Besides the more conventional top-down leverage and bottom-up linkage approach, the European Union (EU) uses a third way to promote democracy in third countries: promotion of democratic governance through functional cooperation in policy sectors. This governance model of democracy promotion has so far been studied only with regard to its effectiveness in target countries. In contrast to earlier research, this contribution takes an 'input' perspective and asks whether adverse sectoral economic interests prevent the EU from consistent democratic governance promotion. Based on three case studies from the two policy sectors of environmental and fisheries policy, the contribution concludes that EU democratic governance promotion is indeed inconsistent when sectoral economic interests are at stake. The governance model is thus subject to the same pattern of inconsistency as the leverage and linkage model with regard to economic interests.


Although there have been a large number of empirical studies of the demand for international reserves, there have not been many successful demonstrations that deviations of the actual stock of reserves from the target level defined by the demand function trigger a process of adjustment. This paper presents new evidence which suggests that central banks do have a target level of international reserve holdings, and that the adjustment of actual reserves towards the target level is quite rapid. In addition, an economic theory of the speed of adjustment is presented and tested. The evidence suggests that central banks adjust more rapidly to reserve deficiencies than to surpluses, that the speed of adjustment is positively related to the divergence between the actual level of reserves and the target level, and that countries which hold abnormally large quantities of reserves do so, in part, in order to adjust more slowly. Finally, the paper examines the applicability of the model to the current regime of managed flexible exchange rates. The evidence suggests that the move towards greater exchange rate flexibility has not significantly altered the reserve holding behavior of the world's central banks.


Abstract The aim of this article is to describe young children's beliefs about language and bilingualism as they are expressed in verbal utterances. The data is from Swedish-medium preschool units in three different sites in Finland. It was generated through ethnographic observations and recordings of the author's interactions with the children. The meaning constructions in the interactions were analyzed mainly by looking closely at the participants' turn taking and conversational roles. The results show that children's beliefs of bilingualism are that you should use one language when speaking to one person; that languages are learnt through using them; and that the advantage of knowing more than one language is being able to talk to (other) people. The results also show that this knowledge of languages is no different from other knowledge within their world. This will probably change over time as the children enter school, and it is something in which our presence as language researchers will have played a part.


Regenerating longleaf pine by artificial means is an essential component of restoring the ecosystem across most of its range because there are limited acres of longleaf stands remaining. Establishing longleaf pine is an early step in the ecosystem restoration process. An overview discussion of artificial regeneration techniques and related issues are presented this paper. Other papers follow in the proceedings that provide more specific information related to reestablishing longleaf pine forests.


Inspired by their powerful representation ability on graph-structured data, Graph Convolution Networks (GCNs) have been widely applied to recommender systems, and have shown superior performance. Despite their empirical success, there is a lack of theoretical explorations such as generalization properties. In this paper, we take a first step towards establishing a generalization guarantee for GCN-based recommendation models under inductive and transductive learning. We mainly investigate the roles of graph normalization and non-linear activation, providing some theoretical understanding, and construct extensive experiments to further verify these findings empirically. Furthermore, based on the proven generalization bound and the challenge of existing models in discrete data learning, we propose Item Mixture (IMix) to enhance recommendation. It models discrete spaces in a continuous manner by mixing the embeddings of positive-negative item pairs, and its effectiveness can be strictly guaranteed from empirical and theoretical aspects.


The main focus in this chapter will be on identifying the historical heritage ofTurkish politics by concentrating on the two main political parties in order toprovide basic contextual information to the reader. But there is a further aimof taking political history into account. In accordance with understandingdiscourse as both a constitutive and a constituent element of social reality ina dialectic way (Wodak, 2001), looking at the institutional and societal backgroundgives us some hints about the possible limiting or sustaining effects ofpolitical history on political actors and their discourses.Thus, one should look at the historical context in which the AKP positionsitself according to changing social and political circumstances. When it comesto the interpretation of the history, AKP sticks to a particular historical narrativeamong others to weaken the opposition. The political history of the partiesalso reveals the constant conflicts between different ideologies which reflectpolicymaking preferences in Turkey. Hence, the emphasis will be on the mainpremises of these ideologies, their interpretation of the world and their evolutionby examining the CHP (Republican People's Party) which has dominatedthe parliamentary opposition and the AKP (The Justice and DevelopmentParty) which has dominated government as a single party since 2002. Thereare two main reasons for taking the history of the CHP into account, althoughthe party's discourse is not analyzed in this book. Firstly, the CHP's history hasshaped overall Turkish political history since it became the founder party of theTurkish Republic and ruled the country as a single party until 1950. Secondly,AKP discourses heavily rely on the criticism of the CHP, and so in order toevaluate the relevance of arguments and historical references later in the analysis,the reader needs to know more about this party and its historical evolution.


A consensus genetic map for Pinus taeda (loblolly pine) and Pinus elliottii (slash pine) was constructed by merging three previously published P. taeda maps with a map from a pseudo-backcross between P. elliottii and P. taeda. The consensus map positioned 3856 markers via genotyping of 1251 individuals from four pedigrees. It is the densest linkage map for a conifer to date. Average marker spacing was 0.6 cM and total map length was 2305 cM. Functional predictions of mapped genes were improved by aligning expressed sequence tags used for marker discovery to full-length P. taeda transcripts. Alignments to the P. taeda genome mapped 3305 scaffold sequences onto 12 linkage groups. The consensus genetic map was used to compare the genome-wide linkage disequilibrium in a population of distantly related P. taeda individuals (ADEPT2) used for association genetic studies and a multiple-family pedigree used for genomic selection (CCLONES). The prevalence and extent of LD was greater in CCLONES as compared to ADEPT2; however, extended LD with LGs or between LGs was rare in both populations. The average squared correlations, r2, between SNP alleles less than 1 cM apart were less than 0.05 in both populations and r2 did not decay substantially with genetic distance. The consensus map and analysis of linkage disequilibrium establish a foundation for comparative association mapping and genomic selection in P. taeda and P. elliottii.


Background Accumulating evidence has shown that valproate has the greatest teratogenic potential for increasing the risk of major congenital malformations, such as neural tube defects, cleft palate, and neurodevelopmental disability. Although valproate is a pharmacological option for acute mania and is used as a stabilization drug for patients with bipolar disorder, some global guidelines state that valproate should not be used for girls or women of childbearing age with bipolar disorder. We investigated patterns in psychiatrists' prescription of valproate for bipolar female patients of childbearing age in Japan. Methods From March to May 2018, we conducted a questionnaire survey among psychiatrists from all prefectures in Japan on psychiatric practice as it relates to major depression and bipolar disorder throughout women's life. The questionnaire had two parts: (1) assessment of participating psychiatrists' backgrounds and attitudes toward patients and (2) their patterns of prescription of psychotropics for female patients with mood disorders across generations and periods of pregnancy. Each question item had four response options: "not at all," "rarely," "sometimes," and "frequently." We examined patterns of prescription for childbearing-aged women (late adolescence/young adulthood aged 18–24 years, childbearing-age, older adults aged 25–49 years) and pregnant women. Results In total, 571 psychiatrists (427 males, 123 females, and 21 unknowns) responded appropriately to the questionnaire, including 320 who examined at least one or more late adolescence/young adulthood bipolar women. Approximately 70% of psychiatrists answered that they frequently or sometimes prescribed valproate for bipolar women of childbearing age [late adolescence/young adulthood: not at all, n = 23 (7.5%); rarely, n = 69 (22.5%); sometimes, n =116 (37.8%); and frequently, n = 99 (32.2%); childbearing-age, older adults: not at all, n = 13 (2.7%); rarely, n = 67 (13.8%); sometimes, n = 185 (38.1%); and frequently, n = 220 (45.4%)]. The proportion of general hospital psychiatrists who answered "not at all" or "rarely" to the frequency of their valproate prescriptions was higher than that of psychiatrists working in other medical facilities (χ 2(3) = 18.2, p < 0.001). Conclusion Most psychiatrists frequently or sometimes prescribe valproate for women of childbearing age in Japan.


Context: The thesis is the analysis work of the replication of software experiment conducted by Natalia and Sira at Technical University of Madrid, SPAIN. The empirical study was conducted for the verification and validation of experimental data, and to evaluate the effectiveness and efficiency of the testing techniques. The analysis blocks, considered for the analysis were observable fault, failure visibility and observed faults. The statistical data analysis involved the ANOVA and Classification package of SPSS. Objective: To evaluate and compare the result obtained from the statistical data analysis. To establish the verification and validation of effectiveness and efficiency of testing techniques by using ANOVA and Classification tree analysis for percentage subject, percentage defect-subject and values (Yes / No) for each of the blocks. RQ1: Empirical evaluation of effectiveness of fault detection testing technique, using data analysis (ANOVA and Classification tree package). For the blocks (observable fault, failure visibility and observed faults) using ANOVA and Classification tree. RQ2: Empirical evaluation of efficiency of fault detection technique, based on time and number of test cases using ANOVA. RQ3: Comparison and inference of the obtained results for both effectiveness and efficiency. Method:The research will be focused on the statistical data analysis to empirically evaluate the effectiveness and efficiency of the fault detection technique for the experimental data collected at UPM (Technical university of Madrid, SPAIN). Empirical Strategy Used: Software Experiment. Results: Based on the planned research work. The analysis result obtained for the observable fault types were standardized (Ch5). Within the observable fault block, both the techniques, functional and structural were equally effective. In the failure visibility block, the results were partially standardized. The program types nametbl and ntree were equally effective in fault detection than cmdline. The result for observed fault block was partially standardized and diverse. The list for significant factors in this blocks were program types, fault types and techniques. In the efficiency block, the subject took less time in isolating the fault in the program type cmdline. Also the efficiency in fault detection was seen in cmdline with the help of generated test cases. Conclusion:This research will help the practitioners in the industry and academic in understanding the factors influencing the effectiveness and efficiency of testing techniques.This work also presents a comprehensive analysis and comparison of results of the blocks observable fault, failure visibility and observed faults. We discuss the factors influencing the efficiency of the fault detection techniques.


