Abstract Introduction Hospices have an established goal to meet the needs of local communities. These communities are increasingly diverse and provide important sources of goodwill and financial support. However, previous research has indicated that negative perceptions may also be associated with hospices; with Christian values being promoted and death being the primary focus. Aims The aims of this research were to help understand access issues to hospice services in West Hertfordshire and to identify barriers that may prevent marginal community groups, including the Gypsy Traveller community, from using these services. Actions were identified to help reduce access barriers in the future. Methods A mixed method design, including a literature review, was implemented and 44 individuals shared their views about hospice care. Data collection tools included semi structured interviews, focus groups and email surveys. Findings Key findings confirmed existing negative attitudes towards hospice services. There was a perception that some professionals would not refer those who did not fit the 'typical' patient profile (ie, limited prognosis and no cultural mismatch). Practical concerns included lack of appropriate food, caring practices and environment. This presentation will concentrate on the Gypsy Traveller community as exemplar case.


CuO nanoparticles (NPs) have been widely used, and the inevitable release of Cu species into agricultural soil would bring potential toxicity to edible plants. Soil remediation may be the last barrier to block the entrance of Cu into the food chain of human beings. In this study, we experimentally demonstrated a new application of biochar which can significantly reduce the biotoxicity of CuO NPs on seed germination and growth of wheat (Triticum aestivum L.). The results showed that the 3% wt addition of biochar to a hydroponic culture system can completely eliminate the inhibition effect of CuO NPs on plant growth even with concentrations of CuO NPs up to 500 mg L−1, based on the comparison of germination rate, growth, and fresh and dry weight of wheat. The Cu content of shoots and roots decreased by 3.7–7.8 and 3.3–4.9 times in the presence of biochar, respectively. Further exploration indicated that both the adsorption of Cu2+ and space shield by biochar significantly suppress the entrance of Cu2+ and CuO NPs into plant cells and consequently reduce the biotoxicity of CuO NPs. These findings are of particular significance to increasing the production of crops while preventing the accumulation of metallic NPs in the food chain.


As already indicated in the introduction to these special issues, limitations of space have prevented us from including articles by the youngest generation of German narratologists, that is, people who have recently finished their doctoral dissertations or at most their Habilitationsschrift (tenure book). We have also indicated that some of these writings are of excellent quality. The least one could do then by way of conclusion is to provide a survey of several major contributions by members of this new generation, written in the last five years or so. Some of the hallmarks of this work, like of that of the 1990s as a whole, are multidisciplinarity of theoretical frameworks, openness towards research in other languages, especially English, and concentration on contemporary, especially experimental literature. Narratology is thus conceived as consisting of at least three distinct paradigms: the classical structuralist or formal, the possible-worlds or semantic, and the functional-pragmatic, leading in its turn to issues of cognitive text processing, impact, and effect, and social contexts of reception. Another frequent feature of recent work, especially among Anglisten, is the desire to integrate formal studies with current, more theme- or context-oriented ones, such as feminism, postcolonialism, historical constructionism or cultural studies. Forms of expression are thus related to forms of content (themes, master plots), first because formal description by itself is felt to be incomplete until and unless functionalized, and second because of the firm conviction that narrative meaning-construction (Sinnkonstitution), whether textual or readerly, is crucially influenced by formal textual features and structures (focalization, multiperspectivism, etc). Analogously, major historical shifts in the selection or dominance of particular narrative procedures are correlated with, and considered indicative of, changes in worldview, cultural categories, and so on. While none of the foregoing assumptions is absolutely new as far as aesthetics of general literary theory are concerned, their consistent use as overriding methodological guidelines does mark an important new phase within narratological research. Once again, there is more available good work than space for its adequate coverage. I have therefore chosen only those studies which satisfy the following three criteria: clear theoretical emphasis, focus on a major issue of narratology, and innovative methods or results. The first work to be discussed is Andrea Gutenberg's study (2000), whose title in English translation is "Possible Worlds: Plot and Meaning Construction in the English Feminist Novel." This study seeks to define the thematic concerns of fourteen novels by and about women published in Britain between 1960 and 1994, employing the conceptual machinery of structuralist plot theory as well as of possible-worlds semantics. This machinery is reviewed in part 1, followed in part 2 by a typology of sixteen general plot patterns defined according to five aspects discussed in the first part. The third part describes in detail the individual plots of the novels in relation to the previously defined general plot patterns. Basic to this procedure are several assumptions. First, while each novel has only one plot in the sense of a specific sequence of events, actions, and character constellations, several general of abstract plot patterns (as well as narrative themes and concerns) can be embodied in it (413). Second, abstract plot patterns are schemas, which exist only in individual embodiments and may admit of variants. Third, and most important, it is neither in abstract argumentative passages nor in details of the individual plot that a narrative's thematic concerns are to be found, but rather at the level of plot pattern. Fourth, plot patterns in their turn are defined according to both representational and formal factors. And finally, since plot patterns admit of variants, the preferred of dominant variant in each period is indicative of wider cultural preferences of trends. …


VaN CuoNg, N., N. Thi Dieu Thuy, N. Thi Thu, N. VaN aNh and N. QuoC TuyeN, 2013. genetic variation of the heart fatty acid-binding protein gene and their associations with meat quality in Native black pig of Viet Nam. Bulg. J. Agric. Sci., 19: 897-902 The objective of this work was to investigate the genetic variation of heart fatty acid-binding protein (H-FABP) gene and their associations with meat quality in Vietnamese Native black pigs. For these purposes, 242 pigs from one Native black pig (NBP) breed (n = 132) and two exotic breeds of Landrace (n = 55) and yorkshire (n = 55) were included in the analysis of the polymorphisms of a fragment on intron 2 of H-FABP gene by the sequencing and PCR-RFLP method. The effects of genotypes on intramuscular fat (iMF) content and backfat thickness (BFT) were evaluated in 105 NBPs. The sequencing results detected in NBP seven single nucleotide polymorphisms, of which the mutation T1556C created a new restriction site for the enzyme Mspi. genotyping H-FABP by Mspi RFLP method had detected three alleles A, a and B in NBPs, whereas in exotic breeds of yorkshire and Landrace only two alleles A and a were found. The frequency of new allele B in NBPs was 0.09. The allelic frequencies scored for H-FABP gene at HaeIII site are significantly different between NBP and two exotic breeds (p<0.01). evaluating the effects of genotypes at Mspi and Haeiii loci on iMF content and BFT in NBPs indicated that the novel SNP at position 1556th bp was significantly associated with IMF (p<0.05). allele B seemed to be associated with increase in intramuscular fat. However, additional work to confirm the use of this marker in selection programmes is needed.


Suprathermal ions, which have an energy greater than the quasi-Maxwellian background plasma temperature, are present in many laboratory and astrophysical plasmas. In fusion devices, they are generated by the fusion reactions and auxiliary heating. Controlling their transport is essential for the success of future fusion devices that could provide a clean, safe and abundant source of electric power to our society. In space, suprathermal ions include energetic solar particles and cosmic rays. The understanding of the acceleration and transport mechanisms of these particles is still incomplete. Basic plasma devices allow detailed measurements that are not accessible in astrophysical and fusion plasmas, due to the difficulty to access the former and the high temperatures of the latter. The basic toroidal device TORPEX offers an easy access for diagnostics, well characterized plasma scenarios and validated numerical simulations of its turbulence dynamics, making it the ideal platform for the investigation of suprathermal ion transport. This Thesis presents three-dimensional measurements of a suprathermal ion beam injected in turbulent TORPEX plasmas. The combination of uniquely resolved measurements and first-principle numerical simulations reveals the general non-diffusive nature of the suprathermal ion transport. A precise characterization of their transport regime shows that, depending on their energies, suprathermal ions can experience either a superdiffusive transport or a subdiffusive transport in the same background turbulence. The transport character is determined by the interaction of the suprathermal ion orbits with the turbulent plasma structures, which in turn depends on the ratio between the ion energy and the background plasma temperature. Time-resolved measurements reveal a clear difference in the intermittency of suprathermal ions time-traces depending on the transport regime they experience. Conditionally averaged measurements uncover the influence of field elongated turbulent structures, referred to as blobs, on the suprathermal ion beam. A theoretical model extending the Brownian motion to include non-Gaussian (Levy) statistics and long-range temporal correlation is developed. This model successfully describes the evolution of the radial particle density from the numerical simulations and provides information on the microscopic processes underlying the non-diffusive transport of suprathermal ions.


