It isn't easy to find something to say about Thomas Wolfe that hasn't been said many times by many people. What I have to offer will seem little more than a reminiscence--nothing to do with those who played a really great part in his life, but showing a tender side seldom noticed except obscurely--obscurely because in reading any one of his books, unexpectedly, we find a phrase, a line almost hidden in the uproar, making us know that, beneath the mighty rhetoric, there was compassion--pity for all things small and unsheltered and unhappy--and other things, too--contempt, with ridicule, for what was mannered and pretentious--for what he called the Hudson River aristocrats and when he was the guest of one of them--and driving out one day his host asked him to put on his coat because they were about to pass the home of his grandfather. This is in one of his books. I laughed at his stories and he laughed at mine--careless, silly things like my experience at Wanamaker's, with my goal a high place in the decorating department--which was a long time coming--and what I started out with--and glad to get--a saleslady job, checking in at the basement entrance, calling my number, then upstairs to the department where I joined my fellow workers in the song--"Brighten the Corner Where You Are"--the day's inspiration--Tom was fascinated with the blow-byblow descriptions of daily events--"How went the emporium today?" he'd ask--and I still remember some of the stories--the neat little cleaning woman whose shawl was kept together by a safety pin she swore had fastened her diapers when she was a baby. And one day when she appeared with a bound-up finger I said, "Oh, Mrs. Mullins, did you hurt yourself?"--and with dropped eyes and coy gestures she said, "No, but my boy friend give me a manicure last night and he hurt my critical something terrible." There were many more but that was Tom's favorite. Often he was full of laughter. But sometimes, after a long silence, he'd bring out a wrinkled scrap of paper, read it aloud, ask for comment and before I could say one word, put it back in his pocket and begin talking. How he could talk!--of life and death and time--the bitter briefness of man's days. Obsessed with the pattern of these things, they were the essence of his being. And there was always fear--fear that time would run out before he could say--write--shout all the things that stormed inside him--maybe a force that, indirectly, drove him brutally to his own death, predicted in the last words of his last book--"You Can't Go Home Again"--in a letter to one who had been his friend-Maxwell Perkins. (Read this from book--) 2 Peace was not a part of his design. There was blazing conflict, silence, pathos--but never peace. His was a search for what he never found. I like to believe that, sometimes, he may have come near to it in my scrubby little back-yard garden--an escape from the lion hunters, he called it, where he'd turn the hose on thirsty plants, and gay neighbors would lean from their windows to lift their glasses to ours. Then serious again, he'd torment himself, blasting at the critics--his sensitivity of such destructive force--destructive to himself--that many people close to the situation felt it was the major cause of his break with Maxwell Perkins and Scribner's. …


Everyday Movements of Errantry examines Edouard Glissant's theory of errantry, defined as sacred wanderings which result in the development of relational identities, as a means of diminishing Othering practices that occur across various aspects of identity. Though scholars of Caribbean literature have long examined errantry in spatial practices, such as migration, exile, and displacement, my approach focuses on errantry perceived in embodied, everyday movements in the texts Midnight Robber by Nalo Hopkinson, A House for Mr. Biswas by V. S. Naipaul, The Dragon Can't Dance by Earl Lovelace and Opal Palmer Adisa's It Begins with Tears. Each text provides a different view of power relations, whether in power, subjugated, or fluctuating, which informs a character's use of Othering practices. I analyze these texts' micro-narratives to uncover everyday movements of errantry, which, I argue, inform characters' identity constructions as members of various racial, classed, gendered, and sexual groups. I contend that as characters' micro-movements bring them into contact with their Other, practices of Othering diminish as a character's errantry increases. With the diminishment of Othering practices, characters develop relational identities, which are pluralistic in nature. I argue that these small-scale embodied movements of errantry operate to perform and to secure pluralistic identities for Caribbean subjects, influenced by both their root cultures and new interrelations with Others.


Significance In the midst of rapid globalization, the peaceful coexistence of cultures requires a deeper understanding of the forces that compel prosocial behavior and thwart xenophobia. Yet, the conditions promoting such outgroup-directed altruism have not been determined. Here we report the results of a double-blind, placebo-controlled experiment showing that enhanced activity of the oxytocin system paired with charitable social cues can help counter the effects of xenophobia by fostering altruism toward refugees. These findings suggest that the combination of oxytocin and peer-derived altruistic norms reduces outgroup rejection even in the most selfish and xenophobic individuals, and thereby would be expected to increase the ease by which people adapt to rapidly changing social ecosystems. Never before have individuals had to adapt to social environments defined by such magnitudes of ethnic diversity and cultural differentiation. However, neurobiological evidence informing about strategies to reduce xenophobic sentiment and foster altruistic cooperation with outsiders is scarce. In a series of experiments settled in the context of the current refugee crisis, we tested the propensity of 183 Caucasian participants to make donations to people in need, half of whom were refugees (outgroup) and half of whom were natives (ingroup). Participants scoring low on xenophobic attitudes exhibited an altruistic preference for the outgroup, which further increased after nasal delivery of the neuropeptide oxytocin. In contrast, participants with higher levels of xenophobia generally failed to exhibit enhanced altruism toward the outgroup. This tendency was only countered by pairing oxytocin with peer-derived altruistic norms, resulting in a 74% increase in refugee-directed donations. Collectively, these findings reveal the underlying sociobiological conditions associated with outgroup-directed altruism by showing that charitable social cues co-occurring with enhanced activity of the oxytocin system reduce the effects of xenophobia by facilitating prosocial behavior toward refugees.


The main aim of the study was to evaluate the ability of TRUS to monitore hysteroscopic electroresection o submucous myomas. Of the 120 women with G0, G1 I G2 submucous myomas (by ESH) and intramural myomas enrolled in the study, 58 women underwent hysteroscopic myomectomy accompanied by intraoperative transrectal ultrasonography (the study group), whereas in 62 women the hysteroscopic myomectomy was carried out without additional methods of visualization (the control group). In both groups parameters describing the course of hysteroscopic myomectomy, complications and anatomical results were analyzed There were statistical differences in anatomical results of hysteroscopic myomectomy. One-step complete myomal resections was in 53 (91.4%) study-group cases, and in 45 (72.6%) control-group cases. Furthermore the time of hysteroscopic procedures in G2 myomas was sigificantly quicker, and the average amount of completely used medium during intramural myomas electroresection was lower in the study group. The amount of complications and conversion to other procedures although were lower in study group, but without significant difference. The transrectal intraoperative ultrasonography is a highly valuable method of hysteroscopic myomectomy monitoring, and it may significantly complement the direct endoscopic visualization of uterine cavity. Transrectal intraoperative ultrasonography optimizes parameters characterizing the course and effectiveness of the surgical procedure utilized in the removal of intramural myomas and submucous myomas with deep myometrial penetration (G2 in ESH classification).


The issue of obtaining a well-converged and well-distributed set of Pareto optimal solutions efficiently and automatically is crucial in multiobjective evolutionary algorithms (MOEAs). Many studies have proposed different evolutionary algorithms that can progress towards Pareto optimal sets with a wide-spread distribution of solutions. However, most mathematically convergent MOEAs desire certain prior knowledge about the objective space in order to efficiently maintain widespread solutions. We propose, based on our novel E-dominance concept, an adaptive rectangle archiving (ARA) strategy that overcomes this important problem. The MOEA with this archiving technique provably converges to well-distributed Pareto optimal solutions without prior knowledge. ARA complements the existing archiving techniques, and is useful to both researchers and practitioners.


Abstract White-nose syndrome (WNS) is an emerging infectious disease of hibernating bats linked to the death of an estimated 5.7 million or more bats in the northeastern United States and Canada. White-nose syndrome is caused by the cold-loving fungus Pseudogymnoascus destructans (Pd), which invades the skin of the muzzles, ears, and wings of hibernating bats. Previous work has shown that WNS-affected bats arouse to euthermic or near euthermic temperatures during hibernation significantly more frequently than normal and that these too-frequent arousals are tied to severity of infection and death date. We quantified the behavior of bats during these arousal bouts to understand better the causes and consequences of these arousals. We hypothesized that WNS-affected bats would display increased levels of activity (especially grooming) during their arousal bouts from hibernation compared to WNS-unaffected bats. Behavior of both affected and unaffected hibernating bats in captivity was monitored from December 2010 to March 2011 using temperature-sensitive dataloggers attached to the backs of bats and infrared motion-sensitive cameras. The WNS-affected bats exhibited significantly higher rates of grooming, relative to unaffected bats, at the expense of time that would otherwise be spent inactive. Increased self-grooming may be related to the presence of the fungus. Elevated activity levels in affected bats likely increase energetic stress, whereas the loss of rest (inactive periods when aroused from torpor) may jeopardize the ability of a bat to reestablish homeostasis in a number of physiologic systems.


