Engaging families and incorporating their opinions and preferences into community actions is an essential element for implementing successful community support programs (Bailey & Simeonsson, 1988; McNaughton, 1994). The Public Health Department of Skagit County and partner organizations in early learning came together to implement a community needs assessment. A questionnaire was developed for parents with children under five that examined parental needs, preferences, and use of services for families, including Library programs, Early/Head Start, parent groups, Women Infant and Children (WIC) Nutrition Programs and home visiting programs. The intention of the questionnaire was to gauge the state of families and focusing partnering organizations towards improving the community of Skagit County for families. The respondent sample consisted of 463 individuals, with representation from 322 mothers/step-mothers, 32 fathers/step-fathers and 12 caregivers. The findings from the questionnaire showed that families surveyed wanted more community programs and activities, including playgroups. The subgroups analyzed had similarities for preferred methods of communication and different preferences for the types of programs that would be helpful. Respondents of lower income experienced multiple barriers to accessing services and were less aware of programs. This survey was the first step in using the current social networks of the community to engage families and deepen connections with families. Incorporating the parent questionnaire into annual data collection will allow community organizations to learn from and adapt to families' needs.


Germination and emergence are often the most precarious stage in a plant's lifecycle: plants are particularly vulnerable to environmental stress at this time. Despite these constraints, plants colonize much of the planet including extreme environments. We argue that for many species, establishment in extreme situations is not because seed is adapted to germinate in extreme environments but because it falls into, and is spatially and temporally nurtured within, more benign "recruitment niches." This principle has importance for revegetation in extreme environments such as the world's drylands. Using examples from ground‐breaking experiments conducted by CV Malcolm and colleagues between 1976 and 1982 on saltland revegetation with halophytes, we show that recruitment niches can be constructed based on an understanding of the key requirements that seeds need in their immediate environment to establish. As part of their studies, Malcolm's team developed a "niche seeder" capable of distributing and precisely placing fruits of Atriplex species in an elevated "V"‐shaped mound (to decrease waterlogging), covering the fruits with vermiculite (to decrease capillarity and therefore salinity at the soil surface), and spraying the placements with black paint (to increase soil temperatures). Subsequent studies in arid environments showed that the establishment of woody plants was also improved using stones on the soil surface to develop appropriate recruitment niches. Malcolm's identification of the "recruitment niche" is an important principle of broader relevance to the revegetation of degraded landscapes in extreme environments. In addition, the development of the niche seeder is an important case study in ecological restoration.


The material for this systematic study of conodonts from eastern Victoria comes from localities in Buchan Caves limestone, Taravale mudstone, and Murrindal limestone members of the Buchan group, which previously had been regarded as middle Devonian in age. In comparison with lower Devonian conodont faunas of Europe, the conodonts here described indicate that the Murrindal limestone (uppermost member of the group) belongs to the lower Emsian (lower Devonian). New species of Eognathodus, Roundya, and Spathognathodus, and some new subspecies are represented in the material systematically described.


Abstract : Volatile organic compounds (VOCs) are among the most frequently identified contaminants in soil and groundwater samples obtained during the investigation of suspected hazardous waste sites. Because some VOCs and their degradation products are potentially mutagenic, carcinogenic, or teratogenic, their concentrations in these two matrices are key factors in the risk assessment process. Furthermore, when risk-based corrective actions are deemed necessary, the subsequent selection and implementation of the appropriate remediation technologies rely heavily upon the VOC concentrations established during site characterization activities. This report briefly addresses procedures, equipment, and logistics for the collection and timely (less than 48 hr) on-site analysis of VOCs in discrete soil and groundwater samples. The collection, preservation, and preparation procedures presented strive to acquire and maintain analyte concentrations that are representative of the location and medium from which the sample was removed.


In this paper different cascaded and multilevel topologies are compared for regenerative braking systems using supercapacitors (SC). It shows that the multilevel buck derived topology can beneficiate from both reduced voltage across the inductor and increased frequency to reduce the output inductance, even if there is the need for an input LC filter to reduce harmonic content in the SC. Also, the proposed control scheme is able to control the energy flow between SC and the DC bus, balancing the voltage in the SC banks. Experimental results verify the performance of the proposed converter and its control algorism.


This thesis consists of three papers that examine college choice and earnings among university graduates in Sweden. Paper [I] analyzes how geographical accessibility to higher education affects university enrollment decisions in Sweden. The empirical findings show that the probability of enrollment in university education increases with accessibility to university education. The results also indicate that accessibility adds to the likelihood of attending a university within the region of residence. Both these findings are robust with regard to different specifications of accessibility. The empirical results furthermore indicate that the enrollment decisions of individuals with a less privileged background are more sensitive to accessibility to university education than are the decisions of individuals from a more favorable background. Paper [II] examines the effect on earnings of graduating from five different college groups. The paper relies on selection on observables and linear regression to identify the earnings effect of college choice. Contrary to the majority of previous Swedish studies, we do not find any systematic differences in estimated earnings between college graduates from the different college groups. This finding does not only hold when considering all college graduates, but also when focusing on men and women separately as well as when considering college graduates in two specific fields of education. The results suggest that an estimator of the earnings effects of college choice that does not properly adjust for ability is likely to be substantially biased. Paper [III] estimates the causal effect on earnings of graduating from old universities rather than new universities/university colleges. The study compares estimates from several different matching methods and linear regression. We cannot find any significant differences in earnings between graduates from the two groups of colleges. This holds for male and female sub-samples covering all majors, as well as male and female sub-samples covering two broad fields of education. The results are robust with regard to different methods of propensity score matching and regression adjustment. Furthermore, the results indicate little sensitivity with regard to the empirical support in the data and alternative specifications of the propensity scores.


This study examines the effects of education and globalisation on income inequality using cross-country data. We confirm the existence of the Kuznets inverted-U hypothesis for the relationship between income level and income inequality. However, the inverse U-shaped curve lacks robustness when additional variables are introduced in the model. The empirical results show that educational variables play an important role in determining distribution of income. Our findings indicate that a higher level of educational attainment of the population has contributed to improvement of income distribution, while educational inequity causes income inequality. It is also found that the higher the level of globalisation, the more unequal income distribution, while freedom, whether economic freedom or political freedom, has marginal effects on income inequality.


Though the genocide of 1994 catapulted Rwanda onto the international stage, English-language historical accounts of the Great Lakes region of Eastern Africa--which encompasses Burundi, eastern Congo, Rwanda, western Tanzania, and Uganda--are scarce. Drawing on colonial archives, oral tradition, archeological discoveries, anthropologic and linguistic studies, and his thirty years of scholarship, Jean-Pierre Chretien offers a major synthesis of the history of the region, one still plagued by extremely violent wars. This translation brings the work of a leading French historian to an English-speaking audience for the first time.Chretien retraces the human settlement and the formation of kingdoms around the sources of the Nile, which were "discovered" by European explorers around 1860. He describes these kingdoms' complex social and political organization and analyzes how German, British, and Belgian colonizers not only transformed and exploited the existing power structures, but also projected their own racial categories onto them. Finally, he shows how the independent states of the postcolonial era, in particular Burundi, Rwanda, and Uganda, have been trapped by their colonial and precolonial legacies, especially by the racial rewriting of the latter by the former.Today, argues Chretien, the Great Lakes of Africa is a crucial region for historical research--not only because its history is fascinating but also because the tragedies of its present are very much a function of the political manipulations of its past.


For a long time spectrophotometry has been a powerful method of determining optical material properties. Since the technique measures the parameters of interest, reflectance and transmittance, it is in general easy to use and interpret. Certain materials, such as miniature structures or scattering materials, must be given a more careful analysis to avoid incorrect interpretation. General solutions to measurement challenges for thick scattering samples and anisotropically scattering samples are presented.Thorough knowledge about the components of a spectrophotometer gives a solid base which is necessary when trying to design or modify an instrument for the characterisation of miniature components. Focusing optics and pinhole apertures are two methods investigated for studying samples on a millimeter scale. Focusing optics retain a high intensity but might cause internal reflection. Pinhole apertures are easy to build into a sample holder, but they will reduce light intensity which can give problems with signal to noise ratio. Using a microscope as a focusing lens system permits the measurement of samples of a size down to the order of ten micrometers. However, absolute measurements are difficult due to the strong focusing properties of the microscope.Translucent sheets are of interest for daylighting applications, a growing field in today's energy-conscious society. If sunlight is to be used for indoor illumination it is preferable to make it diffuse. By using Transparent Refractive Index Matched Micro (TRIMM) particles in a transparent polymer sheet, it is possible to obtain high transmittance in combination with tailorability of the scattering profile. Such sheets have been characterised experimentally, as well as by Monte Carlo raytracing simulations. The good agreement between simulation and experiment shows that this type of simulation can be used in the materials design process. A more theoretical study of patterns in multiple Mie scattering has been carried out using the Monte Carlo program developed for characterisation of the TRIMM particle sheets.


The history of pyrolysis equipment, methods, and reactions is narrated in the Introduction. Detailed descriptions of flash vacuum pyrolysis (FVP) (or thermolysis, FVT) apparatus for preparative and spectroscopic (UV, IR, electron spin resonance) purposes with product isolation at 77K or in Ar matrices at ∼10K are presented. Very low pressure pyrolysis (VLPP), laser pyrolysis, and pulsed pyrolysis (jet flash pyrolysis) are also described together with illustrations of apparatus. The solvent spray flash vacuum pyrolysis (SS-FVP) of liquids or solutions of compounds of low volatility is described together with methods for the addition of solids to a pyrolysis tube, in particular details of pipto-pyrolysis ('falling solid pyrolysis'). Methods used for catalytic vacuum gas-solid reactions (VGSR) are also summarised.


