Gears are key components in the operation of many machines and mechanisms. However, their presence often affects system efficiency and can lead to noise, vibration and harshness (NVH) issues. Therefore, improved efficiency and NVH refinement are the major drivers in the development of gearing systems. These requirements lead to significant effort expended in the design of optimum gear pairs and their lubrication. Currently available analytical and numerical gear analyses are limited to simplified methods such as dry contact conditions, use of basic classical Hertzian contact theory and finite element analysis in tooth contact analysis (TCA). Thus, the generation of more complex models would enhance the representation of gear interactions, including with lubricated contact analysis.
Tooth Contact Analysis (TCA) is usually the first step for an in-depth gear efficiency, NVH and durability analyses. Those TCA methods described in open literature study the teeth pair contacts, mostly neglecting the effect of lubrication. In reality, contact mechanics and lubrication are closely inter-linked, requiring an integrated approach.
This paper outlines a combined FEA-based TCA model with a lubricated contact mechanics analysis of real gear pairs, thus improving gear pair efficiency, NVH and durability predictions. An initial dry gear analysis with an estimated constant coefficient of friction in the contact is carried out. The results of this initial analysis provide input data for a subsequent tribological model in order to generate improved estimates of the contact friction for a new TCA. This approach leads to the integration of TCA and lubrication in an iterative manner.
The gear pair geometry is measured using a Coordinate Measuring Machine (CMM) which takes into account manufacturing imperfections and real geometry within its measurement sensitivity of ±1.5 μm. This data is used in the TCA analysis.


Background A daily sedation interruption (DSI) protocol in ventilated patientsis an effective method of improving sedation management that decreases the duration of mechanical ventilation. In adult patients, it is a safe and effective approach, as well as common practice. For ventilated children,its effectiveness and feasibilityare unknown. Objective To compare continuous sedation and DSI in mechanically-ventilated children with respect todurationof mechanical ventilation, the time needed for patients to awaken, and the frequency of adverse events. Method This randomized, controlled, open-label trial, was performed in a pediatric intensive care unit (PICU). Forty children on mechanical ventilation were included. Patients were randomly assigned to receive either continuous sedation or DSI. The duration of mechanical ventilation was the primary outcome, while the time for patients to awaken on sedative infusion and the frequency of adverse events were secondary outcomes. Results Forty patients were randomized into the continuous sedation protocol (18 subjects) or into the DSI protocol (22 subjects). The median (interquartile range) duration of mechanical ventilation was significantly shorter in the DSI compared to the continuous sedation group [41.50 (30-96) hours vs. 61 (30-132) hours, respectively; (P=0.033)]. The time for patients to awaken was also significantly lower in the DSI than in the continuous sedation group [median (interquartile range): 28 (24-78) vs. 45.5 (25-12) hours, respectively; (P=0.003)]. The frequencies of adverse events were similar in both groups. The severity of illness contributed to outcome variables. Conclusion The duration of mechanical ventilation and the time for patients to awaken are significantly reduced in the DSI group compared to the continuous sedation group.


This study shows that Israel's current low level of public expenditure has resulted in a severe decrease in the level of public services provided to Israel's citizens, even beyond the need to finance Israel's exceptional defense expenditure. The study shows a decrease in expenditure on school students in the past fifteen years, parallel to an increase in the developed countries, which has opened a substantial gap to Israel's detriment. Expenditure per student in Israel is less today than in the OECD countries, even though Israel spends more on education (as a percentage of GDP). With regard to healthcare, Israel's situation seems relatively better than the OECD countries, even though the rate of expenditure on healthcare is lower on average than the OECD countries. Israel is able to supply a high level of health services thanks to its young population, which has less need for such services. At the same time, Israel is below the OECD median according to an alternative index of health services to the consumer (standardizing the healthcare expenditure per consumer according to the capitation formula). In any event, trends over the past fifteen years reflect deterioration in the supply of health services. The most striking difference is in the area of welfare. Israel is in 23rd place out of the 28 OECD countries in welfare expenditure (countries with available data). The low place of social insurance in the list of priorities is particularly conspicuous in light of the great inequality that exists in Israel. The low position does not seem to match the Israeli public's preferences as reflected in public opinion surveys.


Endothelial progenitor cells (EPCs) in the circulatory system have been suggested to maintain vascular homeostasis and contribute to adult vascular regeneration and repair. These processes require that EPCs break down the extracellular matrix (ECM), migrate, differentiate and undergo tube morphogenesis. Evidently, the ECM plays a critical role by providing biochemical and biophysical cues that regulate cellular behaviour. Using a chemically and mechanically tunable hydrogel to study tube morphogenesis in vitro, we show that vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) and substrate mechanics co‐regulate tubulogenesis of EPCs. High levels of VEGF are required to initiate tube morphogenesis and activate matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs), which enable EPC migration. Under these conditions, the elasticity of the substrate affects the progression of tube morphogenesis. With decreases in substrate stiffness, we observe decreased MMP expression while increased cellular elongation, with intracellular vacuole extension and coalescence to open lumen compartments. RNAi studies demonstrate that membrane type 1‐MMP (MT1‐MMP) is required to enable the movement of EPCs on the matrix and that EPCs sense matrix stiffness through signalling cascades leading to the activation of the RhoGTPase Cdc42. Collectively, these results suggest that coupled responses for VEGF stimulation and modulation of substrate stiffness are required to regulate tube morphogenesis of EPCs.


Abstract. A long-term, high time-resolution volatile organic compound (VOC) data set from a ground site that experiences urban, rural, and marine influences in the Northeastern United States is presented. A proton-transfer-reaction mass spectrometer (PTR-MS) was used to quantify 15 VOCs: a marine tracer dimethyl sulfide (DMS), a biomass burning tracer acetonitrile, biogenic compounds (monoterpenes, isoprene), oxygenated VOCs (OVOCs: methyl vinyl ketone (MVK) plus methacrolein (MACR), methanol, acetone, methyl ethyl ketone (MEK), acetaldehyde, and acetic acid), and aromatic compounds (benzene, toluene, C8 and C9 aromatics). Time series, overall and seasonal medians, with 10th and 90th percentiles, seasonal mean diurnal profiles, and inter-annual comparisons of mean summer and winter diurnal profiles are shown. Methanol and acetone exhibit the highest overall median mixing ratios 1.44 and 1.02 ppbv, respectively. Comparing the mean diurnal profiles of less well understood compounds (e.g., MEK) with better known compounds (e.g., isoprene, monoterpenes, and MVK + MACR) that undergo various controls on their atmospheric mixing ratios provides insight into possible sources of the lesser known compounds. The constant diurnal value of ~0.7 for the toluene:benzene ratio in winter, may possibly indicate the influence of wood-based heating systems in this region. Methanol exhibits an initial early morning release in summer unlike any other OVOC (or isoprene) and a dramatic late afternoon mixing ratio increase in spring. Although several of the OVOCs appear to have biogenic sources, differences in features observed between isoprene, methanol, acetone, acetaldehyde, and MEK suggest they are produced or emitted in unique ways.


This thesis examines the use of distributed discrete-event simulation
techniques as part of an aid to the design of highly automated batch
manufacturing systems. The methodology and objectives of the design
of highly automated batch manufacturing systems are described and an
assessment is made of the use of modelling and simulation as part of
the method . Criteria are developed for a simulator used during the
. detail design stage.
The different approaches taken by existing simulation systems to
building and configuring simulation models and their use of particular
simulation techniques are described. Limitations on simulation models
due to the sequential processing of event-lists and activity scans are
identified in a review of the problems of simulation that current
existing distributed simulators have been designed to answer. The
advantages of concurrent and distributed computing and in particular,
a tightly-coupled multi-microprocessor computing engine for executing
the normally batch-processed computing tasks of simulation are
identified .
A novel approach to the distr~bution of the computational tasks in a
distributed simulation system is described and the operation of a
simulator built using this approach to simulate the operation of
highly automated batch manufacturing systems is also described.The question of whether such a distributed simulator of highly
automated batch manufacturing systems satisfies the criteria is
examined on the basis of an analysis of the operation of the
simulator. It is shown that a number of advantages in the areas of
level of detail, configuration, parallel processing and speed of
execution can be achieved through the use of distributed computing and
multi-processing techniques for simulation during the detail design
stage of highly automated batch manufacturing systems.


Modeling how humans judge the semantic similarity between documents (e.g., abstracts from two different psychology articles) is an interesting and challenging topic in cognitive psychology. It also has practical implications for developing artificial intelligence (AI) systems, especially those designed for retrieving relevant information from a large database in response to a given query (e.g., finding new research articles related to a given abstract). Conversely, AI algorithms can provide a useful tool for testing human cognitive models. They can precisely simulate the consequences of specific assumptions about cognition, and these consequences can then be compared against actual human performance. In the process of developing both human cognitive models and AI models, investigating the discrepancy between human and AI performance is essential, although it has rarely been explored with respect to document relatedness judgments. In the current study, I identified a set of document pairs whose relatedness was judged radically differently between humans and a computational model called latent semantic analysis (LSA). Based on an examination of those misjudged document pairs, I proposed a tentative model of vi human document relatedness judgment, called the key-features overlap model. According to this model, document relatedness judgments by humans and computational algorithms can be explained, in part, by the degree of word-pair association across documents. Critically, it suggests that, to judge document relatedness, humans focus primarily on the association between the keywords in each document, while computational algorithms including LSA typically do not. Modifications of target documents to emphasize their keywords, while also providing keywordrelevant background documents to LSA improved LSA's document relatedness judgments. Such improvement demonstrated the usefulness of the key-feature overlap model-based approach for improving AI algorithms.