Rationale: Ever‐smokers without airflow obstruction scores greater than or equal to 10 on the COPD Assessment Test (CAT) still have frequent acute respiratory disease events (exacerbation‐like), impaired exercise capacity, and imaging abnormalities. Identification of these subjects could provide new opportunities for targeted interventions. Objectives: We hypothesized that the four respiratory‐related items of the CAT might be useful for identifying such individuals, with discriminative ability similar to CAT, which is an eight‐item questionnaire used to assess chronic obstructive pulmonary disease impact, including nonrespiratory questions, with scores ranging from 0 to 40. Methods: We evaluated ever‐smoker participants in the Subpopulations and Intermediate Outcomes in COPD Study without airflow obstruction (FEV1/FVC ≥0.70; FVC above the lower limit of normal). Using the area under the receiver operating characteristic curve, we compared responses to both CAT and the respiratory symptom‐related CAT items (cough, phlegm, chest tightness, and breathlessness) and their associations with longitudinal exacerbations. We tested agreement between the two strategies (&kgr; statistic), and we compared demographics, lung function, and symptoms among subjects identified as having high symptoms by each strategy. Results: Among 880 ever‐smokers with normal lung function (mean age, 61 yr; 52% women) and using a CAT cutpoint greater than or equal to 10, we classified 51.8% of individuals as having high symptoms, 15.3% of whom experienced at least one exacerbation during 1‐year follow‐up. After testing sensitivity and specificity of different scores for the first four questions to predict any 1‐year follow‐up exacerbation, we selected cutpoints of 0‐6 as representing a low burden of symptoms versus scores of 7 or higher as representing a high burden of symptoms for all subsequent comparisons. The four respiratory‐related items with cutpoint greater than or equal to 7 selected 45.8% participants, 15.6% of whom experienced at least one exacerbation during follow‐up. The two strategies largely identified the same individuals (agreement, 88.5%; &kgr; = 0.77; P < 0.001), and the proportions of high‐symptoms subjects who had severe dyspnea were similar between CAT and the first four CAT questions (25.9% and 26.8%, respectively), as were the proportions reporting impaired quality of life (66.9% and 70.5%, respectively) and short walking distance (22.4% and 23.1%, respectively). There was no difference in area under the receiver operating characteristic curve to predict 1‐year follow‐up exacerbations (CAT score ≥10, 0.66; vs. four respiratory items from CAT ≥7 score, 0.65; P = 0.69). Subjects identified by either method also had more depression/anxiety symptoms, poor sleep quality, and greater fatigue. Conclusions: Four CAT items on respiratory symptoms identified high‐risk symptomatic ever‐smokers with preserved spirometry as well as the CAT did. These data suggest that simpler strategies can be developed to identify these high‐risk individuals in primary care.


We investigate the use of a digital holographic microscope working with partially coherent spatial illumination to study concentration profiles inside confined deformable bodies flowing in microchannels. The studied phenomenon is rapidly changing in time and requires the recording of the complete holographic information for every frame. For this purpose, we implemented one of the classical methods of off-axis digital holography: the Fourier method. Digital holography allows one to numerically investigate a volume by refocusing the different planes of depth, allowing one to locate the objects under investigation in three dimensions. Furthermore, the phase is directly related to the refractive index, thus to the concentration inside the body. Based on simple symmetry assumptions, we present an original method for determining the concentration profiles inside deformable objects in microconfined flows. Details of the optical and numerical implementation, as well as exemplative experimental results are presented.


The concept of the project is to setup the manufacturing process and the
economic study as well as the production plant layout and waste management of the
gear box for industrial vehicle. The gear box contains 21 main parts and 11 parts will
be explained in this project, including: Shaft1, Shaft2, Casing, Sliding part, Clutch
fork, Pin, Sealing plate1-2, Transmission Plate2, Washer2, Gear1 and Gear2.
Firstly we have to do the marketing study in order to estimate the amount of
the production we expect to sell in the first and the following years. The marketing
study is done by analyzing the data from Spain and European database in industrial
section together with the assumption based on reality. The results from this part are
the expected production per year which can let us make the decision for the machine
type and it will be used in economic study as well.
Then the proper manufacturing process and specific tool's type for each part
will be decided and written on the Phase Document and the Summary of the
Operation. These 2 documents are in the form that suitable to be used in reality
effectively. Not only the manufacturing procedure, we also indicate the proper cutting
condition and the calculations of cycle time, cutting force, machine power and the
quality verification for each part. The data obtained by the calculation will be used to
choose the specific model of machines, the amounts of machines and workers
required to achieve the expected production.
After we have the clear image of the production line, we shall advance to the
economic study. The economic study is a good and reliable tool to indicate the
profitability of the business. Every possible cost of the company will be taken into
account and be presented as " Hour Cost ". As well as the economic indicators such as
Cash Flow, Period of Pay back, Net Present Value ( NPV ) and Internal Rate of
Return ( IRR ) will be presented to be sure that the investment of this business will be
profitable.
The final tasks are the production plant layout and the waste management. The
production plant layout will be designed sketchily as well as the specific suitable
location. The waste management is the explanation the way to deal with the chips and
chemical waste to be responsible for the social and environment.


Surface Parking lots as deserted asphalt lands spread gradually but consistently over the urban fabric of our cities. These asphalt desserts, as utilitarian spaces with solitary land use sweep through nonspaces in the urban context, surfacing the social and cultural fabric of the city as one of placelessness. The issue of surface parking becomes more dominant as they begin to spread over the dense urban environments such as our downtown cores. The city of Winnipeg is an example of this issue with surface parking lots occupying around 40 % of the land in the downtown.This thesis seeks to redefine these spaces as places of social and cultural interactions, where public activities occur and parking space becomes more than just a resting land.


This paper discusses the problems associated with the non-destructive inspection of wire ropes which have been subject to abrasive wear. Wear is a common form of degradation on wire ropes, which is difficult to quantify by visual inspection since, although it has the advantage that it is on the surface of the rope, very small changes in wear scar size can be associated with a relatively large volume of material lost. Electromagnetic inspection is accepted as the most effective technology for locating rope degradation but debate continues as to the interpretation of quantitative measurements. For damage such as abrasive wear the assessments are made by reference to the loss of metallic area signal (LMA), however measured. Possible variation between sets of equipment raises the questions of calibration and interpretation of the signals from the apparatus. The authors report upon experiments to assess the accuracy of three proprietary magnetic non-destructive test heads on a variety of rope constructions with artificial (and hence quantifiable) abrasive wear. The results obtained show a surprising consistency for distributed wear, and confirm that LMA measurements give a snap-shot of cross sectional area, not the critical effective area loss.


The risk of hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection is higher in patients with diabetes mellitus, and diabetes mellitus is one of the metabolic complications of HBV infection. However, the cytokine profile of chronic hepatitis B (CHB) patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) is not fully understood. The aim of this study was to investigate the cytokine expression profile in CHB patients with T2DM, and to assess the regulatory function of cytokines to regulatory T cells (Tregs). Forty-four T2DM patients, 39 CHB patients, 17 patients with CHB and T2DM, and 21 control subjects were enrolled. Cytokine levels in the plasma were measured by Luminex multiplex assay. CD4+CD25+CD127dim/− Tregs were detected by flow cytometry. Tregs were purified and stimulated with recombinant human interleukin-15 (IL-15). The regulation of IL-15 on Tregs function was investigated by measuring cell number, IL-10/IL-35 secretion, and mRNA expression of immune checkpoint molecules in a Tregs + PBMC co-culture system. We found that levels of IL-1α, IL-6, and IL-33 were upregulated, while interferon-α, IL-2, IL-7, and IL-15 were downregulated in T2DM and CHB patients. CHB patients with T2DM had even lower plasma IL-7 and IL-15 levels. Tregs proportion was elevated in T2DM and CHB patients. CHB patients with T2DM had increased levels of Tregs, which correlated negatively with IL-15. Tregs showed stronger inhibitory activity in CHB patients with T2DM than in controls, T2DM, and CHB patients, which presented as reduction in cellular proliferation and induction of IL-10/IL-35 secretion. IL-15 suppressed Tregs function and inhibited the expression of immune checkpoint molecules in Tregs. The current data suggest that insufficient IL-15 levels and decreased responsiveness of Tregs to IL-15 signaling might contribute to strong immune dysfunction in CHB patients with T2DM.


Dr Ridley is one of a number of environmentalists who are seeking to counter the inaccurate and misleading opinions of 'mainstream environmentalism'. This volume brings together a selection of 30 of Dr Ridley's 'Down to Earth' columns which appeared in The Sunday Telegraph.


Within de novo purine biosynthesis, the AICAR transformylase and IMP cyclohydrolase activities of the bifunctional enzyme ATIC convert the intermediate AICAR to the final product of the pathway, IMP. Identification of the AICAR transformylase active site and a proposed formyl transfer mechanism have already resulted from analysis of crystal structures of avian ATIC in complex with substrate and/or inhibitors. Herein, we focus on the IMPCH active site and the cyclohydrolase mechanism through comparison of crystal structures of XMP inhibitor complexes of human ATIC at 1.9 A resolution with the previously determined avian enzyme. This first human ATIC structure was also determined to ascertain whether any subtle structural differences, compared to the homologous avian enzyme, should be taken into account for structure-based inhibitor design. These structural comparisons, as well as comparative analyses with other IMP and XMP binding proteins, have enabled a catalytic mechanism to be formulated. The primary role of the IMPCH active site appears to be to induce a reconfiguration of the substrate FAICAR to a less energetically favorable, but more reactive, conformer. Backbone (Arg64 and Lys66) and side chain interactions (Thr67) in the IMPCH active site reorient the 4-carboxamide from the preferred conformer that binds to the AICAR Tfase active site to one that promotes intramolecular cyclization. Other backbone amides (Ile126 and Gly127) create an oxyanion hole that helps orient the formyl group for nucleophilic attack by the 4-carboxamide amine and then stabilize the anionic intermediate. Several other residues, including Lys66, Tyr104, Asp125, and Lys137', provide substrate specificity and likely enhance the catalytic rate through contributions to acid-base catalysis.