A 55-year-old woman, who had two episodes of difficulty in putting a key into a keyhole probably due to optic ataxia at age 52 and 54 years old, developed speaking errors and was admitted to our hospital. She was 152.5 cm in height and 52.5 kg in weight. Neurological examination revealed right homonymous hemianopsia and sensory aphasia. A CSF examination revealed lymphocytic pleocytosis of 88/microliter. Serum lactate and pyruvate were remarkably increased after an aerobic exercise test. A few ragged-red fibers were present in the biopsied brachial biceps muscle. Brain MRI by FLAIR method showed scattered high signal lesions in the left temporal lobe, bilateral parieto-occipital lobes, left insular cortex and left thalamus. The left superficial temporal lesion was enhanced by gadolinium-DTPA. The proton MRS demonstrated the lactic acid peak as well as the decrease of NAA/choline ratio (0.38) in the left parieto-occipital region. Thus, she was diagnosed as a case of MELAS (mitochondrial myopathy, encephalopathy, lactic acidosis and stroke-like episodes) and successfully treated with ubidecarenone (150 mg/day). Six months later, she again developed seizure, right hemiparesis and deterioration of aphasia and presented again CSF lymphocytic pleocytoses of 15/microliter. Brain MRI demonstrated new lesions in the left temporoparietal lobes, left insular cortex and left corona radiata. Therefore, CSF pleocytosis appeared to be associated with stroke-like episodes in this case. Although the mechanism of CSF pleocytosis remains to be elucidated, it may involve the breakdown of blood-brain barrier caused by mitochondrial dysfunction. Otherwise, an inflammatory process similar to that in cases of Leber disease, who developed multiple sclerosis-like additional lesions in the central nervous system, may also take place in MELAS.


The analysis of hard real-time systems, traditionally performed using RMA/PCP or simulation, is nowadays also studied as a scheduler synthesis problem, where one automatically constructs a scheduler which can guarantee avoidance of deadlock and deadline-miss system states. Even though this approach has the potential for a finer control of a hard real-time system, using fewer resources and easily adapting to further quality aspects (memory/energy consumption, jitter minimisation, etc.), synthesised schedulers are usually extremely large and difficult to understand. Their big size is a consequence of their inherent precision, since they attempt to describe exactly the frontier among the safe and unsafe system states. It nevertheless hinders their application in practise, since it is extremely difficult to validate them or to use them for better understanding the behaviour of the system. In this paper, we show how one can adapt data-mining techniques to decrease the size of a synthesised scheduler and force its inherent structure to appear, thus giving the system designer a wealth of additional information for understanding and optimising the scheduler and the underlying system. We present, in particular, how it can be used for obtaining hints for a good task distribution to different processing units, for optimising the scheduler itself (sometimes even removing it altogether in a safe manner) and obtaining both per-task and per-system views of the schedulability of the system


The intensifying global spread of apocalyptic forms of Christianity, now well established in Papua New Guinea, has popularised readings of the Bible that stress a cataclysmic end of the world from which only the faithful will be saved. This paper examines the way that this apocalyptic discourse is being embraced by the Lelet of central New Ireland, taking the case of an earthquake that occurred during the year 2000. Apocalypticism is increasingly the operative explanatory framework for unusual events that are seen as signs. However, recourse to it varies between individuals. Signs are very carefully examined and various theories, new and old, are considered before an explanation is finally accepted. I argue that the acceptance of new beliefs does not always depend on the existence of prior similar beliefs, and neither are older beliefs simply displaced by the new.


Seminar.net reached 100 000 unique visitors in October 2010 after nearly six years on the web. Since its inception, a total number of 64 articles have been published, and the site has been visited 3000 times each month at its most. A journal needs to publish good articles. Judging by the increasing number of readers, the readers seem to find our articles to be relevant, readable and contributing to the global discourse. The e-journal format offers opportunities to employ the media to its full potential. A unique feature of the e-journal is to communicate in other media than textual. Seminar.net has for a long time been alone on the academic marked in the field of presenting an abstract of the paper in video format. The assumption is that a short introduction presented on a video makes the reader more interested and that he/she reads the paper with more enthusiasm. On the other hand, journal readers are conservative, and often fail to appreciate the value of visual communication other than the textual. It will be a challenge to continue to develop the e-journal genre in light of the need to balance reader conservatism with exploring the opportunities offered by multimedia-publishing.The second feature of dealing with an e-journal is to offer an alternative voice. Critique and reappraisal in social science is highly valued and seen as a vital condition for renewal and progress in the academic community. Paper journals are often seen as conservative and in favour of "normal" science in Thomas Kuhn's terms. The "gatekeepers" are piled up in their editorial boards. E-journals subscribing to an Open Access Policy have a reputation of the opposite. E-journals have made it easier to express critical ideas and represent marginalised viewpoints in main stream science.Seminar.net has readers in 150 countries, from all continents, and with a majority of readers from USA and India, but has also significant number of readers from England, Australia, The Philippines, Canada, Indonesia and Germany. We believe this demonstrates the necessity of an international journal that raises issues with wide interest.In this issue, we present five articles. The first four has been presented at an annual conference for the Network University of Norway, and then gone through a proper peer-review for publication in this journal. The first article, "Promoting the Good e-Teacher: Didactical choices when developing e-pedagogical Competences", by Grete Oline Hole, Anne Karin Larsen and Jon Hoem, from the Bergen University College, explains how a blended e-pedagogy course for teachers of Higher Education teachers has been developed. The course evolved from the experiences of teaching international online courses for European BA students. The students plan their own courses in accordance with the stages of becoming an e-learner. Evaluations by students have demonstrated that this hands-on training course can help students attain the necessary competences needed to be skilled e-teachers. This paper demonstrates a concern that many higher education institutions hold for developing teaching skills in on-line or e-learning. Private institutions develop internal training, such as the University of Phoenix, and some actors plan to produce courses for the commercial market[1].Bjørn Klefstad, Geir Maribu, Svend Andreas Horgen and Thorleif Hjeltnes, from the Sør-Trøndelag University College present an article called: "Learning outcomes and a taxonomy as a starting point for creating digital multiple-choice tests". They make the case for the use of multiple-choice tests for both formative and summative purposes. They regard the making of valid and reliable tests to be challenging, but they find Bloom's taxonomy being a useful framework for assessment in higher education and fruitful for developing "learning outcomes". Based on an analysis of several digital tests they examine to what degree learning outcomes and levels are reflected in the questions of each test they have developed and suggest functionalities for a future test tool to support an improved design process.Hugo Nordseth, Sonja Ekker and Robin Munkvold of Nord-Trøndelag University College present their joint article: "Tools for peer assessment in an e-learning environment". They explore the functionalities of tools for peer assessment within the LMS used for two different topics taught at their college, in combination with a set of rubrics and a tool called "Six Thinking Hats". They report that using these in combination stimulate students to write better assignments and provide a deeper understanding of the subjects taught.Arvid Staupe of The Norwegian University of Science and Technology, argues in his article "Experiences from Blended Learning, Net-based Learning and Mind Tools" that in spite of a strong increase in the number of students attending classes, it is possible to improve the quality of the course when blended teaching approaches are employed, using net-based learning material and mind tools, and founded firmly on an educational philosophy.The last article, by Ana Laws, of the University of Bergen, is about "Digital Storytelling as an emerging documentary form". She claims that digital storytelling can be fruitfully studied using concepts and perspectives from documentary theory. She offers two definitions of digital storytelling and compares to how documentary filmmaking has been characterized. She further argues that contemporary discussions in the field of documentary theory are applicable to the ongoing theorising of "Digital storytelling" and therefore might benefit from the reflections on authorial responsibility and claims of realism and truthfulness in this area.[1] http://www.insidehighered.com/news/focus/technology/recent/pearson (accessed Nov.16.2010)


REASONS FOR PERFORMING THE STUDY
Lameness is prevalent in working donkeys and has major welfare implications; however, a detailed study of the associated clinical signs is lacking.

OBJECTIVES
To describe the range and prevalence of clinical signs and conformation associated with lameness in working draught donkeys.

STUDY DESIGN
Prospective, cross-sectional, observational study.

METHODS
Data were collected from 102 working draught donkeys in Pakistan. A lameness assessment adapted for working donkeys was used to record clinical signs of lameness, gait, limb conformation and pain responses in the feet, limbs and spine using observation, palpation and manipulation. Lameness at the walk was scored from 0 to 10 (sound to nonweightbearing).

RESULTS
Every donkey examined had gait abnormalities, with 5% having a nonweightbearing limb. Lameness was significantly more severe with older age, lower body condition score and forward-at-the-knee conformation. More severe lameness was also associated with pain responses in the hoof walls, palpation of limb joints and spinal flexion. Joint, tendon and foot pathology was highly prevalent, as well as pain responses to joint flexion and spinal manipulation. Conformational abnormalities showed lateral asymmetries.

CONCLUSIONS
Over 98% of the world's 42.2 million donkeys are in low-income countries, most being used for work. The high prevalence of lameness, pain and multiple limb and spinal abnormalities in working donkeys is of great welfare concern and highlights the complexity of addressing this problem. This standardised lameness assessment can be used when implementing and monitoring interventions to reduce lameness prevalence in working donkeys.


