The goal of the present study was to investigate two factors that might play a role in the
acquisition of a challenging feature of English for second language learners: the regular simple
past (-ed, as in walked, learned). The first was whether learners benefited more from instruction
providing practice perceiving the past in running speech once they had demonstrated some
emergent knowledge of the form (the learner readiness issue, Pienemann, 1989). The second was
whether the greater sonority of the regular past tense allomorph /d/ (learned) compared with the
lower sonority of /t/ (walked) would result in the /d/ allomorph being acquired earlier than the /t/
allomorph (the perceptual salience issue, Goldschneider & DeKeyser, 2001). It was predicted
that, following the instruction, ready learners would be superior to unready in both regular past
tense written and perception accuracy, and that the /d/ allomorph would be acquired earlier than
the /t/ allomorph. The participants were 11-12 year old (n = 35) intensive ESL students in
Quebec. The study followed a pre-test/post-test/delayed-post tense design, and took place over 10
weeks. The learners' ability to produce and perceive the regular past was assessed through
contextualized listening and writing tasks. A mixed ANOVA compared performance of ready and
unready learners, as well as perception accuracy of /d/ and /t/ allomorphs in the perceptual
training tasks over time. Independent samples t tests compared gain scores of ready and unready
learners in picture-prompted written tasks prior to and following the perceptual training. Findings
showed that all learners' perception of simple past improved over time, with the more salient
allomorph /d/ being perceived more accurately than /t/, thus supporting the hypothesis that
salience plays a role in acquisition not only in the order of grammatical morphemes in general,
but also within allomorphs of the same morpheme. Results regarding readiness showed that ready
learners did not demonstrate greater rates of acquisition in perception or in production compared
to unready learners, suggesting that readiness might not be applicable to the acquisition of the
regular past tense form. The discussion will consider the pedagogical implications of these
findings, such as (a) whether instruction of the regular past might benefit from addressing the
allomorphs separately by attending to the more salient allomorph prior to the more difficult
allomorph, and (b) whether the quality of the practice might be more beneficial than readiness in
terms of rate of acquisition given that all learners demonstrated great improvement in the skill
that was practiced (i.e., perception).


This research investigates the determinant of dividend policy for a sample of Non-financial companies in Jordan over the period 2005-2016. This study concentrates on some variables that effect the dividend pay-out ratio and the dividend yield such as: Company size, risk, investment opportunities, historical dividend, profitability and leverage. This study used the panel dataset of non-financial companies in Jordan. The results show that company size showed significant positive impact, which could solve the free cash flow problem, mature and large companies were paying more and consistent dividends. The ROE was positive and significant, that firms with high profitability were paying larger consistent dividend pay-outs. The impact of historical dividends always positive and significant and signposts that firms trend of dividend payout rather than the random paying. Risk has a negative impact on the payout levels. The analysis was depending on some theories that affect the dividend policy such as: Dividends Irrelevance Theory, bird in hand theory, pecking order theory, Agency problems and signaling theory.


Aims: The aims of this study were to investigate the association between the neighbourhood environment and physical activity among young children in a Scandinavian setting, and to assess the influences of seasonal variations, age, sex and parental education. Methods: Physical activity was assessed with an accelerometer and neighbourhood resources were estimated using geographic information systems for 205 Swedish children aged 4–11 years. Neighbourhood resources were generated as the sum of three neighbourhood attributes: (a) foot and bike paths, (b) non-restricted destinations and (c) recreational area, all within 300 m of each child's home. Physical activity was assessed as: (a) total volume of physical activity (i.e. counts per minute), (b) sedentary time and (c) moderate to vigorous physical activity (MVPA). The association between neighbourhood resources and physical activity was analysed using mixed linear models weighted by measurement time and adjusted for sex, age, season of activity measurement, type of housing and parental education. Results: Children were more physically active in areas with intermediate access to neighbourhood resources for physical activity compared to areas with worst access, while the difference between intermediate and best neighbourhood resource areas was less clear. The association between physical activity and neighbourhood resources was weaker than with seasonal variations but compatible in magnitude with sex, age, type of housing and parental education. Among specific neighbourhood attributes, the amount of foot and bike paths was associated with less sedentary time and more MVPA. Conclusions: This study provides some, not entirely consistent, evidence overall for an association between the neighbourhood environment and physical activity among young children in Scandinavia.


A new data mining method is proposed for determining the number and structure of clusters, and refining groups in multivariate heterogeneous data set including groups, partly and completely overlapped group structures by using dynamic model based clustering. It is called dynamic model based clustering since the structure of model changes at each stage of refinement process dynamically. The proposed data mining method works without data reduction for high dimensional data in which some of variables including completely overlapped situations.


In this research, a layered-recurrent artificial neural network (ANN) using back-propagation method was developed for simulation of a fixed-bed industrial catalytic-reforming unit, called Platformer. Ninety-seven data points were gathered from the industrial catalytic naphtha reforming plant during the complete life cycle of the catalyst (about 919 days). A total of 80% of data were selected as past horizontal data sets, and the others were selected as future horizontal ones. After training, testing and validating the model using past horizontal data, the developed network was applied to predict the volume flow rate and research octane number (RON) of the future horizontal data versus days on stream. Results show that the developed ANN was capable of predicting the volume flow rate and RON of the gasoline for the future horizontal data with the AAD% of 0.238 and 0.813%, respectively. Moreover, the AAD% of the predicted octane barrel against the actual values was 1.447%, confirming the excellent capability of the model to simulate the behavior of the under study catalytic reforming plant.

 Key words: Modeling, simulation, artificial neural network, catalytic reforming, naphtha  cycle life.


The temperature dependence of refractive indices of optical materials is characterized in this work by what we call their normalized thermo-optic coefficients. These are determined experimentally through interferometric measurements of thermal expansion and of changes in optical thickness at a few laser wavelengths as function of temperature. A suitable vectorial formalism applied to these data allows predicting the thermal evolution of the refractive index all over the useful range of transparency. The validity and reliability of our methodology is demonstrated through temperature tuning of a mid-IR HgGa2S4 optical parametric oscillator (OPO) pumped at 1.0642 μm by a Nd:YAG laser. Measured thermal variation of both signal and idler wavelengths agrees very well with the predicted one.


Organic carbon (OC) comprises a large fraction of fine particulate matter (PM 2.5) in Mexico City. Daily and select 12-h PM 2.5 samples were collected in urban and peripheral sites in Mexico City from 17–30 March 2006. Samples were analyzed for OC and elemental carbon (EC) using thermal-optical filter-based methods. Real-time 5 water-soluble organic carbon (WSOC) was collected at the peripheral site. Organic compounds, particularly molecular markers, were quantified by soxhlet extraction with methanol and dichloromethane, derivitization, and gas chromatography with mass spectrometric detection (GCMS). A chemical mass balance model (CMB) based on molecular marker species was used to determine the relative contribution of major 10 sources to ambient OC. Motor vehicles, including diesel and gasoline, consistently accounted for 47% of OC in the urban area and 31% on the periphery. The daily contribution of biomass burning to OC was highly variable, and ranged from 5–30% at the urban site and 11–50% at the peripheral site. The remaining OC unapportioned to primary sources showed a strong correlation with WSOC and was considered to be 15 secondary in nature. Comparison of temporally resolved OC showed that contributions from primary aerosol sources during daylight hours were not significantly different from nighttime. This study provides quantitative understanding of the important sources of OC during the MILAGRO 2006 field campaign.


This paper studies how individual characteristics, institutions, and their interaction influence moral decisions. We validate a moral paradigm focusing on the willingness to accept harming third parties. Consequences of moral decisions are real. We explore how moral behavior varies with individual characteristics and how these characteristics interact with market institutions compared to situations of individual decision-making. Intelligence, female gender, and the existence of siblings positively influence moral decisions, in individual and in market environments. Yet in markets, most personalities tend to follow overall much lower moral standards. Only fluid intelligence specifically counteracts moral-eroding effects of markets.


Purpose: This study was to develop and evaluate an individualized education program based on self-efficacy for patients with kidney transplantation in Korea. Methods: A nonequivalent control group pretest-posttest design was used. The participants consisted of 43 patients who underwent kidney transplants at one hospital in Seoul, from July 2012 to April 2013. The experimental group received an individualized education based on self-efficacy in the hospital and follow-up telephone consultation in the 2nd and 3rd week after discharge. The control group received a routine discharge education. Knowledge, self-efficacy, and compliance related to kidney transplant were measured and analyzed by frequency, average, Mann-Whitney U test, Fisher's exact test, independent t-test, and χ2-test using SPSS Win 20.0. Results: Significant differences were found in self-efficacy between the experimental group and the control group. But no significant differences were found in knowledge and compliance between two groups. The scores of several items on monitoring health status in compliance were higher in the experimental group than those of the control group. Conclusion: The results of this study demonstrate the fact that an education program based in self-efficacy for patients with kidney transplant would be effective in improving self-efficacy and the ability to monitor their health status.


