Abstract. Moisture convergence from different sources is an important prerequisite for a heavy-precipitation event. The contributions from different source regions can, however, hardly be quantified from observations, and their assessment based on model results is complex. Two conceptually different numerical methods are widely used for the quantification of moisture sources: Lagrangian approaches based on the analysis of humidity variations along backward trajectories and Eulerian methods based on the implementation of moisture tracers into a numerical model. In this study the moisture sources for a high-impact, heavy-precipitation event that affected eastern Europe in May 2010 are studied with both Eulerian and Lagrangian moisture source diagnostics. The precipitation event was connected to a cyclone that developed over northern Africa, moved over the Mediterranean towards eastern Europe and induced transport of moist air towards the Carpathian Mountains. Heavy precipitation and major flooding occurred in Poland, the Czech Republic and Slovakia between 16 and 18 May 2010. The Lagrangian and Eulerian diagnostics consistently indicate a wide spatial and temporal range of moisture sources contributing to the event. The source with the largest share is local evapotranspiration from the European land surface, followed by moisture from the North Atlantic. Further contributions come from tropical western Africa (10–20° N) and the Mediterranean Sea. Contrary to what could be expected, the Mediterranean contribution of about 10% is relatively small. A detailed analysis of exemplary trajectories corroborates the general consistency of the two approaches, and underlines their complementarity. The Lagrangian method allows for mapping out moisture source regions with computational efficiency, whereas the more elaborate Eulerian model requires predefined moisture sources, but includes also processes such as precipitation, evaporation and turbulent mixing. However, in the Eulerian model, uncertainty concerning the relative importance of remote versus local moisture sources arises from different options to parameterise moisture tagging at the surface. Ultimately a more sophisticated parameterisation scheme will be required to reduce this uncertainty.


This study uses a Dynamic Conditional Correlation multivariate GARCH approach for testing for contagion among Latin American financial markets to shocks originated in the United States and Europe. Using daily data on stock market returns for the period comprised between July 4th, 2001 and December 30th, 2013, we find some evidence suggesting two episodes of contagion. The first corresponds to the time of the mortgage subprime crisis in the US, while the second corresponds to the period of sovereign bonds' turbulence in Europe. JEL Classification: G01; G15; C32.


The extent to which stochastic and deterministic processes influence variations in species communities across space and time remains a central question in theoretical and applied ecology. Despite their high dispersal ability, the composition of phytoplankton communities displays striking spatial variations among lakes even at small spatial scale. To investigate the mechanisms underlying the distribution of phytoplankton species, we evaluate the contribution of stochastic, spatial and environmental processes in determining β-diversity patterns of phytoplankton at a regional scale. Phytoplankton communities were surveyed in 50 different lakes from north-central France, a region characterised by strong environmental heterogeneity. The regional species pool was characterised by extremely high β-diversity levels, which were mainly explained by species replacement (i.e. turnover) rather than by differences in species richness (i.e. nestedness). Null models of random species distribution and spatial processes failed to explain observed β-diversity patterns. At the opposite, local environmental conditions strongly influenced the degree of uniqueness of local phytoplankton communities, with the most contrasted environments, including human-dominated areas, promoting highly distinct phytoplankton communities. Our results suggest that species-sorting mechanisms that arise from variations in local environmental conditions drive high species turnover at the region scale. Thus, in a landscape strongly impacted by cultural eutrophication, further anthropogenic impacts on aquatic ecosystems would likely induce regional homogenisation of phytoplankton communities. Overall, our study supports the fact that the management of lakes and reservoirs in anthropic landscapes should aim at maintaining environmental heterogeneity while preventing further eutrophication in order to favour the maintenance of high phytoplankton β- and γ-diversity.


The operation of small unmanned aerial systems (sUAS) in the National Airspace System requires a careful consideration of the operating philosophies to ensure a safe outcome for all users. Small UAS operations are explored while the associated risks and benefits from the operations are reviewed. The operation of sUAS in self-separation airspace is discussed by an examination of the concept of autonomous flight rules (AFR). This includes a presentation of the basic principles of AFR and an explanation of the requirement for a sense-and-avoid system. Current and future uses of sUAS are presented to highlight the benefits from their use. Finally, an overview of the major risks associated with the operation of sUAS is provided in the form of a risk assessment matrix and a hazard/risk process decision chart. Mitigation actions to reduce the risks are also specified along with recommendations for further study.


In July 2007 free floating mesocosm with app. 60m³ of volume were deployed in the southern Baltic Proper for app. two weeks. A gradient of increasing pCO2 concentrations was adjusted starting with the present concentration of 312 µatm up to 1600µatm as highest concentration. The response of the autotrophic plankton community was recorded in terms of nitrogen fixation rates. Heterotrophic activity was calculated based on the uptake of radiolabeled Thymidine. There was no clear increase of nitrogen fixation rates with higher pCO2. It rather seemed that the colonial species >10µm suffered under decreasing pH while the size fraction <10µm did not show any significant response In contrast to that cell specific bacterial biomass production sharply decreased within the first 24 hours after acidification but showed increasing activity with increasing CO2 concentration for the rest of the experiment. . A daily cycle of N-fix rates was only visible in the mesocosm with no pCO2 changes which also had highest N-fixation rates of up to 1.4nmol N/L/h.Our results indicate decoupling of primary and secondary production under increasing CO2 concentrations.


Purpose: Children and adolescents born extremely preterm (EP) have lower dynamic lung volumes and gas transfer capacity than subjects born at term. Most studies also report lower aerobic capacity. We hypothesized that ventilatory efficiency was poorer and that breathing patterns differed in EP−born compared to term−born individuals. Methods: Two area−based cohorts of participants born with gestational age ≤28 weeks or birth weight ≤1000 g in 1982−85 (n = 46) and 1991–92 (n = 35) were compared with individually matched controls born at term. Mean ages were 18 and 10 years, respectively. The participants performed an incremental treadmill exercise test to peak oxygen uptake with data averaged over 20 s intervals. For each participant, the relationship between exhaled minute ventilation (V˙E) and carbon dioxide output (V˙CO2) was described by a linear model, and the relationship between tidal volume (VT) and V˙E by a quadratic model. Multivariate regression analyses were done with curve parameters as dependent variables, and the categories EP vs. term−born, sex, age, height, weight and forced expiratory volume in 1 s (FEV1) as independent variables. Results: In adjusted analyses, the slope of the V˙E−V˙CO2 relationship was significantly steeper in the EP than the term-born group, whereas no group difference was observed for the breathing pattern, which was related to FEV1 only. Conclusion: EP-born participants breathed with higher V˙E for any given CO2 output, indicating lower ventilatory efficiency, possibly contributing to lower aerobic capacity. The breathing patterns did not differ between the EP and term−born groups when adjusted for FEV1.


Since the original discovery of the water-splitting activity of silver orthophosphate (Ag3PO4), considerable effort has been devoted to improving its photocatalytic activity and stability through morphology control and the design of multi-component electrode systems. Relatively little attention, however, has been paid to understanding the fundamental electronic properties of this material. Using X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy and hybrid density functional theory (DFT) calculations, we have studied the electronic structure of Ag3PO4. Our results indicate that hybrid DFT calculations closely reproduce the structural, electronic, and optical properties of Ag3PO4. From further analysis of the experimental and theoretical electronic structure data we have constructed a revised molecular orbital diagram for Ag3PO4 that highlights the strong covalent interactions formed in the tetrahedral PO4 structural units.


In an attempt to investigate new strategies aimed at reducing risk factors of non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD), effects of turmeric (Curcuma longa L.) and chicory seed (Cichorium intybus L.) supplementation was evaluated in these patients. In this double-blind, randomized, controlled clinical trial, 92 patients with NAFLD aged 20-60 year with body mass index (BMI) ranged 24.9-40 kg/m2 was randomly assigned to 4 groups as follows. 1) Turmeric supplementation (3 g/d) (n = 23, TUR); 2) Chicory seed supplementation (infused 9 g/d (4.5 g /100mL)) (n = 23, CHI); 3) Turmeric and chicory seed supplementation (3 g/d turmeric + infused 9 g/d chicory seed (n = 23, TUR + CHI); 4) Placebo (n = 23, PLA). All intervention periods were 12 weeks. Fasting blood samples, anthropometric measurements, dietary records and physical activity were collected at baseline and at the end of the trial. Significant decreases were observed in BMI and waist circumference (WC) of subjects in CHI and TUR + CHI groups, compared with PLA group (p < 0.05). Combination of turmeric and chicory seed significantly decreased serum alkaline phosphatase level (p < 0.05). Serum levels of HDL-C increased considerably in TUR and TUR + CHI groups (p < 0.05 vs. placebo). Turmeric supplementation alone and plus chicory seed led to significant reduction in serum levels of TG/HDL-C and LDL-C/HDL-C ratio in TUR and TUR + CHI groups in comparison with placebo (p < 0.05). In conclusion, turmeric and chicory seed supplementation can be significantly useful in management of NAFLD risk factors.