In Pakistan, 86 percent small-scale farmers whose average cultivated landholding is less than 5.0 hectares and who mostly engage in subsistence farming dominate the fresh mango value chain in Pakistan. Most mango smallholders devote their time to what they know best, growing but leaving the harvesting and handling of mangoes to other partners in supply chain, mainly preharvest contractors. Selling directly to consumers is a new option for smallholders, which on a pilot scale in 2014 & 2015 has proven more profitable for them. An initiative was taken under the ASLP Mango Value Chain Improvement Project to promote the ASLP 'best practices mangoes' in domestic markets in Multan through direct marketing by smallholders.  Under this initiative, six small-scale farmers near the city of Multan formed a group and trained by ASLP project team members on pre and post-harvest techniques. During the 2014 mango season, 13 consignments of mangoes were prepared to adopt ASLP best mango practices. These consignments were sold by adopting direct marketing through a dedicated roadside retail outlet, which they established, and through home delivery. More than 13 tonnes of mangoes were sold in 20 days activity. When the supply of best practice mangoes ran out there did unfilled orders from consumers, as well as other local small and medium farmers want to participate in direct marketing in the future.  This paper provides a detailed account of this pilot project's direct marketing strategy as an approach to linking small-scale farmers with consumers, increasing farmers' incomes and improving their livelihoods in Pakistan, a developing country.


Transformational leadership is considered a desirable leadership style producing many positive organisational outcomes. This study investigated individual differences in information processing, influencing behaviours and transformational leadership ability. Sixty pairs of participants, (leaders and subordinates) completed on-line surveys measuring information processing style (through the REIm and the CTI), leadership style (MLQ5-x) and preferences for influencing tactics (IBQ). Results showed some unexpected results, for example, thinking style was not correlated to either influencing tactics or transformational leadership. However, elements of constructive thinking were, as expected, related to both transformational leadership and a preference for the core four influencing tactics. Further analyses partially supported the conclusion that transformational leadership mediates the relationship between behavioural coping and influencing tactics. An implication of this research includes the practical importance of considering the impact of elements of constructive thinking and the relationship to transformational leadership. Groups and organisations looking to employ or train a leader to be transformational thus ought to test for constructive thinking ability.


Ornament, as practiced by architects, artists, and designers for a hundred years, presents itself as a system of order and grid, and not merely as adornment. Long before the recently occurring renaissance of the ornament, the Studio of Claudia and Thomas Weil developed 1,000 contemporary ornaments in 14 groups including numerous variations with intriguing names like "the extended octopus," "angle-square-triangle," "Chessband," Shark's landing," and "Africa, half past two." Each offers fresh, exciting new varieties of geometric ornament that can be developed from a common grid. With the addition of color these patterns take on almost limitless possibilities. These are introduced here, together with applications in architecture, art and design, as well as an overview of the history of the modern ornament.


This paper reports an observation of how designers work together to achieve integrated building design on the basis of individual contributions. A case study shows that the keystone of fruitfid collaboration lies in the projection of common images; and common design metaphors emerging from group interpretation of the common images can function as a communicative device, allowing for participants to collaborate effectively. A set of constraints on collaboration is identified via a situation-theoretical analysis of a scenario of collaborative design. As shown, the constraints derived have some implications for building collaboration-supporting tools.


Adoption of Wi-Fi wireless technology continues to see explosive growth. However, many users still operate their home Wi-Fi networks in unsecured mode or use publicly available unsecured Wi-Fi networks, thus exposing their communications to the dangers of "packet sniffing," a technique used for eavesdropping on a network. Some have argued that communica-tions over unsecured Wi-Fi networks are "readily accessible to the general public" and that such communications are therefore excluded from the broad protections of the Federal Wiretap Act against intentional interception of electronic communications.This Note examines the Federal Wiretap Act and argues that the current Act's treatment of Wi-Fi sniffing might protect unsecured Wi-Fi communications under some circumstances, but that any such protections are incidental, unsystematic, and uncertain. This Note further argues that the current statute's "readily accessible to the general public" language should be interpreted in a way that addresses concerns about Wi-Fi sniff-ing and users' expectations of privacy. Users' current expectations stem from their limited understanding of the underlying Wi-Fi technology and the accompanying security risks and, more importantly, from the fact that private communications cannot be intercepted without specialized tools and knowledge not readily available to the general public. Finally, this Note advocates for amending the Federal Wiretap Act to remove uncer-tainty regarding protections against Wi-Fi sniffing. Clear protections against Wi-Fi sniffing would avoid the private and social cost of data theft resulting from sniffing and could close the gap between users' theoretical ability to protect themselves by using security mechanisms and their re-duced practical ability to take any such protective measures.


The field of biomedical materials has grown rapidly over the past 20 years and offers solutions to repair defects, correct deformities, replace damaged tissue and provide therapy. This has contributed to the increase in the average lifetime of individuals in developed countries. The market value for biomaterials is of the order of billions of dollars per annum worldwide and is growing as new products offer improved performance or provide new solutions health problems. Apatites are playing a key role in biomedical implants.

In developing materials used for implantation consideration must be given to both the influence of the implanted material on the body, and how the body affects the integrity of the material. The body will treat implants as inert, bioactive, or resorbable materials. Generally "inert" materials will evoke a physiological response to form a fibrous capsule, thus, isolating the material from the body. Calcium phosphates fall into the categories of bioactive and resorbable materials. A bioactive material will dissolve slightly, but promote the formation of an apatite layer before interfacing directly with the tissue at the atomic level. Such an implant will provide good stabilization for materials that are subject to mechanical loading. A bioresorbable material will, however, dissolve and allow tissue to grow into any surface irregularities but may not necessarily interface directly with the material (Neo et al. 1992).

The first use of calcium phosphate as an implanted biomaterial provided accelerated bone healing in surgically created defects in rabbits (Albee and Morrison 1920). Interest in apatite specifically started in the 1960s and initial studies principally involved the synthesis and analysis of hydroxylapatites in an attempt to better understand biological apatites (Le Geros 1965, McConnell 1965, Nancollas and Mohan 1970, Selvig et al. 1970). Hydroxylapatite is a specific form of apatite with a chemical …


Huge amounts of money will soon be spent by governments and private entities to develop technology to reduce the costs of climate change mitigation and adaptation, and to deploy new energy and transportation infrastructures. Incredibly, we still lack any good idea of the best means of providing massive amounts of government or private money so as to promote the most innovation and technology diffusion at the lowest cost. This Article seeks to support better analyses of, and decision making regarding, the choices of government innovation-funding mechanisms by discussing the limits of current analyses and providing a taxonomy of such measures. It also proposes future work to better analyze what we know about these choices and their relative effectiveness, and it discusses new measures to expand our knowledge base, which include: (1) better tracking of government innovation-funding inputs and outputs; (2) better documentation of and self-conscious decision making regarding funding choices; and (3) creating experiments that go beyond existing natural experiments.


Packet Telephony has been regarded as an alternative to existing circuit switched fixed telephony. To propagate new idea regarding Packet Telephony researchers need to test their ideas in real or simulated environment. Most of the research in mobile ad-hoc networks is based on simulation. Among all available simulation tools, Network Simulator (ns2) has been most widely used for simulation of mobile ad-hoc networks. Network Simulator does not directly support Packet Telephony. The authors are proposing a technique to simulate packet telephony over mobile ad-hoc network using network simulator, ns2.


High-resolution nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy is a powerful technique, yet practical application outside of the research laboratory has been limited due to the high cost and complexity of the instrumentation. Recently, miniaturized low-field benchtop time-domain NMR (TD-NMR) instruments have been developed to solve practical problems within the industrial setting. While the low-field instruments sacrifice some degree of sensitivity and resolution, they are capable of powerful relaxation time analysis and have gained popularity due to their simplicity and cost effectiveness. Currently these instruments are utilized primarily in the food, agricultural and pharmaceutical industry. This project was initiated to investigate the utility of benchtop TD-NMR in clinical diagnostics and health assessment. Using TD-NMR relaxometry, we analyzed a variety of complex biological liquids, which included oil-phase lipids, purified proteins and lipoproteins, and whole human serum and plasma. For oil-phase non-esterified fatty acids, we demonstrated that the NMR T2 relaxation times were sensitive to hydrocarbon chain structure, particularly the number of cis-double bonds, which impact chain packing and fluidity. Triglyceride mixtures displayed the same sensitivity to double bond content and fluidity. Therefore, we developed a practical method for using benchtop-TD NMR to determine the omega-3 fatty acid content of nutritional supplements. Analysis of aqueous biological samples suffered initially from radiation damping and hardware artifacts. Therefore, we developed new methods to optimize TD-NMR analysis of water-rich samples such as human blood serum. The T2 profile of whole human serum or plasma displayed four resolved T2 peaks. One was the intense water peak, which correlated with biomarkers of insulin resistance, dyslipidemia, oxidative stress and inflammation. The other three peaks monitor the molecular motions of the lipid and protein components in serum and plasma. In an apparently healthy population of human subjects, the lipid-protein T2 values correlated with insulin resistance biomarkers by detecting metabolic changes in proteins and lipoproteins. The analysis of human serum and plasma using TD-NMR shows promise as a front-line health screening tool for identifying individuals at risk for developing diabetes, cardiovascular disease and Alzheimer's disease. Novel Diagnostic and Analytical Applications of Benchtop Time-Domain NMR A Dissertation Presented to the Faculty of Interdisciplinary Program of Biological SciencesBiochemistry and Molecular Biology East Carolina University In Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree of Doctor of Philosophy in Biochemistry and Molecular Biology


Lawyers have long played an integral part in efforts to bring about social change. With an increasing desire to see change in the world, regardless of one's political perspective, there is a growing interest in understanding the role that lawyers can play in bringing about such change. This type of lawyering is complex, however, and faces far more challenges than those the traditional lawyer faces in his or her work. Although all lawyers solve problems on behalf of their clients, the role of the social-change lawyer is more complex because the problems she seeks to address are more complex, mostly because she is not trying to operate within the existing legal system on behalf of her client but, rather, trying to change it. Indeed, the social-change lawyer often faces complex problems that require complex and creative solutions. This article explores the nature of the creativity required of the social-change lawyer by an assessment of three campaigns for social change in which lawyers played prominent roles: the effort to abolish slavery, the campaign to end Jim Crow segregation, and the movement for marriage equality. This review unearths several common components of these campaigns. For example, they typically sought incremental change, used interpretative tools that helped reframe the issues affecting their clients, brought in interdisciplinary perspectives, sought to build coalitions based on areas where the interests of different communities might converge, and were conscious of trends and forces occurring outside the law that were likely to affect the legal campaigns. It is through an assessment of these successful efforts and an identification of the common characteristics of such creative problem solving for social change that I hope will serve as inspiration for those working for positive social change, today and in the future.