A fundamental goal of algebraic geometry is to do for singular varieties whatever we can do for smooth ones. Intersection homology, for example, directly produces groups associated to any variety which have almost all the properties of the usual homology groups of a smooth variety. Minimal model theory suggests the possibility of working more indirectly by relating any singular variety to a variety which is smooth or nearly so. Here we use ideas from minimal model theory to define some characteristic numbers for singular varieties, generalizing the Chern numbers of a smooth variety. This was suggested by Goresky and MacPherson as a next natural problem after the definition of intersection homology [11]. We find that only a subspace of the Chern numbers can be defined for singular varieties. A convenient way to describe this subspace is to say that a smooth variety has a fundamental class in complex bordism, whereas a singular variety can at most have a fundamental class in a weaker homology theory, elliptic homology. We use this idea to give an algebro-geometric definition of elliptic homology: "complex bordism modulo flops equals elliptic homology." This paper was inspired by some questions asked by Jack Morava. The descriptions of elliptic homology given by Gerald Hohn [13] were also an important influence. Thanks to Dave Bayer, Mike Stillman, John Stembridge, Sheldon Katz, and Stein Stromme for their computer algebra programs Macaulay, SF, and Schubert, which helped in guessing the right answer.


This paper demonstrates that the change in wavelength of a long period fiber grating attenuation band with changes in external index of refraction can be enhanced by proper selection of the grating period. We calculate and experimentally verify that the wavelength shift caused by changing the external index from n=1 to n=1.44 of the attenuation band which appears in the 1400-1600 nm region in a 200-/spl mu/m period grating is four times that in a 350-/spl mu/m period grating. Changes in the spectrum over a wavelength range from 1100 to 1600 nm and 1<n<1.72 index range are also presented, and implications for grating design when enhanced or reduced index sensitivity is desired are discussed. Finally, we demonstrate the use of a highly index-sensitive long period fiber grating as a chemical concentration sensor.


This paper assesses the impact of the Peruvian Ministry of Education teacher in-service training program (henceforth the program) on student achievement. Given the importance the Ministry attaches to interventions to strengthen teaching practices since 2008, it is relevant to know whether its impact supports a wider application to public schools nationwide. Using annual data from the Student Evaluation Census-ECEand from other official datasets for 2014, and a matching technique (Propensity Score Matching) to control for differences between beneficiaries, we estimate the impact of the program on students Math & Reading comprehension both for full-grade and multigrade schools. Results show that there is a positive and significant effect of the teacher training program on both Math and Reading achievement, but the magnitude of the effect differs. We find larger effects on Reading comprehension than on Math and in both topics larger effects for full-grade schools than for multigrade ones (the last are mostly found in rural areas). This might be related to the characteristics of the training in Reading comprehension: it is focused on learning pedagogical techniques (e.g. how to develop the curriculum within the classroom, how to motivate students, etc) instead of content knowledge, more focused on explaining mathematical problems. A sensitivity analysis complements and supports the results. This paper also assesses whether the program is cost-effective. Comparisons with different programs, all of them related with the educational sector in Peru make us believe that it is worth implementing the program at a national level.


The chief and largely terminal element of normal blood clotting is considered to involve the polymerisation of the mainly α-helical fibrinogen to fibrin, with a binding mechanism involving 'knobs and holes' but with otherwise littl change in protein secondary structure. We recognise, however, that extremely unusual mutations, or mechanical stressing, can cause fibrinogen to adopt a conformation containing extensive β-sheets. Similarly, prions can change morphology from a largely alpha-helical to a largely β-sheet conformation, and the latter catalyses both the transition and the self-organising polymerisation of the β-sheet structures. Many other proteins can do this, where it is known as amyloidogenesis. When fibrin is formed in samples from patients harbouring different diseases it can have widely varying diameters and morphologies. We here develop the idea, and summarise the evidence, that in many cases the anomalous fibrin fibre formation seen in such diseases actually amounts to amyloidogenesis. In particular, fibrin can interact withthe amyloid-β (Aβ) protein that is misfolded in Alzheimer's disease. Seeing these unusual fibrin morphologies as true amyloids explains a great deal about fibrin(ogen) biology that was previously opaque, and provides novel strategies for treating such coagulopathies. The literature on blood clotting can usefully both inform and be informed by that on prions and on the many other widely recognised (β)-amyloid proteins. "Novel but physiologically important factors that affect fibrinolysis have seldom been discovered and characterized in recent years" [1]


BACKGROUND
All hepatotropic viruses are known to cause fulminant hepatic failure (FHF). However, in 30% to 40% of patients with FHF, the precise cause remains unknown. We aimed to better define this subgroup.

METHODS
We evaluated the clinical course and outcome of 7 patients admitted during a 22-month period with fulminant viral hepatitis leading to liver transplantation; none had serologic or molecular evidence of hepatitis A, B, C, D, E, or G viral infection, thus the term non-A-G viral hepatitis. All known etiologies of FHF were excluded.

RESULTS
All patients had prodromal symptoms suggestive of viral causes. Mean age was 30 years. The interval between onset of jaundice and appearance of encephalopathy was 23 days (range, 4-50 days). Five patients had grade III/IV encephalopathy. Serum alanine aminotransferase levels showed a single peak of activity. The duration between first symptoms and liver transplantation was 28 days (range, 12-71 days). Results of histological study of the explanted liver showed submassive (4 patients) or massive (3 patients) hepatocyte necrosis. In all patients, results of polymerase chain reaction analysis did not detect hepatitis B virus DNA, hepatitis C virus RNA, or hepatitis G virus RNA in the explanted liver. After transplantation, 2 patients showed (6 months later) increased liver enzyme levels of undetermined cause, and results of a liver biopsy showed mild lobular hepatitis; 1 patient had lymphoproliferative disorder (Epstein-Barr virus-originated); and 1 patient, aplastic anemia, which is known to be associated with seronegative viral hepatitis. The latter patient died, whereas the other 6 patients are alive (survival rate, 86%).

CONCLUSIONS
Our patients with non-A-G viral hepatitis had a severe acute onset with progressive FHF requiring liver transplantation. There is some suggestion of recurrent viral disease after transplantation implicating other unknown viruses in the etiology.


This research was carried out to determine the invertebrate fauna associated with Cystoseira barbata  facies distributed in the upper-infralittoral zone of the Southeastern Black Sea coasts and their bioecological features. The investigations were seasonally performed at depths of 0 to 3 m in 5 different stations chosen in the Southeastern Black Sea from July 2005 to May 2006. As a result of the study, a total of 6123 specimens belonging to 38 species and 4 taxonomic groups were identified. Arthropoda was the dominant group in terms of number of species (55.3% of the total of phylum) and number of individuals (83.9% of the number total individuals). With regard to frequency index, 14 species were defined as continious, 8 species of common and 16 species as rare. Idotea metallica is reported for the first time from the Black Sea coast of Turkey in the present study. Keywords: Seasonal changes, invertebrate fauna, Cystoseira barbata , Black Sea, Turkey


Island of Lost Souls (Erle C. Kenton US 1932). Eureka Video. Region 2.1.37:1 original aspect ratio. £11.99.The long-awaited release of Erle C. Kenton's Island of Lost Souls on DVD (in a dual-format pack alongside a Blu-ray version) finally makes available one of the most controversial pre-Production Code horror films of the early 1930s. Its unavailability on video and DVD for the last decade or so has certainly added to its cult status, and this Eureka release gives viewers the opportunity to appraise this classic anew.Adapted from H.G. Wells's The Island of Doctor Moreau (1896), Kenton's film was produced by Paramount in response to the huge success that Universal Studios was having with such horror titles as Dracula (Browning US 1931) and Frankenstein (Whale US 1931). They had already successfully adapted another literary gothic classic with Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde (Mamoulian US 1931), and there are some clear thematic similarities between the two films. They both explore Darwinian ideas in questioning the physical and moral dimensions of human evolution. In Island of Lost Souls, these themes are combined with a range of contentious issues relating to vivisection, colonialism and miscege- nation, resulting in a melodrama that would seem to guarantee moral censure and close attention from the censors. It is a testament to the effectiveness of the film that it still manages to convey its sense of unease and horror to a contemporary audience, and that the elements of the story that seemed shocking in 1932 retain the ability to unsettle us some 80 years later.Edward Parker (Richard Arlen) is shipwrecked in the South Pacific, picked up by a decrepit captain carrying a cargo of exotic animals, and deposited on an unnamed island commanded by the mysterious Dr Moreau (Charles Laughton). Parker is unsettled by the island's strange bestial natives, and soon discovers that Moreau is a brilliant but twisted scientist who has tasked himself with shaping animals into human beings. His brutal vivisection of his subjects in the 'house of pain' has created a tribe of man-beast hybrids that he has crafted into the semblance of humanity. His attempt to mate his most successful creation Lota (Kathleen Burke - billed famously as "The Panther Woman') with Parker sets in motion a series of events that uncovers the full horrors of the island and ends in revolt, death and destruction.Even today, the heady brew of contentious ideas is very much apparent, and although the film was banned in the UK mostly because of the theme and portrayal of vivisection (already a controversial issue when Wells wrote his novel in the 1890s), there are a wealth of other morally dubious and horrific ideas that could be seen as equally objectionable or problematic. Central to this is the injection of sex into the story by screenwriters Philip Wylie and Waldemar Young. The introduction of the character of Lota was central to the publicity and marketing of the film, including a nationwide search for 'The Panther Woman across the US. Burke finally won the part after being judged by a panel of Hollywood luminaries, including Rouben Mamoulian and Cecil B. DeMille. Despite not featuring in the original novel, the part of the Panther Woman has become a staple of subsequent film versions of the story, most notably in the adaptions by Don Taylor (US 1977) and John Frankenheimer (US 1996), both entitled The Island of Dr Moreau. The prurient aspects of Kenton's film bear some similarities to MGM's equally controversial Freaks (Browning US 1932), with both films setting up the promise of a 'forbidden' sexual encounter. In Freaks, the proposed liaison is between a circus 'midget' and a 'normal'-sized woman (some posters explicitly asked 'Can a fully grown woman truly love a midget?'). In Island of Lost Souls, the tryst is between man and beast-woman, although the implication of inter-racial transgression is also very much apparent. This rather shocking sexual subplot is communicated brazenly by Laughton, who delivers an astonishing performance in what was his first starring role in Hollywood. …


