The malaria parasite Plasmodium falciparum has a great capacity for evolutionary adaptation to evade host immunity and develop drug resistance. Current understanding of parasite evolution is impeded by the fact that a large fraction of the genome is either highly repetitive or highly variable and thus difficult to analyze using short-read sequencing technologies. Here, we describe a resource of deep sequencing data on parents and progeny from genetic crosses, which has enabled us to perform the first genome-wide, integrated analysis of SNP, indel and complex polymorphisms, using Mendelian error rates as an indicator of genotypic accuracy. These data reveal that indels are exceptionally abundant, being more common than SNPs and thus the dominant mode of polymorphism within the core genome. We use the high density of SNP and indel markers to analyze patterns of meiotic recombination, confirming a high rate of crossover events and providing the first estimates for the rate of non-crossover events and the length of conversion tracts. We observe several instances of meiotic recombination within copy number variants associated with drug resistance, demonstrating a mechanism whereby fitness costs associated with resistance mutations could be compensated and greater phenotypic plasticity could be acquired.


Abstract Solitary confinement is not cruel and unusual punishment. It is cruel and unusual if one or more of its accompanying material conditions result in a wanton and unnecessary infliction of pain upon an individual. This requirement is met when such conditions involve a "deprivation of basic identifiable human needs" to an extent that they inflict harm or create a "substantial risk of serious harm" and they are enacted with "deliberate indifference" by prison personnel. With limited exceptions, the Supreme Court and lower federal courts have perpetuated a narrow application of these standards. In particular, Courts have often discounted the generalized mental pain caused by extreme isolation. Accordingly, Courts have often neglected the duration of solitary confinement as an autonomous aspect of constitutional scrutiny. Growing neuroscientific research has emphasized that social interaction and environmental stimulation are of vital importance for physiological brain function. It has further highlighted that socio-environmental deprivation can have damaging effects on the brain, many of which may entail irreversible consequences. Drawing on these insights, this article suggests that solitary confinement is in and of itself cruel and unusual punishment even under the current standards. Avenues for a profound rethinking of solitary confinement regimes are presented and discussed.


With almost one billion web pages on the Internet today, a search engine is a necessity at times. But search engines are also for-profit ventures and the financial success of these sites hinges on advertising revenue. One of the ways in which these sites generate income is by selling "keywords" to advertisers. Although there has been only one judicial decision – Playboy Enterprises, Inc. v. Netscape Communications – involving banner ads keyed to trademarks, it will undoubtedly not be the last. This article argues that despite the invisible nature of this unauthorized trademark use, the common practice of keying a banner ad to another's trademark is a potential violation of the Lanham Act, giving rise to claims for trademark infringement, false designation of origin and trademark dilution.


Have you ever wondered what Jesus would say to Mohammed? Or Buddha? Or Oscar Wilde? Maybe you have a friend who practices another religion or admires a more contemporary figure. Drop in on a conversation between Jesus and some well-known individuals whose search for the meaning of life took them in many directions -- and influenced millions. Popular scholar Ravi Zacharias sets a captivating scene in this first in the intriguing Conversations with Jesus books. Through dialogue between Christ and Gautama Buddha that reveals Jesus' warm, impassioned concern for all people, God's true nature is explored. It's a well-priced, hard cover volume readers will want to own, and also share with others.


OBJECTIVES
Evidence indicates that adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) have destructive impacts on quality of life, health outcomes, and health-care expenditures. Studies further demonstrate a dose-response relationship between the number of ACEs and risk for experiencing chronic illness, such as oral diseases later in life. Research is scarce on the prioritization of contextualized public health interventions addressing this important threat.

METHODS
Cross-sectional data from 2011 to 2012 National Survey of Children's Health (NSCH) provided a nationally representative sample of children in the United States, ages 1-17 for dentate status (n = 61,530). The dependent variables identified untreated oral health-care needs and preventive dental utilization. The key independent variables included exposure to parental death, parental divorce, parental incarceration, mental health illnesses, domestic violence, neighborhood violence, and racial discrimination. Exogenous variables included age, sex, race/ethnicity, number of children in household, socioeconomic status proxies, health insurance status, and special health needs. The data, when adjusted for complex survey design, proportionately represent children in the United States.

RESULTS
Unadjusted and adjusted logistic regressions revealed varying magnitudes of significance across diverse racial and ethnic profiles. Exposures to parental divorce and parental death particularly exhibited critical magnitudes of influence, compared to all other ACEs.

CONCLUSIONS
In keeping with the Pareto Principle, exposure to certain ACEs, namely parental divorce and parental death, potentially introduces more profound social and health-related consequences later in life. Therefore, contextualized interventions should prioritize public health efforts to address households burdened with exposure to parental divorce and/or parental death.


The number of military and veteran students entering higher education continues to grow rapidly; nevertheless, there is a paucity of institutional research from which to draw recommendations about how the college transition translates to academic success and persistence. The purpose of this study was to identify the demographic characteristics, financial, academic, and personal experiences and campus relationships during military and veteran students' transitions to a college or university that predict grade point average (GPA) and intent to return. This study utilized a cross-sectional, non-experimental survey design to determine the relationship between study factors, cumulative GPA, and the level to which these factors can be used to predict academic success as measured by GPA and continued commitment to the institution based on intent to return to the institution. The results of the study indicated that multiple, but different, factors predict academic success as measured by GPA for community college and four-year institution students. Intent to return could not be predicted utilizing the study model for four-year institution students; however, the perception of being academically prepared to enter the institution was the sole significant predictor of intent to return for community college participants. Relationship and personal factors were consistently insignificant, which presented a new finding in terms of military and veteran student literature. Several recommendations and implications for practice were provided, including specific recommendations by type of institution.


This thesis is concerned with the design, fabrication and characterisation of monolithic tuneable quantum cascade lasers (QCLs), which are suitable for tuneable diode laser based absorption spectroscopy and polarisation dependent spectroscopy in the mid-infrared wavelength range. All investigations and device development work were carried out using the QCL structure based on strain-compensated Ga0.331In0.669As/Al0.659In0.341As grown on an InP substrate that emits light around 4500 nm wavelength. To make the QCLs electrically tuned, two laser designs were investigated: the double ring quantum cascade laser based on the Vernier-tuning effect, and the integrated tuneable birefringent waveguide utilising current controlled birefringence in quantum-wells.

The key advantage of the Vernier tuning effect based the double ring laser design is that it can facilitate both a single mode and wide-tuning range operation. The Vernier tuning enhancement factor associated with the coupled waveguide is responsible for a wide-tuning range observed in double ring configuration. However, the tuning range is limited by the available gain bandwidth (i.e. FWHM of spontaneous spectra) in the material and the maximum obtainable index change of the tuner ring. Theoretically, the tuning range of 155 nm was estimated for the double ring quantum cascade laser (DRQCL) design employed in this thesis. However, experimentally, a single mode (~19 dB single sideband suppression ratio) and tuning range of 59 nm which covers almost half the bandwidth were observed.

For the first time in the history of the QCL, a research into the design, fabrication and characterisation of integrated polarisation mode convertors (PMCs) has been carried out. The PMC design is based upon etching trenches, using the RIE lag effect, of sub-wavelength dimensions into one side of a waveguide in order to achieve an asymmetric cross-sectional profile, resulting in a waveplating effect. This thesis presents such PMCs integrated with QCLs that emit 69% TE light with the polarisation angle of 65 degree from one facet and a pure TM light emitted from the other facet using a 256 μm long PMC design (design D2).

An integrated tunable birefringent waveguide (ITBW) consisting of two PMCs with a differential phase shift (DPS) section between them. To probe the birefringence operation, a sub-threshold electroluminescence was employed to investigate the single pass operation of the ITBW. A theory based on the electro-optic properties of birefringence in QCL waveguides was used combined with a Jones-matrix based description to gain an understanding of the electroluminescence results. With the QCL operating above threshold, polarisation and wavelength tuning of the signal output was demonstrated. By comparing the sub-threshold electroluminescence and active polarisation angle measurement result with the Jones matrix model, the material birefringence (no DPS current), 4n, was estimated to be around 0.005 for the QCL employed in this work. However, single mode emission was not observed and 24 nm discontinuous tuning was recorded. Despite this, using a QCL incorporating an ITBW device, active polarisation control over 45 degree was demonstrated, and currently, to the best of the authors knowledge there has been no other QCL device that is capable of electronically controlling the output polarisation.


This study examines bank risk by investigating the equity and loan portfolio characteristics of publicly-traded bank holding companies. Unlike the pattern for non-financial firms, equity betas of large banks are two to five times greater than those of small banks. In explaining this, we note that regulation imposes an effective cap on banks' equity volatility. Because the portfolios of small banks are less diversified, this cap has a greater effect on small banks than large banks. But we reject the hypothesis that small banks lower their equity volatility through lower leverage. Instead, we find that the reduced ability of small banks to diversify forces them to either pick borrowers whose assets have relatively low credit risk or make loans that are backed by relatively more collateral.


