Mortgages are long-term nominal loans. Under incomplete asset markets, monetary policy is shown to affect housing investment and the economy through the cost of new mortgage borrowing and the value of payments on outstanding debt. These channels, distinct from traditional transmission of monetary policy, are evaluated within a general equilibrium model. Persistent monetary policy shocks, resembling the level factor in the nominal yield curve, have larger effects than transitory shocks, manifesting themselves as long-short spread. The transmission is stronger under adjustablethan fixed-rate mortgages. Higher, persistent, inflation benefits homeowners under FRMs, but hurts them under ARMs. JEL Classification Codes: E32, E52, G21, R21.


SUMMARY China currently faces severe environmental challenges, and information regarding the predictors of pro-environmental behaviour in China is needed to manage them. This study addresses this need by modelling the sociodemographic and attitudinal factors predicting pro-environmental behaviour in urban China. Pro-environmental behaviour was modelled as a function of environmental attitude (measured using the new environmental paradigm) and various sociodemographic characteristics. Respondents who were employed, holding leadership positions, living in larger cities and single were more likely to participate in pro-environmental behaviour. These results accord with previous studies suggesting being female, younger, highly educated and having environmentally oriented attitudes increased the odds of participating in pro-environmental behaviour. The rapid urbanization and economic development in China may significantly impact pro-environmental behaviour in the future.


Aims Extended spectrum β lactamase (ESBL) are regarded as new β lactamases. They are able to hydrolyse the oxyimino group, conferring resistance to most β lactam antibiotics. There is no child or neonate specific data for ESBL infection are published for the UK. Although ESBL infection in the neonatal population can cause significant mortality and morbidity, there is lack of consensus regarding its management and the efficacy of routine ESBL screening for all infants in neonatal units. We conducted a national survey to characterise the prevalence of neonatal ESBL infection and it's management strategy in different units. Methods A cross-sectional survey was performed across the neonatal units of England and Wales requesting data from 198 neonatal units during two rounds in January 2010 and July 2010. We asked questions regarding the occurrence of ESBL infection or colonisation and unit specific management, including screening. Results Questionnaires were returned by 133 units (67%). 35 units reported ESBL positive results within the 2 years prior to the survey, giving a prevalence of 26%. ESBL producing E Coli and Klebsiella were isolated from most units with positive results. Of these, 16 units reported positive surface swabs or faeces and 19 units had invasive ESBL infections (positive results from blood, urine or respiratory secretions). Of the 35 units with positive results, 15 units were level 3 units, 15 were level 2 units and 5 units were level 1 unit. There were 10 units (four level 2 and six level 3 units) which declared ESBL outbreaks, with 11% of units (who returned the questionnaire) routinely screening all babies in their units for ESBL organisms in faeces or surface swabs. Interestingly, nine units (26%) do not isolate babies with positive ESBL results. Most units use meropenem (with or without an aminoglycoside), although two units use cefotaxime for treatment. Conclusion ESBL infection in the neonatal population is high in England and Wales. Close monitoring of the spread of resistance in these organisms and a consensus guideline regarding management may help to reduce the prevalence of these infections.


This paper examines an extreme wave event which occurred during a storm at the Wave Hub site in 2012. The extreme wave of 9.57 m height was identified from a time series of the heave data collected by an Oceanor Seawatch Mini II Buoy deployed at the site. An energy density spectrum was derived from this time series and then used to drive a physical model, which represents the extreme wave at 1:20 scale in Plymouth University's new COAST Lab. The NewWave technique was used to define the input to the physical model. The experiment is reproduced in a numerical wave tank using the fully nonlinear CFD library OpenFOAM® and the wave generation toolbox waves2Foam. Results are evaluated, and issues regarding the predictions of a numerical model that is driven by the NewWave input signal are discussed. This study sets the basis for further research in coupling field data, physical modelling and numerical modelling in a more efficient and balanced way. This will lead to the new approach of composite modelling that will be implemented in future work.


This is a critical study of Lawrence's novel, discussing the book's genesis, Lawrence's life up to 1913, the novel as a product of its place and time, with psychoanalytical interpretations and a discussion of the importance of gender and sexuality. Brian Finney also considers the novel as a literary text - the narrative in perspective, thematic form, characterization, symbolic motifs and style. The author's numerous publications include "The Inner Eye: British Literary Autobiography of the Twentieth Century" and he edited Lawrence's "St Maur and Other Stories" and "Selected Short Stories".


Real Time Video Compression using DVQ and Suffix Trees Pavan Kumar Vedantam Video processing is a wide and varied subject area. Video compression is an important but difficult problem in video processing. Several methods and standards exist which address this problem with varying degrees of success depending on the performance measures adopted. The present research work focuses on the realtime aspect of video processing. In particular we propose a realtime video compression algorithm based on the concept of differential vector quantization and the suffix tree. Differential vector quantization is a relatively new area that focuses on efficient compression of data. The present work integrates the compression provided by Differential vector Quantization and the speed achieved by using the suffix tree data structure to develop a new real-time video compression scheme. Traditionally Suffix trees are used for string searching. In the present work, we exploit the unique structure of the suffix tree to represent image data on a tree as a DVQ dictionary. To support the special characteristics of natural images and video, the traditional suffix tree is extended to handle k-errors in the matching. The result is an orders of magnitude speedup in the matching process, making it possible to compress the video in real-time, without any special hardware. Experimental results show the performance of the proposed methodology


Although interest towards the business-to-business (B2B) brand and its equity has
increased over the last ten years (Klarmann & Fleischmann, 2014), the elements that have
been identified and the models that have been developed appear rather disconnected
(Leek & Christodoulides, 2011). One possible reason is that the theory that has been
developed is rarely rooted in the B2B context (Keranen, Piirainen, & Salminen, 2012).
This leaves a high potential to uncover further elements, their interrelations and
underlying patterns by exploration (Keranen et al., 2012). The accomplished multiple
case study follows an embedded and a holistic approach (Yin, 2009) by studying the
similarities and differences of the cases and the subunits. The four cases represent one
larger organisation and three smaller organisations. Three of these organisations purchase
standard goods and one organisation purchases highly customised components. Using an
adapted critical incident technique, the author accomplished two semi-structured
interviews with 18 participants. The elaborated framework and the developed model offer
a dynamic view of customer-based brand equity, consider the multifaceted nature of the
industrial B2B context and take the multi-headed nature of the buying centre into account.
Moreover, the findings have uncovered the buying centre's general valued factors. The
results show further that the characteristics of the assets vary depending on the business
context and the business functions' range of tasks. The fulfilment of the business
functions' task-based value factors appears to offer the possibility to address the selfimage.
Furthermore, I propose to determine customer-based brand equity by the three
main comprehensive brand assets: the brand's knowledge, the capability and the attitude
(see Figure 23). These assets and their detailed characteristics are valued throughout the
business relationship (see Figure 24). A business relationship consists of a pre-contact,
evaluation, clarification, survey, foreplay, delivery, proof of credit and a relationship
phase. The influence on the brand's image appears to be particularly strong during the
evaluation and clarification phases. The capability and knowledge factors are found to be
most influential during the beginning of the relationship and the attitudinal factors during
the later phases. The value of an intensive relationship appears to depend on the potential
for joint-work optimisation, the contribution towards the customer's stated added value
and the degree of interactivity. Moreover, the relationship begins with the perception—
achieved through one-way communication—of the brand as a team. Only later does the
business relationship become increasingly interactive and the perception develops
towards a focus on the team members. Apart from the sales force, the engineers are found
to be one of the most influential team members that contribute to the brand image.


Health care systems in countries around the world are focused on improving the health of their populations. Many countries face common challenges related to capturing, structuring, sharing and acting upon various sources of information in service of this goal. Information science, in combination with information and communications technologies (ICT) such as online communities and cloud-based services, can be used to address many of the challenges encountered when developing initiatives to improve population health. This presentation by RTI International will focus on the development of the Public Health Quality Improvement Exchange (www.phqix.org), where informatics and ICT have been used to develop new approaches to public health quality improvement; a challenge common to many nations. The presentation will also identify lessons learned from this effort and the implications for Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries. This presentation addresses two of Qatar's Cross-cutting Research Grand Challenges; "Managing the Transition to a Diversified, Knowledge-based Society," and "Developed modernized Integrated Health Management." The first grand challenged is addressed by our research on the use of social networks and their relationship to public health practice environments. The second is addressed through our research in the development of taxonomies that align with the expectations of public health practitioners to facilitate information sharing [1]. Health care systems aim to have the most effective practices for detecting, monitoring, and responding to communicable and chronic conditions. However, national systems may fail to identify and share lessons gained through the practices of local and regional health authorities. Challenges include having appropriate mechanisms for capturing, structuring, and sharing these lessons in uniform, cost-effective ways. The presentation will explore how a public health quality improvement exchange, where practitioners submit and share best practices through an online portal, help address these challenges. This work also demonstrates the advantages of a user-centered design process to create an online resource that can successfully accelerate learning and application of quality improvement (QI) by governmental public health agencies and their partners. Public health practitioners, at the federal, state, local and tribal levels, are actively seeking to promote the use of quality improvement to improve efficiency and effectiveness. The Public Health Quality Improvement Exchange (PHQIX) was developed to assist public health agencies and their partners in sharing their experiences with QI and to facilitate increased use of QI in public health practice. Successful online exchanges must provide compelling incentives for participation, site design that aligns with user expectations, information that is relevant to the online community and presentation that encourages use. Target audience members (beneficiaries) include public health practitioners, informatics professionals, and officials within health authorities. This discussion aims to help audience members understand how new approaches and Web-based technologies can create highly reliable and widely accessible services for critical public health capabilities including quality improvement and data sharing. 1. Pina, J., et al., Synonym-based Word Frequency Analysis to Support the Development and Presentation of a Public Health Quality Improvement Taxonomy in an Online Exchange. Stud Health Technol Inform, 2013. 192: p. 1128.