Infection of the spine may occur spontaneously, by direct hematogenous or contiguous spread from an area of infection, or secondarily to an inciting event such as trauma or spine operation. The overall rate of spine surgery has increased steadily over the last decade. Medicare spending on inpatient spine surgery has doubled over the same period with lumbar fusion representing the greatest percentage of spending. 1 Surgical site infection (SSI) after spinal surgery is not uncommon, leading to increased morbidity and mortality. The incidence of surgical site infection after spine surgery varies and depends on several factors including immune status of patient, surgical level, use of instrumentation and use of prophylactic antibiotic treatment. Multivariate logistic regression analysis identifies increased age of patient, long-term systemic use of steroids, insulin dependent diabetes, obesity, positive smoking status, preoperative hematocrit, disseminated cancer, fusion and operative duration as statistically significant predictors of postoperative infection. 2–4 The incidence of SSI is less than 3% with simple procedures such as decompressive laminectomy and/or diskectomy but the incidence increases to as high as 12% with the addition of instrumentation. 5 The time of presentation of SSI can range from a couple of days post-surgery to several years after surgery. The


In his book, A Country at War with Itself, Antony Altbeker has highlighted that the extraordinary and distressing feature of crime in South Africa is not how common it is, but how violent. This analysis moves on from that point, arguing that rather than focusing on violent crime as a specific type of criminality, we should examine violence as a separate category that sometimes overlaps with crime and sometimes does not. This shift in focus reveals that it is not South African crime that is so violent, but South African society in general. It shows that many of these forms of violence are both legal and socially acceptable. This includes violence in childrearing, intimate relationships, education, sport, film and television, establishing social identities, and political negotiation, to name but a few significant areas. An examination of these popular and accepted forms of violence provides a revealing analysis of how these patterns are reproduced socially and psychologically, explaining how individuals and groups come to use violence as an everyday strategy of social negotiation. This analysis makes it clear that violent crime is a reflection of deeper patterns of violence within the society, and highlights the importance of including approaches other than law enforcement in reducing violence in South Africa.


After being subjected to 'the imperialism of language' for centuries like other colonized people through the media, education and other instruments of colonial power, educated Indians have 'decolonized' English through the invention of a new hybrid formed through the mixing of English with Hindi, which was followed by mixing with other Indian languages. Although Indian English has always been used out of innocence or ignorance and has been normalized as a register of English, Hinglish, a mix of Hindi and English, was first used to great effect by a film tabloid called Stardust in the 1970s under the editorship of the popular fiction writer Shobha De(nee Rajadhyaksha) and entered the vocabulary of educated, middle class speakers. But it was only when Salman Rushdie employed a non-Standard register of English, a mix of Hindi/Urdu with English, in his novel Midnight's Children (1980) that Hinglish acquired literary respectability. Through comparing "the stylish language of Bollywood, of FM radio and of national advertising" with the "aspirational language" of speakers of bhashas[Modern Indian languages] disdainfully described as "vernacs[vernaculars]" by elite speakers of English, this essay focuses on cultural politics of different varieties of Hinglish in India to argue that while ushering in linguistic democraticization, Hinglish has not been able to bridge social difference.


Search services are now ubiquitously employed in searching for documents on the Internet and on enterprise intranets. Search services may exhibit different behavior depending on the type of information need, the quality of the search service, the ease of filtering results, the user's domain knowledge and search experience. Users are thus faced with the selection of a search service in order to minimize cost, reduce uncertainty, and maximize the benefits derived for their efforts. This research develops a model of the search process and considers the noise effects of querying, search and filtering of results to derive a benefit measure for evaluating the search service. A methodology for comparing search services based on the benefit measure is presented along with an empirical analysis using three popular search services to validate the methodology. Our analysis revealed that the economic benefit of a search service is determined more by the information need type than by the search service itself. For a particular information need type, the value is determined primarily by the ease of filtering in the search service interface.


This paper investigates the minimisation of the computational cost of providing Immersive Voice Communication (IVC) for mobile clients attached to a Distributed Virtual Environment (DVE). When experiencing IVC, each listening avatar in the DVE, receives a mix of the surrounding avatars' voices, all rendered according to their respective positions in the virtual world. We propose to deliver our mobile IVC service using a type of server-based network architecture to perform voice spatialisation function and mixing for each mobile client. This model will minimise both the access bandwidth and processing power requirements of the mobile devices. We propose a model for computation reduction in servers that re-uses the result of audio spatialisation for several clients by allowing certain level of voice localisation error. Using Linear Programming (LP), we have developed two optimisation formulations to examine different scenarios of applying the computation reduction scheme, with different avatar densities and under varying rendering accuracy constraints. The insights gained from our analytical results should benefit future IVC service providers for mobile DVE. Disciplines Physical Sciences and Mathematics Publication Details This paper originally appeared as: Que, YP, Boustead, P & Safaei, F, Minimising the computational cost of providing a mobile immersive communication environment (MICE), CCNC 2006. 3rd IEEE Consumer Communications and Networking Conference, 8-10 January 2006, vol 2, 1163-1167. Copyright IEEE 2006. This conference paper is available at Research Online: http://ro.uow.edu.au/infopapers/255 Minimising the Computational Cost of Providing a Mobile Immersive Communication Environment (MICE) Ying Peng Que, Paul Boustead, Farzad Safaei Smart Internet CRC, Telecommunications and Information Technology Research Institute, University of Wollongong, Australia Email {ying, paul, email@example.com Abstract-This paper investigates the minimisation of the computational cost of providing Immersive Voice Communication (IVC) for mobile clients attached to a Distributed Virtual Environment (DVE). When experiencing IVC, each listening avatar in the DVE, receives a mix of the surrounding avatars' voices, all rendered according to their respective positions in the virtual world. We propose to deliver our mobile IVC service using a type of server-based network architecture to perform voice spatialisation function and mixing for each mobile client. This model will minimise both the access bandwidth and processing power requirements of the mobile devices. We propose a model for computation reduction in servers that re-uses the result of audio spatialisation for several clients by allowing certain level of voice localisation error. Using Linear Programming (LP), we have developed two optimisation formulations to examine different scenarios of applying the computation reduction scheme, with different avatar densities and under varying rendering accuracy constraints. The insights gained from our analytical results should benefit future IVC service providers for mobile DVE.This paper investigates the minimisation of the computational cost of providing Immersive Voice Communication (IVC) for mobile clients attached to a Distributed Virtual Environment (DVE). When experiencing IVC, each listening avatar in the DVE, receives a mix of the surrounding avatars' voices, all rendered according to their respective positions in the virtual world. We propose to deliver our mobile IVC service using a type of server-based network architecture to perform voice spatialisation function and mixing for each mobile client. This model will minimise both the access bandwidth and processing power requirements of the mobile devices. We propose a model for computation reduction in servers that re-uses the result of audio spatialisation for several clients by allowing certain level of voice localisation error. Using Linear Programming (LP), we have developed two optimisation formulations to examine different scenarios of applying the computation reduction scheme, with different avatar densities and under varying rendering accuracy constraints. The insights gained from our analytical results should benefit future IVC service providers for mobile DVE.


Diabetes mellitus (DM) is associated with hyperglycemia and oxidative stress. It is associated with various life threatening complications like nephropathy, retinopathy, atherosclerosis and coronary artery disease which adds up to the mortality among diabetics. These complications develop due to late presentation of the disease and delayed diagnosis. Oxidative stress which indicates the imbalance between reactive oxygen species (ROS) and the defensive antioxidant system is increased due to prolonged exposure to hyperglycemia. Increased oxidative damage plays an important role in the pathogenesis of diabetic complication. Malondialdehyde (MDA) a marker of lipid peroxidation, is thought to play an important role in development of atherosclerosis and other complications of DM. The study was undertaken to determine the MDA levels in the membrane of erythrocytes of diabetic patients and to study the relationship of lipid peroxidation with severity of diabetes. Fasting plasma glucose (FPG), glycated hemoglobin (HbA1c), erythrocyte malondialdehyde (MDA) levels were determined in 30 normal controls and 50 type 2 diabetic cases. The cases included 27 diabetic males and 23 diabetic females. Diabetic patients, irrespective of their gender, showed an increase in the erythrocyte MDA levels which was statistically significant. The erythrocyte MDA levels showed a significant strong positive correlation with glycated haemoglobin. Increase oxidative stress in Type 2 diabetic subjects contributes to the development of diabetic complications. Therefore, measuring the MDA level during the follow up of diabetic patients would help to early diagnosis of diabetic complication.


Abstract Background Regular evaluation of the magnitude of malaria in children in a given locality is important to devise targeted control interventions. This study was conducted to assess current malaria infection among children (0-14 yrs) and trends in malaria between 2009 and 2015 in Silt'i district in south-central Ethiopia. Materials and methods Febrile children (body temperature ≥37.5°C) visiting the K'ibbet hospital between September 2015 and January 2016 were enrolled. Finger-prick blood samples were collected, smears prepared, Giemsa-stained and examined. In addition, past (2009-2015) retrospective malaria data was reviewed. Descriptive statistics was used to analyse the data. Results In the current cross-sectional survey, 43 (4.3%) children (n=1007) were diagnosed with malaria. Of these, 35 (81.4%) were Plasmodium vivax and only 8 (18.6%) P. falciparum. All cases were mono-infections. Concerning health data on record, overall 47,467 malaria-slide-confirmed cases were recorded (45.8% P. vivax and 54.2% P. falciparum), with a substantial decline in malaria between the baseline in 2009 (15,141 cases) and 2015 (821 cases). Conclusions The findings demonstrated that malaria in children was continuously declining in the study area. However, control interventions must be maintained and scaled-up to sustainably protect children as well as the general population and eventually eliminate the disease from the locality and country as a whole.