Aim: To compare the efficacy and safety of single-dose intravenous nalbuphine versus intravenous tramadol for postoperative analgesia. Materials and Methods: In this prospective randomized study, adults with the American Society of Anesthesiologists physical status class I and II undergoing elective surgeries performed under general anesthesia, resulting in mild-to-moderate pain (n = 60), received either intravenous nalbuphine (10 mg) or tramadol (100 mg). Visual analog scale scores for pain, sedation, and nausea and vomiting were monitored for 4 h and compared between the two groups. Statistical Analysis: The mean scores within the groups were analyzed by paired t-test, whereas between the groups by unpaired t-test. The median scores were analyzed by using Mann–Whitney U test. P value <0.05 was considered statistically significant. Results: Reduction in pain after drug administration was statistically significant at all-time points as compared to before administration in both groups (P < 0.5). Pain reduction after 5 min (P = 0.01) and 30 min (P = 0.03) was significantly better with tramadol, whereas after 4 h, it was better with nalbuphine (P < 0.05). Incidence of nausea and vomiting in tramadol and nalbuphine groups was 23.3% and 40%, respectively. No statistically significant difference was observed in sedation, nausea, and vomiting scores between two groups at any time point (P > 0.05). Conclusion: Intravenous nalbuphine and tramadol both provided effective pain relief in patients with postoperative pain. Tramadol resulted in early pain relief but higher incidence of nausea and vomiting.


[1] Anthropogenic aerosol particles alter clouds, radiation, and precipitation, thereby affecting weather, climate, and air pollution. To examine and understand such feedbacks, a module that simulates the evolution, movement, and microphysics of three-dimensional size-resolved mixed-phase clouds and precipitation and their multicomponent aerosol inclusions was developed and implemented into the GATOR-GCMOM global-through-urban air pollution-weather-climate model. A unique feature of the module is that aerosol particles and their chemical components are tracked in time and space within size-resolved liquid, ice, and graupel and interstitially within clouds. Modeled parameters were evaluated against in situ data, compared with MODIS climatologies, and nested with emission data down to 5 km resolution to study aerosol-cloud feedbacks in Los Angeles. Although updrafts are not resolved during deep convection at this resolution, most convection is shallow in Los Angeles. This resolution is also near the lower limit for which a hydrostatic solution to vertical momentum (used here) is similar to a nonhydrostatic solution. Aerosols in Los Angeles were found to increase cloud optical depth, cloud liquid water, cloud fraction, net downward thermal-infrared radiation, soil moisture, the relative humidity, and (slightly) middle-boundary layer air temperatures. Aerosols also decreased precipitation, surface solar, and near-surface temperatures. Both boundary layer warming due to black carbon and surface cooling due to all aerosol components increased stability, inhibiting cloud top growth under some conditions. Aerosols may feed back to themselves by increasing cloud liquid, gas dissolution, and aerosol volume upon evaporation. They may also decrease visibility by increasing the relative humidity and decrease photolysis below them by enhancing cloud thickness.


When seeking to prevent HIV/AIDS in women, attending to aspects of their lived experience provides opportunities to address the presence of social determinants in prevention strategies. According to the CDC, in 2010, the rate of new HIV infections among Black women was 20 times that of White women, while among Hispanic/Latino women it was 4 times the rate of White women. Additionally, 86% of HIV infections in women were attributed to heterosexual contact and 14% to injection drug use. The WHO indicates that worldwide, 49% of individuals infected by HIV are women, with a predominant source of infection tied to heterosexual transmission. This paper presents social determinants as influential factors in terms of women's sexual behavior decision-making, along with suggested structural interventions to address the social determinants of their HIV risks. Secondary analysis was conducted on data from an earlier study (Abdul-Quader and Collins, 2011) which used concept-mapping to examine the feasibility, evaluability, and sustainability of structural interventions for HIV prevention. The current analysis focused on structural interventions applicable to women and their HIV prevention needs. Three themes emerged: economic interventions, responses to violence against women, and integrated health service delivery strategies. The themes provide a foundation for next steps regarding research, policy planning, and intervention implementation that is inclusive of women's lived experience. The paper concludes with suggestions such as attention to innovative projects and a paradigm shift regarding policy planning as key next steps towards HIV prevention that reflects the contextual complexity of women's lived experiences.


Bord and Pillar method of underground mining has been used extensively to develop Indian coal seams into pillars and galleries. This results in only 20–30% recovery of coal and rest coal remain locked up in developed pillars. Indian coalfields are famous in the world for its uniqueness and complexity of the geomining conditions which makes the extraction of the locked-up coal pillars a difficult and hazardous activity using different underground mining methods. Indian mining industry has introduced mechanisation since last 10 years to deal with the various underground rock mechanics issues in order to improve the efficiency and safety during recovery of locked-up coal pillars. But mere introduction of mechanisation did not solve all the rock mechanics problems due to requirement of indigenous design of different involved geotechnical elements for Indian geomining conditions. CSIR-CIMFR is a national research organisation engaged in improving conditions of underground coal mines. It has developed rock mechanics advances, namely, design of irregular shaped heightened rib/snook, roof bolt-based breaker-line support, warning limit of roof sagging, and cut-out distance for continuous miner-based mechanised depillaring. This chapter presents the developments made and highlights challenges to pursue future research studies for mechanised depillaring-based mass coal production from Indian underground mines.


The strong chromatic distortion associated with diffractive optical elements is fully exploited to achieve an achromatic optical Fourier transformation under broadband point-source illumination by means of an air-spaced diffractive lens doublet. An analysis of the system is carried out by use of the Fresnel diffraction theory, and the residual secondary spectrum (both axial and transversal) is evaluated. We recognize that the proposed optical architecture allows us to tune the scale factor of the achromatic Fraunhofer diffraction pattern of the input by simply moving the diffracting screen along the optical axis of the system. The performance of our proposed optical setup is verified by several laboratory results.


Fear of crime has been explored from an academic perspective for some decades now within the sphere of criminology. Within this exploration, the focus has consistently been on clearly identifiable and opposing 'actors' cast in the roles of 'feared' and 'fearing'. In this think piece, I argue that the binary format upon which fear of crime discourse has developed is inherently flawed, in that those groups who are cast in the role of 'feared', in this case homeless people, are denied the status of 'fearing', which has a significant and detrimental impact on both homeless people from a policy perspective and the academic study and understanding of fear of crime. The paper starts with an overview of traditional approaches to conceptualising fear of crime, then moves on to explore constructions of homeless people as always feared and never fearing. Drawing on victimological discourse, the paper then makes the case that a re-framing of street homeless people as fearing subjects is required. The piece closes with a call for the academic study of fear of crime to move away from its traditional binaries and embrace a new approach to locating street homeless people within fear of crime discourse.


The safety level of any system may be defined as the probability that no catastrophic accident is expected to occur during system operation, for a specified period of time. The purpose of software safety analysis is to reduce system risk, due to software malfunctions, to an acceptable level. Conventional software safety analysis techniques are reactive in orientation. They are intended to identify software faults as part of a post-programming evaluation procedure. A more cost-effective approach would be to avoid introducing the faults into the computer code. This paper discusses the ongoing establishment of a development methodology that would incorporate this proactive approach to software safety analysis, by applying the concepts of total quality management. This research provides a linkage of software engineering to such classical industrial engineering activities as safety analysis and quality control.


In the paper, two different types of soil-steel bridges are described i.e. the first being characterized by the minimal construction time (several days) and the second built according to the standard technology of erection for such structures. On the basis of in situ tests of typical soil-steel bridge it has been shown in the paper that under pulsating load the soil backfill, although being bounded either from the top by pavement and from the bottom by steel shell behaves like standard loose material. This feature of soil-steel bridges is common either for the structures being at the stage of construction and also already in service. The idea of pulsating load and the adequate loading of soil cover during back-filling was utilized at the construction of circular shaped pipe soil-steel structure. The steel shell was laid on the weak soil. The shortening of building time and simplification of erection technology has been gained for this case. Although two different types of structures of soil-steel bridges were considered in the study, both cases have shown similar performance of the shell structure in reaction to the load through pulsations of soil backfilling. The identical behavior of soil backfill being typical as for the loose material is confirmed by in situ tests.


We present Southern African Large Telescope (SALT) follow-up observations of seven massive clusters detected by the Atacama Cosmology Telescope (ACT) using the Sunyaev-Zel'dovich effect (SZE). We conducted multi-object spectroscopic observations with the Robert Stobie Spectrograph (RSS) in order to measure galaxy redshifts in each cluster field, determine the cluster line of sight velocity dispersions, and infer the cluster dynamical masses. This programme forms part of the larger ACT effort to measure the SZE-signal-to-mass relation using a mass proxy which is independent of cluster gas properties. While all of the clusters in this work have previously been identified in optical surveys within the Sloan Digital Sky Survey footprint, none of them have been studied in this way before. We find that the clusters range in mass from (0.26 2.6) × 1015 M and span the redshift range 0.3 < z < 0.55. The spectrum of the Brightest Cluster Galaxy (BCG) in ACT-CL J0320.4+0032 shows strong emission line features indicating the presence of an Active Galactic Nucleus (AGN), potentially providing feedback within a very


This paper seeks to analyse the influence of migrants' families on return and the transfer of financial, human and social capital by West African migrants who have lived in Europe and North America. Based on a survey of over 600 'elite' and less-skilled return migrants to Cote d'Ivoire and Ghana, as well as qualitative research with migrants remaining in London and Paris, the paper argues that families play an important role in return migration, remittances, and aspects of human, social and financial capital acquisition and investment. Using Cerase's typology of return migration, the analysis seeks to discriminate between migrants whose return decisions were affected by their families – considered as 'return of conservatism' – and those who made individual return decisions – considered as 'return of innovation'. The findings reveal that the relationship between the type of return (and extent of family involvement in this decision), and the extent of financial, human and social capital transfers, varies between countries and across groups of migrants. Although those whose return is influenced by their families might be considered to have made more 'conservative' return decisions, this group was found to be more likely to have transferred financial capital to their home country, and more likely to have maintained social capital gained abroad after their return. They were also as likely as 'innovative' returnees to have promoted changes in family life or in the workplace. The paper concludes by exploring several policy implications. Copyright © 2004 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.