OBJECT
Cavernous malformations (CMs) of the optic pathway and hypothalamus (OPH) are extremely rare. Patients with these lesions typically present with chiasmal apoplexy, characterized by sudden visual loss, acute headaches, retroorbital pain, and nausea. Surgical removal is the recommended treatment to restore or preserve vision and to eliminate the risk of future hemorrhage. However, the anatomical location and eloquence of nearby neural structures can make these lesions difficult to access and remove. In this study, the authors review the literature for reported cases of OPH CMs to analyze clinical and radiographic presentations as well as surgical approaches and neurological outcomes.

METHODS
A MEDLINE/PubMed search was performed, revealing 64 cases of OPH CMs. The authors report an additional case in the study, making a total of 65 cases. Each case was analyzed for clinical presentation, lesion location, radiographic features, treatment method, and visual outcome.

RESULTS
In 65 patients with OPH CMs, the optic chiasm was affected in 54 cases, the optic nerve(s) in 35, the optic tract in 13, and the hypothalamus in 5. Loss of visual field and acuity was the most common presenting symptom (98%), followed by headache (60%). The onset of symptoms was acute in 58% of patients, subacute in 15%, and chronic progressive in 26%. Computed tomography scans revealed hyperdense suprasellar lesions, with calcification visible in 56% of cases. Magnetic resonance imaging typically demonstrated a heterogeneous lesion with mixed signal intensities suggestive of blood of different ages. The lesion was often surrounded by a peripheral rim of hypointensity on T2-weighted images in 60% of cases. Minimal or no enhancement occurred after the administration of gadolinium. Hemorrhage was reported in 82% of cases. Most patients were surgically treated (97%) using gross-total resection (60%), subtotal resection (6%), biopsy procedure alone (6%), biopsy procedure with decompression (23%), and biopsy procedure followed by radiation (2%). Those patients who underwent gross-total resection had the highest rate of visual improvement (85%). Two patients were treated conservatively, resulting in complete blindness in 1 patient and spontaneous recovery of vision in the other patient.

CONCLUSIONS
Cavernous malformations of the OPH are rare and challenging lesions. Gross-total resection of these lesions is associated with favorable visual outcomes. Emergent surgery is warranted in patients presenting with chiasmal apoplexy to prevent permanent damage to the visual pathway.


This thesis describes the research into modelling cash
ows for Residential
Mortgage Backed Securities (RMBS). RMBS notes are secured by proceeds,
interest and principal payments, of the underlying mortgage pool. A transaction
is divided into several classes of notes with di�erent risk pro�les, though
they all reference to the same underlying assets.
The quality or creditworthiness of an RMBS transaction is assessed by credit
rating agencies. During the credit crisis substantial losses were su�ered on
several RMBS notes, sometimes up to the most senior ones. In response, the
rating agencies downgraded a lot of RMBS transactions, and more importantly
the market questioned the ability of the rating agencies to assess the
quality of structured credits. As a consequence pricing RMBS notes became
very subjective. This forces investors to develop their own pricing models
instead of relying on rating agencies. Finally, regulatory supervisors have
reacted by requesting more transparency from issuers, resulting in the obligation
for issuers to make available to investors detailed loan-level data on
the underlying mortgage pool. The new regulations gave rise to research on
how to purposefully apply loan-level data to consistently and arbitrage free
value an RMBS note.
In this thesis we develop a model based on loan-level data to forecast the
cash
ows to the noteholders. This model has a stochastic part, the cash

ows from the mortgage pool, and a deterministic part, the allocation of
these cash
ows to the noteholders established by the transaction structure.
Besides interest payments, default and early repayment are determinants of
the size and timing of cash
ows from the underlying mortgage pool. In this
research, both the default and early repayment model are based on survival
analysis, which allows for the estimation of month-to-month default and early
repayment probabilities at a mortgage level. The Cox proportional hazards
model adopted is able to incorporate both mortgage speci�c variables and
time-varying covariates relating to the macro-economy. Since both default
and early repayment can cause a mortgage to be terminated before maturity,
these causes are termed 'competing risks'. In this paper we will extend the
Cox model such that it explicitly accounts for the competing risk setting.
We �nd that the probability of default for a mortgage is higher if:
� the ratio of loan to foreclosure value is higher;
� the borrower has a registered negative credit history;
� the ratio of main income to total income associated with the loan is
higher;
� there is only one registered borrower;
� the income of the borrower is not disclosed to the lender, but to an
intermediary.
For early repayment, we �nd that the probability of occurrence for a mortgage
is higher if:
� the ratio of loan to foreclosure value is higher;
� the applicant is younger;
� the total income of the borrower(s) is lower;
� the 3-months Euribor is higher;
� it is an interest reset date;
� the re�nancing incentive is higher.

We obtain a method to estimate the month-to-month default and early repayment
probabilities for a speci�c mortgage with certain characteristics and
age. Monte Carlo simulation is used to compute di�erent realisations of default
and early repayment for the underlying mortgage pool over the maturity
of the RMBS. Finally, the deterministic structure of the notes allows us to
derive the corresponding discounted cash
ows to the noteholders and estimate
a pro�t distribution for an RMBS note.
The research resulted in a tool for NIBC to assess the quality of a mortgage
pool and employ this information to arbitrage free value a corresponding
RMBS note.


Aim of study : We aim at (i) developing a reference definition of mixed forests in order to harmonize comparative research in mixed forests and (ii) review the research perspectives in mixed forests. Area of study : The definition is developed in Europe but can be tested worldwide. Material and Methods : Review of existent definitions of mixed forests based and literature review encompassing dynamics, management and economic valuation of mixed forests. Main results : A mixed forest is defined as a forest unit, excluding linear formations, where at least two tree species coexist at any developmental stage, sharing common resources (light, water, and/or soil nutrients). The presence of each of the component species is normally quantified as a proportion of the number of stems or of basal area, although volume, biomass or canopy cover as well as proportions by occupied stand area may be used for specific objectives. A variety of structures and patterns of mixtures can occur, and the interactions between the component species and their relative proportions may change over time. The research perspectives identified are (i) species interactions and responses to hazards, (ii) the concept of maximum density in mixed forests, (iii) conversion of monocultures to mixed-species forest and (iv) economic valuation of ecosystem services provided by mixed forests. Research highlights : The definition is considered a high-level one which encompasses previous attempts to define mixed forests. Current fields of research indicate that gradient studies, experimental design approaches, and model simulations are key topics providing new research opportunities. Keywords: COST Action; EuMIXFOR; mixed-species forests; admixtures of species.


Background: The prevalence of transfusion associated hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection differs across different population geographically. Ascertaining the seroprevalence of HBV infection is vital to informing the way of precautionary and control strategies. This study sought to establish the seroprevalence of hepatitis B surface antigen (HBVsAg) among blood donors in Yelewonyan Memorial Hospital Lofa, Liberia. Methods: This was a retrospective study which involved reviewing of blood donation records for the year 2020 at Telewonyan Memorial Hospital in Lofa County. The data obtained from the records were analyzed. Data analysis was done using SPSS version 12 for windows. Results: A total of 584 voluntary blood donors were screened for donation in 2020. Out of 584, 554 (95.9%) were males while the rest were females. Prevalence of 3.3% was observed among blood donors in Telewonyan Memorial Hospital. There is a significant difference between gender and age with HBV seropositivity among blood donors. Conclusion: The findings of this study suggest that the study site is of low endemicity with HBV infection. Usually, males are more probably to be HBVsAg seropositive than their female's counterpart. Planning more extensive study and educational programs would help minimize the spread of HBV infection among the general population.


In this text, I offer an account of the Australian Tertiary Admissions Rank (ATAR) – a competitive university admissions ranking system – and its impact on historically underrepresented youths' aspirations toward higher education. It is a fictionalised tale of the experiences of a careers advisor in a suburb in Western Sydney on a day in 2012 when ATARs were allocated to prospective university entrants. Centred on the protagonist's interactions with five students, this story discloses a world of experiences usually hidden from view, foregrounding the irreducible human suffering that dwells in the gap between policy slogans of "raising aspiration" toward higher education in Australia and the prevalent symbolic violence of the education system, a suffering represented by the faces of the young people who bear it.