Energy Efficient Resource Allocation for Phantom Cellular Networks Amr Mohamed Abdelaziz Abdelhady Multi-tier heterogeneous networks have become an essential constituent for next generation cellular networks. Meanwhile, energy efficiency (EE) has been considered a critical design criterion along with the traditional spectral efficiency (SE) metric. In this context, we study power and spectrum allocation for the recently proposed two-tier network architecture known as phantom cellular networks. The optimization framework includes both EE and SE. First, we consider sparsely deployed cells experiencing negligible interference and assume perfect channel state information (CSI). For this setting, we propose an algorithm that finds the SE and EE resource allocation strategies. Then, we compare the performance of both design strategies versus number of users, and phantom cells share of the total available resource units (RUs). We aim to investigate the effect of some system parameters to achieve improved SE performance at a non-significant loss in EE performance, or vice versa. It is found that increasing phantom cells share of RUs decreases the SE performance loss due to EE optimization when compared with the optimized SE performance. Second, we consider the densely deployed phantom cellular networks and model the EE optimization problem having into consideration the inevitable interference and imperfect channel estimation. To this end, we propose three resource allocation strategies aiming at 4 optimizing the EE performance metric of this network. Furthermore, we investigate the effect of changing some of the system parameters on the performance of the proposed strategies, such as phantom cells share of RUs, number of deployed phantom cells within a macro cell coverage, number of pilots and the maximum power available for transmission by the phantom cells BSs. It is found that increasing the number of pilots deteriorates the EE performance of the whole setup, while increasing maximum power available for phantom cells transmissions reduces the EE of the whole setup in a less severe way than increasing the number of pilots. It is found also that increasing phantom cells share increases the EE metric in the dense deployment case. Thus, it is always useful to allocate most of the network RUs to the phantom cells tier.


Background The role of meteorological factors on influenza transmission in the tropics is less defined than in the temperate regions. We assessed the association between influenza activity and temperature, specific humidity and rainfall in 6 study areas that included 11 departments or provinces within 3 tropical Central American countries: Guatemala, El Salvador and Panama. Method/Findings Logistic regression was used to model the weekly proportion of laboratory-confirmed influenza positive samples during 2008 to 2013 (excluding pandemic year 2009). Meteorological data was obtained from the Tropical Rainfall Measuring Mission satellite and the Global Land Data Assimilation System. We found that specific humidity was positively associated with influenza activity in El Salvador (Odds Ratio (OR) and 95% Confidence Interval of 1.18 (1.07–1.31) and 1.32 (1.08–1.63)) and Panama (OR = 1.44 (1.08–1.93) and 1.97 (1.34–2.93)), but negatively associated with influenza activity in Guatemala (OR = 0.72 (0.6–0.86) and 0.79 (0.69–0.91)). Temperature was negatively associated with influenza in El Salvador's west-central departments (OR = 0.80 (0.7–0.91)) whilst rainfall was positively associated with influenza in Guatemala's central departments (OR = 1.05 (1.01–1.09)) and Panama province (OR = 1.10 (1.05–1.14)). In 4 out of the 6 locations, specific humidity had the highest contribution to the model as compared to temperature and rainfall. The model performed best in estimating 2013 influenza activity in Panama and west-central El Salvador departments (correlation coefficients: 0.5–0.9). Conclusions/Significance The findings highlighted the association between influenza activity and specific humidity in these 3 tropical countries. Positive association with humidity was found in El Salvador and Panama. Negative association was found in the more subtropical Guatemala, similar to temperate regions. Of all the study locations, Guatemala had annual mean temperature and specific humidity that were lower than the others.


Invasive alien plant effects on ecosystem functions are often difficult to predict across environmental gradients due to the context-dependent interactions between the invader and the recipient communities. Adopting a functional trait-based framework could provide more mechanistic predictions for invasive species' impacts. In this study, we contrast litter decomposition rates among communities with and without the invasive plant Impatiens glandulifera in five regions along a 1600 km long latitudinal gradient in Europe. Across this gradient, four functional traits, namely leaf dry matter content (LDMC), specific leaf area (SLA), stem-specific density (SSD), and plant height, are correlated to rates of litter decomposition of standardized rooibos (labile), green tea (recalcitrant), and I. glandulifera litter. Our results show that both invaded and non-invaded plant communities had a higher expression of acquisitive traits (low LDMC and SSD, high SLA) with increasing temperature along the latitudinal gradient, partly explaining the variation in decomposition rates along the gradient. At the same time, invasion shifted community trait composition toward more acquisitive traits across the latitudinal gradient. These trait changes partly explained the increased litter decomposition rates of the labile litter fraction of rooibos and I. glandulifera litter in invaded communities, a shift that was most evident in the warmer study regions. Plant available nitrogen was lower in invaded communities, likely due to high nutrient uptake by I. glandulifera. Meanwhile, the coldest study region was characterized by a reversed effect of invasion on decomposition rates. Here, community traits related to low litter quality and potential allelopathic effects of the invader resulted in reduced litter decomposition rates, suggesting a threshold temperature at which invader effects on litter decomposition turn positive. This study therefore illustrates how functional trait changes toward acquisitive traits can help explain invader-induced changes in ecosystem functions such as increased litter decomposition.


Algorithms are presented for RI (redundancy identification) and RR (redundancy removal). With fault simulation and a backtrack limit of 10, the RI program is able to find a test for all testable faults and identify all the redundant faults in each of the ISCAS benchmark examples. The RR program makes the whole benchmark set 100% testable for single stuck-at faults, and generates the test, in less than 1 CPU hour (SUN4/280). The algorithms were developed for equivalence-based logic optimization applications, which accentuate the role of heuristics in the process of automatic test program generation (ATPG), since this diminishes the role of fault simulation. The authors compare a limited set of results obtained by RR to those of existing logic optimization programs. The results show that in most cases, superior results can be obtained with factors of tens to hundreds speedup in CPU time.<<ETX>>


This study examines government-centred jatropha cultivation for biodiesel as promoted by the biofuel policy of the desert state of Rajasthan, India. The drive to find alternative domestic sources of energy is intense in a country which sees demand rising in tact with economic growth, and which fears growing dependency on volatile international markets. Biofuel is seen as a possibility to help meet the demand for liquid fuels across the country. The government-centred model targets state owned wasteland for the plantation of jatropha, a drought resistant, hardy plant which produces non-edible oil which can be used as a diesel substitute. It aims to simultaneously offer a source of fuel, reclaim degraded land, as well as generate income for the rural poor. In this thesis I argue that the Rajasthani biofuel policy is paradoxical in its approach to rural development as it is an example of top-down development using bottom-up rhetoric. A blueprint for the cultivation of jatropha is welded on to already existing policies which have community participation as a central tenet. The element of participation therefore becomes undermined in the process. I also critique the blueprint as being built on unstable foundations; there are questions surrounding the viability of jatropha, as well as concerns surrounding the category of wasteland. All of these issues create concerns for the eventual success of any of the implemented projects. The theoretical criticism in this paper is supported by qualitative data collected in three case study villages in southern Rajasthan.


Adult emergence at the end of metamorphosis in the moth Manduca sexta is followed by the death of abdominal interneurons and motoneurons. Abdominal ganglia removed from insects before this period of naturally occurring cell death and maintained in vitro showed neuronal death confined to the same cells that normally die in vivo. Addition of physiological levels of the steroid 20-hydroxyecdysone to the culture system prevented the selective death of these motoneurons.


Focal plane arrays (FPAs) are used in many applications for detecting infrared (IR) radiation where normal sight with light in the visible spectrum is not possible. To effectively detect this IR radiation, complex semiconductor diodes, cooled to low temperatures, are usually used. The most common of these semiconductor materials is the II-VI alloy semiconductor system using HgCdTe, which is often called MCT. Focal plane arrays with over 1000 pixels have been fabricated. The cost of these very complex systems is becoming a very important consideration in decisions of where to use these FPAs. The focal plane array actually consists of two semiconductor parts with a sophisticated cooling assembly. The semiconductor parts are the MCT detector device itself and a companion device called the read-out circuit. The cost model presented in this paper consists of various expressions as functions of physical parameters that can be measured, calculated from data or estimated. Although accurate absolute cost data may not be available (because it does not exist or is proprietary to a company), cost estimates can be effectively used to determine relative cost between two designs or processes. In addition, when these cost models are coupled with the STADIUM design of experiments simulation methodology, accurate predictions of the most dominant cost drivers can be obtained. This cost model and its algorithms are coupled with a commercial software program called IR-SIM.


The block, PL 348 is situated on the Halten Area in the Norwegian Sea. This license contains four discoveries Galtvort, Galtvort South, Gygrid and Tau and number of potential prospects that bear similar AVO anomalies on seismic data as were observed in the drilled structures. The aim of this thesis was to investigate whether these AVO anomalies are caused by the presence of hydrocarbons in the structures or other factors that are causing the anomalies. Combination of Rock Physical and AVO techniques were used to study the problem. Avseth, P. et al., in their book "Quantitative Seismic Interpretation" have shown number of Rock Physics techniques in order to study the the effect of hydrocarbon bearing sands and water bearing sands on the well logs. Based on this knowledge cross-plots of existing wells were modeled using Vp, Vs and density logs."Gassmann Fluid Substitution Technique", available in RockDoc, was used to simulate different fluid scenarios and the results were cross plotted again to study the changes in logs due changes in fluid type saturating the reservoirs. The results obtained by Rock Physical studies suggested that the elastic parameters i.e. Vp, Vs and density of the reservoirs are affected by the type of fluid in the reservoir. The main AVO techniques used in this report are the product stack of "Near" and "Far" partial stacks, the product stack of "Far - Near" and "Far", the product stack of "Far - Near" and "Near" and crossplotting"Far - Near" versus "Near". The results from these techniques confirm the presence of hydrocarbon bearing AVO anomalies. At the end it was concluded that the type of fluid in the reservoir effect the elastic behavior of all the expected reservoirs and hence the AVO anomalies indicate presence of hydrocarbons in the prospect


This thesis presents research within empirical financial economics with focus on liquidity and portfolio optimisation in the stock market. The discussion on liquidity is focused on measurement issues, including TAQ data processing and measurement of systematic liquidity factors (FSO). Furthermore, a framework for treatment of the two topics in combination is provided. The liquidity part of the thesis gives a conceptual background to liquidity and discusses several different approaches to liquidity measurement. It contributes to liquidity measurement by providing detailed guidelines on the data processing needed for applying TAQ data to liquidity research. The main focus, however, is the derivation of systematic liquidity factors. The principal component approach to systematic liquidity measurement is refined by the introduction of moving and expanding estimation windows, allowing for time-varying liquidity co-variances between stocks. Under several liability specifications, this improves the ability to explain stock liquidity and returns, as compared to static window PCA and market average approximations of systematic liquidity. The highest ability to explain stock returns is obtained when using inventory cost as a liquidity measure and a moving window PCA as the systematic liquidity derivation technique. Systematic factors of this setting also have a strong ability in explaining a cross-sectional liquidity variation. Portfolio optimisation in the FSO framework is tested in two empirical studies. These contribute to the assessment of FSO by expanding the applicability to stock indexes and individual stocks, by considering a wide selection of utility function specifications, and by showing explicitly how the full-scale optimum can be identified using either grid search or the heuristic search algorithm of differential evolution. The studies show that relative to mean-variance portfolios, FSO performs well in these settings and that the computational expense can be mitigated dramatically by application of differential evolution.


