Study Design. Retrospective case series. Objective. To evaluate our treatment strategy for myxopapillary ependymomas of the cauda equina. Summary of Background Data. Some patients with myxopapillary ependymoma develop cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) dissemination leading to poor prognosis. Because of the rarity of this tumor, there is no consensus on its optimal treatment options and prognosis. Methods. We reviewed 25 cases of myxopapillary ependymomas, treated surgically between 1972 and 2005. The mean postoperative follow-up period was 10.4 years. The effects of surgical margins at surgery and postoperative radiotherapy on tumor recurrence and prognosis were investigated. Results. In 15 patients, total resection achieved (6 cases of en bloc resection without postoperative radiation, and in 9 cases piecemeal resection) was followed by whole brain and spinal cord radiation or local irradiation. Fourteen of these patients survived without tumor recurrence. In 1 case of total resection without radiotherapy, the tumor capsule was violated intraoperatively and local recurrence occurred 2 years after surgery. In 4 patients, the tumors were removed subtotally. Of these, 2 patients who received radiation (24 Gy) only to the whole brain and spinal cord developed recurrence, and 2 who received whole brain and spinal cord radiation (24 Gy) supplemented with local radiation (46 Gy) developed no recurrence. The remaining 6 patients received partial resection after local radiation (40–50 Gy) alone, and all 6 died of CSF dissemination. Conclusion. The results of the present study indicate that the surgical margin obtained at the initial surgery and the extent and amount of postoperative radiation can be crucial factors determining the prognosis of patients with myxopapillary ependymoma. Although this tumor is histologically benign, CSF dissemination can occur once tumor capsule is violated, before or during surgery. Therefore, early diagnosis is essential, and a therapeutic strategy including radiotherapy, on the assumption that this tumor is malignant, should be established.


Liquid water is scarce across the landscape of the McMurdo Dry Valleys (MDV), Antarctica and is associated with soils that are adjacent to streams and lakes, during the annual thaw season. However, seeps, water tracks, and wet patches have been observed at several other locations as well. The source of water for these is likely generated by a combination of infiltration from melting snowpacks, melting of pore ice at the ice table beneath the water tracks, and melting of buried segregation ice formed during winter freezing. We are using high resolution (<1m pixel) remote sensing data gathered several times per week in the MDV region to determine the spatial and temporal distribution of wet soils. We assess the spatial consistency with which these wet soils occur for the 2008-2009 to 2011-2012 austral summers with complete coverage and partial coverage for 2003-2004 and 2006-2007 austral summers using a land cover classification. We also quantify the soil moisture of wetted soils using an artificial neural network (ANN). The ANN utilizes field radiometer data to retrieve estimates of surface moisture based on the spectral measurements and soil moisture samples collected during the 2010-2011 field season. The remote sensing based analyses of the wetted soils have shown the magnitude to vary greatly and how topography and regional microclimates influence the wetted soils in the MDV. The 2010-2011 austral summer provided the most wetted soil area, 10.21 km, and 20082009 covered the least, 5.38 km. The ANN soil moisture distribution in the MDV shows values ranging from 0.36 % to over 19 %. We suggest that wet soils are a significant component of this cold desert land system and ecosystem.


In the past decade, modern GPUs have provided increasing programmability with vertex, geometry and fragment shaders. However, many classical problems have not been efficiently solved using the current graphics pipeline where some stages are still fixed functions on chip. In particular, multi-fragment effects, especially order-independent transparency, require programmability of the blending stage, that makes it difficult to be solved in a single geometry pass. In this paper we present FreePipe, a system for programmable parallel rendering that can run entirely on current graphics hardware and has performance comparable with the traditional graphics pipeline. Within this framework, two schemes for the efficient rendering of multi-fragment effects in a single geometry pass have been developed by exploiting CUDA atomic operations. Both schemes have achieved significant speedups compared to the state-of-the-art methods that are based on traditional graphics pipelines.


In this study, the morphology and thermo-mechanical behavior of composites formed by a polyoxymethylene (POM) matrix and monosilanolisobutyl polyhedral oligomeric silsesquioxane (msib-POSS) filler have been studied. The msib-POSS molecules were added to the POM by direct melt blending at loadings between 0 and 10 wt.%. Hydrogen bonding interactions were detected between POM and msib-POSS Si-OH groups, increasing their mutual compatibility and leading to nanometer-size dispersion of some msib-POSS molecules. These interactions do not prevent POSS aggregation during blending, but lead to micron-scale msib-POSS domains. The thermal decomposition temperature of the composites remained practically constant under inert and oxidative conditions. The low temperature thermal transition (γ) and glass transition temperature (Tg) of POM were found to move to higher temperatures only when 2.5 wt.% of msib-POSS was added, indicating that POSS is physically linked to the POM chains, restricting their motion under those conditions. Low content (2.5 wt.%) of msib-POSS results in antiplastization, whereas higher levels of POSS lead to a decrease in the storage modulus of the polymer. The relationships among these effects and the morphological characteristics of the systems will be discussed herein.


Abstract Many critical approaches ascribe a deficit of meaning to technology. The theory of technological action developed in the paper treats technology as an important, eventful terrain for collective life. Drawing on Michel Foucault's idea of problematisation, it places contemporary technological actions in settings suffused by power relations. It finds in the work of Gilbert Simondon ways of explaining how technological action overflows social norms, forms, identities and structures. Based on analysis of processes of abstraction and concretisation in a spectrum of symptomatic examples, it contends that cultural theory should develop understandings of the potentials that give rise to technological acts as a way of being with others. The paper suggests how cultural theory can engage with the specificities of these actions.


The purpose of study was to examine the effects of external and internal focus of attention in the motor learning of children with cerebral palsy. The study involved 30 boys (7 to 12 years old) with CP type 1 who practiced throwing beanbags. The participants were randomly assigned to the internal focus, external focus, and control groups, and performed six blocks of 10-trial with attentional focus reminders during a practice phase and no reminders during retention and transfer tests. Analysis of variance (ANOVA) with repeated measures on the last factor was used. The results show that significant main effects were found for time and group. However, the interaction of time and group was not significant. Retention scores were significantly higher for the external focus group. The external focus group performed better than other groups; however, the internal focus and control groups' performance did not differ. The study concluded that motor skills in Spastic Hemiparetic Cerebral Palsy (SHCP) children could be enhanced by external attention. Keywords—Cerebral Palsy, external attention, internal attention, throwing task.


The U.S. faces a large medium-term federal budget deficit and an unsustainable long-term fiscal gap. Left unattended, these shortfalls will hobble and eventually cripple the economy. The only plausible way to close the gap is through a combination of spending cuts and/or tax increases. This paper discusses why a federal Value-Added Tax (VAT) should be part of a constructive solution to the fiscal problem. Under a VAT, businesses pay taxes on the difference between their total sales to other businesses and households and their purchases of inputs from other businesses. That difference represents the value-added by the firm to the product or service in question 2. The sum of value-added at each stage of production is the retail sales price, so in theory the VAT simply replicates the tax patterns created by a retail sales tax and is therefore a tax on aggregate consumption. In practice, the key distinction is that VATs are collected at each stage of production, whereas retail sales taxes are collected only at point of final sale. As a result, the VAT is easier to enforce and is widely regarded as having a superior administrative structure to a retail sales tax.Although it would be new to the United States, the VAT is in place in about 150 countries worldwide and in every OECD country other than the United States. Experience suggests that the VAT can raise substantial revenue, is administrable, and minimally harmful to economic growth. Additionally, the VAT has potential advantages worth highlighting: a properly-designed VAT might help the states deal with their own fiscal issues, and a pre-announced, phased-in VAT might be able to accelerate the pace of economic recovery.Several concerns that have been raised about the VAT can be easily addressed. While the VAT is regressive relative to current income, the regressivity can be offset in several ways. While the VAT is not readily transparent in many countries, it would be easy to make the VAT completely transparent to businesses and households by reporting VAT payments on receipts just like sales taxes are reported today. While the VAT has led to an increase in revenues and spending in some countries, higher revenues are precisely why the VAT is needed in the U.S., and efforts to limit spending should be part of an effort to enact a VAT. Making the VAT transparent should also reduce the extent to which a VAT would fuel an increase in government spending, a concern that is sometimes overstated by critics in the first place. While the VAT may lead to a one-time increase in prices, it is not the case empirically that VATs inevitably, or even usually, lead to continuing inflation.None of this implies that the VAT would unilaterally solve the country's fiscal problems; nor would it be painless. Nevertheless, the VAT is a relatively attractive choice, given the need to close the fiscal gap and the other options for doing so.The sections below address each of these issues. We also summarize the Canadian VAT experience, which shows how many of the concerns can be addressed in practice. The final section summarizes our specific recommendations regarding the VAT.