Histone H3.Y is a primate-specific, distant H3 variant. It is evolutionarily derived from H3.3, and may function in transcription regulation. However, the mechanism by which H3.Y regulates transcription has not been elucidated. In the present study, we determined the crystal structure of the H3.Y nucleosome, and found that many H3.Y-specific residues are located on the entry/exit sites of the nucleosome. Biochemical analyses revealed that the DNA ends of the H3.Y nucleosome were more flexible than those of the H3.3 nucleosome, although the H3.Y nucleosome was stable in vitro and in vivo. Interestingly, the linker histone H1, which compacts nucleosomal DNA, appears to bind to the H3.Y nucleosome less efficiently, as compared to the H3.3 nucleosome. These characteristics of the H3.Y nucleosome are also conserved in the H3.Y/H3.3 heterotypic nucleosome, which may be the predominant form in cells. In human cells, H3.Y preferentially accumulated around transcription start sites (TSSs). Taken together, H3.Y-containing nucleosomes around transcription start sites may form relaxed chromatin that allows transcription factor access, to regulate the transcription status of spe-


The purpose of this pilot investigation was to determine the predictive effects of critical thinking abilities, reading ability, grade-point average (GPA), age, gender, and TASP (Texas Academic Skills Program) scores (math, reading, and writing) on future teachers' performance on the Professional Development parts of the Examination for the Certification of Educators in Texas (ExCET). To collect the data, a total of 116 subjects was selected from those enrolled in the undergraduate and emergency certification programs. All subjects were administered the Cornell Critical Thinking Test and the Nelson Denny Reading Test, and additional demographic data and test scores were obtained from University records. Application of multiple linear regression techniques revealed that the entire set of proposed independent variables could be used as predictors; however, when each independent variable was tested separately, only critical thinking abilities were predictive of successful performance on the Professional Development scores on the ExCET. Introduction The education reform movement of the 1980s was characterized by state-level reform laws and policy changes identified and implemented by governors and state legislatures. The period has become known as the "excellence movement," an era which responded to the recommendations in "A Nation at Risk," a 1983 report from the National Commission on Excellence in Education (Educational Testing Service, 1990). Focusing on strategies for reforming teacher education, many states implemented competency testing as a requirement for teacher licensure (Huang, Morsink, Baird, Howe, Houle, & Compton, 1990). By 1990, 36 states were using some type of certification test (Childs and Lawrence, 1990). Currently, the reform movement remains very much alive, but a new emphasis centers on the nature of testing. Certification for secondary teaching in Texas requires that preservice teachers successfully complete a series of comprehensive examinations in their teaching fields and in professional knowledge before entering full-time teaching. The Professional Development portion of the Certification of Educators in Texas (ExCET) consists of criterion-referenced multiple-choice tests. The tests are intended to assess the candidate's knowledge in relation to an established standard of competencies rather than in relation to the performance of other candidates. The standard of competencies require the professional educator to function competently and according to professional standards. The tests measure the candidate's ability to understand learners, enhance student achievement, and understand the teaching environment. Candidates may retake the tests until a passing score is obtained (National Evaluation Systems, 1997). However, if certain percentages of students fail to pass the tests over a period of time, then institutions may lose their certification role. Establishing cutoff scores is a major problem in using competency testing for teacher certification. Requiring high scores for passing may prevent many potentially good teachers from entering education, but setting low scores for passing may create a negative attitude toward teaching because of the large numbers of individuals who would be certified (Popham & Yalow, 1984). There are, then, complex problems involved in using paper-and-pencil testing for licensure, and teacher educators are searching feverishly to identify variables which may predict success on state certification examinations. The power of the relationship between critical thinking (Goldwair, 1978; Little, 1972; McCammon, Golden, & Wuensch, 1988; Parker, 1984; Rachel, 1989; Scott & Markert, 1994); reading ability (Allen, 1991; Feldt, 1988; Kessler & Pezzetti, 1990; Roberts, Suderman, Suderman, & Semb, 1990; Wood, 1988); and academic achievement is documented in research studies. Therein lies the justification for the inclusion of these variables in the present pilot investigation. …


Experiments into the characteristics of Diesel fuel injection equipment (FIE) and fuel spray formation have been conducted on a high-pressure and temperature rapid compression machine (Proteus) to simulate realistic Diesel engine working conditions. Two multi-hole injectors, of the solenoid type, were used; one with a faster response actuator. A high speed video image acquisition system was used to characterise the liquid spray formation, penetration, cone angle, and general spray structure. The experimental spray penetration data have revealed the onset of spray tip instability (cluster shedding) at the later stages of spray penetration.
The instantaneous rate and shape of injection for different operating conditions has been measured using an injection rate-tube technique. The combination of the above techniques has allowed an alternative approach in the use of empirical spray penetration correlation to be modified in order to gain information on breakup length. This was achieved by way of the derivation of a breakup length proportionality constant, where historically, this constant was found experimentally.
An approach to the modelling of transient spray penetration based on the momentum conservation of the in-jected fuel mass as a physical body of varying mass under that action of the drag force acting on the whole body. For cases under consideration, this approach allows a better representation of early stage of spray penetration than the traditional modelling of each individual droplet under conventional Lagrangian approach which is widely employed by CFD codes. It is suggested that the method based on the Centre-of-Mass tracking can ac-count better for the collective effects between droplets in a dense spray.


Preface. Structural control for large earthquakes (T. Kobori). Typhoons, hurricanes and fluid mechanics (J. Lighthill).Vorticity Dynamics and Turbulence Euler singularities and turbulence (R.M. Kerr). Vortices in turbulent mixing layers (R. Moser). Vortices in rotating and stratified turbulence (O. Metais). Laboratory modelling of geophysical vortices (G.J.F. van Heijst, R.R. Trieling). Development of wall turbulence structure in transitional flows (M. Asai, M. Nishioka). Non-Newtonian Fluid Flow. Newtonian elastic liquids - A paradox! (D.V. Boger, M.J. Solomon). Computational and experimental studies of polymeric liquids in mixed and extensional flow (L.G.Neal). Aero- and Hydroacoustics. Acoustics of unstable flows (A.P. Dowling). The acoustics of ocean waves (M.J.Buckingham). Mechanics of Heterogeneous and Composite Solids. Notions of material uniformity and homogeneity (M. Epstein, G.A. Maugin). On micromechanics of inelastic and piezoelectric composites (G.J. Dvorak, Y. Benveniste). Fracture and damage of nonhomogeneous solids (V. Tamuzs). Mechanics of functionally gradient materials: material tailoring on the micro- and macro-levels (K. Tanaka). Structural optimisation of and with advanced materials (M.P. Bendsoe). Minimization of sound transfer by structural optimization (L. Gaul, P. Kohmann, D. Wittekind). Optimization and experiments - a survey (R.T. Haftka, E.P. Scott). Solid Mechanics in Manufacturing Optimum design of metal forming based on finite element analysis and nonlinear programming (E. Nakamachi). Quench stress and deformation: mathematical modelling and numerical simulation (S. Sjoostrom). Modeling large deformation and failure in manufacturing processes (D.J. Bammann, M.L. Chiesa, G.C. Johnson). Sectional Lectures. Some development of structural topology optimization (G.-D. Cheng). Kolmogorov-like behavior and inertial range vortex dynamics in turbulent compressible and MHD flows (A. Pouquet). Essential structure of the damage mechanics theories (D. Krajcinovic). Fluid-structure interactions between axial flows and slender structures (M.. Paidoussis). Composites: a myriad of microstructure independent relations (G.W. Milton). Plasticity: inelastic flow of heterogeneous solids at finite strains and rotations (S. Nemat-Nasser). Mechanics of saturated-unsaturated porous materials and quantitative solutions (B.A. Schrefler). Instability of plastic deformation processes (P. Wright, J. Stori, C. King). Multibody dynamics with multiple unilateral contacts (F. Pfeiffer). The fluid mechanics of natural ventilation (P.F. Linden). Down-to-earth temperatures: the mechanics of the thermal environment (R. Narasimha). List of contributed papers.


The UK trajectory for decarbonisation has been predicated on the creation of very low- carbon electricity by 2030 and subsequent electrification of heat and transport. This seems increasingly unlikely to be delivered on time due to the very slow progress of CCS, slow progress on nuclear, uncertainty in future renewable electricity growth and underperforming demand reduction measures.
In the UK, heat demand from gas supplies is about three times that of electricity demand. It is proposed that the UK should examine decarbonised heat much more closely. Instead of using electricity, heat can be provided by hydrogen. The least cost method of industrial hydrogen production is from gas or coal sources. Both these methods are very well proven. But both require CO2 capture at centralised sites, which could commence at industrial complexes, such as Grangemouth or Teesside, and transport to secure storage sites.
These transport networks can be synergistic with CO2 transport to storage from industrial and power CCS projects. Hydrogen can be distributed locally through existing urban pipe networks where these have been upgraded to high standards. To enable this to operate as a market, the Renewable Heat Incentive needs to be adapted to admit heat derived from decarbonised fossil fuel, and not limited to renewables.


Vehicular networks are very likely to be deployed in the coming years and thus become the most relevant form of mobile ad hoc networks. In this paper, we address the security of these networks. We provide a detailed threat analysis and devise an appropriate security architecture. We also describe some major design decisions still to be made, which in some cases have more than mere technical implications. We provide a set of security protocols, we show that they protect privacy and we analyze their robustness and efficiency.


REASONS FOR PERFORMING STUDY
Palmar osteochondral disease (POD) is an overload arthrosis that commonly affects fetlock joints of racing Thoroughbreds (TB) but the aetiopathogenesis of the disease has not been well defined.

OBJECTIVES
The aim of this study was to compare India ink perfusion in the dorsal and palmar condyles of the third metacarpal bone (McIII) in both passively flexed and maximally extended fetlock joints from paired equine cadaver limbs.

STUDY DESIGN
Descriptive cadaver study comparing perfusion of condyles of McIII in paired cadaver limbs in flexion (control group) and maximal extension (intervention group).

