Among the 22 Arab countries, Egypt ranks amongst the worst for the treatment of women. Additionally, in the last 6 years, fertility surged to a 20-year high of 3.5 births per woman. Poorer women's status and autonomy is often linked to high fertility; however, little is known about the factors that shape women's autonomy and fertility in Egypt. This study evaluates determinants of women's autonomy and the relationship between autonomy and fertility over time in a representative, longitudinal sample of women amidst a context of social transition: Arab Spring Egypt. Theory suggests that certain life course events, like educational achievement are important in shaping women's status and autonomy. Household and community effects on women's autonomy have yet to receive needed research attention. The research is guided by the theory of gender and power and the life course perspective focusing on important events that shape women's autonomy at multiple levels over the life course. Furthermore, the relationship between women's autonomy and subsequent fertility behaviors is often assumed, but rarely studied over time. In this study, I look at women's autonomy and fertility over time in Egypt. Data come from the 2006 and 2012 Egyptian Labor Market Panel Survey (ELMPS), a nationally representative sample of households in Egypt and the 2008 Egyptian Demographic and Health Survey (EDHS). I use multilevel and standard OLS and Logistic regression models to show the relationship between individual, household, and community characteristics and measures of women's autonomy and the relationship between women's autonomy and fertility. Across all autonomy outcomes, region of household and household wealth are consistently associated with women's autonomy. As expected, due to the greater social conservatism in Upper Egypt, the women in rural and urban Upper Egypt have less autonomy as compared to women in the Cairo region. The rural/urban differences in autonomy with women in rural areas being associated with less autonomy are also consistent with work that shows more patriarchal views in rural Egypt. Results show the importance of women's social context in Egypt in her level of control and ability to exercise autonomy in the household and greater community. Results indicate that women's autonomy was greater in 2012 as compared to 2006, and that after the initial uprisings, women reported more household autonomy. While improvements in autonomy in 2012 could be temporary and the data need to cover a longer period of time to capture social changes, this shows some change in women's status and behavior in the midst of social and political change. Regional variation shows more autonomy in Cairo and less in Upper Egypt. While these improvements could be temporary and the data need to cover a longer period of time, this shows some change in women's status in the midst of social and political change. Contrary to what was expected, more autonomous women have a higher number of births. It may be that more autonomous women fulfilled social expectations of high fertility, although they personally desired smaller families. This study makes significant contributions to the research on social and gender dynamics in modern Egypt. Additionally, this research uses a range of measures to operationalize autonomy, recognizing that each captures something different about a woman's household experience. This study is one of the first to describe the household and social determinants of women's autonomy and fertility in a transitional Egypt, specifically for a sample of women across the life course.


En route sector capacity is determined mainly by controller workload. The operational capacity model used by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) provides traffic alert thresholds based entirely on hand-off workload. Its estimates are accurate for most sectors. However, it tends to over-estimate capacity in both small and large sectors because it does not account for conflicts and recurring tasks. Because of those omissions it cannot be used for accurate benefits analysis of workload-reduction initiatives, nor can it be extended to estimate capacity when hazardous weather increases the intensity of all workload types. We have previously reported on an improved model that accounts for all workload types and can be extended to handle hazardous weather. In this paper we present the results of a recent regression of that model using an extensive database of peak traffic counts for all United States en route sectors. The resulting fit quality confirms the workload basis of en route capacity. Because the model has excess degrees of freedom, the regression process returns multiple parameter combinations with nearly identical sector capacities. We analyze the impact of this ambiguity when using the model to quantify the benefits of workload reduction proposals. We also describe recent modifications to the weather-impacted version of the model to provide a more stable normalized capacity measure. We conclude with an illustration of its potential application to operational sector capacity forecasts in hazardous weather. Keywords-workload; capacity; enroute; sector; weather