Spring migration of Willow Warbler Phylloscopus trochilus over the western Mediterranean was studied using observations collected at a ringing station on the mainland of Spain (Aiguamolls de l'Empordà), and at an island station (Cabrera, one of the Balearics). During the years 1993–2001, birds were caught and measured between 16 April and 15 May. The peak of captures and mean arrival date was seven days earlier on the continental station than on the island. At both stations long-winged individuals passed before short-winged birds, and birds at the continental station had longer wings than at the island. The number of recaptures was low at both locations suggesting that most birds departed at the day of arrival. The mean stopover period for recaptured individuals at the continental and island station was 2.2 and 2.6 days, respectively. Body mass remained more or less constant during this stay. Our observations suggest that subpopulations of Willow Warblers, differing both in morphology and timing of migration, have different migration routes over the western Mediterranean; one migrates over the Iberian Peninsula and another crosses over the sea.


The origin of the rapid adaptive response of yeast cells to changes in environmental osmolarity has been unclear. Mettetal et al. (see the Perspective by Lipan) now show that increases in extracellular osmolarity activate the high-osmolarity glycerol signaling pathway, which changes transcription of particular target genes. By measuring the cellular response to pulses of medium with increased ionic strength, the authors were able to develop a predictive model of the dynamics of this regulatory system. Rather than changes in gene expression, which have often been suggested to be at the core of the response to osmotic shock, the fast response is actually dominated by a nontranscriptional response that probably involves altered glycerol transport. J. T. Mettetal, D. Muzzey, C. Gómez-Uribe, A. van Oudenaarden, The frequency dependence of osmo-adaptation in Saccharomyces cerevisiae. Science 319, 482-484 (2008). [Abstract] [Full Text] O. Lipan, Enlightening rhythms. Science 319, 417-418 (2008). [Summary] [Full Text]


The case study discussed in this article examines how the community of inquiry (CoI) model (Garrison, Anderson, & Archer, 2010) was used to redesign the digital learning environment in the context of an Australian university. Some purposes were to replicate features of a traditional classroom and to support collaboration between professionals with different expertise. The discussion addresses three questions. Firstly, how useful was the CoI model in context and to what extent was the success (or failure) of the redevelopment attributable to the CoI? Secondly, what are the implications for current debates about the CoI model? Thirdly, what are the emergent issues and areas for future research? The paper concludes that the CoI model was useful as a communication and design heuristic rather than as a model that makes universal truth claims about the world.


Proton pump inhibitors (PPIs) are the commonly recommended treatment for gastric abnormalities. The structural scaffold of PPIs (Pantoprazole; PPZ) provides an incalculable chance of association with diverse biological receptors which indicate a huge possibility of pleiotropic therapeutic impact which needs to be explored. Recently, several studies report the cardioprotective events of PPIs, but the underlying mechanism is not clear. Four groups having six animals in each were considered for this study. STZ (50 mg/kg/i.p) was given to induced chronic diabetes mellitus (DM) and vascular endothelial dysfunction (VED). PPZ (4 mg/kg/p.o/daily for 8 weeks) was evaluated against DM induced VED by measuring endothelial relaxation, aortic/serum nitrite/nitrate concentration, asymmetric dimethylarginine (ADMA), aortic superoxide anion generation, serum thiobarbituric acid reactive substances (TBARS) and dimethylarginine dimethylaminohydrolase (DDAH) in the cell lysate of each animals group. PPZ significantly overcome the perturbed level of hyperglycemia measured by blood glucose level, increase the availability of NO measured by aortic/serum nitrite/nitrate concentration. Treatment with PPZ showed the determinate lessening of tissue injuries as it averted increase expression of VED measured by ACh-induced endothelium-dependent relaxation, and diminution in oxidative stress, plasma ADMA level, and DDAH concentration in the cell lysate. The vascular protective potential of PPZ has a strong correlation with the DDAH/ADMA/eNOS/NO signaling pathway. Furthermore, the study also explored the antioxidant activity of PPZ which may also facilitate this protective pathway by increasing the bioavailability of NO in the endothelium.


Background The development of ischemic events is relatively common after endovascular interventions, and flow diverters may pose a particular threat owing to their increased technical complexity and high metal content. Objective To investigate the incidence and potential risk factors for thromboembolic lesions after treatment with a Pipeline embolization device (PED). Methods This prospective study included a total of 59 patients electively treated with a PED over 12 months. Postprocedural diffusion-weighted imaging sequences of the brain were obtained 24 h after interventions to detect ischemic lesions. Demographic data, aneurysm characteristics, antiplatelet management, and perioperative data were correlated with the rate of ischemic events. Results The incidence of silent ischemic events after use of a PED was 62.7% (37 patients) and neurological symptoms occurred in 8.1% of affected patients. Development of ischemic events was significantly associated with older patients (≥60 years; p=0.038). Routine use of platelet function assays and newer P2Y12 receptor inhibitors (ticagrelor) were not associated with fewer thromboembolic events. Conclusions Thromboembolic events are relatively common after treatment with a PED with an incidence comparable to stent-assisted and conventional coiling but the risk of neurological morbidity from ischemic burden is low. Older patients are at particularly increased risk of thromboembolic events.


We devise a new combinatorial framework for proving space lower bounds in algebraic proof systems like Polynomial Calculus (Pc) and Polynomial Calculus with Resolution (Pcr). Our method can be thought as a Spoiler-Duplicator game, which is capturing boolean reasoning on polynomials instead that clauses as in the case of Resolution. Hence, for the first time, we move the problem of studying the space complexity for algebraic proof systems in the range of 2-players games, as is the case for Resolution.
 A very simple case of our method allows us to obtain all the currently known space lower bounds for Pc/Pcr (CTn, PHPmn, BIT-PHPmn, XOR-PHPmn). The way our method applies to all these examples explains how and why all the known examples of space lower bounds for Pc/Pcr are an application of the method originally given by [Alekhnovich et al 2002] that holds for set of contradictory polynomials having high degree. Our approach unifies in a clear way under a common combinatorial framework and language the proofs of the space lower bounds known so far for Pc/Pcr.
 More importantly, using our approach in its full potentiality, we answer to the open problem [Alekhnovich et al 2002, Filmus et al 2012] of proving space lower bounds in Polynomial Calculus and Polynomials Calculus with Resolution for the polynomial encoding of randomly chosen k-CNF formulas. Our result holds for k>= 4. Then, as proved for Resolution in [BenSasson and Galesi 2003], also in Pc and in Pcr refuting a random k-CNF over n variables requires high space measure of the order of Omega(n). Our method also applies to the Graph-PHPmn, which is a PHPmn defined over a constant (left) degree bipartite expander graph. We develop a common language for the two examples.


The UK has endured a number of major flood events in
recent years, and the UK Environment Agency (2009a)
identified that about 5.2million properties in England,
amounting to one in six, are at risk of flooding. The impacts of flooding include direct and indirect impacts and can be particularly devastating for small and medium-sized
enterprises (SMEs) who are generally more vulnerable to
such events than larger business organisations. Recent
flood events have established how costly flooding can be
to the SME sector (Pitt, 2008, ABI, 2010), which has given
greater impetus to the need to improve the resilience of
at-risk SMEs. A lack of professional advice on flood
protection and adaptation measures represents a potential
barrier to the uptake of such interventions by SMEs.

A recent Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors (RICS)
survey, as quoted in Defra (2008) notes that, although a
majority of chartered surveyors would like to work in this
area of practice (flood risk assessment and adaptation),
they are conscious of gaps in their competency,
knowledge and understanding. The research project
sought to contextualise this broader issue and investigate
how chartered surveyors can bridge the gap in providing
professional flood advice to SMEs. Further, a shift in the
UK government policy on flood risk management is
evident, where at-risk communities are urged to adapt to
flooding. This places greater emphasis on property-level
flood adaptation, providing further impetus for Chartered
Surveyors to be involved. Findings of the research will be
of interest to the RICS, the RICS Flood steering Group,
practicing surveyors generally, SMEs, business support
and policy making organisations.


Shakespeare's history of Henry V's remarkable victory over the French at Agincourt and the subsequent peace between the two nations is also a study of war and kingship. From his wild youth, Henry comes to embody all of the kingly virtues: courage, justice, integrity and honour. Ironically these qualities are brought to the fore by the realities of war. Written at the end of the life of Elizabeth I, Henry V told the British people that with strong leadership, they had little to fear at a time of uncertainty. Illustrated throughout by Sir John Gilbert (1817-1897), famous for his depictions of historical scenes. As well as Shakespeare, he illustrated works of Sir Walter Scott, Cervantes, Wilkie Collins and Wordsworth."With an Introduction by Ned Halley.


This paper explores the empirical link between environmental policy and international trade. Using an estimated global simulation model, the paper focusses on the extent to which international trade flows are redirected as a result of unilateral versus multilateral taxes on the emission of carbon dioxide. We find that a carbon tax in the United States produces little redirection of trade either in the short run or the long run because electric power generation and local transportation are by far the most carbon intensive activities and both are largely non-traded. We also illustrate the importance of the assumptions about the way in which the revenue from the carbon tax is recycled. We find that the revenue recycling assumption has important macroeconomic implications for saving and investment balances and therefore for the adjustment of trade flows.(This abstract was borrowed from another version of this item.)