Extracted from text ... 185
185
REVIEWS
South Africa's second democratic election 1999: An annotated bibliography
B Strachan
Electoral Institute of Southern Africa
(Most of the following information has been taken from the book itself)
This English language bibliography provides references to material relating to an
important event in the history of South Africa - the country's second democratic
election on 2 June 1999. It covers the run-up to the election, the electoral process,
the results and the outcome. Books, pamphlets periodical articles, reports and
conferences are included, but newspaper articles are not.
In the months following the 1999 elections the Electoral Institute ..


Current search engines do not support user searches for chemical entities (chemical names and formulae) beyond simple keyword searches. Usually a chemical molecule can be represented in multiple textual ways. A simple keyword search would retrieve only the exact match and not the others. We show how to build a search engine that enables searches for chemical entities and demonstrate empirically that it improves the relevance of returned documents. Our search engine first extracts chemical entities from text, performs novel indexing suitable for chemical names and formulae, and supports different query models that a scientist may require. We propose a model of hierarchical conditional random fields for chemical formula tagging that considers long-term dependencies at the sentence level. To substring searches of chemical names, a search engine must index substrings of chemical names. Indexing all possible sub-sequences is not feasible in practice. We propose an algorithm for independent frequent subsequence mining to discover sub-terms of chemical names with their probabilities. We then propose an unsupervised hierarchical text segmentation (HTS) method to represent a sequence with a tree structure based on discovered independent frequent subsequences, so that sub-terms on the HTS tree should be indexed. Query models with corresponding ranking functions are introduced for chemical name searches. Experiments show that our approaches to chemical entity tagging perform well. Furthermore, we show that index pruning can reduce the index size and query time without changing the returned ranked results significantly. Finally, experiments show that our approaches out-perform traditional methods for document search with ambiguous chemical terms.


Stichopus horrens (Gamat: Malay word for sea cucumber) belongs to the family Holothuroidea. It is very abundant in coastal regions of Malaysia and Indonesia. It is a Malay traditional medicine and has been used to cure various ailments for 300 years. Anecdotes claims that, people have used Gamat as a medicine after childbirth and surgery, wound healing, ulcer, chest pain, pneumonia and asthma. However there are no scientific reports on wound healing activity of the sea cucumber, Stichopus horrens (Gamat). An experimental study was carried out to evaluate the wound healing potential of Stichopus horrens (S. horrens) in Rattus norvegicus. All experiments were conducted following standard procedures. The extract of S. horrens in the form of oil was used for evaluating the wound healing potential in excision wound model. Percentage of wound contraction and period of epithelization was studied. Stichopus horrens processed oil demonstrated higher percentage of wound contraction compared to the standard (Povidone iodine ointment) and the control. Period of epithelization was not hastened. The wound contraction elicited by Stichopus horrens in this investigation following topical administration strongly supports the verbal claim of traditional doctors on the use of this processed oil.


The ability to manipulate quantum dot (QD) surfaces is foundational to their technological deployment. Surface manipulation of metal halide perovskite (MHP) QDs has proven particularly challenging in comparison to that of more established inorganic materials due to dynamic surface species and low material formation energy; most conventional methods of chemical manipulation targeted at the MHP QD surface will result in transformation or dissolution of the MHP crystal. In previous work, we have demonstrated record-efficiency QD solar cells (QDSCs) based on ligand-exchange procedures that electronically couple MHP QDs yet maintain their nanocrystalline size, which stabilizes the corner-sharing structure of the constituent PbI64- octahedra with optoelectronic properties optimal for solar energy conversion. In this work, we employ a variety of spectroscopic techniques to develop a molecular-level understanding of the MHP QD surface chemistry in this system. We individually target both the anionic (oleate) and cationic (oleylammonium) ligands. We find that atmospheric moisture aids the process by hydrolysis of methyl acetate to generate acetic acid and methanol. Acetic acid then replaces native oleate ligands to yield QD surface-bound acetate and free oleic acid. The native oleylammonium ligands remain throughout this film deposition process and are exchanged during a final treatment step employing smaller cations-namely, formamidinium. This final treatment has a narrow processing window; initial treatment at this stage leads to a more strongly coupled QD regime followed by transformation into a bulk MHP film after longer treatment. These insights provide chemical understanding to the deposition of high-quality, electronically coupled MHP QD films that maintain both quantum confinement and their crystalline phase and attain high photovoltaic performance.


The importance of reconstructing past environments quantitatively in palaeoecology is reviewed by showing that many ecological questions asked of palaeoecological data commonly involve the reconstructions of past environment. Three basic approaches to reconstructing past climate from palaeoecological data are outlined and discussed in terms of their assumptions, strengths, and weaknesses. These approaches are the indicator-species approach involving bioclimateenvelope modelling; the assemblage approach involving modern analogue techniques and response surfaces; and the multivariate calibration-function approach. Topics common to all approaches are reviewed – presentation and interpretation, evaluation and validation, comparison, and general limitations of climate reconstructions. Challenges and possible future developments are presented and the potential future role of quantitative climate reconstructions in palaeoecology is summarised.


This article brings together two established fields of organizational study, organizational justice (OJ) and public relations (PR), in a search for potential benefits. The 'fair process effect' says that people tend to behave more cooperatively and prosocially when they perceive fairness in a situation, and less cooperatively when they perceive unfairness. Scholars have stressed the potential benefits of understanding perceptions of fairness in a range of contexts including policing, sport refereeing, management and teaching. Some have also challenged OJ scholars to use that field's understanding of what people find to be fair to better help the victims of injustice. The article reports that PR and OJ have developed bodies of knowledge that enhance organizations' capacity to influence change for greater fairness, but both fields have been criticized because their knowledge has more often been applied to increasing the perception of fairness (resulting in greater stakeholder cooperation with organizations and their decisions), than to increasing fair outcomes for a range of stakeholders. The article also shows that PR could benefit in several ways from a deeper understanding of OJ, and that OJ could be very usefully integrated in tertiary PR and professional inservice courses. First, OJ may provide a meta-language and evidence basis for planning, framing and evaluating organizational communication and processes that would help PR focus on the frames and drivers of fairness. Second, PR, like OJ, needs a better understanding of power if it is to recognize subtle forms of domination and exercise influence that advances fairness for the most vulnerable. Third, OJ highlights the importance of independence in decision making if those affected by decisions are to trust decision makers and perceive decisions to be fair. Stakeholder mistrust limits PR agency and capacity to advance fairness, but independence would represent a profound shift from the existing paradigm of relations that PR practitioners have with organizations, as employees or consultants. The article introduces PR to OJ's impressive body of empirical evidence from organizations, and sophisticated theories and models to frame and clarify concepts for advancing practice and scholarship of fairness. Although it may be tempting to apply the power of procedural and interactional justice effects to influence perceptions of fairness and reactions to privately determined decisions, the article cautions that stakeholders will best be served where PR ensures that multiple voices are heard and acted on in matters of distribution.


This paper considers two fundamental sequential decision-making problems: the problem of prediction with expert advice and the multi-armed bandit problem. We focus on stochastic regimes in which an adversary may corrupt losses, and we investigate what level of robustness can be achieved against adversarial corruptions. The main contribution of this paper is to show that optimal robustness can be expressed by a square-root dependency on the amount of corruption. More precisely, we show that two classes of algorithms, anytime Hedge with decreasing learning rate and algorithms with second-order regret bounds, achieve $O( \frac{\log N}{\Delta} + \sqrt{ \frac{C \log N }{\Delta} } )$-regret, where $N, \Delta$, and $C$ represent the number of experts, the gap parameter, and the corruption level, respectively. We further provide a matching lower bound, which means that this regret bound is tight up to a constant factor. For the multi-armed bandit problem, we also provide a nearly tight lower bound up to a logarithmic factor.