The battle of the furniture markets continues, and so far no clear leader has emerged. The upstart Las Vegas market opens its fifth installment this month, and it continues to build new showrooms. Meanwhile, the High Point market appears to be going strong in its 98th year. High Point has responded to the Las Vegas challenge by making various improvements. But what's the best way for High Point to defend its turf?


The fate of methacrolein in cloud evapo-condensation cycles was experimentally investigated. To this end, aqueous-phase reactions of methacrolein with OH radicals were performed (as described in Liu et al., 2009), and the obtained solutions were then nebulized and dried into a mixing chamber. ESI-MS and ESI-MS/MS analyses of the aque-ous phase composition denoted the formation of high molecular weight multifunctional products containing hydroxyl, carbonyl and carboxylic acid moieties. The time profiles of these products suggest that their formation can imply radical pathways. These high molecular weight organic products are certainly responsible for the formation of secondary organic aerosol (SOA) observed during the nebulization experiments. The size, number and mass concentration of these particles increased significantly with the reaction time: after 22 h of reaction, the aerosol mass concentration was about three orders of magnitude higher than the initial aerosol quantity. The evaluated SOA yield ranged from 2 to 12%. These yields were confirmed by another estimation method based on the hygroscopic and volatility properties of the obtained SOA measured and reported by Michaud et al. (2009). These results provide, for the first time to our knowledge, strong experimental evidence that cloud processes can act, through photooxidation reactions, as important contributors to secondary organic aerosol formation in the troposphere.


The Absconder Apprehension Initiative, announced in January 2002, was designed to locate, apprehend, interview and deport approximately 314,000 people described as 'absconders' or 'alien fugitives.' Such individuals had been ordered deported by an immigration judge but failed to comply with the judge's final order by remaining in the United States. The government did not intend to pursue all 314,000 equally. Rather, the government declared that it would target several thousand who came from countries in which there had been Al Qaeda terrorist presence or activity. By May 2003, over eleven hundred alleged absconders, almost all of them Arab or Muslim men, had been arrested and over two-thirds of them deported as a result of the program.This article argues that prioritizing the arrest, detention, interrogation and deportation of a few thousand Arab and Muslim men from a group of over three hundred thousand similarly situated individuals was unconstitutional. This conclusion stems from two principles. First, Supreme Court jurisprudence establishes that classifications based on race, ethnicity, and national origin receive strict scrutiny, and that selective enforcement driven by discriminatory purpose or resulting in discriminatory effect is impermissible. Second, strict scrutiny applies because the Absconder Apprehension Initiative was, in design and implementation, fundamentally a tool of domestic criminal law enforcement. Effectuating domestic law enforcement under the guise of immigration law enforcement does not cure unconstitutionality.


Sudden releases of a toxic agent indoors can cause immediate and long-term harm to occupants. In order to protect building occupants from such threats, it is necessary to have a robust air monitoring system that can detect, locate, and characterize accidental or deliberate toxic gas releases. However, developing such a system is complicated by several requirements, in particular the need to operate in real-time. This task is further complicated when monitoring sensors are prone to false positive and false negative readings. We report on work towards developing an indoor monitoring system that is robust even in the presence of poor quality sensor data. The algorithm, named BASSET, combines deterministic modeling and Bayesian statistics to join prior knowledge of the contaminant transport in the building with real-time sensor information. We evaluate BASSET across several data sets, which vary in sensor characteristics such as accuracy, response time, and trigger level. Our results suggest that optimal designs are not always intuitive. For example, a network comprised of slower but more accurate sensors may locate the contaminant source more quickly than a network with faster but less accurate sensors.


With the ongoing implementation of the IFRS 9 impairment framework increasing attention is paid to a consistent determination of expected credit lifetime losses. A clear distinction between point-in-time (PIT) and through-the-cycle (TTC) credit default probabilities is well known to be crucial for the construction of suitable PD term structures. However, due to typically insufficient data availability and quality the most widely spread approach to the PD term structure construction, i.e. the Exponentiation Approach, still relies on the exponentiation of observed one-year migration matrices irrespective of whether these are derived in a PIT- or TTC-context. In this paper the authors discuss the source of the conceptual inadequacy of this frequently used approach. Addressing these shortcomings, a new and conceptually consistent approach to deriving the genuine PD term structure is introduced and the fixation of its underlying model parameters is benchmarked on synthetic migration time series. This new method, which will be called Consistent Approach, allows in particular to estimate the dependence of the genuine PD term structure on the macroeconomic starting condition, rendering it applicable to both regulatory and internal stress testing. Finally, both the Exponentiation Approach and the Consistent Approach outlined in this paper are applied to actual migration data provided by GCD, the Global Credit Data consortium, allowing to observe the quantitative impact on PD term structure curves and thus on lifetime expected loss estimates. A profound impact on the term structure is found when comparing the market-standard Exponentiation Approach and the newly developed Consistent Approach.


In trying to solve multiobjective optimization problems, many traditional methods scalarize the objective vector into a single objective. In those cases, the obtained solution is highly sensitive to the weight vector used in the scalarization process and demands that the user have knowledge about the underlying problem. Moreover, in solving multiobjective problems, designers may be interested in a set of Pareto-optimal points, instead of a single point. Since genetic algorithms (GAs) work with a population of points, it seems natural to use GAs in multiobjective optimization problems to capture a number of solutions simultaneously. Although a vector evaluated GA (VEGA) has been implemented by Schaffer and has been tried to solve a number of multiobjective problems, the algorithm seems to have bias toward some regions. In this paper, we investigate Goldberg's notion of nondominated sorting in GAs along with a niche and speciation method to find multiple Pareto-optimal points simultaneously. The proof-of-principle results obtained on three problems used by Schaffer and others suggest that the proposed method can be extended to higher dimensional and more difficult multiobjective problems. A number of suggestions for extension and application of the algorithm are also discussed.


In his introduction to Portraiture & photography in Africa, John Peffer makes a strong plea for African photography to be considered not just as a bizarre 'vernacular' version of well-established Western practice, but as an equal partner in contributing to the photographic canon. In this light it is strange that not one of the thirteen contributors to the volume is based in Africa; and, as far as one can tell, only one is of African origin.


Background: Coffee is one of the main sources of dietary melanoidins. Coffee melanoidins have antioxidant properties and are associated with protective effects against oxidative damage. The aim of this research was to study the potential of melanoidins obtained from coffee byproducts as functional ingredients to improve gastrointestinal health using normal human colon cells. Melanoidins were extracted from two coffee byproducts: coffee silverskin (CSE) and spent coffee grounds (SCG). Extraction was carried out by ultrafiltration using a 10 kDa molecular cut membrane. Safety of raw materials and isolated fractions was studied by microbiological analysis and determination of acrylamide, respectively. Characterization of coffee isolates was assessed by UV-Vis absorption spectroscopy, infrared spectroscopy, and determination of browning, protein content and antioxidant capacity measured by ABTS and formation of intracellular ROS in human intestinal cells (CCD18 cell line). The high molecular weight (HMW) enriched fraction showed antioxidant capacity and protected intestinal cells against induced oxidative stress. Coffee byproducts generated after the roasting process are a sustainable source of melanoidins that may act as antioxidants and therefore, may have the potential to be used as a functional novel ingredient for the prevention of gastrointestinal diseases caused by oxidative stress.Keywords: Coffee byproducts, gastrointestinal health, melanoidins, sustainable health.


T cell growth factors (TCGFs) play a critical role in allograft rejection by promoting the activation and proliferation of alloreactive T cells. To determine whether IL-2 and IL-4 are of quintessential importance in allograft rejection and to identify possible alternative TCGFs, we have bred IL-2(-/-) and IL-4(-/-) double knockout (DKO) mice and studied islet allograft rejection using the DKO mice as allograft recipients. Although mononuclear leukocytes from DKO mice did not mount a proliferative response in vitro in response to anti-CD3 stimulation, crude islet allografts were vigorously rejected by DKO mice (mean survival time 17 +/- 7, n = 8) as compared with wild-type controls (mean survival time 13 +/- 4, n = 7). Treatment of DKO mice with anti-CD3 or rapamycin markedly prolonged the islet allograft survival. An analysis of intragraft cytokine gene transcripts showed robust expression of IL-7 and IL-15. In contrast, intragraft IL-9 gene transcripts were not detected in either wild-type or DKO mice. Provision of exogenous IL-2, IL-4, IL-7, or IL-15, but not IL-9, supports the proliferation of anti-CD3 activated DKO splenic leukocytes in vitro. Blocking the common gamma c of IL-2 receptor, a shared essential signaling component by receptors for IL-2, IL-4, IL-7, IL-9, and IL-15, prolonged the survival of islet allografts in DKO mice. Hence, a T cell dependent allograft rejection enabled by rapamycin-sensitive signals or signals mediated by binding of the gamma c chain occurs in the absence of both IL-2 and IL-4. Non-T cell-derived TCGFs, especially IL-7 and IL-15, may play an active role in supporting allograft rejection.