Across decades of co-circulation in humans, influenza A subtypes H1N1 and H3N2 have caused seasonal epidemics characterized by different age distributions of cases and mortality. H3N2 causes the majority of severe, clinically attended cases in high-risk elderly cohorts, and the majority of overall deaths, whereas H1N1 causes fewer deaths overall, and cases shifted towards young and middle-aged adults. These contrasting age profiles may result from differences in childhood imprinting to H1N1 and H3N2 or from differences in evolutionary rate between subtypes. Here we analyze a large epidemiological surveillance dataset to test whether childhood immune imprinting shapes seasonal influenza epidemiology, and if so, whether it acts primarily via homosubtypic immune memory or via broader, heterosubtypic memory. We also test the impact of evolutionary differences between influenza subtypes on age distributions of cases. Likelihood-based model comparison shows that narrow, within-subtype imprinting shapes seasonal influenza risk alongside age-specific risk factors. The data do not support a strong effect of evolutionary rate, or of broadly protective imprinting that acts across subtypes. Our findings emphasize that childhood exposures can imprint a lifelong immunological bias toward particular influenza subtypes, and that these cohort-specific biases shape epidemic age distributions. As a consequence, newer and less "senior" antibody responses acquired later in life do not provide the same strength of protection as responses imprinted in childhood. Finally, we project that the relatively low mortality burden of H1N1 may increase in the coming decades, as cohorts that lack H1N1-specific imprinting eventually reach old age.


Mutations in the low-density lipoprotein receptor-related protein 5 gene (LRP5) cause autosomal recessive osteoporosis-pseudoglioma syndrome (OPPG). We sequenced the coding exons of LRP5 in 37 probands suspected of having OPPG on the basis of the co-occurrence of severe congenital or childhood-onset visual impairment with bone fragility or osteoporosis recognized by young adulthood. We found two putative mutant alleles in 26 probands, only one mutant allele in 4 probands, and no mutant alleles in 7 probands. Looking for digenic inheritance, we sequenced the genes encoding the functionally related receptor LRP6, an LRP5 coreceptor FZD4, and an LRP5 ligand, NDP, in the four probands with one mutant allele, and, looking for locus heterogeneity, we sequenced FZD4 and NDP in the seven probands with no mutations, but we found no additional mutations. When we compared clinical features between probands with and without LRP5 mutations, we found no difference in the severity of skeletal disease, prevalence of cognitive impairment, or family history of consanguinity. However, four of the seven probands without detectable mutations had eye pathology that differed from pathology previously described for OPPG. Since many LRP5 mutations are missense changes, to differentiate between a disease-causing mutation and a benign variant, we measured the ability of wild-type and mutant LRP5 to transduce Wnt and Norrin signal ex vivo. Each of the seven OPPG mutations tested, had reduced signal transduction compared with wild-type mutations. These results indicate that early bilateral vitreoretinal eye pathology coupled with skeletal fragility is a strong predictor of LRP5 mutation and that mutations in LRP5 cause OPPG by impairing Wnt and Norrin signal transduction.


We describe eight new species of the genus Pholcus , and document their microhabitats. Four species are assigned to the previously described Pholcus ethagala group: P. tanahrata Huber sp. nov., P. uludong Huber sp. nov., and P. bukittimah Huber sp. nov. from the Malay Peninsula, and P. barisan Huber sp. nov. from Sumatra. These species are all litter-dwellers that build domed sheet webs on the undersides of large dead leaves on the ground. The other four species are assigned to newly created species groups: the P. tambunan group with two species from northern Borneo: P. tambunan Huber sp. nov. and P. bario Huber sp. nov.; and the P. domingo group with two species from the Philippines, Mindanao: P. domingo Huber sp. nov. and P. matutum Huber sp. nov. These latter four species are leaf-dwellers that build barely visible silk platforms tightly attached to the undersides of live leaves. The main rationale for this paper is to provide part of the taxonomic and natural history background for upcoming phylogenetic and evolutionary (microhabitat shifts) analyses.


Aims To compare the duration of re-admissions in children <5 based on the diagnosis at their prior admission, and examine the impact of co-morbidities. Methods UK hospital inpatient data were obtained from the Capse Healthcare Knowledge Systems (CHKS) database from 01/04/2000 to 31/03/2008, for children aged <5 years, with a diagnosis of rotavirus (RVGE) (ICD-10 A08.0) or non-rotavirus gastroenteritis (NRV) (A09*, A08.3-5). The first diagnosis with a seasonal infection, during that admission, was taken as the patient's main infection. Patients were classified as a primary or secondary patient dependent on whether the infection was the primary or secondary (co-morbid) cause of admission. Admission numbers were based on unique admissions, generated from finished consultant episodes. Patients admitted with RVGE or NRV were tracked backwards for 30 days to identify prior hospital admissions with any cause. Results 167,576 admissions with NRV and 19,227 admissions with RVGE occurred; 21,174 (12.6%) and 4,374 (22.7%) were re-admissions respectively. 47.6% of those with NRV were re-admitted within 5 days, and 74.7% of those with RVGE within 5 days. Children re-admitted with RVGE were re-admitted to hospital for a mean period of 5.4 days (SD 20.6), and with NRV for 1.7 days (SD 7.5), co-morbidities increased this length of stay (LOS) by 11.0 days (SD 7.1 p<0.001). Children previously admitted with RVGE or NRV had a significantly shorter hospital LOS (p<0.001 – p=0.002) on readmission than patients previously admitted with any other diagnosis. Children admitted with RVGE or NRV had a significantly longer LOS if their prior diagnosis was a neoplasm (p<0.001). Of those re-admitted with RVGE or NRV, 26.9% had previously been admitted with another gastrointestinal condition (ICD-10 chapter 11 code), and 32.4% with an ICD-10 chapter 18 code (all other category). Conclusion Re-admission occurs more frequently with RVGE than with NRV, while also incurring increased LOS. Children re-admitted with co-morbidities have a more complicated clinical course with RVGE and NRV. Universal rotavirus vaccination would substantially benefit vulnerable children through direct or indirect protection and reduce the healthcare resource use resulting from hospital readmissions.


Policymakers have increasingly recognized the structural impediments to effective competition in electricity markets, which has resulted in a renewed emphasis on the need for careful market design and market monitoring in wholesale and retail electricity markets. In this study, we review the market monitoring activities of four Independent System Operators in the United States, focusing on such topics as the organization of an independent market monitoring unit (MMU), the role and value of external market monitors, performance metrics and indices to aid in market analysis, issues associated with access to confidential market data, and market mitigation and investigation authority. There is consensus across the four ISOs that market monitoring must be organizationally independent from market participants and that ISOs should have authority to apply some degree of corrective actions on the market, though scope and implementation differ across the ISOs. Likewise, current practices regarding access to confidential market data by state energy regulators varies somewhat by ISO. Drawing on our interviews and research, we present five examples that illustrate the impact and potential contribution of ISO market monitoring activities to enhance functioning of wholesale electricity markets. We also discuss several key policy and implementation issues that Western state policymakers and regulators should consider as market monitoring activities evolve in the West.


: While regulatory issues on telecommunications and data handling have been established in a generic and service-neutral manner, typically independent of detailed technical applications or application domains, the uprise of new technology and new systems requires always a revisiting of those regulations. Thus, since the new trend of mobile grids — including an integrated traditional grid computing, knowledge handling, and multi-domain dynamics — has started most recently, a careful analysis of regulatory effects within the European Union (EU) is highly essential for potential new stakeholders. Therefore, this paper summarizes the most relevant regulatory aspects for mobile grid systems on a EU level, such as contractual agreements, security, and data protection. In this respect, the eCommunications framework serves as the starting point to assess relevance of existing EU regulations. In turn, mobile grid characteristics and respective roles are depicted. This is followed by presenting the eCommunications framework. Finally, those existing regulations are evaluated on how well they reflect relevant aspects of service provisioning in a mobile grid. Abstract While regulatory issues on telecommunications and data handling have been established in a generic and service-neu-tral manner, typically independent of detailed technical applications or application domains, the uprise of new technology and new systems requires always a revisiting of those regulations. Thus, since the new trend of mobile grids — including an integrated traditional grid computing, knowledge handling, and multi-domain dynamics — has started most recently, a careful analysis of regulatory effects within the European Union (EU) is highly essential for potential new stakeholders. Therefore, this paper summarizes the most relevant regulatory aspects for mobile grid systems on a EU level, such as contractual agreements, security, and data protection. In this respect, the eCommunications framework serves as the starting point to assess relevance of existing EU regulations. In turn, mobile grid characteristics and respective roles are depicted. This is followed by presenting the eCommunications framework. Finally, those existing regulations are evaluated on how well they reflect relevant aspects of service provisioning in a mobile grid.