Portfolio performance in 401(k) plans depends on both the investment menu made available by plan sponsors and participants portfolio decisions. We use a unique dataset of nearly 1 million participants in one thousand pension plans to identify key portfolio inefficiencies in 401(k) plans,attributing them either to the sponsor's menu design or to participants' own portfolio choices. We show that most sponsors offer efficient investment menus. However, many participants fail to construct efficient portfolios, leading to retirement wealth that could be one-fifth lower due to poor portfolio decisions. Because participants are the main source of inefficient DC portfolio choices, strategies targeting their portfolio choices, such as improved default investment strategies or advice programs, may help. Also, in sponsors' design of 401(k) menus, the number of options offered is less important than the range of funds provided.


Staphylococcus aureus is known to cause pododermatitis in poultry with significant economic losses. Present study revealed the prevalence of pododermatitis caused by S. aureus in broilers and layers in Jammu India. A total 5400 birds were screened. The pus samples were collected from 119 poultry bird's foot pad & hock joint using sterile cotton swabs. Isolation and identification of Staphylococcus aureus from samples was done by culturing the sample on different culture media including nutrient, blood and MacConkey's agars through streaking method and incubated aerobically at 37˚C. Identification of bacterial isolates was performed using conventional metods by making the smear, stained with Gram's stain and examined under microscope and by biochemical (Catalase and Coagulase tests) procedures. Out of total fifty four hundred cases screened one hundred nineteen cases (2.20 percent) were positive for avian pododermatitis. Among the layers prevalence of pododermatitis caused due to Staphylococcus aureus was 89.65 percent while as in broilers prevalence of pododermatitis caused due to Staphylococcus aureus was found to be 80.64 percent. Prevalence of pododermatitis in backyard poultry caused due to Staphylococcus aureus is 89.28%. The study concluded that Staphylococcus aureus is responsible for pododermatitis in majority of both commercial broilers and layers, with higher prevalence in layers.


Abstracts play a major role as time-saving and information-managing devices in our globalized world of scientific communication. In many non-Anglophone academic journals the pressure to disseminate results internationally is manifested in the requirement to write an English version of the abstract, usually a requisite for the journal to be included in international databases and citation indexes. In this paper it is my aim to investigate the main lexicogrammatical choices which contribute to the identification of rhetorical moves in research article (RA) abstracts translated into English by Spanish academics, and which are published in prestigious national journals as a requisite for those journals to be included in international databases. To carry out this analysis, three sets of texts have been compiled: (i) Spanish abstracts published in prestigious Spanish journals, (ii) their corresponding English translations published in the same journals; (iii) RA abstracts written in English by Anglophone academics (affiliated to Anglophone institutions) and published in leading international journals whose language of publication is English. I will focus on the discipline of Sociology, an emergent field for Spanish academics in terms of their contribution to the international arena. My ultimate aim is to explore how English translations compare with English L1 abstracts in terms of lexicogrammatical choices.


Over the past decade there has been increased discussion in the counselor education literature regarding the personal limitations and/or impairments of counselors that may hinder their abilities to provide competent services. Although counseling ethical codes and standards of practice suggest competent counselors are those who demonstrate both professional and personal skills and counselor educators have explored numerous training methods to promote such development, the concern about impaired counselors remains. There is minimal information in the literature that describes how counselors in training develop personal attitudes, skills, and characteristics that may prevent their impairment and facilitate their competency with their clientele. The purpose of this study was to explore six counselor trainees' experiences of personal growth and development using phenomenological and life story methodologies to gather descriptive and detailed accounts of their personal growth and how it intersects with their professional development. Participants were asked in two interviews to share detailed experiences from their lives that contributed to their developing personal skills and characteristics. Their life stories were explored to gain understanding about their self perceptions and the events that have shaped them. Phenomenological methodology revealed two universal themes that emerged from participants' experiences. Participants discussed their experiences in graduate counselor training that contributed to their personal growth and development that included relationships with their colleagues and faculty and aspects within their internship/practicum. Participants also discussed factors that contributed to their development out of training including personal challenges, supportive events, and experiences with diverse groups. Implications for counselor educators, supervisors, and counselors in training are discussed based on the participants' experiences and life stories. Limitations of this study and recommendations for future research regarding counselor trainee personal growth and development are also discussed.


As an essential factor for sustainable development, energy plays a very important role in sustaining a modern lifestyle, particularly in poor rural areas. Considering that farmers' livelihood in such areas is enormously dependent on services provided by environmental resources, it makes sense to investigate the relationships and interactions between farming households' livelihood strategies and their energy consumption. The findings and outcomes would be expected to contribute to the body of knowledge and benefit local policy-making toward sustainable transformation in the long run. Taking Gannan as an example, this study employed a participatory rural appraisal approach, with first-hand data mainly from field surveys, using a stratified random sampling method to illustrate the influence of farmers' livelihood strategies for household energy consumption in the eastern Qinghai–Tibet Plateau, China. Seven townships in Gannan were covered, three of them in pure pastoral areas, two in farming-pastoral areas, and two in farming areas. From these, 230 households were selected as study samples, with a valid return of 217 questionnaires, among which 78 came from pure pastoral areas, 60 from farming-pastoral areas, and 79 from farming areas. The results show that livelihood has a significant impact on farmers' household energy consumption patterns, and increasing family income level and education level and improving the availability of commodity energy resources will help farmers reduce the proportion of biomass energy consumption and increase the proportion of commodity energy consumption. Furthermore, measures such as developing nonagricultural industries, improving the energy infrastructure, and enhancing farmers' energy-saving awareness should be seriously considered to optimize farmers' living energy consumption patterns in these poverty-stricken and eco-frangible regions.


This book shows that combining a sound understanding of economic and managerial principles can make a striking difference in the quality of the strategic planning of an organization and provide guidelines for effective corporate strategies. Covering new and important areas in economics not treated in other management and strategic planning books, Modern Competitive Analysis is a fundamental resource to the managers of today and tomorrow. The Third Edition includes new material in game theory, added value analysis and strategic intent. Examples are drawn from modern network industries and more attention is paid to newly deregulated markets.


Self-efficacy is an important concept in psychology, it reflects psychokinesis of individual environmental adaptability and environmental transformation. With the current popularization of higher education, researching self-efficacy of college students plays a promotive role in their healthy growth. This paper explains the concept of self-efficacy, elaborates its significant effect on college students, lists several influential factors and at last, compares music students' self-efficacy on the basis of gender by experimentation, scale measurement and questionnaires. The research shows boys are generally higher than girls in self-efficacy. This paper analyzes the reasons for the results and propounds proposals for improvement, pointing out direction to improve self-efficacy for college music students in correct goal outlook establishment, correct self-awareness and active attribution and creating favorable conditions for students' growth and job-hunting.


Two memory perspectives have been distinguished: A field perspective where events are re-experienced in the first person, and an observer perspective where events are witnessed in the third person. Two experiments examined the influence of memory perspective on objective memory performance. In both experiments participants were presented with a series of verbal passages, each of which contained several different categories of information. For four of these categories (pertaining to affective reactions, physical sensations, psychological states, and associated ideas), recall was significantly higher when a field perspective was adopted than when an observer perspective was adopted, but for the five other categories (pertaining to physical actions, personal appearance, fine details, spatial relations, and peripheral details) there was no significant effect of perspective upon recall. The study is examined in the context of mental models and imagined episodic events.


Abstract Biomaterials play a central role in modern strategies in regenerative medicine and tissue engineering to restore the structure and function of damaged or dysfunctional tissue and to direct cellular behavior. Both biologically derived and synthetic materials have been extensively explored in this context. However, most materials when implanted into living tissue initiate a host response. Modern implant design therefore aims to improve implant integration while avoiding chronic inflammation and foreign body reactions, and thus loss of the intended implant function. Directing these processes requires an in-depth understanding of the immunological processes that take place at the interface between biomaterials and the host tissue. The physicochemical properties of biomaterial surfaces (charge, charge density, hydrophilicity, functional molecular domains, etc.) are decisive, as are their stiffness, roughness and topography. This review outlines specific strategies, using polyelectrolyte multilayers to modulate the interactions between biomaterial surfaces and biological systems. The described coatings have the potential to control the adhesion of proteins, bacteria and mammalian cells. They can be used to decrease the risk of bacterial infections occurring after implantation and to achieve better contact between biological tissue and implants. In summary, these results are important for further development and modification of surfaces from different medical implants.


In order to design a power transformer it is important to understand its internal electromagnetic behaviour. That can be obtained by measurements on physical transformers, analytical expressions and computer simulations. One benefit with simulations is that the transformer can be studied before it is built physically and that the consequences of changing dimensions and parameters easily can be assessed. In this thesis a time-domain transformer model is presented. The model includes core phenomena as magnetic static hysteresis, eddy current and excess losses. Moreover, the model comprises winding phenomena as eddy currents, capacitive effects and leakage flux. The core and windings are first modelled separately and then connected together in a composite transformer model. This results in a detailed transformer model. One important result of the thesis is the feasibility to simulate dynamic magnetization including the inhomogeneous field distribution due to eddy currents in the magnetic core material. This is achieved by using a Cauer circuit combined with models for static and dynamic magnetization. Thereby, all magnetic loss components in the material can be simulated accurately. This composite dynamic magnetization model is verified through experiments showing very good correspondence with measurements. Furthermore, the composite transformer model is verified through measurements. The model is shown to yield good correspondence with measurements in normal operation and non-normal operations like no-load, inrush current and DC-magnetization.