This thesis examines the importance of local factors associated with a research-led university's move toward greater internationalisation. The study explores the university's rationales for internationalisation along with forces acting to enable and constrain successful internationalisation. Attention is focused on the perceptions of individuals at different levels of the academic hierarchy. The study provides data that add local detail to national and sector surveys of internationalisation. The key data source is 16 semi-structured interviews with staff at the university including senior university leaders and academic staff. Additional information is derived from documents relating to the university's internationalisation projects. All data are analysed from an insider-researcher position. The study's findings suggest that local factors of place, tradition and individual agency are important items in shaping internationalisation endeavours. Personal and professional international experiences can create a positive approach for extending international activities within the university. This is offset by concerns about economically driven rationales and the privileging of international as opposed to locally based research. The conceptual framework locates the study within the multifaceted globalisation discourse and creates a structure for examining the significance of local factors, which tend to be overlooked in internationalisation research. Perceptions of internationalisation are analysed in a structure-agency framework. The discourse and metaphors employed are also examined. Similar universities are likely to follow similar paths in response to globalising forces and to pursue greater internationalisation, but their particular trajectories are likely to be coloured by local conditions. Whilst the specifics of this university's local context may not be readily transferable, it is suggested that other universities would do well to attend to their own local context when thinking globally.


We focus upon the role of interfacial energetics and morphology in influencing the separation of CT states into dissociated charge carriers. In particular, we undertake transient optical studies of films comprising regioregular poly(3-hexylthiophene) (P3HT) blended with a series of perylene-3,4:9,10-tetracarboxydiimide (PDI) fullerene electron acceptors. For the PDI film series, we observe a close correlation between the PDI electron affinity and the efficiency of charge separation. This correlation is discussed in the context of studies of charge photogeneration for other organic donor/acceptor blend films, including other polymers, blend compositions, and the widely used electron phenyl-C61-butyric acid methyl ester(PCBM). Furthermore, we compare the charge recombination dynamics observed in films comprising P3HT blended with three fullerene derivatives: PCBM and two alternative pyrazolinofullerenes. Transient absorption data indicate that replacement of PCBM with either of the pyrazolinofullerene derivatives results in a transition from nongeminate to monomolecular (geminate) recombination dynamics. We show that this transition cannot be explained by a difference in interfacial energetics. However, this transition does correlate with nanomorphology data that indicate that both pyrazolinofullerenes yield a much finer phase segregation with correspondingly smaller domain sizes than observed with PCBM. Our results therefore provide clear evidence of the role of nanomorphology in determining the nature of recombination dynamics in such donor/acceptor blends.


Epithelial cells in vivo form tight cell-cell associations that spatially separate distinct apical and basolateral domains. These domains provide discrete cellular processes essential for proper tissue and organ development. Using confocal imaging and selective plasma membrane domain activation, the type I and type II transforming growth factor-beta (TGFbeta) receptors were found to be localized specifically at the basolateral surfaces of polarized Madin-Darby canine kidney (MDCK) cells. Receptors concentrated predominantly at the lateral sites of cell-cell contact, adjacent to the gap junctional complex. Cytoplasmic domain truncations for each receptor resulted in the loss of specific lateral domain targeting and dispersion to both the apical and basal domains. Whereas receptors concentrate basolaterally in regions of direct cell-cell contact in nonpolarized MDCK cell monolayers, receptor staining was absent from areas of noncell contact. In contrast to the defined basolateral polarity observed for the TGFbeta receptor complex, TGFbeta ligand secretion was found to be from the apical surfaces. Confocal imaging of MDCK cells with an antibody to TGFbeta1 confirmed a predominant apical localization, with a stark absence at the basal membrane. These findings indicate that cell adhesion regulates the localization of TGFbeta receptors in polarized epithelial cultures and that the response to TGFbeta is dependent upon the spatial distribution and secretion of TGFbeta receptors and ligand, respectively.


This paper presents a systems view of refurbishment systems to evaluate root causes of suboptimal refurbishment. Case studies from ten selected South African and Malawian firms from largest electric power utilities, mining, petrochemical, and processing industries were used to establish causal relationships. Sample surveys of thirty four Malawian firms were used as part of a multimethod or triangulation approach to provide generalizations, validation and reliability. Of the surveyed firms, 66.7%, and of case studied firms 100%, showed that deferred refurbishment was a result of constrained capacity which led to components operating at higher loads, to lack of maintenance windows and to increased failure rates; there was no formal refurbishment model and technical skills base was the weakest asset management link. The study advances a novel way of depicting root causes of suboptimal refurbishment in typically complex dynamic structures using integrated systems thinking approach and applies analytical optimization tools, namely: Linear Programming (LP), metrics and N-1 contingency capability for refurbishment model for drilling deeper into causal typologies portrayed by systems thinking in order to solve optimization problems. A Total Refurbishment Process model is advanced to replicate refurbishment decision structures for long term sustainability of industries as validated by industries studied.


Trait‐based climate vulnerability assessments based on expert evaluation have emerged as a rapid tool to assess biological vulnerability when detailed correlative or mechanistic studies are not feasible. Trait‐based assessments typically view vulnerability as a combination of sensitivity and exposure to climate change. However, in some locations, a substantial amount of information may exist on system productivity and environmental conditions (both current and projected), with potential disparities in the information available for data‐rich and data‐poor stocks. Incorporating this level of detailed information poses challenges when conducting, and communicating uncertainty from, rapid vulnerability assessments. We applied a trait‐based vulnerability assessment to 36 fish and invertebrate stocks in the eastern Bering Sea (EBS), a data‐rich ecosystem. In recent years, the living marine resources of the EBS and Aleutian Islands have supported fisheries worth more than US $1 billion of annual ex‐vessel value. Our vulnerability assessment uses projections (to 2039) from three downscaled climate models, and graphically characterizes the variation in climate projections between climate models and between seasons. Bootstrapping was used to characterize uncertainty in specific biological traits and environmental variables, and in the scores for sensitivity, exposure, and vulnerability. The sensitivity of EBS stocks to climate change ranged from "low" to "high," but vulnerability ranged between "low" and "moderate" due to limited exposure to climate change. Comparison with more detailed studies reveals that water temperature is an important variable for projecting climate impacts on stocks such as walleye pollock (Gadus chalcogrammus), and sensitivity analyses revealed that modifying the rule for determining vulnerability increased the vulnerability scores. This study demonstrates the importance of considering several uncertainties (e.g., climate projections, biological, and model structure) when conducting climate vulnerability assessments, and can be extended in future research to consider the vulnerability of user groups dependent on these stocks.


We study hierarchical configuration of distributed systems for achieving optimized system performance. A distributed system consists of a collection of local processes which are distributed over a network of processors, and work in a cooperative manner to fulfill various tasks. A hierarchical approach is to group and organize the distributed processes into a logical hierarchy of multiple levels, so as to coordinate the local computation/control activities to improve the overall system performance. It has been proposed as an effective way to solve various problems in distributed computing, such as distributed monitoring, resource scheduling, and network routing. The optimization problem considered in this paper is concerned with finding an optimal hierarchical partition of the processors, so that the total traffic flow over the network is minimized. The problem in its general form has been known to be NP-hard. Therefore, we just focus on distributed computing jobs which require collecting and processing information from all processors. By limiting levels of the hierarchy to two, we will establish the analytically optimal hierarchical configurations for two popular interconnection networks: mesh and hypercube. Based on analytical results, partitioning algorithms are proposed to achieve minimal communication cost (network traffic flow). We will also present and discuss heuristic algorithms for multiple-level hierarchical partitions.


A series of uniaxial-compression tests were conducted on some representative brittle rock specimens, such as granite, marble and dolerite. A multi-channel, high-speed AE signal acquiring and analyzing system was employed to acquire and record the characteristics of AE events and demonstrate the temporal and spatial distribution of these events during the rupture-brewing process. The test result showed that in the primary stage, many low amplitude AE events were developed rapidly and distributed randomly throughout the entire specimens. In the second stage, the number of AE increased much slower than that in the first stage, while the amplitude of most AE events became greater. Contrarily to the primary stage, AE events clustered in the middle area of the specimen and distributed vertically conformed to the orientation of compression. The most distinct characteristic of this stage was a vacant gap formed approximately in the central part of the specimen. In the last stage, the number of AE events increased sharply and their magnitude increased accordingly. The final failure location coincidently inhabited the aforementioned gap. The main conclusion is that most macrocracks are developed from the surrounding microcracks existed earlier and their positions occupy the earlier formed gaps, and the AE activity usually becomes quite acute before the main rupture occurs.