Agency theory has for some time been the dominant on executive compensation research. Behavioural approaches such as prospect theory, behavioural agency theory and reference point theory (including strategic reference point theory) provide new perspectives for research into executive compensation. For the largest transitional economy of China, the shift from a planned and administration-oriented economy to a market-oriented economy remains an on-going process. As behavioural approaches are derived from the understanding of human decision-making patterns, they are therefore less subject to institutional settings and thus more applicable to understanding executive compensation contracting in China.
 From a reference point theory perspective, we test a 'three reference point' framework for executive compensation contracting: in external reference to peer firms, internally to other executives on board, and in the time dimension referring to top executives' previous pay. We find that as a superior alternative to agency theory, reference point theory can provide a better explanation for top executive compensation contracting. In our three empirical chapters, we mainly find that: (1) Chinese executive pay levels are externally heavily influenced in their setting by the pay level of executive peer groups; internally by other executives within firms and by the pay level of an individual executive in the previous period. It should also be noted that the loss aversion effect exists in top executive compensation contracting. (2) We test the three reference point effect and use Principal Component Analysis (PCA) to determine the systematic effects of these reference points to empirically test the behavioural determinants of executive pay in China; the three reference points and the systematic effect on top executive compensation are determined to be robust. (3) We document a negative association between top executive pay and a politically-connected board. However, after controlling for the three reference points, this association becomes positive and further strengthens the pay-performance link. We also find that in state-owned and politically connected firms the pay–performance link is the strongest, especially after adjusting for the effect of the three reference points. In private firms that are not politically connected, meanwhile, the pay-for-performance link is weak.
 Our findings have important policy implications. They highlight the defects of current corporate governance mechanisms, particularly in executive compensation design and monitoring. The current Chinese Corporate Governance Code largely mimics corporate governance practice in the Anglo-American business environment and relies heavily on agency theory; therefore, to a large extent, it does not work in its own context. Our findings identify that in practice, the 'three reference point' framework and political connections play very important roles in influencing Chinese executive pay setting, in addition to the link to pay-for-performance and corporate governance mechanisms. It is therefore indicated that the Chinese Government should consider developing policies and regulations in addition to its Corporate Governance Code in order to effectively control the problems of the departure of executive compensation from firm performance.


This study presents a framework to empirically validate the relationship between the tangible and intangible measures on tourism destination marketing efforts. Uniquely, a case study was developed involving two different nature of tourism destinations (semirural and rural) and is incorporated into the framework to assess its moderating effect on the relationships among the predictors and destination marketing efforts. Two hundred and ninety-three usable responses were collected using a questionnaire survey. Partial least squares structural equation modelling was utilized to perform latent variable and multi-group analyses (MGA). The findings revealed that destination appeal was found to be the biggest concern among tourists visiting semirural and rural tourism destinations in Sarawak. For intangible components, both service quality and destination image were found to be significantly related to destination marketing efforts at a semirural tourism destination. Interestingly, for MGA results, it was worthwhile to learn that the relationship between service quality and destination marketing efforts happened to have a stronger impact on semirural than rural tourism destination. Hence, the proposed framework and research findings from this case study have provided significant insights that help various tourism stakeholders to better strategize and position semirural and rural tourism, particularly in the scenario of Sarawak, Malaysia. Future studies can examine this framework and test at other tourism destinations in Malaysia or in some other countries.


We introduce an extension of the Born-Infeld action for a scalar field and show that it can act as unifying dark matter, providing an explanation for both structure formation and the accelerated expansion of the universe. We investigate the cosmological dynamics of this theory in a particular case, referred to as the 'Milne-Born-Infeld' (MBI) Lagrangian. We show that this model, whose equation of state has effectively a single free parameter, is consistent with recent type Ia supernovae data, providing a fit as good as for the {lambda}CDM model with the same number of degrees of freedom. Furthermore, this parameter is tightly constrained by current data, making the model easily testable with other observables. Contrary to previous candidates for unifying dark matter, the sound velocity of the MBI model is vanishing both close to the dark-matter state as well as near the cosmological constant state. This could avoid the problems on the matter power spectrum that were present in previous adiabatic dark-matter/dark-energy unification models. We also present a short discussion on the causal propagation in nonlinear scalar field theories such as the one proposed here.


Written by the eminent German legal historian, Michael Stolleis, these two 'Essays on Legal History' offer an original and compelling history of the symbolism through which law is characterised as being 'above' us. In 'The Eye of the Law', the history of this metaphor is followed from antiquity through to the present day: from the Greek Eye of Justice, the eye of the impartial judge of the Underworld, the Eye of God watching past, present and future, the Eye of the Prince, guiding his subjects, to the almighty Eye of the Law. While our belief in the law may have become brittle, nothing escapes what is now the Eye of Big Brother. 'In the Name of the Law' takes up the various formulas used to legitimate the decisions of the courts, from the times of absolutism over the 19th century until today. The speaker who speaks in the name of a higher being underlines his function: his authority comes from above. And it is 'in the name of' god, king, people, state, nation, or law, that a weak, earthly, justice receives its support. Book description from publisher website at: http://www.routledge.com/


The second edition of The Lung: Development, Aging and the Environment provides an understanding of the multi-faceted nature of lung development, aging, and how the environment influences these processes. As an essential resource to respiratory, pulmonary, and thoracic scientists and physicians it provides an interface between the "normal and "disease cluster of chapters, allowing for a natural complement to each other. The interface between different lung diseases affecting the pediatric lung also adds a useful source for comparing how different lung diseases share key pathophysiological features. This same complementarity comes across in the logical line up of chapters dealing with the "normal pediatric lung. New research, including cell-based strategies for infant lung function, epigenetics, and prenatal alcohol exposure on lung development and function are some of the important additions to this edition of this reference work. * Describes the normal processes of lung development, growth and aging* Considers the effects of the environmental contaminants in the air, water, soil, and diet on lung development, growth and health* Describes genetic factors involved in susceptibility to lung disease* Covers respiratory health risk in children


Larson's (1978) early synthesis of change in Native American lifeways as a consequence of Spanish missionization was the basis of much of the subsequent research into Mission period effects. Larson was the first to describe changes in prehistoric and historic Guale Indian pottery as part of a detailed description of other cultural features. However, information on the timing of these changes has been slow to develop and detailed descriptions of changes outside of mission contexts remain limited. In this paper, analyses of pottery assemblages from two sites with possible protohistoric and early historic components on the central Georgia coast, Meeting House Fields and Pine Harbor, are presented. These are compared to results of a long-term study of Guale Indian pottery change from A.D. 1300 to 1702. Results indicate a precipitous rise in incising and the resurrection of older rim treatments in the later contexts at Pine Harbor. These changes, along with an overall increase in heterogeneity of the pottery assemblage in historic Guale pottery assemblages, may be useful in identifying historic Native American sites in the absence of European artifacts. In 1978, Lewis Larson published "Historic Guale Indians of the Georgia Coast and the Impact of the Spanish Mission Effort," a distillation of his research on Guale Indian lifeways and the changes consequent to Spanish missionization. Larson's discussion, which described a Pine Harbor "complex" that was immediately post-contact and a Sutherland Bluff complex that was post-1600, framed much of the ensuing discussion of the consequences of missionization on the lower Atlantic Coast (see also Larson 1953, 1955, 1958, 198Oa, 198Ob, 1984). Larson (1978:138) wrote that "Spanish contact was reflected dimly in pot manufacture." Though there were widely acknowledged changes between the prehistoric Irene and historic Altamaha pottery, these were seen as a continuation of drift1 in surface decoration and rim treatments that had begun in the early Irene period; these frequency changes in surface decoration and rim treatments were used in establishing phases within the Irene and Altamaha periods (Table 1) (e.g., Braley 199Oa, 199Ob; DePratter 1991). In brief, incising increased after its introduction on the coast around A.D. 1450, as did plain and burnished plain wares (in part because most of an incised vessel is burnished plain or plain). There was a consequent decrease in stamping. Because this same trend appeared in the comparison of the prehistoric and historic components at Harris Neck (Braley, O'Steen, and Quitmyer 1986), it appeared that these changes continued into the Mission period. In addition, land and groove width increased markedly from the Irene to the Altamaha period and curvilinear elements in the filfot-stamp paddle disappeared. Plain rims were the most prevalent type throughout the Irene phase. In addition to plain, the earliest rim elaborations (also present on Late Savannah wares) were composed of rosettes, nodes (relatively large, circular to oval applique), pellets (smaller circular appliques), and plain applique rim strips, or some combination thereof (see Figure 1, 1-4). Somewhat later, nodes, pellets, and plain rim strips disappeared, and segmented rim strips became the most popular treatment after unmodified rims; in addition, there were combinations of rim strip elaborations, such as segmented and cane-punctated rim strips (Figure 1, 6-7). During the very late Irene phase, rim strips were most commonly segmented or cane punctuated (Figure 1, 5), and punctation directly on the vessel wall (Figure 1, 8; called "decorated" rims in this paper) became common.2 By the Altamaha period, folded rims replaced applique strips, but the folds still bore the punctations that had previously graced the applique strips. Otherwise rims were most commonly plain or incised. Though decorated rims were increasing through the Irene phase, they became far less frequent in Mission period contexts (see Braley, O'Steen, and Quitmyer 1986; Cook 198Ob; DePratter 1984; and Pearson 1984 for more information on diagnostic changes in Guale pottery). …


