developed literary forms, the failings of the Workers' Theatre Movement are here related to the division within British theatre between "legitimate" and "variety" forms. The leaders of the Workers' Theatre Movement rejected the styles and subjects of the contemporary West End stage, but found themselves in a problematic relationship to popular theatre or variety forms, which they could not associate with the serious messages which they were trying to deliver. For this reason they looked to the workers' theatres of other countries for a formula by which they could make political theatre, but failed to take advantage of truly popular forms which would be more accessible to British workers. In addition, the Workers' Theatre Movement received little support, whether material or ideological, from the British Communist Party, which had not developed any conception of the importance of cultural issues in its political struggle. However, despite these disadvantages, the Workers' Theatre Movement did manage to produce work of some lasting value, and can beseen to have influenced later positive developments in British theatre.


Abstract Glycogen storage is essential for exercise performance. The ability to assess muscle glycogen levels should be an important advantage for performance. However, skeletal muscle glycogen assessment has only been available and validated through muscle biopsy. We have developed a new methodology using high-frequency ultrasound to assess skeletal muscle glycogen content in a rapid, portable, and noninvasive way using MuscleSound (MuscleSound, LCC, Denver, CO) technology. Purpose: To validate the utilization of high-frequency musculoskeletal ultrasound for muscle glycogen assessment and correlate it with histochemical glycogen quantification through muscle biopsy. Methods: Twenty-two male competitive cyclists (categories: Pro, 1–4; average height, 183.7 ± 4.9 cm; average weight, 76.8 ± 7.8 kg) performed a steady-state test on a cyclergometer for 90 minutes at a moderate to high exercise intensity, eliciting a carbohydrate oxidation of 2–3 g·min-1 and a blood lactate concentration of 2 to 3 mM. Pre- and post-exercise glycogen content from rectus femoris muscle was measured using histochemical analysis through muscle biopsy and through high-frequency ultrasound scans using MuscleSound technology. Results: Correlations between muscle biopsy glycogen histochemical quantification (mmol·kg-1) and high-frequency ultrasound methodology through MuscleSound technology were r = 0.93 (P < 0.0001) pre-exercise and r = 0.94 (P < 0.0001) post-exercise. The correlation between muscle biopsy glycogen quantification and high-frequency ultrasound methodology for the change in glycogen from pre- and post-exercise was r = 0.81 (P < 0.0001). Conclusion: These results demonstrate that skeletal muscle glycogen can be measured quickly and noninvasively through high-frequency ultrasound using MuscleSound technology.


Abstract:In this article, I contextualise the emergence and describe the political processes of a grassroots mobilisation against the structural violence of neoliberalism in Mexico in order to suggest the necessity of re-thinking conjunctural analysis in a posthegemonic direction. The National Assembly of the Environmentally Affected (ANAA) is a nationwide network of Mexican communities and organisations that has operated since 2008. ANAA's most notorious achievement has been the opening of a Mexican chapter at the Permanent People's Tribunal, the final verdict of which established the legal responsibility of the Mexican State for structural violence against the Mexican people. My account of ANAA's intervention in the Mexican conjuncture recuperates Stuart Hall's emphasis on complexity and singularity by narrating, through multiple critical voices, the cultural and political conjuncture in which some of the most environmentally affected groups of the Mexican population have been able to organise and strike alliances with critical academic communities or socially concerned scientists. In terms of theoretical elaboration, I reflect on the limits of conjunctural analysis as a response to the deeper crisis of representation – what I call a 'disjuncture' – that concerns the scale of socioenvironmental violence in neoliberal Mexico. In order to think beyond issues of cultural representation, I propose to inform a situated practice of environmentally affected cultural studies with the posthegemonic turn in Latin American thinking of the political.


The baseline design of CLIC (Compact Linear Collider) uses X-band accelerating structures for its main linacs. In order to maintain beam stability in multibunch operation, long-range transverse wakefields must be suppressed by 2 orders of magnitude between successive bunches, which are separated in time by 0.5 ns. Such strong wakefield suppression is achieved by equipping every accelerating structure cell with four damping waveguides terminated with individual rf loads. A beam-based experiment to directly measure the effectiveness of this long-range transverse wakefield and benchmark simulations was made in the FACET test facility at SLAC using a prototype CLIC accelerating structure. The experiment showed good agreement with the simulations and a strong suppression of the wakefields with an unprecedented minimum resolution of 0.1 V/(pC mm m).


This paper studies electric vehicle (EV) adoption in Greater Stockholm in Sweden using the Transtheoretical Model of Change (TTM) and the Protection Motivation Theory as a framework and considers socio-cognitive, behavioural and socio-economic attributes that may influence the process towards electric vehicle use. TTM considers behavioural change as a process consisting of five stages-of-change rather than as an event. Some key findings were made: (1) from the earlier to the later stages-of-change, the attitude towards EVs becomes more positive, the knowledge about EVs increases and the self-efficacy is consistently increasing. (2) The threat appraisal and response efficacy of EVs increase from stage to stage in the stages prior to the actual change but have a lower level for the stages after the change. (3) The explanatory power of regression models modelling both pre-contemplation and all stages-of-change increases significantly when incorporating socio-cognitive variables such as self-efficacy, threat-appraisal, response efficacy and attitudes towards EVs. (4) The modal share of the car is consistently increasing throughout the stages-of-change. The results indicate that policy measures aiming at increasing knowledge and self-efficacy of car drivers related to EV use can stimulate electric vehicle adoption. Also, the relative advantages of EVs for car drivers should get more attention rather than only emphasizing the environmental advantages.


We present a theoretical study of photonic band structures of multilayer grating systems, in which the periodicity in one plane is provided by a grating and the periodicity perpendicular to the plane is obtained by multilayering repeat units. Our method is based on the Chandezon transformation technique together with a scattering matrix approach. It is numerically stable and computationally efficient. Calculations have been performed for several multilayer systems involving a monograting generating a solid with two-dimensional periodicity. Results are presented that show the effect of the amplitudes and the relative phase of the gratings on the subsequent optical band structure. It is found that when all interfaces have the same profile, there are no appreciable bandgaps in the direction of the grating. In contrast, if adjacent interfaces are out of phase, there are large bandgaps in all the directions in the two-dimensional plane containing the grating vector and the layer periodicity vector.