Title of Document: STATISTICAL ODOR PREDICTION MODELS FOR SUPPORTING BIOSOLIDS ODOR MANAGEMENT Sirapong Vilalai, Doctor of Philosophy, 2008 Directed By: Associate Professor Steven A Gabriel Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering Biosolids are being beneficially recycled for agricultural purpose. Often, however, biosolids odors diminish marketability of biosolids, bring community opposition or, in the worst case, cause to ban the biosolids land application program. This dissertation is aiming to develop practical biosolids odor prediction models that can be applied for biosolids management on daily basis using the existing data available at the wastewater treatment plant and at the application sites as explanatory variables. Therefore, biosolids producer can use the plant odor predicting models to early detect and notify the hauling contractor when malodorous biosolids are anticipated. With the field odor models, malodorous products can be allocated accordingly to the appropriate sites in preventing the odor complaints from the communities. First, biosolids odors prediction models at wastewater treatment plant were developed using linear regression analysis and categorical data analysis. Biosolids odor was predicted in terms of detection threshold (DT) concentration and class of biosolids odor (odorous or non-odorous). Variables influencing biosolids odor levels at the plant were the percent solids and temperature of biosolids, percentage of the gravity thickener solids (GT) in the blend tank, pH of the GT solids, concentration of the return activated sludge (RAS) at the secondary process, and number of centrifuges running. Second, simulation and sensitivity analysis were conducted on the selected biosolids odor prediction model when uncertainty in the input variables was considered. Two variables (i.e., the number of centrifuges running and the percentage of GT solids in the blend tank) were identified as decision variable that could reduce the probability of producing odorous biosolids. Last, a biosolids odors prediction model for use at field site was developed using ordered logit model. Various variables at the field site (i.e. weather conditions, odor measurement time of the day, wind condition, temperature, and inspector odor sensitivity) were included in the analysis. Finally, variables relating to field odor levels were the biosolids odor levels (detection threshold) at the plant, temperature at the reuse site, and wind conditions. STATISTICAL ODOR PREDICTION MODELS FOR SUPPORTING BIOSOLIDS ODOR MANAGEMENT


In the near future, useful software agents or robots will have to evidence a fair amount of autonomy, with the capacity of carrying their own goals and even of setting up their own motives. As complex and expensive tools, they will also have to be endowed with a built-in incentive to protect themselves and endure. As sophisticated , they will eventually have to interact and cooperate with others agents of similar ontology, either from the same company or from other ones. In such a scenario, the ability to establish and maintain solid and trustable alliances, as well as to detect enemies and profiteers, will likely become a matter of sheer survival. The article proposes that establishing and securing commitments between social agents is the key to harness the benefits of cooperation, and that emotions emerged through natural selection precisely to meet such requirements, by insuring commitments management and control. The article concludes by listing some of the minimal specifications that seem required for the implementation of emotions as commitments operators.


The Moon has played an important role throughout the development of human civilization. It is the only permanent natural satellite of Earth and the closest astronomical object in the universe. Between the years of 1969 and 1971 the American and Soviet space programs left a total of five retroreflectors on the lunar surface. Astronomers have been able to use powerful lasers and telescopes to perform highly accurate measurements of the distance to these artifacts. The data that have been collected have led to significant improvements in the understanding of some aspects regarding the Earth-Moon system. Lunar Laser Ranging (LLR) has influenced astronomy, lunar science, gravitational physics, geodesy, geodynamics and numerous other fields. The purpose of this research is to state the historical development of Lunar Laser Ranging, what is involved in this process, the scientific accomplishments and the importance of this experiment for future explorations.


The baryonic acoustic signature in the large-scale clustering pattern of galaxies has been detected in the two-point correlation function. Its precise spatial scale has been forwarded as a rigid-rod ruler test for the space-time geometry, and hence as a probe for tracking the evolution of dark energy. Percent-level shifts in the measured position can bias such a test and erode its power to constrain cosmology. This paper addresses some of the systematic effects that might induce shifts; namely, nonlinear corrections from matter evolution, redshift space distortions, and biasing. We tackle these questions through analytic methods and through a large battery of numerical simulations, with total volume of the order ˜100[Gpc3h-3]. A toy-model calculation shows that if the nonlinear corrections simply smooth the acoustic peak, then this gives rise to an "apparent" shifting to smaller scales. However if tilts in the broadband power spectrum are induced then this gives rise to more pernicious "physical" shifts. Our numerical simulations show evidence of both: in real space and at z=0, for the dark matter we find percent-level shifts; for haloes the shifts depend on halo mass, with larger shifts being found for the most biased samples, up to 3%. From our analysis we find that physical shifts are greater than ˜0.4% at z=0 for a LCDM model with σ8=0.9. In redshift space these effects are exacerbated, but at higher redshifts are alleviated. We develop an analytical model to understand this, based on solutions to the pair conservation equation using characteristic curves. When combined with modeling of pairwise velocities the model reproduces the main trends found in the data. The model may also help to unbias the acoustic peak.


Learning process is of great importance in architecture courses, especially for the newcomers. The main issue of the present study is achieving an effective instructional pattern for teaching architecture and "Architectural Design Basics" have been considered herein as the case study. The proper patterns of instructing preparatory architectural designing lessons were identified through exploring the various teaching patterns in the area of educational sciences and architecture teaching. Then, changes were made in line with these lessons' goals to attain a teaching pattern and its specifications based on the intragroup professor-student collaboration (IPSC). The current research has been conducted to investigate this pattern in teaching preparatory architectural designing II and its completion and correction as well as its transformation to an effective instructional method. To do so, use was made of the qualitative research method of grounded theory so that the strong and weak points of this pattern can be better recognized. The study population included the students who had taken the preparatory architectural designing II lessons in two universities in Mazandaran. The reason for selecting this population is the familiarity with the environmental conditions due to the researcher's history of teaching in them. The information-gathering instruments in this study are observation, questionnaire, and interview. The study results signified the increase in the students' motivation, meeting the need for the students' approval and collaboration in this method and its effectiveness on the group activities. Amongst the other advantages obtained as a result of the professor's presence in the group, the importance of asking for the students' ideas, the correct task division in the group and more importance of the learning process with respect to the product can be pointed out.


This article has been made according to my dissertation in which I present some opportunity of risk analysis and risk management in the decision support of crop production. Plant production is one of the most hazardous agricultural enterprises. Among risk sources seasonal fluctuation of average yields plays an important role in the assessment of enterprises. Therefore, I analyzed the production risk of the produced crops in Hungary compared to the European Union's, after that I took into consideration the production site's circumstances as well. Decision-makers must possess such means, by which they can measure, oversee and manage the effects and consequences of risk. In crop production linear programming models can be used to determine the optimal crop structure, by which income-sensitivity can be taken into account, but it does not reflect the behavior to risk. This deficiency can be avoided by using risk programming models. By the complementary usage of linear programming and risk programming models the optimizing and adaptive planning can be executed. It often causes a problem for the producers to decide when and how much to sell to realize a maximum turnover. The decision is mostly influenced by the selling prices, but also important factors are the financial status of the business, the amount of credit and its conditions, the stock - piling opportunities and costs, and the short-term investment opportunities as well. For the resolution of the problem I set up a dynamic, simultaneous financial model by which the system-conceptual analysis of the above mentioned factors and a sound decision-making can be executed.


Voices of the Diaspora: Jewish Women Writing in Contemporary Europe, edited by Thomas Nolden and Frances Malino. Evanston, Illinois: Northwestern University Press, 2005.146 pp. $59.95 (c); $21.95 (p). This anthology offers a selection of contemporary stories and essays by Jewish women writers from across Europe, thereby providing both a judicious sampling for scholars wanting to expand theit acquaintance with writers from various traditions and a handy collection suitable for classroom purposes. The introduction by Thomas Nolden deftly balances the portrayal of the women authors in the context of Jewish writers (male and female), of earlier Jewish women writers, and of their national traditions. This anthology allows readers to make a first acquaintance with these diverse writers so that their positions both as a group and as individuals within modern (Jewish) literature can be studied further. Each story is prefaced by a brief biography of the author. These texts provide a rich sampling in various short prose forms, beginning with the French-Moroccan Marlene Amar's"On the Edge of the World," the story of an obsessively observant girl, Fortune, who lives at the edge of the desert. The story's title alludes to her marginality on several levels. She is "on the edge of the world" geographically in her childhood home, socially at the margins of her family and community, and individually through her self-imposed isolation. The story opens with a stark depiction of how the male child is infinitely preferable to the female one and closes with the celebrations for the birth of a son, accompanied by the raucous drunkenness of the men and Fortune's deliberate self-exclusion by taking refuge on the other side of the wadi. Reina Roffe continues this theme of female marginality in her "Exotic Birds," a story of the narrator s aunt. Truly a strange bird, her relative, full of unnamed longings, is invisible to others, even members of her own family, who pass her on the street without notice as she expectantly awaits a familiar greeting. Tellingly, her only two known transgressions are to have twice posed as a male to complete a minyan. The conclusion focuses on the aunt's eyes, her gaze compared to that of a gamekeeper surveying rare birds. In this reflex she has accomplished a profound perspectival switch, now everyone else is strange to her. The title of this subdivision, "Displacement," alludes to the displacement not only of the protagonists of these stories, but also of the authors and their emigration. The section called "Reemergence" opens with the Austrian Ruth Beckman's "Beyond the Bridges," an essay about the absence of the past in the present, tracing her walk through "Matzoh Island," as Vienna's largely Jewish second district was known. Beckman's text reminds readers of the profound differences between the experiences of post-Holocaust German and Austrian Jews and thematizes the lacunae in the new generation's knowledge of pre-war Vienna. The editors should have revised the extremely stiff, Teutonic prose of this awkward translation into idiomatic English for republication here. The Russian-born French writer Myriam Assinimow's insightful essay, "A Yiddish Writer Who Writes in French," recalls the world of Yiddish-its language and its culture-and alludes to yet another sphere of loss with the Shoah. She sensitively explores what it means to be a child survivor with a modern hybrid identity, explaining how, while she writes in French, her work is imbued with the Yiddish world. The Italian author Clara Sereni's story "Jews" differs from the other two in this section in that is not an autobiographical essay explaining the author's position in contemporary literature and instead is a work of fiction, depicting cross-generational experiences with Jewish playmates. …


Summary Heterozygous germline inactivating mutations in the aryl hydrocarbon receptor-interacting protein (AIP) gene lead to pituitary adenomas that most frequently present in the setting of familial isolated pituitary adenoma syndrome, usually as somatotropinomas and prolactinomas. More recently, they have been found in a significant percentage of young patients presenting with pituitary macroadenoma without any apparent family history. We describe the case of a 19-year-old man who presented with a gigantic somatotropinoma. His family history was negative. His peripheral DNA showed a heterozygous AIP mutation (p.I13N), while tumor tissue only had the mutated allele, showing loss of heterozygosity (LOH) and suggesting that the mutation caused the disease. Learning points AIP mutations may be observed in sporadic somatotrope adenomas occurring in young patients. LOH is a strong indicator that an AIP variant is disease causing. Somatotrope adenomas in carriers of AIP mutations are generally larger and more difficult to cure.