The application of IR microscopic imaging to the study of bone disease and fracture healing is demonstrated. Samples of normal and osteoporotic human iliac crest biopsies were prepared and examined at ∼6–10 μm spatial resolution and 8 cm−1 spectral resolution with a 64 × 64 MCT focal plane array detector coupled to a Fourier transform infrared (FT-IR) microscope and a step-scanning interferometer. Two spectral parameters, one that monitors the extent of mineral (hydroxyapatite) formation in the tissue and another that monitors the size/perfection of the crystals, were compared in the samples generated from normal and pathological tissues. The average mineral levels in the osteoporotic sample were reduced by ∼ 40% from the normal. In addition, the crystal size/perfection was substantially enhanced in the disease state. The applicability of IR imaging techniques to the study of therapeutic intervention was also investigated in a study of the effects of estrogen therapy on fracture healing in rat femurs. Femurs were examined by IR microscopic imaging 4 weeks after fracture. IR imaging showed that the mineral level was enhanced in estrogen-treated samples. In addition, the crystals were larger/more perfect in the treated specimens. These data demonstrate the utility of IR spectroscopic imaging for the study of pathological states of hard tissue.


We examined changes in [3H]QNB binding and cell length induced by muscarinic ligands in a suspension of single smooth muscle cells isolated from the canine stomach. Cells contracted following a brief (30 s) exposure to picomolar concentrations of muscarinic agonists and yielded ED50 values of 1.0 +/- 0.7 pM for oxotremorine, 12.5 +/- 1.8 pM for carbachol, and 16.0 +/- 2.9 pM for metacholine. Contraction was inhibited by atropine with a pA2 value of 10.2 +/- 1.1. The binding of [3H]QNB was rapid and reversible and was stereospecific and pharmacologically appropriate. Specific binding of [3H]QNB was saturable and bound with high affinity (KD 1.04 +/- 0.23 nM) to a single class of sites, of which there were approximately 200,000/cell. In competition experiments antagonist binding was generally homogeneous, whereas that of agonists was heterogeneous and subpopulations of binding sites with different affinities for agonists were identified. The Ki value of 8.1 +/- 1.1 nM for inhibition of QNB binding by atropine was greater than the pA2 of 10.2 +/- 1.1 derived from contraction studies. Furthermore, whereas picomolar concentrations of agonists induced cell contraction, substantially higher concentrations (10 nM to 10 mM) were required to inhibit [3H]QNB binding to the isolated cells.


In The Escape of the Deadly Dinosaur, Jack zooms to the city that never sleeps to try to solve the mystery of the missing Allosaurus toe. Starting at the Natural History Museum, Jack's detection takes him to a competitive grade-schooler determined to win the science fair with his experiment crossing his own dog with the DNA from the bone of a dangerous, carnivorous dinosaur. Soon the gargantuan creature is terrorizing New Yorkers and Jack must stop him before he devours the animals in the Central Park zoo!


1. Twelve strains of Listeria, virulent and avirulent, relating to three different species were studied for their identification and characterization on the basis of their morphological cultural and biochemical characters.

2. The haemolysis caused by these organisms ranged from poor to moderate and strong

3.60% Saturation of ammonium sulphate was found most effective protein precipitating agent as it yielded maximum (80%) protein from the cell free broth

4. The maximum production of the haemolysin was observed in tryptose phosphate broth incubated at 30% C after 6 days.

5.Listerial haemolysin had a special affinity fro different types of erythrocytes and the susceptibility of erythrocytes varied from species to spectied

6. Exposure at 100%C for fifteen minutes made the listerial heamolysin completely haemolytically inactive while heat treatment of 40%C for one hour did not produce inactivation

7. The listerial haemolysin was found to be a lecithinase AƒÂƒA'¢AƒÂ'A'€AƒÂ'A'"C like alpha AƒÂƒA'¢AƒÂ'A'€AƒÂ'A'" toxin of Cl. Perfringens as tested on pure lecithin and egg yolk substrates and gave positive egg yolk reaction

8. It was observed that the surface area on lecithin molecule was an important factor for the substantial hydrolysis of the enzyme

9. The optimum phospholipase-C activity was observed at pH 6.5 to 7.5

10. The heat treatment of haemolysin completely abolished its haemolytic activity but not the lecithinase activity, which infers that these two activities reside in two different parts of a complex molecule

11. Calcium ions were necessary for the phospholipase activity and not for the haemolytic activity which was stimulated in the presence of reducing agent (cysteine). It is, therefore, concluded that listerial haemolysin is composed of two different chemical moieties / units; one being responsible for the haemolytic activity and is active in the presence of reducing agent and the other responsible for the lecithinase activity which is stimulated by Ca++ ions

12. Purification studies of listerial haemolysin showed that the specific activity of the purified haemolysin increased 156 fold as compared to that of crude haemolysin

13. The molecular weight of the listerial haemolysin was estimated to be 68,000 by SDS-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis

14. The chemical composition of listerial haemolysin revealed the presence of 14 amino acids with 618 amino acid residues

15. The amino acids recorded from a purified sample of listerial haemolysin were aspartic acid, threonine, serine, glutamic acid, praline, glycine, alanine, valine, methionine, leucine, phenylalanine, histidine, lysine and arginine

16. Seven different strains of Listeria were used for the determination of lipid and their composition. This study suggested that C14, C15, C16, and C17, saturated fatty acids were the characteristics of each strain of L.monocytogenes whereas C12 saturated fatty acid was specific for the two strains (C274 and C295) of L.monocytogenes. The major difference between monocytogenes strains and L.ivanovii L. seeligeri was at C18 fatty acids L.ivanovii was devoid of C18 saturated fatty acid, whereas L. seeligeri lacked C18 unsaturated fatty acid

17. Among all three Listeria strains the monocytosis producing ability (MPA) was the characteristic feature of L.monocytogenes, which however, was absent in L.ivanovii and L.seeligeri

18. Chemical analysis and biological activity of MPA-lipid extracts from two different Listeria species were also performed

19. Thin layre chromatography of lipid extracts from these species showed two components A and B having two different Rf values

20. Chemical analysis of these components revealed that MPA-lipid extracts contain carbohydrate and protein in addition to lipid

21. Biological activity of these two components of both strains were also studied. These studies also revealed that the monocytosis producing ability was the characteristic feature of only one component B belonging to L. monocytogenes which, however, was absent in both (A and B) components of L. ivanovii


The distributional implications of antitrust regulation imply a political cleavage between consumers and producers. I argue that the relative strength of these two groups depends on the level of democracy. In particular, an expansion of the franchise and competitive elections will increase the relative political weight of consumers, resulting in policies that favors their interests. An empirical implication of the argument is that the likelihood of effective competition policy reform increases with democracy. I test this proposition in two stages using an original dataset measuring competition agency design in 156 developing countries covering the period 1975-2007. First, I estimate hazard models on the timing of competition policy reform. Second, since "laws on the books" do not necessarily indicate a commitment to effective policy, I create an original index measuring governments' commitments to antitrust policy. The index captures the independence of the agency, resource (budget and staffing) allocations, expert perceptions, and actual legal actions. The results of the empirical analysis support the proposition that democracy improves governments' commitments to competition policy.


This project is about the conception, design, delivery and evaluation of a blended module that is offered as a GEM (General Education Module) university-wide to undergraduate students. The blended nature of this innovative module is reflected in a 70% online, 10% printed material and 20% face-to-face component. The name of the module is "Educational Technologies and Computer-based Learning Environments" and the innovative features of the module are illustrated in the Nature of the module itself Mode of delivery Assessment modality Pedagogical conception The module has already been prototyped over two semesters and has undergone 3 version changes. Version 1.0 was released in Semester 1 of academic year 2005/06 while version 2.0 was released in Semester 2 of academic year 2005/06. Version 3.0 is currently being prototyped in this current semester (semester 1 of academic year 2006/07). This paper underlines the major phases of the courseware development process for the said module. It describes the innovative and somewhat controversial educational approaches and philosophies underlying the design rationales of the course designer and lecturer, and discusses the observations made on the field with the students. It furthermore demonstrates how feedback can be useful in an iterative process of continuing enhancement through versioning of the courseware. Finally, it demonstrates that although a more democratic, open and flexible method is adopted throughout the delivery of the module, quality is still maintained. The key lies in the redefinition of the word 'quality' to fit in the reconceptualisation of the teaching and learning process in the context of this module.


Eucheumatoid cultivation continues to expand with a variety of methods that can increase production. This chapter will discuss an innovation in seaweed cultivation of the genus Eucheuma, which is the prime marine commodity in the tropical regions of the world. Research conducted during 2015-2017 and 2019 in Southeast Sulawesi Province, Indonesia, provided an overview of the use of floating cage that showed very significant growth results. The research result showed that the growth rates of Eucheuma denticulatum and Kappaphycus alvarezii in floating cage seemed faster and resulted in better thallus morphology. Daily production of E. denticulatum and K. alvarezii that were cultivated in floating cage was higher than daily production of E. denticulatum and K. alvarezii cultivated on longline. Specific growth rate (SGR) of E. denticulatum and K. alvarezii cultivated by using floating cage method was also higher than E. denticulatum and K. alvarezii cultivated by using longline method. Moreover, the cultivation by using floating cages produces good growth rates with no effect of herbivore attacks.