Abstract
In this study, the authors unpack the micro-level processes of knowledge accumulation (experiential learning) and knowledge application (problem solving) to examine how task allocation structures influence organizational learning. The authors draw on untapped potential of the classical garbage can model (GCM), and extend it to analyze how restrictions on project participation influence differentiation and integration of organizational members' knowledge and consequently organizational efficiency in solving the diverse, changing problems from an uncertain task environment. To isolate the effects of problem or knowledge diversity and experiential learning, the authors designed three simulation experiments to identify the most efficient task allocation structure in conditions of (1) knowledge homogeneity, (2) knowledge heterogeneity, and (3) experiential learning. The authors find that free project participation is superior when the members' knowledge and the problems they solve are homogenous. When problems and knowledge are heterogeneous, the design requirement is on matching specialists to problem types. Finally, the authors found that experiential learning creates a dynamic problem where the double duty of adapting the members' specialization and matching the specialists to problem types is best solved by a hierarchic structure (if problems are challenging). Underlying the efficiency of the hierarchical structure is an adaptive role of specialized members in organizational learning and problem solving: their narrow but deep knowledge helps the organization to adapt the knowledge of its members while efficiently dealing with the problems at hand. This happens because highly specialized members reduce the necessary scope of knowledge and learning for other members during a certain period of time. And this makes it easier for the generalists and for the organization as a whole, to adapt to unforeseen shifts in knowledge demand because they need to learn less. From this nuanced perspective, differentiation and integration may have a complementary, rather than contradictory, relation under environmental uncertainty and problem diversity.


The purpose of this article is to emphasize the knowledge intensity of enterprise architecture in support of an enterprises' ability to be innovative, competitive and proactive towards change and, secondly, how this knowledge base could be managed to leverage value to the rest of the organization. Enterprise architecture reinforces and operationalizes three competitive weapons: business strategy, digital innovation and infrastructure development. It is the holistic expression of the enterprise's key business, information, application and technology strategies and their impact on business functions and processes. It typically consists of current and future state models of four key components, namely enterprise business architecture, enterprise information architecture, enterprise application architecture and enterprise-wide technical architecture. the enterprise architecture process facilitates the planned evolution of IT infrastructure, processes and systems. The enterprise architecture governance model provides the necessary principles and standards to guide a common vision in order to align business and technology requirements. The unique and very specific products and related processes for enterprise architecture are dependent on continuous and recent updates regarding business and technology trends in order to apply knowledge and insight gained to future strategic architecture initiatives. Successful implementation of enterprise architecture programmes is dependent on effective knowledge transfer to key stakeholders. Enterprise architecture value, for example the relationship between business effectiveness and financial efficiency, could be related to the following statement: the information coursing through a well architected information system is profoundly valuable, provided it is the right information delivered to the right decision makers, at the right time. Therefore, leveraging architecture value is dependent on how effectively architecture related-information and knowledge are communicated or distributed to the rest of the enterprise.


This project follows a design process of finding a haptic solution of how elderly users (65+ with age-ralated declines) can deal in a smooth way with touchscreen mobile phones. Users behaviour is observed and analysed. It is investigated how vibrations can help and improve the interaction and connection between the technology and user. Problematic areas are selected and examined. Possible solutions are discussed and tested with persons. Final solutions supplying easier navigation and understanding on a touchscreen mobiles for seniors. Haptic transmitter to support the link between phone and living is presented as well.


A cell-free preparation of the cytoplasm from activated eggs of Rana pipiens induces, in demembranated sperm nuclei of Xenopus laevis, formation of a nuclear envelope, chromatin decondensation, initiation of DNA synthesis, and chromosome condensation. Both soluble and particulate cytoplasmic constituents are required to initiate these processes in vitro. The observed changes resemble processes occurring during fertilization and the mitotic cycle in early amphibian embryos. Therefore, this cell-free system may be useful in biochemical analysis of the interactions of nucleus and cytoplasm that control nuclear behavior.


We use past forecast errors to construct confidence intervals and other estimates of uncertainty around the Reserve Bank of Australia's forecasts of key macroeconomic variables. Our estimates suggest that uncertainty about forecasts is high. We find that the RBA's forecasts have substantial explanatory power for the inflation rate but not for GDP growth.


Variational cluster calculations and Monte Carlo simulations are applied to hard-body board-like models of biaxial molecules forming liquid crystalline phases. The molecular long axes are assumed for simplicity to be fully oriented. Depending on the extent of transverse anisometry in the molecular shape, these systems can exhibit biaxial nematic phases as well as uniaxial and biaxial orthogonal smectic phases. It is shown that the region of thermodynamic stability for the biaxial nematic phase is considerably broadened in binary mixtures of molecules with the same cross section but differing in their long dimension.


We have prepared a large volume of pure, concentrated and homogenous zinc standard solution. This new standard solution is intended to be used as a primary reference standard for the zinc isotope community, and to serve as a replacement for the nearly exhausted current reference standard, the so-called JMC-Lyon Zn. The isotopic composition of this new zinc standard (AA-ETH Zn) has been determined through an inter-laboratory calibration exercise, calibrated against the existing JMC-Lyon standard, as well as the certified Zn reference standard IRMM-3702. The data show that the new standard is isotopically indistinguishable from the IRMM-3702 zinc standard, with a weighted δ66/64Zn value of 0.28 ± 0.02‰ relative to JMC-Lyon. We suggest that this new standard be assigned a δ66/64Zn value of +0.28‰ for reporting of future Zn isotope data, with the rationale that all existing published Zn isotope data are presented relative to the JMC-Lyon standard. Therefore our proposed presentation allows for a direct comparison with all previously published data, and that are directly traceable to a certified reference standard, IRMM-3702 Zn. This standard will be made freely available to all interested labs through contact with the corresponding author.


© 2011 by Systematics Association. Biogeography represents one of the most complex and challenging aspects of macroevolutionary research, requiring input from both the earth and life sciences. Palaeogeographic reconstruction is frequently carried out by researchers with backgrounds in geology and palaeontology, who are less likely to be familiar with the latest biogeographic techniques: conversely, biogeographic methods are often devised by neontologists who may be less familiar with the fossil record, stratigraphy, and palaeogeography. Palaeogeography and Palaeobiogeography: Biodiversity in Space and Time bridges the gap between these two communities of researchers, who work on the same issues but typically use different types of data. The book covers a range of topics, and reflects some of the major overall questions in the field such as: • Which approaches are best suited to reconstructing biogeographic histories under a range of circumstances? • How do we maximize the use of organismal and earth sciences data to improve our understanding of events in earth history? • How well do analytical techniques devised for researching the biogeography of extant organisms perform in the fossil record? • Can alternative biodiversity metrics, particularly those based on morphological measurements, enhance our understanding of biogeographic patterns and processes? This book approaches palaeobiogeography with coverage of technological applications and detailed case studies. It spans a wide selection of overlapping and integrative disciplines, including evolutionary theory, vicariance biogeography, extinctions, and the philosophical aspects of palaeogeography. It also highlights new technological innovations and applications for research. Presenting a unique discussion of both palaeogeography and palaeobiogeography in one volume, this book focuses both historically and philosophically on the interface between geology, climate, and organismal distribution.


This study aimed at investigating the relationship between Iranian EFL learners' reading strategy use and Emotional Intelligence (EI) as well as exploring the most frequentlyused reading strategies which can facilitate the process of reading comprehension. To this end, a group of 60 was selected out of 274 university learners majoring in TEFL and English Translation. Based on English Proficiency Test and Bar-On's (1997) EI Test, they were divided into two groups (high and low EI). Then, the needed data were gathered by employing a Reading Strategy Questionnaire. The collected data were analyzed via SPSS software, version 22. The results of the study revealed that EI level was positively associated with Reading Strategy Use (r=0.623, p<0.01). Also, the results of independent samples t-test were indicative of the fact that the degree of usage of meta-cognitive and cognitive strategies by the high EI group was greater than that of the low EI group, while with respect to the testtaking strategies, this degree of usage was weaker in the former than in the latter. In addition, cognitive strategy, as the most frequent one, was observed to be a facilitative strategy for reading comprehension. It was, therefore, concluded that the importance of reading strategies should be taken into account in improving the reading skill and other areas of language learning and teaching. The findings of the can be helpful for material development, testing and teaching methodologies.


Louis Pierre Althusser (1918–1990) is widely recognized as one of the most significant and influential Marxist philosophers associated with the structuralist turn in the middle of the 20th century. The ongoing publication of scholarly monographs that develop his conceptual legacy, the depth of his impact in disciplinary debates in fields across the humanities and social sciences, and the continued translation of his work from French into multiple languages, to offer only a few examples, testify to the consensus regarding the enduring importance of his theoretical innovations and often controversial interventions. He devoted tremendous intellectual energy toward a critique of humanism and phenomenological-based Marxism even as he eschewed traditional positivist economic explanations of history and exploitation—engaging in what amounts to nothing less than an effort to fundamentally shift the way the West reads and interprets Marx. Despite the controversial aspects of his interventions, there is little disagreement that the concepts produced by Althusser irreversibly affected and continue to affect the trajectory of Marxist and post-Marxist thought throughout the world, albeit often through the back door, smuggled in and unrecognized—in his lexicon: as an embedded but nevertheless absent cause.