This article examines issues of mobility, taxation and provincial administration with regard to two eighteenth‐century Franco‐Belgian borderland provinces. The Franco‐Belgian region is one of the most important crossroads in Europe, contested by every major power in Western Europe between the fourteenth and twentieth centuries; "Belgium" remains internally contested as a nation‐state in the present day. During the eighteenth century, provincial governments on both sides of the border developed and maintained reciprocal accords that sought to mitigate tensions related to taxation, customs, mobility and justice. The emphasis on reciprocity, combined with the high level of provincial autonomy, diminished the impetus for national identity development and cross‐border conflict in a manner consistent with previous frontier analyses. These agreements began to falter after the mid‐eighteenth century, as their survival depended on the borderless, jurisdictional character of the frontier. Boundary treaties signed between France and Austria delimited the modern, linear boundary between the two countries, enforced territorial homogenization and reduced the interdependencies that had previously characterized the region. This study, with its emphasis on the importance of reciprocity, regional identity, and local societal institutions, offers a fresh understanding of the dynamics of borderland societies and identity formation and illustrates the importance of the pre‐French Revolutionary period to the evolution of modern international boundaries in Western Europe.


"Over budget, over time, over and over again" appears to be an appropriate slogan for large, complex infrastructure projects. This article explains why cost, benefits, and time forecasts for such projects are systematically over-optimistic in the planning phase. The underlying reasons for forecasting errors are grouped into three categories: delusions or honest mistakes; deceptions or strategic manipulation of information or processes; or bad luck. Delusion and deception have each been addressed in the management literature before, but here they are jointly considered for the first time. They are specifically applied to infrastructure problems in a manner that allows both academics and practitioners to understand and implement the suggested corrective procedures. The article provides a framework for analyzing the relative explanatory power of delusion and deception. It also suggests a simplified framework for analyzing the complex principal-agent relationships that are involved in the approval and construction of large infrastructure projects, which can be used to improve forecasts. Finally, the article illustrates reference class forecasting, an outside view de-biasing technique that has proven successful in overcoming both delusion and deception in private and public investment decisions.


Landscape-driven microclimates in mountainous terrain pose significant obstacles to predicting the response of organisms to atmospheric warming, but few if any studies have documented the extent of such finescale variation over large regions. This paper demonstrates that ground-level temperature regimes in Great Smoky Mountains National Park (Tennessee and North Carolina) vary considerably over fine spatial scales and are only partially linked to synoptic weather patterns and environmental lapse rates. A 120-sensor network deployed across two watersheds in 2005‐06 exhibited finescale (,1000-m extent) temperature differences of over 28C for daily minima and over 48C for daily maxima. Landscape controls over minimum temperatures were associated with finescale patterns of soil moisture content, and maximum temperatures were associated with finescale insolation differences caused by topographic exposure and vegetation cover. By linking the sensor array data to 10 regional weather stations and topographic variables describing site radiation load and moisture content, multilevel spatial models of 30-m resolution were constructed to map daily temperatures across the 2090-km 2 park, validated with an independent 50-sensor network. Maps reveal that different landscape positions do not maintain relative differences in temperature regimes across seasons. Near-stream locations are warmer in the winter and cooler in the summer, and sites of low elevation more closely track synoptic weather patterns than do wetter high-elevation sites. This study suggests a strong interplay between near-ground heat and water balances and indicates that the influence of past and future shifts in regional temperatures on the park's biota may be buffered by soil moisture surfeits from high regional rainfall.


Abstract The ascent of H2O- and H2O-CO2-bearing basaltic melts from the deeper to the shallower part of the Stromboli magmatic system and their vesiculation were simulated from decompression experiments. A well-studied "golden" pumice produced during an intermediate- to a large-scale paroxysm was used as starting material. Volatile-bearing glasses were synthesized at an oxygen fugacity fo2 ${f_{{{\rm{o}}_2}}}$ ranging from NNO-1.4 to +0.9, 1200 °C and 200 MPa. The resulting crystal- and bubble-free glasses were then isothermally (1200 °C) decompressed to final pressures Pf ranging between 200 and 25 MPa, at a linear ascent rate of 1.5 m/s (or 39 kPa/s) prior to be rapidly quenched. Textures of post-decompression glasses that were characterized by X-ray computed tomography result from different mechanisms of degassing that include bubble nucleation, growth, coalescence, and outgassing, as well as fragmentation. Homogeneous bubble nucleation occurs for supersaturation pressures (difference between saturation pressure and pressure at which bubbles start to form homogeneously, ΔPHoN) ≤ 50 MPa. In the CO2-free melts, homogeneous nucleation occurs as two distinct events, the first at high Pf (200–150 MPa) and the second at low Pf (50–25 MPa) near the fragmentation level. In contrast, in the CO2-bearing melts, multiple events of homogeneous bubble nucleation occur over a substantial Pf interval along the decompression path. Bubble coalescence occurs in both H2O- and H2O-CO2-bearing melts and is the more strongly marked between 100 and 50 MPa Pf. The CO2-free melts follow equilibrium degassing until 100 MPa Pf and are slightly supersaturated at 60 and 50 MPa Pf, thus providing the driving force for the second bubble nucleation event. In comparison, disequilibrium degassing occurs systematically in the CO2-bearing melts that retain high CO2 concentrations. Fragmentation was observed in some CO2-free charges decompressed to 25 MPa Pf and is intimately associated with the occurrence of the second bubble nucleation event. Textures of H2O-CO2-bearing glasses reproduce certain critical aspects of the Stromboli natural textures (bubble number densities, shapes, sizes, and distributions) and chemistries (residual volatile concentrations). Average bubble sizes, bubble size distribution (BSD), and bubble number density (BND) data are used together to estimate that the "golden" pumice magmas ascend from their source region in 43 to 128 min.


Independent component analysis (ICA) is an important unsupervised learning method. Most popular ICA methods use kurtosis as a metric of non-Gaussianity to maximize, such as FastICA and JADE. However, their assumption of kurtosic sources may not always be satisfied in practice. For weak-kurtosic but skewed sources, kurtosis-based methods could fail while skewness-based methods seem more promising, where skewness is another non-Gaussianity metric measuring the nonsymmetry of signals. Partly due to the common assumption of signal symmetry, skewness-based ICA has not been systematically studied in spite of some existing works. In this paper, we take a systematic approach to develop EcoICA, a new skewness-based ICA method for weak-kurtosic but skewed sources. Specifically, we design a new cumulant operator, define its eigenvalues and eigenvectors, reveal their connections with the ICA model to formulate the EcoICA problem, and use Jacobi method to solve it. Experiments on both synthetic and real data show the superior performance of EcoICA over existing kurtosis-based and skewness-based methods for skewed sources. In particular, EcoICA is less sensitive to sample size, noise, and outlier than other methods. Studies on face recognition further confirm the usefulness of EcoICA in classification. Keywords: Independent Component Analysis, Cumulant Operator, Skewness, Eigenvectors


Abstract. The recently developed NOAA Water instrument is a two-channel, closed-path, tunable diode laser absorption spectrometer designed for the measurement of upper troposphere/lower stratosphere water vapor and enhanced total water (vapor + inertially enhanced condensed phase) from the NASA Global Hawk unmanned aircraft system (UAS) or other high-altitude research aircraft. The instrument utilizes wavelength-modulated spectroscopy with second harmonic detection near 2694 nm to achieve high precision with a 79 cm double-pass optical path. The detection cells are operated under constant temperature, pressure, and flow conditions to maintain a constant sensitivity to H2O independent of the ambient sampling environment. An onboard calibration system is used to perform periodic in situ calibrations to verify the stability of the instrument sensitivity during flight. For the water vapor channel, ambient air is sampled perpendicular to the flow past the aircraft in order to reject cloud particles, while the total water channel uses a heated, forward-facing inlet to sample both water vapor and cloud particles. The total water inlet operates subisokinetically, thereby inertially enhancing cloud particle number in the sample flow and affording increased cloud water content sensitivity. The NOAA Water instrument was flown for the first time during the second deployment of the Airborne Tropical TRopopause EXperiment (ATTREX) in February–March 2013 on the NASA Global Hawk UAS. The instrument demonstrated a typical in-flight precision (1 s, 1σ) of better than 0.17 parts per million (ppm, 10−6 mol mol−1), with an overall H2O vapor measurement uncertainty of 5% ± 0.23 ppm. The inertial enhancement for cirrus cloud particle sampling under ATTREX flight conditions ranged from 33 to 48 for ice particles larger than 8 μm in diameter, depending primarily on aircraft altitude. The resulting ice water content detection limit (2σ) was 0.023–0.013 ppm, corresponding to approximately 2 μg m−3, with an estimated overall uncertainty of 20%.