Productivity measurements based on "per operating room (OR) site" and "per case" are not influenced by staffing ratios and have permitted meaningful comparisons among small samples of both academic and private-practice anesthesiology groups. These comparisons have suggested that a larger sample would allow for clinical groups to be compared using a number of different variables (including type of hospital, number of OR sites, type of surgical staff, or other organizational characteristics), which may permit more focused benchmarking. In this study, we used such grouping variables to compare clinical productivity in a broad survey of academic anesthesiology programs. Descriptive, billing, and staffing data were collected for 1 fiscal or calendar year from 37 academic anesthesiology departments representing 58 hospitals. Descriptive data included types of surgical staff (e.g., academic versus private practice) and hospital centers (e.g., academic medical centers and ambulatory surgical centers [ASCs]). Billing and staffing data included total number of cases performed, total American Society of Anesthesiologists units (tASA) billed, total time units billed (15-min units), and daily number of anesthetizing sites staffed (OR sites). Measurements of total productivity (tASA/OR site), billed hours per OR site per day (h/OR/d), surgical duration (h/case), hourly billing productivity (tASA/h), and base units/case were compared. These comparisons were made according to type of hospital, number of OR sites, and type of surgical staff. The ASCs had significantly less tASA/OR site, fewer h/OR/d, and less h/case than non-ASC hospitals. Community hospitals had significantly less h/OR/d and h/case than academic medical centers and indigent hospitals and a larger percentage of private-practice or mixed surgical staff. Academic staffs had significantly less tASA/h and significantly more h/case. tASA/h correlated highly with h/case (r = −0.68). This study showed that the hospitals at which academic anesthesiology groups provide care are not all the same from a clinical productivity perspective. By grouping based on type of hospital, number of OR sites, and type of surgical staff, academic anesthesiology departments (and hospitals) can be better compared by using clinical productivity measurements based on "per OR site" and "per case" measurements (tASA/OR, billed h/OR/d, h/case, tASA/h, and base/case).


ABSTRACT The aim of this study is to explore conditioning factors influencing learning opportunities in food-related education taught from a perspective of sustainable development. Over the course of the eighth-grade school year, data were derived from field studies of two classes taught in Home and Consumer Studies with an exploratory case-study design. Data were analyzed using thematic and ideal-type analysis, resulting in four ideal-type portrayals: the Convinced, the Easygoing, the Unable, and the Skeptical, which characterize how pupils participate in and respond to sustainable food education in different ways. The characteristics of each of the four ideal types imply contextual frames that condition unequal learning opportunities in sustainable food education. By identifying, scrutinizing, and accommodating to existing conflicts and related structures, educational policy makers and practicing teachers can increase opportunities for pupils to develop informed reasoning, regardless of their ideal type characteristics.


Fast error concealment algorithms play an important role in image and video signal processing. Within this paper, a novel and highly accelerated Frequency Selective Extrapolation adaption is introduced for rapid image error concealment. The state-of-the-art complex-valued Frequency Selective Extrapolation runs with fixed parameters, e.g., a constant number of iterations, so far. In this paper, the algorithm is accelerated by determining local statistics of neighboring blocks. As a consequence, internal parameters can be estimated to match the processed image content dynamically instead of using predefined constants. Due to this, it is possible to achieve the same reconstruction quality as the state-of-the-art algorithm, while the execution time decreases on average by 41.30 % and at best by up to 57.08 %.


As CMOS device geometries shrink to below half micron sizes, contact and metal design rules have become the limiting factors for increasing circuit packing density. In order to reduce the contact and metal features accordingly, the process integration issues such as reduced thermal budget, minimized contact size, minimized contact enclosure, dielectric surface planarity, and metal step coverage in the contact must be investigated. In this work, a novel approach is employed to etch contacts and planarize the dielectric in one step. The technique is called SCOPE for Simultaneous COntact and Planarization Etch. The SCOPE process eliminate the need for oxide reflow, thereby minimizing the thermal budget after source/drain formation. It also avoids the need for extensive overetch due to the uniform contact depth, thereby allowing the misaligned contact edges on field oxides.<<ETX>>


Using Naomi Wolf's The Beauty Myth: How Images of Beauty are Used Against Women, as my starting point for analysis, I set out to find the truth about the "beauty myth," and what affect it has on women in our society. With the help of research done by Michelle Goldberg and Marissa Audia-Raymo, I analyzed current society, and examined why women still seem to be held back. My initial prediction proved to be naive. I wasn't giving women enough credit for their struggles both now and throughout history. What I encountered was a problem that was established very deeply in the roots of our society. Patriarchy proved to be at the heart of the "beauty myth," and what has and continues to hold women down in society.


It is well documented that attitudes toward gambling are a good predictor of problem gambling during adolescence. However, so far, little is known about what factors are associated with adolescents' gambling attitudes. This study used cross-sectional data (N = 2055, response rate 70.4%) from a representative sample of 17-year-olds in Norway to investigate the relationship between demographic, personality, motivational and social variables and gambling attitudes. Overall, adolescents' attitudes toward gambling were slightly negative. A multivariate analysis revealed that more favourable attitudes toward gambling were most strongly associated with family/peer approval of gambling. In addition, significant associations were found for gender (males more favourable); Sensation Seeking (positive association); Agreeableness (negative association); and family/peer gambling history (positive association for lifetime gambling, negative association for problematic gambling). Although a variety of individual-level and social factors are associated with more favourable attitudes toward gambling, it appears that family and peer approval of gambling are most important.


Continuous requirements for more efficient aircrafts lead to the design and analysis of novel propulsion configurations, with an example being the boundary layer ingestion. The complexity and integration challenges in such aircraft synergistic propulsion system characterize the research in this field, driven by the potential benefits. The aim of this article is to investigate the effects of boundary layer ingestion on the aerodynamics of a transonic wing, together with the quality of the flow ingested by the propulsion system. A two-dimensional computational model of a transonic airfoil with boundary layer ingesting propulsion system is developed in order to assess boundary layer ingestion for a commercial air transport at cruise conditions and highlight the complex integration issues arising from such configuration. A parametric analysis of the effects of flight conditions, nacelle geometry and engine operating point, on lift, pressure recovery, distortion, total pressure and velocity distribution at the intake, comes to enhance understanding of the performance of this configuration. The pressure distribution around the airfoil and the boundary layer growth are both substantially affected by the engine operating condition, which is represented by the mass flow ratio, with a direct impact on pressure recovery and lift. Mach number and angle of attack influences on lift and drag ingested are also investigated. Intake size and position on the airfoil appear to have significant effects on lift and losses ingested. In general, the results of this study include several aspects related to wing aerodynamics and ingested flow quality, which may facilitate design and integration of the boundary layer ingestion propulsion system for future commercial aircraft.


With the worldwide revolution in financial technology ("FinTech"), Peer-to-Peer ("P2P") lending, an alternative funding channel, has grown rapidly over the past decade. P2P lending benefits digital financial inclusion by providing an online platform to facilitate direct trades between borrowers and lenders with limited intermediation by traditional financial institutions. During P2P lending transactions, a significant amount of transaction records are accumulated, thus creating a FinTech-driven credit assessment mechanism to help underserved borrowers, who are often turned down by traditional financial intermediaries, obtain credit. P2P lending business models as well as government responses to those models differ. For example, the United States has been reactive, requiring platforms to fully comply with the extant securities regulation, while China, though initially hands-off, has also become reactive, limiting P2P platforms to the information intermediation model due to a series of P2P failures. Taiwan's regulatory response to P2P lending, led by its Financial Supervisory Commission ("FSC"), the sole financial market watchdog in Taiwan, started as reactive, warning that the P2P lending industry should not cross four major red lines drawn under existing regulatory and business structures. The Taiwanese government, however, has become more proactive — at least in form, introducing the Financial Technology Development and Innovative Experimentation Act (the "FinTech Sandbox Act") to permit cautious regulatory experimentation. Though a positive effort, this act may, in substance, be an ineffective means to address the regulatory dilemma between prudential regulation and financial competition and innovation. This is because the government lacks the institutional incentive to replace the existing regulatory regime with something truly proactive. We propose a structural change in the current institutional design that could reallocate the authority of financial competition and innovation to a more motivated financial agency, separate from and independent of the FSC, that would be better positioned to safeguard financial competition and innovation enabled by FinTech.


Information is an expensive resource, and for this reason appropriate information and the resources to fully utilize this information may not always be readily available, particularly in the developing country.Many national, regional, and international programs and projects are working to improve access to available spatial data, promote its reuse, and ensure that additional investment in spatial information collection and management results in an ever growing, readily available and useable pool of spatial information. In regions characterized by an availability of geographic information, in combination withthe power of Geographic Information Systems (GIS), decision support tools, data bases, and the World Wide Web and their associated interoperability, the way better-resourced communities address critical issues of social, environmental, and economic importance is changing rapidly. The available computing infrastructure, available legal arrangements and full understandings of countries systems, legal and economical position for a given country could be the key for organizing, hosting and handling national spatial data on the national level. Furthermore technology has reached a point were every body can share information on real time. The study will describes different spatial data experiences in sharing and visualizing spatial data using different frameworks such as spatial data infrastructures, centric databases and distributed spatial data. The main problem is many professionals feel that ready made solutions could solve the problem regardless the nature, habits and the culture of the countries. Developed countries have huge computing infrastructures which make data handling and sharing through local and global networks easy and mandatory for every user. However, developing and undeveloped countries could have a lack in the computing infrastructure. A good running computer networks could be a major problem of having efficient system to share and handle geospatial data. Therefore a good understanding for the property and the criteria of a given national geospatial data is important to have an effective national geospatial framework in a given country. Enterprise GIS implementations are costly, and yet this seems to be the direction adopted by organizations tackling the initiative for the first time and often for the second or third time. Why do organizations take this approach? How is success measured? Are there techniques that can ensure success of enterprise GIS implementations? In discussing strategies for successful enterprise GIS implementation, it should remain evident that each organization is ultimately unique, having its own culture, business practices, methodologies, and processes. An adopted system that works for one organization will not necessarily be adequate or appropriate for another organization. The nature of the organization, and the people that work within it, will shape the way technology is accepted and used by the corporation or organization. Consideration must be given to the complex, "political" nature of the organization. It cannot be assumed that individuals will behave professionally, or rationally, rather than according to personal agendas (Haley, 2007).