Conductive paper has low-cost, lightweight, sustainability, easy scale-up, and tailorable advantages, allowing for its promising potential in flexible electronics, such as bendable supercapacitors, solar cells, electromagnetic shields, and actuators. Ionic gels, exhibiting a lower Young's modulus together with facile manufacturing, can fully serve as the conductive component to prepare conductive paper. Herein we report a low-cost (∼1.3 dollars/m2), continuous, and high-throughput (up to ∼30 m/min) fabrication of reliable and long-term (stable for more than two months) conductive paper. As-prepared conductive paper shows a high electrical durability with negligible bending-recovering signal changes over 5000 cycles. Using this ionic gel paper (IGP) as a key component, we build a variety of proof-of-principle demonstrations to show the capacity of IGP in constructing flexible electroluminescent devices with diverse patterns, including a square, an alphabetic string, and a laughing face. Our methodology has the potential to open a new powerful route to fabricate bendable conductive paper for a myriad of applications in future flexible electronics.


The Barn Swallow ( Hirundo rustica ) is the most widely distributed aerial insectivore in north America, but has declined appreciably in recent decades. reasons for these declines are largely unknown, though presumably relate mainly to changes in prey availability. To help inform conservation priorities for this species, we assessed their diet and prey selection using birds lethally struck by aircraft at Vancouver International Airport (YVR). Esophagi and gizzards of 31 Barn Swallows collected from june 2013 to october 2013 contained insects mainly from the orders Hymenoptera (mean across birds = 40% of insect numbers), Diptera (31%), Hemiptera (15%), and Coleoptera (12%). To assess prey selection, we compared the esophagi and gizzard contents of 20 swallows collected from July 2013 to September 2013 to populations of aerial insects we sampled during the same period using Malaise traps. Barn Swallows selected strongly for insects in the order Hymenoptera (mainly Formicidae, which comprised 29% of diet), and selected against insects in the orders Coleoptera, Diptera, and Lepidoptera. For all prey taxa combined, Barn Swallows displayed strong selection for insects of length 4−8 mm (body length excluding appendages). Conversely, they selected against smaller and larger insects, despite the fact that smaller insects comprised about 80% of all insects sampled in Malaise traps. Combined with past studies, our results suggest that Barn Swallows select among available aerial insects within local feeding sites for taxa that (i) are of intermediate size, (ii) occur at relatively high density, and (iii) have poor flight performance.


The purpose of this study was to examine social comparison orientation on Instagram as it relates to self-esteem and state anxiety. One hundred and ninety-six young adults (ages 18-30) who use Instagram at least once a week completed scales measuring social comparison orientation, selfesteem, and state anxiety before being randomly assigned to one of two Instagram feed conditions—one that displayed non-celebrity photos and the other that displayed celebrity photos. Participants were then post-tested using the same self-esteem and state anxiety scales. Information about Instagram use, information about participants' feelings toward the feeds, and demographic characteristics were also collected. It was expected that participants with high social comparison orientations (SCOs) would experience greater decreases in self-esteem and greater increases in state anxiety than participants with low SCOs across both conditions. Additionally, it was expected that all participants, regardless of SCO, would experience a greater decrease in self-esteem and a greater increase in state anxiety after looking at photos of noncelebrities in comparison to looking at photos of celebrities. Findings were insignificant, indicating that using Instagram may not be detrimental to mental wellbeing. A second follow-up experiment found a relationship between SCO and state anxiety, with higher SCO being related to a greater decrease in anxiety.


The approach to facial rejuvenation continues to evolve. For decades, the primary focus on rejuvenation has centered on modalities such as skin care, skin resurfacing, soft-tissue augmentation, and surgical intervention. A better understanding of the physiologic changes that occur with facial aging lends itself to new approaches and techniques that are mindful of the causes. As animation has shown to be a significant contributor to both the appearance of facial lines and soft-tissue malposition, there has been recent interest in chemodenervating agents and their applications in the field of facial rejuvenation. These agents, by and large, efface rhytides by selective and precise focal paralysis of the underlying facial musculature and, therefore, reduce or eliminate the prominence of the overlying rhytides. In addition, chemodenervation can serve as an adjunct for facial rejuvenation because of its influence on facial soft-tissue position and shape. Botulinum toxin, derived from Clostridium botulinum, is the most widely used agent; therefore, this new modality, its applications in cosmetic plastic surgery, and its applications to other areas will be discussed. (Plast. Reconstr. Surg. 112 (Suppl.): 177S, 2003.)


This article highlights several important dimensions of planning for exit from strategic alliances and also offers several examples of the disastrous consequences of inadequate exit-planning. While many companies fall into the trap of having no exit plan, other companies take too simple a planning approach, wondering if the exit will be unconditionally easy or hard. A more effective approach involves questions such as "When should the exit be easy and when should it be hard? And for which partner?" The article develops a framework that stipulates contingency-specific exit provisions for each partner in the alliance-specifically, situations in which exit should be symmetric and easy for both partners, symmetric and hard for both partners, or asymmetric, hard for one partner and easy for the other. Furthermore, many alliances today reflect complex deals that cover several distinct developmental stages, each of which contains a distina set of contingencies. Such alliances require a dynamic application of the exit framework, wherein each stage of the alliance development entails a different set of exit provisions, and exit from one stage would signify the beginning of the next.


The current Northern Hemisphere migration systems are believed to have arisen since the last glaciation. In many cases, birds do not migrate strait from breeding to non-breeding areas but fly via a detour. All western European populations of red-backed shrikes Lanius collurio are assumed to reach their southern African wintering grounds detouring via southeast Europe. Based on theoretical considerations under an optimality framework this detour is apparently optimal. Here, we use individual geolocator data on red-backed shrikes breeding in Spain to show that these birds do indeed detour via southeast Europe en route to southern Africa where they join other European populations of red-backed shrikes and return via a similar route in spring. Disregarding potential wind assistance, the routes taken for the tracked birds in autumn were not optimal compared to crossing the barrier directly. For spring migration the situation was quite different with the detour apparently being optimal. However, when considering potential wind assistance estimated total air distances during autumn migration were overall similar and the barrier crossing shorter along the observed routes. We conclude that considering the potential benefit of wind assistance makes the route via southeast Europe likely to be less risky in autumn. However, it cannot be ruled out that other factors, such as following a historical colonisation route could still be important.


Some euhedral crystals of borate minerals were found in vugs and fissures in veins intruded into crystalline limestone near the gehlenite-spurrite skarns at the Fuka mine, Okayama Prefecture, Japan. The interfacial angle of the euhedral crystals was measured using a one circle reflecting goniometer. Used euhedral crystals are frolovite, henmilite, hexahydroborite, nifontovite, olshanskyite, pentahydroborite and uralborite. The possible indices of plane and zone axis were calculated from the unit cell parameters of each mineral, and compared with the average values of measurements. The indices of plane and zone axis were determined with maximum error of ±1.5 degree between the average value of measurements and calculated value. The crystal forms of frolovite, hexahydroborite, nifontovite, olshanskyite and uralborite are the first report in the world. The crystal forms of henmilite and pentahydroborite reported previously were corrected.


This study was conducted to investigate different aspects of library anxiety using a modified version of Multidimensional Library Anxiety Scale (Van Kampen, 2003). Participants were 123 M.A. students in the field of education and psychology at Shiraz University in Iran. The results indicated that 18% of students experience high levels of library anxiety. The result of ANOVA indicated that there is a significant correlation in all aspects of the library anxiety among students of different majors. Library and Information Science students were experienced the lowest level of library anxiety in most of aspects. Moreover, the significant difference between each major and all other majors was measured. T-tests showed that male students, in general, encounter higher levels of anxiety than females. Also it was found that the students of the second semester have experienced most amount of library anxiety. Implications of the findings are discussed. Implications of the findings are discussed.


For five countries, Australia, France, Germany, the United Kingdom and the United States, this paper revisits the unexpected capital gain issue often discussed in the literature on the equity risk premium. The first part of the paper presents a brief survey of recent papers tackling this problem. Next, we contrast ex-ante measures of stock returns (as determined at the end of the 1980s) with actual total stock returns observed subsequently. We conduct our analysis on two time periods, first 1989:Q4–1999:Q4 and then 1989:Q4–2004:Q4. For the first time period, our results show that investors benefited from huge unanticipated capital gains in the five countries. For the time period ending in the fourth quarter of 2004, we show that ex-post returns are not fundamentally at odds with expected returns in all five countries although caution should be exercised in some cases. Last, we also briefly discuss the issue of market risk at the end of the 20th century, its impact on stock market valuation and assess the robustness of our results by looking at two different starting dates.