Abstract In countries with a post-industrial economy, where agriculture evolves towards rural development, canine breeding can be a good opportunity to integrate agricultural income. In spite of this and although they are for all intents and purposes an agricultural activity, cynophilia is not contemplated among the productive activities for which the calculation of Standard Output is envisaged, an economic variable set by the EU to measure the economic size of farms aimed at the granting of aid. Considering the inconvenience that this causes to canine breeders, the present contribution proposes a methodology for estimating the variable under examination consistent with the community legislation and based on a method of breeding that meets the principles of animal welfare. As dog breeding is not intended for the production of food or other material goods other than puppies, its production cycle is not suitable for a subdivision based on homogeneous categories of age or weight, as occurs in traditional farms. The consistency with the community legislation, which is realized in the quantification of the annual production of the breeding, has therefore been obtained by means of the financial discounting of the costs and revenues obtainable throughout the entire production cycle and in calculation of their annual share. The compliance of the breeding technique with the principles of animal well-being, on the other hand, stems from compliance with the rules laid down in the Ethical code of the breeder of dogs prepared by Enci – Ente Nazionale della Cinofilia Italiana (Italian National Body for Cynophilia). The data needed to estimate the costs and revenues associated with dog breeding are almost completely available online and the results obtained are congruous and very interesting.


ISBN: 978-94-6257-443-4 Author: Catarina C. Jakovac Title: Resilience of Amazonian landscapes to agricultural intensification Swidden cultivation is the traditional agricultural system in riverine Amazonia, which supports local livelihoods and transforms landscapes. In the last decades, riverine Amazonia has been undergoing important transformations related to population migration and market integration. In this study I investigated whether these socio-economic transformations could be inducing agricultural intensification and what are the consequences of such intensification for the resilience of the swidden cultivation systems in the region of the middle-Amazonas river, Brazil. This region is one of the largest producers of cassava flour (farinha in Portuguese) in the Brazilian Amazon, which is the local staple food. By combining information from field surveys, farmers interviews and remote sensing time-series, I investigated how agricultural intensification is taking place at the landscape level, and what are the consequences for secondary forests (fallows) regrowth and swiddens productivity. The results of this study show that swidden cultivation has been intensified in the last three decades, evidenced by an increase in the frequency of swidden-fallow cycles and a decrease in the length of the fallow period, from 9 to 5 years on average. I also found that agricultural intensification was associated to land accessibility and market orientation. Across the region, swiddens are dominated by a single cassava variety that is preferred by the market, reducing the possibilities for adaptation to pests outbreaks and environmental variations. At the field level, repeated swidden-fallow cycles under a short-fallow-period regime (of 5 yrs) leads to a decrease in the recovery capacity of secondary forests (reduced regrowth rate, lower species alpha- and beta-diversity, and changed species composition). Intensification also leads to a reduction in the labour productivity of swiddens (reduced cassava yield and higher weeding labour demand), and consequently in household income. I found that management-environment feedbacks play a key role in the decrease of swiddens and fallows productivity. The sprouting and persistent species favoured by cutting, burning and weeding practices are slow growing and form secondary forests with limited potential to fertilize the next cropping field and to suppress weeds. This results in a higher demand for weeding, which in itself will further favour strong-sprouting species. Such feedbacks reinforce the adverse effects of intensification on the environment and for livelihoods. Although farmers recognize thresholds for managing resilience, such as the formation of tired lands (terras cansadas in Portuguese), the combination of a low-nutrient-requiring crop, increasing farinha prices and shortage of accessible land, is encouraging farmers to keep on cultivating in already exhausted lands, and is pushing the system over such threshold. To enhance the resilience of swidden cultivation systems in the context of riverine Amazonia, management-environment feedbacks should be broken and market opportunities should be broadened beyond cassava, to include forest products that can be harvested within the swidden-fallow landscape, such as nuts, fruits and timber from fast-growing species. Thus, the proper management of secondary succession is key for assuring resilience to swidden-fallow landscapes and for promoting the integration of production and nature conservation in human modified landscapes.


In vitro studies have shown that extracts from mangosteen (Garcinia mangostana Linn.) act as antioxidants and cytoprotective agents against oxidative damage. The protective effect of alpha-mangostin, the major xanthone found in the pericarp of the mangosteen, in cellular models of Parkinson's disease (PD), has not been investigated. This study aims to investigate whether alpha-mangostin could protect SH-SY5Y neuroblastoma cells from MPP+-induced apoptosis. The effects of alpha-mangostin on MPP+-induced cell death were evaluated with a cell viability assay, staining for nuclear DNA morphology, flow cytometry for apoptotic cells and reactive oxygen species (ROS) production, quantitative real-time PCR for the expression of p53, Bax, and Bcl-2, and western blot analysis for cleaved caspase-3. Concomitant treatment with alpha-mangostin attenuated the effect of MPP+ on cell viability and apoptotic cell death. Alpha-mangostin reduced ROS formation induced by MPP+. Bax/Bcl-2 expression ratio and expression of p53 were significantly lower in cells cocultured with alpha-mangostin and MPP+. The cotreated cells showed a significant decrease in activated caspase-3 compared with MPP+ treatment alone. Our data suggest that cytoprotection of alpha-mangostin against MPP+-induced apoptosis may be associated with the reduction of ROS production, modulating the balance of pro- and antiapoptotic genes, and suppression of caspase-3 activation.


This paper attempts to look at actual export performance by employing revealed comparative advantage approach pioneered by Balassa in contrast to several previous studies of Pakistan's ex-ante comparative advantage in export of agricultural products,. Detailed trade information from SITC data was used to study relative export performance for a broad range of agricultural products. The results indicate that Pakistan has strong revealed comparative advantage in cereals exports, and that the country capitalized on this during international commodity price boom, especially for rice exports. However, actual performance was weak for high value products such as livestock and dairy, and was erratic for vegetables. Only mango and citrus show a high revealed comparative advantage, although the country grows a large variety of fruits.


Intentionally excluded from formal politics in authoritarian states by reigning elites, do the common people have concrete ways of achieving community objectives? Contrary to conventional wisdom, this book demonstrates that they do. Focusing on the political life of the "sha'b" (or popular classes) in Cairo, Diane Singerman shows how men "and" women develop creative and effective strategies to accomplish shared goals, despite the dominant forces ranged against them. Starting at the household level in one densely populated neighborhood of Cairo, Singerman examines communal patterns of allocation, distribution, and decision-making. Combining the institutional focus of political science with the sensitivities of anthropology, she uncovers a system of informal networks, supported by an informal economy, that constitutes another layer of collective institutions within Egypt and allows excluded groups to pursue their interests. "Avenues of Participation" traces this informal system from its grounding in the family to its influence on the larger polity. Discussing the role of these networks in meeting fundamental needs in the community--such as earning a living, reproducing the family, saving and investing money, and coping with the bureaucracy--Singerman demonstrates the surprising power these "excluded" people wield. While the government has reduced politics to the realm of distribution to protect itself from challenges, she argues that the popular classes in Cairo, as consumers of goods and services, have turned exploiting the government into a fine art.


In dryland environments, characterized by low and frequently variable rainfall, smallholder farmers must take crop water sensitivity into account along with other characteristics like seed availability and market price when deciding what to plant. In this paper we use the results of surveys conducted among smallholders located near Mount Kenya to identify clusters of farmers devoting different fractions of their land to subsistence and market crops. Additionally, we explore the tradeoffs between water-insensitive but low-value subsistence crops and a water-sensitive but high-value market crop using a numerical model that simulates soil moisture dynamics and crop production over multiple growing seasons. The cluster analysis shows that most farmers prefer to plant either only subsistence crops or only market crops, with a minority choosing to plant substantial fractions of both. The model output suggests that the value a farmer places on a successful growing season, a measure of risk aversion, plays a large role in whether the farmer chooses a subsistence or market crop strategy. Furthermore, access to irrigation, makes market crops more appealing, even to very risk-averse farmers. We then conclude that the observed clustering may result from different levels of risk aversion and access to irrigation.


The ever-growing popularity of mobile phones has brought additional challenges to the software development lifecycle. Mobile applications (apps, for short) ought to provide the same set of features as conventional software, with limited resources: such as, limited processing capabilities, storage, screen and, not less important, power source. Although energy efficiency is a valuable requirement, developers often lack knowledge of best practices. In this paper, we study whether or not automatic refactoring can aid developers ship energy efficient apps. We leverage a tool, Leafactor, with five energy code smells that tend to go unnoticed. We use Leafactor to analyze code smells in 140 free and open source apps. As a result, we detected and fixed code smells in 45 apps, from which 40% have successfully merged our changes into the official repository.


Dynamic scene classification is an important yet challenging problem especially with the presence of defected or irrelevant frames due to unconstrained imaging conditions such as illumination, camera motion and irrelevant background. In this paper, we propose the attentive temporal pyramid network (ATP-Net) to establish effective representations of dynamic scenes by extracting and aggregating the most informative and discriminative features. The proposed ATP-Net detects informative features of frames that contain the most relevant information to scenes by a temporal pyramid structure with the incorporated attention mechanism. These frame features are effectively fused by a newly designed kernel aggregation layer based on kernel approximation into a discriminative holistic representations of dynamic scenes. The proposed ATP-Net leverages the strength of attention mechanism to select the most relevant frame features and the ability of kernels to achieve optimal feature fusion for discriminative representations of dynamic scenes. Extensive experiments and comparisons are conducted on three benchmark datasets and the results show our superiority over the state-of-the-art methods on all these three benchmark datasets.