Work satisfaction is a component of life satisfaction, so that it would be important to be attention. Since if worker doesn t get satisfaction from their work, their morale would be low, absence and lateness would be increased and it would be harder to cooperate with them or make an important change, also it would increase worker s turnover. It showed that work satisfaction would be a consideration factor in a company s operational. One of the work satisfaction factor is work condition. Where work condition is a factor related with physical work environment.
Employee would be care about good work environment whether for personal comfort or working task, and also able to make employee work in better condition.
The research is a correlational research. Population in this research was employee of National Land Institution consisted of 47 people. Perception data collection about physical work environment and work satisfaction used Likert scale, that was perception scale about physical work environment and work satisfaction. Data analysis method used to find out relation of perception about physical work environment with work satisfaction used product moment
correlation from Karl Pearson assisted by SPSS 13.00 for Windows program.
According to data analysis, there found a positive and significant relation (r = 0,429; p = 0,003) between perception about physical work environment and work satisfaction. It means that employee who had positive perception about physical work environment would had high work satisfaction and also with employee who had negative perception about physical work environment, the work satisfaction would be low. Effective contribution about perception from physical work environment and work satisfaction was 18% while rest of them 73% influenced by
another un-researched factors by the researcher.


We present a blind time-delay cosmographic analysis for the lens system DES J0408−5354. This system is extraordinary for the presence of two sets of multiple images at different redshifts, which provide the opportunity to obtain more information at the cost of increased modelling complexity with respect to previously analysed systems. We perform detailed modelling of the mass distribution for this lens system using three band Hubble Space Telescope imaging. We combine the measured time delays, line-of-sight central velocity dispersion of the deflector, and statistically constrained external convergence with our lens models to estimate two cosmological distances. We measure the 'effective' time-delay distance corresponding to the redshifts of the deflector and the lensed quasar $D_{\Delta t}^{\rm eff}=$$3382_{-115}^{+146}$ Mpc and the angular diameter distance to the deflector Dd = $1711_{-280}^{+376}$ Mpc, with covariance between the two distances. From these constraints on the cosmological distances, we infer the Hubble constant H0= $74.2_{-3.0}^{+2.7}$ km s−1 Mpc−1 assuming a flat ΛCDM cosmology and a uniform prior for Ωm as $\Omega _{\rm m} \sim \mathcal {U}(0.05, 0.5)$. This measurement gives the most precise constraint on H0 to date from a single lens. Our measurement is consistent with that obtained from the previous sample of six lenses analysed by the H0 Lenses in COSMOGRAIL's Wellspring (H0LiCOW) collaboration. It is also consistent with measurements of H0 based on the local distance ladder, reinforcing the tension with the inference from early Universe probes, for example, with 2.2σ discrepancy from the cosmic microwave background measurement.


In this paper, we studied and validated a simple heart beat classifier based on ECG feature models selected with the focus on an improved generalization capability. We considered features from the RR series, as well as features computed from the ECG samples and different scales of the wavelet transform, at both avail able leads. The classification performance and generalization were studied using publicly available databases: the MIT-BIH Arrhythmia, the MIT-BIH Supraventricular Arrhythmia, and the St. Pe tersburg Institute of Cardiological Technics (INCART) databases. The Association for the Advancement of Medical Instrumentation recommendations for class labeling and results presentation were followed. A floating feature selection algorithm was used to obtain the best performing and generalizing models in the training and validation sets for different search configurations. The best model found comprehends eight features, was trained in a partition of the MIT-BIH Arrhythmia, and was evaluated in a completely disjoint partition of the same database. The results obtained were: global accuracy of 93%; for normal beats, sensitivity (S) 95%, positive predictive value (P+) 98%; for supraventricular beats, S 11%, P+ 39%; and for ventricular beats S 81%, P+ 87%. In order to test the generalization capability, performance was also evaluated in the INCART, with results comparable to those obtained in the test set. This classifier model has fewer features and performs better than other state-of-the-art methods with results suggesting better generalization capability.


Objective To determine the variability in pediatric death by neurologic criteria (DNC) protocols between US pediatric institutions and compared to the 2011 DNC guidelines. Methods In this cross-sectional study of DNC protocols obtained from pediatric institutions in the United States via regional organ procurement organizations, protocols were evaluated across 5 domains: general DNC procedures, prerequisites, neurologic examination, apnea testing, and ancillary testing. Descriptive statistics compared protocols to each other and the 2011 guidelines. Results A total of 130 protocols were analyzed with 118 dated after publication of the 2011 guidelines. Of those 118 protocols, identification of a mechanism of irreversible brain injury was required in 97%, while 67% required an observation period after acute brain injury before DNC evaluation. Most protocols required guideline-based prerequisites such as exclusion of hypotension (94%), hypothermia (97%), and metabolic derangements (92%). On neurologic examination, 91% required a lack of responsiveness, 93% no response to noxious stimuli, and 99% loss of brainstem reflexes. A total of 84% of protocols required the guideline-recommended 2 apnea tests. CO2 targets were consistent with guidelines in 64%. Contrary to guidelines, 15% required ancillary testing for all patients and 15% permitted ancillary studies that are not validated in pediatrics. Conclusion Variability exists between pediatric institutional DNC protocols in all domains of DNC determination, especially with respect to apnea and ancillary testing. Better alignment of DNC protocols with national guidelines may improve the consistency and accuracy of DNC determination.


Purpose of review Peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor gamma coactivator-1-α (PGC-1α) has been extensively described as a master regulator of mitochondrial biogenesis. However, PGC-1α activity is not constant and can be finely tuned in response to different metabolic situations. From this point of view, PGC-1α could be described as a mediator of the transcriptional outputs triggered by metabolic sensors, providing the idea that these sensors, together with PGC-1α, might be weaving a network controlling cellular energy expenditure. In this review, we will focus on how disorders such as type 2 diabetes and the metabolic syndrome might be related to an abnormal and improper function of this network. Recent findings Two metabolic sensors, AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK) and SIRT1 have been described to directly affect PGC-1α activity through phosphorylation and deacetylation, respectively. Although the physiological relevance of these modifications and their molecular consequences are still largely unknown, recent insight from different in-vivo transgenic models clearly suggests that AMPK, SIRT1 and PGC-1α might act as an orchestrated network to improve metabolic fitness. Summary Metabolic sensors such as AMPK and SIRT1, gatekeepers of the activity of the master regulator of mitochondria, PGC-1α, are vital links in a regulatory network for metabolic homeostasis. Together, these players explain many of the beneficial effects of physical activity and dietary interventions in our battle against type 2 diabetes and related metabolic disorders. Hence, understanding the mechanisms by which they act could guide us to identify and improve preventive and therapeutic strategies for metabolic diseases.


We investigate from first principles the use of
substitutional p-doping as a means to enhance the insertion energies of
multivalent metals in transition metal oxides, and therefore the resulting
voltages in an electrochemical cell, due to bandstructure modulation.
Multivalent and earth-abundant metals such as magnesium or aluminium are
attractive candidates to replace lithium in future high-performance secondary
batteries with intercalation-type electrodes. Unfortunately, the achievable
voltages obtained with this kind of elements still remain uncompetitively low.
We study and compare the changes in insertion energetics (voltages) of single-
and multivalent metals in semiconducting and insulating transition metal oxides
upon substitutional p-doping with different metals, introducing different
numbers of hole states. We use a single vanadium pentoxide monolayer as model
system to study the effect of p-doping on achievable voltages and deduce
general trends for transition metal oxides. Our investigations reveal the
formation of n-hole polarons (with n>1) in form of oxygen dimers in p-doped
vanadia caused by localized p holes
on oxide ions in agreement with previous findings. We find that the oxygen
dimer formation has an adverse effect on adsorption energetics compared to the
single-hole case without dimerization. We find an analogous oxygen dimerization
in other TMOs with oxygen-dominated valence bands like molybdenum trioxide and
titanium dioxide, while strained systems like trigonal nickel- or titanium
dioxide, or Mott-type systems like monoclinic vanadium dioxide with
qualitatively different valence band composition do not exhibit oxygen
dimerization with multi-hole doping. Our results demonstrate the advantages and
limitations of TMO electrode p-doping and show a path to possible strategies to
overcome detrimental effects.


Nanostructure Silicon Anodes Prepared by Chemical Reduction Method for Lithium Ion Batteries by Xiaobo Zhan Silicon is a promising anode material in high energy density application of lithium ion batteries because it is known to have the largest specific capacity (~4200mAh/g), ten time that of the commercially graphite carbon. However, they have shown great capacity fading and short battery life due to big volume changes upon insertion and extraction of lithium, which results in pulverization and loss of the electrical contact between the active material and the current collector. In this thesis, we successfully fabricated two kinds of nanostructured silicon anodes by chemical reduction method and test them versus Li as half-cell. Porous Si showed a reversible capacity of 1482mAh/g after 30 cycles, which is 50% of its initial capacity. Carbon coating greatly improves the cycling stability and increase the capacity retention to 85%. Compared Si nanosheets structure, graphene-silica sandwich structure showed great improvements in capacity and cycling stability. This chemical reduction method is facile, mass productive and thus is promising in the nanostructure silicon anode fabrication.