This thesis is an ethnographic study of the life worlds of three art therapists working in two anthroposophic communities. The goal of the thesis is to explore the therapist's experience with the processes of therapeutic modelling and ceramics and the subsequent knowledge that is produced. For the purpose of this thesis art therapy is considered as a form of experience rather than as a discipline in itself. The definition of experience used in this thesis is the understanding of life through what Wilhelm Dilthey (1833-1911) called Erlebnis , or what has been "lived through". Research was conducted in a therapeutic community in Quebec and in a hospital for Neurology and Psychiatry in Germany. Central to this thesis is the theoretical discussion, pertaining to how experience of therapeutic modelling and ceramics can be "captured" and how subsequent knowledge that is produced can be understood. The main theorists discussed are: Bruce Kapferer and his work on the possibility of mutual experience achieved through performance; Robert Desjarlais and his work on the body during the healing ritual and the importance of the aesthetics of daily life; and Rene Devisch's development of the semantic-praxiological approach and the integration of the senses in his analysis of experience. Rudolf Steiner, the founder of Anthroposophy, worked with the physician Ita Wegman during the 1920's on "the expansion of medicine". Through their intimate experience in their own lives they were in a position both to critique and appreciate biomedicine. This discussion of medical discourses is expanded with the contemporary therapists who present their experience and knowledge of therapeutic modelling and ceramics in narrative form. By merging historical accounts with present-day narratives this thesis shows how individuals influence the forming of medicine and its therapies over time. The discussion of the therapists on experience and knowledge therefore highlights that medicine is an ever changing process.


The prevailing view of a wolf (Canis lupus) pack is that of a group of individuals ever vying for dominance but held in check by the "alpha" pair, the alpha male and alpha female. Most research on the social dynamics of wolf packs, however, has been conducted on non-natural assortments of captive wolves. Here I describe the wolf-pack social order as it occurs in nature, discuss the alpha concept and social dominance and submission, and present data on the precise relationships among members in free-living packs, based on a literature review and 13 summers of observations of wolves on Ellesmere Island, Northwest Territories, Canada. I conclude that the typical wolf pack is a family, with the adult parents guiding the activities of the group in a division-of-labor system in which the female predominates primarily in such activities as pup care and defense and the male primarily during foraging and food-provisioning and the travels associated with them.


Harper, D.A. T., Owen, A.W. & Williams, S. H.: The Middle Ordovician of the Oslo Region, Norway, 34. The type Nakholmen Formation (upper Caradoc), Oslo, and its fauna! significance. Norsk Geologisk Tidsskrift, Vol. 64, pp. 293-312. Oslo 1984. ISSN 0029-196X. The Nakholmen Formation, at its type locality on the island of Nakholmen, Bunnefjord, consists of 13-14 m of dark shales with a few horizons of limestone nodules. The low-diversity but locally abundant fauna includes the brachiopods Hisingerella nana, Onniella cf. bancrofti and Sericoidea gamma, the trilobites Broeggerolithus discors and Lonchodomas aff. rostratus and the graptolites Amplexograptus rugosus, Climacograptus antiquus lineatus and Corynoides incurvus. The shelly and graptolite faunas suggest correlations with the Woolstonian-Acto nian stages of the Caradoc and the lower part of the Dicranograp tus clingani Zone respectively. The assemblage represents a deepwater, euxinic, biofacies offshore from the well-developed shelly associations in coeval strata in Asker, Ringerike and Hadeland. The brachio pod fauna is markedly dissimilar from those coeval associations elsewhere in the region, but the trilobite


Laminated safety glass with structural PVB interlayer is suitable for a variety of challenging applications in building construction and facade design. Especially in areas with increased static requirements, stiffer interlayer materials are preferred to standard PVB films. This results in a reduction in the number of glass panes or pane thicknesses while maintaining comparable properties. The attainment of relevant safety properties in combination with advantages in both processing and economic terms often allows a more reasonable application than the use of appropriate laminated glass with ionomer interlayers. A new filter factory of a well-known medical technology company is currently being built in Wilsdruff on the outskirts of Dresden. The company's own competence campus is glazed with large-format glass elements. The new building of the Wilsdruff filter factory represents the first application of large-format laminated safety glass panes with structural PVB interlayer under the approach of the shear coupling in Germany. Both the pane sizes of 7.25 m x 2.40 m and the type of two-sided linear support of the facade panes are extraordinary and unique in Germany in this combination. Based on the material properties of the PVB film, the advantages of such elements are demonstrated. It can be seen that projects such as the Wilsdruff filter factory can only be realized in this form by using stiffer interlayers. This project thus demonstrates the possibilities of using such laminated safety glass and thus helps to increase the acceptance of architects, planners and building owners.


Abstract Taxonomic membership frequencies exhibit distributions in which groups with few numbers of subtaxa are much more common in a clade than those with more subtaxa. Here, a "broken plate" model is developed to describe such taxonomic memberships; some higher taxonomic group (the plate) is randomly subdivided into intermediate taxonomic units (plate fragments), whose sizes are dependent on the number of taxonomic subunits that they each contain. Theoretical distributions of membership frequencies produced by this model yield a superior fit to data from both modern and fossil groups, as illustrated by classifications for primarily fossil brachiopods and entirely modern mammals. The nature of these distributions is consistent with the contention that Linnaean membership frequencies result from the random partitioning of taxonomic/morphologic space. Moreover, numbers of taxa contained within hierarchically equivalent groups are unrelated, as are membership numbers at taxonomically higher and lower levels of consideration. Agreement between observed taxonomic memberships and those anticipated from the random partitioning of diversity as described by the "broken plate" model bears directly on a number of fundamental questions including the significance of extreme polytypy and inferred causes of adaptive radiation within many taxonomic groups.


Introduction. Educating students in a multi-cultural society is a challenge as teachers, students and the community they serve all tend to represent various social groups. Skills alone are not adequate for competency in understanding cultural aspects of consultations. A combination of knowledge, skills and attitude is the most widely accepted current approach to teaching culturally competent communication to medical students. Collaborative reflection on narratives of experienced clinicians' cultural encounters served to construct an understanding of how to develop these attributes.

Process. An interest group of medical teachers met to address the specific needs of teaching a relevant cross-cultural curriculum. Participants offered narratives from their professional life and reflected on these encounters to understand how to improve the current curriculum to better address the needs of the students and patients they serve.

Results. Through narratives, participants were able to reflect on how their experience had allowed them to develop cultural awareness. All stories represented how attitudes of respect, curiosity and unconditional positive regard were held above all else. The process of collaborative reflection with peers unpacked the complexity and potential in the stories and different learning opportunities were discovered. Learning was personalised because the stories were based on real experiences.

Conclusion. The use of collaborative reflection on narratives of clinical encounters could facilitate insights about cultural aspects of medical practice. Elements such as curiosity, respect and unconditional positive regard are illustrated in a unique way that allows students to appreciate the real-life aspects of cross-cultural clinical encounters.


Abstract The evolutionary and adaptive potential of populations or species facing an emerging infectious disease depends on their genetic diversity in genes, such as the major histocompatibility complex (MHC). In birds, MHC class I deals predominantly with intracellular infections (e.g., viruses) and MHC class II with extracellular infections (e.g., bacteria). Therefore, patterns of MHC I and II diversity may differ between species and across populations of species depending on the relative effect of local and global environmental selective pressures, genetic drift, and gene flow. We hypothesize that high gene flow among populations of Humboldt and Magellanic penguins limits local adaptation in MHC I and MHC II, and signatures of selection differ between markers, locations, and species. We evaluated the MHC I and II diversity using 454 next‐generation sequencing of 100 Humboldt and 75 Magellanic penguins from seven different breeding colonies. Higher genetic diversity was observed in MHC I than MHC II for both species, explained by more than one MHC I loci identified. Large population sizes, high gene flow, and/or similar selection pressures maintain diversity but limit local adaptation in MHC I. A pattern of isolation by distance was observed for MHC II for Humboldt penguin suggesting local adaptation, mainly on the northernmost studied locality. Furthermore, trans‐species alleles were found due to a recent speciation for the genus or convergent evolution. High MHC I and MHC II gene diversity described is extremely advantageous for the long‐term survival of the species.


Abstract : Quorum sensing (QS) via acylated homoserine lactones (AHLs) was discovered in the ocean, yet little is known about its role in the ocean. The objectives of this thesis were to constrain the chemical stability of AHLs, their occurrence in marine particulate environments and the behaviors they might regulate in the ocean. In this dissertation I established that AHLs are more stable in seawater than expected and are likely to accumulate within biofilms. Using culture dependent and independent-techniques, I established that Trichodesmium colonies host biofilm communities distinct from seawater. Using HPLC-MS I determined that bacteria isolated from biofilms attached to Trichodesmium synthesize AHLs and that AHLs are also present in sinking POC collected near Vancouver Island, Canada. This was the first time AHLs have been detected in POC and their presence indicated that AHL-QS was occurring in the POC sample. We also showed that AHLs enhanced the activity of hydrolytic enzymes in a non-axenic Trichodesmium culture and in sinking POC. My results suggest AHL-QS is a factor regulating biogeochemically relevant enzyme activities on sinking POC and within the biofilms attached to Trichodesmium colonies and thereby may impact the timing and magnitude of biogeochemical fluxes in the ocean.


A theoretical description of the low-temperature phase of short-range spin glasses has remained elusive for decades. In particular, it is unclear if theories that assert a single pair of pure states, or theories that are based infinitely many pure states-such as replica symmetry breaking-best describe realistic short-range systems. To resolve this controversy, the three-dimensional Edwards-Anderson Ising spin glass in thermal boundary conditions is studied numerically using population annealing Monte Carlo. In thermal boundary conditions all eight combinations of periodic vs antiperiodic boundary conditions in the three spatial directions appear in the ensemble with their respective Boltzmann weights, thus minimizing finite-size corrections due to domain walls. From the relative weighting of the eight boundary conditions for each disorder instance a sample stiffness is defined, and its typical value is shown to grow with system size according to a stiffness exponent. An extrapolation to the large-system-size limit is in agreement with a description that supports the droplet picture and other theories that assert a single pair of pure states. The results are, however, incompatible with the mean-field replica symmetry breaking picture, thus highlighting the need to go beyond mean-field descriptions to accurately describe short-range spin-glass systems.