Abstract Despite a varied historical literature on the nineteenth-century royal dockyards, very little has been written about the health issues associated with naval shipbuilding or the healthcare facilities that were provided for dockworkers in the period. This article focuses mainly on the latter. Drawing on archival sources from the home dockyards, an examination is made of the duties and responsibilities of dockyard surgeons. These are found to have expanded considerably as healthcare provision became steadily more comprehensive. It is argued that as providers to a civilian workforce, the naval authorities were in the vanguard when it came to implementing perceived advances in medical practice. It is also contended, however, that while many dockworkers benefited as a result, this positive appraisal needs to be set against the more ambiguous aspects of the surgeon's role. Although surgeons treated the sick and injured, their growing prominence in other dockyard matters, such as retirement and the policing of sickness, is shown to have created tension in their relationship with the workforce.


Hamilton-Hart, Natasha. Hard Interests, Soft Illusion: Southeast Asia and American Power. Ithaca, Cornell University Press, 2012. 243 pp. In her revealing study, Natasha Hamilton-Hart details the impact of America's "soft" power on the foreign policy decision-makers of the developing or Third World states. She does so by using six states in Southeast Asia (Thailand, Malaysia, Singapore, Indonesia, the Philippines and Vietnam) as a convenient laboratory. Specifically, she applies the evidentiary weight of psychological studies of small group decision-making, value formation and maintenance, and cognitive processes to trace the assumptions, perceptions and beliefs of Southeast Asian foreign policy elites in the six countries. In her examination, she is interested in how policy-makers have come to the positive perceptions about the United States that they do with very few exceptions. Despite the study's emphasis on the beliefs of foreign professionals, Hamilton-Hart does not ignore the hard realities that concern traditional international relations specialists who focus on issues of national interest. She notes, for example, that when national interests of Southeast Asian states are endangered by American policy, regional actors will be critical of the United States. As examples, she specifically cites Malaysian Prime Minister Mohamad Mahathir's criticisms of the US dominated International Monetary Fund during the 1997 Asian financial crisis and Prime Minister Lee Kuan Yew Singapore who promoted Asian Values in response to American human rights criticisms. As well, in chapter three the author presents a well-argued summary of Southeast Asia's post-World War II national histories to illustrate how the region's current political leadership, with the notable exception of Vietnam, have directly benefited from their close ties to America and its international political, military, and economic policies during the cold War down to the post-2011 present. In chapter four Hamilton-Hart presents an insightful analysis of the accepted historiographical theses of the five non-communist states--official accounts, textbooks, and others that have received "political blessing." She posits that the histories present clear bias in favor of the ruling elite and also cast the United States in a favorable light by positive narratives of commission, omission, and implication. She then describes three aspects of these national histories that pertain in some way to the United States; the specter of communism in the national past, the US role of protector against external threat, and by downplaying the human cost of past conflicts. While Thailand and the Philippines are noted for having traditions of alternative historical interpretation, Malaysia, Singapore, and Indonesia are characterized as having high levels of elite dominance in their historical interpretations. It is only Vietnam that offers an alternative to the non-communist dominant narrative, but even here recent Vietnamese historiography is not as biased against the United States as might be expected. …


Quantum computing is a growing field at the intersection of physics and computer science. This module introduces three of the key principles that govern how quantum computers work: superposition, quantum measurement, and entanglement. The goal of this module is to bridge the gap between popular science articles and advanced undergraduate texts by making some of the more technical aspects accessible to motivated high school students. Problem sets and simulation based labs of various levels are included to reinforce the conceptual ideas described in the text. This is intended as a one week course for high school students between the ages of 15-18 years. The course begins by introducing basic concepts in quantum mechanics which are needed to understand quantum computing.


Ride curated this David Rokeby retrospective exploring the interdisciplinary focus of an artist whose work draws significantly on the science of computer intelligence. Ride also produced the online catalogue and wrote the introductory essay. Ride's curation aimed to bring together a representative sample of the work of David Rokeby, a leading international media arts
practitioner whose work has been rarely seen in the UK, and to present it in a number of contexts, including major shows in
Liverpool and Glasgow. Ride aimed to show Rokeby's work as a contemporary visual artist; to illustrate how the history of 'new
media as art' can be indicated through a concerted look at a singular artist's output; and to show how key concepts are
developed by the artist across his body of work.
Being the first retrospective devoted to Rokeby outside his home country, Canada,
Ride's primary curatorial objective was to address the issue of adequately representing an artist's creative trajectory through a
retrospective. There are few historical exhibitions of new media work due to problems of hardware obsolescence, therefore
installations have to be re-created and re-contextualised for a contemporary audience both through supporting information and
gallery installation.
Another curatorial objective was to find ways to contextualise the work through a variety of approaches so that it appeals to a
wide range of inter-disciplines. For example Rokeby's work explores computer intelligence, how computers can 'see', 'speak'
and communicate' together as a 'social' network. Areas of interest include language and linguistics, music composition,
cognitive science and visual culture. Each exhibition emphasises a different aspect of his work with different works included. An
online catalogue (including 2000 word curatorial essay by Ride) revealed how the exhibition evolved in different venues.
The project was developed over four years through close work with the artist and supported with £45,000 funds from Canada
House, Canadian High Commission and ACE.
Reviews include Literary and Linguistic Computing; Furtherfield; The List.


Introduction: Three-dimensional (3D) cell cultures are identified as more accurate and representative models of human cancers than conventional two-dimensional monolayer cell cultures. However, currently established 3D culturing techniques are technically challenging, time- and resource-consuming, and performed using traditional laboratory tissue culturing equipment. In recent years, microfluidics has been introduced into biomedical research, allowing cells and tissues to be cultured in microfabricated devices. The current challenge is to adapt existing 3D cell culturing techniques to microfluidic devices, allowing for the fabrication of low-cost, rapid evaluation devices to facilitate biomedical research and clinical application. The aim of this review was to evaluate microfluidics and 3D cell culture research with particular relevance to oncological research. Methods: Journal articles were acquired from different scientific databases and were identified using specific keywords. Three-Dimensional Cell Culturing Microfluidic Concepts: Various 3D cell culturing microfluidic devices have been designed, based on existing 3D cell culturing methods. This includes non-cell adherent-based devices, matrix-embedding, hanging drop, and droplet-based culturing methods. These platforms facilitate the culturing, treatment, and analysis of 3D spheroids, while simultaneously scaling down traditional experimental requirements. Limitations and Future Perspectives: Beyond superficial analysis, a major drawback in the current scope of 3D cell culturing microfluidic devices is the inability to extract spheroids for examining histology. Polydimethylsiloxane is the preferred material to fabricate devices but may need revision for commercializing microfluidic platforms in the future. Integrating 3D bioprinting and organoid cultures could potentially improve the quality of 3D models in microfluidic devices. Conclusion: 3D spheroids are an effective representation of in vivo cancers and microfluidics has streamlined the culture, treatment, and analysis of 3D models. Considerable improvements have been made in combining the two entities, but further work is required to manufacture 3D cell culturing microfluidic devices on a commercial scale.


Abstract. The aim of our study was to use the coupled climate-carbon cycle model HadCM3C to quantify climate impact of ecosystem changes over recent decades and under future scenarios, due to changes in both atmospheric CO2 and surface albedo. We use two future scenarios – the IPCC SRES A1B scenario, and a climate stabilisation scenario (2C20), allowing us to assess the impact of climate mitigation on results. We performed a pair of simulations under each scenario – one in which vegetation was fixed at the initial state and one in which vegetation changes dynamically in response to climate change, as determined by the interactive vegetation model within HadCM3C. In our simulations with interactive vegetation, relatively small changes in global vegetation coverage were found, mainly dominated by increases in shrub and needleleaf trees at high latitudes and losses of broadleaf trees and grasses across the Amazon. Globally this led to a loss of terrestrial carbon, mainly from the soil. Global changes in carbon storage were related to the regional losses from the Amazon and gains at high latitude. Regional differences in carbon storage between the two scenarios were largely driven by the balance between warming-enhanced decomposition and altered vegetation growth. Globally, interactive vegetation reduced albedo acting to enhance albedo changes due to climate change. This was mainly related to the darker land surface over high latitudes (due to vegetation expansion, particularly during December–January and March–May); small increases in albedo occurred over the Amazon. As a result, there was a relatively small impact of vegetation change on most global annual mean climate variables, which was generally greater under A1B than 2C20, with markedly stronger local-to-regional and seasonal impacts. Globally, vegetation change amplified future annual temperature increases by 0.24 and 0.15 K (under A1B and 2C20, respectively) and increased global precipitation, with reductions in precipitation over the Amazon and increases over high latitudes. In general, changes were stronger over land – for example, global temperature changes due to interactive vegetation of 0.43 and 0.28 K under A1B and 2C20, respectively. Regionally, the warming influence of future vegetation change in our simulations was driven by the balance between driving factors. For instance, reduced tree cover over the Amazon reduced evaporation (particularly during June–August), outweighing the cooling influence of any small albedo changes. In contrast, at high latitudes the warming impact of reduced albedo (particularly during December–February and March–May) due to increased vegetation cover appears to have offset any cooling due to small evaporation increases. Climate mitigation generally reduced the impact of vegetation change on future global and regional climate in our simulations. Our study therefore suggests that there is a need to consider both biogeochemical and biophysical effects in climate adaptation and mitigation decision making.


All mucosal surfaces are covered by a layer of mucus which hydrates, lubricates and protects the underlying epithelium. Endoscopists will be highly familiar with the shiny mucus layer covering the intestine. However, because of its intrinsic properties, particularly its high water content, mucus is difficult to preserve and measure, is lost in standard histological processing and is often overlooked in studies of intestinal pathophysiology.