Manhattan's Lower East Side stands for Jewish experience in America. With the possible exception of African-Americans and Harlem, no ethnic group has been so thoroughly understood and imagined through a particular chunk of space. Despite the fact that most American Jews have never set foot there - and many come from families that did not immigrate through New York much less reside on Hester or Delancey Streets - the Lower East Side was the place where life pulsated, bread tasted better, relationships were richer, tradition thrived, and passions flared. This was not always so. During the years now fondly recalled (1880-1930), the neighbourhood was only occasionally called the Lower East Side. Though largely populated by Jews from eastern Europe, it was not ethnically or even religiously homogenous. The tenements, grinding poverty, sweatshops, and packs of roaming children were considered the stuff of social work, not nostalgia and romance. To learn when and why this dark warren of pushcart-lined streets became an icon, the author follows a wide trail of high and popular culture. She examines children's stories, novels, movies, museum exhibits, television shows, summer-camp re-enactments, walking tours, consumer catalogues, and photos hung on deli walls far from Manhattan. The author finds that it was after World War II that the Lower East Side was enshrined as the place through which Jews passed from European oppression to the promised land of America. The space became sacred at a time when Jews were simultaneously absorbing the enormity of the Holocaust and finding acceptance and opportunity in an increasingly liberal United States. Particularly after 1960, the Lower East Side gave often secularised and suburban Jews a biblical, yet distinctly American story about who they were and how they got here. Displaying the author's own fondness for the Lower East Side of story books, combined with a commitment to historical truth, this book is an insightful account of one of America's most famous neighbourhoods and its power to shape identity.


The field of earth observation (EO) has seen tremendous development over recent time owing to the increasing quality of the sensor technology and the increasing number of operational satellites launched by several space organizations and companies around the world. Traditionally, the satellite data is analyzed by only considering the spectral characteristics measured at a pixel. The spatial relations and context were often ignored. With the advent of very high resolution satellite sensors providing a spatial resolution of ≤ 5m, the shortfalls of traditional pixel-based image processing techniques became evident. The need to identify new methods then led to focusing on the so called object-based image analysis (OBIA) methodologies. Unlike the pixel-based methods, the object-based methods which are based on segmenting the image into homogeneous regions use the shape, texture and context associated with the patterns thus providing an improved basis for image analysis ...


The purpose of this study was to develop an assessment tool to measure musical training and experiences for grouping participants in human neuroimaging research studies. To fulfill the purpose of this study, the researcher: 1. Completed a comprehensive review of the research literature to establish the essential content of the assessment tool; 2. Developed an assessment tool to survey subjects about their musical training and experiences; 3. Pilot tested the assessment tool, and revised the tool according to the preliminary analyses of the validity, reliability, and usefulness of the assessment tool; 4. Established the content validity and reliability of the assessment tool with subjects participating in a neuroimaging study designed to analyze the influences of musical training and experiences on brain structures and functions, and 5. Determined if the assessment tool functioned effectively in the selection and grouping of musically trained and musically untrained subjects for neuroimaging studies. The assessment tool was administered to a purposive sample (N = 42) in the southeastern region of the United States. Participants were recruited on the basis of musical training, both the existence and lack thereof. The assessment was completed via the web-based platform, Qualtrics. Coding of survey responses indicated differences in the participant pool that resulted in two groups: Musicians and Non-musicians. Further investigation yielded two subgroups within the Musician participant group: Moderate and Advanced. Validity of the assessment tool was established using a three-step construction process, (a) development of a draft based on the existing literature and the musical training knowledge of the researcher, (b) a review of the assessment tool by five music educators and performers, and (c) administration to a pilot group of five additional people with varying levels of musicianship. Additional content validity was completed by external reviewers by rating each assessment item using a Likert-type scale: 1 – Not important, 2 – Slightly important, 3 – Fairly important, 4 – Important, and 5 – Very important. Reliability was established using interrater reliability and was determined to be 88.9%. A discussion was presented that included the differences among participants that made their musical training and experiences unique compared with other participants. Implications were discussed regarding the usage possibilities for the survey, as well as the potential effects of the survey on human neuroimaging research.


While academic law libraries devote a large portion of their budgets to creating and maintaining their collections, little has been written about the organizational structures for the full range of collection development functions in these libraries. To explore this issue, the ALL-SIS Collection Development Committee surveyed nineteen academic law libraries, asking detailed questions about the libraries' collection development practices and organizational structures with the aim of defining what organizational forms best support collection development functions. This article begins by defining collection development functions, and reviewing law library literature examining organizational structures for collection development. The article then presents the findings of the in-depth survey, analyzes the results, and recommends best practices emerging from the survey responses.


The effect of stimulated Raman scattering on soliton propagation in fibers is studied for pulse durations comparable with or shorter than the molecular oscillation period. The self-frequency shift of a soliton in this interaction regime is calculated to be inversely proportional to the soliton duration and does not depend on both the characteristic frequency of the molecular oscillations and the Raman gain width of the medium.


There's a new independent advertising and communication agency on the block. Officially open for business on 1 January this year, House of the Brave boasts the talent of ex-McCann Erickson executives, Vanessa Pearson, Rob Van Rooyen and Andrew Shuttleworth, with Remgro on board as an investor. And with five key projects lined up before the agency opened its doors, the 'Bravehearts' are confident that their bravery has paid off.


The objective of this work is to propose an integrated and generic framework for eco-design coupling traditional modelling and flowsheeting simulation tools (HYSYS, COCO, ProSimPlus and Ariane), Life Cycle Assessment, multi-objective optimization based on Genetic Algorithms and multiple criteria decision-making methods MCDM (Multiple Choice Decision Making, such as ELECTRE, PROMETHEE, M-TOPSIS) that generalizes, automates and optimizes the evaluation of the environmental criteria at earlier design stage. The approach consists of three main stages. The first two steps correspond respectively to process inventory analysis based on mass and energy balances and impact assessment phases of LCA methodology. Specific attention is paid to the main issues that can be encountered with database and impact assessment i.e. incomplete or missing information, or approximate information that does not match exactly the real situation that may introduce a bias in the environmental impact estimation. A process simulation tool dedicated to production utilities, Ariane, ProSim SA is used to fill environmental database gap, by the design of specific energy sub modules, so that the life cycle energy related emissions for any given process can be computed. The third stage of the methodology is based on the interaction of the previous steps with process simulation for environmental impact assessment and cost estimation through a computational framework. The use of multi-objective optimization methods generally leads to a set of efficient solutions, the so-called Pareto front. The next step consists in identifying the best ones through MCDM methods. The approach is applied to two processes operating in continuous mode. The capabilities of the methodology are highlighted through these case studies (benzene production by HDA process and biodiesel production from vegetable oils). A multi-level assessment for multi-objective optimization is implemented for both cases, the explored pathways depending on the analysis and antagonist behaviour of the criteria.


The Outer Hebrides Fault Zone is a major ESE-dipping reactivated structure within Lewisian basement gneisses of the Laurentian craton, northwest Scotland. Detailed mapping in South Uist reveals important new evidence that contributes to a better understanding of the kinematic evolution of the fault zone. Large quantities of pseudotachylite which characterize the fault zone on South Uist may in part be lithologically controlled, and therefore of little value in determining areas of greatest deformation and displacement. Only limited evidence is preserved for ductile and brittle thrust-sense movements along this portion of the fault zone. The tectonics of the fault zone on South Uist are dominated by structures associated with several episodes of pervasive top-down-to-the-SE to -ENE brittle extensional deformation, which are progressively overprinted by protophyllonitic and phyllonitic fabrics associated with top-down-to-the-E to -ENE extension. A series of late-stage high-angle normal faults record top-down-to-the-ESE to -ENE extension and cut the phyllonites. Fluid inclusion studies from syntectonic quartz veins constrain the conditions of phyllonite formation at 370 ± 20 °C. Field evidence suggests that this section of the Outer Hebrides Fault Zone may have been largely unaffected by sinistral strike-slip reactivation as reported along-strike to the north, suggesting both a varied and compartmentalized tectonic and evolutionary history along the length of the Outer Hebrides Fault Zone.


"An Imperial Path to Modernity" examines the role of liberal intellectuals in reshaping transnational ideas and internationalist aspirations into national values and imperial ambitions in early twentieth-century Japan. Perceiving the relationship between liberalism and the international world order, a cohort of Japanese thinkers conformed to liberal ideas and institutions to direct Japan's transformation into a liberal empire in Asia. To sustain and rationalize the imperial enterprise, these Japanese liberals sought to make the domestic political stage less hostile to liberalism. Facilitating the creation of print-mediated public opinion, liberal intellectuals attempted to enlist the new middle class as a social ally in circulating liberal ideas and practices within Japan and throughout the empire. In tracing the interconnections between liberalism and the imperial project, Jung-Sun N. Han focuses on the ideas and activities of Yoshino Sakuzo (1878-1933), who was and is remembered as a champion of prewar Japanese liberalism and Taisho democracy. Drawing insights from intellectual history, cultural studies, and international relations, this study argues that prewar Japanese liberalism grew out of the efforts of intellectuals such as Yoshino who worked to devise a transnational institution to govern the Japanese empire.