Understanding the role of subbaccalaureate programs in preparing students for the workforce has become increasingly important, particularly in quickly changing fields that require well-trained technical workers, such as information technology (IT). To better understand the role of community colleges in educating IT workers, we examined two key issues: (1) students' employment outcomes by the type of community college IT preparation they complete, and (2) the type of employers that tend to hire community college IT students. Specifically, we analyzed data on students who were enrolled in an IT program at any Washington State community and technical college during the 2000-01 academic year and who completed their program or left college by the spring of the 200405 academic year. We examined information on students' course-taking in college and their employment before, during, and after their college enrollment. Our investigation of employment outcomes by type of community college preparation suggests that employers prefer workers with higher-level credentials. Of the four groups we analyzed, students with both an associate degree and a certificate in IT had the strongest employment outcomes in terms of likelihood of employment, hours worked, and earnings. They were followed by students with an IT associate degree, and then by students with an IT certificate. Students who earned no credential but concentrated their study in IT by completing four or more courses had the weakest employment outcomes, underscoring the importance of completing full programs and earning a credential. Compared with workers overall, IT students were more likely to work for medium sized employers. They were also more likely to be employed in temporary services and educational services industries. Our findings highlight the importance of community college efforts to engage with the full range of local employers as well as the potential need for different engagement strategies, depending on the employer.


Part III of the study on mindfulness-based stress reduction (MBSR) describes qualitative data and discusses the implications of the findings. Study analysis revealed that nurses found MBSR helpful. Greater relaxation and self-care and improvement in work and family relationships were among reported benefits. Challenges included restlessness, physical pain, and dealing with difficult emotions.


Researchers at the University of Chicago's Institute for Molecular Engineering and the University of Konstanz have demonstrated the ability to generate a quantum logic operation, or rotation of the qubit, that surprisingly—is intrinsically resilient to noise as well as to variations in the strength or duration of the control. Their achievement is based on a geometric concept known as the Berry phase and is implemented through entirely optical means within a single electronic spin in diamond. [9]


Writing accurate numerical software is hard because of many sources of unavoidable uncertainties, including finite numerical precision of implementations. We present a programming model where the user writes a program in a real-valued implementation and specification language that explicitly includes different types of uncertainties. We then present a compilation algorithm that generates a finite-precision implementation that is guaranteed to meet the desired precision with respect to real numbers. Our compilation performs a number of verification steps for different candidate precisions. It generates verification conditions that treat all sources of uncertainties in a unified way and encode reasoning about finite-precision roundoff errors into reasoning about real numbers. Such verification conditions can be used as a standardized format for verifying the precision and the correctness of numerical programs. Due to their non-linear nature, precise reasoning about these verification conditions remains difficult and cannot be handled using state-of-the art SMT solvers alone. We therefore propose a new procedure that combines exact SMT solving over reals with approximate and sound affine and interval arithmetic. We show that this approach overcomes scalability limitations of SMT solvers while providing improved precision over affine and interval arithmetic. Our implementation gives promising results on several numerical models, including dynamical systems, transcendental functions, and controller implementations.


A systematic study on methane hydrate (MH) formation and dissociation was carried out in the presence of liquid hydrocarbon promoter molecules namely Tetrahydrofuran (THF), tert-Butylamine (t-BuNH2) and Trimethylamine (TMA). The observed methane gas consumption least (0.944g for t-BuNH2 and to 1.648g for pureMH) was consistent with the hydrate structure with two guest (CH4 & promoter) molecules. The kinetic promotion effect has been studied; methane hydrate formation rate wasmuch faster in case of THF (110minutes) than t-BuNH2 (300minutes) and the thermodynamic promoter effect on MH was maximum for THF andminimumfor t-BuNH2.


We report the case of a 33-year-old man with diplopia, sleepiness, and paresthesia of the left upper limb that were slowly progressive. On admission, he presented with restriction in the vertical movement of the eyes and abduction of the right eye, and horizontal and convergence nystagmus. Slight weakness of the left upper limb, bilateral Babinski sign, and truncal ataxia were also noted. Cerebral magnetic resonance imaging was performed, and gadolinium-enhanced T1-weighted imaging revealed a mass lesion that involved the diencephalon and the corpus callosum, which was invariably enhanced. Specimens obtained using a brain biopsy showed epithelioid granuloma with the presence of foreign body giant cells and lymphocytic infiltration. Prednisolone was administrated because we suspected neurosarcoidosis, but the clinical symptoms worsened with the enlargement of the lesion. A re-evaluation of the biopsy specimens using immunohistochemistry revealed tumor cells of germinoma that were scattered among the lymphocytes and positive for periodic acid-Schiff staining, placental alkaline phosphatase, and c-kit. A combination of chemotherapy and radiation resulted in clinical improvement and marked reduction of the mass lesion in size. We concluded that the possibility of germinoma should be considered in case granulomatous inflammation is observed in brain biopsy specimens.


Product development has both innovative and analytic sides. Starting from the requirements, a design suggestion is generated. In order to assess how well the envisioned design fulfils the requirements, it is sometimes necessary to build a computer model of it for the analysis. The overall motivation of the work presented is to reduce the time spent on creating the model by reusing knowledge gained from developing similar products by suggesting, building and evaluating IT-systems. To verify the systems real design examples, obtained from companies that have participated in the research projects have been used. The work is based on two major application examples. The first, involving the automated geometrical idealisation of die-cast parts (Paper I-III), and the second involving manufacturability of powder metallurgy pressed and sintered parts (Paper IV-VI). The work starts from the point in the product development process where it exists a design suggestion represented as an arbitrary format CAD-model. In the powder metallurgy case the object is to secure that the geometry is suitable for the production process. In the die-casting case the object is to automatically create an idealised version of the model for shell elements meshing. These two tasks have previously been treated as two separate cases, addressed by completely different software. This thesis suggests a common method for addressing the two cases. The method is based on converting the CAD-models, using the geometrical restrictions of the production processes, into a format with a specialised feature structure, parameterisation and construction history using a feature recognition approach. The features are then automatically reconstructed in a target CAD-system. The resulting, specialised CAD-model can be used for automated design and design evaluation purposes, demonstrated in the thesis. The models are therefore called DAR (Design Automation Ready)-models. The DAR-models are useful in that they separate the conversion from the subsequent treatment of the models providing modularisation, flexibility and user insight in the model structure. In that a construction history and parameterisation have be constructed in the target CAD-system, the advanced geometry manipulation and means for knowledge management often provided in modern CAD-systems can be accessed in a transparent and user manageable way. This extends the usefulness of the CAD-systems from involving only interactive work to managing all components sharing the same production process.


Mirroring the cross-national variation in how electricity became enmeshed in polities and societies around the world in the twentieth century, within British India, too, the emerging electric systems differed by fuel source, ownership, and usage. This heterogeneity was a product of decentralized authority over electricity to provincial governments and the ambiguous freedoms of indirect colonial rule. Rather than being governed according to any discrete logic of colonial governance, electric systems became terrains in which a variety of views about the proper role of the state in industrial transformation as well as the suitable means to promote economic development were elaborated. In turn the emergent electrical systems shaped both politics and governance in the late colonial period and left a strong imprint on politics after independence. If railroads and canals—the quintessential infrastructural technologies of the colonial state—revealed a uniform sense of the state as a particular kind of engine of "development," the far more messy political economy of electrification displayed a mixed understanding of both governance and the state's role in the economy.