We propose a novel scheme to learn a language model (LM) for automatic speech recognition (ASR) directly from continuous speech. In the proposed method, we first generate phoneme lattices using an acoustic model with no linguistic constraints, then perform training over these phoneme lattices, simultaneously learning both lexical units and an LM. As a statistical framework for this learning problem, we use non-parametric Bayesian statistics, which make it possible to balance the learned model's complexity (such as the size of the learned vocabulary) and expressive power, and provide a principled learning algorithm through the use of Gibbs sampling. Implementation is performed using weighted finite state transducers (WFSTs), which allow for the simple handling of lattice input. Experimental results on natural, adult-directed speech demonstrate that LMs built using only continuous speech are able to significantly reduce ASR phoneme error rates. The proposed technique of joint Bayesian learning of lexical units and an LM over lattices is shown to significantly contribute to this improvement.


Smallholders with dual-purpose cattle production systems in most Central America experience a shortage of forages during the dry season (4-8 month. As a result, substantially lower milk production and weight gain occurs. Dual-purpose operations seeking to maximize milk and beef production in the dry season can produce and feed hay or silage to their livestock. The increase in milk and beef production due to feeding hay or silage during the dry season on commercial dual-purpose cattle productions systems, the production costs of making silage or hay and the benefits as a result of feeding silage or hay are estimated and compared in Honduras and Costa Rica. Due to feeding silage or hay, farmers in Honduras and Costa Rica have increased milk production during the dry season. The costs of feeding hay are lower in both countries, although farmers feed a higher amount (kg DM/cow/ day) than silage. Feeding silage or hay to milking cows is profitable in both countries. The income-cost ratio and the net benefit ($/ cow/day) due to feeding these feedstuffs are positive. Farmers with milking cows in Honduras realise a higher income-cost ratio and net benefit due to feeding silage and hay than farmers in Costa Rica. Likewise, beef cows or young livestock supplemented with these feeding alternatives don't loose weight during the dry season. In Honduras as well in Costa Rica, it is profitable to feed silage or hay to beef cows or young livestock. Currently, no silage and a small hay market exist in Honduras. Possibly, these will develop due to an increasing demand for these profitable feedstuffs. In Costa Rica thanks to the efforts of agricultural organisations, a hay market of different qualities is developing.


Fruit flies (Tephritidae) are serious pests that cause enormous losses for farmers in many countries. The frequent use of insecticides in controlling fruit flies in fruits and vegetable has not resulted in sustainable management of the pest. Problems associated with this complete reliance on chemical control are many residues of insecticides in crops, health problems for farmers, contamination of water and soil, insecticide resistance development and decrease in natural enemy populations. The implementation of control measures that do not imply an added burden to the environment and/or the farmers is urgent. More knowledge about the ecology of fruit flies is the basis for finding new and better ways to control this pest. This study aimed at 1) develop and testing of a modified Steiner trap constructed from used water bottles, 2) investigating the diurnal activity of adult males of Bactrocera cucurbitae and Bactrocera dorsalis, 3) monitoring for resistance to commonly used insecticides in B. cucurbitae and 4) conducting a survey among farmers with a focus on management of fruit flies. The research was carried out in Kamphaeng Saen, northwestern part Nakhon Pathom Province, Thailand from July to August 2009. We constructed an efficient trap from recycled bottles at the cost of 30 US cents (2.06 SEK) that can be used for monitoring and possibly also pest control. The results from the diurnal activity experiment suggest that B. cucurbitae and B. dorsalis are active in the morning. B. dorsalis showed an activity peak between 7 and 8 am. The activity for both species was low before noon and during the first hours of the afternoon. The bioassay gave no indications of development of resistance to the insecticides tested. Results from farmer surveys revealed that most of farmers have problems with fruit flies. The amount of insecticides used in the fields is great and the flora of the compounds is much diversified. We found also that the farmers spray their fields very frequently during a growing period until approximately one week before harvest and the spraying was carried out in a big degree during the cool hours of the day. The results also show that more than 50% of the farmers used protective equipment. I conclude that since the situation about the control of these pests is unsustainable the need for further and more intensive studies in this topic is urgent to carry out. But first of all is of priority to work together with farmers in the issue of the use of environmental friendly control methods to go away from the dependence of insecticides.


Introduction: Free radical oxidative stress has been implicated in the pathology of a wide variety of clinical disorders. Antioxidants are agents which scavenge the free radicals and prevent the damage caused by them. Angiotensin II receptor blockers used in the treatment of hypertension, have also been reported to protect organs such as kidney and heart. Althoug, the mechanisms of these protective effects are not fully understood, it is generally thought that their antioxidant effects likely play a role. Amlodipine, a calcium channel blocker, seems to exert atheroprotective effects through its antioxidant properties related to its chemical structure and independent of its calcium channelblocking effect. Though research has proved that olmesartan and amlodipine exhibit antioxidant activity independent of their antihypertensive effects, there are not many in vitro studies to analyse which drug is a better antioxidant. Objective: This in vitro study was done to compare the antioxidant activity of olmesartan and amlodipine. Materials and Methods: In this study, we demonstrated the antioxidant activities of 10 mg/ml stock solutions of olmesartan and amlodipine in vitro. DPPH (1,1 Diphenyl 2-picryl hydrazide) and Nitric oxide free radical scavenging assays were done. Results: Olmesartan showed significant (49.48%) and consistent free radical scavenging activity by DPPH and Nitric oxide radical scavenging assays. Free radical scavenging activity of amlodipine was more significant (56.89%) than olmesartan but was inconsistent and non-concentration dependent. Conclusion: Hence this in vitro study has proved that olmesartan has better antioxidant activity than amlodipine.


Influence of a negative refractive index meta-material (NIM) capping layer on properties of Tamm plasmon-polariton at the interface of metal-Bragg reflector structure is investigated. Conditions for excitation of the plasmon-polariton is determined from reflectivity mapping calculation and analyzed with cavity mode theory. For specific thicknesses of capping layers, Tamm plasmon-polariton with negative group velocity is revealed in a wide region of frequency. Different from backward optical propagation induced by negative effective-group-refractive-index in dispersive media, negative group velocity of Tamm plasmon-polariton results from opposite signs of cross-section-integrated field energy and Poynting vector.


ALS is a fatal neurodegenerative disease with no cure. Experts typically measure disease progression via the ALSFRS-R score, which includes measurements of various abilities known to decline. We propose instead the use of speech analysis as a proxy for ALS progression. This technique enables 1) frequent non-invasive, inexpensive, longitudinal analysis, 2) analysis of data recorded in the wild, and 3) creation of an extensive ALS databank for future analysis. Patients and trained medical professionals need not be co-located, enabling more frequent monitoring of more patients from the convenience of their own homes. The goals of this study are the identification of acoustic speech features in naturalistic contexts which characterize disease progression and development of machine models which can recognize the presence and severity of the disease. We evaluated subjects from the Prize4Life Israel dataset, using a variety of frequency, spectral, and voice quality features. The dataset was generated using the ALS Mobile Analyzer, a cell-phone app that collects data regarding disease progress using a self-reported ALSFRS-R questionnaire and several active tasks that measure speech and motor skills. Classification via leave-five-subjects-out cross-validation resulted in an accuracy rate of 79% (61% chance) for males and 83% (52% chance) for females.


Abstract. The dust aerosol radiative forcing and heating rate over the Taklimakan Desert in Northwestern China in July 2006 are estimated using the Fu-Liou radiative transfer model along with satellite observations. The vertical distributions of the dust aerosol extinction coefficient are derived from the CALIPSO (Cloud-Aerosol Lidar and Infrared Pathfinder Satellite Observations) lidar measurements. The CERES (Cloud and the Earth's Energy Budget Scanner) measurements of reflected solar radiation are used to constrain the dust aerosol type in the radiative transfer model, which determines the dust aerosol single-scattering albedo and asymmetry factor as well as the aerosol optical properties' spectral dependencies. We find that the dust aerosols have a significant impact on the radiative energy budget over the Taklimakan desert. In the atmospheres containing light, moderate and heavy dust layers, the dust aerosols heat the atmosphere (daily mean) by up to 1, 2, and 3 K day−1, respectively. The maximum daily mean radiative heating rate reaches 5.5 K day−1 at 5 km on 29 July. The averaged daily mean net radiative effect of the dust are 44.4, −41.9, and 86.3 W m−2, respectively, at the top of the atmosphere (TOA), surface, and in the atmosphere. Among these effects about two thirds of the warming effect at the TOA is related to the longwave radiation, while about 90% of the atmospheric warming is contributed by the solar radiation. At the surface, about one third of the dust solar radiative cooling effect is compensated by its longwave warming effect. The large modifications of radiative energy budget by the dust aerosols over Taklimakan Desert should have important implications for the atmospheric circulation and regional climate, topics for future investigations.


Openness in peer review is no longer a terra incognita. However, there remains a need for further experimentation and careful evaluation of its advantages and disadvantages in practice. OpenAIRE, the European digital infrastructure for Open Scholarship, offers a unique environment for such experiments. This paper describes the design and early results of three such experiments, which are currently under development in close collaboration with selected publishing and repository communities.