The Economic Research Institute for ASEAN and East Asia–East Asia Summit (ERIA–EAS) Energy Outlook was updated in 2017–2018 through a revision of macro assumptions, such as economic and population growth as well as crude oil prices in the current lower price situation. This outlook also incorporates more recent information on the EAS17 member countries' energy-saving goals and action plans, and power development plans such as renewable electricity. The EAS17 Outlook 2018 includes an estimation of the investment cost required for power generation and the whole energy infrastructure, including liquefied natural gas (LNG) receiving terminals and oil refineries. The outlook still focuses on analysing the additional energy savings that might be achieved by the individual countries above and beyond the Business-as-Usual scenario (BAU) projection. It continues to examine two scenarios – BAU and the Alternative Policy Scenario (APS) – and predicts energy supply, consumption, and CO2 emissions from 2015 until 2040. The APS includes not only more ambitious energy-saving targets but also rapid advances in low-carbon energy technologies, especially renewable energy. The outlook also assesses the Intended Nationally Determined Contributions (INDC)/NDC reported by EAS17 countries. Energy supply security has become a top priority energy issue for the EAS17 region. Implementing Energy Efficiency and Conservation measures and increasing renewable energy shares will certainly contribute to maintaining regional energy security through the reduction of imported fossil fuel consumption and increasing the use of domestic energy. Regional energy networks, such as the Trans-ASEAN Gas Pipeline and the ASEAN Power Grid, and oil stockpiling are recommended to be set up and accelerated to maintain energy supply security. Nuclear power generation always remains an option for securing the energy supply in this region.


In diffusion nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) and diffusion magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), the multi-compartment Bloch-Torrey equation plays an important role in probing the diffusion characteristics from a nanometer scale to a macroscopic scale. The signal attenuation can be computed by solving the equation. If the volume of interest is composed by multiple compartments, interface conditions with permeability are imposed. Depending on applications, different gradient strengths can be used to capture the signal attenuation. In probing porous media, for instance, high gradient strengths are used. In diffusion MRI, since water molecules enter and exit the computational domain in realistic cases, pseudo-periodic boundary conditions are used. These conditions cause difficulties in solving the equation efficiently and many efforts have been made to develop an efficient numerical method. However, large-scale problems for supercomputers with realistic applications have not been considered yet. We propose a framework for the multi-compartment Bloch-Torrey models based on the FEniCSHPC platform, a part of the FEniCS project that allows for automated discretization, automated error control with mesh adaptivity and high performance computing. The framework runs on supercomputers with near optimal weak and strong scaling. Our work includes two parts. First, we simplify the multi-compartment Bloch-Torrey model used in diffusion MRI by proposing an approximation to the pseudo-periodic boundary conditions to derive a general form for the interface and boundary conditions. The second part includes implementation and numerical validation of our method on the FEniCS-HPC platform. This simplified model is straightforward to implement and to parallelize and shows promise in validation against more realistic models.


The tropospheric particle extinction-to-backscatter ratio, the depolarization ratio, and the water-vapor mixing ratio were measured by use of a Raman lidar and a polarization lidar during the Asian dust seasons in 2001 and 2002 in Tsukuba, Japan. The apparent (not corrected for multiple-scattering effects) extinction-to-backscatter ratios (Sp) showed a dependence on the relative humidity with respect to ice (RHice) obtained from the lidar-derived water-vapor mixing ratio and radiosonde-derived temperature; they were mostly higher than 30 sr in dry air (RHice < 50%), whereas they were mostly lower than 30 sr in ice-supersaturated air (RHice > or = 100%), where the apparent extinction coefficients were larger than 0.036 km(-1). Both regions showed mean particle depolarization ratios of 20%-22%. Comparisons with theoretical calculations and the previous experiments suggest that the observed dependence of Sp on RHice is attributed to the difference in the predominant particles: nonspherical aerosols (mainly the Asian dust) in dry air and cloud particles in ice-supersaturated air.


This book analyses the emerging practice in the post-Cold War era of the creation of a democratic political system along with the creation of new states. The existing literature either tends to conflate self-determination and democracy or dismisses the legal relevance of the emerging practice on the basis that democracy is not a statehood criterion. Such arguments are simplistic. The statehood criteria in contemporary international law are largely irrelevant and do not automatically or self-evidently determine whether or not an entity has emerged as a new state. The question to be asked, therefore, is not whether democracy has become a statehood criterion. The emergence of new states is rather a law-governed political process in which certain requirements regarding the type of a government may be imposed internationally. And in this process the introduction of a democratic political system is equally as relevant or irrelevant as the statehood criteria. The book demonstrates that via the right of self-determination the law of statehood requires for state creation to be a democratic process, but that this requirement should not be interpreted too broadly. The democratic process in this context governs independence referenda and does not interfere with the choice of a political system.


Abstract In this contribution, the relationship between work and leisure is investigated from a phenomenological viewpoint. The insights of Michel Henry and his interpretations of the work of Karl Marx are prominent. Marx makes a distinction between objective and subjective work. It is especially the second sphere, on which Henry elaborates his phenomenology of the living body, as experience of life itself. Work is the mode of pathos. After this introduction, the question of the phenomenology of leisure is being posed. The phenomenological zero-point of leisure is the night, in which we sleep. The invisibility in the night is the starting point to reveal the essence of leisure. The phenomenological mode of night, rest, is sleep. Further, in this line, the problem of vacation, time spending on not-working as obsession is of importance for our society today. From the point of view of henriana phenomenology, some notable conclusion can be formulated.


STUDY OBJECTIVE--To examine (i) the extent of illness caused by contamination of a waterworks with waste water due to overflow, and its correlation with precipitation; (ii) the potential secondary spread; (iii) economic losses due to sick leave. DESIGN--A historical follow up study with structured postal questionnaires. SETTING--A small community on the outskirts of greater Copenhagen at the end of 1991 and the beginning of 1992. PARTICIPANTS--The main study group comprised all 703 households supplied by the waterworks (response rate: 89% of households). There was a control group of 200 randomly chosen households in neighbouring communities with a different water supply source (response rate: 64% of households). A day care group of all 149 children (response rate: 78%) and 30 teachers (response rate: 83%) who lived in central Copenhagen, but spent the day in four day care centres supplied by the waterworks, and members of their household was also studied. MEASUREMENTS AND MAIN RESULTS--Altogether 1455 people (88% of respondents in the main study group) reported having had symptoms of gastroenteritis, particularly diarrhoea (83%) and vomiting (55%). In the control group, 10% had had symptoms of gastroenteritis. The onset of episodes with diarrhoea correlated well with precipitation (Spearman's correlation coefficient: 0.75; p = 0.0002). The secondary attack rate in household contacts was 12%. No pathogens were found. Affected people stayed home from work for a total of 1658 days. The cost of loss of production because of sick leave amounted to 1,600,000 Danish kroner (180,000 pounds). CONCLUSIONS--The outbreak caused extensive illness correlated with precipitation, showed secondary spread, and was associated with major economic losses. Increased awareness among local physicians and waterworks personnel of the possibility of contamination of the water could have led to earlier intervention and reduced the extent of illness. Outbreaks are often caused by several factors, many of a technical nature, which in this case acted together. It is recommended that attention be paid to each factor.


#HTML We consider the use of the Fortet-Mourier metric between two probability measures to bound the error term made by an approximated solution of a stochastic program. After a short analysis of usual stability arguments, we propose a simple example of stochastic program which enlightens the importance of the information structure. As a conclusion, we underline the need to take into account both the probability measure and the information structure in the discretization of a stochastic program.


Family reunification, in terms of the system of infancy protection, is the process by which a child returns to his/her biological family after a period of temporary foster care. The scientific literature and the new social policies share the understanding that socio-educative action with the biological family is an essential requisite for family reunion. Despite this agreement, socio-educative processes during family reunification have received little attention up till now. This paper presents the results of an investigation conducted by the GRISIJ group concerning one of the most important elements in the process of reunification: the ability to gain understanding into a family's difficulty, which is known as "insight". This investigation collects information from 135 people, 62 of which are child welfare professionals in the Spanish territory, 42 are fathers and mothers who have experienced a process of reunification and 30 are children and adolescents who have been through a foster care situation; all distributed in 13 focus groups and 20 interviews. Qualitative results have been analysed using the technique of analysis of content. The results show a gradual process for the acquisition of this skill, which involves different aspects: awareness of the problem (understanding and assimilation of the reasons that caused the removal); understanding of the reunification, comprehension of the reasons for the reunification; comprehension of the reunification process; awareness of the changes made and awareness of the progress in consolidating family reunification.


Awareness of operational risk has increased greatly in recent years, both at individual financial institutions and for payment, clearing, and settlement systems (PCSS). PCSS consist of networks of interconnected elements (i.e., central operators, participants, and settlement agents); operational problems at any one of the key elements have the potential to disrupt the system as a whole and negatively affect financial stability. The author describes the key features of systemically important PCSS in Canada and the oversight role of the Bank of Canada with respect to those systems. She also describes one approach that could be used to assess and manage operational risk in Canadian PCSS. This approach relies on a consistent definition of operational risk that can be applied across all elements of a PCSS. It uses a recent methodology adapted from the management of operational risk at individual financial institutions. This methodology, called the loss-distribution approach, assesses risk in terms of the potential outcomes of operational events owing to certain risk factors (such as systems problems, human error, process problems, and external events), their likelihood, and their frequency. Once operational risk databases are developed that record the frequency and severity of operational events, it will be possible to estimate parts of the loss distributions for PCSS. In the meantime, qualitative analysis provided by operations experts associated with the various elements of PCSS will be important for judging the potential impact and frequency of events. In a changing financial environment, it is hoped that this methodology could be used to supplement core aspects of operational risk management, such as sound corporate governance, internal controls, policies and procedures, knowledgeable people, and robust contingency plans.