The etiology of Crohn's disease (CD) is still unknown, but the intestinal microbiota seems to play an important role in the onset and recurrence of the disease. The mucosa-associated microflora of the intestine (MAMI) should play a crucial role because of its proximity to the mucosa and system immune cells. In most studies, the MAMI differed between subjects with CD and healthy controls. CD is characterized by chonic and often patchy mucosal lesions. We hypothesized that this could be due to a localized change in the microflora and these local changes might favour inflammatory lesions. Metronidazole (MTZ), an antibiotic decreased the early recurrence of Crohn's disease lesions after ileal resection and acts as an antioxidant in colonic tissue of healthy rats. MTZ effects on intestinal microflora remain unclear. The first part of this work has investigated local changes in the MAMI that might explain the patchy distribution of the lesions in CD and postoperative recurrence. The second part has analysed MTZ impact on luminal microflora and MAMI of rats. The MAMI of CD patients differed between subjects. A predominance of Bacteroidetes or Proteobacteria phyla or Clostridium coccoides group (Firmicute phylum) was observed in CD patients. In CD, specific patterns of the MAMI in inflamed parts that could explain the patchy distribution of the lesions have not been observed. However, the composition of the MAMI of CD patients was analysed 6 months after surgical resection and we found that a reduction of a major member of Firmicutes, Faecalibacterium prausnitzii, is associated with a higher risk of postoperative recurrence of CD. This bacteria exhibited anti-inflammatory effects on cellular model and in induced colitic animal. This effect was partly due to secreted metabolites able to block NF-κB activation and IL-8 production. In the colonic tissue of healthy rat, the antioxidant effect of MTZ could be partly explained by an increase of the mucus layer thickness and consequently of the distance between bacteria and mucosa thus preventing contact with potentially damaging bacteria. Moreover, the composition of intestinal microbiota (luminal and MAMI) was modified by MTZ treatment and particularly the bifidobacterial population which increased in MTZ-treated rats. There was a dominant Bifidobacterium strain. It has been isolated and, based on partial sequence of 16S rRNA gene, corresponded to the species Bifidobacterium pseudolongum. This strain has been named B. Pseudolongum strain Patronus. The potential ability of bifidobacteria to exert antioxidant properties has been investigated. This is the first evidence for B. Pseudolongum strain Patronus to exert an effect on a biomarker of oxidative damage either in the colon or in the small bowel. B. Pseudolongum strain Patronus and F. Prausnitzii as candidate probiotic agents appears a promising strategy in CD treatment.


This article focuses on a major host of unpaid intern labor—the music industry—to examine how internships function as a challenging, intermediary step for individuals attempting to launch careers. Based on interviews and participant observation, the author finds that ambiguity plays an important role in producing and maintaining the intern economy. The author uses the term provisional labor to describe the temporary, conditional, and ambiguous standing of interns, as they simultaneously build their employability and provide inexpensive labor. The case study reveals why aspirants encounter varying opportunities in their internships, which may differ from their respective hopes, expectations, and career aspirations.


The debt-versus-equity question is largely relegated to the common law. The central inquiry is the "extent to which the transaction complies with arm's length standards and normal business practice." The courts have established a list of recurring factors to determine whether a transfer should be characterized as a debt interest between the contributing party (the lender) and the receiving business (the borrower) or whether the transfer resulted in an equity interest between the contributing party (the holder) and the receiving corporation (the issuer).

We show how it is possible to identify patterns within a data set of past debt-versus-equity cases by applying machine learning algorithms. By comparing two recent decisions involving related parties, one with a debt outcome and the other an equity outcome, we illustrate the relative significance of various factors as they pertain to related parties. The presence of formal indicia of debt such as a loan document is not significant in relation to other factors that address the substance of the transaction as opposed to the way it was papered. The existence of enforcement rights is slightly more significant, but how the parties behaved in terms of any repayment is the most significant out of the three.

Machine-learning-powered systems can allow lawyers to make more confident and efficient predictions based on all the relevant information. And while there remains some anxiety about the disruptive potential of artificial intelligence for the legal field, it is important to recognize that machine learning is not a replacement for the judgment of human lawyers. Instead, it is a powerful new tool to augment their professional knowledge and instincts.


This document presents Safety Case Guidance Material for the Airport CDM (A-CDM) Project. The relevant A-CDM milestones, flight phases and data flows have been systematically analysed. The safety impacts of A-CDM have been identified and documented. Where concerns or new hazards have been found, appropriate risk mitigation has been proposed with the aim of ensuring that the A- CDM project is acceptably safe in principle. Guidance has been provided by EUROCONTROL to assist stakeholders in implementing the A-CDM elements safely and in preparing their own local safety assessments/ cases.


Certification of safety-critical software systems requires submission of safety assurance documents, e.g., in the form of safety cases. A safety case is a justification argument used to show that a system is safe for a particular application in a particular environment. Different argumentation strategies are applied to determine the evidence for a safety case. They allow us to support a safety case with such evidence as results of hazard analysis, testing, simulation, etc. On the other hand, application of formal methods for development and verification of critical software systems is highly recommended for their certification. In this paper, we propose a methodology that combines these two activities. Firstly, it allows us to map the given system safety requirements into elements of the formal model to be constructed, which is then used for verification of these requirements. Secondly, it guides the construction of a safety case demonstrating that the safety requirements are indeed met. Consequently, the argumentation used in such a safety case allows us to support the safety case with formal proofs and model checking results as the safety evidence. Moreover, we propose a set of argument patterns that aim at facilitating the construction of (a part of) a safety case from a formal model. In this work, we utilise the Event-B formalism due to its scalability and mature tool support. We illustrate the proposed methodology by numerous small examples as well as validate it by a larger case study – a steam boiler control system.


Each year, companies invest billions of dollars into marketing activities to embellish brands as valuable relationship partners assuming that consumer brand relationships (CBRs) and interpersonal relationships rest upon the same neurobiological underpinnings. Given the crucial role of the neuropeptide oxytocin (OXT) in social bonding, this study tests whether OXT-based mechanisms also determine the bond between consumers and brands. We conducted a randomized, placebocontrolled study involving 101 subjects and analyzed the effect of intranasal OXT on consumers' attribution of relationship qualities to brands, brands paired with human celebrity endorsers, and familiar persons. OXT indeed promoted the attribution of relationship qualities not only in the case of social and semi-social stimuli, but also brands. Intriguingly, for subjects scoring high on autisticlike traits, the effect of OXT was completely reversed, evident in even lower relationship qualities across all stimulus categories. The importance of OXT in a CBR context is further corroborated by a three-fold increase in endogenous release of OXT following exposure to one's favorite brand and positive associations between baseline peripheral OXT concentrations and brand relationship qualities. Collectively, our findings indicate that OXT not only plays a fundamental role in developing interpersonal relationships, but also enables relationship formation with objects such as brands.


When people suffer they always suffer as a whole human being. The emotional, cognitive and spiritual suffering of human beings cannot be completely separated from all other kinds of suffering, such as from harmful natural, ecological, political, economic and social conditions. In reality they interact with each other and influence each other. Human beings do not only suffer from somatic illnesses, physical pain, and the lack of decent opportunities to satisfy their basic vital, social and emotional needs. They also suffer when they are not able to experience and grasp any meaning of life even if such suffering is not quite as obvious as most forms of physical, social and emotional suffering. Suffering from the lack for the sense of the meaning of life is a special form of emotional, cognitive, and spiritual suffering. Although all human beings share the same basic human need for some meaning of life, the fulfilment of this need is highly individual and personal. Although all forms of human suffering can be a challenge to the meaning of life, the personal conditions of suffering usually are a stronger challenge for the meaning of life. Among the personal conditions of human suffering, the Grenzsituationen cannot be cancelled or raised at all, but only accepted and coped with as existential aspects of the conditio humana. According to Karl Jaspers these are: death, suffering, struggling, guilt, and failing. The challenge for human beings to cope with these Grenzsituationen is a way to move from the mere Being-there to true human Existence. 1


For women living with HIV infection in India, stigma is a pervasive reality and the greatest barrier to accessing treatment, quality of life and survival. Defining stigma according to Goffman as a socially conceived abnormality, this paper then draws on Engel's biopsychosocial model for chronic disease to show the pervasive nature of stigma as a continuum affecting all dimensions of life for married, monogamous Indian women with positive HIV sero-status. Two distinct perspectives were identified in the literature: 1) Public: social and relational stigma, or 2) Private: internalised psychological stigma. Only four of the twenty published works reviewed noted interrelationships between these public and private spheres. Only one of those employed an ethnographic methodology to understand stigma from the perspective of the women themselves. While concepts associated with stigma among women living with HIV are diversely employed in research, by considering them as a whole through an intersectional biopsychosocial lens, this paper attempts to provide a basis for implementing integrated and tailored responses. Once the manifestations and interconnected causes of particular groups of HIV-positive women's marginalisation are identified from their perspective, corresponding HIV-care programs and research activities can be designed. Such programs can be tailored with dual objectives: 1) to respond in a coordinated manner to the particular women's own identified and prioritised daily needs across biomedical treatment and social and psychological support, and 2) to work to promote change in social constructions of stigma that form barriers to care.


Background: In Northern hemisphere, climate change has shifted the habitats of many species including butterflies into the northern regions. Many researchers in Europe and North America have reported this type of northward shift of butterflies. Thus, we collected the species occurrence data of southern butterflies and presented in this study for understanding the impact of climate change on the southern butterflies in the future. New information: This study presents the 456 occurrence data of nine southern butterflies under five families in Korea. These data were selected from the 3rd National Ecosystem Survey (NES) conducted by National Institute of Environment Research (NIER) in Korea. Those will be a part of input data for MOTIVE-Ecosystem model, an integrative model to understand the influence of climate change and land cover change on the habitat suitability of sensitive, native and invasive species. These data will be important to the researchers and conservation agencies for understanding the current conditions of southern butterflies and developing conservation policy


From the Field is a semi-regular column that explores what it means to be a local health professional on the front lines of an emergency. National Association of County and City Health Officials (NACCHO) members share their stories of preparing for and responding to disasters, epidemics, and other major health issues. Through exploring the analysis of the challenges faced and the solutions developed, readers can learn how these public health champions keep their communities safe even in extreme situations. Readers may submit topics of interest to the column's editor, Meghan McGinty, PhD, MPH, MBA, at email@example.com.