METHODS
Pairs of forelimbs were acquired from 5 TB horses subjected to euthanasia for reasons unrelated to lameness. Limb pairs were perfused intra-arterially with India ink and then randomly assigned to passive flexion or maximal extension of the fetlock joint. Limbs were sectioned sagittally in 3 mm sections through the fetlock and 12 sections per limb processed using a modified tissue-clearing technique. Sections were subsequently digitally imaged and bone perfusion evaluated with image analysis software.

RESULTS
Greater perfusion of the dorsal condyle than of palmar condyle was observed in 78% of sections from limbs in passive flexion and 92% of maximally extended sections. Perfusion to the palmar aspect of the condyle was significantly decreased (P < 0.0001) when the limbs were placed in maximal extension compared to passive flexion.

CONCLUSIONS
The palmar condyle of McIII had less perfusion than the dorsal condyle when the fetlock joint was in passive flexion and this difference was exacerbated by maximal extension. Based on the anatomical location of POD lesions, perfusion differences between the dorsal and palmar condyles of McIII may be associated with development of these lesions.


The dynamical aspects of a spin-1/2 particle in Hermitian coquaternionic quantum theory are investigated. It is shown that the time evolution exhibits three different characteristics, depending on the values of the parameters of the Hamiltonian. When energy eigenvalues are real, the evolution is either isomorphic to that of a complex Hermitian theory on a spherical state space, or else it remains unitary along an open orbit on a hyperbolic state space. When energy eigenvalues form a complex conjugate pair, the orbit of the time evolution closes again even though the state space is hyperbolic.


Abstract The aim of this article is to investigate the competing discourses of Iran currently circulating in British society, and their influence on the tourist destination image of that country. A mixed-methods approach was adopted within a social constructionist perspective: this consisted of a Foucauldian discourse analysis of news reports in a range of British broadsheet newspapers, interviews with tourists who had visited Iran, and analysis of travel blogs written by a second group of tourists who had also previously visited the country. The findings show that the leading British broadsheets examined exclusively circulate an extremely negative discourse of Iran-as-Polity, originating in US and mediated by the British political field, whose main components are nuclear issues, danger, hostility and terrorism. Though UK tourists to the country are often drawn there initially by a largely Orientalist discourse of Iran-as-Persia, i.e. as a site of historical monuments, during and post visit, they develop a counter-discourse of Iran-as-Society which concentrates on the modernity of certain aspects of the country and above all the hospitality of its citizens, a discourse which is then further disseminated in the form of travel blogs. The article also mobilises Bourdieu's concept of academic capital to examine the role of education in providing resources to resist the discourse of Iran-as-Polity. In its range of sources analysed, the article offers a relatively novel approach to investigating the role of media discourse and the internet – the latter framed using Foucault's 'genealogical' approach – in the formation of competing tourist destination images of Iran.


This study aimed to investigate the factors that affect e-commerce adoption in small and medium sized enterprises (SMEs) in the developing country context of Botswana. The research was undertaken using an interpretive paradigm with multiple case studies in nine SMEs that were codenamed C1Alpha, C5Home, C6Lodge C2Beta, C3Gamma, C4Teq, C7Panda, C8Estate, and C9Autoco. Data collection tools and techniques involved face-to-face semi-structured and unstructured interviews, telephone interviews, website content analysis, document analysis of SME reports and observations.
A conceptual framework was developed to capture elements from extant e-commerce adoption literature that are defined in the research question. Data collected from each of the SMEs was analysed to present the findings based on the elements described above. These elements include the following: 1) the nature and characteristic of the business environment, 2) use of ICT and Web Applications; 3) managerial characteristics and perception of e-commerce; 4) factors that affect e-commerce adoption or the lack of it; 5) the interaction of the factors and how they determine the level of e-commerce adoption, and 6) the role of the local business environment.
The main findings of this study are the factors for e-commerce adoption for each of the SMEs. The study emerges with factors of e-commerce adoption that have been derived from various patterns of e-commerce adoption as represented in the nature and characteristics of the SMEs. This study makes a theoretical contribution by proposing a conceptual framework for investigating factors affecting e-commerce adoption in SMEs. Methodologically, the study adds a different blend to the research approach by undertaking in-depth studies on selected SMEs in Botswana, and provides an interpretive assessment of e-commerce adoption research in a developing country context of Botswana. Strategies for improving e-commerce development in the selected SMEs are presented, as well as implications of the research findings. This study provides insights into understanding SME e-commerce adoption factors in other contexts with similar characteristics.


This thesis centers around practical applications of psychological, educational, and health assessment. In psychometric testing, complex statistical equations are often used to approximate individuals' levels of the measured characteristic, based on their response patterns. These levels (or scores) are then used to draw conclusions and to make decisions regarding the tested individuals. For instance, a psychologist might calculate a child's score on an attention problems test to assess whether the child experiences attention deficits; a university might use the scores on an admission exam in order to select students; or a clinician might use patients' scores on a physical functioning test in order to assess their overall health. More often than not, the statistical models that are used to calculate the scores do not describe the reality (i.e., individuals' response patterns) very well. This, in turn, might affect the accuracy of the calculated scores. The overarching question that I strived to answer in this thesis was: Are the decisions that are made based on these scores (e.g., classifying a child as suffering from attention deficit, admitting certain applicants into a study program, or classifying a person as physically disabled) affected by the fallacy of the used model? And if so, to what extent? This question is important for test constructors and researchers who wish to create and use high-quality psychometric instruments. The findings showed that, in general, decisions were only marginally influenced by the imperfect fit of the models used. The research presented in this thesis have important implications for everyone involved in psychometric testing, from test constructors to test takers.


Organic food production has rapidly growing consumer demand in the U.S. and other industrialized countries, along with a worldwide regulatory framework and rapidly developing support infrastructure, making it a premier technology in the efforts of many public and private organizations that advocate more sustainable farming practices. The use of organic farming systems for crop production in the U.S. has grown rapidly during the last decade, but is still under 0.5 percent of total U.S. farmland-substantially less than in many countries in Europe and elsewhere. Within the U.S., conversion to organic farming systems has been more extensive in particular commodity sectors and regions. In California, for example, about two percent of the state's crop acreage is managed under organic farming systems, and over 15 percent of the dairies in some New England states are organic. The objectives of this paper are to examine commodity-sector and regional adoption rates and trends for organic farming systems in the U.S., and determine the impact of evolving markets and public support on adoption. First we will describe the current adoption and trends for the US and the world for organic production. Next we will examine current research on consumer attitudes towards organic products and the results of research trials comparing the risks and input requirements of organic versus conventional agriculture. In most cases organic producers rely on price premiums to offset the increased risks and production costs. We will discuss in detail market policies that directly and indirectly impact the profitability of organic production. We will then look at current conservation, commodity, and trade policies in the context of adoption of organic production. Finally, we will discuss organic production in the context of the next farm bill. The U.S. ranked fourth in land area managed under organic farming systems, behind Australia (with 24 million acres under organic management), Argentina (7.3 million acres), and Italy (3 million acres), in a recent worldwide survey. Argentina and Australia each had about 1.6 percent of their land area under organic management, much of that acreage in pasture. The U.S. was not among the top ten as a percentage of total farmland, which included Italy (8 percent), Sweden (5.2 percent), the Czech Republic (5 percent), and the United Kingdom (4 percent). Worldwide conversion levels are currently the highest in European Union countries, which have been developing consumer education initiatives and providing direct financial support to producers for conversion since the late 1980's to capture the environmental benefits of these systems and support rural development. Many EU countries have set targets for organic farming adoption of 10-20 percent of agricultural land area by 2010. National organic standards were implemented in the U.S. in 2002, and incorporate an ecological approach to farming that affects the entire system, unlike many new farming technologies-such as improved crop varieties and innovative yield monitoring tools-which typically alter only a single input or aspect of production. Farmers that transition to organic farming systems from chemical-intensive systems must make changes across the spectrum of their production inputs and practices. Strong market demand and organic price premiums have given some commodities comparable or higher whole-farm profits than conventional chemical-intensive systems in the U.S. In particular, the organic market is dominated by fresh fruit and vegetable production representing three fourths of retail organic sales. The fastest growing subsector is dairy resulting in correspondingly rapid growth in organic pasture and feed. In addition to relatively small market demand, the three year transition period required by USDA's organic regulations, the higher risks of shifting to a new way of farming, the steep learning curve, the high costs for fertility and weed management, and other obstacles have the limited conversion to organic farming systems for many commodities. USDA regulations require third party certification for growers grossing more than $5,000 in organic sales. Fees charged by State and private certifiers represent an additional, ongoing expense. By law certification agencies require a documentation of a 3-year transition (conversion) period, during which land must be managed with practices consistent to those required for organic certification, before certifying any crop or pasture acreage. Farmers cannot obtain organic price premiums during this period, though in some cases higher prices can be obtained for "transitional" commodities. Limited access to federal commodity programs due to the composition of the organic sector also presents obstacles for some farmers. A growing number of public and private groups have begun efforts to support more widespread adoption of organic agriculture in the U.S. Many groups support organic farming for multiple reasons-food safety, environmental protection, lower energy use, reduced use of pesticides are potential benefits to society from more widespread use of organic farming systems-and could justify financial or other assistance to farmers to adopt these practices. As the organic farm sector expands, some university-based research and technical assistance, federal cost-share funds, and other State and federal support for organic farmers is beginning to emerge. At the Federal level, at least nine USDA agencies have started or expanded programs and pilot projects to help organic producers with production and marketing problems and risks, and the 2002 Farm Act for the first time included several small initiatives to assist organic farmers. Organic farmers are now exempt from paying assessments to federal marketing orders. In September 2003, the National Association of State Departments of Agriculture released a policy statement supporting a number of policy measures to encourage conversion to organic farming systems, including targeted marketing assistance for small and medium-sized producers, expanded data collection, and improved government research coordination. While most of these state and Federal policy reflect a market facilitation policy orientation, one Federal program has been used to provide cost share payments to organic farmers to help pay for organic certification. And several States have begun subsidizing conversion to organic farming systems with conservation payments-using federal EQIP program funds-as a way to capture the environmental benefits of these systems. A new federal conservation program, the Conservation Security Program, may be especially important to organic producers when it is fully implemented, because it provides payments to producers for adopting or maintaining a wide range of management, vegetative, and land-based structural practices to address resource concerns, many of which organic farmers commonly adopt as part of their organic farming systems. Unlike most other Federal conservation programs, producers who grow specialty crops will be eligible to participate. The technical assistance features of the Conservation Security Program may be useful for organic farmers and those interested in transitioning to organic farming systems. Research and policy initiatives often play a key role in the adoption of new farming systems. Organic agriculture has attracted mainstream producers and processors in part due to the price premiums it has commanded and the rapid rate of growth at a time of stagnant or decreasing prices and flat growth in conventional agriculture. At the same time organic agriculture has the potential to achieve environmental goals. The details of the next farm bill with respect to conservation, trade assistance, research, and other policies will inevitably determine the size and scope of organic agriculture in the United States and the ability of organic agriculture to contribute to achieving environmental goals.