While there are well-rehearsed debates between neo-classical economists and town planners over the way the private housing market interacts with land planning (as well as disputing the nature and effects of market signals), there has been much less said about the effect of planning on non-market housing (and vice versa). Social housing is part of the wider housing system operating in a region. It is both impacted by, and impacts on, the private housing market. The economic literature on social housing, though sparse, does include wider perspectives such as new (and old) institutional economics. Quasi-market approaches, such as the study of internal markets, have been applied to various public sector reform processes, including housing. Applying these market signals ideas to non-market housing is helpful because analysts tend to use a wider array of economic methods. In this paper, the relevant literature is examined and a simple framework for thinking about the economics of social housing is proposed and ...


OBJECTIVE
Nested variant is bland-looking but aggressive subtype of urothelial carcinoma (UC). Cases having significant muscle invasion do not cause problems but small and superficial biopsies may be challenging due to morphological similarities between nested variant urothelial carcinoma and benign urothelial lesions.

MATERIAL AND METHOD
We studied Glucose transporter 1 (GLUT-1), which is an integral membrane protein providing glucose pass through plasma membrane down its concentration gradient, to see if it is useful for the differential diagnosis. Twenty five cases of nested variant urothelial carcinoma and a control group consisting of 12 cases of cystitis glandularis, cystitis cystica and 4 cases of inverted papilloma were stained with GLUT-1 immunohistochemically. Membranous staining was scored on a scale of 0 to +3.

RESULTS
Eleven of 25 nested variant UC cases showed a score of 2 and 14 of them showed a score of 3 on immunostaining with GLUT-1. Two cases showed a score of 1 and 10 cases did not show any staining in the control group.

CONCLUSION
Our results showed that GLUT-1 may be a helpful marker when morphological separation cannot be made between nested variant UC and benign urothelial leisons. We also think that anti-GLUT-1 antibody treatment may be an option in the targeted treatment of nested variant.


In this dictionary of the Nez Perce language, which is spoken in the states of Idaho, Oregon, and Washington, the author illustrates how each word is used by citing examples from published Nez Perce oral literature; the dictionary is thus also a concordance. In addition, the author retranscribes and incorporates words from earlier publications, when recognized by today's Nez Perce speakers. The dictionary includes an English-Nez Perce index, appendixes listing phonosymbolic words and Nez Perce animal and plant names, and illustrations from Nez Perce life.


The product of a three-year project by twenty renowned international law scholars and practitioners, the Tallinn Manual identifies the international law applicable to cyber warfare and sets out ninety-five 'black-letter rules' governing such conflicts. It addresses topics including sovereignty, State responsibility, the jus ad bellum, international humanitarian law, and the law of neutrality. An extensive commentary accompanies each rule, which sets forth the rule's basis in treaty and customary law, explains how the group of experts interpreted applicable norms in the cyber context, and outlines any disagreements within the group as to each rule's application.


We use 23 atmospheric chemistry transport models to calculate current and future (2030) deposition of reactive nitrogen (NOy, NHx) and sulfate (SOx) to land and ocean surfaces. The models are driven by three emission scenarios: (1) current air quality legislation (CLE); (2) an optimistic case of the maximum emissions reductions currently technologically feasible (MFR); and (3) the contrasting pessimistic IPCC SRES A2 scenario. An extensive evaluation of the present‐day deposition using nearly all information on wet deposition available worldwide shows a good agreement with observations in Europe and North America, where 60–70% of the model‐calculated wet deposition rates agree to within ±50% with quality‐controlled measurements. Models systematically overestimate NHx deposition in South Asia, and underestimate NOy deposition in East Asia. We show that there are substantial differences among models for the removal mechanisms of NOy, NHx, and SOx, leading to ±1 σ variance in total deposition fluxes of about 30% in the anthropogenic emissions regions, and up to a factor of 2 outside. In all cases the mean model constructed from the ensemble calculations is among the best when comparing to measurements. Currently, 36–51% of all NOy, NHx, and SOx is deposited over the ocean, and 50–80% of the fraction of deposition on land falls on natural (nonagricultural) vegetation. Currently, 11% of the world's natural vegetation receives nitrogen deposition in excess of the "critical load" threshold of 1000 mg(N) m−2 yr−1. The regions most affected are the United States (20% of vegetation), western Europe (30%), eastern Europe (80%), South Asia (60%), East Asia (40%), southeast Asia (30%), and Japan (50%). Future deposition fluxes are mainly driven by changes in emissions, and less importantly by changes in atmospheric chemistry and climate. The global fraction of vegetation exposed to nitrogen loads in excess of 1000 mg(N) m−2 yr−1 increases globally to 17% for CLE and 25% for A2. In MFR, the reductions in NOy are offset by further increases for NHx deposition. The regions most affected by exceedingly high nitrogen loads for CLE and A2 are Europe and Asia, but also parts of Africa.


Singapore has embraced the life sciences as an important discipline to be emphasized in schools and universities. This is part of the nation's strategic move towards a knowledge-based economy, with the life sciences poised as a new engine for economic growth. In the life sciences, the area of developmental biology is of prime interest, since it is not just intriguing for students to know how a single cell can give rise to a complex, coordinated, functional life that is multicellular and multifaceted, but more importantly, there is much in developmental biology that can have biomedical implications. At different levels in the Singapore educational system, students are exposed to various aspects of developmental biology. The author has given many guest lectures to secondary (ages 12-16) and high school (ages 17-18) students to enthuse them about topics such as embryo cloning and stem cell biology. At the university level, some selected topics in developmental biology are part of a broader course which caters for students not majoring in the life sciences, so that they will learn to comprehend how development takes place and the significance of the knowledge and impacts of the technologies derived in the field. For students majoring in the life sciences, the subject is taught progressively in years two and three, so that students will gain specialist knowledge in developmental biology. As they learn, students are exposed to concepts, principles and mechanisms that underlie development. Different model organisms are studied to demonstrate the rapid advances in this field and to show the interconnectivity of developmental themes among living things. The course inevitably touches on life and death matters, and the social and ethical implications of recent technologies which enable scientists to manipulate life are discussed accordingly, either in class, in a discussion forum, or through essay writing.


As part of a household energisation experiment, a baseline survey was undertaken from a sample of 152 households in the informal settlement of Samora Machel. The survey covered energy needs for cooking, space heating, water heating, lighting and any other demands, the costs of energy and total household monthly expenses. The average home had 3-4 inhabitants in less than 2 rooms. Paraffin was the primary source of energy for cooking and space heating, and played a significant role in water heating and lighting. Electricity was quite widely available, but was used primarily for low-power services such as radios and cellphones. Only 10% of all homes had a refrigerator. 20% of all homes purchased LP gas regularly but only used it on social occasions. Fuelwood was collected rather than purchased, and mainly burned in an open brazier, both for cooking and space heating. Space heating was primarily by cookstove; only one home had a specially designed heater using paraffin fuel. The median household expenditure was R1800/month and 20% of this was spent on energy services. About half the homes are at risk of energy poverty, where lack of energy could give rise to a range of health problems, particularly during the colder months.


An imaging scheme is described that is based on the transmission of image-forming information encoded within optical coherence functions. The scheme makes use of dynamic random-valued encoding-decoding masks placed in the input-output planes of any linear optical system. The mask transmittance functions are complex conjugates of each other, as opposed to a similar coherence encoding scheme proposed earlier by two of this paper's authors that used identical masks. [Rhodes and Welch, in Euro-American Workshop on Optoelectronic Information Processing, SPIE Critical Review Series (SPIE, 1999), Vol. CR74, p. 1]. General analyses of the two coherence encoding schemes are performed by using the more general mutual coherence function as opposed to the mutual intensity function used in the earlier scheme. The capabilities and limitations of both encoding schemes are discussed by using simple examples that combine the encoding-decoding masks with free-space propagation, passage through a four-f system, and a single-lens imaging system.


Anthropologists and Refugees between the Middle East and Europe is a special issue of Anthropology of the Contemporary Middle East and Central Eurasia (ACME) that aims to contribute to the anthropological understanding of the so-called 'Summer of Migration', in 2015, when large numbers of asylum seekers arrived in Europe, particularly from Syria and Afghanistan. In addition to this introduction, this issue features three main articles, by Sholeh Shahrokhi, Sabine Bauer-Amin and Aysecan Terzioglu, a fieldwork report by Valentina Grillo, and a selection of book reviews relating to the anthropological study of refugees and the Middle East. Overall, this special issue reflects upon some of the major challenges of forced migration today, and the difficulties anthropologists face when engaging with refugees.


Using molecular dynamics (MD) simulations, we study the effect of the length of Jeffamine cross-linker molecules on the thermo-mechanical properties of the Epon 828 epoxy resins. Cross-linked networks are created from stoichiometric mixtures of Epon and Jeffamine using a single-step cross-linking algorithm. We determine the glass transition temperature by gradual cooling from the rubbery state to below room temperature. Then, the networks are subjected to mechanical deformation to determine their mechanical properties, such as modulus and strength. Simulation results show that length of the cross-linker affects the thermomechanical properties of the epoxy. Epoxy with shorter cross-linker molecules gives better properties.