The major macromolecular constituents of mucus are secreted mucin glycoproteins, and in the normal intestine this is, almost exclusively, MUC2. MUC2 is synthesised in intestinal goblet cells and packed into granules as large disulfide linked polymers. These granules form the distinctive goblet shaped thecae which is the defining morphological feature of goblet cells. On release and hydration, the mucin polymers swell 100–1000-fold, forming the viscous mucus barrier. While the mucins are largely responsible for the properties of mucus, mucus contains many other proteins, including antimicrobial molecules and antibodies. In the rodent colon, the mucus layer is around 700 µm thick, with an inner difficult to dislodge layer and an outer layer that is looser and easier to displace. Gunnar Hansson's group, from the University of Gothenburg, have previously shown that the inner mucus layer is devoid of microbes, effectively separating the luminal microbes from the epithelial cells.1 …


Abstract. A technique for collecting aerosol particles between altitudes of 17 and 85 km is described. Spin-stabilized collection probes are ejected from a sounding rocket allowing for multi-point measurements. Each probe is equipped with 110 collection samples that are 3 mm in diameter. The collection samples are one of three types: standard transmission electron microscopy carbon grids, glass fibre filter paper or silicone gel. Collection samples are exposed over a 50 m to 5 km height range with a total of 45 separate ranges. Post-flight electron microscopy will give size-resolved information on particle number, shape and elemental composition. Each collection probe is equipped with a suite of sensors to capture the probe's status during the fall. Parachute recovery systems along with GPS-based localization will ensure that each probe can be located and recovered for post-flight analysis.


The need for both public service interpreting (PSI) and business interpreting (BI) is increasing. Globalisation means not only do we need to communicate in order to create business, hence the need for business interpreters, but it has also opened the door for travel and immigration and to a different type of communication, hence the need for public service interpreting services. An interpreter is the link in all the above cases. In the past, the interpreters used were persons who could speak the two languages fairly well (or not, in the case of some of the rare languages). Nowadays, the issues raised in interpreting are so critical, that the need for training is ever increasing. Training needs are different in order to meet the difference in interpreting needs. To ensure appropriate and suitable training approaches, it is vital to determine the difference in training needs, if any. This paper will separate the needs for those receiving public services interpreting and those in conference and business interpreting. It will discuss who receives which type of interpreting and their expectations, and then how the training needs to be tailored to match those needs. Training in both methods include coping techniques, although the focus could be slightly higher in one rather than the other; the vocabulary used and needed would be different as PSI is localised while business interpreting is globalised. The paper will discuss how the emphasis in PSI interpreting is on ethical issues as well as certain vocabulary; eye contact is paramount and the cultural aspect plays a large role in this mix; while in conference interpreting culture does play a significant role but not as much as in PSI where the recipient may be vulnerable and the issues therefore extremely sensitive; training in this is therefore vital. The register used in PSI may be different to that in business interpreting and this is reflected in the training process. Stamina is an aspect that must not be dismissed lightly in business interpreting; the student must be seen as a whole, so stamina building is important in addition to voice training. Finally, the calibre of applicants for PSI courses is different to those going for business interpreting courses; data should be obtained to see if this affects their training requirements and therefore if training schedules need to be adjusted accordingly. Some choose to make the move from PSI to business interpreting, others already move in both domains; however, this must not be mistaken by thinking the move can be smooth in either direction.


New communication tools allow organizations to take advantage of global talent and minimize location-specific risks; however, they also present new challenges. One such challenge is that the communication tools individuals are using are often not a good fit with their tasks. Unfortunately, stress is one of the negative outcomes from poorly fit communication tools. We ran two experiments to better understand stress in new online interview settings. We first found that computer-based interviewers were more stressed than interviewees. Further, interviewers that were FTF experienced less stress than did interviewers in computer-mediated interview teams. In the second experiment, we looked at the influences of interview structure and two different types of low synchronicity media on stress. Initial findings showed that interviewers performing structured and unstructured tasks had a similar amount of stress, however interviewers using email were more stressed than were interviewers using instant messaging.


In an era of financial crises, widening income disparities, and environmental and other calamities linked to corporations, calls for greater corporate social responsibility ("CSR") are increasing rapidly around the world. Though CSR efforts have generally been viewed as voluntary actions undertaken by corporations, a new CSR model is emerging in China and India. In a marked departure from CSR as it is known in the United States and as it has been developing through global norms, China and India are moving towards mandatory, not voluntary, CSR regimes. They are doing so not only in a time of great global economic change, but at a time when both countries are themselves undergoing massive economic and social changes as they re-orient towards more market-based economies and seek to enter the ranks of global economic superpowers. This Article conducts a comparative analysis of the emerging CSR regimes in China and India and highlights key characteristics of these developing frameworks. This Article begins an inquiry into some of the most significant implications of the CSR regimes now unfolding in China and India, and their potential for effecting legal and societal change. It also raises questions about why China and India are moving towards mandatory CSR when other key global players are taking a largely voluntary approach. Finally, this Article seeks to add to global debates over corporate governance models by enhancing understanding of the corporate governance developments and innovations now arising in China and India.


Problem statement: The Muteh mining district is located in 70 km northeast of Golpaygan city within the Sanandaj-Sirjan metamorphic belt. There are 2 gold mines, 7 gold occurrences and numerous mineral indices in the Muteh gold district. There are few researches on Muteh gold district, but a detailed model is not clear yet. The aim of this study is to determine mineralogy of gold-bearing rocks and the role of these rocks in concentration of gold and to improve our knowledge about Muteh model. Approach: Detailed fieldwork carried out at different scales at the Muteh district. About 50 outcrops samples examined petrographically. Fifteen samples containing veinlets of sulfides and quartz selected for H, O and S stable isotope analysis. Petrography characterized by optical microscopy, Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM) and X-Ray powder Diffraction (XRD) analysis. Results: Geological studies indicated that the study area show a major poly-phase metamorphism. Since the latest metamorphism was weaker than the earlier ones, the older rocks were affected by more intense metamorphism. The metamorphic rocks mainly consist of schists, quartzite, marble, amphibolite and gneisses. These rocks show two foliations (S1 and S2). The S2 foliation is the major phase in the metamorphic rocks. Pyrite is the most abundant and the important gold-bearing mineral at the study area. Based on evidences of deformation (S2) and crystallization, three main types of pyrites can be distinguished in the Muteh deposit: (1) pre-tectonic or gold bearing pyrite (2) syn-tectonic or disseminated pyrites along the foliation of the host rocks. (3) pyrite aggregates in the host rocks or in the metamorphic segregation quartz veins crosscutting the foliation of the host rocks. The sulfur isotope studies were carried out on pyrites within quartz veinlets, biotite schist and meta-volcanic rocks at the Muteh deposit. Five available data are highly variable even from the same types of hosted rocks and their δ34S are +2.2, 6.6, 9.1, 13.9 and 16.9%0. Conclusion: There are three generations of pyrite in Muteh gold district. According to isotope data, it seems that source of sulfurs were not homogenous. The values showed more than one geological event for generation of pyrites in the study area. Compositions of sulfur isotopes indicated several different sources or processes for the sulfide fluids. The sulfur of these pyrites might have derived either directly from regional metamorphism that produced the metamorphic fluid or through dissolution and leaching of pre-existing sulfide-bearing minerals.


In this paper, I discuss a variety of theoretical and conceptual dimensions of Atlas.ti (Muhr, 1994, 1997a, 1997b). I draw on my own Atlas.ti experiences, and discuss advantages and disadvantages of using computer aided qualitative data analysis software (CAQDAS) (Lee and Fielding 1995). How can the quality of a research project be enhanced and how will the end product be affected? These are some questions I intend to answer.
Firstly, I will introduce Atlas.ti for qualitative data analysis. Secondly, I discuss how Atlas.ti, focusing on some coding procedures, (cf. Miles and Huberman 1994, and Dey 1993) supports a grounded theory approach for data analysis. Thirdly, I explain the VISE principles, visualisation, integration, serendipity and exploration as the main strategic modes of operation that may enhance the quality in the data analysis. Atlas.ti is a powerful workbench for qualitative data analysis, particular for large sections of text, visual and audio data. This software offers support to the researcher during the data analysis process. Texts are analised and interpreted using coding and annotating activities. It provides a comprehensive overview of the research project, the Hermeneutic Unit, and facilitates immediate search and retrieval functions. Atlas.ti also has a network building feature, which allows one to visually connect selected texts, memos, and codes by means of diagrams.