In thinking about the government's proper role in promoting morals, it is helpful first to understand the nature of the disagreement. Part I of this Essay examines what is commonly meant by--as the great Lon Fuller described it--the "morality of law." (1) Following Professor Fuller's framework, this Essay distinguishes between two very different moralities of law: the "morality of duty" and the "morality of aspiration." (2) The morality of duty consists of the basic proscriptions--against murder or theft, for example--required by any governmental authority. (3) The morality of aspiration, however, is a different matter altogether. It comprises the rules associated with promoting virtue. (4) Part I concludes by recasting government's role in promoting virtue, in light of Professor Fuller's insight, as an attempt to promote a specific type of morality: the morality of aspiration. Part II explores the wisdom of giving the government the role of regulating the morality of aspiration by asking why there is an apparent inclination to legislate virtue. The Essay concludes that this inclination owes more to history than to nature and can be traced to the merger of the state and the church in Tudor England. "Aspirational morality" was once the exclusive province of the church, outside the jurisdiction of the state. King Henry VIII, however, saw this separation of church and state as onerous because the Church repeatedly exercised its freedom from his control by condemning his adultery as "immoral." (5) To correct this state of affairs and facilitate his own "affairs," King Henry commandeered the responsibilities of the Church and made morality the responsibility of the State. Finally, Part III suggests that it is a mistake to look to government for moral guidance, even in the rare case when a society can agree upon moral principles. There is no reason to assume that democratic governments are virtuous in theory, and there is good reason to believe that they fail to reflect popular concepts of virtue in practice. I. LON FULLER'S DICHOTOMY: THE MORALITY OF ASPIRATION VERSUS THE MORALITY OF DUTY Those who characterize law as a moral enterprise are undoubtedly correct. It is important, however, to determine at which level it is appropriate for morality to drive the law. Professor Lon Fuller distinguished between two different types of morality with which the law deals: the "morality of aspiration" and the "morality of duty." (6) The morality of aspiration is that conception of moral principles to which humans ought to aspire (7) It is "the good life" of virtue, to which Professor Barnett has referred. (8) It is the "higher" standard of morality, to which both churches and individuals hope to conform, and which people hope to impart to their children. The "morality of duty" is, on the other hand, that lower standard of morality and behavior by which a much greater part of society agrees it ought to be judged, measured, and even constrained. (9) These are the rules that all must be expected to obey: those certain, basic rules that must restrain those who have no desire to conform to the values shared by the rest of society. (10) The morality of duty is, in the nomenclature of Oliver Wendell Holmes, Jr., the morality for the "bad man." (11) All are constrained by a basic duty to respect the person and property of others. More concretely, laws regarding murder or theft can be thought to impose the morality of duty. Laws requiring church attendance or graduate level education are representative of laws imposing the morality of aspiration. All agree that government ought to curb murderous or larcenous behavior. Professor Fuller's morality of duty is not frequently at issue; disagreements usually center on the morality of aspiration. The real question is not whether the government has a role in prescribing morals, but which type of morality the government should prescribe. Professor Fuller's dichotomy focuses the debate on the wisdom of the government's imposition, through law, of the morality of aspiration. …


Abstract It is nearly 30 years since the first decisive evidence of microbial morphologies in carbonaceous chondrites was discovered and reported by Hans Dieter Pflug. In addition to morphology, other data, notably laser mass spectroscopy, served to confirm the identification of such structures as putative bacterial fossils. Recent examinations of cometary dust collected in the stratosphere and further studies of carbonaceous meteorites reaffirm the presence of putative microbial fossils. Since carbonaceous chondrites (particularly Type 1 chondrites) are thought to be extinct comets the data reviewed in this article provide strong support for theories of cometary panspermia.


Background Excess consumption of salt is linked to an increased risk of hypertension and cardiovascular disease. The United Kingdom has had a comprehensive salt reduction programme since 2003, setting a series of progressively lower, product-specific reformulation targets for the food industry, combined with advice to consumers to reduce salt. The aim of this study was to assess the changes in the sales-weighted mean salt content of grocery foods sold through retail between 2015 and 2020 by category and company. Methods and findings Information for products, including salt content (g/100 g), was collected online from retailer websites for 6 consecutive years (2015 to 2020) and was matched with brand-level retail sales data from Euromonitor for 395 brands. The sales-weighted mean salt content and total volume of salt sold were calculated by category and company. The mean salt content of included foods fell by 0.05 g/100 g, from 1.04 g/100 g in 2015 to 0.90 g/100 g in 2020, equivalent to −4.2% (p = 0.13). The categories with the highest salt content in 2020 were savoury snacks (1.6 g/100 g) and cheese (1.6 g/100 g), and the categories that saw the greatest reductions in mean salt content over time were breakfast cereals (−16.0%, p = 0.65); processed beans, potatoes, and vegetables (−10.6%, p = 0.11); and meat, seafood, and alternatives (−9.2%, p = 0.56). The total volume of salt sold fell from 2.41 g per person per day to 2.25 g per person per day, a reduction of 0.16 g or 6.7% (p = 0.54). The majority (63%) of this decrease was attributable to changes in mean salt content, with the remaining 37% accounted for by reductions in sales. Across the top 5 companies in each of 9 categories, the volume of salt sold decreased in 26 and increased in 19 cases. This study is limited by its exclusion of foods purchased out of the home, including at restaurants, cafes, and takeaways. It also does not include salt added at the table, or that naturally occurring in foods, meaning the findings underrepresent the population's total salt intake. The assumption was also made that the products matched with the sales data were entirely representative of the brand, which may not be the case if products are sold exclusively in convenience stores or markets, which are not included in this database. Conclusions There has been a small decline in the salt content of foods and total volume of salt sold between 2015 and 2020, but observed changes were not statistically significant so could be due to random variations over time. We suggest that mandatory reporting of salt sales by large food companies would increase the transparency of how individual businesses are progressing towards the salt reduction targets.


Ants have been reported as the direct or indirect cause for nest loss in a few bird species. Here we describe a possible instance affecting a Citril Finch Serinus citrinella nest in the Spanish Pre-Pyrenees. The nest was found on 18 may 2002, when building activity was detected. On 1 June, the female was observed with five eggs hatching, apparently normally. Two weeks later, or 14 June we tired to detect signs of parental behaviour, but did not manage to make contact with the birds at the nest site. During a nest control on 18 June we found it to contain only one egg, and to have been totally invaded by mountain ants Formica rufa. No dead chicks or broken eggs were found.