Phonological disorder is a serious and disturbing issue to many parents and teachers. Efforts towards resolving the problem have been undermined by other specific disabilities which were hidden to many regular and special education teachers. It is against this background that this study was motivated to provide data on the prevalence of phonological disorders in children with specific language impairment (CWSLI) as the first step towards critical intervention. The study was a survey of 15 CWSLI from St. Louise Inclusive schools, Ikot Ekpene in Akwa Ibom State of Nigeria. Phonological Processes Diagnostic Scale (PPDS) with 17 short sentences, which cut across the five phonological processes that were examined, were validated by experts in test measurement, phonology and special education. The respondents were made to read the sentences with emphasis on the targeted sounds. Their utterances were recorded and analyzed in the language laboratory using Praat Software. Data were also collected through friendly interactions at different times from the clients. The theory of generative phonology was adopted for the descriptive analysis of the phonological processes. Data collected were analyzed using simple percentage and composite bar chart for better understanding of the result. The study found out that CWSLI exhibited the five phonological processes under investigation. It was revealed that 66.7%, 80%, 73.3%, 80%, and 86.7% of the respondents have severe deficit in fricative stopping, velar fronting, liquid gliding, final consonant deletion and cluster reduction, respectively. It was therefore recommended that a nationwide survey should be carried out to have national statistics of CWSLI with phonological deficits and develop intervention strategies for effective therapy to remediate the disorder. Keywords—Language disorders, phonology, phonological processes, specific language impairment.


ABSTRACT The survival of patients with advanced cancer, coupled with the increased presence of end-stage chronic illnesses in an aging population, is leading to a demand in palliative care. Due to the ongoing need for acute-pain and symptom control in hospice/palliative care units, few are able to offer long-stay admission for those whose symptoms have stabilized. When a patient no longer requires specialist palliative care services, transfer from an inpatient palliative care facility may then be necessary. A core component of the role of palliative-care social workers involves working with patients and their families/carers when the care pathway shifts and the option of residential aged care facility (RACF) needs to be considered. This research explored several issues, including the impact of this transition on the patient and their families and on the interdisciplinary health care team treating the patient. An investigation was undertaken to identify concerns and barriers regarding the transition from hospice care to RACF and opportunities were highlighted to improve clinical practice in this area. A tripartite approach was adopted conducting face-to-face interviews with patients, their families/carers, and health care professionals. Members of the interdisciplinary team were interviewed and social workers working in similar inpatient palliative-care facilities undertook telephone interviews to gauge their experiences. A thematic analysis discerned a number of themes highlighting the impact of this transition on key stakeholders and incorporated recommendations to improve or best manage this process. The research has highlighted the difficulties that patients/families encounter in this transition, as well as the emphases of protecting the integrity of the patient and family. This is achieved by holding open and ongoing dialogue, particularly through family meetings and working in collaboration with the patient, the family, and the team. Understanding the experience and impact of this transition on key stakeholders is helpful in building up a knowledge base and to ensure a more effective relationship occurs. This research incorporated the voices of terminally ill patients, families, and members of the health care team in order to understand their views and recommendations for best managing the transition from a hospice/inpatient palliative-care facility to a RACF. This enables their input to have some real impetus in clinical practice and service delivery.


The aerodynamics and kinematics behind the flight of animals are relatively unknown. Although animal flight has been studied for several hundreds of years, it is only in recent time that we have the technical abilities to study the mechanistic basis of animal flight. This thesis represents an attempt to widen the knowledge about animal flight by studying one of the most advanced flyers of the natural world, the common swift (Apus apus). Common swifts, or swifts for short, are aerial insectivores that spend almost their entire lifetime on the wing. In paper I, the aerodynamics and kinematics of a swift in flapping cruising flight were studied in a wind tunnel. The results showed that the rotational strength, or circulation, of the vortices that were shed into the wake behind the bird varied in a very smooth manner, which was different from wakes previously described for other birds. In paper II, the wake of a swift in flapping flight was studied over a range of flight speeds. The results showed that the wake of the swift in addition to the features found in Paper I, consisted of a pair of trailing vortices behind the tail and the wing base. The fact that vortices are shed at the wing base suggests that the two wings operate, to some extent, aerodynamically detached from each other. In paper III, the gliding flight of a swift was examined. The results showed that the bird generated a simple wake, consisting of a pair of trailing wingtip and tail vortices. The gliding efficiency of the swift was found to be relatively high compared to other birds. In paper IV, swifts were studied in free flight using tracking radar during spring migration, autumn migration and when the birds sleep on the wing. The objective was to compare the birds' flight speeds to predictions from flight mechanical theory. The results showed that the birds changed their flight speed between behaviors less than predicted from theory. In paper V, the swifts were studied in display flights, often called 'screaming parties'. During these events, the birds appear to reach high speeds. The results showed that the birds flew on average at flight speeds twice the speed on migration, suggesting that the birds are capable of high power output during short bursts of anaerobic muscle work. In paper VI, the swifts' ability to compensate for wind drift during migration was studied using tracking radar. The results showed that the birds compensated to a large extent for the winds, both by changing their heading direction and by increasing their airspeed. Increasing airspeed had been theoretically described previously as a possible wind response, but this study was the first to show this empirically. (Less)


Acute kidney injury (AKI) is a condition that is characterised by an abrupt reduction in kidney function, and is not limited to acute renal failure. However, it is potentially treatable. Failure to do so may result in death or progression to chronic kidney disease (CKD). AKI requires urgent management in order to ensure a better clinical outcome. Traditionally, AKI is classified according to aetiology, i.e. pre-renal, intrinsic renal and post-renal AKI. Clinical features depend on the age of the patient, the cause and related complications. Symptoms and signs may be non-specific, e.g. poor feeding and vomiting, or more specific, e.g. oedema, macroscopic haematuria and oliguria. The staging of AKI is based on the estimated glomerular filtration rate and urine output. AKI from any cause increases the risk of CKD developing, and vice versa. There are absolute indications for renal replacement therapy, e.g. anuria, whereas other patients can be managed successfully conservatively.


Journalists tend to serialize political scandals and publish scandalous information bit by bit instead of all at once in a single news article. Disseminating scandalous information in a serialized way may affect readers' perceptions of the scandal and the politicians involved in it independently of the information that is conveyed. To test this assumption, an experiment was conducted. All participants were exposed to identical scandalous information. However, the form of presentation—exposure to one, two, three, four, or five article(s)—was systematically manipulated. Serialization indeed indirectly increased participants' negative attitudes about the politician via the perceived scandal's importance, participants' reading duration, cognitive elaboration, and intensity of negative emotions.


Macrophagic myofasciitis (MMF) is an inflammatory condition associated with the intramuscular (i.m.) injection of aluminum adjuvant-containing vaccines. It is clinically characterized by myalgia, weakness, and chronic fatigue and histologically by aggregates of cohesive macrophages with abundant basophilic, periodic acid-Schiff (PAS)-positive, diastase-resistant granules that percolate through the peri- and endomysium without eliciting substantial myofiber damage. The definitive diagnosis of MMF requires demonstration of aluminum within these macrophages. We evaluated the Morin stain, a simple, 2-step histochemical stain for aluminum, as a confirmatory diagnostic tool for MMF. Among 2270 muscle biopsies processed at UTSW between 2010 and 2015, a total of 12 MMF cases and 1 subcutaneous vaccination granuloma case were identified (11 pediatric, 2 adults). With the Morin stain, all 13 cases showed strong granular reactivity within the cytoplasm of macrophages but not in myofibers or connective tissue. Three cases of inflammatory myopathy with abundant macrophages (IMAM), 8 cases of granulomatous inflammation and 23 other deltoid muscle biopsies used as controls were all negative. Morin stain could be used in both formalin-fixed paraffin-embedded and cryostat sections. Thus, Morin stain detects aluminum with high sensitivity and specificity in human muscle and soft tissue and may improve the diagnostic yield of MMF and vaccination granuloma.


Learning Analytics is an emerging research field and design discipline that occupies the "middle space" between the learning sciences/educational research and the use of computational techniques to capture and analyze data (Suthers & Verbert, 2013). We propose that the literature examining the triadic relationships between epistemology (the nature of knowledge), pedagogy (the nature of learning and teaching), and assessment provide critical considerations for bounding this middle space. We provide examples to illustrate the ways in which the understandings of particular analytics are informed by this triad. As a detailed worked example of how one might design analytics to scaffold a specific form of higher order learning, we focus on the construct of epistemic beliefs: beliefs about the nature of knowledge. We argue that analytics grounded in a pragmatic, socio-cultural perspective are well placed to explore this construct using discourse-centric technologies. The examples provided throughout this paper, through emphasizing the consideration of intentional design issues in the middle space, underscore the "interpretative flexibility" (Hamilton & Feenberg, 2005) of new technologies, including analytics.