Abstract The chemical and mineralogical compositions, the pore-diameter distribution, and the X-ray diffraction, scanning electron microscopy, thermogravimetric analysis and infrared spectroscopy of kaolin from Suzhou, China, and the physicochemical and catalytic properties of a catalyst prepared from that kaolin, are presented in this paper. Crystallized microspheres (CMR) containing ~30% NaY zeolite can be prepared from the Suzhou kaolin. The catalyst produced performs better than a standard commercial catalyst in terms of activity, attrition resistance, resistance to passivation by Ni and V and better gasoline and coke selectivity


Probabilistic and statistical aspects of extremes of univariate processes have been extensively studied, and recent developments in extremes have focused on multivariate theory and its application. Multivariate extreme value theory encompasses two separate aspects: marginal features, which may be handled by standard univariate methods, and dependence features. Both will be examined in this study. First we focus on testing independence in multivariate extremes. All existing score tests of independence in multivariate extreme values have non-regular properties that arise due to violations of the usual regularity conditions of maximum likelihood. Some of these violations may be dealt with using standard techniques, for example when independence corresponds to a boundary point of the parameter space of the underlying model. However, another type of regularity violation, the infinite second moment of the score function, is more difficult to deal with and has important consequences for applications, resulting in score statistics with non-standard normalisation and poor rates of convergence. We propose a likelihood based approach that provides asymptotically normal score tests of independence with regular normalisation and rapid convergence. The resulting tests are straightforward to implement and are beneficial in practical situations with realistic amounts of data. A fundamental issue in applied multivariate extreme value (MEV) analysis is modelling dependence within joint tail regions. The primary aim of the remainder of this thesis is to develop a pseudo-polar framework for modelling extremal dependence that extends the existing classical results for multivariate extremes to encompass asymptotically independent tails. Accordingly, a constructional procedure for obtaining parametric asymptotically independent joint tail models is developed. The practical application of this framework is analysed through applications to bivariate simulated and environmental data, and joint estimation of dependence and marginal parameters via likelihood methodology is detailed. Inference under our models is examined and tests of extremal asymptotic independence and asymmetry are derived which are useful for model selection. In contrast to the classical MEV approach, which concentrates on the distribution of the normalised componentwise maxima, our framework is based on modelling joint tails and focuses directly on the tail structure of the joint survivor function. Consequently, this framework provides significant extensions of both the theoretical and applicable tools of joint tail modelling. Analogous point process theory is developed and the classical componentwise maxima result for multivariate extremes is extended to the asymptotically independent case. Finally, methods for simulating from two of our bivariate parametric models are provided.


Paper aims: Extant Literature based on the resource-based view (RBV) of the firm suggests that it can be used to study organizations of all types and sizes. In essence, the RBV argues that firms that possess rare, non-imitable, valuable, unique, and non-substitutable resources will outperform firms that do not possess such resources. This study questions the applicability of this assumption to smaller businesses, which are likely to have common resources readily available in the market rather than rare, non-imitable, non-substitutable, unique, or valuable resources. The purpose of this study is to discuss whether the composition-based view (CBV) of the firm offers a more promising approach than the RBV to studying small businesses.
Originality: This study is one of the first to tentatively suggest a change in theoretical approach when studying small businesses.
Research method: A structured critical review approach is taken.
Main findings: The findings reveal that the CBV offers a more promising and appropriate theoretical framework than the RBV for research on small businesses, whereas the RBV is better suited to research on larger firms.
Implications for theory and practice: Future studies can use the RBV and the CBV to study large and small businesses, respectively


Uniform onion micelles formed from up to ten nano-structured polymer layers were produced by the aqueous self-assembly of highly-branched copolymers. Highly-branched poly(alkyl methacrylate)s were chain extended with poly(acrylic acid) in a two-step reversible addition–fragmentation chain transfer-self-condensing vinyl polymerization (RAFT-SCVP) in solution. The resulting polymers were dispersed into water from oxolane (THF) using a self-organized precipitation-like method and the self-assembled particles were studied by phase-analysis light scattering, small-angle neutron scattering, and electron microscopy techniques. The relative hydrophobicity of the blocks was varied by changing the alkyl methacrylate (methyl, butyl, or lauryl) and this was found to affect the morphology of the particles. Only the poly(butyl methacrylate)-containing macromolecule formed an onion micelle structure. The formation of this morphology was observed to depend on: the evaporation of the good solvent (THF) during the self-assembly process causing kinetic trapping of structures; the pH of the aqueous phase; and also on the ratio of hydrophobic to hydrophilic segments within the copolymer. The lamellar structure could be removed by annealing the dispersion above the glass transition temperature of the poly(butyl methacrylate). To exemplify how these onion micelles can be used to encapsulate and release an active compound, a dye, rhodamine B (Rh B), was encapsulated and released. The release behaviour was dependent on the morphology of the particles. Particles formed containing the poly(methyl methacrylate) or poly(lauryl methacrylate) core did not form onions and although these materials absorbed Rh B, it was continuously released at room temperature. On the other hand, the lamellar structure formed from branch-poly(butyl methacrylate)-[poly(butyl methacrylate)-block-poly(acrylic acid)] allowed for encapsulation of approximately 45% of the dye, without release, until heating disrupted the lamellar structure.


Sustainability reporting assurance is considered as a practice that enhances the credibility and quality of reported information (Dando and Swift, 2003; ACCA, 2004). However, studies have found significant variances and inconsistencies that exist across assurance statements but little attention has been paid to understanding more about the nature of the variances beyond the examination of assurance statements. The apparent variances affect the ability of sustainability assurance to deliver robust levels of stakeholder accountability; as such a detailed exploration behind the dynamics of stakeholder consideration in the practice is required. Hence, this study presents an updated and expanded assessment of sustainability reporting assurance practices by adopting a three-stage mixed methods investigative approach.
The first stage is a content analysis of assurance statements published by FTSE350 companies using a specifically developed evaluation template. Core elements such as scope of assurance, level of assurance, addresses, guidelines used, independence of assurance providers, assurance work undertaken, stakeholder consideration and conclusions were of particular focus. Data obtained on these elements were explored further in the subsequent stages of the study. The second stage involved semi-structured interviews with 13 assurance providers focusing on their roles in the process and the apparent variances that appear in assurance statements. The third stage is comprised of further semi-structured interviews with representatives of 11 different stakeholders. All data generated were analysed and interpreted through the audit theoretical conception by Power (1991, 1994, 1999) as well as the legitimacy, institutional and stakeholder theories.
Sustainability reporting assurance remains largely a valuable practice but there is a fundamental absence of consistent and comprehensive shared meaning and approach on the practice. This has manifested in the different application of sustainability assurance processes thus making it challenging for a single approach to be generally accepted. Also, considerable evidence of managerial capture was observed as assurance providers confirmed the vast degree of influence exerted by reporting companies in assurance processes, an issue that no direct solution or effort was acknowledged to assist in alleviating. The presence of a sustainability assurance expectations gap serves as a key factor that drives the severe caution expressed by stakeholders about the practice. The lack of stakeholder influence was apparent, thus limiting their ability to put companies and assurance providers under pressure towards a more stakeholder oriented provision of sustainability assurance. In general, the findings of this study call into question the ability of the current state of sustainability reporting assurance to enhance transparency and hence discharge effective corporate accountability to stakeholders.


Mothers have been considered symbolic of god and the misfortune of childlessness cannot be elucidated. The problems in conceiving forced women to think of an alternative and started the whole business of surrogate mothers. Surrogacy has been the centre of burning debates and has received arguments for and against its legalisation. With the advancement of technologies, gestational surrogacy has been possible where the partner's sperm is implanted into surrogate's uterus. Surrogacy is presumably considered legitimate because no Indian law prohibits surrogacy. But this silence of law can obviously not be interpreted as a green signal for any future surrogacy arrangement. However, the changing face of law is now going to usher in a new rent-a-womb law as India is set to be the only country in the world to legalise commercial surrogacy by virtue of Assisted Reproductive Technology Bill, 2010. This paper is a humble attempt to discuss the pros and cons of the bill and it also puts forward few contentions of recognising/legalising surrogacy contracts in the country.