Background mental disorders (MD) (anxiety/depressive (ADD) and cognitive (CD)) occur in rheumatoid arthritis (RA) patients (pts) very often, they are usually stress-related and, probably, have common pathogenesis chains with RA. In this connection the disease-modifying anti-rheumatic drugs (DMARDs) and biologics drugs treatment may be effective in ADD in RA-pts. Objectives to determine the frequency of MD dynamics during DMARDs, biologics and antidepressants treatment of RA-pts in prospective 5yrs study. Methods 128 RA-pts were enrolled in this study. All of them met the full ACR criteria. 86% RA-pts were women with a mean age of 47,4±1,0 (M±m) yrs. RA activity was assessed by DAS28 and was high (5,25±0,17 (M±m)) in the beginning of the study. 67% RA-pts were taking prednisone (5±2,7 mg/day),80% RA-pts - DMARDs, 26% - biologics (rituximab – 11%, anti-TNF-α – 10%, anti-IL6 – 5%). MD were diagnosed by psychiatrist in accordance with the ICD-10 in semi-structured interview. The severity of depression and anxiety was evaluated by Montgomery–Asberg Depression Rating Scale (MADRS) and Hamilton Anxiety Rating Scale (HAM-A). CD were diagnosed with psychology and neuropsychology methods. ADD were diagnosed in 121 (94,5%) and CD – in 87 (67,9%) of RA-pts. Major depressive disorder (MDD) was found in 41 (32%), minor depressive disorder (MinDD) – in 50 (39%) and anxiety disorders (AD) – in 30 (23,4%) of RA-pts. The occurrences of MD were evaluated in one and five yrs in 105 from 121 (87%) RA-pts divided into the following treatment groups: 1 – DMARDS (n=32), 2 - DMARDs + antidepressants (sertraline or mianserine) (n=37), 3 – DMARDs + biologics (n=27), 4 - DMARDs + biologics + antidepressants (sertraline or mianserine) (n=9). Results Group 1: the frequency of MDD was increased from 24,6% to 34,8% in a year and to 42,8% in 5 yrs (p=0,09); MinDD – from 47,8% to 60,8% (p=0,19) and 50% in 5 yrs; the number of pts with AD decreased from 27,5% to 4,3% (p=0,014) and 4,8% (p=0,021) accordingly. The frequency of CD was increased from 64,3% to 78,3% (p=0,16) in 5 yrs. Group 2: the frequency of MDD was decreased from 47,4% to 15,7% (p=0,049) in a year and to disappearance of depressive symptoms (p<0,001) in 5 yrs; MinDD – from 26,3% to 15,8% and to disappearance (p<0,001) in 5 yrs; AD – from 26,3% to 10,5% and to disappearance (p<0,001) in 5 yrs. The frequency of CD was decreased from 78,9% to 60% (p=0,25). Group 3: the frequency of MDD was unchanged (40,7%, 45,4% and 42,8% accordingly); the frequency of MinDD was increased not significantly – 40,7%, 40,9% and 52,4%; but AD – was significantly decreased (from 18,5% - to disappearance in a year (p=0,042) and 5 yrs (p=0,047)). The frequency of CD was increased from 77,8% to 85%. Group 4: the frequency of MDD was decreased significantly from 66,7% to 16,7% in a year and to disappearance in 5 yrs (p=0,03); MinDD and AD were decreased from 16,7% both to disappearance. The occurrence of CD was decreased from 71,4% to 57,1%. Conclusions the results demonstrated the best positive dynamics of MD (ADD and CD) frequency in the groups of RA-pts receiving antidepressants treatment in combination with DMARDs and biologics. There was no positive dynamics of MD in patients group receiving DMARDs and mild positive dynamics of AD in the group receiving biologics. Disclosure of Interest None declared


The biogas produced at the Bucklin Point Wastewater Treatment Facility contained a high concentration of siloxane compounds. A manufacturer of personal care products was found to be the major source of the siloxanes. Much of the siloxane that the manufacturer discharged into the sewage collection system entered the anaerobic digestion system, where a portion was released into the biogas depending on the siloxane concentration and the amount of volatile solids that were digested. All of the siloxanes in the biogas likely oxidized to silica when the biogas was combusted, and a portion of the silica deposited in the boiler and impeded heat transfer efficiency by impacting the overall heat transfer coefficient. Siloxanes were condensed from the biogas at 34°F and the resulting concentrations were comparable to the concentrations predicted by theory.


The effect of co-adsorbed Cs and Cl on the selectivity of ethylene epoxidation was studied computationally on an Ag2O(0 0 1) surface model. Cl blocks the oxygen vacant sites and prevents oxometallacycle (OMC) formation, which is responsible for aldehyde formation on the oxide surface. Cl also prevents unfavorable surface reconstruction induced by co-adsorption of ethylene. It also has a positive effect on the stability of selective oxygen species when Cs co-exists. Introduction of Cs on the Ag2O(0 0 1) surface results in the formation of CsOx-type of complexes in the absence of Cl. Whereas oxygen atom adsorption energies are increased, Cs also introduces surface oxygen vacancies that reduce catalyst selectivity. Cs and Cl co-exist on the surface in the form of CsClxOy complexes. Under reaction conditions, these complexes stabilize the oxide surface and reduce oxygen surface vacancy formation, which results in higher ethylene oxide (EO) selectivity.


Considering the link between plasma high-density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol levels and a protective effect against coronary artery disease as well as the suggested beneficial effects of retinoids on the production of the major HDL apolipoprotein (apo), apo A-I, the goal of this study was to analyze the influence of retinoids on the expression of apo A-II, the other major HDL protein. Retinoic acid (RA) derivatives have a direct effect on hepatic apo A-II production, since all-trans (at) RA induces apo A-II mRNA levels and apo A-II secretion in primary cultures of human hepatocytes. In the HepG2 human hepatoblastoma cell line, both at-RA and 9-cis RA as well as the retinoid X receptor (RXR)-specific agonist LGD 1069, but not the RA receptor (RAR) agonist ethyl-p-[(E)-2-(5,6,7,8-tetrahydro-5,5,8,8-tetramethyl-2-naphthyl)-l-pro penyl]-benzoic acid (TTNPB), induce apo A-II mRNA levels. Transient-transfection experiments with a reporter construct driven by the human apo A-II gene promoter indicated that 9-cis RA and at-RA, as well as the RXR agonists LGD 1069 and LG 100268, induced apo A-II gene expression at the transcriptional level. Only minimal effects of the RAR agonist TTNPB were observed on the apo A-II promoter reporter construct. Unilateral deletions and site-directed mutagenesis identified the J site of the apo A-II promoter mediating the responsiveness to RA. This element contains two imperfect half-sites spaced by 1 oligonucleotide. Cotransfection assays in combination with the use of RXR or RAR agonists showed that RXR but not RAR transactivates the apo A-II promoter through this element. By contrast, RAR inhibits the inductive effects of RXR on the apo A-II J site in a dose-dependent fashion. Gel retardation assays demonstrated that RXR homodimers bind, although with a lower affinity than RAR-RXR heterodimers, to the AH-RXR response element. In conclusion, retinoids induce hepatic apo A-II production at the transcriptional level via the interaction of RXR with an element in the J site containing two imperfect half-sites spaced by 1 oligonucleotide, thereby demonstrating an important role of RXR in controlling human lipoprotein metabolism. Since the J site also confers responsiveness of the apo A-II gene to fibrates and fatty acids via the activation of peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor-RXR heterodimers, this site can be considered a plurimetabolic response element.