An extensive review of past benchmarking literature showed that there have been a substantial number of both conceptual and empirical attempts to formulate a benchmarking approach, particularly in the manufacturing industry. However, there has been limited investigation and application of benchmarking in tourism and particularly in tourist destinations. The aim of this research is to further
develop the concept of benchmarking for application within tourist destinations and to evaluate its potential impact on destination performance. A holistic model for destination benchmarking was developed using the three main types of benchmark: internal, external and generic. Internal benchmarking aimed at improving a destination's internal performance by evaluating quantitative and qualitative measures. External benchmarking used tourist motivation, satisfaction and expenditure scores to investigate how one destination may
perform better than another. Generic benchmarking aimed at evaluating and improving a destination's performance using quality and eco-label standards. This study developed four hypotheses to test the possible measures and methods to be used in carrying out destination benchmarking research and investigate how cross-cultural differences between tourists and between destinations might influence its formulation and application. These hypotheses and the model were tested utilising both primary and secondary data collection methods. The primary data was collected from eight different groups of British and German tourists visiting Mallorca and Turkey in the summer of 1998 (n=2,582). Findings were analysed using content analysis and a series of statistical procedures such as chisquare, mean difference (t-test), factor analysis and multiple regression. Personal observations were also recorded. The secondary data included statistical figures on tourism in Mallorca and Turkey. This research provides a discussion of findings and their implications for benchmarking theory and practitioners. The relevance of benchmarking to tourist destinations was examined through the measurement of performance, types of destination benchmarking and taking action. It is apparent that specific measures could be developed for destinations. Both internal and external benchmarking could be applied to benchmarking of destinations. However, in the case of external benchmarking, this research indicated that each destination might have its own regional differentiation and unique characteristics in some respects. Crosscultural
differences between tourists from different countries also need to be considered. Given these findings, it is possible to suggest that this research makes a fresh and innovative contribution to the literature not only on tourism but also
on benchmarking. The contribution of this study's findings to knowledge exists in the methods and techniques used to identify the factors influencing selected destination performance variables and in the methods to be employed for
comparison between the two destinations. Caution should be used in generalising the results to apply to other destinations.


Radiologists trained in selective angiography can now deliver sclerosing or occluding materials to the arterial supply of vascular tumors. Such skills require special training and there are limitations to the use of these materials. Specific obliteration can be carried out if this technique is quality controlled. Materials being used for embolization are continually being studied and are changing as new materials are developed. Radiologists can assist surgeons in managing some of these very difficult problems. A large series of patients with various vascular lesions treated at the Oregon Health Sciences University was reviewed. The complications of embolization used for cavernous hemangiomas have tempered our enthusiasm for it as an adjunct form of therapy. We do feel that this method of treatment remains useful in selected cases. The occlusion achieved caused a decrease in both symptoms and size of lesions treated. The decrease in size excluded the need for surgery in 3 cases, aided resection in 1, but caused significant complicating slough in 1. Five cases are presented to demonstrate problems of tissue necrosis encountered.


The presence of children in immigrant households can influence the assimilation of their parents, through either human capital transfers from children to parents (parents learning from their children) or the assistance children can provide in navigating economic life in the destination country (parents leaning on their children). We examine the relationship between the presence of children in U.S. immigrant households and the human capital acquisition of their immigrant from 1850 to 2010. We first show that immigrants who arrived in the Great Migration of the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries were substantially less likely to arrive with children than more recent immigrants. We then show that assimilation appears slower for most recent cohorts than those that arrived during the Great Migration, though in both eras cohort quality declines over time. Finally, we show that the immigrant children of the earlier immigrants were associated with more assimilation (less "leaning" and more "learning") than were the children of post-1960 immigrants.


Learn how to hack systems like black hat hackers and secure them like security experts

Key Features
Understand how computer systems work and their vulnerabilities
Exploit weaknesses and hack into machines to test their security
Learn how to secure systems from hackers

Book Description
This book starts with the basics of ethical hacking, how to practice hacking safely and legally, and how to install and interact with Kali Linux and the Linux terminal. You will explore network hacking, where you will see how to test the security of wired and wireless networks. You'll also learn how to crack the password for any Wi-Fi network (whether it uses WEP, WPA, or WPA2) and spy on the connected devices.
Moving on, you will discover how to gain access to remote computer systems using client-side and server-side attacks. You will also get the hang of post-exploitation techniques, including remotely controlling and interacting with the systems that you compromised. Towards the end of the book, you will be able to pick up web application hacking techniques. You'll see how to discover, exploit, and prevent a number of website vulnerabilities, such as XSS and SQL injections.
The attacks covered are practical techniques that work against real systems and are purely for educational purposes. At the end of each section, you will learn how to detect, prevent, and secure systems from these attacks.
What you will learn
Understand ethical hacking and the different fields and types of hackers
Set up a penetration testing lab to practice safe and legal hacking
Explore Linux basics, commands, and how to interact with the terminal
Access password-protected networks and spy on connected clients
Use server and client-side attacks to hack and control remote computers
Control a hacked system remotely and use it to hack other systems
Discover, exploit, and prevent a number of web application vulnerabilities such as XSS and SQL injections

Who this book is for
Learning Ethical Hacking from Scratch is for anyone interested in learning how to hack and test the security of systems like professional hackers and security experts.


The royal household lay at the heart of the king's army in the late thirteenth century. The military importance of the knights attached to Edward's household has been examined by M.0 Prestwich. Although Prestwich acknowledged that the knights did serve in other areas of royal government no systematic study of their role has been attempted.

Based on an examination of the surviving wardrobe accounts and other documents the role of the household knights in many areas of royal government in England and Edward's other dominions has been assessed. The part they played in newly or partially conquered territories of Wales and Scotland has also been considered. The knights attached to Edward's familia were employed as sheriffs, justices, constables of castles and diplomats and councillors. However the proportion of knights who served in these areas remained small. The knights were appointed With any regularity only to posts which demanded a combination of military and administrative skills. A large number held royal offices in Scotland and Wales. However, there were a small number of knights hose skills as diplomats and councillors were clearly of more importance to the king than military prowess. This inner circle of knights were probably the forerunners of the chamber knights of the fourteenth century.

The rewards received by the knights in return for their services have also been considered in great detail. The knights were rewarded in accordance with their status and length of service within the household. The major grants of lands, wardships and offices went to a fairly small group of men. The others received more minor gifts of grants of timber and animals. Edward was not a king who was renowned for his generosity. However, the loyalty of the knights to their master suggests that the rewards they received were adequate.


In mobile cloud computing systems, cloud computing has a significant impact on wireless networks. Cloud computing and wireless networks have traditionally been addressed separately in the literature. In this paper, we jointly study the operations of cloud computing and wireless networks in mobile computing environments, where the objective is to improve the end-to-end performances of cloud mobile media delivered through mobile cloud computing systems. Unlike most existing studies on wireless networks, where only the spectrum efficiency is considered, we consider not only the spectrum efficiency in wireless networks but also the pricing information in the cloud, based on which power allocation and interference management in the wireless networks are performed. We formulate the problems encountered in the operations of mobile cloud computing environments, including determining the price to charge for media services, resource allocation, and interference management, as a Stackelberg game model. Moreover, we extend this game model with multiple players through network virtualization technology, and adopt the replicator dynamics method to solve the evolutionary game between the different groups of small cells. Furthermore, a backward induction method is used to analyze the proposed Stackelberg game. Simulation results are presented to show the effectiveness of the proposed techniques.


N1N12-Bis(ethyl)spermine (BESM) and related compounds are powerful inhibitors of cell growth that may have potential as anti-neoplastic agents [Bergeron, Neims, McManis, Hawthorne, Vinson, Bortell and Ingeno (1988) J. Med. Chem. 31, 1183-1190]. The mechanism by which these compounds bring about their effects was investigated by using variant cell lines in which processes thought to be altered by these agents are perturbed. Comparisons between the response of these cells and of their parental equivalents to BESM, N1N11-bis(ethyl)norspermine, N1N14-bis(ethyl)homospermine and N1N8-bis(ethyl)spermidine were then made. It was found that D-R cells, an L1210-derived line that over-expresses ornithine decarboxylase, were not resistant to these compounds. This indicates that the decrease in ornithine decarboxylase is not critical for the action of the compounds on cell growth. Furthermore, although polyamine levels were decreased in the D-R cells, the content was not totally depleted, indicating that such depletion is also not essential for the anti-proliferative effect. Two cell lines lacking mitochondrial DNA (human 143B206 cells and chicken DU3 cells) did not differ in sensitivity to BESM from their parental 143BTK- and DU24 cells. Furthermore, the inhibition of respiration in L1210 cells in response to BESM developed more slowly than the inhibition of growth. Thus it appears that the inhibitions of mitochondrial DNA synthesis and of mitochondrial respiration are also not primary factors in the anti-proliferative effects of these polyamine analogues. The inhibition of growth did, however, correlate with the intracellular accumulation of the analogues. It appears that the bis(ethyl)polyamine derivatives act by binding to intracellular target molecules and preventing macromolecular synthesis. The decline in normal polyamines may facilitate such binding, but is not essential for growth arrest.