Many prescribe anticoagulants and antiplatelet medications to prevent thromboembolic events and access thrombosis in dialysis patients despite limited evidence of their efficacy in this population. This retrospective cohort study examined whether use of warfarin, clopidogrel, and/or aspirin affected survival in 41,425 incident hemodialysis patients during 5 yr of follow-up. The prescription frequencies for warfarin, clopidogrel, and aspirin were 8.3, 10.0, and 30.4%, respectively, during the first 90 d of initiating chronic hemodialysis. Compared with the 24,740 patients receiving none of these medications, Cox proportional hazards analysis suggested that exposure to these medications was associated with increased risk for mortality (warfarin hazard ratio [HR] 1.27 [95% confidence interval (CI) 1.18 to 1.37]; clopidogrel HR 1.24 [95% CI 1.13 to 1.35]; and aspirin HR 1.06 [95% CI 1.01 to 1.11]). The increased mortality associated with warfarin or clopidogrel use remained in stratified analyses. A covariate- and propensity-adjusted time-varying analysis, which accounted for longitudinal changes in prescription, produced similar results. In addition, matching for treatment facility and attending physician revealed similar associations between prescription and mortality. We conclude that warfarin, aspirin, or clopidogrel prescription is associated with higher mortality among hemodialysis patients. Given the possibility of confounding by indication, randomized trials are needed to determine definitively the risk and benefit of these medications.


In this issue, Art Beat looks at networked performance, featuring Turbulence, a net art portal. Turbulence's Helen Thorington and Jo-Ann Green discuss their blog, Networked_Performance, which provides an extensive archive of networked performances. We also profile performance artist Barbara Campbell's 1,001 Nights Cast, a durational networked performance project. Multimedia researchers interested in Web 2.0 might want to help develop a template or standard that lets performance artists share and search their work on the Web. Such work could also ensure that certain software, when it fades away, is translatable or included in new versions of software so that viewing art isn't contingent on outdated file formats.


This manual, \IEnvironmental Site Investigation\N, was prepared as a guidance on procedures for investigating and characterizing a site that may be or is contaminated with hazardous materials. It begins with the general overview of the evolution of the site assessment process from the original environmental audit through the passage of the Federal Superfund and related state Superfund legislation. The second chapter presents an extensive and detailed discussion on performing a Phase I site assessment. In Chapter 3 the Phase II intrusive site investigation process is discussed. Risk assessment issues are also included. The last two chapters present an overview of the Phase III (remedial investigation) and Phase IV (remedial planning, design, and implementation) procedures. While this manual's main purpose is to provide guidance to environmental consultants, it will also be used by clients, environmental lawyers, bankers, real estate managers, and others to evaluate the work completed by these consultants.


In this paper the modelling of a micro dispenser by system simulations according to fluidic network theory is reported. The dispensing device under consideration (the so called "Nano-Jet" dispenser) is described in detail in [1]. In this device the dispensing process is triggered by the displacement of a diaphragm. Upon this actuation a free jet of liquid in the volume range of 10 nl to 100 nl is ejected from the orifice of the device. Thus the system is in some sense similar to an ink-jet print head except the fact, that a liquid jet is generated rather than droplets and a much larger volume is delivered. To set up a system model for the sketched device first a lumped model for a circular plate is derived which accounts for all essential features of fluid structure interaction (FSI) in the system. Then the plate model is combined with lumped elements of a fluidic channel and a nozzle to yield the system model of the dispenser. The results obtained with the system model are compared to experimental data in terms of ejected volume and influence of system parameters.


Although the primary responsibility of the immune system has for over a century been perceived as the protector of the host against infection in the peripheral organs, we now know the immune system also plays a vital role in recovery pathways associated with central nervous system (CNS) injury. There is mounting evidence that the blood–brain barrier does not preclude the CNS from immune surveillance. Of particular interest for this review is how microglia and astrocytes interact with the cells of the immune system to modulate repair and recovery mechanisms in ischemic stroke. Our review argues that by deepening our understanding of neuroimmunity, specifically the bidirectional glial–immune cell communications, a plethora of new therapeutic targets and mechanisms may be revealed. Consequently, this review instigates novel experimental approaches to neuroimmunology and fosters a more rapid discovery process for the treatment of stroke. Impact statement This article reviews glial cell interactions with the immune system post-ischemic stroke. Research has shown that glial cells in the brain play a role in altering phenotypes of other glial cells and have downstream immune cell targets ultimately regulating a neuroinflammatory response. These interactions may play a deleterious as well as beneficial role in stroke recovery. Furthermore, they may provide a novel way to approach potential therapies, since current stroke drug therapy is limited to only one Food and Drug Administration-approved drug complicated by a narrow therapeutic window. Until this point, most research has emphasized neuroimmune interactions, but little focus has been on bidirectional communication of glial–immune interactions in the ischemic brain. By expanding our understanding of these interactions through a compilation of glial cell effects, we may be able to pinpoint major modulating factors in brain homeostasis to maintain or discover ways to suppress irreversible ischemic damage and improve brain repair.


The tumor suppressor gene TP53 (gene) codes for a transcription factor which transactivates its target genes responsible for cell cycle arrest, DNA repair, apoptosis, and senescence. TP53 is well known to be the most frequent target of genetic mutations in nearly half of human cancers including oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC). Many p53 mutants including R248Q and R248W not only lose its tumor-suppressor activities, but also interfere with the functions of wild-type p53; this is so-called dominant-negative (DN) mutation. The DN p53 mutation is a predictor of poor outcome in patients with various cancers, and also a risk factor for metastatic recurrence in patients with OSCC. Recently it has been reported that DN p53 mutants acquire new oncogenic activities, which is named gain-of-function (GOF). This study aimed at determining whether R248Q and R248W were involved in OSCC cells' acquiring aggressive phenotypes, using SAS, HSC4 and Ca9-22 cell lines. First, two mutants p53, R248Q and R248W, were respectively transfected into SAS cells harboring recessive-type p53 (E336X). As a result, SAS cells expressing R248Q showed highly spreading, motile and invasive activities compared to parent or mock-transfected cells whereas those expressing R248W did not increase those activities. Secondly, in HSC4 cells harboring R248Q and Ca9-22 cells harboring R248W, expressions of the mutants p53 were inhibited by the transfection with siRNAs targeting p53. The inhibition of the mutants p53 decreased spreading, motile and invasive activities of HSC4 cells whereas it did not affect those activities of Ca9-22 cells. These findings suggest that R248Q p53 mutation, but not R248W p53 mutation, induces more motile and invasive potentials in human OSCC cells.


This research aims to establish a system for technology selection in a public utility. Selecting the most appropriate Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) technology at the Electricity Generating Authority of Thailand (EGAT) is used as the case example. Seven EGAT experts participated in refining the criteria and selecting the alternatives using Analytic Hierarchy Process (AHP). The criteria are grouped using the affinity (K-J) diagram. 'Benefit' rather than 'low cost' criterion is given the highest importance. 'Intangible benefit' is given more importance than 'tangible benefit' sub-criterion. The selected technology turns out to be rather insensitive to changes in the importance of each main criterion.


Global and national changes have resulted in new requirements for quality management and quality control in translation. International standards like the recent European Quality Standard for Translation Services, EN 15038 (2006), have been developed in order to give clients an assurance that they are receiving high-quality translation work. According to some of these standards, target texts have to be revised at least twice or, ideally, three times by others than the translator him/herself. Revision and revision processes have also come more into focus in TS research. According to Gile (2005), who has developed a mathematical formula that defines quality as the balanced sum of quality parameters, revision tasks are usually carried out by experienced translators. In two empirical longitudinal studies at CBS, the relation between translation competence and revision competence of students and professional translators was investigated. The question posed was: "are the good translators also the good revisers?" In this article, quality parameters and revision processes are described and shown in models. The question is raised whether it would be an advantage to establish special training in revision, parallel to the translator training.


In radial drawings of hierarchical graphs the vertices are drawn on concentric circles instead of on horizontal lines as in the standard Sugiyama framework. This drawing style is well suited for the visualisation of centrality in social networks and similar concepts. Radial drawings also allow a more flexible edge routing than horizontal drawings, as edges can be routed around the center in two directions. In experimental results this reduces the number of crossings by approx. 30% on average. This paper is the last step to complete the framework for drawing hierarchical graphs in a radial fashion. We present three heuristics for crossing reduction in radial level drawings of hierarchical graphs, and also briefly cover extensions of the level assignment step to take advantage of the increasing perimeter of the circles.