Pulsatile Drug Delivery Systems are gaining a lot of interest as they deliver the drug at the right place at the right time and in the right amount, thus providing spatial and temporal delivery and increasing patient compliance. These systems are designed according to the circadian rhythm of the body. The principle rationale for the use of pulsatile release of the drugs is where a constant drug release is not desired. A pulse has to be designed in such a way that a complete and rapid drug release is achieved after the lag time. Various systems like capsular systems, osmotic systems, singleand multiple-unit systems based on the use of soluble or erodible polymer coating and use of rupturable membranes have been dealt with in the article. It summarizes the latest technological developments, formulation parameters, and release profiles of these systems. These systems are beneficial for the drugs having chronopharmacological behavior where night time dosing is required, such as anti-arhythmic and anti-asthmatic.


The natural occurrence of egg parasitoids was assessed by investigating the
compatibility of Trichogramma spp. associated with the African bollworm,
Helicoverpa armigera (Hiibner) under mixed vegetation ecosystems. Field and
laboratory investigations were conducted to study the diversity, species composition,
biology and effectiveness of recovered Trichogramma spp. and other egg parasitoids
on H. armigera.
Assessments on the diversity of egg parasitoids conducted on farmers' fields on 50
randomly selected sites from four contrasting agro-ecosystems indicated that there
were four main groups of Hymenopteran egg parasitoids. They were the two
Telenomus spp. (Scelionidae), two Trichogrammatoidea spp. nr. lutea and nr
armigera (Trichogrammatidea), two Trichogramma spp. nr. mwanzia and nr.
bournieri (Trichogrammatidae) and lastly a number of unidentified species. The
natural field parasitism was estimated to be 33%; parasitism of the recovered egg
parasitoid species according to locations varied from 27 to 40% while that of different
crops (cotton, tomato and pepper) varied from 25 to 57%. Among those recovered
from the surveyed agro-ecological locations, Trichogramma sp. nr. bournieri was
recovered on various canopy structures of cotton, tomato and maize, indicating that it
has a broader niche. Egg parasitoid abundance and species composition analyzed by
the Czekanowski coefficient and Shannon index indicated that Tsp. nr. bournieri,
Telenomus sp. and Tsp. nr. mwanzia were widespread in both low (Afar) and high
altitude (Guder) agro-ecologies.
The abundance of H. armigera egg and its egg parasitoids in two benchmark sites at
extreme altitudes (740 and 2034 meter above sea level) during the main and offseasons
on eight crop types varied with respect to crop type, season and altitude. In
general, parasitism was higher during the main season. At lower altitudes, the highest
count of parasitized eggs was from pigeon peas where the parasitoid Telenomus sp.
was the most abundant. At higher altitudes, the highest number of parasitized eggs
was recorded from tomato. The first appearance of targeted host egg during the offseason
at lower altitude was in November and it was the highest number recorded. At
Guder, (high altitude) during the off-season, H armigera eggs and their parasitoids
were recorded from November to January in tomatoes and pigeon peas with the
highest parasitism recorded in January in both crops.
Observations revealed that male Tsp. nr. bournieri emerged 7-12 minutes earlier than
the females. The males stood guard around the parasitized eggs awaiting the emerging
female for copulation. The overall frequency distribution of the number of adults
emerged daily was positively skewed for both sexes. The duration of immature and
adult stages for T.sp. nr. bournieri was 9.25 and 3 days, respectively, whereas for Tsp.
nr. mwanzia it was 9.35 and 2.35 days, respectively.
tllPUET'AKAAN SULTAN ABDUL
UNIVERSITI WTRA MALkYSlA
Suitability and acceptability of H. armigera egg for ovipostion of the native Tsp. nr.
bournieri, Tsp. nr. mwanzia and a Telenomus sp. was studied under laboratory
conditions. Telenomus sp. failed to perform when held under laboratory conditions.
The reason for this is not clear. The acceptability and suitability level .by the two
Trichogramma parasitoids varied with age and density of H. armigera eggs. In
general, severity of parasitism decreased with increasing host egg age while searching
or foraging increased with increasing host egg age.
Functional responses studied on various factitious host egg densities exposed to
different numbers and combinations of parasitoid species showed the mean rate of
parasitism was highest when the host eggs were exposed to an individual species of
multiple females of four to eight. The mean parasitism rate increased with increasing
number of adults.
The host egg parasitism by Tsp. nr. bournieri and Zsp. nr. mwanzia was highly
affected at temperature intervals between 10 and 40°C. The number of adult female
progeny was greater than the males at different level of temperature. Trichogramma
sp. nr. bournieri had a wider spectrum and its optimum temperature was between 10
and 35°C. The high efficiency of parasitism by Tsp. nr. bournieri and its superior
searching capacity, as revealed by studies done under the controlled conditions of the
greenhouse (under cloth mesh cage) and lathehouse (under open air cage) led to the
conclussion that it was potentially promising to be exploited as a biocontrol agent
against H. armigera.


As its name implies, the aim of Systems Design and Engineering: Facilitating Multidisciplinary Development Projects is to help systems engineers develop the skills and thought processes needed to successfully develop and implement engineered systems. Such expertise typically does not come through study but from action, hard work, and cooperation. To that end, the authors have chosen a "hands-on" approach for presenting material rather than concentrating on theory, as so often is the case in a classroom setting.

This attractive and accessible text is a mix of theory and practical approach, illustrated with examples that have enough richness and variability to hold your attention. Models are presented for controlling the design, change, and engineering processes. Various aspects of systems engineering and methods providing the big picture at system level are discussed. In some ways, you can think of the book as a compact "starter's kit" for systems engineers.

Although the authors are recognized experts in academic settings, they attribute much of their success in systems engineering to their own hands-on experiences and want to show you how to achieve that same level of expertise. Simply reading this book or any other book will not suffice for the learning process to become a systems engineer - no book will do that. However, by following the principles laid out in this book, you can develop the necessary skills and expertise to help you start an interesting, challenging, and rewarding career as a systems engineer.


We discuss the use of Langevin molecular dynamics in the investigation of the non-equilibrium properties of disordered vortex matter. Our special focus is set on values of system parameters that are realistic for disordered high- superconductors such as YBCO. Using a discretised elastic line model, we study different aspects of vortices far from thermal equilibrium. On the one hand, we investigate steady-state properties of driven magnetic flux lines in a disordered environment, namely the current–voltage characteristics, the gyration radius and the pinning time statistics. On the other hand, we study the complex relaxation processes and glassy-like dynamics that emerge in type-II superconductors due to the intricate competition between the long-range vortex–vortex repulsion and flux pinning due to randomly placed point defects. To this end, we consider different types of sudden perturbations: temperature, magnetic field and external current quenches.


This study analysed the determinants of tourists' length of stay at one of South Africa's oldest and largest national parks, the Kruger National Park. It took the different regions of this Park into account and analysed visitors to the northern and southern regions separately to distinguish the different determinants of length of stay. The results showed clear differences between the determinants of length of stay for the two regions, indicating that for a destination with the size and scope of the Kruger Park, a regional approach should be followed to improve management and encourage visitors to stay longer. Conservation implications: The northern and southern regions of the Kruger National Park differ significantly in terms of ecosystems, rainfall, climate and wildlife. From a tourism perspective, these regions should be managed separately taking the distinct differences of the two regions into consideration. Different variables influence visitors' length of stay in these two regions. Conservation practitioners can use the results of this study to manage visitors to these areas.


Computing statistical measures for large databases of time series is a fundamental primitive for querying and mining time-series data [1]-[6]. This primitive is gaining importance with the increasing number and rapid growth of time series databases. In this paper, we introduce a framework for efficient computation of statistical measures by exploiting the concept of affine relationships. Affine relationships can be used to infer statistical measures for time series, from other related time series, instead of computing them directly; thus, reducing the overall computational cost significantly. The resulting methods exhibit at least one order of magnitude improvement over the best known methods. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first work that presents an unified approach for computing and querying several statistical measures at once. Our approach exploits affine relationships using three key components. First, the AFCLST algorithm clusters the time-series data, such that high-quality affine relationships could be easily found. Second, the SYMEX algorithm uses the clustered time series and efficiently computes the desired affine relationships. Third, the SCAPE index structure produces a many-fold improvement in the performance of processing several statistical queries by seamlessly indexing the affine relationships. Finally, we establish the effectiveness of our approaches by performing comprehensive experimental evaluation on real datasets.


In this paper, a new approach that applies fuzzy Delphi method in Simple Additive Weighting (SAW) is proposed to be used in the Maintenance Strategy Selection Problem (MSSP). This approach is based on representation of the importance of goals and each strategy capabilities to satisfy each maintenance goals with fuzzy numbers. Fuzzy Delphi method is applied for the assessment of the importance of each goal and capability of each maintenance strategy, considering the expert's opinion. This method considers both tangible and intangible goals dealing with the selection problem. Fuzzy Delphi method generates an L-R fuzzy number that measures information about the nature of opinions more adequately. Yager ranking method is used in transforming fuzzy numbers in the selection problem. Finally, through a heuristic algorithm, the main steps of the proposed method are presented. © 2008 World Academic Press, UK. All rights reserved.