Women continue to remain the real architects of a developed society even
though many a times their services are unnoticed and under rewarded.The
fisherwomen in Kerala assume significance due to their involvement in fish
related activities leading to distribution, availability and value addition.The
traditional fisherwomen play an pivotal role in the fisheries sector in terms
of their involvement in fish related activities viz., fish vending, fish drying,
prawn peeling, sorting, grading, fish packing, and net making. With the
changing scenario and the increasing social welfare schemes from the
government to revive this sector, the youth of this community has started participating in the
socio economic activities of the society and therefore there is a need to reshape their own
perception of how they view themselves.The main objective of this training is to screen out
those barriers that stand in the way for their overall development.The training sessions will
provide insight to gain new skills that will improve their functional efficiency and will help
them to step up as women youth and take the lead to revive their community.
The Central Marine Fisheries Research Institute, Kochi (CMFRI) is a reputed ICAR organization
which deals with various issues pertaining to fisheries and fisher folk.CMFRI has wide
experience in conducting customized training programme to the different stakeholder over the
years in niche areas of fisheries research and development. TheSocio -Economic Evaluation and
technology transfer (SEETT) Division is essentially involved in research on socioeconomics and
in developing initiatives, programmes for ensuring the livelihoods of the fishers and
sustainability of the fisheries resources and environment.


This document defines an abstract architecture for Direct Data
Placement (DDP) and Remote Direct Memory Access (RDMA) protocols to
run on Internet Protocol-suite transports. This architecture does not
necessarily reflect the proper way to implement such protocols, but
is, rather, a descriptive tool for defining and understanding the
protocols. DDP allows the efficient placement of data into buffers
designated by Upper Layer Protocols (e.g., RDMA). RDMA provides the
semantics to enable Remote Direct Memory Access between peers in a way
consistent with application requirements. This memo provides
information for the Internet community.


Urtica dioica L. is perennial plant with remarkable medical properties and has been widely used in folk medicine and as a food. Fatty acids presented in its leaves were extracted applying three different techniques: classic, automated Soxhlet, and supercritical fluid extraction (SFE). SFE was performed at three different pressures (100, 200, and 300 bar) and two different temperatures (40 and 60°C). Obtained extract was analyzed using GC-FID analytical technique in order to obtain fatty acid profile samples. The highest yield was obtained in the case of automated Soxhlet extraction (218.907 mg/g), while the lowest was observed in the case of classic extraction (15.031 mg/g). Soxhlet approach pro- vided the highest yield of saturated fatty acids (173.348 mg/g), while supercritical fluid extraction gave better results in the case of unsaturated fatty acids (60.062 mg/g). Deeper analysis of SFE extracts revealed relationship between extraction parameters (tempera-ture and pressure) and yields of fatty acids where lower pressure ensured higher yield of unsaturated while higher pressure gave higher yield of saturated acids. On the other hand, increasing in temperature at isobaric conditions negatively influenced the yield of fatty acids except in the case of 300 bar where yield was higher at 60°C.


In the years after Wrold War II, Westerners and Japanese alike elevated Zen to the quintessence of spirituality in Japan. Pursuing the sources of Zen as a Japanese ideal, Shoji Yamada uncovers the surprising role of two cultural touchstones: Eugen Herrigel's "Zen in the Art of Archery" and the Ryoanji dry-landscape rock garden. Yamada shows how both became facile conduits for exporting and importing Japanese culture. First published in German in 1948 and translated into Japanese in 1956, Herrigel's book popularized ideas of Zen both in the West and in Japan. Yamada traces the prewar history of Japanese archery, reveals how Herrigel mistakenly came to understand it as a traditional practice, and explains why the Japanese themselves embraced his interpretation as spiritual discipline. Turning to Ryoanji, Yamada argues that this epitome of Zen in fact bears little relation to Buddhism and is best understood in relation to Chinese myth. For much of its modern history, Ryoanji was a weedy, neglected plot; only after its allegorical role in a 1949 Ozu film was it popularly linked to Zen. Westerners have had a part in redefining Ryoanji, but as in the case of archery, Yamada's interest is primarily in how the Japanese themselves have invested this cultural site with new value through a spurious association with Zen.


A man lies hidden in an abandoned boat. Stifling screams, he draws a knife across his arm, letting the blood flow free. Soon he'll be dead - and life can begin again. Three decades later Declan McIlroy, a 39-year-old loner, is found frozen to death in his flat as Arctic temperatures grip the cathedral city of Ely. His is not the only cold death that winter, but nevertheless reporter Philip Dryden has worrying doubts - for it seems Declan may not have been alone as he slowly froze to death ...Dryden's suspicions harden when days later he finds the body of Declan's best friend Joe - frozen within a shell of ice on the doorstep of his secluded Fenland farmhouse. Soon Dryden is picking his way along a disturbing trail of cruelty and betrayal to a brilliantly executed crime. And to a chilling, half-remembered mystery from his own childhood ...


Problem. African Americans have a higher rate of poverty than any ethnic group. The dearth of dignity through slavery and beyond became a societal pathway to poverty. Seventh-day Adventist African Americans in Birmingham Alabama are not exempt from this predicament. The Norwood and Ephesus Seventh-day Adventist churches are located in the midst of communities of poverty. Some members live in these and other poverty distressed areas. This study is to determine the extent of poverty and the lack of dignity of members of these two predominantly African American churches. The church community is uniquely positioned to share the message that all human beings are made in the image of God. Although the church community has been slow and fail to communicate a clear message of dignity essentials as love, freedom, and equality it is still equipped with divine conviction from God's word on the dignity of humankind and the sense of duty towards humanity. Method. This project used the questionnaire method to gather information about beliefs, behaviors, poverty levels, and other related indignity experiences of African Americans of the above-mentioned congregations. The questionnaire was distributed to consenting members age 18 years old and above. The purpose was to determine the level of poverty and other relating factors among African Americans at the Norwood and Ephesus churches. In addition, dignity seminars were conducted to highlight how dignity awareness contributes to an elevated sense of worth and purpose regardless of statuses. Results African American members of both Norwood and Ephesus churches in Birmingham, Alabama experience high rates of poverty. Yet 50% of respondents (both churches together) indicated that they had "hopeful dreams for a better day." They instituted adjustments in their experience that allow them to express hope for a better future. The seminars explored strategies to understand and improve their dignity. Evaluations of the seminars were conducted with both churches. The evaluation question, "Did this seminar raise your awareness that true worth comes from God" was the highest affirmative response of all questions. Accordingly the objective of raising the awareness of dignity was verified among the participants. Conclusion. The study speaks to the erosion of dignity among African Americans as a result of poverty and arising from the institution of slavery. The participants learned that in spite of their economic situation, possessing dignity is crucial to their involvement in society and that dignity occurs as a result of their origins -- being sons and daughters of God with unique qualities and abilities of intelligence and moral contemplation.


New paleomagnetic studies have been carried out within the Ardennes segment of the N France - S Belgium Variscan fold-and-thrust belt to set constraints on the fold-thrust belt kinematics and reveal the casual relationships between vertical-axis rotations and major strike deviated zones localised along the general trend of the belt. Magnetite-bearing Devonian and Carboniferous limestones yielded two characteristic, secondary components of the natural remanent magnetization : a low temperature component recorded most probably during the late stages of folding and a high temperature component, acquired during incipient stages of deformation. Both post- and synfolding magnetizations were identified in the Lower Devonian hematite bearing sandstones. Ages of magnetization, inferred from the analysis of characteristic remanence inclinations compared to the reference curves for the stable parts of the Old Red Sandstones Continent (ORC), suggest the previous remagnetization event to be due to the burial of sedimentary rocks under the thick molassic foreland basin of Namurian-Westphalian age and the second to the final out-of-sequence activation of the thrust front in Stephanian times. Irrespective of the age of the magnetizations, orientations of paleomagnetic directions are dominantly governed by second-order structural trends. Clockwise rotations are observed in relatively narrow zones featuring deviated orientations of fold axes, other sites show paleomagnetic directions akin to those known from the ORC. We interpret this feature as a result of local transpressive deformations and related rotations, which occurred at lateral borders of propagating thrust-sheets. The latter deformation zones are suggested to be controlled by deep-seated discontinuities inherited from the Devonian Rheno-hercynian basin development. The Ardennes thrust belt was thus not rotated as a whole unit with respect to the ORC after the Namurian, preserving the initial orientation of the continental margin.