When organizations deploy file systems with access control mechanisms that prevent users from reliably sharing files with others, these users will inevitably find alternative means to share. Alas, these alternatives rarely provide the same level of confidentiality, integrity, or auditability provided by the prescribed file systems. Thus, the imposition of restrictive mechanisms and policies by system designers and administrators may actually reduce the system's security.
 We observe that the failure modes of file systems that enforce centrally-imposed access control policies are similar to the failure modes of centrally planned economies: individuals either learn to circumvent these restrictions as matters of necessity or desert the system entirely, subverting the goals behind the central policy.
 We formalize requirements for laissez-faire sharing, which parallel the requirements of free market economies, to better address the file sharing needs of information workers. Because individuals are less likely to feel compelled to circumvent systems that meet these laissez-faire requirements, such systems have the potential to increase both productivity and security.


A 6-month-old boy was hospitalized because of fever and suspected central line sepsis. He had been receiving total parenteral nutrition (TPN) since shortly after birth following a small-bowel resection, which was performed to repair a midgut volvulus. Abdominal ultrasonographic findings after the procedure were normal. The infant was born at term after an uneventful pregnancy and delivery. Alkaline phosphatase and γ-glutamyl transpeptidase levels were elevated, without hyperbilirubinemia. An ultrasonogram showed hyperhomogeneous and nonhomogeneous echogenicities of the liver, consistent with fatty changes and fibrosis.


Unconditional cash transfers in the form of a universal basic income, a universal basic pension or a universal child benefit are increasingly being discussed in many countries. In this article, I investigate the labor supply effects of the introduction of a large unconditional cash benefit. I exploit the unique design of the child benefit program in Poland to identify the pure income effect of the monthly transfer. I find very small labor supply effects on both the intensive and extensive margin. Additional evidence shows that instead of extending their free time, households receiving the benefit substantially increased their consumption and savings. JEL classification: I38, J21, J22


A major concern in mixed-signal circuits is the noise injected by the digital circuits into sensitive analog circuits. Of particular interest in this work is the problem with large capacitive coupling between the digital clock network and the substrate shared with the analog circuits. It is in general more easy to reduce low frequency noise compared with high frequency noise. Therefore, we have developed a strategy where we reduce the high frequency content of the clock by using smooth clock edges, and a special digital flip-flop circuit. This strategy will be evaluated in a test chip where we can control the rise and fall time of the clock edges of a high-performance digital FIR filter, and measure the performance of a fifth-order analog active-RC filter.


A multidisciplinary examination of cognitive mechanisms, shaped over evolutionary time through natural selection, that govern decision making.How do we make decisions? Conventional decision theory tells us only which behavioral choices we ought to make if we follow certain axioms. In real life, however, our choices are governed by cognitive mechanisms shaped over evolutionary time through the process of natural selection. Evolution has created strong biases in how and when we process information, and it is these evolved cognitive building blocks?from signal detection and memory to individual and social learning?that provide the foundation for our choices. An evolutionary perspective thus sheds necessary light on the nature of how we and other animals make decisions.This volume?with contributors from a broad range of disciplines, including evolutionary biology, psychology, economics, anthropology, neuroscience, and computer science?offers a multidisciplinary examination of what evolution can tell us about our and other animals' mechanisms of decision making. Human children, for example, differ from chimpanzees in their tendency to over-imitate others and copy obviously useless actions; this divergence from our primate relatives sets up imitation as one of the important mechanisms underlying human decision making. The volume also considers why and when decision mechanisms are robust, why they vary across individuals and situations, and how social life affects our decisions.


The design of a handy and noninvasive measurement of acetone in the human breath, which is useful for ketosis monitoring and control, by means of MOS sensors is reported. For this aim, highly sensitive resistive sensors in thick film configuration, fabricated depositing sensing layers of In2O 3 and Pt-In2O 3 nanopowders by screen-printing, have been developed. The devices were calibrated using standard gases in the laboratory, showing high sensitivity and a linear response in the range of acetone concentration investigated (1-100 ppm). The results obtained indicate that MOS sensors based on Pt-In2O 3 nanopowders are promising as fast and quantifiable means of determining acetone in the breath, posing the advantages of real time measurements and low costs devices for the control of ketogenic diets.


This paper focuses on the virtual efforts of several nonprofits to preserve "safety net" programs in the struggle with groups that view these programs as unnecessary or as dependency forming. E-mail messages received by the third author fell into 20 broad categories, of which four are analyzed here, messages often revolving around such programs as unemployment insurance, medical care and insurance, Food Stamp and other nutrition programs, and the Violence Against Women Act. The tone and content of the messages often varied with presidential administrations, the structure of Congress, and economic events, such as the crash of 2008. In all areas, attempts were made to frame the issues in broad terms related to economic needs and benefits to the country as a whole, health and welfare, and social justice or fairness. Our data illustrate the tremendous effort being extended by advocacy groups toward preserving the safety net.


. Here we perform a detailed comparison between climate model results and climate reconstructions in western Europe and the Mediterranean area for the mid-Piacenzian warm interval ( ca 3 Myr ago) of the Late Pliocene epoch. This region is particularly well suited for such a comparison as several quantitative climate estimates from local pollen records are available. They show evidence for temperatures significantly warmer than today over the whole area, mean annual precipitation higher in northwestern Europe and equivalent to modern values in its southwestern part. To improve our comparison, we have performed high resolution simulations of the mid-Piacenzian climate using the LMDz atmospheric general circulation model (AGCM) with a stretched grid which allows a finer resolution over Europe. In a first step, we applied the PRISM2 (Pliocene Research, Interpretation, and Synoptic Mapping) boundary conditions except that we used modern terrestrial vegetation. Second, we simulated the vegetation for this period by forcing the ORCHIDEE (Organizing Carbon and Hydrology in Dynamic Ecosystems) dynamic global vegetation model (DGVM) with the climatic outputs from the AGCM. We then supplied this simulated terrestrial vegetation cover as an additional boundary condition in a second AGCM run. This gives us the opportunity to investigate the model's sensitivity to the simulated vegetation changes in a global warming context. Model results and data show a great consistency for mean annual temperatures, indicating increases by up to 4 ◦ C in the study area, and some disparities, in particular in the northern Mediterranean sector, as regards winter and summer temperatures. Similar continental mean annual precipitation and moisture patterns are predicted by the model, which broadly underestimates the wetter conditions indicated by the data in northwestern Europe. The biogeophysical effects due to the changes in vegetation simulated by ORCHIDEE are weak, both in terms of the hydrological cycle and of the temperatures, at the regional scale of the European and Mediterranean mid-latitudes. In particular, they do not contribute to improve the model-data comparison. Their main influence concerns seasonal temperatures, with a decrease of the temperatures of the warmest month, and an overall reduction of the intensity of the continental hydrological cycle.


Continental breakup is commonly preceded or accompanied by massive volcanism and deposition of flood basalts. The large volumes of magma are thought to originate from hot upwelling mantle plumes arriving at the lithosphere. The following plume conduit often leaves a trail in form of volcanic islands or aseismic ridges on the newly created oceanic crust. Due to this correlation in space and time between plume-derived structures and continental breakup, plumes are considered to have a triggering effect or even cause continental breakups. The South Atlantic is a classical example for this model including the Parana (South America) and Etendeka (Africa) flood basalts as well as the aseismic ridges Rio Grande Rise and Walvis Ridge on both conjugate margins. The Walvis Ridge connects the Etendeka flood basalts with the active volcanic islands of Tristan da Cunha, the current hotspot position. To investigate the modification of the continent ocean transition (COT) by the arriving plume head, a large geophysical on- and offshore experiment was conducted in 2011 at the intersection of Walvis Ridge with the African continent. We present two P-wave velocity models of the deep crustal structure derived from seismic refraction data. One profile crosses the ridge ~500km away from the coastline, while the other one extends along the ridge and continues onshore. 27 ocean bottom stations (OBS, spacing 13 km) were deployed for the perpendicular profile, 28 OBS, 50 land stations and 8 dynamite shots were used for the longitudinal profile. Crustal velocities beneath Walvis Ridge range between 5.5 km/s and 7.0 km/s, which are typical velocities for oceanic crust. The thickness, however, is approximately three times than normal, 17 km in the western part and increasing to 22 km towards the continent. The COT is characterized by 30 km thick crust with a high velocity lower crustal body (HVLCB) with seismic velocities up to 7.5 km/s. The western boundary of the HVLCB is at a similar longitude as similar lower crustal bodies found more south. Towards the east the HVLCB terminates against the ~40 km thick crust of the Kaoko fold belt. Here, the variation of seismic velocities indicate that hot material intruded the continental crust during the initial rifting stage. However, beyond this relatively sharp boundary (40 km wide), the remaining continental crust seems not be affected by the hot material. The second line some 500 km west of the coast indicates that the Walvis Ridge might be broader than its topographic expression. The seismic velocities are similar to those closer to the coast, but the HVLCB is thinner.


Measurements of the backscattering from the lower atmosphere of linearly polarized ruby lidar pulses at 694 nm are described. A four-channel receiver provides simultaneous measurements of the four components of the Stokes vector of the scattered radiation. These data are used to obtain information on the polarization state of the scattering and its dependence on atmospheric conditions. Results are presented and discussed for clear air, hazes, and several cloud types. In water droplet clouds some rotation of the plane of polarization and changes in ellipticity are noted in the backscattered wave. Linear polarization of the penetrating lidar beam is strongly preserved even in quite dense clouds. In view of the increased complexity of the four-component measurement technique it would appear that in such cases two-channel measurements of delta would be the most efficient lidar approach.