Наведено дослідження кінетики вилуговування Mn, Ni, Cu, Pb, Fe із матеріалів хвостосховищ «Дніпровське» і «Центральний яр». Експерименти з вилуговування важких металів проводили за методикою визначення швидкості вилуговування радіонуклідів із радіоактивних відходів (ГОСТ 29114-91). За отриманими даними обчислили константи швидкості вилуговування важких металів із твердої матриці та константи їх виходу у розчин. Mining and processing of uranium ores associated with many environmental problems. Along with the pollution of natural radionuclides environment, waste tailings uranium processing industry is also a source of contamination of ground and surface waters with heavy metals. Tailing waste on processing of uranium former «Prydniprovsky chemical plant» studied only in terms of distribution and migration ability of radionuclides. Any data on migration ability of heavy metals, but their content in the solid phase of waste and natural waters is not available. Purpose of work is study the kinetics of leaching of metals from tailings materials industry in uranium processing. In this paper deals with the kinetics of leaching of Mn, Ni, Cu, Pb, Fe material from tailing «Dneprovske» and «Central yar» Experiment with the leaching of heavy metals was carried out by the method of determining the rate of leaching of radionuclides from radioactive waste (GOST 29114-91). From the data obtained were calculated rate constant leaching of heavy metals from a solid matrix and constant release of their solution. The results showed that the rate of leaching of heavy metals from tailings samples «Central yar» is almost an order of magnitude higher than samples from tailings «Dniprovske». This can be caused by several factors, including the first differences of the material composition of waste materials, physical and chemical conditions that occur in the tailing. In particular, the tailings are significantly different for the acid-alkaline conditions: the tailing «Central yar» pH are acidic or weakly acidic region, while in tailing «Dniprovske» – in near neutral or even slightly alkaline in. For the lower horizons of the studied both tailing characteristic are lowest rate of leaching of heavy metals. This is especially noticeable for the sample tailing «Dniprovske» 18,7…19,2 m of depth. This can be explained by the fact that the lowest horizon from which sampling was carried out, is underlain by breeds and contain no technogenic waste. The exception іs the lead (plumbum), which is the lowest rate of leaching tailings sample «Dniprovske» 14,8…15,2 m of depth. In tailing «Central yar» migration ability of metals is decreases in the number Mn > Fe > Pb > Ni > Cu. Such a trend is observed for all samples of the tailings. As for tailing «Dniprovske", a series of migration ability of heavy metals can be set as follows: Mn > Fe ≈ Pb > Cu. Speed Ni leaching into the solution of tailings material «Dniprovske» significantly decreases with depth compared with other metals, so each patient horizon of the tailing position of nickel in some migration ability of metals will be different. The difference between these two tailings on the migration behavior of nickel can be explained by several factors, which are mainly caused by chemical and mineral composition of waste. Also play an important role physical (porosity, humidity) and water (permeability, swelling, filtration coefficient) properties of rocks contained in the tailing. However, these issues have not been fully addressed and require detailed study.


System-on-Chip (SoC) and other complex distributed hardware/software systems contain heterogeneous components whose behavior are best captured by different models of computations (MoCs). As a result, any system design framework for such systems requires the capability to express heterogeneous MoCs. Although a number of system level design languages (SLDL)s and frameworks have proliferated over the last few years, most of them are lacking in multiple ways. Some of the SLDLs and system design frameworks we have worked with are SpecC, Ptolemy II, SystemC-H, etc. From our analysis of these, we identify their following shortcomings: First, their dependence on specific programming language artifacts (Java or C/C++) make them less amenable to formal analysis. Second, the refinement strategies proposed in the design flows based on these languages lack formal semantics underpinnings making it difficult to prove that refinements preserve correctness, and third, none of the available SLDLs are easily customizable by users. In our work, we address these problems as follows: To alleviate the first problem, we follow Axel Jantsch's paradigm of function-based semantic definitions of MoCs and formulate a functional programming framework called SML-Sys. We illustrate through a number of examples how to model heterogenous computing systems using SML-Sys. Our framework provides for formal reasoning due to its formal semantic underpinning inherited from SML's precise denotational semantics. To handle the second problem and apply refinement strategies at a higher-level, we propose a refinement methodology and provide a semantics preserving transformation library within our framework. To address the third shortcoming, we have developed EWD, which allows users to customize MoC-specific visual modeling syntax defined as a metamodel. EWD is developed using a metamodeling framework GME (Generic Modeling Environment). It allows for automatic design-time syntactic and semantic checks on the models for conformance to their metamodel. Modeling in EWD facilitates saving the model in an XML-based interoperability language (IML) we defined for this purpose. The IML format is in turn automatically translated into Standard ML, or Haskell models. These may then be executed and analyzed either by our existing model analysis tools SMLSys, or the ForSyDe environment. We also generate SMV-based template from the XML representation to obtain verification models.


In the past seven years, decentralization has been implemented in Indonesia. Yet, the outcomes show that decentralization has two faces. It marginalizes women but at the same time also provides space for women to redefine their role in local governance. This book offers a gendered analysis of decentralization to capture the efforts of women and women organizations to make decentralization meaningful for their daily life.

The first article discusses how the public domain and the political role of women are constructed in local politics and how this construction has impacted the daily life of women. It also discusses various strategies and gender interests defined by women as individuals and as part of a women organization in their efforts to make the government responsive to women's needs.

The second article explores the question why have regulations that open up space for citizens in general and women in particular, to participate in planning and budgeting been unable to improve the welfare of the people, including women. This article exposes the politics of budgeting at the local level that has made grassroots groups, including women, frustrated with the Musrenbang bottom up planning mechanism.

The third article explores the tensions and cooperation between NGOs that work to promote women's welfare and NGOs that work to promote democratization and good governance. By looking at the experience of thirteen NGOs, this article is making an attempt to assess whether women are really included in the local governance programs.

The fourth article looks at how decentralization on the one hand has opened up space for the political participation of women but on the other hand it has also strengthened cultural and religious identities at the local level that discriminate women socially and politically.

Finally, the fifth article is based on a thesis that looks at the oral tradition practiced by contemporary Acehnese women in order to understand the resistance of Acehnese women against discourses that marginalize them from the political realm. This thesis attempts to observe the different subjective positions held by women activists in Aceh amidst the various existing discourses constructed based on gender, nationality, and religion.


ABSTRACT Introduction: Treatment of ulcerative colitis (UC) is constantly evolving. In the last two decades, new therapeutic strategies have been implemented by addressing specific disease mechanisms: biological agents against tumor necrosis factor-α and integrins are now widely used, and more agents targeting different pathological pathways are being marketed. Despite these novel therapies, nonbiological drugs are still the mainstay of treatment, especially in mild-to-moderate disease, since a proven safety and tolerability profile is observed. Excellent efficacy both in induction and maintenance of remission is obtained, with a lower cost compared to biological agents. Areas covered: The purpose of this review is to summarize the current knowledge and the latest clinical evidence regarding nonbiological therapies for UC. Expert opinion: Concomitant administration of oral and rectal 5-aminosalicylates acid is more effective in the treatment of UC in remission. Corticosteroids are the treatment of choice in patients with moderately severe or severe UC. The association of azathioprine with biological treatments is more effective than monotherapy. Cyclosporine is an effective drug in severe UC, but its poor management must be considered. Probiotics are very popular; however, evidence on their actual role in UC still must be demonstrated; cytapheresis plays only a niche role at this time.


The use of Powered Two Wheelers (PTW; motorcycles, scooters, mopeds) continues to steadily increase in both developing and developed countries. Increasing the visibility of PTWs to other road users will become a progressively important avenue for improving rider safety. The package of research presented in this paper was part of the European Commissionrs 2-be-Safe project, involving 27 research organisations across Europe and Australia, a world first human factors approach to better understanding and improving PTW safety. A package of this research, involving 8 research groups across Europe and Australia, this paper presents the first collection of research that examines the influence of a wide range of factors on PTW rider detection by car drivers. The experimental studies presented here used driving simulation and still images to assess the efficacy of various treatments (clothing colour, lighting configuration, etc) on driversr interactions with PTWs. This paper focuses on the outcomes from the Australian research. This research provides detailed theoretical and practical guidance on the development and evaluation of measures designed to increase PTW visibility in traffic.


The European Union (EU) has been struggling to find a shared course on African migration since the entry into force of the Schengen Agreement (1995). It has done so through two interrelated processes of negotiation. Firstly, parties have negotiated narrative frames about migration and, in particular, whether migration should be interpreted in terms of security or in terms of development. Secondly, they have negotiated internal and external migration policies , that is, how migration should be managed respectively inside the EU (based on cooperation between EU member states) and outside it (based on cooperation with third states). In times in which narrative frames increasingly shape policy negotiations, it becomes very important to analyse how policymakers negotiate narrative frames on migration and how these shape policy responses. However, such an analysis is still missing. This discussion paper investigates how European states and institutions have negotiated the relation between EU borders and African mobility between 1999 and the beginning of 2019. It focusses in particular on how the process of negotiation of migration policies has been interrelated with a process of negotiation of narrative frames on migration. It does so based on an analysis of EU policy documents from 1999 to 2019 and on interviews with representatives of European and African states and regional organisations. Two major trends have characterised related EU negotiation processes: migration-security narrative frames have strengthened national-oriented and solid borders-oriented approaches (and vice versa), and migration-development narrative frames have strengthened transnational-oriented and liquid borders-oriented approaches (and vice versa). Since 1999, the European Council has mostly represented security- and national-oriented approaches, and the European Commission has mostly represented development- and transnational-oriented approaches. The two competing approaches have always been interlinked and influenced each other. However, in the last years, security-oriented national and solid border approaches have gained prominence over development-oriented transnational and liquid border approaches. In particular, the Commission has progressively mainstreamed national objectives in its transnational actions and security concerns in its development measures. Prioritising security over transnational development has augmented inequalities, in particular at the expenses of actors with scarce political representation in Africa and the EU. Such inequalities include increasing migrant selectivity and wage dumping.