The stability and growth of the international trade regime is threatened by the emergence and proliferation of anti-offshoring measures by governments worldwide. The business practice of offshoring transfers domestic production of goods and services abroad as a means of achieving optimal use of a firm's resources and capitalizing on comparative advantage. While companies have relocated manufacturing activities for centuries, the emergence and growth of services offshoring in recent decades has not only contributed significantly to greater global economic growth and prosperity, but also ignited a fluctuating frenzy of protectionist fears and measures at national and sub-national levels against offshoring that continues to the present day. Such a backlash is based on concerns that offshoring results in domestic job losses, wage reduction and inequality, and disruption of business innovation and productivity. This motivates examination of the legitimacy of these perceptions and the legality of governmental actions in the offshoring arena, as such measures undercut and potentially violate the commitments made by nations to the World Trade Organization and various other trade agreements. In the United States, the majority of state governments have proposed anti-offshoring bills, several of which have been enacted. The US Constitution empowers the federal government with exclusive authority over the areas of interstate commerce, foreign affairs and foreign trade. All these constitutional principles are arguably violated when state governments enact anti-offshoring legislation. The US experience is not singular, as similar policies are being considered and/or implemented in other nations or nation-groups. In particular, the European Union (EU) and a host of other countries have adopted discriminatory measures relating to personal data protection that place foreign service suppliers at a disadvantage compared to their domestic counterparts. These countries and the EU are strong proponents of free trade and have signed onto a variety of trade agreements. Adherence to these commitments means accepting that free trade is a two-way street, and comes with benefits and constraints. Furthermore, countries must look beyond restrictive approaches to embrace a combination of pro-business policies that promote labor market flexibility and investment as well as employment security initiatives around worker retraining and mobility to resolve the short-term distributional effects of globalization. These issues are analyzed with respect to the current situation.


Aligning between design and marketing is important to match new product development to market opportunities. However, challenges to achieve a cross-functional alignment have been little discussed. In this paper we go beyond corporate culture to collect and analyze designers" comments regarding collaboration. First, we briefly describe the gaps between design and marketing theoretically. Secondly, we crowdsourced the comments from the social network platform, LinkedIn, that design practitioners face when they work with marketers. Our collected comments confirmed (1) ongoing and (2) fixed hurdles they face and provided us with insights into how to help them collaborate with marketers. We discuss our findings to specify their contributions and implications toward new product development.


Empirical mode decomposition (EMD) has been used across a variety of different fields such as biology and plasma physics. This paper presents the application of EMD to time series of security incidents from Afghanistan. This methodology enables separation of different modes intrinsic to the data, thus enabling better understanding of various overlying trends when compared to more conventional methodologies, and it provides a venue for the in-depth analysis of multi-scale dynamical properties of the data. In particular, the approach does not require a priori assumptions about time dependence of various data sub-components, such as periodicity of variations, thus providing a superior approach to conventional methods of analyzing violence data such as seasonal decomposition not only for the analysis of stochastic and fractal properties of the data, but even for a more conventional analysis of violence trends in direct support of military operations.


With the widespread adoption of smartphones, mobile applications have gained mainstream popularity. However, the potential privacy and security risks associated with using mobile apps are quite high, as smartphones become increasingly integrated with our lives, being able to access our email, social networking accounts, financial information, personal photos, and even our cars and homes. To address this problem, we introduce AppScanner, an automated cloud-based service based on crowdsourcing and traditional security approaches to analyze mobile applications. Considering the large and growing number of mobile applications, our envisioned service builds on crowdsourcing, virtualization, and automation to enable large-scale analysis of apps. AppScanner provides end-users with more understandable information regarding what mobile apps are really doing on their devices. This paper offers an overview of our vision for building AppScanner, as well as work to date in specific components, including automated traversal and monitoring of mobile applications, and interactive visual presentation of app traversal results. Armed with transparent and descriptive information regarding app behavior, users can make better decisions when installing and running apps.


The research contained in the present article aims to shed some light on the life and legal career of Sir Jacobus Petrus de Wet. He was South Africa's first judicial export. Over the years, many aspects of the legal career of JP de Wet had become shrouded in the mist of history. The present article is an attempt to answer at least some of the more obvious questions which come to mind when studying the few cursory biographical notes which have been published about his life and legal career. The following are addressed: How did it happen that he was appointed out of the blue and over the head of Sir JG Kotze, as the Chief Justice of the Transvaal in May 1880? Why was he offered the Chief Justiceship of Ceylon in 1882? And why did he disappear from the judicial scene after he had left Ceylon at the relatively young age of forty four?


The identification of spatial rainfall pattern is an essential task for hydrologists, climatologists as well as regional and local planners and managers. This is due to the variability of both the temporal spatial distribution of rainfall. In this study, a hierarchical and divisive cluster analysis was used to categorize these patterns of rainfall in Iran. According to results obtained, there are eight main spatial groups of annual rainfall over Iran. These groups can be classified into 3 main seasonal rainfall regimes namely, winter, winter-spring and fall regimes. The results also show that the elevation and sea neighborhood affect rainfall pattern of Iran. Moreover, a comparison between the Ward and average methods of hierarchical cluster analysis indicates that the Ward method performs the spatial pattern better.


We describe eight data sets that together formed the CauseEffectPairs task in the Causality Challenge #2: Pot-Luck competition. Each set consists of a sample of a pair of statistically dependent random variables. One variable is known to cause the other one, but this information was hidden from the participants; the task was to identify which of the two variables was the cause and which one the effect, based upon the observed sample. The data sets were chosen such that we expect common agreement on the ground truth. Even though part of the statistical dependences may also be due to hidden common causes, common sense tells us that there is a significant cause-effect relation between the two variables in each pair. We also present baseline results using three different causal inference methods.


Neoproterozoic deglacial stratigraphy is commonly characterized by a sharp contact separating glacial sediments from laminated capping carbonates. This stratigraphic relation is generally assumed to have time significance and to reflect an abrupt shift from icehouse to greenhouse conditions. In contrast to this, sequence stratigraphic field studies of an Ediacaran (ca. 635 Ma) glacial to postglacial transition in the Amadeus Basin of central Australia reveal a complex deglacial stratigraphy, in which more than 175 m of conglomerate, sandstone, marl, and carbonate at the basin margin, and portions of four unconformity-bounded sequences, pass basinward into no more than 3 m of laminated dolomicrite of typical cap carbonate facies. The unconformities, which are characterized by as much as several tens of meters of erosional relief (oblique sections of incised valleys), separate intervals of contrasting sediment provenance, and are confidently mapped on the basis of both criteria. Comparable unconformities are absent in the overlying Neoproterozoic succession, which is >2 km thick and encompasses many tens of millions of years. The Amadeus Basin cap carbonate was thus deposited during a protracted interval of multiphase (cyclical) transgression more similar to Phanerozoic cyclical sea-level rise than to the single catastrophic deglaciation and instantaneous precipitation invoked by popular current models to explain the classic cap carbonate. The superposition of carbonate on glacial facies in distal sections evidently records condensation in the absence of siliciclastic sediment rather than abrupt shifts between glacial and tropical conditions. Facies lithologically similar to cap carbonates may be less obvious in Phanerozoic successions because of a secular change in carbonate composition to reefal and deep-sea pelagic deposits.


Abstract The predominant focus within Industrial Ecology research and industrial practice has almost exclusively been on the industrialised North. This paper first seeks explanations for this. Then, an analytical framework for conditions influencing industrial-ecological innovation capacity in countries in the South is presented and discussed. Next, several developments are pointed to that may possibly lead away from the Northern bias within industrial-ecological research and practice. This is followed by arguments for why industrial-ecological principles may advantageously be employed in the South to a larger extent than what is currently the case, and how this may contribute to the further development of industrial ecology as a discipline. Finally, future research challenges within this subfield of industrial ecology will be discussed. 1. Introduction Research and industrial practice within industrial ecology today still focuses much more on the industrialised North than the developing South (1, 2). It is also far more concerned with our responsibility towards future generations than of today's problems of global distributive justice. This article will first attempt to explain why this is so. Then, a number of developments will be pointed to that may further increase the focus on the South within industrial-ecological research and practice. This is followed by arguments for why industrial-ecological principles may advantageously be employed in the South to a larger extent than now, and how this can contribute to the further development of industrial ecology as a discipline. Finally, future research challenges within the field of industrial ecology in a North-South perspective will be discussed. The article thus points to the fact that it is still a considerable distance between the potential for a holistic approach to environmental problems embodied in industrial-ecological principles, and industrial ecological research and practice today. However, this should be regarded as a challenge to the discipline of industrial ecology, rather than a capitulation to an impossible task (3). Indeed, there is evidence that the discipline is already taking the challenge seriously (see Ch. 2 below). 2. Industrial ecology and the countries in the South There is still disagreement both among researchers and industry representatives about what principles and practices are actually included in industrial ecology. While most researchers and practitioners would agree that the unit of analysis is material and energy flows, views differ widely as to (den Hond 2000): 1) whether industrial ecology should restrict itself to describing these material and energy flows, or engage in analysing the systems for managing them, or even suggest improvements to these systems; and 2) what the system boundaries should be (regardless of whether a limited or extensive approach is chosen under point 1). Because industrial ecology is a new concept, the discipline is so far a collection of very different terms and strategies with different scope, rather than a clearly defined and unitary theory specifying clear strategies for its industrial implementation (O'Rourke et al. 1996). It is possible to carve out a set of fundamental characteristics of industrial ecology (see below). However, this does not prevent different actors from claiming that everything from incremental improvements in existing (environmentally harmful) products in a limited geographic area, to radical change in the global industrial system in an environmentally friendly direction, fall within industrial ecology. This article rests on a broad interpretation of industrial ecology, which includes both physical, biological, chemical, organisational and institutional aspects of material and energy flows, as well as the flows' transboundary character. Focusing only on material and energy flows within a strictly defined and limited ecosystem is very useful; however, such an approach needs to be accompanied by studies acknowledging the global character of many material and energy flows, and the distributive aspects of these. …