OBJECTIVE
To illustrate -for the first time with Spanish data- the usefulness of telephone-interview-based surveillance of non-communicable diseases risk factors for the purpose of drawing up public health policies.

METHODS
We analysed information from the Non-Communicable Disease Risk Factor Surveillance System (Sistema de Vigilancia de Factores de Riesgo asociados a Enfermedades No Transmisibles- SIVFRENT) for the period 1995-2003. This system is based on monthly telephone interviews covering a representative population sample, aged 18-64 years. 18,049 interviews were conducted for the whole period. Indicators of overweight and obesity, sedentary lifestyle, diet, tobacco and alcohol consumption, preventive practices, accidents and injuries, and road safety were calculated. The time trend was estimated using average annual prevalence ratios, obtained from generalised linear models with binomial family and logarithmic link.

RESULTS
Among men, the changes of greatest magnitude corresponded to an increase in overweight and obesity, which registered a relative annual rise of 3.7%, and a decrease in dieting (-3%), high alcohol consumption (-6.1%) and non-use of safety belts (-4%). Among women, there was a marked increase in overweight and obesity (3.3%), cessation of smoking (3.1%) and recourse to mammograms (6.4%), and a decrease in dieting (-4.1%) and non-use of safety belts (-4.5%).

CONCLUSIONS
Although important progress was observed in a number of indicators, such as tobacco and alcohol consumption, road safety and the undertaking of preventive practices, the situation worsened in others, i.e., fundamentally the increase in overweight and obesity.


The purpose of this article was to compile a general map of existing research on digital education from the Self-determination theory (SDT) perspective, in order to understand SDT's contribution to the emerging field of research on digital technologies in education, the methods used to advance this research, the gaps in existing research, and the development of the theory itself in this context. Methods include searching in databases or search engines and chaining from known research papers. Papers were classed as relevant if their primary focus was to explore the Self-determination theory perspective for digital education. Articles published over the past twelve years in leading scientific journals were analyzed and synthesized. Results show that this theory is actively used both in studies on digital education and in the development of training programs. It makes a significant contribution to solving the problem of continuing digital learning and its motivation, to predicting the academic success of students, to increasing teachers' motivation to use digital resources. The ideas of SDT have become an important reference point in various formats of digital education: MOOC, hybrid virtual classes, mobile applications, etc. The study found that digital education technologies provide many opportunities to satisfy the need for autonomy whereas they pose the greatest challenge to the need for relatedness. Research in the context of digital education provides new perspectives for the development of SDT, clarifying the relationships of basic needs among themselves. The materials presented in the article are useful for planning further research from the point of view of SDT, as well as for use in the development of digital educational resources. The scientific novelty of this study is to collate, highlight and generalize the directions of application of Self-determination theory in the rapidly developing field of digital education. As an original result, a new general map of the main areas of such research has been created. The review categorizes the literature into five different areas: predicting motivation and intentions to continue digital learning, predicting student academic success, combining SDT ideas with other theories in digital education research, application of SDT for creating online courses, and teachers' readiness to use digital education.


Machine learning is a computational process. To that end, it is inextricably tied to computational power - the tangible material of chips and semiconductors that the algorithms of machine intelligence operate on. Most obviously, computational power and computing architectures shape the speed of training and inference in machine learning, and therefore influence the rate of progress in the technology. But, these relationships are more nuanced than that: hardware shapes the methods used by researchers and engineers in the design and development of machine learning models. Characteristics such as the power consumption of chips also define where and how machine learning can be used in the real world.

Despite this, many analyses of the social impact of the current wave of progress in AI have not substantively brought the dimension of hardware into their accounts. While a common trope in both the popular press and scholarly literature is to highlight the massive increase in computational power that has enabled the recent breakthroughs in machine learning, the analysis frequently goes no further than this observation around magnitude.

This paper aims to dig more deeply into the relationship between computational power and the development of machine learning. Specifically, it examines how changes in computing architectures, machine learning methodologies, and supply chains might influence the future of AI. In doing so, it seeks to trace a set of specific relationships between this underlying hardware layer and the broader social impacts and risks around AI. On one hand, this examination shines a spotlight on how hardware works to exacerbate a range of concerns around ubiquitous surveillance, technological unemployment, and geopolitical conflict. On the other, it also highlights the potentially significant role that shaping the development of computing power might play in addressing these concerns.


This article traces the publication history of the canonical woman of color feminist anthology This Bridge Called My Back through its official and unofficial editions as it has migrated from licensed paper to PDF format. The digital edition that circulated on the social blogging platform Tumblr.com and other informal social networks constitutes a new and important form of versioning that reaches different audiences and opens up new pedagogical opportunities. Though separated by decades, Tumblr and This Bridge both represent vernacular pedagogy networks that value open access and have operated in opposition to hierarchically controlled content distribution and educational systems. Both analog and digital forms of open-access woman of color pedagogy promote the free circulation of knowledge and call attention to the literary and social labor of networked marginalized readers and writers who produce it, at once urging new considerations of academic labor and modeling alternatives to neoliberal university systems.


We present a method by which the degree of longitudinal variation in photonic crystal fibre (PCF) may be characterised through seeded four-wave mixing (FWM). Using an iterative numerical reconstruction, we created a theoretical model of the PCF that displays FWM phasematching properties that are similar to experiment across all measured length scales. Our results demonstrate that the structure of our PCF varies by less than ±1 % and that the characteristic length of the variations is approximately 15 cm.


In this paper, we have modified the geometric ray tracing theory for the scattering of light by hexagonal cylinders to cubes and parallelepipeds. Effects of the real and imaginary parts of the refractive index and aspect ratio of the particle on the scattering phase function and the degree of linear polarization are investigated. Causes of the physical features in the scattering polarization patterns are identified in terms of the scattering contribution due to geometric reflections and refractions. The single-scattering phase function and polarization data presented in this paper should be of some use for the interpretation of observed scattering and polarization data from planetary atmospheres and for the physical understanding of the transfer of radiation in an atmosphere containing nonspherical particles.


Ocean forecasts nowadays are created by running ensemble simulations in combination with data assimilation techniques. Most of these techniques resample the ensemble members after each assimilation cycle. This means that in a time series, after resampling, every member can follow up on any of the members before resampling. Tracking behavior over time, such as all possible paths of a particle in an ensemble vector field, becomes very difficult, as the number of combinations rises exponentially with the number of assimilation cycles. In general a single possible path is not of interest but only the probabilities that any point in space might be reached by a particle at some point in time. In this work we present an approach using probability-weighted piecewise particle trajectories to allow such a mapping interactively, instead of tracing quadrillions of individual particles. We achieve interactive rates by binning the domain and splitting up the tracing process into the individual assimilation cycles, so that particles that fall into the same bin after a cycle can be treated as a single particle with a larger probability as input for the next time step. As a result we loose the possibility to track individual particles, but can create probability maps for any desired seed at interactive rates.


Abstract A wide variety of philosophers seem to agree that there is something dubious about the distinction between fact and value. This paper evaluates some of the arguments made for such a contention. It is argued that only the crudest form of pragmatism leads to a conflation of fact and value. Other arguments against the fact/value distinction, mostly drawn from Putnam's Reason, Truth and History, are examined in order to show that they are either false or trivial.


The membrane scission and cytokinesis ESCRT machinery may help to protect against genetic damage. During animal cell division, the final separation of daughter cells requires ESCRT-III (endosomal sorting complex required for transport III), the core membrane scission machinery. Carlton et al. (see the Perspective by Petronczki and Uhlmann) report that ESCRT-III modulates abscission timing through one of its subunits, CHMP4C. Depletion of CHMP4C results in faster resolution of the midbody, the cytoplasmic bridge that connects the daughter cells at the end of cytokinesis. This phenotype correlates with a differential spatiotemporal distribution of CHMP4C at the midbody. As CHMP4C is essential for activating the Aurora B–mediated abscission checkpoint, consequently, depletion of CHMP4C results in the accumulation of genetic damage. Thus, the ESCRT machinery protects the cell against genetic damage by coordinating its cytokinetic activity with the abscission checkpoint. J. G. Carlton, A. Caballe, M. Agromayor, M. Kloc, J. Martin-Serrano, ESCRT-III governs the Aurora B–mediated abscission checkpoint through CHMP4C. Science 336, 220–225 (2012). [Abstract] [Full Text] M. Petronczki, F. Uhlmann, ESCRTing DNA at the cleavage site during cytokinesis. Science 336, 166–167 (2012). [Abstract] [Full Text]


Labor force participation rates of mothers in Austria and Germany are similar, however full-time employment rates are much higher among Austrian mothers. In order to find out to what extent these differences can be attributed to differences in the tax transfer-system, we perform a comparative micro simulation exercise. After estimating structural labor supply models of both countries, we interchange two important institutional characteristics of the two countries, namely (i) the definition of the tax unit within the personal income tax and (ii) the parental leave benefit scheme. As our analysis shows, differences in mothers' employment patterns can partly be explained by the different tax systems: While Germany has a system of joint taxation with income splitting for married couples, Austria taxes everyone individually, which leads to lower marginal tax rates for secondary earners than the German system.