This study was established to quantify the uptake of 15N-labelled nitrogen (urea) applied in the first and second years of perennial ryegrass (Lolium perenne L.), tall fescue (Festuca arundinacea Schreb.) and browntop (Agrostis capillaris L.) seed crops, and the availability of the residual fertilizer N to a subsequent wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) crop under field conditions in Canterbury, New Zealand. Total recovery of 15N-labelled nitrogen fertilizer was approximately 100% when fertilizer was applied to the grass seed crops in spring. At harvest in year 1, grass straw and seed contained 34–47% and 6–15% of the applied N respectively; 27–35% remained in the soil (0–150 mm depth). Recovery of 15N in straw and soil was higher in fescue and ryegrass than in browntop, but recovery in roots was lower. At harvest in year 2, most of the 15N was present in the soil (30–37%) with only small amounts in the seed (0·7–1·0%), straw (3·6–4·9%) and roots (5·2–12·7%). In year 3, 2·5–3·5% of the residual 15N was recovered in the wheat and 18–26% in soil. Losses of 15N were minimal until ploughing after the second harvest, when there was an apparent loss of 11–35% of the fertilizer N applied. Losses were not directly associated with the fertilizer but indirectly following release of fertilizer N previously immobilized in plant roots and soil microorganisms. Small losses also occurred directly from autumn-applied N, probably through leaching. Despite these losses, overall there was an accumulation of fertilizer N in the soil organic pool, suggesting that ryegrass fescue and browntop seed crops have a role in contributing to the N fertility of the soil.


Data relaying process through internet has become more faster which makes it easier to send the data precisely to the destination. Security and transmission time are the most important factors of data transmission. The proposed system improves these factors using the concepts of cryptography and steganography. In this paper, the data hiding technique is implemented in encryption-decryption domain, by joining the concepts of steganography and public key cryptography using the sequence encryption-compression then decompression-decryption. The proposed system uses the mediated certificate less encryption (mCL-PKE) scheme which is combined with the data hiding scheme for providing more confidentiality in public key cryptography. The main idea is to implement the separable reversible data hiding scheme into the mCL-PKE scheme where the cover media decryption and hidden data freeing are separated based on the availability of keys. Among the various steganographic algorithms like Least Significant Bit (LSB) algorithm, Jsteg and F5 algorithms, the proposed system uses F5 algorithm which possess the matrix encoding technique that provides high steganographic capacity and can also prevent visual and statistical attacks.


The early detection of poststroke dementia (PSD) is important for medical practitioners to customize patient treatment programs based on cognitive consequences and disease severity progression. The aim is to diagnose and detect brain degenerative disorders as early as possible to help stroke survivors obtain early treatment benefits before significant mental impairment occurs. Neuropsychological assessments are widely used to assess cognitive decline following a stroke diagnosis. This study reviews the function of the available neuropsychological assessments in the early detection of PSD, particularly vascular dementia (VaD). The review starts from cognitive impairment and dementia prevalence, followed by PSD types and the cognitive spectrum. Finally, the most usable neuropsychological assessments to detect VaD were identified. This study was performed through a PubMed and ScienceDirect database search spanning the last 10 years with the following keywords: "post-stroke"; "dementia"; "neuro-psychological"; and "assessments". This study focuses on assessing VaD patients on the basis of their stroke risk factors and cognitive function within the first 3 months after stroke onset. The search strategy yielded 535 articles. After application of inclusion and exclusion criteria, only five articles were considered. A manual search was performed and yielded 14 articles. Twelve articles were included in the study design and seven articles were associated with early dementia detection. This review may provide a means to identify the role of neuropsychological assessments as early PSD detection tests.