Flexographic printing is a common printing method in the packaging field. The printing method is characterized primarily by the flexible printing plate and the low viscosity inks which make it suitable for use on almost any substrate. The object of this study was to obtain further knowledge of the some important mechanisms of flexographic printing and how they influence the print quality. The thesis deals with printing primarily on board and liner but also on newsprint with water-borne ink using a full-scale flexographic central impression (CI) printing press. Several printing trials have been performed with a focus on the chemical interaction between the ink and substrate and the physical contact between the ink-covered printing plate and the substrate. Multicolour printing exposes the substrate to water from the water-containing ink. The emphasis was to investigate the relation between print quality and water-uptake of the paper surface with heat and water. Printing trials was carried out on substrates possessing a hydrophobic, and also a rather hydrophilic surface using a regular commercial water-borne ink. The favorable effect which water or surfactant solution had on the hydrophobic substrate with regard to print mottle could depend on its surface compressibility in combination with the hydrophobic nature of its surface that could affect the wetting properties. Conventional printing involves physical contact between plate and ink and between ink and substrate. A method for measuring the dynamic nip pressure using thin load cells is presented. Print quality was influenced by the plate material. A correction procedure taking into account the size of the sensor was developed in order to estimate the maximum dynamic pressure in the printing nip. An attempt was made to identify essential mechanical and chemical parameters, and also geometrical properties of the plate that affected print quality. Laboratory printing trials were carried out and a multivariate analysis was applied for evaluation of print quality data. The impact of the plate properties on print quality was evident. The essential properties of the plate that influence print quality were the small-scale roughness and long-scale roughness.


Learning portable neural networks is very essential for computer vision for the purpose that pre-trained heavy deep models can be well applied on edge devices such as mobile phones and micro sensors. Most existing deep neural network compression and speed-up methods are very effective for training compact deep models, when we can directly access the training dataset. However, training data for the given deep network are often unavailable due to some practice problems (\eg privacy, legal issue, and transmission), and the architecture of the given network are also unknown except some interfaces. To this end, we propose a novel framework for training efficient deep neural networks by exploiting generative adversarial networks (GANs). To be specific, the pre-trained teacher networks are regarded as a fixed discriminator and the generator is utilized for derivating training samples which can obtain the maximum response on the discriminator. Then, an efficient network with smaller model size and computational complexity is trained using the generated data and the teacher network, simultaneously. Efficient student networks learned using the proposed Data-Free Learning (DFL) method achieve 92.22% and 74.47% accuracies without any training data on the CIFAR-10 and CIFAR-100 datasets, respectively. Meanwhile, our student network obtains an 80.56% accuracy on the CelebA benchmark.


This essay intervenes in current ecocritical debates about the relationship between fiction and environmental risk by analyzing the limits of risk theory in the deep time of the Anthropocene. Although contemporary ecocriticism argues that we must move from apocalyptic depictions of risk to realistic ones, this essay examines fictions of nuclear waste commissioned by the Department of Energy to show that a risk-based realism is used to maintain the status quo of settler colonialism. It then turns to a countermodeling of the futures of nuclear waste by Leslie Marmon Silko in Almanac of the Dead (1991), where uranium's longue duree future, impossible to imagine from a human perspective, recasts the present as a space in which the unlikely, implausible, and unrealistic saturate the everyday. For Silko, the apocalyptic futurelessness that nuclear waste seeds into our present is a vital formal resource for unsettling colonial realism in the contemporary United States.


Blogs and RSS feeds are becoming increasingly popular. The blogging site LiveJournal has over 11 million user accounts, and according to one report, over 1.6 million postings are made to blogs every day. The "Blogosphere" is a new hotbed of Internet-based media that represents a shift from mostly static content to dynamic, continuously-updated discussions. The problem is that finding and tracking blogs with interesting content is an extremely cumbersome process.

In this paper, we present Cobra (Content-Based RSS Aggregator), a system that crawls, filters, and aggregates vast numbers of RSS feeds, delivering to each user a personalized feed based on their interests. Cobra consists of a three-tiered network of crawlers that scan web feeds, filters that match crawled articles to user subscriptions, and reflectors that provide recently-matching articles on each subscription as an RSS feed, which can be browsed using a standard RSS reader. We present the design, implementation, and evaluation of Cobra in three settings: a dedicated cluster, the Emulab testbed, and on PlanetLab. We present a detailed performance study of the Cobra system, demonstrating that the system is able to scale well to support a large number of source feeds and users; that the mean update detection latency is low (bounded by the crawler rate); and that an offline service provisioning step combined with several performance optimizations are effective at reducing memory usage and network load.


In many terrestrial ecosystems, detritivorous soil organisms ingest large amounts of leaf litter returning most of it to the soil as faeces. Such conversion of leaf litter into faeces may stimulate decomposition by increasing the surface area available for microbial colonisation. Yet, experimental support for either the outcome or the mechanism of these conversion effects is lacking. Based on the hypothesis that the identity of plant species from which leaf litter is transformed into faeces has a critical role in how faeces decomposition proceeds, we collected faeces of the widely abundant millipede Glomeris marginata fed with leaf litter from seven distinct tree species. We compared the physical and chemical characteristics and the rates of carbon (C) and nitrogen (N) loss between litter and faeces. We found that after 100 days of exposure under controlled conditions, C loss was on average higher in faeces (40.0%) than that in litter (26.6%), with a significant increase for six of the seven species. Concurrently, N dynamics switched from a net immobilisation (7.7%) in litter to a net release (14.6%) in faeces, with a significant increase for five of the seven species. Litter conversion into faeces generally homogenised differences in physical and chemical characteristics among species. Despite such homogenisation, variability in rates of faeces C and N loss among species was similar compared to leaf litter, but correlated with a different set of traits. Specifically, faecal pellet C loss was positively related to compaction (decreased specific area and increased density of faecal pellets), and both C and N loss from faecal pellets were positively related to fragmentation (increased specific area and perimeter of particles within faecal pellets). We conclude that litter fragmentation and compaction into detritivore faecal pellets lead to substantially enhanced decomposition, with a particularly strong impact on N dynamics that changed from immobilisation to net release depending on litter species. Moreover, litter quality control on decomposition is reshuffled by litter conversion into faeces. In ecosystems with high detritivore abundance, this so far largely overlooked pathway of organic matter turnover may strongly affect ecosystem C and N cycling.


The Autonomous Republic of Adjara, located in the southwest corner of Georgia along the Turkish border, has been the scene of a peculiar religious transformation in the last two decades. Specifically, large segments of Adjara's traditionally Muslim population have undergone a relatively quick rate of conversion to Christianity. Whereas the region's population was predominantly Muslim at the time of the Soviet Union's collapse, or at least nominally so after seven decades of official Soviet atheism, more recent figures indicate that Adjara's confessional makeup is approximately 65% Christian and 30% Muslim. Unlike Georgia's other Muslim groups in the Kvemo Kartli region and Pankisi, where Muslims are ethnic Azeris and Kists, respectively, Adjara's Muslims are ethnically Georgian.


Machine learning development creates multiple new challenges that are not present in a traditional software development lifecycle. These include keeping track of the myriad inputs to an ML application (e.g., data versions, code and tuning parameters), reproducing results, and production deployment. In this paper, we summarize these challenges from our experience with Databricks customers, and describe MLflow, an open source platform we recently launched to streamline the machine learning lifecycle. MLflow covers three key challenges: experimentation, reproducibility, and model deployment, using generic APIs that work with any ML library, algorithm and programming language. The project has a rapidly growing open source community, with over 50 contributors since its launch in June 2018.


This paper presents the topic of context prediction as one possibility to exploit context histories. It lists some expected benefits of context prediction for certain application areas and discusses the associated issues in terms of accuracy, fault tolerance, unobtrusive operation, user acceptance, problem complexity and privacy. After identifying the challenges in context prediction, a first approach is summarized briefly. This approach, when applied to recorded context histories, builds upon three steps of a previously introduced software architecture: feature extraction, classification and prediction. Open issues remain in the areas of prediction accuracy, dealing with limited resources, sharing of context information and user studies.


Of late, Scheduling optimization is the highly significant hassles in the job shop. The supreme advantage of the job shop scheduling is that the conclusion period of the entire tasks is cutback to the minimum possible. The job shop scheduling problem takes its origin from the conventional job shop scheduling problem, which is equipped with extensive accessibility of machines for all the entire tasks to be completed. Taking into account the two phases of the issue, two diverse definitions such as total flexibility and partial flexibility are envisaged to segregate the diverse accessibility data of machines. It is cheering that the efficiency has been scaled up by means of the opposite genetic algorithm which has proved its mettle as an effectual and proficient mechanism for successfully addressing the pointed issue of job-shop scheduling. Moreover, it is effectively employed to find out the least optimal make-span time with the optimal solution. DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.5755/j01.mech.23.4.14055


Medical plants are adapted to different kinds of dormancy to survive in the worst situations. Regarding to ecological viewpoint, this kind of adaptation is very important in respect to restriction of genetic draft and decrease of genetic resource of medicinal plants. This leads to plant survival even after prolonged drought. Since some of them are endangered species and in the other hand increasing in the production and culture of medicinal plants this turns to a problem. To overcome this problem scientists apply different kinds of treatments (like heat, chemical and physical treatments).So to overcome the germination problem of F. assa-foetida, F. gummusa and Myrtus communis, four different times of 42 KHz ultrasonic waves (0, 4, 8 and 12minutes) were applied on the seeds of this plant. The experiment was conducted based on completely randomized block design with four replications. The collected data were evaluated by SPSS 14. The essential oil of seeds was obtained by hydrodistillation. Oil of the best treatment of F. gummusa was analyzed by GC and GC/MS. In the current study we reported the existence of F. assa-foetida in Oshtorankoh mountain for first time. Treatment Results showed that: There were significant differences between ultrasonic waves' treatments (4, 8 and 12 minutes) and control (0 min). 30 days after treatments, the percentages of seed germination for each treatment of F. assa-foetida were 35, 75, 57/5 and 62/5% , for F. gummusa were 25, 60, 52/5, 45 and for Myrtus communis were 0, 42.5, 50, 35 in 4, 8 and 12 minutes ultrasonic waves' treatments and control (0 min) respectively. In this study, 4 minute ultrasonic wave's treatment clearly provides the best results for all species therefore ultrasonic waves method is a cost effective way for increasing seed germination rate in F. assa-foetida, F. gummusa and Myrtus communis. GC and GC/MS results showed differences in the composition of the essential oil of control and 4 minute treatment in F. gummusa.