The most interesting recent criticisms of Emerson's political activism in the cause of abolition have focused on three linked failures: his elitism and his failure to become an organic representative of the American people; his association of ethics and aesthetics and his failure to find a more truly oppositional position; his commitment to a transcendent lawfulness to which both individuals and communities must submit and his failure to embrace more radical forms of liberation. Each of Emerson's failures--his elitism, his aesthetics, his transcendentalism involves the overarching problem of Emerson's notorious individualism. Yet these criticisms do not address the structural and historical difficulties of mounting a political appeal in a liberal democracy without appealing to individualism and to the individual's judgment, allegiances, actions, and identity. By addressing these difficulties, this essay hopes to move our critical discourse from thinking about Emerson (to attack or defend him) to thinking with Emerson (to use him as a representative figure in developing and clarifying the intellectual's dilemma). This is, of course, an Emersonian distinction with implications for public intellectuals today. ********** Paradise is under the shadow of swords. --attributed to Mohammed by Emerson in "Heroism" It is not possible to extricate oneself from the questions in which your age is involved. Emerson, "The Fugitive Slave Law" Amateur Hour On August 1, 1844 Emerson, with some reluctance, gave "An Address ... on ... the Emancipation of the Negroes in the British West Indies," making his first public statement in support of the unpopular cause of abolition. Emerson's lecture and his speeches against slavery over the next fifteen years make him an early and representative public intellectual in America. The public intellectual plays a distinct and difficult part, distinguishable from the part played by professional abolitionists like William Garrison, Wendell Phillips, or Lydia Maria Child for whom opposition to slavery was a true vocation; different from the interventions of a Channing or a Parker for whom pronouncements on contemporary issues formed part of their ministerial portfolio; and different as well from the platform performances of Frederick Douglass or Soujourner Truth for whom the lived experience of slavery furnished something akin to a credentializing expertise. (1) Emerson had no such profession to authorize his position and no experience of oppression to represent for his public. As he himself put it in his 1854 address on "The Fugitive Slave Law," "I have lived all my life without suffering any known inconvenience from American slavery. I never saw it; never heard the whip; I never felt the check on my free speech and action...." (2) As a public intellectual, he could only speak as a citizen to other citizens and he could only represent the voice of moral repugnance that he hoped would become the voice of the American people. Such hopeful appeals to a shared sense of moral outrage by one private citizen to others in his or her community is the intellectual's task in a democratic society, and it is by definition an amateur's affair. The work public intellectuals do is never quite their own. (3) But what does that mean and what can we learn about intellectuals in democratic societies from Emerson's assumption of the intellectual's paradoxical place? Habermas remarks that since the time of Dreyfus, intellectuals in the public sphere have enjoyed and suffered the liberties and stigmas of their amateur status, hovering between "the irresponsibility of the political dilettante" and "responsibility for the whole without official jurisdiction" (73-74). (4) To be simultaneously an irresponsible political dilettante and to presume to speak for the whole without official jurisdiction is precisely the difficult position in which Emerson as public intellectual finds himself. …


Vietnamese food systems are undergoing rapid transformation, with important implications for human and environmental health and economic development. Poverty has decreased, and diet quality and under-nutrition have improved significantly since the end of the Doi Moi reform period (1986-1993) as a result of Viet Nam opening its economy and increasing its regional and global trade. Yet poor diet quality is still contributing the triple burden of malnutrition, with 25 percent stunting among children under age 5, 26 percent and 29 percent of women and children, respectively, anemic, and 21 percent of adults overweight. Agricultural production systems have shifted from predominantly diverse smallholder systems to larger more commercialized and specialized systems, especially for crops, while the 'meatification' of the Vietnamese diet is generating serious trade-offs between improved nutrition and sustainability of the Vietnamese food systems. The food processing industry has developed rapidly, together with food imports, resulting in new and processed food products penetrating the food retail outlets, trending towards an increase in the Westernized consumption patterns that are shifting nutrition-related problems towards overweight and obesity and, with it, an increase of non-communicable disease-related health risks. While regulatory policies exist across the food system, these are not systematically implemented, making food safety a major concern for consumers and policy makers alike. Where data exists, it is not easy to aggregate with data from across food system dimensions, making it difficult for Viet Nam to make an informed analysis of current and potential food system trade-offs. In our research, we reviewed existing literature and data, and applied a food systems framework to develop an initial food systems profile for Viet Nam and to identify a comprehensive set a of research questions to fill current data gaps identified through the review. Insights on these would provide the comprehensive evidence needed to inform policy makers on how to develop new food systems policies for Viet Nam, and further refine and improve existing policies to achieve better quality diets and more sustainable food systems in Viet Nam. Based on these, we then engaged with stakeholders to develop research priorities in the Viet Nam context and identified 25 priority research questions. This paper aims to stimulate such reflections by clearly outlining key areas for research, government policy, and development programs on priority investment to build the evidence base around inclusive food systems interventions that aim to result in healthier diets and more sustainable food systems for Viet Nam.


Essential services often fail because citizens are unable to hold governments accountable. By studying the case of Citizen Voice and Action, a social accountability intervention introduced by the World Vision aid organisation, my thesis asks how impoverished citizens can be empowered to increase accountability for essential services and how to improve empowering intervention processes. Findings from twelve countries explain which citizen capabilities influence official behaviour and consequently, how to combine competing theories of accountability. Improving practice requires finding which localized cultural capabilities amplify collective power to enable change.


Many observed annual flood series exhibit reverse curvatures when plotted on lognormal probability paper. The occurrence of these curvatures may be attributed to storm and basin factors. A mixed distribution model is needed to analyze such flood series. A versatile flood frequency methodology has been developed which considers power normal, log-Pearson type III, and mixed distribution. Objective detection and modification of outliers/inliers is an integral part of this methodology.


Concerns about fossil fuel prices and harmful effects have prompted research and investment in biofuel development. Biofuels have the potential to provide a stable fuel source that reduces carbon emissions. However, the ecological impacts of different crop choices should be examined. Arthropod communities in corn and switchgrass monocultures and mixed grass prairie polycultures were examined to determine the impact of the crop choice on the arthropod communities. Results show that, when compared to corn and switchgrass fields, mixed grass prairie fields had higher values for arthropod biomass, number, size, the number of orders present, the number of individuals in each order, and the overall arthropod diversity. Corn fields were dominated by Diptera (61.83%) and contained very low abundance of the other orders found in this study. Mixed grass prairie fields also showed Diptera as the most prevalent order (43.47%), followed by Hemiptera (17.89%) and Homoptera (13.65%), Hymenoptera (6.12%), Coleoptera (5.61%), with the others each less than 2.5%, Thysanoptera, Acari, Araneae, Lepidoptera, Orthoptera and Odonata. Switchgrass fields showed arthropod communities with diversity levels between that of corn and mixed grass prairies, with Diptera (39.33%), Coleoptera (17.91%) and Hemiptera (16.33%) dominating the community. Hymenoptera 5.53% and Lepidoptera, Odonata, Orthoptera, Thysanoptera, Acari and Araneae total 17%. Average arthropod abundance was 49.33 individuals and 98 milligrams in mixed grass prairie fields, 35.59 individuals and 49 milligrams in switchgrass fields, and only 23.93 individuals and 23 milligrams in corn fields. The average number of orders found was also correlated to field type, with 4.17 in corn fields, 5.53 in switchgrass fields, and 7.08 in mixed grass prairie fields. It is concluded that transitioning from planting fields with corn to growing mixed grass prairie, or switchgrass, for cellulosic ethanol and biodiesel production would increase the overall abundance and biodiversity of the arthropod community.


There has been increased clinical and policy interest in the relationship between employment and mental health, in terms of the well-being of populations in general, and of people with psychological and psychiatric problems in particular. The Irish
Mental Health Commission (2005) advocates a recovery model for delivering mental health services, in which open employment plays a central part. Therefore, the views of employers on policy and services which they see helping or hindering the employment of people with mental health problems are significant for the successful implementation of a recovery based model of service delivery. This study explores employers' views on equal status employment policy and the support available for businesses in Ireland as these issues relate to the employment issues that confront them with regard to people with mental health problems.
The research design consisted of a mixed method approach, utilising a questionnaire, focus groups and individual interviews to collect data from a range of employers
(N=403) in the South East of Ireland. Statistical analysis was conducted through entry of quantitative data into SPSS Version 13. Data derived from focus groups and individual interviews were entered into computer aided qualitative data analysis software, 'NVivo 7', and were analysed using a seven stage coding framework approach.
Findings from this study indicated that a large number of employers initially underestimate the prevalence of mental health problems within their workforce due to a lack of knowledge and understanding of mental health issues. Employers express a negative attitude towards their obligations under employment equality legislation.
They feel that it acts as a barrier to the employment of people with mental health problems. Available information on current employment support initiatives is seen as poor. This has a negative impact on the willingness of employers to engage with support initiatives for people with mental health problems in the workplace.


Cardiovascular disease (CVD) is the leading cause of mortality worldwide, causing an estimated 18 million deaths annually. Much of the burden of CVD resides in lower- and middle-income countries, particularly those Asian countries comprising the Western Pacific Region. Epidemiological studies have convincingly shown that up to 90% of all CVD can be explained by a small number of modifiable risk factors, including blood pressure, smoking, diabetes, total cholesterol and excess body weight. However, the relationship between these risk factors and coronary artery disease and stroke often differ by age and sex, and yet these differences are often overlooked in burden of disease estimations. As such, that can result in either an over- or under-estimation of the disease burden in specific population subgroups, which may affect resource allocation of healthcare. In this review, we derive the most reliable and previously unpublished estimates of the age- and sex-specific burden of vascular disease attributable to the aforementioned risk factors for 10 of the most populous Asian countries in the Western Pacific Region. Understanding how the burden of vascular disease is distributed within and between populations is crucial for developing appropriate health policies and effective treatment strategies, particularly in resource-poor settings.