Editors's Preface. Foreword (Henning Hopf). Foreword (Paul T. Anastas). List of Contributors. Volume 1. Part I Background and Outline - Principles and Fundamentals. 1 Biorefinery Systems - An Overview (Birgit Kamm, Michael Kamm, Patrick R. Gruber, and Stefan Kromus). 1.1 Introduction. 1.2 Historical Outline 1.3 Situation. 1.4 Principles of Biorefineries. 1.5 Biorefinery Systems and Design. 1.6 Outlook and Perspectives. References. 2 Biomass Refining Global Impact - The Biobased Economy of the 21st Century (Bruce E. Dale and Seungdo Kim). 2.1 Introduction. 2.2 Historical Outline. 2.3 Supplying the Biorefinery. 2.4 How Will Biorefineries Develop Technologically? 2.5 Sustainability of Integrated Biorefining Systems. 2.6 Conclusions. Acknowledgements. References. 3 Development of Biorefineries - Technical and Economic Considerations (Bill Dean, Tim Dodge, Fernando Valle, and Gopal Chotani). 3.1 Introduction. 3.2 Overview: The Biorefinery Model. 3.3 Feedstock and Conversion to Fermentable Sugar. 3.4 Technical Challenges. 3.5 Conclusions. Acknowledgments. References. 4 Biorefineries for the Chemical Industry - A Dutch Point of View (Ed de Jong, Rene van Ree Rea, Robert van Tuil, and Wolter Elbersen). 4.1 Introduction. 4.2 Historical Outline - The Chemical Industry: Current Situation and Perspectives. 4.3 Biomass: Technology and Sustainability. 4.4 The Chemical Industry: Biomass Opportunities - Biorefineries. 4.5 Conclusions, Outlook, and Perspectives. References. Part II Biorefinery Systems. Lignocellulose Feedstock Biorefinery. 5 The Lignocellulosic Biorefinery - A Strategy for Returning to a Sustainable Source of Fuels and Industrial Organic Chemicals (L. Davis Clements and Donald L. Van Dyne). 5.1 The Situation. 5.2 The Strategy. 5.3 Comparison of Petroleum and Biomass Chemistry. 5.4 The Chemistry of the Lignocellulosic Biorefinery. 5.5 Examples of Integrated Biorefinery Applications. 5.6 Summary. References. 6 Lignocellulosic Feedstock Biorefinery: History and Plant Development for Biomass Hydrolysis (Raphael Katzen and Daniel J. Schell). 6.1 Introduction. 6.2 Hydrolysis of Biomass Materials. 6.3 Acid Hydrolysis Processes. 6.4 Enzymatic Hydrolysis Process. 6.5 Conclusion. References. 7 The Biofine Process - Production of Levulinic Acid, Furfural, and Formic Acid from Lignocellulosic Feedstocks (Daniel J. Hayes, Steve Fitzpatrick, Michael H.B. Hayes, and Julian R.H. Ross). 7.1 Introduction. 7.2 Lignocellulosic Fractionation. 7.3 The Biofine Process. 7.4 Conclusion. References. Whole Crop Biorefinery. 8 A Whole Crop Biorefinery System: A Closed System for the Manufacture of Non-food Products from Cereals (Apostolis A. Koutinas, Rouhang Wang, Grant M. Campbell, and Colin Webb). 8.1 Intro. 8.2 Biorefineries Based on Wheat. 8.3 A Biorefinery Based on Oats. 8.4 Summary. References. Fuel-oriented Biorefineries. 9 Iogen's Demonstration Process for Producing Ethanol from Cellulosic Biomass (Jeffrey S. Tolan). 9.1 Introduction. 9.2 Process Overview. 9.3 Feedstock Selection. 9.4 Pretreatment. 9.5 Cellulase Enzyme Production. 9.6 Cellulose Hydrolysis. 9.7 Lignin Processing. 9.8 Sugar Fermentation and Ethanol Recovery. References. 10 Sugar-based Biorefinery - Technology for Integrated Production of Poly(3-hydroxybutyrate), Sugar, and Ethanol (Carlos Eduardo Vaz Rossell, Paulo E. Mantelatto, Jose A.M. Agnelli, and Jefter Nascimento). 10.1 Introduction. 10.2 Sugar Cane Agro Industry in Brazil - Historical Outline. 10.3 Biodegradable Plastics from Sugar Cane. 10.4 Poly(3-Hydroxybutyric Acid) Production Process. 10.5 Outlook and Perspectives. References. Biorefineries Based on Thermochemical Processing. 11 Biomass Refineries Based on Hybrid Thermochemical-Biological Processing - An Overview (Robert C. Brown). 11.1 Introduction. 11.2 Historical Outline. 11.3 Gasification-Based Systems. 11.4 Fast Pyrolysis-based Systems. 11.5 Outlook and Perspectives. References. Green Biorefineries. 12 The Green Biorefiner Concept - Fundamentals and Potential (Stefan Kromus, Birgit Kamm, Michael Kamm, Paul Fowler, and Michael Narodoslawsky). 12.1 Introduction. 12.2 Historical Outline. 12.3 Green Biorefinery Raw Materials. 12.4 Green Biorefinery Concept. 12.5 Processes and Products. 12.6 Green Biorefinery - Economic and Ecological Aspects. 12.7 Outlook and Perspectives. Acknowledgment. References. 13 Plant Juice in the Biorefinery - Use of Plant Juice as Fermentation Medium (Margrethe Andersen, Pauli Kiel, and Mette Hedegaard Thomsen). 13.1 Introduction. 13.2 Historical Outline. 13.3 Biobased Poly(lactic Acid). 13.4 Materials and Methods. 13.5 Brown Juice. 13.6 Potato Juice. 13.7 Carbohydrate Source. 13.8 Purification of Lactic Acid. 13.9 Conclusion and Outlook. Acknowledgments. References. Part III Biomass Production and Primary Biorefineries. 14 Biomass Commercialization and Agriculture Residue Collection (James Hettenhaus). 14.1 Introduction. 14.2 Historical Outline. 14.3 Biomass Value. 14.4 Sustainable Removal. 14.5 Innovative Methods for Collection, Storage and Transport. 14.6 Establishing Feedstock Supply. 14.7 Perspectives and Outlook. References. 15 The Corn Wet Milling and Corn Dry Milling Industry - A Base for Biorefinery Technology Developments (Donald L. Johnson). 15.1 Introduction. 15.2 The Corn Refinery. 15.3 The Modern Corn Refinery. 15.4 Carbohydrate Refining. 15.5 Outlook and Perspectives. References. Part IV Biomass Conversion: Processes and Technologies. 16 Enzymes for Biorefineries (Sarah A. Teter, Feng Xu, Glenn E. Nedwin, and Joel R. Cherry). 16.1 Introduction. 16.2 Biomass as a Substrate. 16.3 Enzymes Involved in Biomass Biodegradation. 16.4 Cellulase Development for Biomass Conversion. 16.5 Expression of Cellulases. 16.6 Range of Biobased Products. 16.7 Biorefineries: Outlook and Perspectives. References. 17 Biocatalytic and Catalytic Routes for the Production of Bulk and Fine Chemicals from Renewable Resources (Thomas Willke, Ulf Pruse, and Klaus-Dieter Vorlop). 17.1 Introduction. 17.2 Historical Outline. 17.3 Processes. References. Subjcet Index. Volume 2. Part I Biobased Product Family Trees. Carbohydrate-based Product Lines. 1 The Key Sugars of Biomass: Availability, Present Non-Food Uses and Potential Future Development Lines (Frieder W. Lichtenthaler). 2 Industrial Starch Platform - Status quo of Production, Modification and Application (Dietmar R. Grull, Franz Jetzinger, Martin Kozich, Marnik M. Wastyn, and Robert Wittenberger). 3 Lignocellulose-based Chemical Products and Product Family Trees (Birgit Kamm, Michael Kamm, Matthias Schmidt, Thomas Hirth, and Margit Schulze). Lignin Line and Lignin-based Product Family Trees. 4 Lignin Chemistry and its Role in Biomass Conversion (Gosta Brunow). 5 Industrial Lignin Production and Applications (E. Kendall Pye). Protein Line and Amino Acid-based Product Family Trees. 6 Towards Integration of Biorefinery and Microbial Amino Acid Production (Achim Marx, Volker F. Wendisch, Ralf Kelle, and Stefan Buchholz). 7 Protein-based Polymers: Mechanistic Foundations for Bioproduction and Engineering (Dan W. Urry). Biobased Fats (Lipids) and Oils. 8 New Syntheses with Oils and Fats as Renewable Raw Materials for the Chemical Industry (Ursula Biermann, Wolfgang Friedt, Siegmund Lang, Wilfried Luhs, Guido Machmuller, Jurgen O. Metzger, Mark Rusch gen. Klaas, Hans J. Schafer, Manfred P. Schneider). 9 Industrial Development and Application of Biobased Oleochemicals (Karlheinz Hill). Special Ingredients and Subsequent Products. 10 Phytochemicals, Dyes, and Pigments in the Biorefinery Context (George A. Kraus). 11 Adding Color to Green Chemistry? An Overview of the Fundamentals and Potential of Chlorophylls (Mathias O. Senge and Julia Richter). Part II Biobased Industrial Products, Materials and Consumer Products. 12 Industrial Chemicals from Biomass - Industrial Concepts (Johan Thoen and Rainer Busch). 13 Succinic Acid - A Model Building Block for Chemical Production from Renewable Resources (Todd Werpy, John Frye, and John Holladay). 14 Polylactic Acid from Renewable Resources (Patrick Gruber, David E. Henton, and Jack Starr). 15 Biobased Consumer Products for Cosmetics (Thomas C. Kripp). Part III Biobased Industry: Economy, Commercialization and Sustainability. 16 Industrial Biotech - Setting Conditions to Capitalize on the Economic Potential (Rolf Bachmann and Jens Riese). Subject Index.