This study investigated how visual and tactile inputs might influence consumers' evaluative processes when they shop for a pair of denim jeans. Qualitative method was adopted to examine both sensory and cognitive responses towards sample denim jeans in respect of product-specific cues such as colour and fabric. The participants were 42 Canadian females aged from 18 to 27 years old. According to the results of this study, dark coloured jeans are often associated with higher prices. Additionally, many participants used fabric hand (the feeling of fabric between fingers) to evaluate the thermo-physiological/sensorial comfort qualities and durability of the jeans, as well as fabric stretch to assess shape retention, physical mobility and psychological comfort (self-/body-image). These findings suggest that consumers do not merely use specific product cues to judge a product's inherent functional/concrete qualities such as weight, thermal properties, but also link various cues to higher or abstract values such as social, psychological and sensorial benefits/pleasure. Clearly, affective and cognitive processing occurred and coexisted throughout the evaluative process.


Purpose. To identify the factors that predict full or partial return to work among long-term (≥90 days) sickness absentees due to spinal pain who begin a multidisciplinary rehabilitation programme. Method. In a prospective cohort study, 312 patients with neck, thoracic and/or lumbar pain, aged 20–64, participated in a 4-week multidisciplinary rehabilitation programme in Sweden. Questionnaire data at inclusion were used. Factors included in logistic regressions were as follows: age, gender, type of work, pain location, pain intensity (visual analogue scale), activity limitations [Disability Rating Index (DRI)], health-related quality of life (SF-36), pain-related fear of movement (Tampa Scale of Kinesiophobia), motivation (Self Motivation Inventory), sickness absence at baseline and number of sick-leave days during the previous 2 years. Outcome factor was increased versus not increased working time at follow-up 6 months later. Results. Most patients (68%) reported two or three pain locations. At baseline, 56% were full-time sickness absent and 23% at follow-up; 61% had increased their working time. Predictors for increased working time were age below 40 years, low activity limitation (DRI < 50), low SF-36 bodily pain (>30) and high SF-36 social functioning (>60). Number of sick-leave days during the previous 2 years (md 360; range 90–730) had no influence. Conclusions. Even patients with long previous sick leave can increase working time after a multidisciplinary rehabilitation programme, especially if they are younger, have lower levels of activity limitations and pain and better social functioning. To include information on part-time work is useful when evaluating work ability following rehabilitation programmes.


Seamless integration of air segment in the overall multimodal mobility chain is a key challenge to provide more efficient and sustainable transport services. Technology advances offer a unique opportunity to build a new generation of transport services able to match the evolving expectations and needs of society as a whole. In this context, the passenger-centric approach represents a method to inform the design of future mobility services, supporting quality of life, security and services to citizens traveling across Europe. Relying on the concepts of inclusive design, context of use and task analysis, in this article, we present a comprehensive methodological framework for the analysis of passenger characteristics to elicit features and requirements for future multimodal mobility services, including air leg, that are relevant from the perspective of passengers. The proposed methodology was applied to a series of specific use cases envisaged for three time horizons, 2025, 2035 and 2050, in the context of a European research project. Then, passenger-focused key performance indicators and related metrics were derived to be included in a validation step, with the aim of assessing the extent of benefit for passengers that can be achieved in the forecasted scenarios. The results of the study demonstrate the relevance of human variability in the design of public services, as well as the feasibility of personalized performance assessment of mobility services.


Cultural diversity is an increasingly important factor in working life as hospitality and tourism organisations, worldwide, become more diverse in terms of race, ethnicity, national origin and other personal characteristics of their members. Notably, the flow of migrants to peripheral regions of Europe has extended to Northern Ireland. Jarman (2004) estimates some 14,000 non-United Kingdom and Republic of Ireland nationals working in 2001. The retention and skills shortages of the hospitality industry in Northern Ireland are significant factors in facilitating this increase. In the context of this paper, international workers could be an invaluable new source of labour for the hospitality industry, provided that they are properly looked after and managed. Employers face many challenges in accommodating this workforce as these employees in turn have distinct work and life expectations. This exploratory paper draws on information received from hospitality employers in Northern Ireland through a serious of in-depth interviews. In particular, the research centres on the question 'what opportunities and challenges does a culturally diverse workforce create for hoteliers in Northern Ireland? The paper highlights the over arching importance of a positive proactive management system is a workplace that celebrates its employee's cultures, that values and explores differences and that actively seeks to learn from other cultures, demonstrates tolerance, respects differences, identifies similarities and strives for inclusiveness. This exploratory study is of value to hospitality practitioners, providing recommendations on how to remove barriers to the successful integration of international staff into the workplace and society whilst benefiting all staff, their organisations and the Irish tourism product.


Understanding human filovirus hemorrhagic fever (FHF) clinical manifestations and evaluating treatment strategies require the collection of clinical data in outbreak settings, where clinical documentation has been limited. Currently, no consensus among filovirus outbreak-response organisations guides best practice for clinical documentation and data transfer. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with health care workers (HCWs) involved in FHF outbreaks in sub-Saharan Africa, and with HCWs experienced in documenting and transferring data from high-risk areas (isolation wards or biosafety level 4 laboratories). Methods for data documentation and transfer were identified, described in detail and categorised by requirement for electricity and ranked by interviewee preference. Some methods involve removing paperwork and other objects from the filovirus disease ward without disinfection. We believe that if done properly, these methods are reasonably safe for certain settings. However, alternative methods avoiding the removal of objects, or involving the removal of paperwork or objects after non-damaging disinfection, are available. These methods are not only safer, they are also perceived as safer and likely more acceptable to health workers and members of the community. The use of standardised clinical forms is overdue. Experiments with by sunlight disinfection should continue, and non-damaging disinfection of impregnated paper, suitable tablet computers and underwater cameras should be evaluated under field conditions.


Calcium is used by most cells to convert external signals into biochemical events within the cytosol. To detect the effects of cold stress, a gene encoding apoaequorin has been introduced into various cell types that, in the presence of coelenterazine, allows calcium levels to be monitored by the emission of blue light. All cell types respond to the cold by elevating calcium. This event is rapid after cold stress but then shows a slower kinetic response. The magnitude is dependent on both the rate and the final temperature to which cooling occurs. It would appear that calcium is transferred both from outside the cell and from the vacuole into the cytosol. The more rapid phase involves the former and the slower phase the latter. By studying mutant plants, it has been identified that an increase in intracellular calcium can activate the expression of transcription factors that control the subsequent transcription of a whole battery of genes which must be switched on to provide cold tolerance in the plant.


We consider an electromagnetic scattering problem produced by a perfect conductor. We pose the problem in a bounded region surrounding the obstacle and impose on the exterior boundary of the computational domain an impedance boundary condition inspired from the asymptotic behavior of the scattered field at infinity. The operator associated to our problem belongs to a class of operators for which a suitable decomposition of the energy space plays an essential role in the analysis. This decomposition is performed here through a regularising projector that takes into account the boundary conditions. The discrete version of this projector is the key tool to prove that a Galerkin scheme based on Nedelec's edge elements is well-posed and convergent under general topological asumptions on the scatterer and without assuming special requirements on the triangulations.


Synopsis: This research explored valuable and critical Occupational Safety and Health Management (OSHM) issues in the local Property Management (PM) industry of Hong Kong. It focuses on key theoretical and practical issues arising from efficient, effective and reliable OSH Management proposed for implementation in the industry and considers Loss Control and Prevention (LCP) and improvement of OSH Standard (IOS). In sum, the stakeholders should overcome the difficulties in implementing OSHM, eliminate potential job hazards and formulate the most suitable proposals for their LCP, IOS and other benefits by OSHM.
Methodology: This research starts from an initial review of the available literatures relevant to the OSH and the operations of PM such as construction safety, LCP, CSR, accident statistics, legal case studies and news clippings. Review of past research, work analysis, questionnaire survey by face-to-face discussions and mailing, case reviews and personal interviews with key industrial stakeholders constitute the next steps of our data collection and analysis.


Metabolomics based on untargeted flow infusion electrospray ionization high-resolution mass spectrometry (FIE-HRMS) can provide a snap-shot of metabolism in living cells. Lung Squamous Cell Carcinoma (SCC) is one of the predominant subtypes of Non-Small Cell Lung Cancers (NSCLCs), which usually shows a poor prognosis. We analysed lung SCC samples and matched histologically normal lung tissues from eight patients. Metabolites were profiled by FIE-HRMS and assessed using t-test and principal component analysis (PCA). Differentially accumulating metabolites were mapped to pathways using the mummichog algorithm in R, and biologically meaningful patterns were indicated by Metabolite Set Enrichment Analysis (MSEA). We identified metabolic rewiring networks, including the suppression of the oxidative pentose pathway and found that the normal tricarboxylic acid (TCA) cycle were decoupled from increases in glycolysis and glutamine reductive carboxylation. Well-established associated effects on nucleotide, amino acid and thiol metabolism were also seen. Novel aspects in SCC tissue were increased in Vitamin B complex cofactors, serotonin and a reduction of γ-aminobutyric acid (GABA). Our results show the value of FIE-HRMS as a high throughput screening method that could be exploited in clinical contexts.