This symposium highlights advanced cone-beam CT
(CBCT) technologies in four areas of emerging application in diagnostic imaging and image-guided interventions. Each area includes research that extends the spatial, temporal, and/or contrast resolution characteristics of CBCT beyond conventional limits through advances in scanner technology, acquisition protocols, and 3D image reconstruction techniques.
Dr. G. Chen (University of Wisconsin) will present on the topic: Advances in C-arm CBCT for Brain Perfusion Imaging.
Stroke is a leading cause of death and disability, and a fraction of people having an acute ischemic stroke are suitable candidates for endovascular therapy. Critical factors that affect both the likelihood of successful revascularization and good clinical outcome are: 1) the time between stroke onset and revascularization; and 2) the ability to distinguish patients who have a small volume of irreversibly injured brain (ischemic core) and a large volume of ischemic but salvageable brain (penumbra) from patients with a large ischemic core and little or no penumbra. Therefore, "time is brain" in the care of the stroke patients. C-arm CBCT systems widely available in angiography suites have the potential to generate non-contrast-enhanced CBCT
images to exclude the presence of hemorrhage, time-resolved CBCT
angiography to evaluate the site of occlusion and collaterals, and CBCT perfusion parametric images to assess the extent of the ischemic core and penumbra, thereby fulfilling the imaging requirements of a "one-stop-shop" in the angiography suite to reduce the time between onset and revascularization therapy. The challenges and opportunities to advance CBCT technology to fully enable the one-stop-shop C-arm CBCT platform for brain
imaging will be discussed.
Dr. R. Fahrig (Stanford University) will present on the topic: Advances in C-arm CBCT for Cardiac Interventions. With the goal of providing functional information during cardiac interventions, significant effort has been expended to improve the quantitative accuracy of C-arm CBCT reconstructions. The challenge is to improve image quality while providing very short turnaround between data acquisition and volume data visualization. Corrections for x-ray scatter, view aliasing and patient motion that require no more than 2 iterations keep processing time short while reducing artifact. Fast, multi-sweep acquisitions can be used to permit assessment of left ventricular function, and visualization of radiofrequency lesions created to treat arrhythmias. Workflows for each imaging goal have been developed and validated against gold standard clinical CT or histology. The challenges, opportunities, and limitations of the new functional C-arm CBCT
imaging techniques will be discussed.
Dr. W. Zbijewski (Johns Hopkins University) will present on the topic: Advances in CBCT for Orthopaedics and Bone Health Imaging. Cone-beam CT is particularly well suited for imaging of musculoskeletal extremities. Owing to the high spatial resolution of flat-panel detectors, CBCT can surpass conventional CT in imaging tasks involving bone visualization, quantitative analysis of subchondral trabecular structure, and visualization and monitoring of subtle fractures that are common in orthopedic radiology. A dedicated CBCT platform has been developed that offers flexibility in system design and provides not only a compact configuration with improved logistics for extremities imaging but also enables novel diagnostic capabilities such as imaging of weight-bearing lower extremities in a natural stance. The design, development and clinical performance of dedicated extremities CBCT systems will be presented. Advanced capabilities for quantitative volumetric assessment of joint space morphology, dual-energy image-based quantification of bone composition, and in-vivo analysis of bone microarchitecture will be discussed, along with emerging applications in the diagnosis of arthritis and osteoporosis and assessment of novel therapies.
Finally, Dr. J. Boone (UC Davis) will present on the topic: Advances in CBCT for Breast Imaging. Breast CT has been studied as an imaging tool for diagnostic breast evaluation and for potential breast cancer screening. The breast CT application lends itself to CBCT because of the small dimensions of the breast, the tapered shape of the breast towards higher cone angle, and the fact that there are no bones in the breast. The performance of various generations of breast CT scanners developed in recent years will be discussed, focusing on advances in spatial resolution and image noise characteristics. The results will also demonstrate the results of clinical trials using both computer and human observers.
Learning Objectives:
Understand the challenges, key technological advances, and emerging opportunities of CBCT in:
1.
Brain perfusion imaging, including assessment of ischemic stroke
2.
Cardiac imaging for functional assessment in cardiac interventions
3.
Orthopedics imaging for evaluation of musculoskeletal trauma, arthritis, and osteoporosis
4.
Breast imaging for screening and diagnosis of breast cancer.
Work presented in this symposium includes research support by: Siemens Healthcare (Dr. Chen); NIH and Siemens Healthcare (Dr. Fahrig); NIH and Carestream Health (Dr. Zbijewski); and NIH (Dr. Boone).


DHM (Digital Human Modeling) tools have increasingly become a contributor to human factors engi-neering and user-centered design. Sources report however that little attention has been paid to the appear-ance of DHM virtual human models, i.e. manikins. Aspects of visual appearance have considerable im-pact on conveying beliefs and attitudes, something often used in industrial design to motivate solutions. This work aims to synthesis the need of correct anthropometric representation in DHM with the artistic freedom available in visual art industries and address the need of more humanlike appearances of manikins.


This paper describes a Web based document management system developed as a Lotus Domino application and the continuing research work of providing users with a variety of link services and agents that enhance the basic content of the system. The system is designed for use by administration personnel in an academic environment taking into account the wide variety of systems and methods already in use. Users do not need to know how to author Web pages as the source material for the system are files produced by common word processors. The system features a number of management tools to complement this concept written into the Domino application. The document management system is complemented by the use of an open linking service to dynamically cross-reference the documents.


High temperature pyroelectric sensing technology is important in materials processing as well as in automotive and aerospace engineering. In aerospace it can be used as Exhaust Gas Temperature Sensor (EGTS) for hot chamber of jet engine as EGTS measures engine's health and other sensing application. The primary requirement from the material perspective is it must be stable in high temperature range (600 to 1000° C). Ferroelectric material with high Tc (>1000°C) can be used in temperature sensing technology due to its pyroelectric properties. Neodymium Titanate (Nd2Ti2O7) is a promising candidate for this application as it has curie temperature of ~ 1480°C. NTO is a member of layered perovskite ferroelectric material. High Tc of NTO is due to the presence of dominant 180° ferroelectric domains and ferroelectric to paraelectric phase transition contains displacement of the whole sub lattice of TiO6 octahedron. In this thesis, we report the studies on synthesis of material, FullProf refinement and high temperature dielectric and pyroelectric properties of Neodymium Titanate material. Synthesis of NTO material is done by solid state reaction method. Neodymium oxide and titanium oxide is taken as primary materials in 1:2 molar ratios and the mixture is grinded with mortar and pestle for 4 hours. Phase purity is obtained by calcination of powder sample at 1250°C for 4 hours. XRD studies confirm the phase purity of neodymium titanate material. After ball milling powder is pressed to make pellet. Green pellets were sintered at 1400°C for 5 hours with a heating and cooling rates of 5°C/min. Detailed study of structural refinement was carried out by FullProf Suite software with CIF file taken from COD data base. SEM images of pellet shows densely packing of particles. Finally, dielectric property study is done by impedance analyzer instrument and furnace that goes up to 800°C. First experiment is done with applied voltage 0.8 V and data is taken during cooling from 750°C-50°C which shows the variation of dielectric constant and dielectric loss with temperature and frequency. Good curve is obtained with increasing temperature for higher frequency like 100kHz or 1kHz. For higher frequency almost no variation of dielectric viii constant and dielectric constant with temperature and that is expected as temperature range is low. Low dielectric loss for higher frequencies will be good for application. For temperature sensing application it is very important to show pyroelectricity. NTO is a ferroelectric material, so it's must have pyroelectric property. To know its temperature sensitivity pyrocurrent measurement is done. Pellets connected with platinum wires using silver paste kept inside the furnace and wires connected to source meter unit (Keithley-2401). Current vs time data is taken with temperature ramping between 600°C to 500°C which shows exponentially increasing or decreasing current w.r.t to temperature ramping. This is called pyrocurrent. This is the evidence of pyroelectricity in NTO material for temperature sensing application.


In the Footsteps of the Ancients.- The Origins of Humanism from Lovato to Bruni. By Ronald G. Witt. [Studies in Medieval and Reformation Thought, Volume LXXIV.] (Leiden: E. J. Brill. 2000. Pp. xiii, 562. $162.00.) Ronald Witt's new book, recipient in 2000 of the Renaissance Society of America's Phyllis Goodhart Gordan Book Prize, represents the culmination of decades of research on the emergence and development of humanism. In it he self-consciously aims to challenge, indeed to upend, conventional assumptions about the origins of humanism. Readers discover that they should no longer think of humanism springing fully formed from the mind and pen of Petrarch in the fourteenth century or of Florence as humanism's birthplace. The emergence of humanism required a lengthy process, and its earliest origins lie in the thirteenth century with the Paduan poet Lovato dei Lovati (1240/41-1309). Lovato broke with the northern Italian tradition of producing chivalric poetry in Provencal to write classicizing verse in Latin. His principal inspiration was Seneca, and his outlook was decidedly secular. The use of Latin, the study and imitation of classical authors, the choice of secular themes: these are the essential ingredients of what Witt calls "the new aesthetic." That this aesthetic first manifested itself in poetry makes perfect sense when one considers that the ars dictaminis, the medieval formal style for Latin composition, concerned itself with prose, not with verse. Compared to Padua, early fourteenth-century Florence was "something of a cultural backwater for study of the ancient Latin writers" (p. 173). In the first half of the Trecento, Florence witnessed a growth in vernacular literature, which "in the short run hindered the development of humanism in Florence" (p. 229) because it detracted from Latin learning.Yet the many vernacular translations of classical literature familiarized Florentines with ancient culture and helped them value it, thus paving the way for the emergence of humanism in the second half of the Trecento. The process of humanism's origins comes to a close with Leonardo Bruni and his generation at the beginning of the Quattrocento. Several developments indicate that humanism was by then fully formed. Dictamen, which "had to be dislodged from one genre of prose after another in something like a house-tohouse campaign" (p. 443), experienced its complete demise with the emergence of a classicizing oratory With the revival of oratory Cicero replaced Seneca as the principal source of inspiration and imitation. Under the auspices of Bruni "the first Ciceronianism" forged powerful links between classical oratory and political ideology in Florence. Cicero and his literary aesthetic served as the basis for the support of the city's republican constitution, contributed to the elaboration of a civic ethic independent of religious influence, and won over the Florentine patriciate for humanism. Not surprisingly, Hans Baron's interpretation of Bruni's Laudatio Fiorentinae Urbis and the response of Baron's critics frames Witt's discussion of the ties between a new humanist aesthetic and Florentine politics. While Witt acknowledges that the Florentine oligarchy adopted the language of republicanism in its own interest to prevent popular challenges to its authority, he argues for another source that shaped the ruling elite's conception of government: "extended contact with ancient literature and history, wherein the ancient civic ethic and republicanism were extolled" (p. …