Low spatial frequencies of atmospheric turbulence are especially troublesome to astronomers because the phase distortions that these frequencies cause have a large amplitude. We have begun experiments at the Multiple Mirror Telescope to remove these errors with tip, tilt, and piston control of pieces of the wave front that are defined by the telescope's six 1.8-m primary mirrors. We present long-exposure images that were recorded at the telescope with a resolution of as high as 0.08 arcsec under piston control, and 0.32 arcsec under tilt control, by use of an adaptive instrument designed to restore diffraction-limited imaging in the near infrared. Of particular importance for high-resolution imaging is the control of the piston or the mean phase errors between the segments. These errors can be calculated from the Fourier transform of the short-exposure combined-focus image, but the accuracy of the reconstructed wave front depends critically on the signal-to-noise ratio of the data. We present a theoretical analysis of the effects of photon and detector read noise on the derived piston errors and computer simulations of wave-front reconstructor algorithms. We find that a Wiener filter combined with nonlinear weighting of the piston errors minimizes the impact of noise. Finally, we summarize expected improvements to our system and discuss the application of these techniques to forthcoming large telescopes.


The purpose of this study was to examine principal evaluation systems available in Newfoundland and Labrador and make proposals for future development in this area. More specifically, this study attempted to answer the following questions: -- 1. How many school boards in the Province have developed formal systems for the evaluation of principals? -- 2. What are the major characteristics of these systems, in accordance with the following elements: -- Purposes; Criteria; Procedures; including evaluators, instruments, and processes used. -- 3. What differences exist among school boards with respect to their systems for the formal evaluation of principals? -- 4. What are the perceptions of superintendents, assistant superintendents, principals, and vice-principals in a sample of school districts regarding current programs and how they can be approved? -- 5. What use is made of evaluation results in these selected districts? -- 6. What procedures were used by personnel in these districts in developing their evaluation systems? -- 7. What suggestions should be made for future developments in the area of principal evaluation in Newfoundland and Labrador? -- The Lawton Systems Model for Evaluation provided the theoretical framework used to examine the questions pertaining to the principal evaluation systems available in Newfoundland and Labrador. -- Data for the study were obtained from three sources: school board documentation outlining purposes, criteria, and procedures used in the evaluation of principals; interviews conducted with superintendents, assistant superintendents, and principals; and from questionnaires. The sample for the questionnaire component of the study included all superintendents, assistant superintendents, principals and vice-principals in eight randomly-chosen school boards. These eight boards were selected from a total of 19 boards reporting possession of principal evaluation systems. The collection of questionnaire data occurred during the Spring of 1983, with an overall return rate of 87.5 percent. Documentary analysis was used to describe those evaluation systems already in existence, with frequencies and comparison of means being used to analyze the questionnaire data. -- The results of the study led to the following major conclusions: -- 1. Current practices in principal evaluation throughout the Province are generally the same. -- 2. The prime purpose for evaluation is the improvement of performance or instruction. -- 3. While current practices are generally the same, it is difficult to produce a list of criteria that would be common to all school districts. The criteria included in a principal evaluation system are determined somewhat by local conditions and requirements. -- 4. With reference to procedures for evaluation there was strongest support for the involvement of principals themselves as evaluators. All respondent groups preferred general school evaluation as a process and the conference technique as an instrument for evaluation. -- 5. The committee approach was recommended as the procedure that should be used to develop an evaluation system.


Twenty four Borana bulls (average weight 218 ± 6.3 kg) were randomly assigned to 4 finishing diets to study the effects of basal diets on carcass composition. Diets were: R1 (teff straw 30%, local hay 10%, haricot bean straw 10%, molasses 20%, corn grain 20% and haricot bean grain 10%), R2 (teff straw 10%, haricot bean straw 20%, maize stover 10%, molasses 15%, corn grain 25%, noug cake 10% and linseed cake 10%), R3 (teff straw 10%, local hay 20%, molasses 25%, wheat bran 15% and wheat middling 30%) and R4 (teff straw 20%, molasses 30%, wheat bran 20% and wheat middling 30%). Animals were individually fed for 90 days at the recommended level of 3% of body weight. Results showed that, compared to other diets, R1 resulted in a significantly lower hot carcass weight (98.2 ± 18.4, vs 146.8 ± 6.7, 135.2 ± 8.1 and 135.2 ± 3.2, for R2, R3 and R4, respectively). Similar trends were observed for kidney fat, hump, scrotal fat weights and rib eye area. There was no significant difference in heart and omental and mesenteric fat weights, and back fat thickness among rations. However, R2 resulted in the highest weights. Although slight variations were observed in bone, fat and lean meat weight for different primal cuts, the difference among rations was not significant except for loin muscle, rack muscle and breast and shank muscle weights. R1 significantly (P<0.05) differed from other groups. R2 resulted in primal cuts with higher values. It was followed by R4, R3. R1 had the lowest values. Total feed cost did not differ among rations. However, it was highest for R2 and lowest for R3. R4 and R1 fall somewhere in between. Therefore, Borana bulls can be finished on any of the R2, R3 and R4 rations wherever they are available. Alternatively, R1 can be used anywhere else where other rations are scarce. Further studies are required on the effects of age and feeding duration on carcass characteristics of Borana bulls.


The recent development of large-scale multimedia concept ontologies has provided a new momentum for research in the semantic analysis of multimedia repositories. Different methods for generic concept detection have been extensively studied, but the question of how to exploit the structure of a multimedia ontology and existing inter-concept relations has not received similar attention. In this paper, we present a clustering-based method for modeling semantic concepts on low-level feature spaces and study the evaluation of the quality of such models with entropy-based methods. We cover a variety of methods for assessing the similarity of different concepts in a multimedia ontology. We study three ontologies and apply the proposed techniques in experiments involving the visual and semantic similarities, manual annotation of video, and concept detection. The results show that modeling inter-concept relations can provide a promising resource for many different application areas in semantic multimedia processing.


Climate change is an unavoidable threat with potentially irreversible effects. In the current economic context, globalization significantly increases the unbalanced use of finite, non-renewable sources of energy. This study aims to describe the main characteristics of sustainable companies, based on ideals and values that are committed to the development of the planet, consuming fewer resources than those that they create. Sustainable companies are based on fundamental principles such as the environment (renewable energy resources, sustainable development, preservation of the environment, responsible energy use, minimization of emissions, eco-efficiency, and the circular economy) and mobility (collective public transport, electric vehicles, clean non-motorized mobility systems). In light of this situation, a number of improvement actions have been proposed aimed at sustainable business development (smart environmental sensor networks, energy efficiency, integrated water cycle management, efficient lighting, smart metering, smart irrigation, environmental protection, smart waste management, smart public transport, monitoring of tolls and access to restricted areas, traffic management, fleet management, smart parking, and electric vehicles). Following a theoretical review of the main related studies, it is concluded that there are gaps in information and research related to climate change. At the same time, a further conclusion is that the instruments currently used to mitigate its effects are insufficient and inadequate. Greater indexes of governance and transnational strategy are urgently needed. Finally, there is also a need for sustainable companies that combine business development with the environment and the protection of the planet.