v Abstract South Georgia is renowned for the abundance of Antarctic krill (Euphausia superba) and a range of krill predators. Variability in krill availability at a range of scales, and the consequences of this for predator-prey interactions, mean that quantifying the spatially explicit demand for krill by those predators is essential to understanding the mechanisms underlying ecosystem changes in the region. In this thesis demand within a distinct study box to the northwest of the island has been assessed. The thesis has three sections; (1) the number of predators; (2) the distribution of predators; and (3) the demand for krill by those predators. (1) Predator densities with confidence intervals were determined from appropriately designed shipboard transect survey; counts of Antarctic fur seals (Arctocephalus gazella), macaroni penguins (Eudyptes chrysolophus), gentoo penguins (Pygoscelis papua), and Antarctic prions (Pachyptila desolata) were adjusted for sea state, distance from observer and dive behaviour. Providing the first at-sea predator density estimates for the region. (2) A comparison of the distribution of female Antarctic fur seals engaged in pup-rearing (using satellite telemetry) and the whole population that were not restricted to a single part of the population (from shipboard transect survey) was undertaken. Using two general additive models based on the relationship between seal distribution (one derived from transect and the other from telemetry) and the physical environment indicated that the spatial distribution of lactating females is representative of the general population. (3) Using the derived predator density, the local krill demand estimate was 2581 tonnes krill per day, a consumption rate of 0.45% per day of the concurrently estimated krill biomass (using shipboard acoustics). Antarctic fur seals accounted for 75% of this demand. This level of demand was less than the increase in biomass resulting from krill growth. However, based on the length-specific demand, determined from concurrent predator diet samples demand exceeded growth for krill >48mm.


Although infrared (IR) overall dust emission from clusters of galaxies has been statistically detected using data from the Infrared Astronomical Satellite (IRAS), it has not been possible to sample the spectral energy distribution (SED) of this emission over its peak, and thus to break the degeneracy between dust temperature and mass. By complementing the IRAS spectral coverage with Planck satellite data from 100 to 857 GHz, we provide new constraints on the IR spectrum of thermal dust emission in clusters of galaxies. We achieve this by using a stacking approach for a sample of several hundred objects from the Planck cluster sample; this procedure averages out fluctuations from the IR sky, allowing us to reach a significant detection of the faint cluster contribution. We also use the large frequency range probed by Planck, together with componentseparation techniques, to remove the contamination from both cosmic microwave background anisotropies and the thermal Sunyaev-Zeldovich effect (tSZ) signal, which dominate at ν ≤ 353 GHz. By excluding dominant spurious signals or systematic effects, averaged detections are reported at frequencies 353 GHz ≤ ν ≤ 5000 GHz. We confirm the presence of dust in clusters of galaxies at low and intermediate redshifts, yielding an SED with a shape similar to that of the Milky Way. Planck's beam does not allow us to investigate the detailed spatial distribution of this emission (e.g., whether it comes from intergalactic dust or simply the dust content of the cluster galaxies), but the radial distribution of the emission appears to follow that of the stacked SZ signal, and thus the extent of the clusters. The recovered SED allows us to constrain the dust mass responsible for the signal, as well as its temperature. We additionally explore the evolution of the IR emission as a function of cluster mass and redshift.


Alternative dispute resolution (ADR) is a category comprising various techniques which enable the parties to resolve their conflicts out of the highly formalized judicial proceedings. In many legal systems, ADR is an increasingly popular set of legal instruments to resolve disputes because of its cost-effectiveness and time-effectiveness, flexibility, confidentiality and respect for unique aspects of a particular case. While it is traditionally associated primarily with commercial arbitration on one hand and consumer disputes on the other hand, ADR has been introduced also to the area of medical malpractice disputes. With the growing numbers of these disputes as well as rising amounts of compensation in many Western countries, the use of ADR in health care context is only logical and its further increase can be expected. Many studies show not only that ADR methods such as early apology, mediation or arbitration are very rational from an economic perspective for the health care providers, but also that these techniques improve the patients', or their relatives', satisfaction. However, very serious questions may arise about the suitability and even legality of the use of ADR in medical malpractice cases given mainly its possible interference with the human right to access to justice. The paper first introduces the ADR, its particular techniques and their use in medical malpractice disputes. Benefits and disadvantages of ADR in medical malpractice disputes are then analysed with a special emphasis on its possible conflict with the human, and constitutionally protected, right to access to justice. The paper eventually assesses the conditions of suitability of ADR in the specific context of medical malpractice disputes.


In this dissertation a new approach of modelling contact interfaces with equivalent discrete elements is presented. Various fastening techniques used for assembling structures not only account for transfer of loads but also adds damping to the structure. With vast
usages of the jointed structures, the effect of contacts on the global dynamical behaviour of an assembled structure is of prime interest. Assembled structures with contact interfaces show a non-linear behaviour, with a predominance of the local energy dissipation at interfaces in comparison to the inherent material damping losses. With increasing complexity of structures used in the industrial applications, a continuous demand of robust and efficient numerical modelling exists for a better prediction of the system behaviour. Hence, numerical models capable of predicting the dynamic behaviour to good accuracy can be used as a replacement for expensive experimental investigations.

Various theoretical and empirical models have been successful in capturing the influence of the non-linearity induced through the contact interfaces, but their implementation for complex and large structures experience convergence difficulties with high computational
time. To improve the computational cost, frequency domain description based on family of Harmonic Balance Methods provide a good alternative, but they have been restricted to cases involving periodic excitations. This thesis describes an equivalent localized
discrete contact model, which can predict the effects of contact non-linearity on the dynamical behaviour of structure with considerable enhancements on the computational time efficiency. The proposed notion is to use an explicit non-homogeneous description
to en-capture the global non-linear behaviour and a local linearized definition to retain the advantages of a linear system.

The new approach used in modelling of contacts is based on the characterization of discrete spring-damper system at the contact interface. A Damped-Pressure Dependent Joint (D-PDJ) model is developed to obtain the required local contribution of the contact stiffnesses and damping. The normal and tangential contact stiffnesses are calculated from the resulting contact pressure, based on a modified exponential pressure-penetration law and Mindlin law respectively. The contact damping is defined through the use of the discrete hysteretetic-structural damper elements at the contact interface. Based on numerical investigation for a beam fastened with a bolted joint, regions of stick, micro-slip and slide are defined. The numerical investigations show that the maximum dissipation is obtained in the micro-slip region. A Rayleigh probability distribution function based on the contact pressure is chosen for describing the contact damping distribution over the interface,
with parameters governing the position of the maximum damping and magnitude of damping.

Quantitative experimental validations of the proposed D-PDJ model are done for a set of test structures. The first test structure is a double layered beam (made of stainless steel) fastened with four M6 bolted joints. The double layered beam structure is used to study the influence of operational factors such as bolting torque and excitation amplitude. Later, a copper-prepreg-copper plate is fastened between the beams to study the influence of contact pair of different materials. All investigations have shown good correlation
between the experiment and simulation results for test structure experiencing moderate non-linearity (bolting torque 3 Nm and 5 Nm) in comparison to strong nonlinearity (bolting torque 1 Nm). The second test structure is a set of prototype structures to resemble a large and complex structure like Electronic Control Unit (ECU). The first
prototype structure is a system resembling an Engine ECU, having large contact area with localized pressure distribution near the bolt region. The Experimental Modal Analysis(EMA) results when compared to D-PDJ model showed good correlation till 2 kHz, with the results of the modal damping highly appreciable. Also, the result's accuracy and
computational time efficiency have proved to be significantly better than the conventional methods. The second prototype structure is a system resembling an Airbag ECU. The second prototype structure verifies the use of model having combination of material and contact non-linearities. The comparison for the transmissibility results showed good match between the experiment and D-PDJ simulation, for base excitation setup of the prototype structure.

The proposed D-PDJ model has shown good match with various sets of experimental results and is concluded to have the capability of describing the dynamical behaviour of the assembled structures with moderate non-linearity. Also, the significant reduction in computational time motivates its usage for the complex and large structures used in industrial application.


The purpose of this study was to prevent cross-contamination of dental hygienists by aerosols. We performed prophylactic scaling on 30 patients who visited the dental clinic. Microbiologic identification and SEM imaging were performed to confirm the number of microorganisms in the aerosol. Data analysis showed significant difference between two groups using SPSS (ver.21). According to the results, it was confirmed that Gram-positive and Gram-negative microorganisms were present in the aerosol, and these microorganisms were identified as microbes causing opportunistic infection in human body. In addition, chlorhexidine gargles were reduced to a significant level to reduce the number of microorganisms in the aerosol. A dental hygienist is likely to stay in a clinic room for a long time and be exposed to the generated aerosols. In order to prevent this, dental hygienists must thoroughly implement protection through personal protective equipment such as face shields and mask. In addition, reducing the number of microorganisms in the patient's mouth can be used gargling agents. In conclusion, the risks of cross-infection will be reduced through these methods.