The work of the contemporary British sociologist Anthony Giddens, and in particular his structuration theory, has been widely cited by Information Systems researchers. This paper presents a critical review of the work of Giddens and its application in the Information Systems field. Following a brief overview of Giddens's work as a whole, some key aspects of structuration theory are described, and their implications for Information Systems research discussed. We then identify 331 Information Systems articles published between 1983 and 2004 that have drawn on Giddens's work and analyze their use of structuration theory. Based on this analysis a number of features of structurational research in the Information Systems field and its relationship to Giddens's ideas are discussed. These findings offer insight on Information Systems researchers' use of social theory in general and suggest that there may be significant opportunities for the Information Systems field in pursuing structurational research that engages sympathetically, yet critically, with Giddens's work.


The first book to appear in the illustrious Oxford History of the United States, this critically acclaimed volume-a finalist for the Pulitzer Prize-offers an unsurpassed history of the Revolutionary War and the birth of the American republic. Beginning with the French and Indian War and continuing to the election of George Washington as first president, Robert Middlekauff offers a panoramic history of the conflict between England and America, highlighting the drama and anguish of the colonial struggle for independence. Combining the political and the personal, he provides a compelling account of the key events that precipitated the war, from the Stamp Act to the Tea Act, tracing the gradual gathering of American resistance that culminated in the Boston Tea Party and "the shot heard 'round the world." The heart of the book features a vivid description of the eight-year-long war, with gripping accounts of battles and campaigns, ranging from Bunker Hill and Washington's crossing of the Delaware to the brilliant victory at Hannah's Cowpens and the final triumph at Yorktown, paying particular attention to what made men fight in these bloody encounters. The book concludes with an insightful look at the making of the Constitution in the Philadelphia Convention of 1787 and the struggle over ratification. Through it all, Middlekauff gives the reader a vivid sense of how the colonists saw these events and the importance they gave to them. Common soldiers and great generals, Sons of Liberty and African slaves, town committee-men and representatives in congress-all receive their due. And there are particularly insightful portraits of such figures as Sam and John Adams, James Otis, Thomas Jefferson, George Washington, and many others. This new edition has been revised and expanded, with fresh coverage of topics such as mob reactions to British measures before the War, military medicine, women's role in the Revolution, American Indians, the different kinds of war fought by the Americans and the British, and the ratification of the Constitution. The book also has a new epilogue and an updated bibliography. The cause for which the colonists fought, liberty and independence, was glorious indeed. Here is an equally glorious narrative of an event that changed the world, capturing the profound and passionate struggle to found a free nation.


L.S., a 47-year-old white woman with type 1 diabetes, a bleeding diathesis, and iron deficiency anemia, was referred to an infectious diseases physician for assessment of a painful, nonhealing skin lesion. Before the referral, her primary care physician had treated her with several courses of oral antibiotics, including cephalexin, clindamycin, and amoxicillin, without improvement. She denied a history of preceding trauma, recent foreign travel, or exposure to aquatic animals or hot tubs. When questioned about whether the lesion was at the site of insulin injection, she stated this was possible because she had injected insulin at various locations through her clothes since adolescence, as instructed.

On physical examination, the patient appeared well. Her skin examination was significant for a 5-cm erythematous, tender nodule on the anteromedial aspect of her right thigh (Figure 1). No drainage from the lesion or evidence of surrounding cellulitis was found. There was no associated lymphadenopathy, and the remainder of her physical examination was unremarkable.

Routine laboratory tests, including leukocyte count with differential, platelets, electrolytes, creatinine, and liver enzymes, were within normal ranges. Her A1C was elevated at 10.8%.

Histology of the biopsied lesion demonstrated nonspecific inflammation with negative stains for acid-fast bacilli (AFB) and fungi. Cultures, however, were positive for mycobacteria spp. after an extended incubation period of 63 days (compared to the conventional incubation period of 49 days). 16S rRNA sequencing identified the organism as Mycobacterium immunogenum . The antimicrobial agents the organism was susceptible to were limited to clarithromycin and tigecycline, with intermediate sensitivity to amikacin. The organism was resistant to ciprofloxacin, doxycycline, cefoxitin, imipenem, cotrimoxazole, and linezolid.

1. How did this …


Recent theoretical and experimental results suggest that the dopamine system implements distributional temporal difference backups, allowing learning of the entire distributions of the long-run values of states rather than just their expected values. However, the distributional codes explored so far rely on a complex imputation step which crucially relies on spatial non-locality: in order to compute reward prediction errors, units must know not only their own state but also the states of the other units. It is far from clear how these steps could be implemented in realistic neural circuits. Here, we introduce the Laplace code: a local temporal difference code for distributional reinforcement learning that is representationally powerful and computationally straightforward. The code decomposes value distributions and prediction errors across three separated dimensions: reward magnitude (related to distributional quantiles), temporal discounting (related to the Laplace transform of future rewards) and time horizon (related to eligibility traces). Besides lending itself to a local learning rule, the decomposition recovers the temporal evolution of the immediate reward distribution, indicating all possible rewards at all future times. This increases representational capacity and allows for temporally-flexible computations that immediately adjust to changing horizons or discount factors.


In contributing to the ongoing debate on the impact of trade liberalization, this paper investigates the quantitative effect of import liberalization on tariff revenue in Ghana. A decomposition analysis was conducted to determine the relative effects of the different features of the import policy reforms. In addition, the impact of tariff rate reductions on tariff revenue was inferred using estimated results from the real imports equation. The study indicates that import tariff revenue is neither buoyant nor elastic in Ghana. Even though exchange rate depreciation over the liberalization period has increased tariff revenue, it is offset by the revenue-reducing effect of tariff reductions over this period. Moreover, the net effect of import liberalization in the form of reductions in the average tariff rate has been negative. The study recommends further improvements in customs administration and duty collection mechanisms to reduce leakage, an effective detection of evasion, enforcement of penalties, and tax replacements as key complementing measures.


A new derivation of an elliptic extended mild-slope wave equation, including the effects of energy dissipation and current, has been accomplished. A Galerkin-Eigenfunction method was used for this derivation and the final equation has been used to create a Finite Element Wave-Current Interaction Model (NM-WCIM). The NM-WCIM solves for the complex value of velocity potential, from which all other wave properties can be obtained. An iterative solution scheme based on the gradient of wave phase is implemented to solve for wave-current interaction. A novel post-processing technique for the NM-WCIM has been developed to obtain wave energy rays and hence breaking wave heights and eddy viscosity values. The model has been calibrated and tested against measured data and published results of similar models. The NM-WCIM was used to examine scenarios with complex wave-current interaction and bathymetry, including a case study of Casheen Bay on the west coast of Ireland. The NM-WCIM has proven itself to be an advancement over previous similar models in terms of efficiency and accuracy. Equations for the conservation of mass and momentum have been derived to examine wave-driven hydrodynamics in and around the surf-zone. These equations use a radiation stress driving force obtained, using a unique formula, from the velocity potential results of the NM-WCIM. The conservation equations also include turbulent diffusion terms based on eddy viscosity and a general bottom friction term for flow in any direction. The conservation of mass and momentum formulae have been used to develop a depthintegrated Finite Element Wave-Driven Hydrodynamic Model (NM-WDHM) which iterates to a converged solution using a finite difference time-stepping procedure. This model was calibrated against measured data and published results of similar models and has been used in a coupled system with the NM-WCIM to examine many scenarios with complex bathymetric and wave conditions, including those in Casheen Bay. The NMWDHM has proven itself to be both accurate and computationally efficient.


This paper examines changes in the occupations of African-American women during the period 1940-1980 using U.S. Census samples, with an emphasis on the breakthrough of black women into clerical work. In contrast with some previous studies, my results indicate that increased educational attainment played a significant role in opening black opportunities for clerical jobs. But changes in education still explain less than half of the overall increase in probability of a clerical job, suggesting that declining discrimination may also have been important. Employing an illustrative tipping model of endogenous discrimination, the paper argues that a range of historical forces might have tipped the labor market toward an equilibrium with less employment discrimination. Some preliminary evidence suggests a potential role for public employment and the educational qualifications of the black labor pool.