AN EXAMINATION OF THE KEY FEATURES OF SALMAN RUSHDIE'S HISTORIOGRAPHIC METAFICTION: A POSSIBLE WORLDS THEORY APPROACH George Shamshayooadeh Old Dominion University, 2018 Director: Dr. Edward Jacobs This investigative study is informed by Ursula Kluwick's contention that Salman Rushdie's novels – Midnight's Children and Shame – written within the postcolonial context, need to be approached and conceptualized differently from the magical realist fiction produced by Latin American novelists such as Garcia Marquez, Isabel Allende, and Laura Esquivel due to the fact that the relations between the realistic and magical/supernatural codes in Rushdie's texts are not harmonious and are, for the most part, antithetical in ways that manifest and highlight the friction between the twin codes, which render them 'contingent' and 'provisional,' but beyond that destabilize the narrative text as fictional versus realistic. As Kluwick notes with respect to Rushdie's works, "Definitions of magic realism as a harmonious combination of supernatural and realist representational codes ignore the productive tension created by epistemological incompatibilities and clashes." (202) What has set my study apart from Kluwick's approach, however, is my contention that Rushdie's texts evince other salient features such as 'spatialization' and 'metanarration' that are inextricably intertwined and work in tandem with the magical realist elements in his fiction by creating highly political and ostentatiously self-conscious possible histories which aim at critiquing the actual socio-political geography and politico-historical trajectory of the Indian subcontinent. As such, throughout this study I have argued that Rushdie's texts of historiographic metafiction need to be studied through a multipronged approach that not only analyzes their magical-realist recreation of the politico-historical trajectory of India-Pakistan's postcolonial history through the lens of Dolezel's four-dimensional system of possible worlds theory, but also uses that theory to analyze their seminal 'spatialization' and 'metanarration' features, which distinguish his works from other magical realist authors and are instrumental to Rushdie's critical engagement with the politics of India-Pakistan. As such, I have endeavored to make the case that a multipronged approach, which analyzes the 'magical realism,' 'spatialization' and 'meta-narration' components in Rushdie's texts is warranted to critique the multidimensional possible worlds/histories that are narrativized, spatialized and foregrounded with the insertion of meta-narratorial comments and episodic interventions. Copyright 2018 George Shamshayooadeh All Rights Reserved


It is a common idea in philosophy that some false propositions such as (C) that Charlottesville is the largest city in Virginia, have the property of being possibly true. It is not a clear idea but an important one which has inspired considerable effort at clarification. One suggestion is that there exist (really, not just possibly) "possible worlds" in which C or some suitable facsimile is true. One further attempt at clarification on offer is that there exists (again, really) a maximal consistent set of propositions containing C. It is argued here that these attempts at clarification are profoundly erroneous. There exist actual powers of imaginative construction which would yield a scenario sufficiently detailed to be recognized by competent reviewers as one in which C is true. (The depiction might be in film or narrative and would avoid analytic falsehoods.) This is a frail clarification, vulnerable to questions, but is the best possible direction for a clear idea of the possibility of the proposition. The notion of possible worlds is associated with very valuable work in mathematical logic. It can only improve our appreciation of this excellent work to separate it from cloudy metaphysics.


This dissertation highlights the importance of computer networking education and the challenges in engaging and educating students. An exploratory learning approach is discussed with reference to other learning models and taxonomies. It is felt that an exploratory learning approach to wireless networks improves student engagement and perceived educational value. In order to support exploratory learning and improve the effectiveness of computer networking education the WiFi Virtual Laboratory (WiFiVL) has been developed. This framework enables students to access a powerful network simulator without the barrier of learning a specialised systems programming language. The WiFiVL has been designed to provide "anytime anywhere" access to a self-paced or guided exploratory learning environment. The initial framework was designed to enable users to access a network simulator using an HTML form embedded in a web page. Users could construct a scenario wherein multiple wireless nodes were situated. Traffic links between the nodes were also specified using the form interface. The scenario is then translated into a portable format, a URL, and simulated using the WiFiVL framework detailed in this dissertation. The resulting simulation is played back to the user on a web page, via a Flash animation. This initial approach was extended to exploit the greater potential for interaction afforded by a Rich Internet Application (RIA), referred to as WiFiVL II. The dissertation also details the expansion of WiFiVL into the realm of 3-dimensional, immersive, virtual worlds. It is shown how these virtual worlds can be exploited to create an engaging and educational virtual laboratory for wireless networks. Throughout each development the supporting framework has been re-used and has proved capable of supporting multiple interfaces and views. Each of the implementations described in this dissertation has been evaluated with learners in undergraduate and postgraduate degrees at the University of St Andrews. The results validate the efficacy of a virtual laboratory approach for supporting exploratory learning for wireless networks.


Recent trends in processor power for the next generation devices point clearly to significant increase in processor heat dissipation over the coming years. In the desktop system design space, the tendency has been to minimize system enclosure size while maximizing performance, which in turn leads to high power densities in future generation systems. The current thermal solutions used today consist of advanced heat sink designs and heat pipe designs with forced air cooling to cool high power processors. However, these techniques are already reaching their limits to handle high heat flux, and there is a strong need for development of more efficient cooling systems which are scalable to handle the high heat flux generated by the future products. To meet this challenge, there has been research in academia and in industry to explore alternative methods for extracting heat from high-density power sources in electronic systems. This talk will discuss the issues surrounding device cooling, from the transistor level to the system level, and describe system-level solutions being developed for desktop computer applications developed in our group at Stanford University.


OnLine Social Networking sites (SNS) hold a vast amount of information that individuals and organisations post about themselves. Investigations include SNS as sources of evidence and the challenge is to have effective tools to extract the evidence. In this exploratory research we apply the latest version of a proprietary tool to identify potential evidence from five SNS using three different browsers. We found that each web browser influenced the scope of the evidence extracted. In previous research we have shown that different open source and proprietary tools influence the scope of evidence obtained. In this research we asked, What variation in the scope of evidence extraction can be expected between different browsers? The implications of this exploratory research is for precaution. The choice of a web browser used to investigate a SNS directly influences the scope of digital evidence obtained.


SUMMARY Glucose and related sugars repress the transcription of genes encoding enzymes required for the utilization of alternative carbon sources; some of these genes are also repressed by other sugars such as galactose, and the process is known as catabolite repression. The different sugars produce signals which modify the conformation of certain proteins that, in turn, directly or through a regulatory cascade affect the expression of the genes subject to catabolite repression. These genes are not all controlled by a single set of regulatory proteins, but there are different circuits of repression for different groups of genes. However, the protein kinase Snf1/Cat1 is shared by the various circuits and is therefore a central element in the regulatory process. Snf1 is not operative in the presence of glucose, and preliminary evidence suggests that Snf1 is in a dephosphorylated state under these conditions. However, the enzymes that phosphorylate and dephosphorylate Snf1 have not been identified, and it is not known how the presence of glucose may affect their activity. What has been established is that Snf1 remains active in mutants lacking either the proteins Grr1/Cat80 or Hxk2 or the Glc7 complex, which functions as a protein phosphatase. One of the main roles of Snf1 is to relieve repression by the Mig1 complex, but it is also required for the operation of transcription factors such as Adr1 and possibly other factors that are still unidentified. Although our knowledge of catabolite repression is still very incomplete, it is possible in certain cases to propose a partial model of the way in which the different elements involved in catabolite repression may be integrated.


Introduction: Tumour is a heterogeneous tissue consisting of cells with different levels of metabolic activity. Often the outer layer cells of a tumour have more optimal conditions to grow/proliferate compared to the inner cells. Objective: The aim of the current study was to study the reactions of malignant melanoma A375 cells in exposure to different levels of metabolic stress and their ability to returning to life upon re-exposure to optimum nutritional conditions. Methods: A375 cells, at early plateau phase, were exposed to media containing 10% (control), 0.5, 0.25 and 0% serum for 1 to 6 days. At 24 h intervals, the cells were tested for morphology, cell cycle distribution, cell size changes, cell count, mitochondrial function and protein content. Also, after each day of starvation, the cells were re-exposed to optimum media (10% serum) and tested again. Results: The results showed that the cells made foci structures at long-term starvation. They primarily accumulated in G1-phase and at long-term starvation, most of them entered the apoptotic state. However, before death, cell count did not decrease, even though the mitochondrial function and protein content were less than the control cells. Releasing the cells in optimum conditions could trigger cells' proliferation ability, mitochondrial function and protein content. Conclusion: The results suggest that this model of malignant melanoma has a resistant feature against sub-optimal nutritional and metabolic status and the cells can return to life with even stronger internal engines, as evidenced by higher levels of mitochondrial function and protein content.