Abstract The Turiy Massif, on the southern coast of the Kola Peninsula, consists of five intrusive complexes containing a variety of carbonatites, phoscorites, melilitolites, ijolites and pyroxenites. Petrographic and mineralogical studies of the different rocks show that the samples are texturally heterogeneous. Minerals including apatite, garnet, magnetite, melilite, mica and pyroxene, show systematic variations in composition relating to the rock type in which they occur. Compositional similarities and/or distinct trends are seen in the mineral compositions within the each of the pyroxenite-melilitolite, and melteigite-ijolite rock series, indicating linked petrogenetic histories within each of the two series. The carbonatites from the northern complex may be related to nearby melilitolites, but the central complex carbonatites and phosocorites do not bear any mineralogical (or isotopic) similarities to any of the silicate rocks within the massif.


The measles virus used in the MMR (measles, mumps, rubella) and single measles vaccine is grown in cultures of fibroblasts from chick embryos, and there have been concerns raised about the possible presence of egg protein in the vaccines and the advisability of administration to individuals who are allergic to eggs. We review the evidence for egg as the agent responsible for allergic reactions to MMR or measles vaccine and propose recommendations based on the evidence. The arguments presented also apply to the single mumps vaccine and all other vaccines derived from egg. The recommendations presented have been reviewed and endorsed by the Committee on Infection and Immunisation of the Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health, and the British Society of Allergy and Clinical Immunology.

#### Summary points

The majority of life threatening (cardiorespiratory) allergic reactions to MMR vaccine have been reported in children who are not allergic to eggs; these are more likely to be explained by the gelatin or neomycin contained in the vaccine than the ovalbumin

MMR vaccine is as safe as any other vaccine, and an allergy to eggs should not delay measles vaccination

The only children who need to be vaccinated in hospital are those with an allergy to eggs in whom previous exposure led to cardiorespiratory reactions and those with coexisting active, chronic asthma

Children with milder forms of allergy to eggs can be safely vaccinated without additional precautions

Any child experiencing an acute allergic reaction to MMR vaccine must have the reaction clearly defined and be evaluated for other allergies

References were found by performing a Medline search (for the years 1966-99), which identified 51 references, and by searching issue 3 of the 1999 Cochrane Library , which identified no references. We also reviewed the reference list of each study identified. Thirty four of the …


College classrooms are increasingly using PBL approaches to teaching and learning. Previous studies have reported that authenticity of problems is a critical factor in PBL. However, there has been little research on instructional design strategies for developing authentic problems. In order to enhance authenticity, this study employed a user-design approach for developing problems, allowing learners to both select and write problems. Then, this study examined the effects of the user-design approach on authenticity, performance, and satisfaction based on a survey taken from 134 university students enrolled in a PBL course. Structural Equation Modeling (SEM) was employed to analyze the data; the results showed that students' participation in designing problems increases learning authenticity, which in turn enhances task performance and satisfaction. Finally, the results of this study also supported the mediation effects of the level of learning authenticity on student task performance.


Bangladesh has attracted international media attention for heightened militant activities in 2015, particularly after a series of killings of bloggers by a local militant group allegedly associated with Al Qaeda in the Indian Subcontinent (AQIS) and after murders of foreign nationals, responsibility of which was claimed by the Islamic State (IS). Islamist militant groups in Bangladesh which emerged in the 1990s have undergone several transformations. Originally grown out of the volunteers who joined the Afghan war against the Soviet Union, these groups have since then taken different shapes. Since the 1990s, five 'generations' of militant groups appeared on the scene. In some measures, the militant groups have come full circle: they began as a result of a global agenda fighting an 'atheist' Communist system (war against the Soviet Union in Afghanistan) to now being part of establishing a global 'khilafat' (by joining the IS in Syria and Iraq) via pursuing a circumscribed local agenda for a period in the early 2000s. Despite such transformations, very little is known about the Bangladeshi militants. This article attempts to address this lacuna by examining the socio-demographic profile of Bangladeshi militants arrested between July 2014 and June 2015. The findings reveal a significant diversity among the militants. Contrary to public perceptions in Bangladesh, significant numbers of militants are well-educated and come from a middle class background.


In this paper, we study the non-local convergence properties of deep linear networks. Specifically, under the quadratic loss, we consider optimizing deep linear networks in which there is at least a layer with only one neuron. We describe the convergent point of trajectories with an arbitrary balanced starting point under gradient flow, including the paths which converge to one of the saddle points. We also show specific convergence rates of trajectories that converge to the global minimizers by stages. We conclude that the rates vary from polynomial to linear. As far as we know, our results are the first to give a non-local analysis of deep linear neural networks with arbitrary balanced initialization, rather than the lazy training regime which has dominated the literature of neural networks or the restricted benign initialization.


Project-based learning (PBL) has become standard practice in STEM classes reflecting a focus on critical thinking and collaborative skills required by the changing workforce. English Language Arts classes should offer more PBL opportunities; however, ELA teachers are often hesitant to implement PBL because of a fear of risk-taking, a concern for turning over curriculum choices to students, an acknowledgement of the role that standardized testing plays on student achievement and teacher accountability, and a lack of professional development training. This phenomenological study examines how 18 students take up critical literacy practices using PBL in the form of a pop-up museum protocol in four secondary ELA classes. Three pop-up museums culminated in students creating and displaying persuasive writing samples and meme artifacts, while one pop-up museum exhibited the findings of service-learning projects. This study revealed overwhelmingly positive accounts of PBL as an instructional approach from the teachers and the student participants. Interviews with two teachers and 18 purposely sampled students revealed that the participants were engaged in deeper, more fulfilling learning. The instructional spaces moved from classrooms as traditional first space locations to ecoscapes like social networks in third space as students created, curated, and hosted museums for their peers and their community. Although time and technology were factors in implementation, ELA classes and other subject areas that adopt the pop-up museum protocol will experience students' shifts in identity, perception, and dispositions as they express their critical literacy practices.


Sweet potato [Ipomoea batatas (L.) Lam] is a valuable source of food and a source of industrial raw material; its tubers provide high levels of starch, lysine, vitamin A and ascorbic acid. Globally, sweet potato is one of the highest yielding crops with a yield potential of 30 tons/ha. The sweet potato is grown in more than 100 countries. It is already the seventh most produced food crop in the world surpassed only by wheat, rice, maize, Irish potato, barley and cassava. Approximately 95% of the world annual output is produced in developing countries, in Asia and sub-Saharan Africa. However in Africa sweet potato yields are very low due to abiotic (drought, salinity and temperatures) and biotic factors. In Kenya, sweet potato production does not meet the demand and there is need to increase production both in terms of hectareage and yields. In addition, farmers suffer significant yield loss and the yield levels are 20% of the crops potential (30 tons/ha). Sweet potato biology presents many challenges to conventional breeding through sexual hybridisation. High pollen sterility, sexual incompatibility and the hexaploid nature of sweet potato have resulted in very limited improvement of this important root crop by conventional breeding methods. Genetic engineering can be used to compliment conventional breeding strategies as it is faster and fairly more accurate in transferring target genes. The objective of this study was to genetically transform Kenyan farmer preferred sweet potato genotypes. The Agrobacterium tumefaciens strain EHA101 harboring the RNAi with a bar selectable marker gene and Agrobacterium tumefaciens strain EHA101 harboring a GUS reporter gene were used to transform sweet potato using Monsanto sweet potato transformation protocol. Bialaphos (0.5 mg/L) was use to identify transgenic plants. Five sweet potato varieties were used in this research; Mugande, Spk 004, Spk 013, Ksp 36 and Enaironi. All the tested genotypes were able to induce callus from the stem and leaf explants used and transient gene expression was observed to be positive from all the genotypes. Under selection pressure (0.5 mg/L bialaphos) Mugande had the highest transformation frequency of 62.8% from the leaf explants and 40.8% from the stem explants while Enaironi had the lowest having 17.2% from the leaf explants and 6.4% from the stem explants. Out of the five genotypes tested in this research 3 genotypes were able to regenerate transgenic plantlets. Mugande had 4 transgenic plantlets, Spk 004 had 1 and Spk 013 had 1 plantlet. Confirmation of transformation for bialaphos surviving plantlets was done using polymerase chain reaction (PCR). The results from this study provide new opportunities for improving the yield of sweet potato via genetic engineering.


How are beliefs about the nature of knowledge reflected and reproduced in language use? It is clear that some linguistic resources, e.g. the modal verbs may and must, indicate one's epistemic stance with respect to a proposition, i.e. one's judgement of how likely it is to be true. What is less clear is how the use of such resources relates to speakers' beliefs about the nature of knowledge per se, i.e. their epistemic policies (Teller 2004). To investigate the putative relationship between epistemological variation and linguistic variation, I examine samples of written and spoken English from a community that is particularly epistemologically diverse: academia. I synthesize research on social epistemology, sociolinguistics, linguistic anthropology, and Academic English (AE) to propose an explanatory model of variability in the expression of epistemic stance. Then, using AE as a case study, I evaluate the predictions of this model both quantitatively via corpus analysis of research articles and regression modelling of interview data, as well as qualitatively via analysis of discursive practices in terms of experience-organizing frames (Goffman 1974) and the semiotic notion of indexicality (e.g. Irvine 2001), whereby ideological differences produce, and are reproduced by, linguistic differences. This research makes contributions to a number of fields. It questions the analytic validity of disciplinarity, providing support for a unifying theory of variation in AE based instead on an epistemologically principled analysis of institutional language use. The indexical basis of sociolinguistic research on language and belief/identity is problematized by attending to epistemological context; the ramifications of this will be explored in future research. I develop a linguistic metric of epistemic belief, offering a means of developing a quantitative social epistemology to complement that field's highly articulated theoretical work. Applications beyond academia are possible in areas concerned with knowledge management and transfer, such as public health.