Background/Aims Colonoscopic surveillance is currently recommended after polypectomy owing to the risk of newly developed colonic neoplasia. However, few studies have investigated colonoscopy surveillance in Asia. This multicenter and prospective study was undertaken to assess the incidence of advanced adenoma based on baseline adenoma findings at 3 years after colonoscopic polypectomy. Methods A total of 1,323 patients undergoing colonoscopic polypectomy were prospectively assigned to 3-year colonoscopy surveillance at 11 tertiary endoscopic centers. Relative risks for advanced adenoma after 3 years were calculated according to baseline adenoma characteristics. Results Among 1,323 patients enrolled, 387 patients (29.3%) were followed up, and the mean follow-up interval was 31.0±9.8 months. The percentage of patients with advanced adenoma on baseline colonoscopy was higher in the surveillance group compared to the non-surveillance group (34.4% vs. 25.7%). Advanced adenoma recurrence was observed in 17 patients (4.4%) at follow-up. The risk of advanced adenoma recurrence was 2 times greater in patients with baseline advanced adenoma than in those with baseline non-advanced adenoma, though the difference was not statistically significant (6.8% [9/133] vs. 3.1% [8/254], P=0.09). Advanced adenoma recurrence was observed only in males and in subjects aged ≥50 years. In contrast, adenoma recurrence was observed in 187 patients (48.3%) at follow-up. Male sex, older age (≥50 years), and multiple adenomas (≥3) at baseline were independent risk factors for adenoma recurrence. Conclusions A colonoscopy surveillance interval of 3 years in patients with baseline advanced adenoma can be considered appropriate.


While virtual communities (VCs) have been used mainly for information sharing and social networking, little is known as to how online vendors can derive benefits from them in practice. VCs are particularly successful in attracting and retaining members. Online vendors have attempted to capitalize on this characteristic of a virtual community (VC) for obtaining numerous commercial benefits, such as customer service. Online vendors also expect the VC members to become their customers thus improving their online sales. In practice, however, not many online vendors have been successful in converting their VC members into customers. If the VC members could be converted into online customers, online vendors can benefit greatly from having a VC as it is capable of attracting and retaining members. However, there is hardly any study which examines the conversion process of a VC member into an online customer. Therefore, the aim of this study is to examine the transformation process of a VC member into an online customer. Understanding this transformation process would facilitate online vendors in their endeavors for benefiting from their VC. Also, it would provide insights into the usefulness of VC for commercial purposes apart from increasing sales.


Ewe production traits and ability to breed out of season were compared for the Dorper (DO), Katahdin (KA), and St. Croix (SC) breeds between 2000 and 2005. Sheep were managed on grass pasture and were supplemented with corn/soybean meal and free-choice, trace-mineral mix. Ewes were exposed to rams of their respective breeds in late summer (August/September), winter (December), or spring (April/ May) for 30-day breeding periods. Lambs were weighed at birth and 60 days of age. Pregnancy and lambing rates and litter birth weight were greater for all breeds bred in winter and lowest in spring. Pregnancy losses were greater and birth weights reduced for DO and KA ewes less than two years of age bred in the spring compared with other seasons. Birth weights of lambs were not affected by season, but weaning weights were greatest for all breeds when ewes were bred in summer. Relative efficiency at weaning (kg of lamb produced/kg ewe weight) was greatest for summer-bred ewes and greatest for KA compared with DO and SC ewes. In summary, DO, KA, and SC ewes are capable of out-of-season breeding in Arkansas. However, relative efficiency and weaning weights were lowest for spring-bred ewes and fertility of yearling ewes of all breeds was reduced during spring breeding.


In this chapter, we proposed a new way to preserve the privacy of user by the combination of steganography and biometrics template protection. The secret image to be shared is protected by double layers of steganography: embedding it into the transformed fingerprint images, which are to be hidden into casual images to prevent unauthorised access when stored online. In order for authorised users to recover the secret image, a matching between their fingerprint and the version into which the secret image is embedded is performed in the transformed domain of the cancellable template, which is used to protect the raw biometric information. With this new framework, the problem of dishonest participant that Yang etal. mentioned can be fully resolved since the stego-images are stored in a cloud server. Moreover, this system is no longer dependent on cryptographic key. The main contribution of this chapter is to present a novel scheme that utilizes the power of not only steganography but also biometrics to protect the identity of the user. Although the results produced in experiments are fairly accepted, it is believed that certain factors can be improved to increase the quality of the outcome images, such as: using a wider field to process full range of the pixel values and generating output of PNG format to prevent the degradation caused by lossy compression. In the near future, looking for an appropriate algorithm and developing new techniques to apply in this system are promising research topics. In addition, in order to better evaluate the performance of the system, a new metric that shows the relationship of biometric data matching and steganographic embedding should be devised.


academic) Conventional desalination plant, municipal water supply and wastewater treatment system are among the most electricity-intensive facilities. Microbial Desalination Cell (MDC) has emerged as a promising technique to capture the chemical energy stored in wastewater directly for desalination, which has the potential to solve the high energy consumption issue in desalination industry as well as wastewater treatment system. The MDC is composed of two critical components, the electrodes (anode and cathode), and the ion-exchange membranes separating the two electrodes which drive anions migrate towards the anode, and cations migrate towards the cathode. The multiple components allow us to manipulate the configuration to achieve most efficient desalination performance. By coupling with Donnan Dialysis or Microbial Fuel Cell, the device can effectively achieve boron removal which has been a critical issue in desalination plants. The uncertainty of water quality of the final desalinated water caused by contaminant back diffusion from the wastewater side can be theoretically explained by two mechanisms, Donnan exchange and molecule transport which are controlled by bioelectricity and concentration gradient. Scaling and fouling is also a factor needs to be taken into consideration when operating the MDC system in real world. With mathematical modeling, we can provide insight to bridge the gap between lab-scale experiments and industrial applications. This study is expected to provide guidance to enhance the efficiency as well as the reliability and controllability of MDC for desalination. Advancing Microbial Desalination Cell towards Practical Applications


In genocide, both women and men suffer. However, their suffering has always been different; with men mostly subjected to torture and killings, and women mostly subjected to torture and mutilation. These differences stem primarily from the perpetrators' ideology and intention to exterminate the targeted people. Many patriarchal societies link men with blood lineage and the group's continuation, while women embody the group's reproductivity and dignity. In the ongoing genocide against the Uyghurs and other Turkic Muslims in East Turkistan, the ideology of Chinese colonialism is a root cause. It motivates the targeting of women as the means through which to destroy the reproductivity and the dignity of the people as a whole. It is a common misunderstanding to associate genocide with only mass killings, and the current lack of evidence for massacres has led some to prematurely conclude there is no genocide. But this overlooks the targeting of women, which is also a prominent part of the definition of genocide laid out in the Genocide Convention. State policy in China intentionally targets Uyghur and other Turkic women in multiple ways. This dossier is focused on analyzing China's targeted policies against Uyghur women and their "punishment," as rooted in part in ancient Chinese legalist philosophy. In doing so, this dossier contributes toward further exposing Chinese colonialism and the genocidal intent now in evidence.


Nearly a decade ago, Johanna Drucker cofounded the University of Virginias SpecLab, a digital humanities laboratory dedicated to risky projects with serious aims. In SpecLab she explores the implications of these radical efforts to use critical practices and aesthetic principles against the authority of technology based on analytic models of knowledge. Inspired by the imaginative frontiers of graphic arts and experimental literature and the technical possibilities of computation and information management, the projects Drucker engages range from Subjective Meteorology to Artists Books Online to the as yet unrealized Patacritical Demon, an interactive tool for exposing the structures that underlie our interpretations of text. Illuminating the kind of future such experiments could enable, SpecLab functions as more than a set of case studies at the intersection of computers and humanistic inquiry. It also exemplifies Druckers contention that humanists must play a role in designing models of knowledge for the digital agemodels that will determine how our culture will function in years to come.


Over the past decade, scholars have identified many entities who use the patent system in ways that differ from the traditional model of patent use — entities such as patent assertion entities, patent aggregators, or owners of large patent portfolios. This Article presents a model that explains the behavior of some of the biggest and most controversial entities in the patent system. This Article argues that such entities are engaged in "patent shopping" where the plaintiff makes a strategic choice of patent in order to obtain the best facts and substance in a case and thereby maximize the chance of a favorable outcome. The patent shopping model draws by analogy on forum shopping, where plaintiffs make a strategic choice of forum in order to maximize the chance of a favorable outcome. The patent shopping model stands in contrast to the traditional model of patent use where a patentee owns a small number of patents closely related to a commercialized invention, which are drafted to encompass possible attempted work-arounds. Under the traditional model, patent acquisition comes first, infringement second. This Article proposes that, for patent shoppers, the chronology is flipped: infringement first, patent acquisition second. Instead of drafting patents to predict infringement, patent shoppers are able to react to infringement by selecting a patent that fits the infringing behavior. This is possible because most companies are constantly infringing on many different potential patents, infringement which has historically not been enforced. Patent shoppers have access to hundreds or thousands of patents, related to many different inventions, and can identify an instance of infringement that is a good target for enforcement and can then acquire the patent(s) of their choice. For instance, patent assertion entities may evaluate large numbers of patents that are available for sale and then select patents that can be most profitably enforced. Similarly, owners of large patent portfolios can shop in their own closet by selecting the best patents for enforcement from a wide array of options.