A fundamental biological question that remains largely unresolved concerns the mechanism by which binding of ligands to receptors on the cell surface causes transmission of a signal through the plasma membrane. One appealing explanation has been that ligand binding brings receptors together into multimeric complexes. Three reports describe cases in which the opposite approach is taken, and the receptors are bound and lie in wait for the ligand. Siegel et al. and Chan et al. have examined how the Fas and tumor necrosis factor (TNF) receptors signal. They define a protein interaction domain in these receptors that mediates assembly of the receptors into complexes in the absence of ligand. Such association is shown to be necessary for ligand binding and subsequent signaling. The results also explain how abnormal forms of Fas can dominantly prevent Fas-induced signaling in the human disease known as autoimmune lymphoproliferative syndrome. When bound to their cognate receptors, interferons (IFNs) induce cellular resistance to viral infection. Takaoka et al. show that certain cells, if they are to maximize this response when exposed to the cytokine IFN-γ, must express not only a functional IFN-γ receptor but a functional IFN-α/β receptor as well. Before these cells are even stimulated with IFN-γ, the IFN-γ receptor is preassociated with the IFN-α/β receptor. The IFN-α/β receptor brings a transcription activator to the complex that is poised to become activated upon stimulation with IFN-γ. Cross talk between two IFN receptor subtypes appears to increase the efficiency and strength of a cell's antiviral response to IFN-γ. A Perspective by Golstein discusses pre-clustering of receptors before activation. Siegel, R.M., Frederiksen, J.K., Zacharias, D.A.,Chan, F.K.-M., Johnson, M., Lynch, D., Tsien, R.Y., and Lenardo, M.J. (2000) Fas preassociation required for apoptosis signaling and dominant inhibition by pathogenic mutations. Science 288: 2354-2357. [Abstract] [Full Text] Chan, F.K.-M., Chun, H.J., Zheng, L., Siegel, R.M., Bui, K.L., and Lenardo, M.J. (2000) A domain in TNF receptors that mediates ligand-independent receptor assembly and signaling. Science 288: 2351-2354. [Abstract] [Full Text] Takaoka, A., Mitani, Y., Suemori, H., Sato, M., Yokochi, T., Noguchi, S., Tanaka, N., and Taniguchi, T. (2000) Cross talk between interferon-γ and -α/β signaling components in caveolar membrane domains. Science 288: 2357-2360. [Abstract] [Full Text] Golstein, P. (2000) Signal Transduction: FasL binds preassembled Fas. Science 288: 2328-2329. [Full Text]


The nation-state systems that seem to dominate the global landscape are not necessarily the pinnacle of evolution. A conglomeration of interacting factors spelled doom for the traditional colonialism of previous centuries while providing an ideal environment for multinational firms operating above the level of nation-states to play an important role in the generation of a new politico-socio-economic system better described by network models than by ordinary political models. Previously existing units and subunits, in the course of adjustment and adaptation to changing circumstances, change their relations with one another and are, sometimes, newly integrated in a novel manner such that new units or subunits are recognizable. It is puzzling that most scholars still see these changes as merely quantitative growth rather than as a qualitatively new system at a supranational level of integration. Because human beings start from concepts we already know, one really has to be strongly motivated to try to go beyond the cognitive concepts one uses regularly to attempt to conceive of something different. In the perspective of millions of years of evolution both states and business firms are relatively recent emergents out of the processes of adaptation that generate all social formations. Both business firms and nation states are kinds of corporations, and it is a mistake to deal separately with the international network of states when it seems perfectly obvious that the supranational system includes interacting states and corporations in a single complex network. Most countries are not "natural" nation-states, but are corporations whose control over some territory is recognized by some other states. States and companies should be treated similarly in analysis of the supranational system and the best model for studying the supranational system is a network model that begins with defining units and their relationships. In that mode, applying various mathematical algorithms, one can find clusters and equivalence sets representing different levels of organization in the network. At the same time as states are influencing firms, firms are busily influencing states.


Recognition of speech in natural environments is a challenging task, even more so if this involves conversations between several speakers. Work on meeting recognition has addressed some of the significant challenges, mostly targeting formal, business style meetings where people are mostly in a static position in a room. Only limited data is available that contains high qual-ity near and far field data from real interactions between participants. In this paper we present a new corpus for research on speech recognition, speaker tracking and diarisation, based on recordings of native speakers of English playing a table-top wargame. The Sheffield Wargames Corpus comprises 7 hours of data from 10 recording sessions, obtained from 96 microphones, 3 video cameras and, most importantly, 3D location data provided by a sensor tracking system. The corpus repre-sents a unique resource, that provides for the first time location tracks (1.3Hz) of speakers that are constantly moving and talking. The corpus is available for research purposes, and includes annotated development and evaluation test sets. Baseline results for close-talking and far field sets are included in this paper.


Feral horses are social animals, which have to rely on survival strategies centered on the formation of cohesive social bonds within their bands. Many problems in the husbandry of social animals such as horses, are due to the fact that the limits of their adaptive abilities are exceeded. Evidence suggests that the fundamental social characteristics of domestic horses have remained relatively unchanged. The social structure, social strategies and social interactions were investigated (3 non-consecutive years, 24 hr per day for several weeks) in long term established groups of domestic horses (mares and geldings of all ages) and a few small introduced groups, kept in (semi)natural environments. The general aim was to investigate the social needs of domestic horses. The social life of domestic horses was characterised by long lasting bonds with preferred partners which were established and maintained by allogrooming, play, proximity and dominance behaviours. Bonding partners were mainly found within the same sex-age group, but adult geldings also bonded with sub-adult mares and geldings. Adult mares were clustered in a group, while the other animals formed a second group. Among the adult mares, subgroups according to reproductive state were formed. Individuals regulated their social network by interfering with interactions between other members of the herd, which in itself is complex. An intervention is a behavioural action of one animal that actively interferes with an ongoing interaction between a dyad with the apparent aim of altering that interaction. This was verified by post-hoc analyses of disturbed and undisturbed interactions. Interventions in allogrooming or play were performed significantly more often when at least one member of the initial dyad was a preferred partner of, or familiar to (within the small introduced bands) the intervener. The stronger the preferred association in allogrooming between the intervener and member(s) of the initial dyad, the higher the probability the intervener would displace one initial member and continue allogrooming with the other. Just five behaviours were extracted which reliably reflected the dominance relations among horses. Aggression with the hind quarters was used both offensively and defensively and therefore not suitable as a reliable parameter. Individual dominance relationships were related to social experience. The implications of these findings for horse husbandry were assessed. It is argued that the execution of affiliative behaviours may be rewarding in itself, and therefore always will be a highly motivated behaviour. It is shown that social positive physical interactions (allogrooming, play) with other horses is an ethological need and therefore indispensable in modern husbandry systems. Ethological needs are so important for the animal that husbandry systems that lack the possibilities to execute such behaviours will cause chronic stress. It is concluded that all horses need physical social contact, and that horses, which lack appropriate social learning experiences during ontogeny, may be hampered in their social functioning later in life. Solutions for problems, including dominance problems, in individual social housing and group housing are presented.


Abstract. A comprehensive aerosol characterization was conducted at Marseille during summer, including organic (OC) and elemental carbon (EC), major ionic species, radiocarbon (14C), water-soluble OC and HULIS (HUmic LIke Substances), elemental composition and primary and secondary organic markers. This paper is the second paper of a two-part series that uses this dataset to investigate the sources of Organic Aerosol (OA). While the first paper investigates the primary sources (El Haddad et al., 2010), this second paper focuses on the secondary fraction of the organic aerosol. In the context of overall OC mass balance, primary OC (POC) contributes on average for only 22% and was dominated by vehicular emissions accounting on average for 17% of OC. As a result, 78% of OC mass cannot be attributed to the major primary sources and remains un-apportioned. Radiocarbon measurements suggest that more than 70% of this fraction is of non-fossil origin, assigned predominantly to biogenic secondary organic carbon (BSOC). Therefore, contributions from three traditional BSOC precursors, isoprene, α-pinene and β-caryophyllene, were considered. These were estimated using the ambient concentrations of Secondary Organic Aerosol (SOA) markers from each precursor and laboratory-derived marker mass fraction factors. Secondary organic markers derived from isoprene photo-oxidation (ie: 2-methylglyceric acid and 2-methyltetrols) do not exhibit the same temporal trends. This variability was assigned to the influence of NOx concentration on their formation pathways and to their potential decay by further processing in the atmosphere. The influence of changes in isoprene chemistry on assessment of isoprene SOC contribution was evaluated explicitly. The results suggest a 60-fold variation between the different estimates computed using different isoprene SOC markers, implying that the available profiles do not reflect the actual isoprene SOC composition observed in Marseille. Using the marker-based approach, the aggregate contribution from traditional BSOC was estimated at only 4.2% of total OC and was dominated by α-pinene SOC accounting on average for 3.4% of OC. As a result, these estimates underpredict the inexplicably high loadings of OC. This underestimation can be associated with (1) uncertainties underlying the marker-based approach, (2) presence of other SOC precursors and (3) further processing of fresh SOC, as indicated by organosulfates (RSO4H) and HUmic LIke Substances (HULIS) measurements.


Information security maturity is the measurement of the organisation's capability to remain secure. This article focuses on the social aspect of the management approach as part of a larger study that uses a socio-technical theory as a basis for analysing the relationship between the social and technical factors in the information security management system of Malaysian Public Service organisations. The empirical analysis was conducted to identify the antecedents of the information security maturity of an organisation, mainly through the study of several social factors. Through the sample obtained from the key players of information security in Malaysian Public Service organisations, results of the multivariate test reveal the underlying dimensions of a few social factors. The final result provides empirical proof of the social factors that has the most influence on the Malaysian Public Service organisations' information security maturity.