Phoradendron, the largest mistletoe genus in the New World, extends from temperate North America to temperate South America. Most species are parasitic on terrestrial hosts, but a few occur only, or primarily, on other species of Phoradendron. We examined relationships among two obligate epiparasites, P. durangense and P. falcatum, and their parasitic hosts. Fruit and seed of both epiparasites were small compared to those of their parasitic hosts. Seed of epiparasites was established on parasitic-host stems, leaves, and inflorescences. Shoots developed from the plumular region or from buds on the holdfast or subjacent tissue. The developing endophytic system initially consisted of multiple separate strands that widened, merged, and often entirely displaced its parasitic host from the cambial cylinder. During establishment the epiparasite invaded the cortex, vascular cylinder, and pith of its parasitic host and spread aggressively within host tissues, extending between and into individual host parenchyma cells, eventually isolating host cells or cell groups. The parasitic host showed little visual response to the epiparasite. Endophytic system growth of the epiparasite within its parasitic host was compared to that of a parasitic Phoradendron within its terrestrial host. The results indicate growth dynamics similar to those of parasitic species on terrestrial hosts. We conclude that the epiparasite/parasitic-host union should not be regarded as a graft union. The harmonious appearance of the union is a result of the growth of the epiparasite replacing entirely tissues of its parasitic host, with little or no hypertrophy of parasitic-host branches.


Analysis of VEGF signaling identifies potential therapeutic strategies for treating pathological angiogenesis. This Podcast features an interview with Guanglei Zhuang and Napoleone Ferrara, authors of a Research Article that appears in the 16 April 2013 issue of Science Signaling. Zhuang and Ferrara discuss results from their analysis of the temporal dynamics of protein phosphorylation events downstream of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) receptor activation. VEGFs are secreted growth factors that promote angiogenesis, and they promote growth of blood vessels during normal development, in wound healing, and into tissues that are deprived of oxygen. VEGF-mediated vascularization of tumors is implicated in cancer growth and progression, and VEGFs play a role in pathologies that are characterized by the abnormal growth of blood vessels, such as diabetic retinopathy and age-related macular degeneration. Drugs that inhibit VEGF or block the activity of signaling proteins downstream of VEGF receptors are used clinically to block VEGF activity in the context of pathologic vascularization. Thus, understanding the intricacies of VEGF signaling is important for devising new ways to treat VEGF-dependent vascular pathologies.


During urbanization the natural landscape is altered by removal of indigenous vegetation, stripping of topsoil, modification of the soil profile, importation of fill material, compaction of soil layers, and the introduction of impervious surfaces. These actions alter the hydrologic response at the regional and catchment scales, decreasing travel time of overland flow, infiltration, soil water content, and groundwater recharge, and increasing surface runoff volumes, discharge rates, and pollutant loadings. Thesearedirectandquantifiable impacts to the hydrologic cycle manifested at and below the land surface, but there are other impacts not as well understood or quantifiable that occur through the land surface-atmosphere interface. One such impact is the influence of urban development on mesoscale circulations and resulting convection. Hypothesized mechanisms for urban enhancement of convective rainfall include enhanced convergence caused by the urban heat island, drag effects of the built-up surface, and modified microphysical and dynamical processes caused by the introduction of water and cloud condensation nuclei from automobiles and industry. Decades of accumulated observational and modeling evidence has shown that major cities may indeed be influencing convective activity causing modified precipitation patterns. This chapter seeks to corroborate these findings by summarizing evidence that the urbanization of a major coastal city in the United States has resulted in modified rainstorm characteristics within the urbanized area and in the seasonally variant downwind urban-affected


A crucial technique for scaling kernel methods to very large data sets reaching or exceeding millions of instances is based on low-rank approximation of kernel matrices. We introduce a new family of algorithms based on mixtures of Nystrom approximations, ensemble Nystrom algorithms, that yield more accurate low-rank approximations than the standard Nystrom method. We give a detailed study of variants of these algorithms based on simple averaging, an exponential weight method, or regression-based methods. We also present a theoretical analysis of these algorithms, including novel error bounds guaranteeing a better convergence rate than the standard Nystrom method. Finally, we report results of extensive experiments with several data sets containing up to 1M points demonstrating the significant improvement over the standard Nystrom approximation.


Abstract Raman spectroscopy and its variants allow for the investigation of a wide range of biological and biomedical samples, i. e. tissue sections, single cells and small molecules. The obtained information is on a molecular level. By making use of databases and chemometrical approaches, the chemical composition of complex samples can also be defined. The measurement procedure is straight forward, however most often sample preparation protocols must be implemented. While pure samples, such as high purity powders or highly concentrated chemicals in aqueous solutions, can be directly measured without any prior sample purification step, samples of biological origin, such as tissue sections, pathogens in suspension or biofluids, food and beverages often require pre-processing steps prior to Raman measurements. In this book chapter, different strategies for handling and processing various sample matrices for a subsequent Raman microspectroscopic analysis were introduced illustrating the high potential of this promising technique for life science and medical applications. The presented methods range from standalone techniques, such as filtration, centrifugation or immunocapture to innovative platform approaches which will be exemplary addressed. Therefore, the reader will be introduced to methods that will simplify the complexity of the matrix in which the targeted molecular species are present allowing direct Raman measurements with bench top or portable setups.


K.J. Riggs, P. Mitchell, Making Judgements About Mental States: Processes and Inferences. R.P. Hobson, The Grounding of Symbols: A Social Developmental Account. R.W. Mitchell, A Proposal for the Development of Mental Vocabulary, with Special Reference to Pretence and False Belief. P.L. Harris, H.L. Leevers, Reasoning from False Premises. K.J. Riggs, D.M. Peterson, Counterfactual Thinking in Pre-School Children: Mental State and Causal Inferences. E.J. Robinson, S. Beck, What is Difficult About Counterfactual Reasoning? E. Amsel, J. D. Smalley, Beyond Really and Truly: Children's Counterfactual Thinking About Pretend and Possible Worlds. D. Frye, Theory of Mind, Domain Specificity and Reasoning. P.D. Zelazo, Self-reflection and the Development of Consciously Controlled Processing. J.G. de Villiers, P.A. de Villiers, Linguistic Determinism and the Understanding of False Beliefs. T.P. German, A.M. Leslie, Attending to and Learning About Mental States. H. Wimmer, A. Gschaider, Children's Understanding of Belief: Why is it Important to Understand What Happened? W.V. Fabricius, A. Imbens-Bailey, False Beliefs About False Beliefs. P. Mitchell, H. Kikuno, Belief as Construction: Inference and Processing Bias. D. Kuhn, Theory of Mind, Metacognition and Reasoning: A Lifelong Perspective. E. Subbotsky, Causal Reasoning and Behaviour in Children and Adults in a Technologically Advanced Society: Are We Still Prepared to Believe in Magic and Animism? N.H. Freeman, Communication and Representation: Why Mentalistic Reasoning is a Lifelong Endeavour. J. Perner, Commentary.


National borders reduce trade, but most estimates of the border effect seem puzzlingly large. We show that major methodological innovations of the last decade combine to shrink the border effect to a one-third reduction in international trade flows worldwide. For the computation we collect 1,271 estimates of the border effect reported in 61 studies, codify 32 aspects of study design that may influence the estimates, and use Bayesian model averaging to take into account model uncertainty in meta-analysis. Our results suggest that methods systematically affect the estimated border effects. Especially important is the level of aggregation, measurement of internal and external distance, control for multilateral resistance, and treatment of zero trade flows. We also find that the magnitude of the border effect is associated with country characteristics, such as size and income.


Every language contains idiomatic expressions. In spite of their widespread occurrence, their linguistic properties have so far not been deeply and systematically investigated. The aim of this project is to increase our understanding of 'the language of idioms' by focusing on their behavior in syntax. Therefore, the main research question is: What is the syntax of idioms? This question can be naturally divided into two sub-questions, which correspond to two subprojects: (i) What is the internal syntax of idioms, i.e. what characterizes their internal organization and makeup?; (ii) what is the external syntax of idioms, i.e. how does material contained within the idiom interact with material that is not part of the idiom? Subproject 1 aims to show that idioms, in spite of their superficially 'special' appearance, are built up by the very same syntactic and morphological structure building mechanisms that are responsible for non-idiomatic expressions. Subproject 2 aims to show that idiomatic expressions are essentially opaque domains, but that dependencies with idiom-external material is possible under certain narrowly defined circumstances. The empirical basis for our investigation into the syntax of idioms will consist of idioms from non-standard varieties of Dutch. On the basis of dialect grammars and dictionaries, and also on the basis of additional fieldwork, an electronic database will be developed which will serve as a tool for our systematic investigation into the syntax of idioms.


This pilot study was designed to determine if the interval between repeated botulinum toxin injections influenced physiologic and histologic effects on laryngeal muscles in a rat model. The physiologic measurements included digitized videomicroscopic recording of vocal fold movement and electromyography. The histologic measurements included muscle fiber size and digitized optical density of laryngeal muscles after glycogen depletion by electrical stimulation. The results demonstrated that the effect of timing of the second injection was strongly correlated to laryngeal changes. Most notable were results in the subjects that underwent injections 6 weeks apart. We hypothesize that these findings might be related to terminal axonal sprouting with reinnervation. The results from this study help confirm and expand the validity of using the rat laryngeal model to understand the effect of botulinum toxin. Moreover, we believe that the data might be extrapolated to prove useful in predicting human responses to botulinum toxin treatment for functional dystonias such as spasmodic dysphonia.