Ageing of the population in European cities creates fundamental challenges with regard to employment, pensions, health care and other age-related services. Many older people want to live independent lives as long as possible. This aspiration is currently strongly supported by many local governments. A precondition for 'ageing in place' is that older people perceive their neighbourhoods as familiar and safe places. In the Netherlands, many neighbourhoods with an ageing population have been subject to urban restructuring policies. An important question is to what extent such policies affect the housing situation, socioeconomic position and social support networks of older people, as these factors strongly assist their ability to 'age in place'. The paper answers this question through an exploratory analysis of a small but unique panel data set from Hoogvliet, a large urban restructuring area in the city of Rotterdam. The partly counter-intuitive results show that restructuring has enabled 'ageing in place'. Compared to stayers, movers within Hoogvliet often report improved housing quality and positive neighbourhood change. The exploratory analyses did not provide evidence of decreased social support or increased loneliness through restructuring-induced disruptions of social ties. Various 'buffer measures' have been effective in preventing negative restructuring impacts on older residents.


The education literature contains many studies of what happens in schools and classrooms, but no documentation of what actually happens to children during an entire school day in a nationally-representative sample of students in the US. This study presents data collected from a nationally-representative sample of teachers of first through fifth graders (N = 553). Teachers completed a time diary, recording exact beginning and ending times for all the target student's school activities for a randomly selected day. We examined students' total time in school and their activities while there. We found wide variation in the length of the school day based on the student and classroom characteristics. Students attending school for the longest day were significantly more likely to be White and have fewer special needs, and to have smaller classes with a larger percentage of White students and a smaller percentage of students of other races than students attending for less time daily. We grouped students' activities at school into four categories that accounted for all but 9 minutes of the school day: academic, enrichment, recess, and maintenance activities. We found variations in how students spent their time based on student, family, and classroom characteristics. Teachers of African American students reported spending more time on academic subjects, and less time on enrichment and recess activities than teachers of white students. The same pattern emerged for teachers of more advantaged students, and classrooms with a larger percentage of White students. Results are discussed in terms of school reform efforts and inequality issues.


Abstract A systematic study on long-lived fission products (LLFPs) transmutation has been performed with the aim of devising an optimal strategy for their transmutation in critical or subcritical reactor systems and evaluating impacts on the geologic repository. First, 99Tc and 129I were confirmed to have highest transmutation priorities in terms of transmutability and long-term radiological risk reduction. Then, the transmutation potentials of thermal and fast systems for 99Tc and 129I were evaluated by considering a typical pressurized water reactor (PWR) core and a sodium-cooled accelerator transmutation of waste system. To determine the best transmutation capabilities, various target design and loading optimization studies were performed. It was found that both 99Tc and 129I can be stabilized (i.e., zero net production) in the same PWR core under current design constraints by mixing 99Tc with fuel and by loading CaI2 target pins mixed with ZrH2 in guide tubes, but the PWR option appears to have a limited applicability as a burner of legacy LLFP. In fast systems, loading of moderated LLFP target assemblies in the core periphery (reflector region) was found to be preferable from the viewpoint of neutron economy and safety. By a simultaneous loading of 99Tc and 129I target assemblies in the reflector region, the self-generated 99Tc and 129I as well as the amount produced by several PWR cores could be consumed at a cost of ˜10% increased fuel inventory. Discharge burnups of ˜29 and ˜37% are achieved for 99Tc and 129I target assemblies with an ˜5-yr irradiation period. Based on these results, the impacts of 99Tc and 129I transmutation on the Yucca mountain repository were assessed in terms of the dose rate. The current Yucca Mountain release evaluations do not indicate a compelling need to transmute 99Tc and 129I because the resulting dose rates fall well below current regulatory limits. However, elimination of the LLFP inventory could allow significant relaxation of the waste form and container performance criteria, with associated economic benefits. Therefore, some development of either specialized waste form or transmutation target for the LLFP is prudent, especially considering the potential accumulation of large LLFP inventory with sustained use of nuclear energy into the future.


Insulin secretion is critically dependent on the proper function of a complex molecular network. Ca(V)2.3-knockout (Ca(V)2.3(-/-)) and PKClambda-knockout (PKClambda(-/-)) mouse models now suggest that these 2 players, the Ca(v)2.3 channel and PKClambda, are important constituents of this molecular network. Subsequent to glucose stimulation, insulin is released from the pancreatic beta cell in a biphasic pattern, i.e., a rapid initial phase followed by a slower, more sustained phase. Interestingly, Ca(2+) influx through the Ca(V)2.3 channel regulates only the second phase of insulin secretion. PKClambda seems to enter the beta cell nucleus and in turn modulates the expression of several genes critical for beta cell secretory function. Studies by Hashimoto et al. and Jing et al. in this issue of the JCI set out to answer the question of why numerous isoforms of proteins with similar functions are present in the beta cell. This is important, since it has been difficult to understand the modulatory and/or regulatory roles of different isoforms of proteins in defined subcellular compartments and at various times during the secretory process in both beta cell physiology and pathophysiology.


Neoclassical economic theory's assumption of a strictly utility of money maximizing economic actor has been unable to explain such economic phenomena as involuntary unemployment and above market clearing wages. Efficiency wage theory, in its various forms, has provided some explanation for these labour market features. Akerlof's (1982) Fair Wage-Effort Hypothesis or Partial Gift Exchange model of the labour market explains involuntary unemployment through the productivity enhancing effects of higher wages. In Akerlof's model this is done through a sort of unspoken gift exchange in which higher wages given to the workers are returned to the firm in the form of higher effort or productivity. The Partial Gift Exchange model can also be modeled in a laboratory setting where its various predictions and assumptions can be tested. This has been done by a number of researchers over the last 15 years, who have generally found support for the validity of the theory using a one sided oral auction procedure. This thesis seeks to conduct a similar experiment, but in the form of a survey, the focus of which is the relationship between wages and effort. A number of the results of previous experiments supporting the Fair WageEffort Hypothesis have also been generated in the survey, for example a positive relationship between wages and effort. New and interesting findings not previously examined in the lab or not present in previous experiment were also present in the survey: the negative effect of wage inequity; a positive coefficient for the gender dummy variable; and the negative effect of unemployment insurance.


Globular clusters (GCs) are tracers of the gravitational potential of their host galaxies. Moreover, their kinematic properties may provide clues for understanding the formation of GC systems and their host galaxies. We use the largest set of GC velocities obtained so far of any elliptical galaxy to revise and extend the previous investigations (Richtler et al. 2004) of the dynamics of NGC 1399, the central dominant galaxy of the nearby Fornax cluster of galaxies. The GC velocities are used to study the kinematics, their relation with population properties, and the dark matter halo of NGC 1399. We have obtained 477 new medium-resolution spectra (of these, 292 are spectra from 265 individual GCs, 241 of which are not in the previous data set). with the VLT FORS 2 and Gemini South GMOS multi-object spectrographs. We revise velocities for the old spectra and measure velocities for the new spectra, using the same templates to obtain an homogeneously treated data set. Our entire sample now comprises velocities for almost 700 GCs with projected galactocentric radii between 6 and 100 kpc. In addition, we use velocities of GCs at larger distances published elsewhere. Combining the kinematic data with wide-field photometric Washington data, we study the kinematics of the metal-poor and metal-rich subpopulations. We discuss in detail the velocity dispersions of subsamples and perform spherical Jeans modelling. The most important results are: the red GCs resemble the stellar field population of NGC 1399 in the region of overlap. The blue GCs behave kinematically more erratic. Both subpopulations are kinematically distinct and do not show a smooth transition. It is not possible to find a common dark halo which reproduces simultaneously the properties of both red and blue GCs. Some velocities of blue GCs are only to be explained by orbits with very large apogalactic distances, thus indicating a contamination with GCs which belong to the entire Fornax cluster rather than to NGC 1399. Also, stripped GCs from nearby elliptical galaxies, particularly NGC 1404, may contaminate the blue sample. We argue in favour of a scenario in which the majority of the blue cluster population has been accreted during the assembly of the Fornax cluster. The red cluster population shares the dynamical history of the galaxy itself. Therefore we recommend to use a dark halo based on the red GCs alone. The dark halo which fits best is marginally less massive than the halo quoted previously. The comparison with X-ray analyses is satisfactory in the inner regions, but without showing evidence for a transition from a galaxy to a cluster halo, as suggested by X-ray work.


Consistency maintenance is important to the sharing of dynamic contents in peer-to-peer (P2P) networks. The TTL-based mechanism is a natural choice for maintaining freshness in P2P content sharing. This paper investigates TTL-based consistency maintenance in unstructured P2P networks. In this approach, each replica is assigned an expiration time beyond which the replica stops serving new requests unless it is validated. While TTL-based consistency is widely explored in many client-server applications, there has been no study on TTL-based consistency in P2P networks. Our main contribution is an analytical model that studies the search performance and the freshness of P2P content sharing under TTL-based consistency. Due to the random nature of request routing, P2P networks are fundamentally different from most existing TTL-based systems in that every node with a valid replica has the potential to serve any other node. We identify and discuss the factors that affect the performance of P2P content sharing under TTL-based consistency. Our results indicate a tradeoff between search performance and freshness: the search cost decreases sublinearly with decreasing freshness of P2P content sharing. We also compare two types of unstructured P2P networks and find that clustered P2P networks improve the freshness of content sharing over flat P2P networks under TTL-based consistency. Index Terms—Unstructured P2P network, TTL-based consistency, replication, consistency maintenance, content distribution.