Abstract. Spain represents an important part of the tourism sector in the Western Mediterranean, which has been affected in the past by tsunamis. Although the tsunami risk at the Spanish coasts is not the highest of the Mediterranean, the necessity of tsunami risk mitigation measures should not be neglected. In the Mediterranean area, Spain is exposed to two different tectonic environments with contrasting characteristics. On one hand, the Alboran Basin characterised by transcurrent and transpressive tectonics and, on the other hand, the North Algerian fold and thrust belt, characterised by compressive tectonics. A set of 22 seismic tsunamigenic sources has been used to estimate the tsunami threat over the Spanish Mediterranean coast of the Iberian peninsula and the Balearic Islands. Maximum wave elevation maps and tsunami travel times have been computed by means of numerical modelling and we have obtained estimations of threat levels for each source over the Spanish coast. The sources on the Western edge of North Algeria are the most dangerous, due to their threat to the South-Eastern coast of the Iberian Peninsula and to the Western Balearic Islands. In general, the Northern Algerian sources pose a greater risk to the Spanish coast than the Alboran Sea sources, which only threaten the peninsular coast. In the Iberian Peninsula, the Spanish provinces of Almeria and Murcia are the most exposed, while all the Balearic Islands can be affected by the North Algerian sources with probable severe damage, specially the islands of Ibiza and Minorca. The results obtained in this work are useful to plan future regional and local warning systems, as well as to set the priority areas to conduct research on detailed tsunami risk.


IZA DP No. 14154 MARCH 2021 The Rise and Fall of German Innovation In this paper, we describe the historical co-evolution of innovation and economic growth in Germany since 1871. The country's rise as an industrial power in the late 19th century, through its innovation and entrepreneurial performance, is contrasted with the post-World War II period. This latter period, although it contained the German economic miracle, was nevertheless a period during which innovation went into relative decline. We document this decline and offer four broad, interrelated explanations: (i) an innovation system locked into incremental innovation, (ii) a slowdown in the diffusion of technology, (iii) weaknesses in the education system, and (iv) entrepreneurial stagnation. Implications for policy are noted. Our paper contributes to the growing literature attempting to understand the decline in business dynamism that characterises many advanced economies. JEL Classification: D31, L26, O33, O38, O52


In an ever-changing world, competencies to process information efficiently are essential. However, several researchers indicate that graduates have limited abilities to solve complex problems in reality. In this paper, a possible solution to increase competences in effective searching, analysing and comparing information is provided. In a blended-learning environment, students had to share information before coming to class. The results of an analysis of four consecutive years of computer-supported learning in a master-course indicate that students are willing to share information when conditions are favourable. In addition, a specific redesign of the task, control and social dimension let to increased knowledge sharing. Future research is necessary to assess whether this also has increased performance.


Literature and past research suggests that one of the reasons for the poor performance of
the construction industry is due to the inappropriateness of the awarded contractor. In
order to ensure a successful completion of a project, a comprehensive and careful
assessment of contractors data in a prequalification stage is required. Appointing an
appropriate contractor to carry out the construction work, therefore, becomes one of the
most important tasks to ensure the success of a project.
In this thesis the author has made a preliminary survey to investigate the bidding process
currently used in the construction industry through literature survey, extensive interviews
with the construction professionals and an industry wide questionnaire. The investigation
has focused on the procedures of prequalification and bids evaluation, it also covers the
list of criteria considered for selecting contractors in prequalification and bid evaluation
stages.
The thesis investigated the perceived relationship between contractor selection criteria
(CSC) currently in use and predominant project success factors (PSF) in terms of time,
cost and quality involving a sample of experienced construction professionals. This research is based on the premise that selection should concentrate on determining
contractor potential for achieving project goals in terms of time, cost and quality. The
study presented a quantitative technique to combine the contractor data in terms of these
goals. The study also presented an evaluation strategy that involves the consideration both
of the client goals as ends and contractor data as the means, the strategy based on the
rnultiattribute utility theory for the frnal selection or rank ordering of the contractors. The
selection is ultimately based on the preferences and the attitude of the decision maker
toward risk.
A real case study was used to validate the proposed methodology for contractor
prequalification.
The benefit of this work is that it provides a means using the PERT methodology to
incorporate uncertainty andlor imprecision associated with the assessment of contractors
data, this all in terms of the ultimate project success factors of time, cost, and quality.
The utility technique proposed should help clients in selecting contractors and the
contractors themselves for selecting sub-contractors in offering a means of broadening
their analysis of tenderers beyond that of simply relying on tender values. It also alerts
contractors to the importance of increasing their ability to satisfy the needs of the clients in
terms of their ultimate project goals.


When facing large-scale image datasets, online hashing serves as a promising solution for online retrieval and prediction tasks. It encodes the online streaming data into compact binary codes, and simultaneously updates the hash functions to renew codes of the existing dataset. To this end, the existing methods update hash functions solely based on the new data batch, without investigating the correlation between such new data and the existing dataset. In addition, existing works update the hash functions using a relaxation process in its corresponding approximated continuous space. And it remains as an open problem to directly apply discrete optimizations in online hashing. In this paper, we propose a novel supervised online hashing method, termed Balanced Similarity for Online Discrete Hashing (BSODH), to solve the above problems in a unified framework. BSODH employs a well-designed hashing algorithm to preserve the similarity between the streaming data and the existing dataset via an asymmetric graph regularization. We further identify the "data-imbalance" problem brought by the constructed asymmetric graph, which restricts the application of discrete optimization in our problem. Therefore, a novel balanced similarity is further proposed, which uses two equilibrium factors to balance the similar and dissimilar weights and eventually enables the usage of discrete optimizations. Extensive experiments conducted on three widely-used benchmarks demonstrate the advantages of the proposed method over the stateof-the-art methods.


The LaAlO3/SrTiO3 heterostructure is a potential candidate for a high mobility two-dimensional electron system with novel electronic and magnetic properties. Although LaAlO3 and SrTiO3 are both large-gap band insulators, the interface is conductive, and even superconducting below 200 mK. Negative electronic compressibility is observed as the carrier density is tuned through electric field effect [1]. Magnetic ordering has been proposed to arise from the d-electrons transferred by polarization discontinuity. However the magnetization of this system has not previously been studied, because of the small volume of the interface. Using torque magnetometry, we detect the magnetic moment of the interface system directly [2]. Our results indicate the existence of a magnetic ordering at the two-dimensional conductive interface. More importantly, the same magnetic behavior persists even when the sample is superconducting, which suggests an unconventional twodimensional superconducting phase.


Surface display techniques, including contour mapping, usually use an interpolant when data values are on a rectangular grid; but when values are irregularly located some form of assumed or estimated distance-weighting function is often used to estimate the "influence" of data points at other locations. If moving average (or some other) techniques are then applied, slopes may be zero at data points; extrema may fall at data points exclusively; or surfaces may not pass through data points.An alternative method is proposed whereby a map area is automatically divided into suitable triangular domains with a data point at each vertex. Surface estimation and contour plotting are then performed independently for each triangle using a measured or best-fit plane associated with each data point. The approach requires the utilization of three non-original aspects: 1) the derivation of a local homogeneous "area" coordinate system for any arbitrary triangle; 2) the construction of a data-structure linking each triangular domain with its three neighbouring triangles and three associated data points, and 3) the use of a "conforming" triangular finite-element interpolating function.Use of the first two of these concepts permits the economic generation and optimization of a triangular mesh from a set of data points. Optimization criteria used to define the "best" triangular partition are described in some detail, along with computer timing for this step. Use of the first and third concepts permits the interpolation of a smooth surface over the whole map area even though each triangular element is estimated and plotted independently. The requirements for a suitable interpolating function are discussed, and an interpolant is suggested that preserves elevation and slope at each data point as well as elevation and slope continuity between domains. Extrema need not be located at data points but are constrained by their associated planes. Contour line segments are produced by division of each triangle into N2 sub-triangles, elevation estimation at each resulting node, and linear interpolation and plotting withing each sub-triangle. Resolution is then a function of N and local data point density. Extension of the method to higher dimensions is briefly discussed.


A formulation of the Chandezon method for modeling one-dimensionally periodic, multilayer, inhomogeneous, anisotropic diffraction gratings is presented. The formulation is based on an oblique Cartesian coordinate system so that blazed surface-relief profiles and slanted volume permittivity variations can be treated simultaneously. The permittivity tensors of the anisotropic materials can be arbitrary, but their spatial variations are assumed to have the same period as the surface corrugations. Some of the previous authors' works in the above individual aspects of the subject are improved on in regard to clarity, simplicity, and generality. Most important, the theory of Fourier factorization is applied throughout the analysis to ensure fast convergence of the numerical method when the permittivity tensors or the derivatives of the grating's surface-profile functions have discontinuities. Numerical examples, including those of two types of multilayer magneto-optic gratings, are provided.


Abstract Background Research ethics guidelines set a high bar for conducting research with vulnerable populations, often resulting in their exclusion from beneficial research. Our study aims to better characterise participants' vulnerabilities, agency, resourcefulness and sources of support. Methods We undertook qualitative research around two clinical studies involving migrant women living along the Thai–Myanmar border. We conducted 32 in-depth interviews and 10 focus group discussions with research participants, families, researchers and key informants. Results We found that being 'undocumented' is at the core of many structural vulnerabilities, reflecting political, economic, social and health needs. Although migrant women lead challenging lives, they have a support network that includes family, employers, community leaders, non-governmental organisations and research networks. Migrant women choose to participate in research to access quality healthcare, gain knowledge and obtain extra money. However, research has the potential to exacerbate existing vulnerabilities, such as the burdens of cross-border travel, foregoing work and being more visible as migrants. Conclusions Our study confirms that research is important to provide evidence-based care and was viewed by participants as offering many benefits, but it also has hidden burdens. Migrant women exercised agency and resourcefulness when navigating challenges in their lives and research participation.


BACKGROUND
The 2016 Chilean Report Card on Physical Activity for Children and Youth is a review of the evidence across indicators of behaviors, settings, and sources of influence associated with physical activity (PA) of Chilean children and youth.

METHODS
A Research Work Group reviewed available evidence from publications, surveys, government documents and datasets to assign a grade for 11 indicators for PA behavior based on the percentage of compliance for defined benchmarks. Grades were defined as follows: A, 81% to 100% of children accomplishing a given benchmark; B, 61% to 80%; C, 41% to 60%; D, 21% to 40%; F, 0% to 20%; INC, incomplete data available to assign score.

RESULTS
Grades assigned were for i) 'Behaviors that contribute to overall PA levels': Overall PA, F; Organized Sport Participation, D; Active Play, INC; and Active Transportation, C-; ii) 'Factors associated with cardiometabolic risk': Sedentary Behavior, D; Overweight and Obesity, F; Fitness, F; and iii) 'Factors that influence PA': Family and Peers, D; School, D; Community and Built Environment, C; Government Strategies and Investments, C.

CONCLUSIONS
Chile faces a major challenge as most PA indicators scored low. There were clear research and information gaps that need to be filled with the implementation of consistent and regular data collection methods.


The corrosion of steel in concrete is one of the main factors causing the deterioration and damage of reinforced concrete structures where chloride diffusion or carbonation is likely, leading to the reduction of load capacity and service life of these structures. There are a number of techniques that have been developed to assist with this problem. Of these, cathodic protection has been demonstrated to be one of the most effective methods for the prevention and protection of steel from corrosion. More recently, carbon fibre composites have increasingly used to impart additional strength to existing reinforced concrete structures, including those suffering from corroded reinforcement. However, there has been a lack of research into the combined use of carbon fibre composites for both strengthening and the provision of cathodic protection (CP). This research investigates the requirements and limitations of operating carbon fibre based systems as both methods of strengthening reinforced concrete structures while simultaneously controlling the corrosion of the reinforcement through the application of CP by utilising the carbon fibre (CF) as an impressed current cathodic protection (ICCP) anode.The effect of anodic current density on the simulation of corrosion of steel in concrete has been investigated to allow specimens to be pre-corroded to a defined level prior to receiving the new anode and strengthening systems. The properties and electrical conductive of CF fabric and rods was tested for different candidate systems. Two bonding mediums, epoxy adhesive and a geopolymer have been used to bond CF fabric and rods to concrete. The dual function of the CF anode systems was tested on reinforced concrete beams with dimensions of 100mm by 150mm by 900mm and no shear reinforcement. The reinforcing steel was subjected to corrosion by the anodic impressed current method. CF fabric and rod anodes were used both for strengthening the corroded reinforced concrete beams and to provide ICCP. The potentials of the steel and potential decay resulting from the application of CP were monitored and analysed. Finally, the beams were flexurally tested to determine their deflection-load relationships. In order to improve the bond strength at the CF anode and concrete, U-shaped wrapping and a combination of geopolymer and epoxy as bonding medium was further researched. A series of tests has also been conducted to assess the effects of ICCP current on the bond strength at the steel to concrete interface. The results obtained show that anodic impressed current is a reliable method for accelerating the corrosion of steel in concrete. In addition, CF fabric and rod can be used as ICCP anodes while continuing to strengthen corroded reinforced concrete structures. The bonding at the CF fabric anode to concrete interface is improved by using U-shaped wrapping and the combination of epoxy and geopolymer is effective for improving bonding of the CF anodes. The applied ICCP current has been shown to result in a small reduction in the bond at steel to concrete interface, with higher applied currents resulting in a greater reduction in bond. This effect should be taken into account when designing any ICCP system.


Context. Young stellar objects (YSOs) occasionally experience enhanced accretion events, the nature of which is still poorly understood. The discovery of various embedded outbursting YSOs has recently questioned the classical definition of EXors and FUors. Aims. We present a detailed spectroscopic investigation of the young eruptive star PVCep, to improve our understanding of its nature and characterise its circumstellar environment after its last outburst in 2004. Methods. The analysis of our medium-resolution spectroscopy in the near-IR (0.9–2.35 m), collected in 2012 at the Large Binocular Telescope with the IR spectrograph LUCIFER, allows us to infer the main stellar parameters (visual extinction, accretion luminosity, mass accretion and ejection rates), and model the inner disc, jet, and wind. Results. The NIR spectrum displays several strong emission lines associated with accretion/ejection activity and circumstellar environment. Our analysis shows that the brightness of PVCep is fading, as well as the mass accretion rate (2 10 7 M yr 1 in 2012 vs 5 10 6 M yr 1 in 2004), which is more than one order of magnitude lower than in the outburst phase. Among the several emission lines, only the [Feii] intensity increased after the outburst. The observed [Feii] emission delineates blue- and red-shifted lobes, both with high- and low-velocity components, which trace an asymmetric jet and wind, respectively. The observed emission in the jet has a dynamical age of 7–8 years, indicating that it was produced during the last outburst. The visual extinction decreases moving from the red-shifted (AV(red)=10.1 0.7mag) to the blue-shifted lobe (AV(blue)=6.5 0.4mag). We measure an average electron temperature of 17500K and electron densities of 30000cm 3 and 15000cm 3 for the blue and the red lobe, respectively. The mass ejection rate in both lobes is 1.5 10 7 M yr 1 , approximately matching the high accretion rate observed during and immediately after the outburst ( u Mout/ u Macc 0.05–0.1). The observed jet/outflow asymmetries are consistent with an inhomogeneous medium. Our modelling of the CO emission hints at a small-scale gaseous disc ring, extending from 0.2-0.4AU to 3AU from the source, with an inner temperature of 3000K. Our Hi lines modelling indicates that most of the observed emission comes from an expanding disc wind at Te=10000K. The line profiles are strongly a ected by scattering, disc screening, and outflow self-absorption. Conclusions. According to the classical definition, PVCep is not an EXor object, because it is more massive and younger than typical EXors. Nevertheless, its spectrum shows the signature of an 'EXor-like' outburst, suggesting a common origin.


Urocitellus beldingi (Belding's ground squirrel), previously known as Spermophilus beldingi, is a social, montane rodent that occupies alpine and subalpine meadows in the Sierra Nevadas (Helgen et al. 2009). The Tioga Pass meadow (Mono Co. CA) population has been studied behaviorally and demographically for several decades. Microsatellites were developed for this species and conditions for polymerase chain reaction (PCR) were defined. Nine microsatellite loci amplified adequately and were in Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium, displaying an average heterozygosity of 0.67±0.19. These nine microsatellite loci were analyzed via PCR to elucidate the fine scale genetic structure, offering insight into population health, stochastic events, and dispersal. Two populations were identified, corresponding to the elevation differences between the sites (FST = 0.054605 p<0.00001), with a migration rate (Nm) of 8.66. These populations appear to maintain a stable size and are not adversely affected by inbreeding. Urocitellus beldingi maternity can be deduced by observing female burrows usage during gestation and which offspring first emerge from the burrow associated with that particular female. Paternity, however, can only be posited by observation of mating because the species exhibits multiple mating in both sexes, though not all matings necessarily result in offspring. Multiple paternity has been previously verified through allozyme analysis. Microsatellites were used to verify maternity and determine paternity. Analysis of ten litters demonstrated an average of 1 father per 1.35 pups in a litter. Sibship deduced from maternity and paternity analysis was then compared with previously collected behavioral


A new slender-snouted neosuchian crocodyliform, Khoratosuchus jintasakuli gen. et sp. nov., is described from the late Early Cretaceous Khok Kruat Formation of NE Thailand. This discovery represents the youngest and most advanced Mesozoic crocodyliform known in Thailand on the basis of the following cranial features: the secondary choanae are relatively posterior and almost enclosed by the pterygoid; the lateral margin of the maxilla is relatively straight without lateral constrictions; the dorsal surface of the skull lacks ridges and fossae; maxillary teeth are homodontous; the anterior end of the jugal and prefrontal terminate at the same level. The specimen bears resemblances to Chinese and European derived neosuchians and suggests a close relationship between the late Early Cretaceous neosuchians of China,


Abstract A first-principle variational approach to adiabatic collisionless plasma waves is described. The focus is made on one-dimensional electrostatic oscillations, including phase-mixed electron plasma waves (EPWs) with trapped particles, such as Bernstein-Greene-Kruskal modes. Whitham's theory is extended by an explicit calculation of the EPW Lagrangian, which is related to the oscillation-center energies of individual particles in a periodic field, and those are found by a quadrature. Some paradigmatic physics of EPWs is discussed for illustration purposes.


In this paper, we obtain an analytical formulation to describe the penalty of the main important sources of impairment into the final performance in directly modulated/detected OOFDM systems. These equations aim to give a comprehensive description of deliberate clipping process at the OFDM transmitter, laser direct modulation, the impact of the channel impulse response length and the nonlinearity introduced by the laser, and the interplay between laser chirp and chromatic dispersion. Jointly, the provided expressions allow us, firstly, to analyze and understand the performance obtained in an OOFDM system in short-medium optical haul links, and, second, to optimize important transceiver parameters such as the clipping level, length of the cyclic pre/postfix, and laser modulation index.