Research on private label brands started with focus on explaining the choice of private label brands by simple demographics variables which later expanded into work on attitudinal and behavioral characteristics of customers. However, all these studies had never tried to integrate demographic and psychographic variables to achieve a higher explanatory power, even though researchers had suggested that such a combination is likely to have a higher explanatory power. This paper, after a review of literature, identifies the variables for private label brand proneness. This is followed by mathematical explanation which provides the mathematical model using discrete choice modeling. The paper also provides operationalization of integrated model in current Indian retail scenario and concludes with explaining the limitations.


Schema.org is an initiative by the major search engine providers Bing, Google, Yahoo!, and Yandex that provides a collection of ontologies which web-masters can use to mark up their pages. Schema.org comes without a formal language definition and without a clear semantics. We formalize the language of Schema.org as a Description Logic (DL) and study the complexity of querying data using (unions of) conjunctive queries in the presence of ontologies formulated in this DL (from several perspectives). While querying is intractable in general, we identify various cases in which it is tractable and where queries are even rewritable into FO queries or datalog programs.


This paper describes an integrated coupled oscillator array in SiGe for millimeter wave applications. The design focuses on scalable radio architectures where multiple dies are tiled to form larger arrays. A 2 times 2 oscillator array for a 60GHz transmitter is designed with integrated power amplifiers and antennas. The 2 times 2 array demonstrates a 200MHz locking range and 1 times 4 array formed by two adjacent chips has a 60MHz locking range. The phase noise of the array is below -110dBc/Hz at a 1MHz offset


A significant part of data and content management in e-business scenarios deals with exchanging product-related data between business entities, and integrating them into target applications (e.g. ERP systems) or target documents (e.g. e-catalogs) at the recipient's side. Content integration tasks can be much better automated if the textual descriptions are augmented by a machine-readable representation of the semantics. For this purpose, categorization standards for products and services, like UNSPSC, eCl@ss, eOTD, or the Rosettanet Technical Dictionary (RNTD) are widely in use. Existing research, however, has focused on the architecture and structure of such standards, and did not investigate their actual content. In this paper, we present a framework of metrics for the quality and maturity of categorization standards, and apply these metrics to eCl@ss, UNSPSC, eOTD, and RNTD. The results clearly show weaknesses which hamper the use in many application domains. Also, we can reveal that only some of these standards are actually maintained and updated, while others are rather inactive, dead collections


Abstract:Spiders have always fascinated humankind as whilst they are often reviled, their product, the web and its silk, are commonly viewed in awe. As such, silks' material properties and the fear and fascination surrounding the animals that spin it are seen to play an important role in the development of many cultures and societies. More recently this is even more so with the formalization of this inspiration in scientific and technical communities through biomimetics. The aim of this work is to reflect on the beginnings of our relationship with silk and discuss concepts associated with spider silks and webs in ancient Greek and Roman times whilst comparing this with our current understanding of the field. In this way, ancient texts, namely Greek and Latin ones, are found to intersect with modern advanced disciplines, ranging from architecture to medicine to physics. This allows us not only to understand how natural observation has evolved from antiquity to today, but also how such a highly interdisciplinary research network has been spun by some shared conceptual threads.


Learning chemistry require laboratory work to support good teaching and learning process. SMA Muhammadiyah plus Salatiga is the limited number of laboratory and chemicals are available resulting in chemistry learning process is not managed well. Critical thinking skills are underdeveloped learners and learning outcomes prior to remedial classes is low. Green chemistry approach oriented constructivism is one of the alternatives used in solving chemistry problems learning process in SMA Muhammadiyah Plus Salatiga. This approach uses nature as a learning medium. Conservation efforts in the field of education. This study aims to improve critical thinking skills and student learning outcomes. This study uses a class action research consisting of three cycles .. The results showed a significant difference to the cognitive learning and critical thinking skills in each cycle. Completeness average for cognitive learning outcomes in each cycle reaches 70%, 82% and 88%. Critical thinking skills were observed through the activities of students in the class average for each cycle is 90. More than 75% of students responded positively to the learning chemistry with green chemistry oriented constructivism approach. Learners become actively involved in the learning process and have high initiative in developing the subject in class.


In this paper we analyze the effect of randomly deleting streets of a synthetic city on the statistics of displacements. Our city is constituted initially by a set of streets that form a regular tessellation of the euclidean plane. Therefore we will have three types of cities, formed by squares, triangles or hexagons. We studied the complementary cumulative distribution function for displacements (CCDF). For the whole set of streets the CCDF is a stretched exponential, and as streets are deleted this function becomes a linear function and then two clear different exponentials. This behavior is qualitatively the same for all the tessellations. Most of this functions has been reported in the literature when studying the displacements of individuals based on cell data trajectories and GPS information. However, in the light of this work, the appearance of different functions for displacements CCDF can be attributed to the connectivity of the underlying street network. It is remarkably that for some proportion of streets we got a linear function for such function, and as far as we know this behavior has not been reported nor considered. Therefore, it is advisable to analyze experimental in the light of connectivity of the street network to make correlations with the present work.


We introduce a modified and simplified version of the pre-existing fully parallelized three-dimensional Navier--Stokes flow solver known as TPLS. We demonstrate how the simplified version can be used as a pedagogical tool for the study of computational fluid dynamics and parallel computing. TPLS is at its heart a two-phase flow solver, and uses calls to a range of external libraries to accelerate its performance. However, in the present context we narrow the focus of the study to basic hydrodynamics and parallel computing techniques, and the code is therefore simplified and modified to simulate pressure-driven single-phase flow in a channel, using only relatively simple Fortran 90 code with MPI parallelization, but no calls to any other external libraries. The modified code is analysed in order to both validate its accuracy and investigate its scalability up to 1000 CPU cores. Simulations are performed for several benchmark cases in pressure-driven channel flow, including a turbulent simulation, wherein the turbulence is incorporated via the large-eddy simulation technique. The work may be of use to advanced undergraduate and graduate students as an introductory study in computational fluid dynamics, while also providing insight for those interested in more general aspects of high-performance computing.


The untranslated regions (UTRs) of viral genomes contain a variety of conserved yet dynamic structures crucial for viral replication, providing drug targets for the development of broad spectrum anti-virals. We combine in vitro RNA analysis with Molecular Dynamics simulations to build the first 3D models of the structure and dynamics of key regions of the 5' UTR of the SARS-CoV-2 genome. Furthermore, we determine the binding of metallo-supramolecular helicates (cylinders) to this RNA structure. These nano-size agents are uniquely able to thread through RNA junctions and we identify their binding to a 3-base bulge and the central cross 4-way junction located in the stem loop 5. Finally, we show these RNA-binding cylinders suppress SARS-CoV-2 replication, highlighting their potential as novel antiviral agents.


Antimicrobial pharmacology and its effect on prescribing is quite complex. Selecting an antibiotic that will optimally treat an infection while minimizing adverse effects and the development of resistance is only the first step, as one must also consider the patient's individual pharmacokinetic alterations and the pharmacodynamic properties of the drug when prescribing it as well. Patients with CKD may have alterations in their protein binding, volumes of distribution, kidney clearance, and nonrenal clearance that necessitates antibiotic dose adjustments to prevent the development of toxicity. Knowledge of a drug's pharmacodynamics, defined as the relationship between drug exposure and antibacterial efficacy, provides some guidance regarding the optimal way to make dose adjustments. Different pharmacodynamic goals, such as maximizing the time that free (unbound) drug concentrations spend above the minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) for time dependent drugs (e.g., β-lactams) or maximizing the free peak-to-MIC ratio for concentration-dependent antibiotics (e.g., aminoglycosides), require different adjustment strategies; for instance, decreasing the dose while maintaining normal dosing frequency or giving normal (or even larger) doses less frequently, respectively. Patients receiving hemodialysis have other important prescribing considerations as well. The nephrologist or patient may prefer to receive antibiotics that can be administered intravenously toward the end of a dialysis session. Additionally, newer dialysis technologies and filters can increase drug removal more than originally reported. This review will discuss the place in therapy, mechanism of action, pharmacokinetic, pharmacodynamic, and other pharmacologic considerations encountered when prescribing commonly used antibiotics in patients with chronic kidney disease or ESKD.


Candida albicans is a diploid dimorphic yeast with no known sexual cycle. The development of a DNA transformation system would greatly improve the prospects for genetic analyses of this yeast. Plasmids were isolated from a Candida Sau3A partial library which complements the ade2-1 and ade2-5 mutations in Saccharomyces cerevisiae. These plasmids contain a common region, part of which, when subcloned, produces ade2 complementation. Among the small number of auxotrophs previously isolated in C. albicans, red adenine-requiring mutants had been identified by several groups. In two of these strains, the cloned Candida DNA transformed the mutants to ADE+ at frequencies of 0.5 to 5 transformants per micrograms of DNA. In about 50% of the transformants, plasmid DNA sequences became stably integrated into the host genome and, in the several cases analyzed by Southern hybridization, the DNA was integrated at the site of the ADE2 gene in one of the chromosomal homologs.