This study seeks to contribute to the systematic explanation of journalists' professional role orientations. Focusing on three aspects of journalistic interventionism—the importance of setting the political agenda, influencing public opinion, and advocating for social change—multilevel analyses found substantive variation in interventionism at the individual level of the journalist, the level of the media organizations, and the societal level. Based on interviews with 2100 journalists from 21 countries, findings affirm theories regarding a hierarchy of influences in news work. We found journalists to be more willing to intervene in society when they work in public media organizations and in countries with restricted political freedom. An important conclusion of our analysis is that journalists' professional role orientations are also rooted within perceptions of cultural and social values. Journalists were more likely to embrace an interventionist role when they were more strongly motivated by the value types of power, achievement, and tradition.


We present a novel discriminator for GANs that improves realness and diversity of generated samples by learning a structured hypersphere embedding space using spherical circles. The proposed discriminator learns to populate realistic samples around the longest spherical circle, i.e., a great circle, while pushing unrealistic samples toward the poles perpendicular to the great circle. Since longer circles occupy larger area on the hypersphere, they encourage more diversity in representation learning, and vice versa. Discriminating samples based on their corresponding spherical circles can thus naturally induce diversity to generated samples. We also extend the proposed method for conditional settings with class labels by creating a hypersphere for each category and performing class-wise discrimination and update. In experiments, we validate the effectiveness for both unconditional and conditional generation on standard benchmarks, achieving the state of the art.


This Article analyzes whether managerial judging reforms introduced to expedite the procedure at the International Criminal Tribunal for the Former Yugoslavia (ICTY) achieved their goal. Using multivariate survival analysis, the Article tests the hypothesis that the higher the number of reforms a case was subjected to, the shorter the pretrial and trial phase of that case should be. Our four models for pretrial and trial reveal that the number of reforms is significantly correlated with longer pretrial and trial phases. The Article explains that the reforms made the process longer rather than shorter because they added new procedural steps, requirements, and work without delivering promised results, such as lower numbers of incidents under discussion at trial, live witnesses testifying at trial, and interlocutory appeals entertained by the Appeals Chamber. The reforms did not deliver these promised results because ICTY judges either did not use their managerial powers or used them deficiently, and the parties managed to neutralize the implementation of the reforms. To explain judges' behavior and the parties' ability to neutralize the reforms, this Article argues that an unnoticed challenge for managerial judging is that the court is likely to have limited information about the case, which may lead judges to restrict use of their managerial powers to avoid making inefficient or unfair decisions, and enables the parties to neutralize the court's decisions. In addition, the ICTY lacked an implementation plan to encourage judges to change their behavior. The Article also explains the incentives that prosecution and defense had to neutralize the reforms.


In recent years, classical computability has expanded beyond its original scope to address issues related to computability and complexity in algebra, analysis, and physics. The deep interconnection between "computation" and "proof" has originated much of the most significant work in constructive mathematics and mathematical logic of the last 70 years. Moreover, the increasingly compelling necessity to deal with computability in the real world (such as computing on continuous data, biological computing, and physical models) has brought focus to new paradigms of computation that are based on biological and physical models. These models address questions of efficiency in a radically new way and even threaten to move the so-called Turing barrier, i.e. the line between the decidable and the un-decidable.

This book examines new developments in the theory and practice of computation from a mathematical perspective, with topics ranging from classical computability to complexity, from biocomputing to quantum computing. The book opens with an introduction by Andrew Hodges, the Turing biographer, who analyzes the pioneering work that anticipated recent developments concerning computations allegedly new paradigms. The remaining material covers traditional topics in computability theory such as relative computability, theory of numberings, and domain theory, in addition to topics on the relationships between proof theory, computability, and complexity theory. New paradigms of computation arising from biology and quantum physics are also discussed, as well as the computability of the real numbers and its related issues.

This book is suitable for researchers and graduate students in mathematics, philosophy, and computer science with a special interest in logic and foundational issues. Most useful to graduate students are the survey papers on computable analysis and biological computing. Logicians and theoretical physicists will also benefit from this book.


Background A recent prevalence study in the Netherlands and Belgium showed that 38% of children in sport experienced psychological violence, 11% physical violence, and 14% sexual violence. Ethnic minority, lesbian/gay/bisexual (LGB) and disabled athletes, and those competing at the international level reported significantly more experiences with interpersonal violence in sport. Objective While general literature has repeatedly shown that exposure to interpersonal violence in childhood is associated with adverse psychological outcomes in adulthood, this relationship has not yet been demonstrated in athletes. This study aims to explore the long-term consequences of these experiences on adult psychopathology and quality of life. Design A cross-sectional, retrospective design, using an online survey, provides a prevalence estimate of interpersonal violence in sport in a representative sample of adults, prescreened on having participated in organized sport before the age of 18 (N=4043). In this sample, psychopathology (depression, anxiety and somatic problems) was assessed using the Brief Symptom Inventory. Quality of life was measured with the World Health Organization Quality of Life questionnaire (WHOQOL BREF). Using Poisson and ordinal logistic regression, the impact on psychopathology and quality of life was investigated, while controlling for demographics, as well as disability, sexual orientation and adverse childhood experiences outside sport. Results Moderate and severe experiences with interpersonal violence in sport (psychological, physical and sexual) proved to have a significant negative impact on psychopathology and quality of life in adulthood. Conclusions This study shows that interpersonal violence against children in sport is related to mental health problems and lower quality of life in adulthood. With its Consensus Statement on non-accidental violence in sport, the IOC gives a strong impetus to prioritize athlete welfare and implement prevention policies. Sport medicine practitioners can actively contribute to a safer sports climate by being attentive to signs of violence against athletes and effectively respond to disclosures.


In March 1996, representatives from several Peruvian cities, grassroots organizations and NGOs, together with scientists and staff from universities and local government authorities, decided to establish a national forum to promote the development and implementation of Agenda 21 in cities in Peru. This came to be called the "Cities for Life" Forum which, today, brings together representatives from 41 institutions in 18 cities. This paper describes the origin and early development of the Forum and its vision, strategies and work to date. It seeks to show how this Forum developed beyond what was initially a conventional project which depended upon technical assistance and the initiatives of a local NGO into a network of many different actors from many urban centres in Peru who, together, form an autonomous and independent entity. The Forum has encouraged and supported its members in developing and implementing local environmental action plans and in learning from each other's experiences. The paper also outlines the main environmental problems in Peru's urban areas and the unsupportive national framework within which urban authorities and other urban actors strive to address environmental problems.


In recent decades, the mixing of complementary land uses has become an increasingly important goal in transportation and land use planning. Land uses mix has been shown to be an influential factor in travel behavior (mode choice and distance traveled), improved health outcomes, and neighborhood-level quality of life. However, quantifying the extent to which a given area is mixed-use has proven difficult. Much of the existing research on the mixing of land uses has focused on the presence and proportion of different uses as opposed to the extent to which they actually interact with one another. This study proposes a new measure of land use mix, a land use interaction method—which accounts for the extent to which complementary land uses adjoin one another—using only basic land use data. After mapping and analyzing the results, several statistical models are built to show the relationship between this new measure and reported travel behavior. The models presented show the usefulness of the approach by significantly improving the model fit in comparison to a commonly-used land use mix index, while controlling for socio-demographic and built form factors in three large Canadian cities (Vancouver, Toronto, and Montreal). Our results suggest that simple, area-based, measures of land use mix do not adequately capture the subtleties of land use mix. The degree to which an area shows fine-grained patterns of land use is shown to be more highly correlated with behavior outcomes than indices based solely on the proportions of land use categories.


As more and more Americans are attending higher educational institutions, the built environment of these places is becoming relevant to a larger number of people. To many graduates familiar with a university, its ensemble of buildings and spaces have the ability to stir up a sense of personal meaning associated with a past era in their life. It is important to preserve these campuses, by maintaining resources that already exist and protecting them from inappropriate change that would diminish their integrity. The physical environment of a university is often an icon of the school. The school's community as well as the public associates the architecture and landscape of a school as part of its identity. In fact, the emblem of many universities is an historic architectural landmark, open space or ensemble of buildings that can be found on their campus. Such buildings and spaces are often used by the school to create a distinct identity. Comments A thesis in Historic Preservation Presented to the Faculties of the University of Pennsylvania in Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements of the Degree of Master of Science in Historic Preservation 2008. Advisor: David Hollenberg This thesis or dissertation is available at ScholarlyCommons: http://repository.upenn.edu/hp_theses/113 AN ANALYSIS OF TECHNIQUES USED TO MANAGE HISTORIC OPEN SPACES ON TWO SUBURBAN AMERICAN UNIVERSITY CAMPUSES


In the field of direct homogenization methods large representative volume elements (RVE's) cause a high computational cost, which is indicated by a large number of history variables allocating a large amount of memory. Additionally, a high computation time is necessary to solve the systems of equations on the micro‐scale as well as on the macro‐scale. In this contribution we focus on random microstructures consisting of a continuous matrix phase with a high number of embedded inclusions with arbitrary morphology. We present a method for the construction of statistically similar representative volume elements (SSRVE's) which are characterized by a much less complexity than usual RVE's in order to obtain an efficient simulation tool. The basic goal of the underlying procedure is to find a SSRVE, where some selected statistical measures describing the inclusion morphology are as close as possible to the ones of the original arbitrary microstructure. (© 2009 Wiley‐VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim)