"The Gazer Within" collects the prose of one of America's favorite poets. Refreshingly candid, laugh-out-loud funny, and, at the same time, intimate, the pieces trace Larry Levis's early years growing up on his father's farm, his decision at sixteen to become a poet, and his undergraduate experience in the days of the Vietnam War. In addition to memoir, there are critical reviews, including his seminal essay on the poet Philip Levine, and reviews of poets as diverse as W. D. Snodgrass and Zbigniew Herbert.David St. John's foreword speaks eloquently of Levis's enduring legacy: "Of the poets of his generation, Larry Levis spoke most powerfully of what it means to be a poet at this historical moment. With the same majesty he brought to his poetry, Larry Levis engaged his readers with the most subtle and disturbing questions of the self to be found in the prose--essays, reviews or interviews--of any contemporary American poet. Broadly international in his scope and deeply personal in his reflections, Levis addressed poetic concerns that are both immediate and timeless. For many of us who struggle with these issues, Larry Levis's prose on poetry stands as some of the most capacious to be found since Randell Jarrell's."The late Larry Levis was the author of six volumes of poetry. He was Director of the Creative Writing Program, University of Utah; Professor of English, Virginia Commonwealth University; and also taught at the Iowa Writers Workshop.


The T-Cell Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia 1 (TAL1) gene encodes for a transcription factor that is a major regulator in hematopoiesis. This transcription factor affects the differentiation of the Hematopoietic Stem Cell (HSC) into lymphoid cell lineages, specifically T lymphocytes. T lymphocytes play a major role in the bodies cell mediated immunity. Any defect in TAL1 causes an immunocompromised patient. There are several mutations that can cause defects in the T-Cell Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia 1 gene. One specific mutation studied is a translocation, exchanging genetic information between chromosome 1 and chromosome 14. This translocation is specifically referred to as t(1p33;14q11). This translocation induces an over expression in the TAL1 transcription factor. With this excess protein, tumor activity is created in the T lymphocyte development pathway, producing the T-cell Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia (T-ALL) phenotype. There are many current therapies, like chemotherapy, that treat the symptomatic ailments of T-ALL, but are slow curative therapies. Gene therapy is a novel treatment that can be used to directly target the chromosomal mutations causing T-ALL. One of the major drawbacks of current gene therapy techniques is the lack of specificity seen in vectors used to target the chromosomal abnormalities. Improvements in gene therapy can be accomplished through the use of Zinc Finger Nucleases (ZFNs), a type of engineered nuclease. In theory, gene therapy using ZFNs suggests a realistic cure for T-ALL. This paper outlines the potential use of ZFNs in creating more effective gene therapy treatments for T-ALL patients with the t(1p33;14q11) mutation in TAL1.


Modern organisations are under constant pressure to perform better with less. Through business re-engineering processes, many tasks that used to be conducted by employees are now likely to be done by state of the art technology and the operatives made redundant. Although many organisations have achieved the objective of operating under a "lean and mean" philosophy, the utilisation of "cutting edge" technology has generated a need for a flatter organisational structure and caused some middle management positions to be made redundant. The emphasis on the use of new technology, therefore, can have a significant impact on promotional opportunities for many employees. This position paper attempts to examine the relationship between the use of "cutting edge" technologies and the impact on promotion opportunities to employees. Using new technologies to replace human operators requires careful analysis and conceptual planning. The consequence of relying solely on new technologies can have adverse influences on an organisation's overall effectiveness and performance.


Background and Hypothesis:
There is an unmet need for interventions that prevent bone loss induced by sex steroid deficiency. Loss of estrogens or androgens increases ROS in bone. We hypothesized that diets containing blueberries with antioxidant properties would protect from bone loss induced by sex steroid deficiency, depending on sex and on the expression of Nrf2, a transcription factor that regulates the endogenous antioxidant response.
Experimental Design:
SHAM, ovariectomized (OVX), or orchidectomized (ORX) 4-month-old, wild type (WT) or Nrf2 knockout (KO) male and female mice were fed with control diet or diets containing 3 types of blueberries. Bone mineral density (BMD) and bone microarchitecture were measured by dual-energy x-ray absorptiometry and microscopic computed tomography, respectively; and gene expression was quantified in bone RNA by quantitative PCR.
Results:
Control-fed OVX or ORX mice exhibited the expected BMD loss, to a similar extent, in WT and KO mice. One of the blueberry diets (Montgomery) prevented bone loss, totally in females and partially in males; and prevented ~50% of microarchitecture deterioration in ORX mice, independently of Nrf2 expression. OVX and ORX decreased expression of estrogen-response-element gene C3 or androgen-response-element gene Rhox5, respectively, in both WT and KO mice fed control or Montgomery diets, indicating that bone protection is not due to estrogenic/androgenic actions of the diet.
Conclusion and Potential Impact:
Montgomery diet prevented bone loss due to sex steroid deficiency fully in females and partially in males. Thus, optimal skeletal benefits might be achieved by tailoring antioxidant-rich diets to patients of either sex.


We investigated the photophysical properties of figure-eight-like meso-hexakis(trifluoromethyl) [26]- and [28]hexaphyrins(18.104.22.168.1.1) denoted as TFM26H and TFM28H, respectively, using steady-state and time-resolved spectroscopy along with theoretical calculations to explore their electronic and magnetic natures depending on their molecular aromaticity. TFM26H exhibited a well-resolved absorption feature and intense fluorescence, both of which were neither solvent- nor temperature-dependent. These optical properties were in agreement with its Hückel's [4n + 2] aromaticity as observed in typical aromatic porphyrinoids. The S(1)-state lifetime of ~50 ps for TFM26H in solution was shorter than those in planar aromatic hexaphyrins (>100 ps) presumably due to nonplanar figure-eight geometry of TFM26H. However, TFM28H exhibited remarkable changes in solvent- and temperature-dependent absorption spectra as well as excited-state lifetimes indicating that a dynamic equilibrium occurs between the two conformational species. With the help of quantum mechanical geometry optimization and vertical excitation energy calculations, we found that the figure-eight double-sided conformer observed in the solid-state and single-sided distorted one could be the best candidates for the two conformers, which should be Hückel antiaromatic and Möbius aromatic species, respectively, based on their optical characteristics, molecular orbital structures, and excited-state lifetimes. Conformational dynamics between these two conformers of TFM28H was scrutinized in detail by temperature-dependent (1)H NMR spectra in various solvents, which showed that the conformational equilibrium was quite sensitive to solvents and that a conformational change faster than the NMR time-scale occurs even at 173 K.


Decoupling the components of a distributed application through an intermediate shared data model is a powerful concept. Components can work independently, but at the same time share intermediate results and collaborate on a shared data structure. This paper describes a particular realization of the shared data model, the Shared Concept Space (SCS), which is an essential element of the DIVA visualization architecture. The Shared Concept Space decouples the information provider and visualizer and allows for hierarchical and derived data. We demonstrate the functionality of the SCS by discussing an example that shows how simulation data may be presented effectively to support decision-making in a business context. Visualization is the use of computer-supported, interactive, visual representations of data to amplify cognition [3]. When multiple machines are deployed to transform the raw data into visual representations we speak of distributed visualization. One of the purposes of distributed visualization is to support collaborative visualization in which multiple users can work together using multiple perspectives on the information [8]. The Distributed Visualization Architecture DIVA [9, 10] is our approach to supporting multiple users in corroboratively visualizing and understanding information. The architecture distinguishes between two types of data sources: static and dynamic. A typical static information source is a database. Examples of dynamic sources include simulations and measuring devices that produce new data on a timely basis. The data is transferred from its source location to the visualization components by means of the Shared Concept Space (SCS), the topic of this paper. Structure Section 1 describes the concept of communication mechanisms in distributed applications and gives two communication paradigms. Section 2 introduces the general idea and motivation of the Shared Concept Space. Section 3 shows that the Shared Concept Space has its foundations in a couple of design patterns which are described in this section. After that, Section 4 discusses the software architecture underlying the Shared Concept Space. Section 5 zooms in two important distribution aspects: performance and scalability. Next, Section 6 illustrates the practical application of the Concept Space. Finally, Section 7 summarizes and concludes this paper.


Abstract. This paper presents validation results of the European Centre for Medium-Range Weather Forecasts (ECMWF) Integrated Forecasting System MACC (Monitoring Atmospheric Composition and Climate) re-analysis aerosol optical depth (AOD) for the period 2003–2006. We evaluate the MACC AOD at a UV wavelength (340 nm) and at mid-visible (500 and 550 nm) by comparing against ground-based AERONET measurements at 12 sites. The AERONET sites cover various parts of the globe and are categorized in three groups: urban/anthropogenic, biomass burning and dust, depending on the typically dominating aerosol type. This is the first time a global model such as the ECMWF has been evaluated for the performance of AOD at a UV wavelength. The results show that the MACC system generally provides a good representation of the AOD on a monthly basis, showing a realistic seasonal cycle. The model is mostly able to capture major dust load events and also the peak months of biomass burning correctly. For Kanpur and Solar Village, however, the model overestimates the AOD during the monsoon period when the aerosol load is generally low. When comparing hourly AOD values, the model–measurement agreement is better for biomass burning and dust sites than for urban sites, with an average correlation coefficient around 0.90 for biomass burning sites, around 0.77 for dust sites, and below 0.70 for urban sites. The AOD at 500 nm averaged over all sites shows only a small systematic difference between modeled and measured values, with a relative mean bias of 0.02. However, for the AOD at 340 nm the relative mean bias is −0.2. All sites included in the study show a relative mean bias at 340 nm smaller (or more negative) than that at 500 nm, indicating a strong wavelength dependence in the performance of the AOD in the MACC system. A comparison against fine and coarse mode AOD of the AERONET indicates that this has to do with the size distribution of the model: generally, the ECMWF model overestimates the contribution by coarse mode particles.


The use of digital resources to support language teaching and learning in higher education has become standard practice in recent years. A particular type of digital resources are Open Educational Resources (OERs), defined as: '…teaching, learning and research resources that reside in the public domain or have been released under an intellectual property licence that permits their free use or re-purposing by others.' (Atkins, et al., 2007). While the creation and uploading of OERs has been widely researched, there is little evidence about OERs' evaluation and re-use by practitioners. This study investigates the criteria applied by language teachers, while evaluating OERs. It considers the type of changes most commonly made to the original resources, which had been purposely designed for a specific course and identifies the reasons for the changes made. The research is a case study based on four interviews with teachers of beginners French in a distance learning course, teaching online.

Although perhaps unsurprisingly, teachers look for easily accessible and downloadable materials, the findings show that even when resources meet all the criteria teachers are looking for (reliably sourced, interactive, student-centred) they nevertheless adapt the resources to fit not only their own teaching styles, but their approach and beliefs about online teaching.

This study is of relevance to course developers and language teachers who are interested in developing OERs that can cater for a range of objectives as well as a variety of teaching and learning styles.


Copper-catalyzed 1,3-dipolar cycloaddition has been employed in the reaction of steroidal azides with various terminal alkynes. A number of novel 1,2,3-triazolyl derivatives of pregnane, androstane and D-homoandrostane were obtained in high yield (70-98%). The developed synthetic protocols allowed us to attach the triazolyl moiety to both the side chain and the steroidal backbone directly, despite the steric hindrance exerted by the polycyclic system. The presence of Cu(II) was shown to evoke d-homo rearrangement under mild conditions. A rational choice of the copper precatalyst permitted us to carry out the "click" reaction either along with tandem d-homo rearrangement or in the absence of this process. The tendency of 16-heterosubstituted steroids to undergo D-homo rearrangement under Cu(II) catalysis was studied.


This thesis aims to clearly describe the cognitive radio and its components and operations. Moreover, it aims on describing the expected outcome from the most common techniques that are proposed for use in cognitive radios. In addition, it describes the basic principles of game theory and some simple game models that can be used to analyze the efficiency of the optimization algorithms. Furthermore, it investigates the use of load balancing algorithm and genetic algorithm in optimizing the decision making operation in cognitive radios. Matlab software simulations were carried out and the results show the promising benefit of using those two algorithms along with game theory in optimizing the dynamic spectrum allocation process.


In this paper we aimed at studying the influence of different doses of opaque-2 gene (number of recessive alleles) in endosperm on amino acid composition of grain protein from tetraploid maize in comparison to diploid forms. Biochemical analysis was performed on grains of a comercial hybrid Chi�. iniovschi 307 PL containing the mutant gene, tetraploid forms of this hybrid obtained by colchicine treatment, a commercial hybrid Porumbeni 331Mrf and tetraploid synthetic population B. Protein content was determined by the Kjeldahl method, amino acid composition was assayed by ion exchange chromatography on an automatic amino analyzer T339M. In diploid grains the o2 gene showed a clear dosage effect on the content of lysine. In tetraploid grains, two recessive alleles of o2 gene in the hexaploid endosperm determined an increase in the content of lysine in protein as compared to the dominant genotype, in the four dose endosperm, the lysine content was intermediate between the dominant and two dose genotypes and was significantly higher in six doses. The expression pattern of the o2 gene was similar in replicate experiments carried in different growing season. As a result, it was concluded that the o2 gene has a dosage effect in diploid maize and, partially, in tetraploid maize.


In this text, Gill Allwood explores theories of masculinity emerging from French feminist theories of gender and from French feminist practice concerning violence towards women, highlighting both the commonalities and the specificities of the French case. She discusses the particular concern of French theorists with seduction, their rejection of the term "gender" and the centrality of the difference debate.; In the first part of the book, Allwood separately examines feminist theories of gender and sexual difference and the problem of male violence. She goes on to consider the developments which are taking place on the borderline between the two, examining the way in which these developments have contributed to an understanding of masculinity. Readdressing problems and debates that will be familiar to English-speaking readers, the text exposes cultural differences and similarities in the ways in which these problems are approached and it provides a detailed account of the changes in both feminist action and theory in France in recent years.; This analysis of feminism in France should be of interest to student and scholars in French studies, European studies, gender studies and cultural studies.


Harvard's Fogg Museum was the first American museum with a scientifically based conservation and research department. During a period of immense growth of collections in the United States, director Edward W. Forbes and associate director Paul J. Sachs developed the Fogg into a vital training ground for a new breed of museum professionals attuned to the materials of art and the effects of environment. A Laboratory for Art is the first book to explore the crucial role the Fogg played in the evolution of conservation in the US and abroad. It traces the efforts of staff and students who developed protocols for the treatment and documentation of works- sometimes through trial and error; disseminated research findings by establishing professional forums and a seminal journal; set standards for contemporary artists' materials during the New Deal; and led the Allied drive to protect monuments and works of art during World War II. Alumni of the Fogg went on to leadership positions in museums and conservation laboratories across America.


Using density functional theory formulated within the framework of the exact muffin-tin orbitals method, we investigate the temperature dependence of the structural parameters and the elastic properties of the hexagonal closed-packed phase of Be (alpha-Be). We find that the elastic constants follow a normal behavior with temperature: decrease with increasing temperature with a slightly increasing slope. Up to the melting point, the monocrystalline elastic constants decrease by an average of 16% and the polycrystalline elastic constants by 10%. These trends contradict the large temperature factor observed in high-temperature direct pulse ultrasonic experiments. At the same time, the low-temperature pulse echo measurements confirm the present theoretical findings. Our results call for further accurate experimental studies on the elastic properties of alpha-Be at high temperatures.


We use a rigorous method for diffraction by a finite set of parallel cylinders to study the influence of defects in a photonic crystal. The method allows us to give an accurate description of all the characteristics of the electromagnetic field (near-field map, scattered field, and energy flow). The localized resonant modes can also be computed. We show some of their symmetry properties and the influence of coupling between two neighboring defects. Finally, an example is given, which shows that a slight local change in the crystal period can be used for the realization of devices that radiate energy in a very narrow angular range.


Background: Theory and empirical evidence suggest that economic contraction predicts increased incidence of psychological disorder. The extent to which this relation can be causally attributed to the economic experiences of individuals remains uncertain. Methods: We critically examine literature concerning the impact of economic contraction, measured at the individual or ecological level, on four mental health outcomes (depression, suicide, substance abuse, and antisocial behavior) from the past two decades. Studies at the individual level use job loss, transition to inadequate employment, or welfare as the independent variable. Studies at the ecological level primarily use the unemployment rate. Results: In the studies that best establish causality, research indicates a moderate but significant adverse effect of job loss on individual depression symptoms, but the net population effect remains speculative. For suicide and antisocial behavior, individual- and ecological-level studies converge to suggest a moderate positive association with economic contraction. Although some research on substance abuse suggests procyclical effects, the majority indicate that job loss significantly increases the risk of heavy drinking and symptoms of alcohol abuse. For all outcomes, various characteristics of the population or the specific economic exposure studied can modify the overall association. Conclusions: The studies reviewed suggest that adverse economic transitions predict increased mental health problems, particularly depression, suicide, and substance abuse. The strength of the association, particularly when measuring the response of populations to contracting economies remains unclear.


Mother tongue largely refers to not only the language one learns from one's mother but also the speaker's dominant and home language. It's also called native language. This study was conducted to find whether mother tongue interferences in second-language learning, and if so; whether it affects the learners' performance in four language skills, and also in which skill(s) it has the biggest effect. Data collection tool included a questionnaire by which participants were asked to rate the questions and tick-circle or write in the correct blank. The questionnaire was based on both quantitative and qualitative approaches with the help of 4-point Likert-scale questions and one open-ended question at the last part. The participants of the study were 20 volunteer students (15 females and 5 males) in Uludag University on whom the questionnaire was randomly applied. They ranged in age from 18 to 40 and the mean age was 23. Their mother tongue was Turkish, and they knew English as a foreign language. The questionnaire shows that mother tongue interferes with second language learning in some way. In English language, the most challenging part was Grammar, while the most difficult and influenced skills was Speaking. In addition, participants had difficulty with speaking without any preparation. When it comes to having difficulty, participants had difficulty with determiners, English tenses and articles. The results indicated the interference of mother tongue in almost all aspects.


This doctoral project utilizes tools shaped by feminist theorists, critical race theorists, and anthropologists to trace the transnational circuits of power and privilege at work in relationships that form in and around Tibet. With a key focus on race and whiteness, this project investigates the history and current manifestations of white racial formations as they relate to Tibet from three interconnected ideological contexts: the United States, The People's Republic of China, and Tibet in exile. In exploring the issue of whiteness in Tibet, I endeavor to expand conversations about Tibet beyond the figurative "black and white" framework of Tibetan versus Han Chinese. I also hope to complicate the issue of whiteness beyond the "Black and White" binary that often constricts discussions of race. This dissertation is formed around a simple argument: that whiteness matters in Tibet, and that to understand how it matters, we must pay careful attention to sociohistorical racial projects from a variety of diverse contexts.


ABSTRACT Eighty-one percent of all hourly paid men who had been employed for more than six months in a factory making lead acid batteries and plastics completed a modified Cornell medical index health questionnaire. Blood lead and erythrocyte protoporphyrin (EPP) were also measured. The questions were grouped into symptom categories as follows: all physical, all psychological, "potentially lead induced," pulmonary, cardiovascular, gastrointestinal, skin, nervous system, genitourinary, and fatigue. For each symptom category the pooled percentages of men whose symptom scores were above the common median of the three blood lead groups 10-, 40-, and 60 and over μg/100 ml (0·48-, 1·93-, and 2·90 and over μmol/l) within age/smoking subgroups were calculated. In every symptom category the percentages in the two lower blood lead groups differed little, but the percentages were consistently higher in men with blood concentration of 60 μg/100 ml (2·90 μmol/l) and over. Differences between a combined 10-59 μg/100 ml (0·48-2·85 μmol/l) blood lead group and the 60 and over μg/100 ml (≥2·90 μmol/l) group were statistically significant at the 0·01 level for "potentially lead induced" symptoms and at the 0·05 level for skin and psychological symptoms. Broadly similar results were obtained with four log10 EPP groups 0·6-, 1·5-, 1·7-, and ≥2·0, but differences did not reach statistical significance. There was no obvious explanation as to why symptoms that are not found in classic lead poisoning should be increased almost as much as those that are. It was thought that these results could be biased due to the men's knowledge of the symptoms associated with lead exposure, but the possibility that they may be partly due to lead absorption cannot be excluded.


We report experimental angular differential cross sections for nonradiative single-electron capture in p-He collisions (p + He -> H + He+) with a separate peak at the 0.47 mrad Thomas scattering angle for energies in the 1.3-12.5 MeV range. We find that the intensity of this peak scales with the projectile velocity as v(P)(-11). This constitutes the first experimental test of the prediction from 1927 by L. H. Thomas [Proc. R. Soc. 114, 561 (1927)]. At our highest energy, the peak at the Thomas angle contributes with 13.5% to the total integrated nonradiative single-electron capture cross section.


ABSTRACT A sharp decline in the number of reference queries prompted the library administration at Indiana State University to begin a project to combine the circulation, reference, and IT desks to reduce staffing at a new consolidated service point. All faculty and staff in the reference/instruction and circulation units participated in the project. The new arrangement and subsequent removal of librarians from routine desk duties have expanded instructional opportunities, consistent with the university's goals. Project participants plan further assessments to better determine the impacts of the new service arrangements.


Successful aging (SA) has been conceptualized in a number of ways. Despite increasing research into how laypersons define SA, few studies capturing lay perspectives of SA in younger cohorts and in non-English speaking countries have been undertaken. The current study examines cross-cultural perspectives of SA in young (aged 18–35), lay adults from a variety of continental European countries and Turkey. Participants were recruited via snowball sampling from social network sites and invited to participate in an online survey. Persons between 18–35 years from Belgium, Estonia, Germany, Netherlands, Romania, Switzerland, or Turkey were included. Respondents (total: 390; Belgian: 32; Estonian: 96; German: 76; Romanian: 47; Swiss: 39; Dutch: 30; Turkish: 70), were primarily women (56.4%) and students (66.2%), with an average age of 24.1 years (SD 3.7). Personal resources, social and active engagement all emerged as dominant themes across countries, but were articulated in subtly different ways in the participant countries. Positive perspectives, desirable attributes and satisfaction themes were intertwined within themes of acceptance and engagement. The current study provides a first step in the inclusion of geographic and cultural diversity into the SA literature. These results suggest that layperson conceptualizations of SA have broad-sweeping similarities, but further research is required to articulate the nuance of cultural influences on SA.


The authors provide an extensive review of the rapidly expanding research on productivity, both at the macro and micro levels. They focus primarily on papers written about Canada, but also draw on selected studies from other countries, especially the United States, where such work sheds important light on particular aspects of productivity growth. The authors extract the key results of the studies and signal important methodological features that underpin those results. They also identify areas for further research.


In this note, we prove that the countable compactness of $\lbrace 0,1\rbrace ^{{\mathbb{R}}}$ together with the Countable Axiom of Choice yields the existence of a nonmeasurable subset of ${\mathbb{R}}$. This is done by providing a family of nonmeasurable subsets of ${\mathbb{R}}$ whose intersection with every non-negligible Lebesgue measurable set is still not Lebesgue measurable. We develop this note in three sections: the first presents the main result, the second recalls known results concerning non-Lebesgue measurability and its relations with the Axiom of Choice, the third is devoted to the proofs.


Promoting stand structural complexity is an increasingly popular silvicultural objective, as complex structures are hypothesized to be more resistant and resilient to perturbations. On April 20, 2011 in Lawrence County, Alabama, an EF1 tornado tracked 5 km, leaving a patchwork mosaic of disturbed areas. In summer 2014, we established a 100 m × 200 m (2 ha) rectangular plot perpendicular to the swath of the storm within an affected Quercus alba stand to document the effects of wind disturbance on stand structure. Stem mortality was clustered near the swath of the tornado. Within the 2 ha plot, 22 percent of the basal area was removed by the wind event. To compare structural attributes across areas of increasing disturbance severity, we divided the plot into disturbance classes (minimal, light, and moderate). Our results will improve our understanding of the structural attributes of upland Quercus stands after an intermediate scale wind event and may be used to determine types of silvicultural systems needed to enhance structural complexity and minimize the disparity between natural and managed stands.


Grecian V.D, Diamond A.W. & Chardine J.W. 2003. Sexing Razorbills Alca torda breeding at Machias Seal Island, New Brunswick, Canada, using discriminant function analysis. Atlantic Seabirds 5(2): 73-80. In 2000 and 2001, we determined the sex of 80 adult Razorbills Alca torda caught on Machias Seal Island, New Brunswick, Canada, 71 birds in 2000 and 9 in 2001. Sex was determinedfor the 2000 birds using DNA from feathers, andfor the 2001 captures using behavioural observations. Males averaged significantly larger than females in head+bill (3% larger), culmen (3%) and bill depth(4%). Discriminant FunctionAnalysis (DFA) was used to classify birds that were not sexed. The function correctly classified 78% of birds using the linear measurements (head+bill, bill depth, wing chord, and tarsus) and 79% when a stepwise procedure was used. The highest classification success rate (80%) resulted from using only head+bill and bill depth. Bill size ofRazorbills from Quebec and Labrador is very similar to those from Machias Seal Island, suggesting that the functions reportedhere may apply throughoutthe


Aim/Purpose Research on doctoral students' well-being suggests that an interplay of social and psychological factors, such as integration into the scholarly community and perceptions of self-worth, shape students' experiences. The present research examined the role of these factors in the well-being of doctoral students. Background Imposter syndrome has long been discussed both formally and informally as a prevalent experience of doctoral students. Existing research provides empirical support for the role of perceived belongingness to one's scholarly community in maladaptive self-perceptions (i.e., imposter syndrome), as well as the role of imposter syndrome in doctoral students' well-being. However, no studies to date have directly explored the extent to which imposter syndrome mediates the relationship between perceived belongingness and well-being in a single model. Methodology The present research sought to evaluate perceived belongingness as a predictor of imposter syndrome and how imposter syndrome, in turn, predicts well-being (i.e., depression, stress, and illness symptoms) in doctoral students. Depression, stress, and illness symptoms were identified in the literature as the most prevalent well-being concerns reported by doctoral students and therefore were evaluated as the outcome variables in the present research. In line with previous research, we expected perceived belongingness to negatively predict imposter syndrome, and imposter syndrome, in turn, to positively predict depression, stress, and illness symptoms. Two studies evaluated the proposed model. Data for PhD Imposter Syndrome 738 both studies was collected simultaneously (i.e., one large sample) with 25% of the sample randomly selected for Study 1 (cross-sectional) and the remainder included in Study 2 (longitudinal). In Study 1, we tested this hypothesis with a cross-sectional design and explored whether imposter syndrome was a significant mediator between perceived belongingness and well-being. In Study 2, we aimed to replicate and extend the results of Study 1 with a prospective design to further assess the directionality of the relationship from perceived belongingness to imposter syndrome and, in turn, the role of imposter syndrome in changes in depression, stress, and illness symptoms over a five-month period. Contribution The present results represent evidence of the process by which doctoral students develop imposter syndrome and some of the consequences of imposter syndrome on doctoral well-being. Additionally, the present study includes a large-scale sample of international doctoral students across the disciplines, thus revealing the prevalence of imposter syndrome in the doctoral experience. Findings Overall, the results of the present research provided support for our hypotheses. In Study 1, perceived belongingness was found to be a negative predictor of imposter syndrome that, in turn, predicted higher levels of depression, stress, and illness symptoms. Additionally, imposter syndrome was found to significantly mediate the relationship between perceived scholarly belongingness and the three outcome variables assessing psychological well-being. Study 2 further revealed perceived scholarly belongingness to negatively predict imposter syndrome five months later, with imposter syndrome, in turn, predicting increases in depression, stress, and illness symptoms in our doctoral student sample. Recommendations for Practitioners Several recommendations are made for practitioner based on the present findings: First, by acknowledging the critical role of perceived social belongingness in students' well-being, faculty and administrators can establish structures to better integrate students into their scholarly communities, and departments can foster a supportive social atmosphere for their doctoral students that emphasizes the quality of interactions and consultation with faculty. Second, information sessions for first-year doctoral students could highlight the prevalence and remedies of feeling like an impostor to normalize these otherwise deleterious feelings of inadequacy. Finally, professional development seminars that are typically taught in graduate programs could incorporate an explicit discussion of well-being topics and the prevalence of imposter syndrome, alongside other pragmatic topics (e.g., publishing protocols), to ensure that students perceive their departmental climate as supportive and, in turn, feel less like an imposter and better psychologically adjusted. Recommendations for Researchers Researchers should continue exploring the various antecedents and consequences of imposter syndrome, specifically focusing on at-risk students, as well as the role of imposter syndrome in doctoral-level dropout. Impact on Society Imposter syndrome is a harmful experience that can lead to a variety of life-altering outcomes, such as developing or intensifying a mental illness. Doctoral students, as society's future researchers and high-skilled professionals, have a great impact on society as a whole, and efforts should be extended into maintaining doctoral students' well-being in order for them to perform at an optimal level. The present research sheds light on one aspect of the doctoral experience that is detrimental to the well-being of doctoral students, thus informing doctoral students, advisors, and departments of one area where more resources can Sverdlik, Hall, & McAlpine 739 be allocated in order to facilitate the health, both physical and psychological, of their students. Future Research Future research should explore additional outcomes to fully understand the impact of perceived belongingness and imposter syndrome on doctoral students. Some such outcomes may include academic performance (e.g., presentation /publication rates), motivation (e.g., perseverance vs. intention to quit), and more general psychological adjustment measures (e.g., satisfaction with life). Such research, in combination with the present findings, can help the understanding of the full impact of imposter syndrome on the academic and personal experiences of doctoral students and can contribute to psychologically healthier and more academically productive experiences for doctoral students as they navigate the myriad challenges of doctoral education.


A p38/JNK nuclear translocation–blocking peptide may be therapeutic in various cancers and inflammation-associated diseases. A peptide to treat inflammatory disease Chronic inflammation promotes the development of tumors in various tissues, notably in the gastrointestinal tract. Inflammation induces proliferation and feedforward inflammatory cytokine production in cells typically through the kinases p38 and JNK, which are associated with various diseases. Maik-Rachline et al. developed a peptide that blocked the activities of p38 and JNK specifically in the nucleus. The peptide, called PERY, prevented the development of inflammation-associated colon cancer in mice. Furthermore, without detectable side effects, the peptide protected mice from chemical-induced colitis that models irritable bowel syndrome. These findings suggest that this peptide might be used to treat colitis in patients and prevent the development of colitis-induced colon cancer. The stimulated nuclear translocation of signaling proteins, such as MAPKs, is a necessity for the initiation and regulation of their physiological functions. Previously, we determined that nuclear translocation of the MAPKs p38 and JNK involves binding to heterodimers comprising importin 3 and either importin 7 or importin 9. Here, we identified the importin-binding region in p38 and JNK and developed a myristoylated peptide targeting this site that we called PERY. The PERY peptide specifically blocked the interaction of p38 and JNK with the importins, restricted their nuclear translocation, and inhibited phosphorylation of their nuclear (but not cytoplasmic) substrates. Through these effects, the PERY peptide reduced the proliferation of several (but not all) cancer cell lines in culture and inhibited the growth of a human breast cancer xenograft in mice. In addition, the PERY peptide substantially inhibited inflammation in mice, as manifested in models of colitis and colitis-associated colon cancer. The PERY peptide more effectively prevented colon cancer development than did a commercial p38 inhibitor. In vivo analysis further suggested that this effect was mediated by PERY peptide–induced prevention of the nuclear translocation of p38 in macrophages. Together, these results support the use of the nuclear translocation of p38 and JNK as a novel drug target to treat various cancers and inflammation-induced diseases.


The increasing availability of digitised registration records presents a significant opportunity for research. Returning to the original records allows researchers to classify descriptions, such as cause of death, to modern medical understandings of illness and disease, rather than relying on contemporary registrars' classifications. Linkage of an individual's records together also allows the production of sparse life-course micro-datasets. The further linkage of these into family units then presents the possibility of reconstructing family structures and producing multi-generational studies. We describe work to develop a method for automatically coding to standard classifications the causes of death from 8.3 million Scottish death certificates. We have evaluated a range of approaches using text processing and supervised machine learning, obtaining accuracy from 72%-96% on several test sets. We present results and speculate on further development that may be needed for classification of the full data set.


Using a combination of tandem affinity purification tagging and mass spectrometry, we characterized a novel, evolutionarily conserved protein phosphatase 4 (PP4)-containing complex (PP4cs, protein phosphatase 4, cisplatin-sensitive complex) that plays a critical role in the eukaryotic DNA damage response. PP4cs is comprised of the catalytic subunit PP4C; a known regulatory subunit, PP4R2; and a novel protein that we termed PP4R3. The Saccharomyces cerevisiae PP4R3 ortholog Psy2 was identified previously in a screen for sensitivity to the DNA-damaging agent and anticancer drug cisplatin. We demonstrated that deletion of any of the PP4cs complex orthologs in S. cerevisiae elicited cisplatin hypersensitivity. Furthermore human PP4R3 complemented the yeast psy2 deletion, and Drosophila melanogaster lacking functional PP4R3 (flfl) exhibited cisplatin hypersensitivity, suggesting a highly conserved role for PP4cs in DNA damage repair. Finally we found that PP4R3 may target PP4cs to the DNA damage repair machinery at least in part via an interaction with Rad53 (CHK2).


Purpose: To discuss the diagnosis and treatment of severe anemia in an older adult who presents the challenge of declining blood transfusion in a real‐world scenario where critical thinking, evidence‐based care, and collaboration with other providers must come together to serve this patient's unique needs. Data sources: Extensive review of the scientific literature on anemia and the situation in which a patient refuses blood transfusion presented in a case study format. Conclusions: A thorough physical assessment, complete health history, and appropriate diagnostic workup should be used to distinguish the normal effects of senescence from the signs and symptoms of anemia. Common conditions that cause anemia in the elderly include chronic disease, iron deficiency, and gastrointestinal bleeding. These conditions may result in profound anemia. The challenge can be compounded when, because of religious tenets, a patient does not accept a blood transfusion. This case study challenges nurse practitioners to apply knowledge, seek guidance, and make appropriate referrals to care for a patient in order to render care within the parameters of the patient's belief system. Implications for practice: The astute primary care provider recognizes that anemia is not an expected physiological change associated with aging but a manifestation of an underlying disease process. Fatigue, weakness, and dyspnea are all symptoms of anemia that may be overlooked and attributed to the aging process. Further, in keeping with the principles of autonomy and self‐determination, it is the clinician's duty to work with all patients to restore them to a state of optimal health while respecting deeply held spiritual beliefs.


While high school attrition is a critical issue in the ongoing effort to reduce disparities in educational equity across race and class, rhetoric on the "high school dropout crisis" frequently overlooks the large number of students who reenroll in school or earn their credentials in alternative schools or GED programs. The number of youth and young adults who have returned to school in alternative education settings is growing, but we know little about these students and why they persist. This year-long study explored the experiences, expectations, and identities of nine adolescents who returned to school in a community college-based program for urban high school dropouts. Building on a tradition of ethnographic research with high school leavers (e.g., Fine, 1991; Luttrell, 1997; Rymes, 2001) and using a critical-constructivist approach, I grounded this study in a conceptual framework developed around three strands of work: post-structuralist narrative, identity and possible selves, and youth literacies. Data sources include interviews, conversation groups, observations, and document analysis. This research offers insights into how students are positioned by assumptions and dominant narratives about urban high school students and dropouts. Via their out-of-school writing practices, their talk about experiences in the program, their narratives about high school, and their hopes and expectations for the future, participants revealed their understandings of success and failure and the ways in which they enacted and resisted identities as "dropout" and "college student." In particular, this study documents how students negotiated the positions made available to them within the program's discourse. I critically investigate how and to what extent educators welcome students back to school, and what components of returning students' experiences, identities and "cultural repertoires of practice" (Lee, 2007) are valued. The stories of participants in this study offer new perspectives on high school attrition and persistence, suggest a number of opportunities and challenges associated with critical pedagogy, and confirm the importance of capitalizing on students' out-of-school literacy practices. This study examines possibilities for reimagining returning students' expansive social networks, past experiences, and home cultural practices as resources rather than risk factors. Degree Type Dissertation Degree Name Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) Graduate Group Education First Advisor Vivian L. Gadsden Second Advisor Susan L. Lytle This dissertation is available at ScholarlyCommons: http://repository.upenn.edu/edissertations/197 Third Advisor Betsy Rymes


The impact of colony formation on cellular nutrient supply was calculated for Phaeocystis in a turbulent environment using a diffusion‐reaction model. The model included diffusive boundary layer as predicted by Sherwood numbers in mass transfer to a sphere. Literature values for nutrient uptake (Vmax , Km ) of single cells and colonies and the size dependence of cell numbers in colonies were used in the model. Colony formation was shown to decrease nutrient uptake by Phaeocystis cells because of the presence of diffusive boundary layers with concentration gradients surrounding the colonies. At diffusion limitation, this concentration gradient was reflected by an apparently higher half‐saturation constants for nutrient uptake, KM , for colonial cells compared with that for single cells. The diffusion limited supply of inorganic nitrogen and orthophosphate from the bulk water phase with concentrations of 2 and 0.2 µM, respectively, was sufficient to support nutrient demands for 1 cell doubling in colonies in 6–10 h, respectively, at a shear rate of 0.1 s−1 . The same nutrient concentration levels could theoretically support nutrient demands of single cells for one cell doubling within 2–3 h. It was concluded that the lower grazing pressure in the size class of colonies relative to that of single free‐living cells may be more important for colony formation than nutrient concentrations.


Mobile ad hoc network has been widely deployed in support of the communications in hostile environment without conventional networking infrastructure, especially in the environments with critical conditions such as emergency rescue activities in burning building or earth quick evacuation. However, most of the existing ad hoc based broadcasting schemes either rely on GPS location or topology information or angle-of-arrival (AoA) calculation or combination of some or all to achieve high reachability. Therefore, these broadcasting schemes cannot be directly used in critical environments such as battlefield, sensor networks and natural disasters due to lack of node location and topology information in such critical environments. This research work first begins by analyzing the broadcast coverage problem and node displacement form ideal locations problem in ad hoc networks using theoretical analysis. Then, this research work proposes an efficient broadcast relaying scheme, called Random Directional Broadcasting Relay (RDBR), which greatly reduces the number of retransmitting nodes and end-to-end delay while achieving high reachability. This is done by selecting a subset of neighboring nodes to relay the packet using directional antennas without relying on node location, network topology and complex angle-ofarrival (AoA) calculations. To further improve the performance of the RDBR scheme in complex environments with high node density, high node mobility and high traffic rate, an improved RDBR scheme is proposed. The improved RDBR scheme utilizes the concept of gaps between neighboring sectors to minimize the overlap between selected relaying nodes in high density environments. The concept of gaps greatly reduces both contention and collision and at the same time achieves high reachability. The performance of the proposed RDBR schemes has been evaluated by comparing them against flooding and Distance-based schemes. Simulation results show that both proposed RDBR schemes achieve high reachability while reducing the number of retransmitting nodes and end-to-end delay especially in high density environments. Furthermore, the improved RDBR scheme achieves better performance than RDBR in high density and high traffic environment in terms of reachability, end-to-end delay and the number of retransmitting nodes. viii


Stroke is one of the leading causes of morbidity and mortality worldwide. Intravenous tissue plasminogen activator and mechanical thrombectomy comprise the two major treatments for acute ischemic stroke. Tissue plasminogen activator has been used for more than two decades and guidelines for hemodynamic management following tissue plasminogen activator administration are well established. However, mechanical thrombectomy is a relatively newer therapy and there is a paucity of evidence regarding hemodynamic management following large vessel occlusion strokes. The important tenets guiding the pathophysiology of large vessel occlusion strokes include understanding of cerebral autoregulation, collateral circulation, and blood pressure variability. In this narrative review, we discuss the current American Heart Association-American Stroke Association guidelines for the early management of acute ischemic stroke during different phases of the illness, encountered at different sections of a hospital including the emergency room, the neuro-interventional suite, and the intensive care unit. There is emerging evidence with regard to post-recanalization blood pressure management following large vessel occlusion strokes. Future research directions will include real-time blood pressure variability assessments, identifying the extent of impaired autoregulation, and providing guidelines related to range and personalized blood pressure trajectories for patients following large vessel occlusion strokes.


The rapid advancement of technology has resulted in new forms of tortious activity. Increasingly, these cyber torts are perpetrated by foreign states. Notwithstanding other barriers to collecting damages for a cyber tort, a plaintiff suing for a foreign-state-perpetrated cyber tort must prove that the alleged tortious activity satisfies one of the Foreign Sovereign Immunities Act's exceptions—most likely the noncommercial tort exception. Recently the U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit held that a U.S. court lacked jurisdiction to hear a claim against a foreign state that hacked a U.S. national's email account. The court found the noncommercial tort exception inapplicable because the intent to hack was held by a party abroad, and thus the "entire tort" did not occur in the United States. This Note argues that the D.C. Circuit improperly extended the "entire tort" doctrine from traditional physical torts to cyber torts. Instead, the noncommercial tort exception should apply to foreign-state-perpetrated cyber torts. This Note further proposes a modified location test for courts to use in determining whether a cyber tort satisfies the exception's "occurring in the United States" requirement.


Firms are increasing their investments in collaboration technologies in order to leverage the intellectual resources embedded in their employees. Research on post-adoption use of technology suggests that the true gains from such investments are realized when users explore various system features and attempt to incorporate them into their work practices. However, the literature has been silent about how to promote such behavior when individuals are embedded in team settings, where members' actions are interdependent. This research develops a multilevel model that theorizes the cross-level influence of team empowerment on individual exploration of collaboration technology. Further, it identifies two cognitions--intention to continue exploring and expectation to continue exploring--that are oriented toward exploring ways to incorporate implemented technology into daily work routines over time. A 12-month field study of 212 employees in 48 organizational work teams was conducted to test the multilevel research model. The results provide support for the hypotheses, with team empowerment having a positive cross-level influence on intention to continue exploring and expectation to continue exploring and these, in turn, mediating the cross-level influence of team empowerment on individual exploration of collaboration technology.


:  This paper examines how male Polish builders in London construct themselves relationally to English builders as they negotiate their place within the labour hierarchies of the building site and in the London labour market. This is based on semi-structured interviews and participant photographs taken by Polish migrants arriving in the aftermath of the European Union expansion in May 2004, and now working in building sites across London. These buildings sites are mundane elements of a global city which employ transnational labour, and where differences between Polish and English builders become significant discursive tools of survival in a competitive labour market. The paper illustrates how Polish workers mark themselves as "superior" to English builders through the versatility of their embodied skills, work ethic, artistic qualities, and finesse in their social interactions on the building site. This paper thus provides new ways of understanding the meanings of work and the complexity of identity politics within the spaces of low-paid manual work in a global city.


Few judicial decisions in recent years have captured the attention of lawmakers, practitioners, and academics more than the Supreme Court's decisions dealing with state sovereign immunity. Holding that Congress may not abrogate state sovereign immunity from federal statutory claims when acting pursuant to its Article I regulatory powers, those decisions seriously limit an individual's ability to enforce rights against state defendants, creating a gap between right and remedy that arguably impairs the rule of law. While much of the scholarship in this area continues to dwell on abrogation as the primary means of allowing individuals to vindicate rights against the states, the Court clearly favors an approach in which states waive their immunity from suit. In this Article, Professor Christina Bohannan examines three common situations in which a state might be deemed to waive its immunity from suit: first, by failure to raise the immunity as a defense at trial; second, by private agreement; and third, by accepting federal benefits made conditional on waiver of immunity from federal claims. She determines that because the Court's sovereign immunity and Spending Clause jurisprudence has been concerned with ensuring that a state's waiver is voluntary and unequivocal rather than coerced, this case law precludes holding that a state waives its immunity by merely failing to raise it at trial. She concludes, however, that where a state voluntarily and unequivocally waives its immunity in a private contract or in exchange for benefits available exclusively from the federal government, its waiver should be enforced notwithstanding a subsequent attempt to revoke it at or before trial. Thus, a waiver approach to state sovereign immunity could provide a constitutional way for individuals to vindicate their rights against the states in a number of cases, thereby narrowing the right remedy gap created by the Court's abrogation decisions.


How to use Yoga demystifies the art of yoga, making it accessible to everyone who would like to start to practice at home, safely and effectively. The first part, Towards Physical Well-Being, presents a selection of 41 postures and variants, which can be attempted by beginners of all ages. The following section, Towards Mental Peace, introduces simple techniques for breath awareness and control. The second part, A Ten-Week Course, presents a unique course for beginners of postures and preparatory breath control techniques, with a photographic catalogue for each week. The book also includes a section on postures helpful for common problems, such as headaches, stiffness, pain in the shoulders and backache.


An executive summary is one of the most crucial parts of a report. It represents a chance for the author to grab the reader's attention and draw them in to the main document. When readers are pressed for time, it may be the only part of the report they read, so a well-written summary is vital. Unfortunately, summaries are often an afterthought for authors, and are frequently written in haste. Part of Oxfam's Research Guidelines series, this guideline gives a short overview of how to write an engaging executive summary that conveys the most important information from the main report in a clear, concise way. It provides tools for thinking about how to get the most out of your summary, as well as examples from academia and business, plus tips on things to avoid.


Introduction Studies regarding the management of malignant bowel obstruction (MBO) report conflicting findings. This is partly due to different outcome measures being used to evaluate severity of MBO and the response to treatments. Furthermore, current outcome measures focus mainly on measurable physiological parameters which may not correlate strongly with patient-defined quality of life. The development of core outcome sets allows a consistent approach to evaluating clinical conditions taking into consideration patient, healthcare professional and researcher viewpoints. It follows an internationally recognised standard methodology. We present a protocol for the development of a core outcome set for Research and Assessment of MBO (RAMBO). Methods RAMBO is a multicentre study, comprising of four phases: a systematic review to examine current scope of outcome measures associated with MBO (phase I). Interviews with patients, companions and healthcare professionals will explore priorities and preferences for care and outcomes (phase II). An expert panel meeting will collate the findings into a set of outcomes (phase III), refined by consensus through a Delphi survey with key stakeholders (phase IV). The final set of outcomes will be ratified at a consensus meeting. Each step will actively include patient partners. Thematic analysis and descriptive statistics will be used to analyse qualitative and quantitative data, respectively. Ethics and dissemination Ethical approval was obtained (Wales REC 5, REF: 19/LO/1876). Study participants and relevant stakeholders will be updated with newsletters and a lay summary at the end of the study. Abstracts will be submitted to national and international conferences, result papers will be submitted to peer-reviewed, open access journals. Trial and PROSPERO registration numbers Core Outcome Measures in Effectiveness Trials (1402); Systematic Literature Review (CRD42019150648); Rapid Review (CRD42020176393).


This article argues that there is a 50-square-mile swath of Idaho in which one can commit felonies with impunity. This is because of the intersection of a poorly drafted statute with a clear but neglected constitutional provision: the Sixth Amendment's Vicinage Clause. Although lesser criminal charges and civil liability still loom, the remaining possibility of criminals going free over a needless technical failure by Congress is difficult to stomach. No criminal defendant has ever broached the subject, let alone faced the numerous (though unconvincing) counterarguments. This shows that vicinage is not taken seriously by lawyers or judges. Still, Congress should close the Idaho loophole, not pretend it does not exist.


The recently emerging stem‐cell artificial niche engineering in induced pluripotent stem cell (iPSCs) 3D cultures has provided enormous opportunities to fully utilize the potential of these cells in biomedical applications. Although a fully chemically defined niche environment can supply cells with desirable safety for clinical use, establishing an artificial degradable niche environment for the controlled release of proliferated cells under mild conditions is still a big challenge. Here, an advanced controlled releasable iPSC 3D artificial niche is reported based on dendritic polyglycerol and poly(N‐isopropylacrylamide)‐co‐polyethylene glycol polymers via a physical–chemical cogelation strategy. Benefiting from the chemically defined synthetic materials and their precise cooperation by covalent cross‐linking and physical phase transition, the cogelation‐based artificial niche system can be adjusted with optimal parameters and owns high cell biocompatibility to support the robust production of high quality iPSCs with an excellent expansion efficiency. Moreover, the expanded cells can be released out of their niche environment controllably only by adjusting the temperature. Overall, this controlled release hydrogel scaffold shows great promise in iPSC 3D culture for downstream applications.


The Cryogenic Dark Matter Search (CDMS) is a world leader in sensitivity to Weakly Interacting Massive Particles (WIMPs). CDMS uses a combination of ionization and phonon energy to identify nuclear recoils arising from potential WIMP scatters. As published in Science vol. 327 p.1619, exposure from the final run of the CDMS-II detectors totalled 612 kg-days for the Ge detectors after data-quality cuts were applied. In this final run we observed 2 candidate events in our signal region with an expected background of 0.9+/-0.2 events. The probability to observe 2 events with our expected background is 23%, thus we cannot claim a WIMP detection. The combined CDMSII result excludes new parameter space in elastic and inelastic dark matter models. The analysis of the final CDMSII run will be described


Abstract. The 2015/2016 Arctic winter was one of the coldest stratospheric winters in recent years. A stable vortex formed by early December and the early winter was exceptionally cold. Cold pool temperatures dropped below the nitric acid trihydrate (NAT) existence temperature of about 195 K, thus allowing polar stratospheric clouds (PSCs) to form. The low temperatures in the polar stratosphere persisted until early March, allowing chlorine activation and catalytic ozone destruction. Satellite observations indicate that sedimentation of PSC particles led to denitrification as well as dehydration of stratospheric layers. Model simulations of the 2015/2016 Arctic winter nudged toward European Centre for Medium-Range Weather Forecasts (ECMWF) analysis data were performed with the atmospheric chemistry–climate model ECHAM5/MESSy Atmospheric Chemistry (EMAC) for the Polar Stratosphere in a Changing Climate (POLSTRACC) campaign. POLSTRACC is a High Altitude and Long Range Research Aircraft (HALO) mission aimed at the investigation of the structure, composition and evolution of the Arctic upper troposphere and lower stratosphere (UTLS). The chemical and physical processes involved in Arctic stratospheric ozone depletion, transport and mixing processes in the UTLS at high latitudes, PSCs and cirrus clouds are investigated. In this study, an overview of the chemistry and dynamics of the 2015/2016 Arctic winter as simulated with EMAC is given. Further, chemical–dynamical processes such as denitrification, dehydration and ozone loss during the 2015/2016 Arctic winter are investigated. Comparisons to satellite observations by the Aura Microwave Limb Sounder (Aura/MLS) as well as to airborne measurements with the Gimballed Limb Observer for Radiance Imaging of the Atmosphere (GLORIA) performed aboard HALO during the POLSTRACC campaign show that the EMAC simulations nudged toward ECMWF analysis generally agree well with observations. We derive a maximum polar stratospheric O3 loss of ∼ 2 ppmv or 117 DU in terms of column ozone in mid-March. The stratosphere was denitrified by about 4–8 ppbv HNO3 and dehydrated by about 0.6–1 ppmv H2O from the middle to the end of February. While ozone loss was quite strong, but not as strong as in 2010/2011, denitrification and dehydration were so far the strongest observed in the Arctic stratosphere in at least the past 10 years.


Decades ago, increased volume of data made manual analysis obsolete and prompted the use of computational tools with interactive user interfaces and rich palette of data visualizations. Yet their classic, desktop‐based architectures can no longer cope with the ever‐growing size and complexity of data. Next‐generation systems for explorative data analysis will be developed on client–server architectures, which already run concurrent software for data analytics but are not tailored to for an engaged, interactive analysis of data and models. In explorative data analysis, the key is the responsiveness of the system and prompt construction of interactive visualizations that can guide the users to uncover interesting data patterns. In this study, we review the current software architectures for distributed data analysis and propose a list of features to be included in the next generation frameworks for exploratory data analysis. The new generation of tools for explorative data analysis will need to address integrated data storage and processing, fast prototyping of data analysis pipelines supported by machine‐proposed analysis workflows, pre‐emptive analysis of data, interactivity, and user interfaces for intelligent data visualizations. The systems will rely on a mixture of concurrent software architectures to meet the challenge of seamless integration of explorative data interfaces at client site with management of concurrent data mining procedures on the servers. WIREs Data Mining Knowl Discov 2015, 5:165–180. doi: 10.1002/widm.1155


The financial crisis in the UK began in late 2008 and the consequential economic recession has brought to the attention of media, commentators, policy makers and academics the importance of corporate governance. This research explores UK governance, what it means, what are its influences and how it is changing at the time of this financial crisis. The researchers conducted a series of qualitative interviews in five UK companies across a spectrum of industries (including institutional investors) in late 2008. Three key propositions were investigated: Proposition 1 is that board characteristics, the importance of which are pronounced by agency theorists are not the only key factor in 'best practice' governance. Proposition 2 is that shareholders and stakeholder involvement in governance will improve governance practices. Proposition three is that key to understanding governance failures is examining cognition and behaviours inside the black box of decision-making. Propositions two and three were supported by the interviews. The main conclusions are that the importance of good governance in establishing trust again at the time of the financial crisis is key and changes seem to be called for in a number of areas: in enhancing shareholder voice; better disclosure in explaining variations to the application of the principles of the Combined Code, in explaining risks, and in how decisions are made; and ensuring that executive remuneration is more clearly linked to profits, costs of capital and risk and reflects long-term value creation.


In the last decades, the Brazilian government has put many public policies in place in order to create a favourable environment to promote energy efficiency and clean energy. In this paper we discuss the use of research and development financing support by the clean energy industry in Brazil. To do so, we carried out an empirical research analysing secondary data from legislation, literature case studies, and public and industry reports in order to determine if the companies of the clean energy industry have public financial support to research and development. Our ongoing research shows that, despite incentives to stimulate the dissemination of clean energy, the participation of some of the clean energy is very small (especially solar). We believe that the contributions of this study will assist policy makers, and the whole industry, to improve clean energy research and development investments in Brazil.


Background Injury surveillance over time is the basis for the identification of injury trends and the development of injury prevention programs. Objective To analyse the injury trends in water polo over a 5 year period and evaluate injury prevention programs. Setting 2004 and 2008 Olympic Games and 2009 FINA World Championships. Participants All male and female water polo players participating in the tournaments. Methods New onset injuries were reported by the team physicians. Main outcome measurements Trends in injury incidence. Results The overall injury incidence in water polo has remained constant throughout the study period (OG 2004 20.1 per 1000 player matches; OG 2008 20.1 per 1000 player matches; and FINA 2009 19.3 per 1000 player matches). However, there have been significant differences in gender related injury incidence trends. Men's injury incidence has steadily decreased over the study period from a total of 27.6/1000 player matches in 2004 to 16.2/1000 player matches in 2008 and 14.9/1000 player matches in 2009. Women's injury incidence has shown an opposite trend over the study period (2004: 3.57/1000 player matches; 2008: 28.6/1000 player matches; and 2009: 23.8/1000 player matches). Conclusion The decrease in injury incidence in the men's game can possibly be attributed to the institution of an injury prevention program instituted in 2005 following the identification of a high incidence of head injuries and injuries caused by foul play in 2004. In contrast, the injury prevalence in women's water polo has increased over the study period. The cause of this is unknown although may be attributed an increase in aggression in the women's style of play as they try to emulate the men's game. The rising injury incidence in women's water polo and the lack of decrease in overall combined injury rates underscores the need for further injury surveillance and implementation of injury prevention programs.


Mars missions will generate a large amount of data in various forms, such as daily plans, images, and scientific information. Often, there is a semantic linkage between images that cannot be captured automatically. Software is needed that will provide a method for creating arbitrary tags for this mission data so that items with a similar tag can be related to each other. The tags should be visible and searchable for all users. A new routine was written to offer a new and more flexible search option over previous applications. This software allows users of the MSLICE program to apply any number of arbitrary tags to a piece of mission data through a MSLICE search interface. The application of tags creates relationships between data that did not previously exist. These tags can be easily removed and changed, and contain enough flexibility to be specifically configured for any mission. This gives users the ability to quickly recall or draw attention to particular pieces of mission data, for example: Give a semantic and meaningful description to mission data; for example, tag all images with a rock in them with the tag "rock." Rapidly recall specific and useful pieces of data; for example, tag a plan as"driving template." Call specific data to a user s attention; for example, tag a plan as "for:User." This software is part of the MSLICE release, which was written in Java. It will run on any current Windows, Macintosh, or Linux system.


Background: Camel milk is widely used for its reported anti-diabetic and health promoting effects. Lipids derived from the milk have also been shown to exhibit potent anti-inflammatory effects. The mechanism through which these lipids and constituent fatty acids exert these effects remains elusive. The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of camel milk on glycated protein-mediated macrophage inflammation.Methods: To determine the effect of Total Lipids (TL) and Total Fatty Acids (TFA) derived from camel milk on an in vitro model of diabetic inflammation, differentiated THP-1 (dTHP-1) cells stimulated with glycated serum albumin (gBSA) was employed. Cells were pre-treated with TL or TFA before challenging cells with gBSA.Results: Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry (GC-MS) analysis found that TL was 96% triacylglycerol (TAG) while the TFA comprised 65% saturated and 35% unsaturated fatty acids. Both TL and TFA significantly (p<0.05) decreased gBSA-induced secretion of pro-inflammatory cytokines (Tumour necrosis factor-(TNF)-α, Interleukin-(IL)-1β/18). TL also demonstrated the ability to regulate the expression of p50/p65 sub-units of Nuclear Factor-kappa B (NF-κB), while concomitantly increasing the expression of regulatory cytokines IL-10, IL-1 Receptor Antagonist (IL-1Ra) and Cluster of Differentiation 163 (CD163)-shifting cells towards an M2 macrophage phenotype. Additionally, we found that TL significantly regulated the expression of Nucleotide-binding oligomerization domain-like receptor family pyrin domain containing-3 (NLRP3) inflammasome subunit and its regulator; Ten-Eleven Translocation-2 (TET-2).Conclusion: This paper demonstrates the ability of camel milk lipids to regulate gBSA-induced macrophage inflammation in vitro, by modulating the expression of key inflammatory regulators such NF-kB and NLRP3 inflammasome subunit. Keywords: Camel milk lipids, Macrophages, NF-kB, NLRP3-inflammasome, TET-2


Dynamic stochastic general equilibrium (DSGE) modeling can be structured around six key criticisms leveled at the approach. The first is fundamental and common to macroeconomics and microeconomics alike—namely, problems with rationality and expected utility maximization (EUM). The second is that DSGE models examine fluctuations about an exogenous balanced growth path and there is no role for endogenous growth. The third consists of a number of concerns associated with estimation. The fourth is another fundamental problem with any micro-founded macro-model—that of heterogeneity and aggregation. The fifth and sixth concern focus on the rudimentary nature of earlier models that lacked unemployment and a banking sector.
 A widely used and referenced example of DSGE modeling is the Smets-Wouters (SW) medium-sized NK model. The model features rational expectations and, in an environment of uncertainty, EUM by households and firms. Preferences are consistent with a nonstochastic exogenous balanced growth path about which the model is solved. The model can be estimated by a Bayesian systems estimation method that involves four types of representative agents (households, final goods producers, trade unions, and intermediate good producers). The latter two produce differentiated labor and goods, respectively, and, in each period of time, consist of a proportion locked into existing contracts and the rest that can reoptimize. There is underemployment but no unemployment. Finally, an arbitrage condition imposed on the return on capital and bonds rules out financial frictions. Thus the model, which has become the gold standard for DSGE macro-modeling, features all six areas of concern. The model can be used as a platform to examine how the current generation of DSGE models has developed in these six dimensions. This modeling framework has also used for macro-economic policy design.


Extraordinarily comprehensive, this popular and authoritative reference covers just about every possible subject a typical CNC programmer may encounter on a daily basis. Fully indexed to help the user quickly locate topics of interest, this "industrial strength" handbook presents most common programming subjects in great depth and is equally applicable to both CNC milling and CNC turning operations. Many advanced subjects are also covered, thus making this an unusually comprehensive reference for experienced professionals. Filled with over one thousand illustrations, tables, formulas, tips, shortcuts, and practical examples, this widely respected publication is structured in a logical order that is readily adaptable to virtually all levels of CNC training, from the basic to the advanced.A Fully functional shareware version of CNC toolpath simulator/editor, NCPlot(TM) is included on the CD-ROM. This powerful software includes an amazing array of features, including those not found in competitive products. Support for many advanced features is standard, and the included macro interpreter can simulate Fanuc and compatible macro toolpath programsThis book contains a detailed section on CNC lathes with live tooling, including examples. It features image files of many actual parts, used as examples. It contains more programming examples (both in printed text and on the CD-ROM). It is optimized for the latest Fanuc and related control systems. It includes additional formulas, calculations and handy reference material. It explains fourth axis programming (indexing and rotary). It features CD-ROM based projects, including several as interactive PDF forms. It provides an improved index for better search of topics.


Uracil-Specific Exision Reagent (USER) fusion is a recently developed technique that allows for assembly of multiple DNA fragments in a few simple steps. However, designing primers for USER fusion is both tedious and time consuming. Here, we present the Primer Help for USER (PHUSER) software, a novel tool for designing primers specifically for USER fusion and USER cloning applications. We also present proof-of-concept experimental validation of its functionality. PHUSER offers quick and easy design of PCR optimized primers ensuring directionally correct fusion of fragments into a plasmid containing a customizable USER cassette. Designing primers using PHUSER ensures that the primers have similar annealing temperature (Tm), which is essential for efficient PCR. PHUSER also avoids identical overhangs, thereby ensuring correct order of assembly of DNA fragments. All possible primers are individually analysed in terms of GC content, presence of GC clamp at 3′-end, the risk of primer dimer formation, the risk of intra-primer complementarity (secondary structures) and the presence of polyN stretches. Furthermore, PHUSER offers the option to insert linkers between DNA fragments, as well as highly flexible cassette options. PHUSER is publicly available at http://www.cbs.dtu.dk/services/phuser/.


Verrier Elwin (1902-1964) was unquestionably the most colorful and influential non-official Englishman to live and work in twentieth-century India. A prolific writer, Elwin's ethnographic studies and popular works on India's tribal customs, art, myth and folklore continue to generate controversy. Described by his contemporaries as a cross between Albert Schweitzer and Paul Gauguin, Elwin was a man of contradictions, at times taking on the role of evangelist, social worker, political activist, poet, government worker, and more. He rubbed elbows with the elite of both Britain and India, yet found himself equally at home among the impoverished and destitute. Intensely political, the Oxford-trained scholar tirelessly defended the rights of the indigenous and, despite the deep religious influences of St. Francis and Mahatma Gandhi on his early career, staunchly opposed Hindu and Christian puritans in the debate over the future of India's tribals. Although he was ordained as an Anglican priest, Elwin was married twice to tribal women and enthusiastically (and publicly) extolled the tribals' practice of free sex. Later, as prime minister Nehru's friend and advisor in independent India, his compelling defense of tribal hedonism made him at once hugely influential, extremely controversial, and the polemical focal point of heated discussions on tribal policy and economic development. "Savaging the Civilized" is both biography and history, an exploration through Elwin's life of some of the great debates of the twentieth century: the future of development, cultural assimilation versus cultural difference, the political practice of postcolonial as opposed to colonial governments, and the moral practice of writers and intellectuals.


Purpose: This paper reports a study, which examined the specific information needs and sources of Maasai pastoralists at Orkesumet area in Simanjiro District, Manyara -Tanzania Design/methodology/approach: The study used pragmatism paradigm which is a mixed method approach. Simple random sampling was used to select 40 respondents from the five villages (Mukumbi, Naibor-enderit, Narosoito, Orkirung'urung' and Endonyengijape. Purposive sampling was used to select clan leaders (Ilaigwanak and Ingopir), two from each of the five villages forming ten purposively selected respondents. Questionnaire, interview schedule, and observation were designed to extract information from respondents. Findings: The findings of the study showed that, Maasai practicing pure pastoralism had different needs from those who practice agro-pastoralism. Traditional leaders and extension officers were regarded as the reliable sources of information. Mobile phones were preferred as a source of information but facing challenges. Acquaintance and family members were acknowledged as reliable sources of information. Maasai pastoralist face challenges in the use of information technology due to their low level of educational and inadequate formal sources of information. Practical implications – The authors anticipates that this study will act as an eye opener to the United Republic of Tanzania government and non-government organizations to think of providing appropriate reliable sources of information to Maasai pastoralists so that their contribution can be seen in the socio-economic development of the country. Originality/value – Several studies have been conducted on information needs and sources for different tribes in Tanzania. However, none of these studies have been conducted on Maasai pastoralist. This study is expected to serve as a stepping-stone for further studies on this neglected tribe in socio-economic activities in Tanzania.


We analyze the nature of sovereign credit risk for selected Asian and European countries through a set of sovereign CDS data for an eighty-year period that includes the episode of the 2008-2009 financial crisis. Our principal component analysis results suggest that there is strong commonality in sovereign credit risk across countries after the crisis. The regression tests show that the commonality is linked to both local and global financial and economic variables. Besides, we also notice intriguing differences in the sovereign credit risk behavior of Asian and European countries. Specifically, we find that some variables, including foreign reserve, global stock market, and volatility risk premium, affect the of Asian and European sovereign credit risks in the opposite direction. Further, we assume that the arrival rates of credit events follow a square-root diffusion from which we build our pricing model. The resulting model is used to decompose credit spreads into risk premium and credit-event components.


Anchoring is a well-known effect leading to bias in estimation in various decision-making contexts. A question, however, is whether individuals with greater numerical and academic ability would be less prone to this effect than others because of greater ability to discern the value being estimated. In light of growing interest in the role of individual differences in bias susceptibility, anchoring was examined in a simulated pokerlike card game, using people with varying levels of academic achievement and psychometric reasoning scores. The results showed that anchoring susceptibility was unrelated to education levels, but negatively associated with numerical reasoning and cognitive reflection scores. This result, however, was mediated by task expertise because participants with higher cognitive abilities were those more likely to display improvements in anchoring performance over the course of the experiment.


Stretch of the vascular wall by the intraluminal blood pressure stimulates protein synthesis and contributes to the maintenance of the smooth muscle contractile phenotype. The expression of most smooth muscle specific genes has been shown to be regulated by serum response factor and stimulated by increased actin polymerization. Hence we hypothesized that stretch-induced differentiation is promoted by actin polymerization. Intact mouse portal veins were cultured under longitudinal stress and compared with unstretched controls. In unstretched veins the rates of synthesis of several proteins associated with the contractile/cytoskeletal system (α-actin, calponin, SM22α, tropomyosin, and desmin) were dramatically lower than in stretched veins, whereas other proteins (β-actin and heat shock proteins) were synthesized at similar rates. The cytoskeletal proteins γ-actin and vimentin were weakly stretch-sensitive. Inhibition of Rho-associated kinase by culture of stretched veins with Y-27632 produced similar but weaker effects compared with the absence of mechanical stress. Induction of actin polymerization by jasplakinolide increased SM22α synthesis in unstretched veins to the level in stretched veins. Stretch stimulated Rho activity and phosphorylation of the actin-severing protein cofilin-2, although both effects were slow in onset (Rho-GTP, >15 min; cofilin-P, >1 h). Cofilin-2 phosphorylation of stretched veins was inhibited by Y-27632. The F/G-actin ratio after 24 h of culture was significantly greater in stretched than in unstretched veins, as shown by both ultracentrifugation and confocal imaging with phalloidin/DNase I labeling. The results show that stretch of the vascular wall stimulates increased actin polymerization, activating synthesis of smooth muscle-specific proteins. The effect is partially, but probably not completely, mediated via Rho-associated kinase and cofilin downstream of Rho.


To probe the effects of hydrogel particle additives on the water-accessible pore structure of sandy soils, we introduce a custom pressure plate method in which the volume of water expelled from a wet granular packing is measured as a function of applied pressure. Using a capillary bundle model, we show that the differential change in retained water per pressure increment is directly related to the cumulative cross-sectional area distribution f(r) of the water-accessible pores with radii less than r. This is validated by measurements of water expelled from a model sandy soil composed of 2-mm-diameter glass beads. In particular, it is found that the expelled water is dramatically dependent on sample height and that analysis using the capillary bundle model gives the same pore size distribution for all samples. The distribution is found to be approximately log normal, and the total cross-sectional area fraction of the accessible pore space is found to be f(0)=0.34. We then report on how the pore distribution and total water-accessible area fraction are affected by superabsorbent hydrogel particle additives, uniformly mixed into a fixed-height sample at varying concentrations. Under both fixed volume and free swelling conditions, the total area fraction of water-accessible pore space in a packing decreases exponentially as the gel concentration increases. The size distribution of the pores is significantly modified by the swollen hydrogel particles, such that large pores are clogged while small pores are formed.


Interest in nutraceutical food has increase in consumer demands such as high fiber food products. However, addition or substitution of the ingredient gives several differences in taste, appearance, color and texture to the products. The objective of this final year project is to developed 'Kuih Bangkit', by substituting tapioca starch as the main ingredient with banana starch from different types of unripe banana such as 'Pisang Rastali', 'Pisang Berangan', 'Pisang Nangka'. The study involved sensory analysis to determine the best formulation of cookies among the three types of banana. Besides that, chemical analysis was conducted to determine the proximate analysis between cookies from tapioca starch which was the control and the best cookies from banana starch. The effect of this substitution on the cookies was also determined by measuring the fracturability. From the analysis conducted, the best formulation which was most preferred by the panelist was cookies which were substituted with 50% of 'Nangka' banana starch with the mean value of 7.60. Proximate composition studies showed that cookies from banana starch contained 44.9% crude fiber, 33.7% carbohydrate, 16.4% fat, 2.4% protein, 2.0% moisture, and 0.6% ash. While control cookies contained 43.6% crude fiber, 34.0% carbohydrate17.7% fat, 3.0% moisture, 1.4% protein and 0.25% ash. From the texture analysis, control cookies required 744.67g force while cookies from banana starch required 1150.67g to fracture.


Behavioral laterality, a common measure of hemispheric specialization of the brain, has been examined in multiple tasks across several species of prosimian primates; however, there is inconsistency among findings between and within species that leaves many questions about laterality unanswered. Most studies have employed few measures of laterality, most commonly handedness. This study examined multiple measures of laterality within subjects in 17 captive‐born Garnett's bushbabies (Otolemur garnettii) to assess the consistency of lateralized behaviors and to examine possible influences such as age, posture, novelty, and arousal to elucidate the relations between direction and strength of laterality. We measured reaching, turning bias, scent marking, tail wrapping, leading foot, side‐of‐mouth preference, and hand use in prey capture. Because autonomic arousal has been invoked as a determinant of strength of lateralization, we included multiple tasks that would allow us to test this hypothesis. All subjects were significantly lateralized on simple reaching tasks (P<0.01) and tail wrapping (P<0.01). Moreover, the number of animals lateralized on turning (P<0.01), leading limb (P<0.05), mouth use (P<0.01), and prey capture (P<0.01) was greater than would be expected by chance alone. There was consistency in the strength and direction of hand biases across different postures. Tasks requiring hand use were more strongly lateralized than tasks not involving hand use (P<0.001). The data do not support the assumption that arousal (as subjectively categorized) or novelty strengthens lateralized responding. The results of this study are discussed in terms of the effects of arousal, posture, and age on lateralized behavior. Am. J. Primatol. 72:206–216, 2010. © 2009 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.


End-to-end (E2E) automatic speech recognition (ASR) models have recently demonstrated superior performance over the traditional hybrid ASR models. Training an E2E ASR model requires a large amount of data which is not only expensive but may also raise dependency on production data. At the same time, synthetic speech generated by the state-of-the-art text-to-speech (TTS) engines has advanced to near-human naturalness. In this work, we propose to utilize synthetic speech for ASR training (SynthASR) in applications where data is sparse or hard to get for ASR model training. In addition, we apply continual learning with a novel multi-stage training strategy to address catastrophic forgetting, achieved by a mix of weighted multi-style training, data augmentation, encoder freezing, and parameter regularization. In our experiments conducted on in-house datasets for a new application of recognizing medication names, training ASR RNN-T models with synthetic audio via the proposed multi-stage training improved the recognition performance on new application by more than 65% relative, without degradation on existing general applications. Our observations show that SynthASR holds great promise in training the state-of-the-art large-scale E2E ASR models for new applications while reducing the costs and dependency on production data.


Wieland Duro TZM is a molybdenum-titanium-zirconium-carbon alloy produced from pressed-and-sintered billets. Compared to unalloyed molybdenum, it exhibits higher recrystallization temperature and enhanced high-temperature strength and creep strength. Wieland Duro TZM is typically used between 700 and 1400 °C (1290 and 2550 °F) in a non-oxidizing environment. This datasheet provides information on composition, physical properties, hardness, elasticity, and tensile properties. It also includes information on high temperature performance as well as machining and powder metal forms. Filing Code: Mo-20. Producer or source: Wieland Duro GmbH.


The effective reproduction number, Rt, is a key time-varying prognostic for the growth rate of any infectious disease epidemic. Significant changes in Rt can forewarn about new transmissions within a population or predict the efficacy of interventions. Inferring Rt reliably and in real-time from observed time-series of infected (demographic) data is an important problem in population dynamics. The renewal or branching process model is a popular solution that has been applied to Ebola and Zika virus disease outbreaks, among others, and is currently being used to investigate the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. This model estimates Rt using a heuristically chosen piecewise function. While this facilitates real-time detection of statistically significant Rt changes, inference is highly sensitive to the function choice. Improperly chosen piecewise models might ignore meaningful changes or over-interpret noise-induced ones, yet produce visually reasonable estimates. No principled piecewise selection scheme exists. We develop a practical yet rigorous scheme using the accumulated prediction error (APE) metric from information theory, which deems the model capable of describing the observed data using the fewest bits as most justified. We derive exact posterior prediction distributions for infected population size and integrate these within an APE framework to obtain an exact and reliable method for identifying the piecewise function best supported by available epidemic data. We find that this choice optimises short-term prediction accuracy and can rapidly detect salient fluctuations in Rt, and hence the infected population growth rate, in real-time over the course of an unfolding epidemic. Moreover, we emphasise the need for formal selection by exposing how common heuristic choices, which seem sensible, can be misleading. Our APE-based method is easily computed and broadly applicable to statistically similar models found in phylogenetics and macroevolution, for example. Our results explore the relationships among estimate precision, forecast reliability and model complexity.


In 1979, during the construction of the motorway A3 Regensburg – Passau, southeast Germany, an embankment had to be built. The soil for this embankment was treated with quicklime to accelerate the chemical reaction and shorten the time for earthworks. The treatment results in water reduction, pozzolanic hardening and carbonation of the lime. Previous studies never addressed the scale of these reactions. Here, the degree of carbonation and pozzolanic reaction were determined for the first time to provide evidence for the long-term stability of lime-improved earthworks on a structure with high and long-term stability. In 1990 and 2013, samples from this embankment were taken and examined. The samples were tested using methods for compressive strength and chemical analysis. After 34 years, the results show compressive strengths up to 6 MPa, with 37% of the quicklime being used in carbonation and 47% in pozzolanic reactions. Sixteen per cent free CaO is still available.