This Article presents the shopping model and then conducts a qualitative review of the financial statements of potential patent shoppers to provide empirical evidence that these entities pursue patent shopping as a business strategy. Patent shopping is a way to view some of the most important players in the patent system and adds a new analytic perspective to the broad literature on these entities. The concept of shopping for good claims is not unique to patent law; it also occurs in, for example, personal injury litigation and consumer debt suits. Thus, the framework proposed herein is broadly applicable to many areas of law.


BACKGROUND
Recent evidence suggests that early exposure to low maternal sensitivity is a risk factor for obesity in children and adolescents. A separate line of study shows that the seven-repeat (7R) allele of the dopamine-4 receptor gene (DRD4) increases susceptibility to environmental factors including maternal sensitivity. The current study integrates these lines of work by examining whether preschoolers carrying the 7R allele are more vulnerable to low maternal sensitivity as it relates to overweight/obesity risk.

METHOD
The Maternal Adversity Vulnerability and Neurodevelopment (MAVAN) project in Canada was used as the discovery cohort (N = 203), while the Generation R study in the Netherlands was used as a replication sample (N = 270). Regression models to predict both continuous BMI z-scores and membership in any higher BMI category based on established World Health Organization (WHO) cutoffs for 48 months of age were completed.

RESULTS
In both cohorts, there was a significant maternal sensitivity by DRD4 by sex interaction predicting higher body mass indices and/or obesity risk. As hypothesized, post hoc testing revealed an inverse relationship between maternal sensitivity and body mass indices in 7R allele carriers relative to noncarriers. This finding was strongest in girls in the Canadian cohort and in boys in the Dutch cohort.

CONCLUSIONS
Many children who carry the 7R allele of DRD4 appear to be more influenced by maternal sensitivity as it relates to overweight/obesity risk, consistent with a plasticity effect. Given the relatively small sample sizes available for these analyses, further replications will be needed to confirm and extend these results.


Faith-based organizations (FBOs) are increasingly involved in providing a range of services in communities and research indicates that such involvement will increase in the future. However, like other types of organizations, FBOs generally have been slow to embrace evidence-based practices (EBPs)—those that have scientific evidence of being beneficial. We contend that incorporating EBPs into both new and existing FBOs' service programs can enhance their effectiveness. In this paper, we discuss several relevant issues when implementing EBPs within FBO service. In this discussion we briefly explore FBO service provision, public policy to increase funding for FBO service, criteria for EBPs, and provide some considerations for future applications of EBPs within FBOs.


Many papers report studies on oxyfluorides glass-ceramics combining the optical advantage of fluoride environment for rare earth with the thermal and chemical advantages of oxide glasses [1?7], or on oxide-based glass-ceramics exhibiting exceptional thermo-mechanical properties such as zero thermal expansion coefficient. The transparency of these glass-ceramics is limited in the infrared region up to 4 ?m [8?12]. In this paper, we report the last results on totally new infrared transmitting chalcogenide glass-ceramics which are transparent up to 11 ?m for sulphur based glass or up to 16 ?m for selenium based glass. By selecting appropriate glass composition in several Ge-(Sb/Ga)-(S/Se)-MX (MX: alkali halide) systems, glass-ceramics with different microcrystals volume fraction can be reproducibly obtained by controlling nucleation and crystallisation annealing time and temperatures. It has been demonstrated that crystals smaller than 200 nm induce some additional losses only in the short wavelength region. The glass ceramics keep the same transmission as the original glass from 1 ?m up to 11 ?m or 16 ?m. Sulphur based glass-ceramics are still transparent in the second for glass and selenium based glass-ceramics keep an excellent transmission in the second and third atmospheric window. The obtained glass-ceramics exhibit much better resistance to cracks propagation than the corresponding pure glass matrix. Observations under electronic microscopy as well as X-ray diffraction have been used to determinate crystals size, density and crystalline phase. The possibility of combining the ceramisation process and the shaping by moulding has also been demonstrated.


A stair case height Bio-Transfer-Standard (BTS), developed and produced at the University of Helsinki (UH), was measured in two laboratories. The Round Robin test aims to determine whether BTS works with different optical profilers in different laboratories. First the artefact was measured at UH using a custom-built Scanning White Light Interferometer. Then BTS was measured at Sensofar-Tech, S.L. using an S-neox-type interferometer working either in Phase Shifting Interferometry mode or in Imaging Confocal Microscopy mode. To remove the influence of system calibration, a method featuring sample shifting and measurement subtraction was used. The BTS features eight lipid bilayer steps that each are 4.6 ± 0.1 nm tall on average. All 30 measurements done by four different operators at the two laboratories agree to within 0.1 nm which agrees with theoretical estimates and with measurements done using a surface plasmon resonance technique. The Round Robin results show the applicability of the newly developed bio-imaging transfer standard for calibrating 3D optical profilers.


Computer science educators are increasingly using interactive learning content to enrich and enhance the pedagogy of their courses. A plethora of such learning content, specifically designed for computer science education, such as visualization, simulation, and web-based environments for learning programming, are now available for various courses. We call such content smart learning content. However, such learning content is seldom used outside its host site despite the benefits it could offer to learners everywhere. In this paper, we investigate the factors that impede dissemination of such content among the wider computer science education community. To accomplish this we surveyed educators, existing tools and recent research literature to identify the current state of the art and analyzed the characteristics of a large number of smart learning content examples along canonical dimensions. In our analysis we focused on examining the technical issues that must be resolved to support finding, integrating and customizing smart learning content in computer science courses. Finally, we propose a new architecture for hosting, integrating and disseminating smart learning content and discuss how it could be implemented based on existing protocols and standards.


Introduction Triple artemisinin-based combination therapies (TACTs) are being developed as a response to artemisinin and partner drug resistance in the treatment of falciparum malaria in Southeast Asia. In African countries, where current artemisinin-based combination therapies (ACTs) are still effective, TACTs have the potential to benefit the larger community and future patients by mitigating the risk of drug resistance. This study explores the extent to which the antimalarial drug markets in African countries are ready for a transition to TACTs. Methods A qualitative study was conducted in Nigeria and Burkina Faso and comprised in-depth interviews (n = 68) and focus group discussions (n = 11) with key actor groups in the innovation system of antimalarial therapies. Results Evidence of ACT failure in African countries and explicit support for TACTs by the World Health Organization (WHO) and international funders were perceived important determinants for the market prospects of TACTs in Nigeria and Burkina Faso. At the country level, slow regulatory and implementation procedures were identified as potential barriers towards rapid TACTs deployment. Integrating TACTs in public sector distribution channels was considered relatively straightforward. More challenges were expected for integrating TACTs in private sector distribution channels, which are characterized by patient demand and profit motives. Finally, several affordability and acceptability issues were raised for which ACTs were suggested as a benchmark. Conclusion The market prospects of TACTs in Nigeria and Burkina Faso will depend on the demonstration of the added value of TACTs over ACTs, their advocacy by the WHO, the inclusion of TACTs in financial and regulatory arrangements, and their alignment with current distribution and deployment practices. Further clinical, health-economic and feasibility studies are required to inform decision makers about the broader implications of a transition to TACTs in African counties. The recent reporting of artemisinin resistance and ACT failure in Africa might change important determinants of the market readiness for TACTs.


This paper presents a theory of political specialization in which some countries uphold the rule of law while others consciously choose not to do so, even though they are ex ante identical. This is borne out of two key insights: for incumbents in each country, (i) the first steps to the rule of law have the greatest private cost, and (ii) steps taken by some countries in the direction of the rule of law make it less attractive for others to follow the same path. The world equilibrium features a symbiotic relationship between despotic and rule-of-law economies: by producing technology-intensive goods that require protection of property rights, rule-of-law economies raise the relative price of natural resources and increase incentives for despotism in other countries; while the choice of despotism entails a positive externality because cheap oil makes the rule of law more attractive elsewhere in the world.


The article analyses and reveals the theoretical statements of the Ukrainian innovation formation. The systemic andfunctional approach define, that one of leading strategic priorities of Ukraine is a formation of national innovation system. It determines orientation of public policy on development "new economy", the basic features of which are: high quality level of vocational education developed market of intellectual products, informational and communication services extended reproduction of human capital consecutive realization of social and economic priorities of state policy.


Using in situ hybridization, we have visualized cells in the rat central nervous system (CNS) that contain mRNA encoding the platelet-derived growth factor alpha receptor (PDGF-alpha R). After embryonic day 16 (E16), PDGF-alpha R mRNA appears to be expressed by a subset of glial cells, but not by neurons. The temporal and spatial distribution of PDGF-alpha R+ cells, together with 125I-PDGF binding studies on subsets of glial cells in vitro, suggests that PDGF-alpha R may be expressed predominantly, or exclusively, by cells of the oligodendrocyte-type-2 astrocyte (O-2A) lineage. This conclusion is supported by the fact that the numbers of PDGF-alpha R+ cells in developing and adult optic nerves correlate well with independent estimates of the number of O-2A progenitor cells in the nerve at equivalent ages. Small numbers of PDGF-alpha R+ cells are present in the brain at E16, at which time they are found outside the subventricular germinal zones, suggesting that these cells do not express PDGF-alpha R until after, or shortly before they start to migrate away from the subventricular layer towards their final destinations. Reduced numbers of PDGF-alpha R+ cells persist in the adult CNS. PDGF-alpha R is also expressed strongly in the meningeal membranes and choroid plexus, and in the inner limiting membrane of the retina.