This article explores the information effect of financial risk management. Financial hedging improves the informativeness of corporate earnings as a signal of management ability and project quality by eliminating extraneous noise. Managerial and shareholder incentives regarding information transmission may differ, however, leading to conflicts regarding an optimal hedging policy. We show that these incentives depend on the accounting information made available by the firm. Under some circumstances, if hedge transactions are not disclosed (i.e., firms report only aggregate earnings), managers hedge to achieve greater risk reduction than they would if full disclosure were required. In these cases, it is optimal for shareholders to request only aggregate accounting reports. Article published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the Society for Financial Studies in its journal, The Review of Financial Studies.


This paper presents an examination of ways in which risk is deployed to govern the gambling market. Drawing on Michel Foucault's concept of governmentality, it seeks to explore how the dominant socio-political discourse of neoliberalism as well as the perception of risk as a rationality and technology of government inform the ways in which the gambling industry and its associated risks are increasingly governed through the individual gambler, rather than through state-enforced mechanisms. Besides confirming Foucault's observations that the practice of government occurs at numerous levels and is delegated to various (non-state) actors, the growing reliance on individuals as a form of governance in the gambling industry also showcases the gradually changing relationship between the individual and the state. A relationship once characterised by the omnipresence of a paternalistic and assertive state becomes a relationship of cooperation and mutual reliance for the purposes of promoting both governance efficiency in an increasingly diverse and complex gambling market as well as the welfare for individual gamblers.


Maximum energy assimilation rate has been implicated as a constraint on maximal sustained energy expenditure, on biomass production, and in various behavioural and life history models. Data on the upper limit to energy assimilation rate are scarce, and the factors that set the limit remain poorly known. We studied migratory waders in captivity, given unlimited food supply around the clock. Many of these waders assimilated energy at rates of seven to ten times basal metabolism, exceeding maximum rates reported for vertebrates during periods of high energy demand, for example during reproduction and in extreme cold. One factor allowing the high energy assimilation rates may be that much of the assimilated energy is stored and not concomitantly expended by muscles or other organs. The remarkable digestive capacity in waders is probably an adaptation to long and rapid migrations, putting a premium on high energy deposition rates. The upper limit to daily energy assimilation in vertebrates is clearly higher than hitherto believed, and food availability, total daily feeding time and, possibly, the fate of assimilated energy may be important factors to take into account when estimating limits to energy budgets in animals.


Rural communities in India are often underserved by the mainstream media. While there is a public discourse surrounding the issues they face, this dialogue typically takes place on television, in newspaper editorials, and on the Internet. Unfortunately, participation in such forums is limited to the most privileged members of society, excluding those individuals who have the largest stake in the conversation. This paper examines an effort to foster a more inclusive dialogue by means of a simple technology: an interactive voice forum. Called CGNet Swara, the system enables callers to record messages of local interest, and listen to messages that others have recorded. Messages are also posted on the Internet, as a supplement to an existing discussion forum. In the first 21 months of its deployment in India, CGNet Swara has logged over 70,000 phone calls and released 1,100 messages. To understand the emergent practices surrounding this system, we conduct interviews with 42 diverse stakeholders, including callers, bureaucrats, and members of the media. Our analysis contributes to the understanding of voice-based media as a vehicle for social inclusion in remote and underprivileged populations.


In this paper, we modeled several types of housing transitions of the elderly in two countries -- Britain and the United States. One important form of these transitions involves downsizing of housing consumption, the importance of which among older households is still debated. This downsizing takes multiple forms, including reductions in the number of rooms per dwelling and the value of the home. There is also evidence that this downsizing is greater when house price volatility is greater and that American households try to escape housing price volatility by moving to places that are experience significantly less housing price volatility. Our comparative evidence in suggests that there is less evidence of downsizing in Britain. Our results indicate that housing consumption appears to decline with age in the US, even after controlling for the other demographic and work transitions associated with age that would normally produce such a decline. No such fall in housing consumption is found in Britain, largely because British households are much more likely to stay in their original residence.


The identification of populations and spatial genetic patterns is important for ecological and conservation research, and spatially explicit individual-based methods have been recognised as powerful tools in this context. Mammalian carnivores are intrinsically vulnerable to habitat fragmentation but not much is known about the genetic consequences of fragmentation in common species. Stone martens (Martes foina) and red foxes (Vulpes vulpes) share a widespread Palearctic distribution and are considered habitat generalists, but in the Iberian Peninsula stone martens tend to occur in higher quality habitats. We compared their genetic structure in Portugal to see if they are consistent with their differences in ecological plasticity, and also to illustrate an approach to explicitly delineate the spatial boundaries of consistently identified genetic units. We analysed microsatellite data using spatial Bayesian clustering methods (implemented in the software BAPS, GENELAND and TESS), a progressive partitioning approach and a multivariate technique (Spatial Principal Components Analysis-sPCA). Three consensus Bayesian clusters were identified for the stone marten. No consensus was achieved for the red fox, but one cluster was the most probable clustering solution. Progressive partitioning and sPCA suggested additional clusters in the stone marten but they were not consistent among methods and were geographically incoherent. The contrasting results between the two species are consistent with the literature reporting stricter ecological requirements of the stone marten in the Iberian Peninsula. The observed genetic structure in the stone marten may have been influenced by landscape features, particularly rivers, and fragmentation. We suggest that an approach based on a consensus clustering solution of multiple different algorithms may provide an objective and effective means to delineate potential boundaries of inferred subpopulations. sPCA and progressive partitioning offer further verification of possible population structure and may be useful for revealing cryptic spatial genetic patterns worth further investigation.


A broad-band digital filtering approach for the simulation of pulse propagation in the optical fiber has been developed. Unlike the most popular frequency-domain split-step method, the pulse propagation is realized by letting the signal samples pass through a preextracted digital filter where the convolution is simply made by a series of operations that consist of shift and multiplication only. It also differs from the existing time-domain split-step method in a sense that the digital filter is extracted to match the frequency-domain fiber linear transfer function in the full bandwidth range rather than in a reduced portion. This approach is verified through comparisons made with the conventional frequency-domain split-step method and is applied to the simulation of multiple-channel narrow-pulse propagation over the long-haul fiber. The main advantage brought by this approach lies in that the simulator is fully realized in a "data-flow" fashion; that is, the signal (long sample stream) is treated sample by sample, rather than block (a collection of neighboring samples) by block. Matching the fiber frequency-domain response over the full bandwidth does not require any further reduction on the propagation step since the error can be controlled through the filter length. The authors' preliminary effort on the filter length reduction on a given error reveals that a savings on both memory and computation time is also achievable in comparison with the frequency-domain split-step method.