Abstract Background and aims Wastewater‐based epidemiology is an additional indicator of drug use that is gaining reliability to complement the current established panel of indicators. The aims of this study were to: (i) assess spatial and temporal trends of population‐normalized mass loads of benzoylecgonine, amphetamine, methamphetamine and 3,4‐methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA) in raw wastewater over 7 years (2011–17); (ii) address overall drug use by estimating the average number of combined doses consumed per day in each city; and (iii) compare these with existing prevalence and seizure data. Design Analysis of daily raw wastewater composite samples collected over 1 week per year from 2011 to 2017. Setting and Participants Catchment areas of 143 wastewater treatment plants in 120 cities in 37 countries. Measurements Parent substances (amphetamine, methamphetamine and MDMA) and the metabolites of cocaine (benzoylecgonine) and of Δ9‐tetrahydrocannabinol (11‐nor‐9‐carboxy‐Δ9‐tetrahydrocannabinol) were measured in wastewater using liquid chromatography–tandem mass spectrometry. Daily mass loads (mg/day) were normalized to catchment population (mg/1000 people/day) and converted to the number of combined doses consumed per day. Spatial differences were assessed world‐wide, and temporal trends were discerned at European level by comparing 2011–13 drug loads versus 2014–17 loads. Findings Benzoylecgonine was the stimulant metabolite detected at higher loads in southern and western Europe, and amphetamine, MDMA and methamphetamine in East and North–Central Europe. In other continents, methamphetamine showed the highest levels in the United States and Australia and benzoylecgonine in South America. During the reporting period, benzoylecgonine loads increased in general across Europe, amphetamine and methamphetamine levels fluctuated and MDMA underwent an intermittent upsurge. Conclusions The analysis of wastewater to quantify drug loads provides near real‐time drug use estimates that globally correspond to prevalence and seizure data.


The 1977 Sorokin Award winning story of Buffalo Creek in the aftermath of a devastating flood. On February 26, 1972, 132-million gallons of debris-filled muddy water burst through a makeshift mining-company dam and roared through Buffalo Creek, a narrow mountain hollow in West Virginia. Following the flood, survivors from a previously tightly knit community were crowded into trailer homes with no concern for former neighborhoods. The result was a collective trauma that lasted longer than the individual traumas caused by the original disaster. Making extensive use of the words of the people themselves, Erikson details the conflicting tensions of mountain life in general the tensions between individualism and dependency, self-assertion and resignation, self-centeredness and group orientation and examines the loss of connection, disorientation, declining morality, rise in crime, rise in out-migration, etc., that resulted from the sudden loss of neighborhood."


Background
Obstructive sleep apnoea/hypopnoea syndrome(OSAHS) is the periodic reduction or cessation of airflow during sleep. The syndrome is associated with loud snoring, disrupted sleep and observed apnoeas. Surgery for obstructive sleep apnoea/hypopnoea syndrome aims to alleviate symptoms of daytime sleepiness, improve quality of life, and reduce the signs of sleep apnoea recorded by polysomnography.

Objectives
The objective of this review was to assess the effects of any type of surgery for the treatment of the symptoms of obstructive sleep apnoea/hypopnoea syndrome in adults.

Search methods
We searched the Cochrane Airways Group Specialised Register and reference lists of articles. We contacted experts in the field, research dissemination bodies and other Cochrane Review Groups. Searches were current as of July 2008.

Selection criteria
Randomised trials comparing any surgical intervention for obstructive sleep apnoea/hypopnoea syndrome with other surgical or non-surgical interventions or no intervention.

Data collection and analysis
Two reviewers assessed electronic literature search results for possibly relevant studies. Characteristics and data from studies meeting the inclusion criteria were extracted and entered into RevMan 5.

Main results
Twelve studies (709 participants) of mixed risk of bias met the inclusion criteria. Data from ten studies were eligible for assessment in the review. The participants recruited to the studies had mixed levels of AHI, but tended to suffer from moderate daytime sleepiness where this was measured. No data could be pooled. Uvulopalatopharyngoplasty (UPPP) versus conservative management (one trial): An un-validated symptom score showed intermittent significant differences over a 12-month follow-up period. No differences in Polysomnography (PSG) outcomes were reported. Laser-assisted uvulopalatoplasty (LAUP) versus conservative management/placebo (two trials): One study recruited a mixed population and separate data could not be obtained for this trial. In the other study no significant differences in Epworth scores or quality of life reported. A significant difference in favour of LAUP was reported in terms of apnoea hypopnoea index (AHI) and frequency and intensity of snoring. Palatal implants versus placebo (one trial): Symptoms and AHI were lower with palatal implants. LAUP versus bipolar radiofrequency volumetric tissue reduction (one trial): Within-treatment group differences were significant for symptoms and AHI, but the between treatment group differences were not available to assess whether indirect inferences could be made regarding the effects of either treatment. UPPP versus oral appliance (OA) (one trial): AHI was significantly lower with OA therapy than with UPPP. No significant differences were observed in quality of life. UPPP versus lateral pharyngoplasty (lateral PP) (one trial): No significant difference in Epworth scores, but a greater reduction in AHI with lateral PP was reported. Expansion sphincter pharyngoplasty (one trial): Both interventions reduced AHI although statistical analysis on the difference between treatments was not reported. Tongue advancement (mandibular osteotomy) + PPP versus tongue suspension + PPP (one trial): There was a significant reduction in symptoms in both groups, but no significant difference between the two surgery types. Complications reported with all surgical techniques included nasal regurgitation, pain and bleeding. These did not persist in the long term. An additional study assessed the effects of four different techniques. No data were available on between group comparisons. Multilevel temperature-controlled radiofrequency tissue ablation (TCRFTA) versus sham placebo and CPAP (one trial): There was an improvement in primary and secondary outcomes of TCRFTA over sham placebo and but no difference in symptomatic improvement when compared with CPAP. Radiofrequency assisted uvulopalatoplasty technique versus channeling technique (one trial): Dysphagia scores were lower in the channeling group immediately post-operation, but at four months the difference was no longer significant. Snoring scores did not differ at long-term follow-up. The number of participants achieving AHI lower than 10 at four months was slightly higher with RAUP than channeling technique.

Authors' conclusions
There are now a small number of trials assessing different surgical techniques with inactive and active control treatments. The studies assembled in the review have failed to demonstrate consistent effects in favour of surgery and do not provide convincing evidence to support its use in sleep apnoea/hypopnoea syndrome. Short-term outcomes are unlikely to consistently identify suitable candidates for surgery. Long-term follow-up of patients who undergo surgical correction of upper airway obstruction is required. This would help to determine whether surgery is a curative intervention, or whether there is a tendency for the signs and symptoms of sleep apnoea to re-assert themselves, prompting patients to seek further treatment for sleep apnoea.


We present a turbulent kinetic energy (TKE) closure scheme for the stably stratified atmosphere in which the mixing lengths for momentum and heat are not parameterized in the same manner. The key difference is that, while the mixing length for heat tends toward the stability independent mixing length for momentum in neutrally stratified conditions, it tends toward one based on the Brunt–Väisälä time scale and square root of the TKE in the limit of large stability. This enables a unique steady-state solution for TKE to be obtained, which we demonstrate would otherwise be impossible if the mixing lengths were the same. Despite the model's relative simplicity, it is shown to perform reasonably well with observational data from the 1999 Cooperative Atmosphere–Surface Exchange Study (CASES-99) using commonly employed model constants. Analyzing the scaling behavior of the nondimensional velocity and potential temperature gradients, or of the stability (correction) functions, reveals that for large stability the present model scales in the same manner as the first-order operational scheme of Viterbo et al. Alternatively, it appears as a blend of two cases of the TKE closure scheme of Baas et al. Critically, because a unique steady-state TKE can be obtained, the present model avoids the nonphysical behavior identified in one of the cases of Baas et al.


This paper tracks the history of government intervention in the U.S. mortgage market between 1932 and the 1960s, a period in which the system for housing finance underwent a fundamental transformation. Whereas prior to 1930 the government had little involvement in the mortgage market, by the 1960s it was a major player. These interventions were triggered in part by economic crises, particularly the Great Depression. Yet, as I argue in this paper, they were also motivated by a cultural understanding of homeownership as central to American identity and the rise of housing policy as a substitute for other forms of social assistance. Many of the instruments established during these years to direct the flow of credit toward housing would emerge as central features of the housing market that persist to the present day. These policies mark the beginning of the permanent subsidisation of residential mortgage credit. In addition, beyond introducing long-term debt instruments to the consumer, they fostered the depersonalisation of credit relations. In this way, I also show that some of the weaknesses that have contributed to current U.S. housing market woes found their inception in the policy responses to the Great


First‐order analysis, based on a stochastic continuum presentation of flow and a general Lagrangian description of transport, was used to investigate the effects of several characteristics of a bimodal, spatially heterogeneous, variably saturated formation, on solute breakthrough curves, under steady‐state, gravity‐dominated unsaturated flow conditions. The bimodal formation was viewed as a mixture of two populations (background soil and embedded soil) of differing hydraulic properties and differing spatial structures. Results of the present analysis, restricted to relatively small inclusions' volume fraction, suggest that as in saturated flow, for a formation of given statistics and mean water saturation, both the spreading of the mean solute breakthrough curve and the uncertainty in its prediction may be appreciable, especially in bimodal formations in which: (i) the contrast between the mean properties of the two subdomains is relatively large, (ii) the inclusions' volume fraction is relatively large, and (iii) the characteristic length scales of the inclusions are relatively large as compared with those of the heterogeneity of the background soil. Results of this study, unique to unsaturated flow conditions, stem from the inherent concave nature of the log‐conductivity variance–mean pressure head relationships in bimodal, variably saturated formations. Consequently, under unsaturated flow conditions, both the spreading of the mean solute discharge and the uncertainty in its prediction are concave functions of mean saturation. Starting with saturated formation, they initially decrease with decreasing mean saturation, reach their minima, and then increase as mean saturation further decreases, exceeding their counterparts in saturated flow conditions. Implications of the results with respect to the problem of groundwater contamination where risk assessment is required, are briefly discussed.