The basics are only a guiding principle. Your strongest posture is the one that fits your constitution. That cannot be taught to you, you have to find it for yourself. It is not a question of widening your stance or narrowing it, if the truth be told. But, people will do what is comfortable for them, so if you allow them to, they will just make it up for themselves. That is why, you must always return to the basics. This is what is important. -Gozo Shioda Aikido students and enthusiasts the world over will be delighted with this English


Day by day, modern cities face a big challenge in terms of public safety and security. In the city, the surveillance systems mostly use video surveillance techniques, they incorporate thousands of cameras and relay to high-speed networking infrastructures. Moreover, in a city, there exist multiple computerised standalone systems that operate independently each other, e.g., banking systems, customs, and hospitals. These systems generate huge datasets. The collected data stimulate a gigantic mine of scattered information. A smart city is a city that intelligently benefits from such omnipresent systems. This paper presents an integrated platform to gather multiple existing systems in a city. The platform consists of a collaborative surveillance system, called CityPro. The proposed architecture is intended to protect and monitor people and public infrastructures, such as bridges, roads, buildings, etc.; it is designed to deal with and prevent abnormal activities like terrorist attacks. CityPro is expected to operate in live-mode by using the city digital-infrastructures. At the end of this paper, a typical case study is given, and challenges and future works are also discussed.


This work is dedicated to the sensible optimization and porting of a multi-lead (ML) wavelet-transform (WT)-based electrocardiogram (ECG) wave delineator to a state-of-the-art commercial wearable embedded sensor platform with limited processing and storage resources. The original offline algorithm was recently proposed and validated in the literature, as an extension of an earlier well-established single-lead (SL) WT-based ECG delineator. Several ML ECG delineation approaches, including SL selection according to various criteria and lead combination into a single root-mean-squared (RMS) curve, are carefully optimized for real-time operation on a state-of-the-art commercial wearable embedded sensor platform. Furthermore, these ML ECG delineation approaches are contrasted in terms of their delineation accuracy, complexity and memory usage, as well as suitability for ambulatory real-time operation. Finally, the robustness and stability of the ML ECG delineation approaches are benchmarked with respect to a validated SL implementation.


In land scarce Singapore, the development of a comprehensive and efficient underground public transport system is the key to a sustainable transport system. This has resulted in many tunnels being built in densely urbanized areas and at close proximity to buildings and infrastructures. The tunnelling effects on these adjacent structures can be detrimental as problems such as pile settlement and passive loading on the piles could arise. The construction of large scale infrastructure projects such as Circle Line has opened up enormous scope for tunnelling and underground works in Singapore, which offers a great opportunity to study the response of piles to tunnelling. Two case histories are presented and involved the monitoring of 200 buildings located within the influence of tunneling along Circle Line (CCL) 3, 4 and 5. More than 3600 building settlement markers were analyzed and the resulting pile head settlements due to tunnelling were compared with surrounding ground surface movements. The results of the full-scale instrumented piles subjected to the effects of twin tunnel construction on adjacent groups of bored cast in-situ piles are also discussed.


Date The final copy of this thesis has been examined by the signatories, and we find that both the content and the form meet acceptable presentation standards of scholarly work in the above mentioned discipline. Ludwig Boltzmann made tremendously important contributions to the problem of connecting macroscopic, empirical phenomena with microscopic, atomistic dynamics. At the end of the nineteenth century, Boltzmann was confronted with various strong objections to his work. For example, Boltzmann's atomistic explanations presuppose the reality of atoms, a notion that was vigorously rejected in some circles [14, 38]. Then too, there was the critique by Loschmidt that Boltzmann's H-theorem, put forth as a microscopic explanation for the Second Law of Thermodynamics, could hardly account for irreversible physics when the individual two-atom collisions were each reversible [18, 42]. Still intriguing today is the existence of special cases of the Boltzmann equation in which time-varying distributions of atoms resist the imperative of equilibration, even in the presence of collisions. Boltzmann discussed such situations in a paper dedicated to responding to Loschmidt's critique [7, 4]. Perhaps Boltzmann's motivation was to enumerate special cases where his famous H value does not relax as it should, and by enumerating them, point out their nonnaturalness, their artificial-ity. Damping, or relaxation to equilibrium, of a time-invariant phase-space distribution, is an all-but universal result predicted by the Boltzmann equation. Such improbable systems of atoms have only very recently been realized experimentally. Kinoshita et al. [36] experimentally confirmed that atoms constrained to move in a quasi one-dimensional potential, an atomistic Newtons cradle, exhibit vastly suppressed relaxation. Chevy et al. [15] observed long-lived breathe-mode oscillations in highly elongated but still 3D geometries. Perhaps one of the more interesting cases is the vanishing damping of the monopole breathe-mode oscillation in a spherically symmetric harmonic oscillator [29], where iv a cloud of atoms experiences undamped temperature oscillations, causing the cloud to expand and contract as if it were breathing. Until now, this phenomenon has been experimentally inaccessible due to the difficulty in generating isotropic harmonic confinement. This thesis discusses a new magnetic trap capable of producing spherical confinement and presents the first experimental realization of this historically significant oddity using a magnetically trapped gas of 87 Rb atoms. Dedication To my family. vi Acknowledgements First and foremost I want to thank my family for their constant support. Regardless of what I was interested in when I was growing up, …


BACKGROUND
Post-mastectomy pain syndrome (PMPS) is a frequent complication of breast surgery. There is currently no standard definition for this chronic pain syndrome. The purpose of this review was to establish a consensus for defining PMPS by identifying the various elements included in the definitions and how they vary across the literature, determining how these definitions affect the methodological components therein, and proposing a definition that appropriately encompasses all of the appropriate elements.

METHODS
We searched PubMed to retrieve all studies and case reports on PMPS, and we analyzed definitions of PMPS, inclusion/exclusion criteria, and methods of measuring PMPS.

RESULTS
Twenty-three studies were included in this review. We identified 7 independent domains for defining PMPS: surgical breast procedure, neuropathic nature, pain of at least moderate intensity, protracted duration, frequent symptoms, appropriate location of the symptoms and exacerbation with movement. These domains were used with varying frequency. Inclusion/exclusion criteria and methods for assessing PMPS also varied markedly.

CONCLUSION
To prevent future discrepancies in both the clinical and research settings, we propose a new and complete definition based on the results of our review: PMPS is pain that occurs after any breast surgery; is of at least moderate severity; possesses neuropathic qualities; is located in the ipsilateral breast/chest wall, axilla, and/or arm; lasts at least 6 months; occurs at least 50% of the time; and may be exacerbated by movements of the shoulder girdle.


Citizenship is usually conceptualized as a unitary and exclusive relationship between an individual and a sovereign state; yet the European Union (EU) has developed the most advanced form of contemporary supranational citizenship. Citizenship of the European Union guarantees EU citizens and most members of their families the right to move, live, and work across the territory of the EU. It also guarantees the right to vote in local and European elections in the member state of residence, the right to consular protection outside the EU when the member state of nationality is not represented, the right to access documents or petition Parliament or the Ombudsman in any of the official languages, and the right to be treated free from nationality-based discrimination. Though on the political agenda since the postwar origins of European integration, EU citizenship was not formalized into EU law until the Maastricht Treaty. Since then, the Court of Justice of the European Union (CJEU) has declared that "EU Citizenship is destined to be the fundamental status of nationals of the Member States" and there are ongoing discussions about the relationship between EU and member state citizenship. In terms of identity, increasing numbers of Europeans see themselves as citizens of the EU, and questions of citizenship are at the heart of debates about the nature of European integration.


Abstract To evaluate the perimeter trapping strategy as a control method, field tests were conducted in three different host species of the Mediterranean fruit fly, Ceratitis capitata (Wiedemann), in Israel. Dry traps baited with a three component food-based synthetic attractant that were hung in the peripheral rows of a plum, a pear, and a persimmon orchard, caught female C. capitata (up to 20.1, 1.4, and 4.1 female C. capitata per trap per day, respectively). Fruit damage, estimated at harvest, indicated a negligible percentage for the plum orchard (<1%), 3% for the persimmon orchard (compared with 9% at an untreated neighboring plot), and no damaged fruit in the pear orchard. Finally, dissections of female C. capitata caught in dry traps on different host plant species indicate that a high percentage (range, 84–100%) contained mature eggs. The attraction of mature females to the dry traps might explain the successful results. Future research, to determine precisely how many traps should be placed and how frequently they should be serviced, is necessary before applying this strategy on a commercial basis.


This report outlines how online-based journalistic startups have created their economical locker in the evolving media ecology. The research introduces the ways that startups have found sustainability in the markets of ten countries. The work is based on 69 case studies from Europe, USA and Japan.

The case analysis shows that business models can be divided into two groups. The storytelling-oriented business models are still prevalent in our findings. These are the online journalistic outlets that produce original content – news and stories for audiences. But the other group, service-oriented business models, seems to be growing. This group consists of sites that don't try to monetize the journalistic content as such but rather focus on carving out new functionality.

The project was able to identify several revenue sources: advertising, paying for content, affiliate marketing, donations, selling data or services, organizing events, freelancing and training or selling merchandise. Where it was hard to evidence entirely new revenue sources, it was however possible to find new ways in which revenue sources have been combined or reconfigured. The report also offers practical advice for those who are planning to start their own journalistic site.