Ranked the third biggest cyber security threats of 2013 by Forbes, Internal Identity Theft-Related Crimes (IIDTRC) leave countless victims in their wake, including online retail companies and consumers. With the rapid growth in the use of credit and debit cards in e-commerce, the online retail has been a key target for the IIDTRC perpetrators. IIDTRC involve the misuse of information systems (IS) by the dishonest employees to steal victims' personal identifiable data. The crimes pose significant socio-economic impact and data security risks. In the context of online retail, relatively little research has been done to prevent IIDTRC. A few studies focus on situational-based IIDTRC prevention approach built on an independent use of software security. Others develop IIDTRC prevention frameworks in the context of generic e-businesses. The majority of the frameworks have little or no grounded empirical research. This research entitled the 'The Prevention of Internal Identity Theft-Related Crimes: A Case Study Research of the UK Online Retail Companies', attempts to bridge this research gap. It provides answers to two questions – what is the nature of IIDTRC in online retail companies and what framework can be used for IIDTRC prevention.

This research set out three aims to answer the two questions. First, it provides understanding of causes, methods of carrying out and prevention of IIDTRC. Second, it extends a role-based framework (RBF) for the prevention of IIDTRC. Third, it evaluates the extent the RBF can be applied in the prevention of IIDTRC in online retail companies. A qualitative case study was used to achieve these aims. The empirical data were collected in the northwest of UK from 2011 to 2013. The field study was carried through archival analysis, semi-structured interview and participant observation. Organisational role theory (ORT) was used to guide the concept of a role-based framework (RBF) – a collaborative approach where the key components of management work in unison is required to prevent IIDTRC. The attributes of RBF were synthesised from the recommended IIDTRC prevention practices. The empirical evidence suggests that IIDTRC perpetrators in online retail companies are likely to be the top management and call centre employees. The findings suggest that online retail consumers' credits/debits cards details are as much vulnerable to IIDTRC as the companies' identities such as trade secrets and trademarks. Furthermore, the common methods used by the IIDTRC perpetrators include collaboration, collusion, infiltration and social engineering.
Some of the IIDTRC prevention practices, of which the majority is software security, are implemented without considering the contribution of human-centred security based on management roles. In examining the contribution of the management roles in implementing Information Systems security practices, major challenges that are faced by online retail companies were identified. They include lack of resources, lack of management support and lack of IIDTRC prevention awareness training.

This research concludes that an application of RBF can reduce the impact of the identified challenges. This was suggested by applying RBF in conducting IS security auditing in three online retail companies. The finding from the selected companies suggests that the RBF approach can maximise management performance in providing effective IIDTRC prevention practices. It provides better returns on cost, quality and time in the IS security auditing. It has an impact on management attitudes on preventing IIDTRC by clarifying and aligning their roles in implementing effective IS security auditing. There is heterogeneity of this effect across the companies suggesting that some are utilising the RBF approach while others are not. The finding confirms the plausibility of the RBF attributes. It suggests that the human-centred security play an integral role for effective internal data security in preventing IIDTRC. It suggests that it pays to use the collaborative management roles approach for implementing IIDTRC prevention practices. Furthermore, the use of the RBF approach can improve the effectiveness of the online retail companies in preventing IIDTRC.

The findings suggest that benefits may accrue from the RBF approach when supplemented with a collaborative IS auditing. The benefits depend on the level of management IT skills, their perception of their roles, top management support and the organisational operations. This research contributes to the literature in identity theft prevention in online retail. To IS security practitioners, it identifies the data security challenges and IIDTRC prevention practices. To theory, it extends a role-based framework for IIDTRC prevention. To the emerging research in the digital economy, it puts forward as a robust starting point for further related works in cyber security, cybercrimes prevention and criminology.


Purpose
The purpose of this study is to understand the information security behaviour of the students of the University of Dhaka, Bangladesh in the use of smartphones. Bangladesh is well-known as one of the largest and fastest growing mobile phone market of the world, and the University of Dhaka is also the largest student's assembly in the country in terms of using smartphones. Besides, the rising use of smartphones is also likely to be typical of other sub-continent countries.

Design/methodology/approach
To gain an understanding of the information security behaviours of the students of University of Dhaka, Bangladesh, a quantitative survey method was deployed in revealing the approaches of the students towards avoidance of various security risks. A total of 356 students participated in the study, although eight of the participants did not carry out the full survey because they do not use smartphones. The collected data were analysed with suitable statistical methods.

Findings
The findings of the study reveal that students of University of Dhaka possess a moderately secure behaviour in terms of avoiding harmful behaviours, using useful phone settings and add-on utilities and disaster recovery. This study also shows that the students do not behave securely in all aspects of using different security features in the same way, and it also varies somewhat according to gender, and between faculties and institutions. The university library is recommended as the focus for instruction and guidance on the best practice in smartphone use by students.

Research limitations/implications
The study does not include any other universities of Bangladesh except University of Dhaka due to the shortage of time. A further study can be conducted to gain an understanding in a greater extent by including students of the other universities and perhaps also other countries.

Originality/value
This is the first paper in Bangladesh related to the study of information security behaviour regarding the use of smartphone among the student of University of Dhaka. This study will help to raise information security awareness among the students and encourage the authorities to adopt appropriate strategies and policies to resolve information security risks in the use of smartphones. Specially, the university library can take some initiatives in this case, such as providing advice, seminars, workshops and lectures to make the students aware about security issues.


This note argues that the European Central Bank should adjust its strategy in order to consider broader measures of inflation in its policy deliberations and communications. In particular, it points out that a broad measure of domestic goods and services price inflation such as the GDP deflator has increased along with the euro area recovery and the expansion of monetary policy since 2013, while HICP inflation has become more variable and, on average, has declined. Similarly, the cost of owner-occupied housing, which is excluded from the HICP, has risen during this period. Furthermore, it shows that optimal monetary policy at the effective lower bound on nominal interest rates aims to return inflation more slowly to the inflation target from below than in normal times because of uncertainty about the effects and potential side effects of quantitative easing.


The institutional repositories at the University of Glasgow which began as part of the DAEDALUS project have developed into an integral part of Glasgow University Library's services. Using both EPrints.org and DSpace, they provide access to, and permit management of, the University's academic digital assets. This evaluation analyses and comments on the metadata workflows of these services, their support for metadata quality, and how changes in purpose, which have accompanied their transition from project to service, have influenced the repositories. This evaluation will be of benefit not only to DAEDALUS but also to other institutional repositories facing the transition from project development to operational service. The metadata workflows supporting the management and retrieval of ePrints offer a number of paths for metadata creation - each of which has seen shifts in their relative importance as the purpose of the repository has evolved and become clear. The management and retrieval of other academic content in the DSpace service is entirely mediated by repository staff and follows a basic workflow. The quality of metadata in both services has been maintained through staff training and the ongoing involvement of professional cataloguers. The strengths of both repository services lie in their clarity of purpose, utilisation of appropriate software to support those purposes and their successful integration into Glasgow's institutional context. Although they also present a significant opportunity, the new challenges faced by the repository services arise from the emerging involvement of non-specialists in the creation of records and their potential involvement in the administration of sections of the DSpace repository. To address these challenges, the repository services will have to maintain their clarity of purpose, monitor metadata quality, capitalise on opportunities for efficiency, and continue to significantly engage in advocacy and user training.


As the English teacher in the classroom, there will be some problems or conditions need to be accomplished. Teacher will see some of the students are very motivated, motivated or even feeling ignored in studying English. The learners who have contacted with English will find that some features are quite easy and extremely difficult. One of the more complicated problems of second or foreign languages learning and  teaching has been to define and apply the construct of motivation in the classroom. Motivation is a concept without physical reality, we cannot see motivation; we see effort, interest, attitude and desire. For speaking, it is important first to give competence and then performance. Competence is more likely to the extent a communicator is motivated to be so. Motivation is the extent to which a communicator is drawn towards or pushed away from communicating competently in a given context then performed. This is a descriptive  quantitative research. The data obtained from the questionnaire distributed and analyzed to get the result.  The date taken from the students of Muhammadiyah 1 Senior High School Gresik in Easy-Speaking course. The researcher wanted to know the students' motivation in practicing speaking English in Easy-Speaking course. The results show that 1) the learners effort in practicing speaking English is 56.1 %. 2) The learners' interest in practicing speaking English is 49.7 %. 3) The learners' attitude towards practicing speaking English is 59.9 %. 4) The learners' desire in practicing speaking English is 71.43 %. Then, some suggestions are made: 1) Using media is very important both to increase the learners' motivation and to give a big opportunity to learners to explore their idea. 2) Giving more variations techniques in teaching and learning process in order do not monotonous. 3) Giving prizes, encouraging and giving extra points for learners who can express their idea by speaking English well. 4) Creating favorable atmosphere in the classroom.


Last month I referred to knowledge as being built on perception, on what we have seen, heard, read, experienced or learned after experimentation. The Marcus Aurelius quote, "Everything we hear is an opinion, not a fact. Everything we see is a perspective, not the truth", highlights the fact that it is even more so for what we perceive as the truth. Many authors have referred to the Talmudic words, "We do not see things as they are. We see things as we are" and according to Oscar Wilde "The truth is rarely pure and never simple". From the Bible we learn that "The truth will set you free" and various authors have subsequently also reminded us that before this happens, it could hurt, make you angry, and require deep introspection and acceptance. With this as background, we have to accept that there will be 'different versions of the truth', shaping it for the benefit of the profession would be the way forward.