The LMO2 gene is activated by chromosomal translocations in human T cell acute leukemias, but in mouse embryogenesis, Lmo2 is essential for initiation of yolk sac and definitive hematopoiesis. The LMO2 protein comprises two LIM-zinc-finger-like protein interaction modules and functions by interaction with specific partners in DNA-binding transcription complexes. We have now investigated the role of Lmo2-associated transcription complexes in the formation of the vascular system by following the fate of Lmo2-null embryonic stem (ES) cells in mouse chimeras. Lmo2 is expressed in vascular endothelium, and Lmo2-null ES cells contributed to the capillary network normally until around embryonic day 9. However, after this time, marked disorganization of the vascular system was observed in those chimeric mice that have a high contribution of Lmo2-null ES cells. Moreover, Lmo2-null ES cells do not contribute to endothelial cells of large vessel walls of surviving chimeric mice after embryonic day 10. These results show that Lmo2 is not needed for de novo capillary formation from mesoderm but is necessary for angiogenic remodeling of the existing capillary network into mature vasculature. Thus, Lmo2-mediated transcription complexes not only regulate distinct phases of hematopoiesis but also angiogenesis, presumably by Lmo2 interacting with distinct partners in the different settings.


This study aimed to combine co-activation as well as anterior and posterior cruciate ligament force estimations with the motor unit activation strategies employed by the primary muscles that are involved in the movement at the knee joint. Fourteen male subject performed 25 maximal concentric isokinetic leg extension muscle actions at 120 s−1. Electromyographic and mechanomyographic signals from the vastus lateralis and bicep femoris, as well as force, were used to measure co-activation, and estimated anterior and posterior ligament forces during the time course of fatigue. There were decreases in quadriceps force and increases in hamstring force during the 25 leg extensions. The posterior cruciate ligament force was greater than the anterior cruciate ligament force during each leg extension. Both the posterior and anterior cruciate ligament forces decreased during the 25 leg extensions. Each muscle indicated unique neuromuscular responses, which may explain the decreases in quadriceps force and increases in the hamstring force. The combination of anterior and posterior cruciate ligament force estimation and motor unit activation strategies helped to provide a better understanding of the fatigue-related mechanism that was utilized to avoid injury and increase or maintain joint stability during the time course of fatigue.


Abstract In May and December 1994, two medium-size, intermediate-depth-focus earthquakes occurred in Guerrero, Mexico, eastward of the rupture area of the great Michoacan earthquake of September 19, 1985. Even though these are not major earthquakes (∼6.4 M w ), they were widely felt through central and southern Mexico, with minor damage at Zihuatanejo and Acapulco, located along the Pacific coast, and Mexico City. Both earthquakes, separated by ∼100 km, have similar focal depths and magnitudes, however, their focal mechanisms, based upon the polarities of first arrivals, show some differences. The May earthquake shows a clear normal faulting mechanism ( φ = 307°, δ = 55°, λ = −108°), whereas the December earthquake mechanism solution suggests an initial thrust faulting ( φ = 313°, δ = 62°, λ = 98°) process. Although previous analysis, including local and teleseismic stations, reported a normal faulting for the December earthquake, we find that modeling using the CMT focal mechanism solution fails to reproduce the first 5 sec of the observed P -wave signal at the nearest broadband station (Δ = 168 km) and the S -wave polarity at two strong ground-motion local stations (Δ = 32, 53 km); in fact, the best fit for these stations is obtained using the thrust focal mechanism calculated from the first-motion method. Seismic moment value and rupture duration time deduced from the teleseismic spectral analysis are: 2.0 × 10 18 N-m and 6.9 sec for the May event; 2.8 × 10 18 N-m and 7.1 sec for the December earthquake. From the inferred seismic moment, an average Δ σ of ∼15 bars for both earthquakes is obtained. Inversion of teleseismic P -wave data indicates a better fit using the CMT focal mechanism solution (normal faulting) than the first-motion mechanism for both earthquakes, although the adjustment9s differences are small for the May event; for this earthquake, the rupture consisted of two sources separated by ∼7 sec, starting at a depth of ∼40 km and then propagating downdip, reaching a depth of ∼60 km. The December earthquake however, released, all its energy at a depth of 50 km in two main sources separated by ∼10 sec. The non-double-couple components values are −0.004 and −0.01 for the May and December events, respectively, indicating that the December shock has a small contribution of non-double-couple radiation that could be the result of a changing mechanism. This result agrees with the hypothesis that a slab subducting at a shallower angle (our case) is associated with the existence of random subfaults with different fault orientations. From a tectonic point of view, the complexity of the December earthquake could be the result of the observed complexity of the stress distribution around 101°W and the existence of compressional events beneath the normal faulting earthquakes near the coastline. This feature permits the flexural stresses associated to the slab bending upward to become subhorizontal at the Guerrero region. We conclude that the May earthquake corresponds to a pure normal faulting, whereas the December shock is a complex event with a variable fault geometry.


The purpose of the present article is to provide college students and higher education professionals with information related to careers in sport and exercise. Specifically, the fields of sport/leisure studies, exercise science, and educational instruction are presented. Also, information on various higher education curriculum within these fields is presented. Finally, sport and exercise related websites are presented to provide college students and higher education professionals with further professional sport and exercise resources. ********** The field of sport and exercise continues to expand rapidly. This is evidenced by the fact that sport is now considered a multi-billion dollar industry (Parkhouse, 2001). As the field of sport experiences increased growth, numerous career opportunities are becoming available for students trained in sport and exercise related majors. Historically, universities have trained physical and health education majors to pursue careers in education and coaching. However, in the 1960's individuals suggested that the field of physical education should develop various academic subdisciplines (Henry, 1964). Subsequently, the fields of athletic training, biomechanics, exercise physiology, sport management, sport psychology, and sport pedagogy developed greatly during recent years. The growth of these academic disciplines has led to three sectors of the sport and exercise field emerging within higher education, including sport/leisure studies, exercise science and educational instruction. Professions such as sport/leisure management, sport marketing, sport psychology, athletic training, clinical exercise physiology, physical education, and wellness education are just a few of the multidimensional opportunities available for college students. Although a wide variety of career opportunities exist within sport/leisure studies, exercise science, and sport and exercise educational instruction, recent research suggested that students may not know about the various career options available (Onifade & Awosika, 1993). Thus, the purpose of this article is to provide college students and higher education professionals with information about the many sport and exercise career related opportunities available for students. In addition, the types of educational training and curriculum recommended to students that plan on entering various sport and exercise career fields are presented. Finally, internet resources in which sport and exercise educational and career information can be obtained are provided. Career Opportunities in Sport Studies Generally, sport/leisure studies encompasses a broad range of professions which incorporate the management, psychology, leadership, programming, and performance of sport and exercise. Sport/leisure management, one component of sport studies, offers college students a wide variety of potential job placements. In defining sport management Stier stated, "Today sport management is in reality a multifaceted domain offering a multitude of opportunities for employment and self-fulfillment in a wide range of sport and sport related activities, both in the public and private sectors, as well as in the profit and not-for-profit arenas (Stier, 1999, p. 3)." Specific sport management job titles include sports information director, athletic director, professional sport administrator, sport and recreation specialist, intramurals director, aquatics facility manager, parks and recreation director, and outdoor adventure programmer. College students with an interest in these professions often obtain an undergraduate degree in sport/leisure studies with a concentration in sport management. At the graduate level a wide variety of programs exist within sport management. College students interested in learning more about the myriad of sport management programs are directed to the Directory of Academic Programs in Sport Management edited by William Alsop and Geoffrey Fuller (Alsop & Fuller, 2000). …


Different cultivars of edible crops like tomato and carrot were explored for development of efficient plant regeneration system. Efficient direct shoot regeneration system was developed from leaf disc in tomato cv. Moneymaker on medium containing MS salts, ImgL-1 each of zeatin and lAA along with B5 vitamins comparable to efficient regeneration system available in tobacco. Occurrence of hyperhydricity ruled out the use of phytagel in the plant growth and development medium in carrot. Use of B5 vitamins in combination with 20gL-1 of sucrose and MS salts (MSIII medium) gave better plant growth with more number of highly regenerable stem explants (3-5) per plant. Provision of stress treatment to the calli induced under light conditions by reducing MS salts and sucrose in the medium (HT2) markedly enhanced (10 fold) its regeneration potential and yielded 20-22 embryos compared to 2-3 embryos per calli segment through conventional means of somatic embryogenesis. Among carrot cultivars, cv. T-29 was screened out for its better regeneration potential and adoptability to the indigenous environment. No regeneration could have been obtained from resistant plant material on the selective medium despite using direct regeneration system confirming the hypothesis of low regeneration potential in tomato on selective medium. However, excellent embryogenesis and plant regeneration was obtained in the bombarded calli on selective medium (MSIII) after stress providing pretreatment on HT4 medium. Use of reporter gene encoding fluorescent protein facilitated facile and early detection of transgenic sectors of gfp in somatic embryos and leaves of regenerated transgenic plants on medium containing spectinomycin (200-400mgL-1). Complex PRC analysis confirmed the transgene integration in to the plastome. In, future, the established plastid transformation system in edible crop will facilitate the cost effective production of edible vaccines by reducing the purification cost required when using non-edible crops like tobacco.