Real-time control-Tools is a novel software framework for modeling real-time control and decision support in water resources systems. It integrates different control paradigms ranging from simple feedback control strategies with triggers, operating rules and controllers to advanced optimization-based approaches such as model predictive control (MPC). A key feature of the package is the modular integration of modeling components, related adjoint models, and optimization algorithms which makes it well suited for the control of large-scale water systems. Interfaces enable its integration into Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition systems, operational stream flow forecasting, and decision support systems as well as hydraulic modeling packages. This paper presents an overview of the novel software framework, gives an introduction into the underlying control theory for which it has been developed and discusses the related software architecture. A first case describes an innovative combination of binary decision trees and feedback control in application to the modeling of a highly regulated River Rhine reach along the German–French border. Two additional cases present the efficient application of MPC to the short-term management of two large-scale water systems in the Netherlands and the USA.


We present a direct method based on the sampling theorem for computing eigenwavefronts associated with linear space-invariant imaging systems (including aberrated imaging systems). A potential application of the eigenwavefronts to inverse problems in imaging is discussed. A noise-dependent measure for the information-carrying capacity of an imaging system is also proposed.


Patriarchy is the prime obstacle to women's advancement and development. Despite differences in levels of domination the broad principles remain the same, i.e. men are in control. The nature of this control may differ. So it is necessary to understand the system, which keeps women dominated and subordinate, and to unravel its workings in order to work for women's development in a systematic way. In the modern world where women go ahead by their merit, patriarchy there creates obstacles for women to go forward in society. Because patriarchal institutions and social relations are responsible for the inferior or secondary status of women. Patriarchal society gives absolute priority to men and to some extent limits women's human rights also. Patriarchy refers to the male domination both in public and private spheres. In this way, feminists use the term 'patriarchy' to describe the power relationship between men and women as well as to find out the root cause of women's subordination. This article, hence, is an attempt to analyse the concept of patriarchy and women's subordination in a theoretical perspective. DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.3329/afj.v4i0.12929 The Arts Faculty Journal Vol.4 July 2010-June 2011 pp.1-18


Asset management has long been a simple, fee-for-service business. Recently, however, exchange-traded funds (ETFs) have become increasingly engaged in two-sided markets between investors and stock borrowers. We show that ETF fees from lending securities match expense ratios on average and, in some cases, are much higher. We also show that managers tend to slant their holdings toward stocks with higher lending fees. Finally, we test for two-sidedness by showing that the ratio of lending fees to expense ratio drives asset growth. The results should be important to investors, who are no longer the customer buying service but are the product being sold.


In this paper we consider the role of exchange rate risk in influencing local currency sovereign bond yields in emerging market economies (EMEs). We explicitly account for exchange rate expectations and uncertainty around them, as measured by exchange rate volatility. The analysis points to an important influence of exchange rate risk: when exchange rate volatility increases, investors require a larger yield compensation for holding EME local currency sovereign bonds. The impact of exchange rate volatility has become more important since May 2013, when investors realised that the Federal Reserve may reduce the scale of its asset purchases sooner than previously expected.


Abstract This study aims to map, locate and make visible the everyday experiences of newly arrived immigrants in government-sponsored integration activities and to trace how these experiences are linked to changes in policy. The study pays particular attention to the dynamic nature of integration and draws links between personal, organisational and policy domains while analysing shifting integration policies from the standpoint of immigrants. Swedish integration policy has undergone vast changes during recent years as the government implements one of the largest changes in Swedish history, beginning in 2010. With this came an emphasis on employment and workfare over welfare. Consequently, the rhetoric of integration in Sweden also changed from what in municipalities was called an introduction to a sense of establishment. By examining the subjective views of immigrants, we discuss the lived experiences of individuals who are subjected to and employed in different occupations due to various integration regimes.


Human synovial joints have to withstand complex, varied and often harsh loading regimes. For approximately 90% of the time synovial joints and articular cartilage undergo very little motion, and these periods are commonly associated with significant amounts of prolonged loading. During these periods the lubricating films are too thin to separate the opposing articular cartilage surfaces and direct contact occurs within a mixed or boundary regime. Under these conditions friction must remain low to prevent damage to the articular cartilage. The lubrication mechanisms which continue to provide low friction and minimum wear in synovial joints are far from clearly understood and few adequate studies have been undertaken to address this important issue. The specific objective of this study was to enable an enhanced comprehension of how synovial joints perform under conditions of breakdown of the fluid film by investigating and clarifying the lubrication mechanism(s) which occur while mixed and boundary regimes predominate for articular cartilage specimens.

Friction testing of cartilage/metal , cartilage/cartilage and cartilage/hydrogel contacts were conducted when boundary and mixed lubrication was predicted. Both Ringer's solution and synovial fluid were used throughout as the lubricants in order to assess whether or not the constituents of the synovial fluid, not present in the Ringer's solution, served to reduce friction levels. The key variables for the friction tests were load duration and loading history of the cartilage specimens, choice of lubricant, contact configuration and loading regime (i.e. stationary, reciprocating or cyclic).

Loading time, and subesquent load removal, has throughout the course of this project shown to be a major determinant of friction for articular cartilage. Articular cartilage consists of a solid matrix phase and interstitial fluid phase. The interaction of these two phases is largely responisble for the biomechanical behaviour of the 'biphasic' cartilage. It has been reasonably argued that there exists a strong link between the fluid phase and friction coefficient of articular cartilage. The biphasic lubrication mechanism has been proposed as a rational explanation of the relationship between the fluid content and tribological behaviour of the cartilage. This mechanism is in keeping with the broadly held opinion that fluid flows occurs away from the contact zone and loaded areas of the tissue. In a mixed regime, it is believed that the proportion of the load carried by the fluid phase contributes little to the total or aggregate friction force. As the loading period is increased the load carried by the fluid phase decreases and that carried by the solid phase increases. Hence, the overall friction and friction coefficient increases. In respect of these conclusions, the coventional view of mixed lubrication in diarthrodial joints has been reappraised.

Well hydrated cartilage surfaces are considered to be of prime importance in maintaining low friction coefficients within a mixed lubrication regime. The fluid phase load carriage mechanism in reducing friction could be specific to a certain region of the cartilage, e.g. the superficial tangenital zone. It is also quite possible that the cartilage's surface or boundary layer acts independently from the cartilage matrix in affording biphasic lubrication. In view of normal physiological kinematics of healthy diarthrodial joints, during day-to-day activities, which permits the cartilage layers to remain well hydrated, the occurence of high, sustainable coefficients of friction, leading to cartilage wear and the potential onset of arthritis is thought to be unlikely.

Synovial fluid produced systematically reduced friction coefficients, in comparison to Ringer's solution, for the cartilage/metal contacts under constant load reciprocating motion and the cartilage/cartilage stationary loaded contacts; which were statistically significant (p<0.05). The synovial fluid is thought to replenish the cartilage's phosopholipid/glycoprotein boundary layer and so aid boundary lubrication, and also provide a boosted lubrication mechanism wherby the large spherical hyaluronic acid-protein macromolecular complexes (0.2-0.5 um in diameter, in their unloaded state) minimise further asperity contact between opposing surfaces in a mixed lubrication regime.

In addition, surface analysis of articular cartilage was undertaken. The tecnhiques utilised for this investigation were stylus and laser profilometry and scanning, environmental scanning and transmission electron microscopy. The main aim of this particular work was to reasonably quantify the surface roughness of articular cartilage, and to identify and characterise the features of any boundary layer that might exist. It was concluded that for general analyses of synovial joint lubrication, e.g. for the prediction of full fluid film or mixed regime lubrication, it was appropriate to ascribe a quantitative value of roughness of 1-2 um. This however was largely associated with the waviness or form of the cartilage surface . A more realistic value of intrinsic cartilage surface roughness of 0.1-0.3 um, due to surface features such as collagen fibres, was put forward. Cartilage lubrication theories involving microscopic analysis of surface roughness within a mixed lubrication regime would be better suited to adpot this range of values. A distinct acellular, noncollagenous surface/boundary layer was observed (<1 um thick) and, in consideration of the friction test results, was deemed to be an inherant feature of the articular cartilage surface . This layer has potential implications for cartilage nutrition and permeability, aside from its role in synovial joint lubrication.


Human pressures have put many top predator populations at risk of extinction. Recent years have seen alarming declines in sharks worldwide, while their resilience remains poorly understood. Studying the ecology of small populations of marine predators is a priority to better understand their ability to withstand anthropogenic and environmental stressors. In the present study, we monitored a naturally small island population of 40 adult sicklefin lemon sharks in Moorea, French Polynesia over 5 years. We reconstructed the genetic relationships among individuals and determined the population's mating system. The genetic network illustrates that all individuals, except one, are interconnected at least through one first order genetic relationship. While this species developed a clear inbreeding avoidance strategy involving dispersal and migration, the small population size, low number of breeders, and the fragmented environment characterizing these tropical islands, limits its complete effectiveness.


A hologram recorded in CaF2 crystal with color centers changes its nature (amplitude, phase, or amplitude-phase), profile, and diffraction efficiency under the impact of incoherent illumination and heating. The character of the amplitude-phase gratings in this crystal can be either in-phase or antiphase. These cases can be differentiated by analysis of the angular dependencies of the hologram diffraction responses. Owing to the diffusion-drift mechanism of hologram recording, tough photo-thermal treatment does not result in noticeable hologram decay. Incoherent photo-thermal treatment enables the formation of highly stable volume holograms that can be read out in visible, near- and mid-IR spectral ranges.