Jeremy Bentham looked upon 'law' as an instrument for securing the "greatest good of the greatest number". Surrogacy is becoming a practice to earn. The paper also sheds light on how the intended parents are established as the legal parents of the child. Surrogacy is a boon or a bane? This controversial question is the spotlight of the 228th Law commission Report on which this paper focuses upon.

This paper will address the need for legalization of surrogacy from the perspective of fundamental right. Surrogacy has inscrutable impact on the primary unit of the society i.e. family, and therefore, connivance of Law about this knotty issue may prove to be a regrettable step in the future. The paper also submits that if the society allows organ donation, blood donation, wet nursing and other such analogies then why not surrogacy? In my opinion this issue of use of new reproductive technology must be dealt with meticulously by the legislature of our time and reluctance about legalising surrogacy must be relinquished.


Background: Benign vascular lesions such as vascular malformation and hemangioma at times pose difficulty in diagnosis both for clinicians and pathologists. Vascular malformations are difficult to treat while hemangiomas resolve spontaneously in most instances. There are instances when vascular malformations, especially arteriovenous malformations (AVMs) have been misdiagnosed as hemangiomas and vice-versa. Clinical and radiological correlation with histopathological confirmation of these anomalies is important for the management of these lesionsAim: The aim was to study the histological characteristics of hemangiomas and vascular malformations and to study the utility of histochemical stains in their diagnosis. Materials and Methods: We retrospectively studied fifty cases retrieved from the records of Department of Pathology which were diagnosed as hemangioma (n=32) and vascular malformation (n=18) on Hematoxylin and Eosin (H and E) stain over a period of 18 months. The cases were analyzed based on findings of histochemical stains such as Verhoeff-van Gieson (VVG), Masson's trichrome (MT), and toluidine blue. Results: After reviewing all the cases with the use of histochemical stains, two of the three cases originally diagnosed as hemangioma turned out to be AVM and one to be venous malformation. An increased number of intra-lesional nerves were found in 16 of 19 cases of AVM and in both cases of venous and lymphatic malformation. Hemangiomas did not show increase in nerve bundles. Mast cells were found to be increased in proliferating hemangiomas and pyogenic granulomas as compared to AVMs. Conclusion: Hemangiomas and vascular malformations should be clearly differentiated to reduce the risk of treatment failure and recurrence. With the use of histochemical stains such as VVG, MT and toluidine blue, the diagnostic difficulty can be reduced and definitive diagnosis is possible.


Recently our research center developed two everbearing strawberry cultivars, 'Natsuakari' and 'Dekoruju'. Everbearing strawberry plants often produce few runners and a shortage of daughter plants could prevent rapid diffusion of these cultivars. We investigated some environmental factors that could have an effect on runnering. Fresh plants were rooted in pots during summer and kept outdoors. After they received respectively 0, 700, 1000, 1500 and 2000h of chilling (<5°C), plants were transferred into a greenhouse where the temperature was set at minimum 15°C. Half the plants from each chilling treatment were exposed to natural day length and the remainder exposed to a 16h day length. Both cultivars with 1000h chilling under 16h day length produced runners, but under natural day length they did not. The 1500 and 2000h chilling treated plants produced runners regardless of day length. Potted plants kept in a greenhouse to avoid chilling were transferred into a low temperature incubator set at -1.5°C. After 0, 30, 60, 90, 120 and 150 days, they were returned to a greenhouse and put under 16h day length regime. 'Dekoruju' plants receiving 30 days of chilling exposure produced runners while 'Natsuakari' needed at least 60 days to form runners. For both cultivars, plants that received 90 days of chilling produced most runners. Potted plants overwintered outdoors were grown under 10, 12h and natural day length beginning in May. Cv. 'Natsuakari' plants, exposure to longer day length produced more runners. For 'Dekoruju' exposure to natural day length resulted in fewer runners than exposure to 10 or 12h day length, perhaps as a result of increased flowering under long day conditions. In conclusion, both cultivars produced runners after receiving more than 1000h chilling outdoors provided sufficient hours in the daily light period. It was also shown that a refrigerator can be used to impose chill treatments when the natural environment is not conducive.


BACKGROUND
Pain intensity is one of the most widely used measures in the treatment of patients with chronic disabling occupational musculoskeletal disorders. Few studies have comprehensively investigated the relationship of pain intensity at the time of rehabilitation to objective socioeconomic outcomes at one year after treatment. This study evaluated the ability of pain intensity ratings, measured with a visual analog scale, to predict rehabilitation outcomes and to identify patients who are "at risk" for a poor outcome.

METHODS
A cohort of 3106 patients with chronic disabling occupational musculoskeletal disorders in a multidisciplinary occupational tertiary rehabilitation program was divided into four groups on the basis of the pain intensity ratings (0 to 3, 4 to 5, 6 to 7, and 8 to 10) before and after rehabilitation. A structured interview to assess the socioeconomic outcomes, including work status, health-care utilization, recurrent injury, and whether there had been resolution of Workers' Compensation or third-party financial disputes, was conducted one year after rehabilitation.

RESULTS
High pain intensity before rehabilitation was linearly associated with declining rates of program completion and higher rates of self-reported depression and disability after rehabilitation. Although higher pain ratings both before and after rehabilitation were associated linearly with a declining quality of socioeconomic outcomes, extremely high pain ratings (8 to 10) after rehabilitation were most predictive of poor outcomes. At the post-rehabilitation evaluation, patients with extreme pain were far more likely than those with mild pain to seek surgical treatment (risk ratio = 11.2 [95% confidence interval, 4.3, 29.5]) or to persist in seeking health care from new providers (risk ratio = 3.3 [95% confidence interval, 2.4, 4.5]). They were less likely to either return to work (risk ratio = 3.9 [95% confidence interval, 2.6, 6.0]) or to retain work (risk ratio = 4.2 [95% confidence interval, 2.9, 6.0]). They were also twice as likely to claim a new injury to the same musculoskeletal site after returning to work and to fail to settle Workers' Compensation or third-party financial disputes.

CONCLUSIONS
High pain ratings before rehabilitation are associated with higher rehabilitation dropout rates. The patients with chronic disabling occupational musculoskeletal disorders who reported extreme pain after completing a full course of extended treatment (13% of 2573) were at risk for poor outcomes in terms of lost productivity, high utilization of health care, and cost-shifting of state Workers' Compensation payments to federal resources.


The use of 3D city models has increased the last decades due to the evolution of technology. Their use is related to the need for solutions on issues that correspond to the building environment. Modelling aspects, like geometric, semantic information and topology are necessary, in order to provide an integrated result of spatial analysis. The creation of a complete 3D city model that contains all the needed information for an application, is a time consuming and complex process. Furthermore, different 3D city model formats can contain different aspects of the same features. For example, a CityGML model can have the semantic information of a 3D object, while a Multi-View Stereo Mesh model can contain all the geometric and appearance information of the same 3D object. This thesis is documenting the possible enrichments that can be done bidirectionally between these two different 3D city model formats, when both exist for the same entities. Moreover, it presents the exploration of possible automated enrichment methodologies that can enrich each 3D city model automatically with information from the other one. Finally, an automatic bidirectional enrichment methodology is proposed and is implemented on a testing area, provided in the two different 3D city model formats. This method is based on distance computations between the meshes of the two 3D city models, used to match corresponding features, or part of features, in order to segment semantically the Multi-View Stereo Mesh model (roof, wall, road, terrain, uncertain) and transfer texture to the surfaces of the CityGML model that correspond with the surfaces of the Multi-View Stereo Mesh model. In addition, distance computations are performed for the validation of the absence of buildings and the shapes of the roofs in the CityGML model, with respect to the information given from the Multi-View Stereo Mesh model. After the implementation of the proposed methodology, it is found that both 3D city model formats can be used for the proposed enrichments of either 3D city model format. Future improvements are presented for the achievement of using existing information of different formats of 3D city models of the same entities, in order to supplement each 3D city model format with useful information, enhance the performance of spatial analysis and boost the evolution on the use of such models on real life applications.


An esterase from a thermophilic bacterium, Geobacillus sp. DF20, was partially purified. Final purification factor was found to be 64.5-fold using Q-Sepharose ion exchange column chromatography. Native polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis indicated the presence of a single active esterase. The substrate specificity of this esterase was high for p-nitrophenyl butyrate (pNPB) substrate. The optimum pH and temperature for the enzyme activity were 7.0 and 50 °C, respectively. The pH and heat stability profiles show that this enzyme is more stable under neutral conditions at 50 °C. Km and Vmax values for this esterase acting on pNPB were 0.12 mM and 54.6 U/mg protein, respectively. Presence of 10 % (v/v) acetonitrile in the reaction medium indicated that purified enzyme was strongly inhibited. It was also detected that some metal ions affected enzyme activity at different rates. As a result, it was observed that esterase from Geobacillus sp. DF20 has extreme temperature and pH stabilities. Therefore, the stability and Km value of the enzyme make this study interesting when compared with the literature.


The theory of opposition has always been viewed as the founding principle of structuralism within contemporary linguistics and semiotics. As an analytical technique, it has remained a staple within these disciplines, where it continues to be used as a means for identifying meaningful cues in the physical form of signs. However, as a theory of conceptual structure it was largely abandoned under the weight of post-structuralism starting in the 1960s — the exception to this counter trend being the work of the Tartu School of semiotics. This essay revisits opposition theory not only as a viable theory for understanding conceptual structure, but also as a powerful technique for establishing the interconnectedness of language, culture, and cognition.