Background. Allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (allo-HSCT) remains the only proven curative therapy for chronic myeloid leukemia (CML), but lack of human leukocyte antigen (HLA)-matched sibling or unrelated donors has restricted its application. Recently, we developed an effective method for haploidentical allo-HSCT achieving comparable outcomes to HLA-identical transplantation. Aim. To evaluate the outcomes of CML patients who underwent haploidentical allo-HSCT. Methods. Ninety-three patients were treated with a modified busulfan(BU)/cyclophosphamide (CY)2 regimen, including antithymocyte globulin followed by unmanipulated blood and marrow transplantation. Results. Our data showed that the cumulative incidence of acute graft-versus-host disease (GVHD) was 64.52%, and grade III–IV was 26.45%, 61.79% had chronic GVHD, and 28.93% had extensive chronic GVHD. Non-relapse mortality varied at 8.72% (100 days), 20.72% (1 year) and 20.72% (2 years). Probability of 1-year and 4-year leukemia-free survival was similar in chronic phase (CP) 1, CP2/CR2, accelerated phase, and blast crisis patients. Probability of 4-year overall survival varied as 76.5% (CP1), 85.7% (CP2/CR2), 73.3% (accelerated phase), and 61.5% (blast crisis). Multivariate analysis indicated that factors affecting transplantation outcomes were HLA-B+DR mismatches versus others for II–III acute GVHD and III–IV acute GVHD, the stage of disease at transplantation for relapse, and the time from diagnosis to transplantation for leukemia-free survival, overall survival, and transplantation-related mortality. In our protocol, survival of HSCT for advanced CML was similar to stable stage. Conclusions. For patients lacking an HLA-identical related donor, haploidentical relatives are alternative HSCT donors.


In film, a woman's desire for success is often visually presented via an adherence to structured acts of so-called beautification. These performances, or as Judith Butler would have, 'acts of the flesh', often result in frustration, failure and the re-positioning of the female as societally submissive. The gestures which are performed in order to achieve a stereotyped vision of beauty are repetitive, boring and often seemingly painful or destructive to the individual performing them. They may even result in death or in a zombie-like form of living death. In Sunset Boulevard (Wilder, 1950), the character of Norma Desmond is trapped between reality and the myth of her own stardom. She seeks freedom through an elaborate set of rituals, designed to regenerate her youth and with it her fame. These acts, however, are revealed to be narcissistic and ultimately fatal. In Desperately Seeking Susan (Seidelman, 1985), scenes of a domestic feminine identity are used to accentuate the difference between the 2 female protagonists, one a street-wise extrovert, the other a demure housewife. This paper will analyse four of my short films (originally made for the solo exhibition The Women, Patricia Fleming Projects, U.K., 2013) which manipulate found footage in order to reveal the ugliness at the heart of rituals of beautification, both physically and psychologically. Interrogating Butler's assertion that we are always in drag, my practice operates to place the viewer 'back stage', revealing the self-conscious staging of a feminine identity. Dara Birnbaum's use of repetition as a device to create anxiety is appropriated in the context of my work, to reveal otherwise unnoticed moments of boredom, even death, within the performance of feminine gestures of beauty.


Slavery on Trial: Law, Abolitionism, and Print Culture Jeannine Marie DeLombard. Chapel Hill: University of North Carolina Press, 2007. The Cambridge Introduction to Harriet Beecher Stowe Sarah Robbins. New York: Cambridge, 2007. Uncle Tom's Cabin as Visual Culture Jo-Ann Morgan. Columbia: University of Missouri Press, 2007. Three books published at the same time on virtually the same subject cover our desk with deliberations of American (and human) actions and abuses of other human beings. Slavery on Trial is essentially concerned with verbal and printed cultures. Before Civil War two powers pulled at society's attention and conduct. Legal actions and literature drove toward precedent and authority as interpreted by the printed word and precedent. At a time when the printed word used for entertainment and "literature" was suspect and legal practice and authority highly respected slavery was in fact practiced and condoned by an authority out of the reach and control of the people. What public literature there was generally consisted of newspapers and broadsides, which in DeLombard's words "disproportionately featured malefactors of color" (5). But any spread of language eventually weakened the institution of bondage. "It was precisely through ... the appropriations of legal language and imagery that antebellum writers debated not only the status of Southern slavery but the place of African Americans in the national polity" (2). DeLombard ends a rich and exhaustive study of the changing role of language in the altering behavior of Americans with a tight summary: "Troubled though it may have been, the practice of imagining the debate over slavery as a vast, ongoing trial had made antebellum print culture a forum for interracial collaboration while providing an alternate vision of race and justice under American law-at its most forward-looking, that still-elusive vision of full black civil inclusion" (222). In The Cambridge Introduction of Harriet Beecher Stowe Robbins tries to encompass an active and influential life in less than 150 pages. And she succeeds. She uses four chapters: (1) Life; (2) Cultural Contexts; (3) Works; (4) Reception and Critics. In the nineteenth century women were systematically excluded from literature because it was thought they were incapable of doing anything except, in Hawthorne's blind words "scribbling." Stowe, however, was one of many exceptions. She became one of the driving forces not only in producing literature but also of fighting for a noble cause, that of slavery. In Uncle Tom's Cabin, unquestionably Stowe's most lasting book, the author was writing for a white middleclass readership, that is, her neighbors, for whatever political and moral forces they might bring to bear, and therefore she set the stage in portraits and developments that white readers would have recognized. The results were, of course, playing on precisely the most powerful heart strings of her readers. This powerful work, published first in the magazine National Era upon being published as a book became the most popular book of the time except the Bible. In this brief book of Stowe's career Robbins discusses Stowe's other numerous books and her dedication to other causes, authorship of Dred, The Christian Slave, the Key to Uncle Tom's Cabin, her regional writings and such nonliterary activities as her defense of Lady Byron. …


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Economics is about the management
of scare resources. In agricultural production, water stress and excess heat
are the main constraints. The three essays of this dissertation try to improve
our understandings of how climate and water resources interact with agricultural
markets, and how global changes in agricultural markets may affect water
resources. I construct empirical and simulation models to explain the interplay
between agriculture and water. These models integrate economic theories with environmental
sciences to analyze the hydroclimatic and economic information at different
geospatial scales in a changing climate.

In the first essay, I illustrate
how irrigation, as a potential adaptation channel, can reduce the volatility of
crop yields and year-on-year variations caused by the projected heat stress.
This work includes estimation of yield response to climate variation for
irrigated and rainfed crops; and global projections of change in the mean and
the variation of crop yields. I use my estimated response function to project
future yield variations using NASA NEX-GDDP climate data. I show that the
impact of heat stress on rainfed corn is around twice as big as irrigated
practices.

In the second essay, I establish
a framework for estimating the value of soil moisture for rainfed production. This
framework is an extension of Schlenker and Roberts (2009) model enabled by the
detailed soil moisture information available from the Water Balance Model (WBM).
An important contribution is the introduction of a cumulative yield production
function considering the daily interaction of heat and soil moisture. I use
this framework to investigate the impacts of soil moisture on corn yields in
the United States. However, this framework can be used for the valuation of
other ecosystem services at daily basis.

In the third essay, I have
constructed a model that explains how the global market economy interacts with
local land and water resources. This helps us to broaden the scope of global to
local analysis of systems sustainability. I have employed SIMPLE-G-W (a
Simplified International Model of agricultural Prices, Land use, and the
Environment- Gridded Water version) to explain the reallocation across regions.
The model is based on a cost minimization behavior for irrigation technology
choice for around 75,000 grid cells in the United States constrained by water
rights, water availability, and quasi-irreversibility of groundwater supply. This
model is used to examine the vulnerability of US land and water resources from
global changes.


One reason why music features temporal regularities is that they elicit expectancies about when an event will occur, focusing a listener�s attention around certain points in time. Evidence comes from phoneme monitoring tasks (using reaction times, J. G. Martin, 1979) and pitch and time judgment tasks (using accuracy measures, M. R. Jones, H. Moynihan, N. MacKenzie,& J. Puente, 2002; E. W. Large & M. R. Jones, 1999). Reaction times were faster and accuracy was higher for rhythmically expected elements than for unexpected elements. By contrast, A. Penel and M. R. Jones (2004) recently reported an inversely related finding: faster reaction times for rhythmically unexpected tones, which they labeled a temporal capture effect.
The present research examines expectancy versus capture phenomena by using a speeded detection task in which listeners must respond to a lower pitched target located within monotone and isochronous sequences. One interonset interval was shortened or lengthened independently of the target�s position. Temporal irregularities tended to trigger false alarms, suggesting capture effects. Patterns of reaction times showed expectancy effects when the temporally perturbed event preceded the target, but these effects seemed to decrease with time in the sequence. When the target itself was temporally perturbed, some capture was observed, but only when the target came early in the sequence. We conclude that Martin�s (1979) expectancy effects in phoneme monitoring were coarticulatory rather than rhythmical.


ABSTRACT This article explores two interrelated premises. The first is that the non-farm sector is of increasing importance to rural household. The second is that non-farm growth reduces the pressure on natural resources. The article reports on an analysis of income trends in three villages in the Krui area, Sumatra, Indonesia, by comparing household survey data from 1995 and 2004. Between these two years, neither the farm sector nor the non-farm sector showed sustained growth. Although the contribution of remittances to local incomes remained marginal, migration of unemployed and unmarried youngsters to urban areas has a positive effect on per capita incomes in the Krui area by decreasing the household size. With regard to the second premise the analysis shows that increased engagement in local non-farm activities does not automatically result in smaller landholdings. Increased engagement in ex-situ non-farm activities, however, helps to reduce pressure on local forest resources.