In order to address privacy concerns, many social media websites allow users to hide their personal profiles from the public. In this work, we show how an adversary can exploit an online social network with a mixture of public and private user profiles to predict the private attributes of users. We map this problem to a relational classification problem and we propose practical models that use friendship and group membership information (which is often not hidden) to infer sensitive attributes. The key novel idea is that in addition to friendship links, groups can be carriers of significant information. We show that on several well-known social media sites, we can easily and accurately recover the information of private-profile users. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first work that uses link-based and group-based classification to study privacy implications in social networks with mixed public and private user profiles.


Abstract A new genus and species of deep-sea hatchetfish, Discosternon federicae gen. et sp. nov., is described from the Middle Miocene (Serravallian) calciturbititic deposits of the Tufillo Unit exposed near the town of Gessopalena, central Italy. It is based on a single, very small, well-preserved and nearly complete specimen that exhibits a discoid physiognomy and a unique combination of features, many of which are reductive (loss of dorsal blade, loss of anal-fin hiatus, loss of abdominal keel-like structure, reduction of number of supraneurals, reduction of number of caudal vertebrae, presence of slender neural and haemal spines, external surface of cleithrum smooth). The comparative morphological analysis indicates that Discosternon is probably related to the derived genera Horbatshia and Sternoptyx. The highly reduced body size and the possession of many reductive characters indicate that Discosternon can be presumed to be a miniature fish. Anatomical and morphofunctional considerations suggest that Discosternon possibly was a midwater plankton feeder characterized by a reduced locomotory ability.


A police investigation of a crime may explore three stages of an offender's conduct: pre-offence activity, the offence itself, and post-offence activity. The first stage includes the elements involved in planning the crime while the second stage represents the actus reus of the crime. When examining the third stage, however, it is important to note that there are four unique factors that encompass this aspect of the investigation. First, the offence has to be defined as "ended" in order for this stage to be initiated. Second, there must be an understanding that post-offence conduct may include numerous acts. Third, the time period for this stage is potentially wide-ranging time, bordered by the end of the crime and conclusion of the trial. Fourth, the conduct included in this stage of investigation may include a response to police interrogation and, as such, it is the only stage that includes structured, formal police questioning. Employing these four above factors, this paper explores the contemporary case law that governs the admissibility of post-offence conduct at trial. The concept of "post-offence conduct" is a formal legal term defined by the Supreme Court of Canada (S.C.C.), in R. v. White (1998). (1) It replaced the traditional term "consciousness of guilt" for clarity purposes due to the fact that the S.C.C. believed that "consciousness of guilt" misled juries and undermined the presumption of innocence. (2) Despite the language change, however, the basic concept remained the same and, according to the Courts, post-offence conduct is defined as the offender's conduct after a crime that circumstantially infers guilt by proving at least one fact-in-issue. (3) It does not refer to all of the accused's conduct. Instead, only the behaviors and acts relevant to the crime qualify as post-offence conduct. (4) A further analysis of Court opinions indicates that there are four definitional elements that comprise post-offence conduct: i) the conduct must emerge from the accused and he or she must be the source of the evidence; ii) the conduct must occur after the actus reus of the crime concludes; iii) the conduct must be synonymous with circumstantial evidence; (5) and iv) the circumstantial evidence must be relevant to one specific offence. (6) The general rule of admissibility resembles the definition that, "the conduct of an accused person, that occurs after a crime, is admissible evidence if one condition is met--only when it provides circumstantial evidence of guilt." (7) Post-conduct admissibility depends on two elements: (i) it must be circumstantial evidence by nature, and; (ii) it must be relevant to the offence by forming one logical conclusion of proof of at least one fact-in-issue. The S.C.C., in R. v. White (1998) (8), provided a sample list of concrete examples that constitute post-offence conduct and are typically admissible under the general rule of post-offence conduct. These include: i) flight from a crime scene; ii) flight from the jurisdiction of a crime scene; iii) resistance to, or attempt to resist arrest; iv) failure to appear at trial; or v) acts of concealment including changing one's appearance, hiding or disposing of evidence, and deception such as lying or assuming a false name. It must be noted that this list is non-exhaustive and includes only common examples. The types of concrete circumstantial evidence that constitute post-offence conduct may include a variety of additional behaviours. This paper examines a number of legal decisions related to post-offence conduct within an investigative strategy. INVESTIGATIVE STRATEGY FRAMEWORK Discovering multiple post-offence conduct behaviours is one of several goals of an investigative strategy. The post-offence time period varies but is generally defined as commencing with the end of the actus reus and concluding with the end of the trial. …


In the 1950s, North Dakota experienced its first oil boom in the Williston Basin, on the western side of the state. The region experienced unprecedented social and economic changes, which were carefully documented in a 1958 report by four researchers at the University of North Dakota. Since then, western North Dakota has undergone two more booms, the most recent from 2008 to 2014. Sixty Years of Boom and Bust republishes the 1958 report and updates its analysis by describing the impact of the latest boom on the region's physical geography, politics, economics, and social structure. Sixty Years of Boom and Bust addresses topics as relevant today as they were in 1958: the natural and built environment, politics and policy, crime, intergroup relations, and access to housing and medical services. In addition to making hard-to-find material readily available, it examines an area shaped by resource booms and busts over the course of six decades. As a result, it provides unprecedented insight into the patterns of develop- ment and the roots of the challenges the region has faced. Kyle Conway is an associate professor of communication at the University of Ottawa.


In the perspective of a sustainable energy economy, CO2 reduction is attracting increasing attention as a key step toward the synthesis of fuels and valuable chemicals. A possible strategy to develop novel conversion catalysts consists in mimicking reaction centers available in nature, such as those in enzymes in which Fe, Ni, and Cu play a major role as active metals. In this respect, NiCu shows peculiar activity for both water-gas shift and methanol synthesis reactions. The identification of useful descriptors to engineer and tune the reactivity of a surface in the desired way is one of the main objectives of the science of catalysis, with evident applicative interest, as in this case. To this purpose, a crucial issue is the determination of the relevant active sites and rate-limiting steps. We show here that this approach can be exploited to design and tailor the catalytic activity and selectivity of a NiCu surface.


While outcomes have substantially improved for many types of cancer, endometrial cancer incidence and deaths are on the rise, with the five year survival rate worse today than three decades ago. Inadequate sensitivity to chemotherapy is a primary cause of therapeutic failure. Sensitivity to chemotherapy depends upon the ability to enhance the number of cells in vulnerable periods of the cell cycle: taxanes are effective for cells in M, and platinum-based compounds and anthracyclines work primarily in S. The ability of cells to activate cell cycle checkpoints prevents progression into vulnerable phases of the cell cycle, leading to chemoresistance. Mutations in TP53, KRAS, PTEN, genes encoding PI3Kinase, and growth factor receptors such as FGFR2 predominate in endometrial cancer, altering master regulators of cell cycle checkpoints in unique and predictable ways and de-sensitizing cells to chemotherapy. Our objective was to determine whether molecular inhibitors of key master regulators of cell cycle checkpoints, chosen based upon the knowledge of the tumor phenotype, synergize with chemotherapy and create synthetic lethality. Studies utilized well-defined in vitro cell models of endometrial cancers with known phenotypes / mutations. Our data demonstrate that endometrial cancer cells with inactivated p53 relied on the p38MAPK pathway to maintain the G2/M checkpoint. As such, these p53-null tumors were exquisitely sensitive to treatments that abrogate the G2/M checkpoint, including the combination of paclitaxel with inhibitors of receptor tyrosine kinases (RTK), p38MAPK, or downstream Wee-1. For example, treatment of p53-null endometrial cancer cells with a molecular inhibitor against EGFR lowered the IC50 of paclitaxel by 10-fold, with a combination index of 0.25 indicative of profound synergy. Studies in endometrial cancer cells with p53 gain-of-function mutations, which occur in ~15-20% of serous endometrial tumors, revealed the critical nature of overcoming the G2/M checkpoint. Cells with gain-of-function p53 were highly resistant to the combinatorial approach of paclitaxel and RTK inhibitor, most likely due to maintenance of the G2/M checkpoint. Knockdown of the gain-of-function p53 restored sensitivity to the paclitaxel and RTK inhibitor combination. However, combination of a Wee-1 inhibitor, which targets the G2/M checkpoint downstream of constitutive p38MAPK activation, with paclitaxel created synthetic lethality in all tested cell lines regardless of p53 status. Therefore, our data reveal strategies to overcome the impact of driver mutations by combining standard chemotherapy with appropriate molecular inhibitors which can enhance cell sensitivity, a concept we term molecularly enhanced chemotherapy. Ongoing studies are examining the effect of driver mutations on master regulators of checkpoint maintenance as predictors of chemoresistance in specimens from the completed clinical trial, GOG 177, which compared a therapeutic regiment of cisplatin + adriamycin vs cisplatin + adriamycin + paclitaxel in patients with advanced or recurrent endometrial cancer. These findings will serve as the platform for the rational development of novel therapeutic strategies for endometrial cancer that have a significant potential for early translation to the clinic. Citation Format: Kristina Thiel, Xiangbing Meng, Henry Reyes, Kimberly Leslie. p53 status directs choice of molecularly enhanced chemotherapy to achieve synthetic lethality in endometrial cancer. [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the AACR Precision Medicine Series: Synthetic Lethal Approaches to Cancer Vulnerabilities; May 17-20, 2013; Bellevue, WA. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Mol Cancer Ther 2013;12(5 Suppl):Abstract nr B06.