This research was focused on analysing the potential application of road-user charging to the Transportation Demand Management Strategy for Great Langdale Valley in the Lake District National Park. There were three research objectives: firstly, to investigate the response of motorists to the hypothetical imposition of monetary road-user charges for entry to Great Langdale Valley (Bovaird et al, 1984); secondly, observe the impact of road-user charging on the host community of Great Langdale Valley (Holding, 1998); thirdly, to examine the suitability of the Contingent Valuation Methodology to elicit monetary preferences for road-user charging in a non-laboratory setting.
The research methodology employed to elicit behavioural responses to certain price levels for road use was the Contingent Valuation Method (Mitchell and Carson, 1989). Three stakeholder samples were surveyed: visitor, resident and businessoperator samples. All three were administered with mail-back questionnaires containing hypothetical Contingent Valuation scenarios. Willingness To Pay (WTP)
questions to elicit monetary preferences for road use were posed to the visitor and resident samples, whereas the business operator sample respondents were asked for
their Willingness To Accept (WTA) a compensation payment for the potential impact of the road-user charging scheme on their trade.
The research findings determined that a road-user charge would result in a considerable reduction in the visitor sample's intention to use a private motor-vehicle on the Great Langdale valley road network. The residential population expressed limited support for themselves or visitors being subject to a road-user charge. In addition, the business operator sample demonstrated similar opposition to the road- user charging proposal. In conclusion, road-user charging was not deemed a viable
Transportation Demand Management strategy for Great Langdale Valley due to the socio-economic equity implications involved exceeding any potential road network
efficiency gains.


Enhanced release of alkalinity from the seafloor, principally driven by anaerobic degradation of organic matter 15 under low-oxygen conditions and associated secondary redox reactions, can increase the carbon dioxide (CO2) buffering capacity of seawater and therefore oceanic CO2 uptake. The Baltic Sea has undergone severe changes in oxygenation state and total alkalinity (TA) over the past decades. The link between these concurrent changes has not yet been investigated in detail. A recent system-wide TA budget constructed for the past 50 years using BALTSEM, a coupled physical-biogeochemical model for the whole Baltic Sea area, revealed an unknown TA source. Here we use BALTSEM in combination with 20 observational data and one-dimensional reactive transport modelling of sedimentary processes in the Fårö Deep, a deep Baltic Sea basin, to test whether sulfate (SO4) reduction coupled to iron (Fe) sulfide burial can explain the missing TA source in the Baltic Proper. We calculated that this burial can account for up to 26% of the missing source in this basin, with the remaining TA possibly originating from unknown river inputs or submarine groundwater discharge. We also show that temporal variability in the input of Fe to the sediments since the 1970s drives changes in sulfur (S) burial in the Fårö Deep, suggesting 25 that Fe availability is the ultimate limiting factor for TA generation under anoxic conditions. The implementation of projected climate change and two nutrient load scenarios for the 21 century in BALTSEM shows that reducing nutrient loads will improve deep water oxygen conditions, but at the expense of lower surface water TA concentrations, CO2 buffering capacities and faster acidification. When these changes additionally lead to a decrease in Fe inputs to the sediment of the deep basins, anaerobic TA generation will be reduced even further, thus exacerbating acidification. This work highlights that Fe dynamics 30 plays a key role in the release of TA from sediments where Fe sulfide formation is limited by Fe availability, as exemplified for the Baltic Sea. Moreover, it demonstrates that burial of Fe sulfides should be included in TA budgets of low oxygen basins.


Abstract Metamorphic and igneous rocks exposed in NW-vergent thrust sheets and their autocthonous basement in the NE Pontides were dated by the U–Pb method using zircons, supported by geochemical data for granitic rocks. Two meta-sedimentary units (Narlık schist and Karadağ paragneiss) yielded detrital zircon populations of 0.50–0.65 and 0.9–1.1 Ga, suggesting an affinity with NE Africa (part of Gondwana). The youngest concordant zircon age is Ediacaran for the schist but Devonian for the paragneiss, bracketing the paragneiss depositional age as Mid-Devonian to Early Carboniferous. Metamorphic rims of zircon cores in the paragneiss gave Carboniferous ages (345–310 Ma). The zircon rim data indicate two Variscan metamorphic events (334 and 314 Ma) separated by a hiatus (320–325 Ma). Granite emplacement took place during early Carboniferous, Early Jurassic and Late Jurassic phases. The crystallization age of the early Carboniferous granites (c. 325 Ma) corresponds to a hiatus in the zircon age data that could reflect subduction slab break-off. The Variscan granitic rocks intruded a Gondwana-derived continental terrane that was loosely accreted to Eurasia during early–late Carboniferous time but remained isolated from Eurasian-derived terrigenous sediment. In contrast, the Jurassic granitic magmatism relates to later back-arc extension along the southern margin of Eurasia. Supplementary material: Full isotope data (8 tables) are available at www.geolsoc.org.uk/SUP18558


Anecdotal evidence has long supported the idea that engineering students have lower levels of mental health and wellness than their peers. It is often posited that the large number of courses, low overall retention, difficult courses, and the abundance of intensive engineering projects lead to an unhealthy work-life balance and eventually lower levels of mental health for this population. To date, however, there has been no comprehensive study on the prevalence and types of mental health conditions that afflict engineering students, or any data on whether certain disciplines within engineering may see a greater prevalence of certain mental health conditions among students than other disciplines. This paper presents the results of a one-year study performed at California Polytechnic State University to address the knowledge gap surrounding mental health across students in different engineering disciplines in higher education. For this study, the authors developed and administered a comprehensive mental health questionnaire to both undergraduate and graduate students across eleven different engineering disciplines. The instrument screens for likelihood of depression, anxiety, PTSD, drug abuse, alcohol abuse, and other major mental illnesses. An analysis of the data shows that while mental health and wellness issues are prevalent across all majors, specific disciplines appear to have very different mixes of conditions and issues affecting their students.


The purpose of this study was to explore the lived experiences of elementary school counselors working with students adopted transracially (SATr) and their families. Previously, the voices of elementary school counselors have been omitted from the limited scope of professional literature available related to school counseling practice with SATr. Using a phenomenological method, research questions were developed to capture the perceptions, needs, and practices of elementary school counselors working with SATr and their families. The purposeful sample of 11 participants represented elementary school counselors from Northern and Southern Virginia and West Virginia. The participants had professional school counseling experience ranging from one to 27 years where they worked with a range of one to over 200 SATr and their families. A structured analysis process was used that included coding (i.e., open, axial, selective), writing textural and structural descriptions that were verified by participants, and developing composite summaries. This structured process uncovered the categories, sub-categories, and themes leading to a core category. Bracketing was used to maintain the trustworthiness of the research study. The findings included eight themes as continuums reflecting the various perceptions, needs, and practices of the participants in working with SATr and their families. The shared lived experiences can best be described as a "CONTINUUM OF COMFORT AND CONFIDENCE" whereby elementary school counselors relied on using foundational counseling skills, understanding human development, applying multicultural competency, and being sensitive to adoption related practices. Additionally, they continually refined their practice strategies in being responsive to the needs of SATr and their families. Although the findings of this study cannot be generalized, the narratives of these elementary school counselors offer important insight and generate recommendations for practice. Salient recommendations include frequent collaboration among school and mental health counselors, the need for elementary school counselor advocacy to promote acceptance and inclusion of SATr and their families, and the necessity for counselor educators to include coursework on transracial adoption. Future research with middle and high school counselors, ELEMENTARY SCHOOL COUNSELORS' PERCEPTIONS iii SATr and their families who have used school counseling services, and professional development training will deepen our understanding for inclusive comprehensive, developmentally appropriate school counseling programs. ELEMENTARY SCHOOL COUNSELORS' PERCEPTIONS iv


We think practicing walking pattern over and over makes walk-handicapped people break plateau. For practicing walking pattern easily, a Locomotion Interface (LI, for short) can be used. LI is a piece of equipment that can give a user the sense of walking while his/her actual position remains localized in the real world. An LI system named GaitMaster3 (GM3) is developed that has two footpads, which can move to present a virtual terrain for each foot. A new gait-rehabilitation program is developed in which the footpads on the GM3 follow a motion sequence to move the user's foot, the user mounts on the GM3 and iteratively experiences the motion for each foot. We conducted a 2-month experiment with the assistance of a handicapped person. The effectiveness of our system was verified through EMG, video analysis, average walking velocities and ADL.


Since it began operating in 2011, the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) has handled more than a million complaints regarding consumer financial product and services. Beginning in June 2015, the CFPB began publishing consumers' narratives submitted with their complaints. This Article analyses a random sample of 5,000 of these narratives to assess how people engage with the complaint mechanism in light of the CFPB's role in processing complaints. I find that people predominately use the complaint function for two distinct purposes: to express their anger and frustration about companies' practices, or to express sadness and fear about how companies' practices have impacted their lives. When people write with anger and frustration, they typically direct their comments to the subject company, which aligns with the CFPB's role in processing complaints. In contrast, when people write with sadness and fear, they often plead with the CFPB for individualized help in solving their broader problems. But the CFPB is not equipped to help people on an individual basis and such is not the goal of its complaint mechanism. Identifying that some consumers seem to expect the CFPB to provide this type of assistance presents an opportunity for the CFPB to address the serious problems that these consumers are voicing and to enhance how it utilizes the complaint data to further its goal of consumer protection. However, the CFPB is but one government agency that allows people to write narratives describing their problems. This Article thus provides suggestions for how agencies generally may mine their narrative databases to help people in need and to advance their missions.