Accounting and bookkeeping can quickly become the bane of any new business, providing a great deal of headache and problems for even the most seasoned and technically proficient business owners. Hiring an accountant for your small business can cost anywhere between $1,000 and $10,000 -- an expense many cannot afford -- and trying to memorise the hundreds or even thousands of terms necessary understand the complex world of bookkeeping can seem altogether too daunting to undertake. Yet, for those that do master their own bookkeeping, those thousands of dollars can be saved and reinvested in your business immediately. This book was written for every small business owner who feels they do not have a full grasp of what they are doing with their profits, expenses, payroll, and taxes and would like to take more control of them. You will learn every possible method you need to understand and speak the language of your accountant and bookkeeper or to take over the process yourself. Learn the hundreds of necessary terms and the methods used by these two fields. Learn the different abbreviations used in the industry and what you will need to properly use this book, from the proper times to use terminology to the effective means by which to fill out your tax forms, records, and other forms. This Dictionary will give you the knowledge to help you to understand the complex world of bookkeeping and take control of your finances today.


Ecological Economics (EE) is a novel, wide and heterogeneous
branch of research which aims at studying the relationships
between Ecological and Economic Systems, which
are composed of large number of entities (state variables or
stocks), that interact through the flows of matter, energy, and
information passing through the systems' boundaries. The
two systems are strictly interwoven and each one have an impact
on the other, i.e. the exploitation of natural resources for
productive purposes and the potential economic losses due
to environmental disasters (e.g. climate change). The current
dissertation provides a set of both theoretical and empirical
studies to tackle the problem of natural resource scarcity
(e.g. water), climate change, economic growth, international
agreements and environmental consciousness with different
methodologies, in line with the purposes of EE.
The dissertation is composed by two main blocks: the first
one based on empirical investigations of water resource exploitation
and the other based on theoretical studies. The first
block (chapters 2 and 3) employs a sector-level approach to
investigate, at Global level, the main drivers of (Blue) water
exploitation and the vulnerability of inter-sectoral linkages to
external shocks (chapter 2), and the extent to which OECD
GDP growth forecasts are sustainable under the current water
resource availability and future climate change (chapter
3). The second block (chapter 4) describes a novel theoretical
framework to analyse the International Environmental
Agreements, combining a static 2x2 game (macro-level) with
an Evolutionary Game (micro-level). The Appendix A provides
the Supplementary Materials in which are explained in depth the mathematical details of the models employed in the
Chapters 2 and 3. Moreover, it has been introduced a brief
survey, part of a work in progress, that touches some of the
basic principles, epistemological assumptions and methodological
issues underpinning Ecological Economics.
Chapter 2
Chapter 2 discusses the empirical distribution of Blue virtual
water trade and it assesses the vulnerability of inter-sectoral
trade by integrating the Input-Output tables with Network
Theory. This paper applies the Global Multi-Regional Input-
Output (GMRIO) model to quantify the interdependencies
of different sectors, within the global economy, and to determine
the overall Blue water consumption of each country.
This procedure allows the measurement of Virtual Water
Trade (VWT), that is the volume of water embedded in
traded goods. Firstly, I present the results from the Structural
Decomposition Analysis (SDA) at different level of aggregation:
spatial and sectoral. This procedure allows to identify
and quantify the impact of the main drivers of Blue water
use: technological development, international trade, evolution
of production functions, population growth and changes
in the product mix of final demand. SDA is integrated with
the analysis of the topology of the inter-sectoral Blue VWT
in order to assess the vulnerability of the system to external
shocks. This paper offers a novel framework because it combines
two different, but analogous, methodologies that allow
to set up a broad framework in which assessing the effect of
the key factors in water exploitation and the resilience of the
system to (micro–level) shocks.
All in all, SDA showed a substantial contribution to reducing
water demand exerted by the composition of final demand
and by improvements in the water efficiency of production, while demographic and economic growth and changes in the
intermediate input mix has more than compensated such reduction.
Network theory extends the information provided
by the IO assessment, confirming that the system is particularly
exposed to the propagation of local (supply-side) shocks
due to 'cascade effects'. The 'duality' of trade is determined
by the apparent minor role played, evidenced by the SDA,
coupled with the potential risks related to the propagation
of shocks in water supply. The main policy implication of
these findings is that a cross-country coordination of water
management policies is needed to increase the resilience of
the water supply system to negative shocks to some crucial
sector, that would otherwise propagate to a large number of
countries.
Chapter 3
Chapter 3 integrates measures of social water scarcity and
physical renewable water constraints, in order to structure
a consistent set of scenarios under which evaluate the likely
economic impacts caused by future water scarcity, the technological
development needed to follow a sustainable growth
and the role of VW trade in providing an extra-amount of
(virtual) water per capita. The problem of quantitatively
evaluate water resources vulnerability derives from the fact
that is also used, both directly and indirectly, in production
processes across many different sectors of the economy,
through supply chain. This is simulated with an assessment
of very long-run implications (2100), using a Dynamic
Multi-Regional Input-Output (D-MRIO) model. I simulate
the joint impact of climate change, economic and population
growth, as provided by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate
Change (IPCC), under four alternative scenarios. In order
to overcome the limitations of the Falkenmark indicator, I assess both the direct water footprint of national consumption
and total water footprint that also allows for VW water
trade between different regions of the world.
Results suggest that under OECD GDP growth rates, there
should be an over-exploitation of available freshwater resources
(Wa) in almost every country across all scenarios. It
is shown that, for most countries, water-stress is mostly affected
by socio-economic variables rather than directly from
climate change. The comparison of the results using alternative,
internally consistent, climate change scenarios is essential
to guide future environmental policy decisions, both at
national and international levels, to achieve sustainable and
equitable water management strategies.
Chapter 4
Chapter 4 contributes to explain the observation of two facts
at odds: starting from the meeting held in Stockholm in 1972
till the last one arranged in Lima on December 2014, the number
of signatories of international environmental agreements
(IEA) has grown in time. Meanwhile, the aggregate global
level of greenhouse gas emissions is increasing at exponential
rate worldwide. I propose a novel multi-scale framework,
composed by two tied games, to show under which conditions
a country is able to fulfil the IEA: Game 1 is an Evolutionary
Game that models the economic structure of 'isolated'
economies, where the interaction of households and firms'
strategies determine the level of greenhouse gas discharge.
Game 2 deals with the IEA with a 2x2 static one-shot game,
in which two asymmetric nations bargain on the maximum
level of emissions.
Countries might have different environmental performances
based on their economic structure, without the need to impose
any 'free–riding' behaviour. Consumer's environmental consciousness (micro level) together with global income (and
technological) inequality (macro level), are found to be the
key variables towards the green transition path. IEA alone
appears to be a weak incentive, unable to stimulate a green
transition if not paired with local action and high level of environmental
awareness among consumers. Due to the complexity
of the game, not any result can be showed analytically,
therefore I run four simulations. The current approach
is able to offer a multi-scale level of analysis necessary to deal
with the complex issues at stake, that is climate change and
global/local actions.
Appendix A
This chapter is a brief methodological note on the models
employed in Chapter 2 and 3, in particular it offers the detailed
mathematical system of equations at the base of the
Structural Decomposition Analysis (Chapter 2), the algorithm
with which I computed the sustainable rate of technological
progress (Chapter 3) and an extension of Chapter
3 based on the computation of the potential economic losses
in case of un-sustainable exploitation of water resources. Finally,
I provide a brief overview of the epistemological and
methodological foundations of Ecological Economics. I pass
through some key concepts (i.e. entropy law, incommensurability,
complexity and irreversibility) in order to frame the
strengths and the limits of this novel, wide and heterogeneous
branch of research.


The design, manufacture and testing of a prototype elastomeric equine boot is described in this thesis. Thoroughbred horses may suffer from a number of serious hoof disorders. These include stone bruising, navicular syndrome and hoof wall separation. Excessive concussion in the equine hoof is a major contributory factor in most of the problems horses experience in their lower limbs. Bandaging of a horses foot after injury is time consuming as well as being labour intensive. The proposed boot serves a number of purposes; by replacing bandages during poulticing it plays a part in faster healing of foot ailments. It can also provide temporary protection during light working on hard surfaces or at grass. Another unique feature of the boot is to enhance performance, through optimising shock absorption and eliminating the need for unsafe fastening devices that are typical of many designs currently available. The sides of the boot are made up of an elastic material while the sole of the boot will consist of a wear resilient compound. The manufacture and moulding of an initial prototype is described, along with a discussion on how computer simulated models of horse movement were generated. The measurement and digitising of a typical horses foot and its modelling using computer software is discussed. Thereafter, manufacture and moulding of an initial prototype is described along with a discussion on how computer simulated models of horse movement were generated. The manufacture of prototype boots culminated in a series of field tests. The field test procedures are discussed and the results of these are compared with a finite element analysis (FEA) model of the boot. Finally, conclusions identifying the significant elements of the design, production and evaluation of a novel equine boot are offered, followed by proposals and recommendations for further work.