With the advent of data generation, collection and storage technologies, world is overwhelmed with data everywhere. Following this trend, more and more agricultural data are nowadays are virtually being harvested along with the crops and are being collected/stored in databases. As the volume of the data increases, the gap between the amount of the data stored and the amount of the data analyzed increases. Such data can be used in productive decision making if appropriate data mining techniques are applied. Data driven precision agriculture aspects, particularly the pest/disease management, require a dynamic crop-weather data. An experiment was conducted in a semi-arid region of India to understand the crop-weather-pest relations using wireless sensory and field-level surveillance data on the groundnut pest Thrips. Various data mining techniques were used to turn the data into useful information/knowledge/relations/trends and correlation of crop-weather-pest continuum. These dynamics obtained from the data mining techniques and trained through mathematical models were validated with corresponding surveillance data. Results obtained from 2009 & 2010 Kharifseasons (monsoon) and 2009-10 & 2010-11 Rabi seasons (post monsoon) data has been used to develop a prediction model. In this work an attempt has been made to develop a viable model for groundnut pest (Thrips) dynamics using the state of the art data mining techniques to understand the hidden correlations (crop-pest–meteorological continuum) and there by development of Multivariate Regression Models which led to development of forewarning system.


ABSTRACT This paper discusses applied research initiatives led by Save the Children in Rwanda that were used to inform advocacy and policy efforts surrounding the expansion of high quality early childhood education (ECE) services in Rwanda. Qualitative and quantitative studies were carried out around a new program focused on improving early literacy and math competencies (the Emergent Literacy and Maths Initiative (ELMI)) from 2013–2017. They include a Political Economy Analysis in 2013–2014 and longitudinal impact evaluations in 2014–2015 and 2015–2016. Together, the mixed-methods data helped to identify strengths and gaps in the Rwandan education system, potential solutions to improving ECE for all children in the country, and insights into best practices for taking successful pilot programs to scale in a low-income country. Changes in national policy and ECE service provision are discussed.


: In malignancy science, as in individual developmental science, there is discussion concerning this inquiry and additionally regarding the utilization of adjustment during common determination because a directing system for explore. In this survey, we examine the distinctions and likenesses among advancement among physical cells versus development among life forms. Our current research was conducted at Mayo Hospital, Lahore from November 2018 to October 2019. Advancement by regular choice is the applied establishment for almost every part of science and progressively additionally for biomedicine and medicinal research. In disease science, development clarifies how populaces of tissues in cancer alteration after some instance. It is a crucial problem whether this transformative procedure is ambitious basically through common determination and adjustment or by additional transformative procedures, for example, originator impacts and float. We finish up that adjustment is a valuable structure that precisely clarifies the characterizing attributes of malignant growth. Further, merged advancement through regular determination gives the main fulfilling clarification both for howa gathering of assorted pathologies share enough for all intents and purpose to helpfully share the distinct name of "malignancy" and for why this merged condition becomes life threatening.


Introduction The implementation of dietary guidelines in childcare settings is recommended to improve child public health nutrition. However, foods provided in childcare services are not consistent with guidelines. The primary aim of the trial is to assess the effectiveness of a web-based menu planning intervention in increasing the mean number of food groups on childcare service menus that comply with dietary guidelines regarding food provision to children in care. Methods and analysis A parallel group randomised controlled trial will be undertaken with 54 childcare services that provide food to children within New South Wales, Australia. Services will be randomised to a 12-month intervention or usual care. The experimental group will receive access to a web-based menu planning and decision support tool and online resources. To support uptake of the web program, services will be provided with training and follow-up support. The primary outcome will be the number of food groups, out of 6 (vegetables, fruit, breads and cereals, meat, dairy and 'discretionary'), on the menu that meet dietary guidelines (Caring for Children) across a 1-week menu at 12-month follow-up, assessed via menu review by dietitians or nutritionists blinded to group allocation. A nested evaluation of child dietary intake in care and child body mass index will be undertaken in up to 35 randomly selected childcare services and up to 420 children aged approximately 3–6 years. Ethics and dissemination Ethical approval has been provided by Hunter New England and University of Newcastle Human Research Ethics Committees. This research will provide high-quality evidence regarding the impact of a web-based menu planning intervention in facilitating the translation of dietary guidelines into childcare services. Trial findings will be disseminated widely through national and international peer-reviewed publications and conference presentations. Trial registration Prospectively registered with Australian New Zealand Clinical Trial Registry (ANZCTR) ACTRN12616000974404.


We study stochastic composite mirror descent, a class of scalable algorithms able to exploit the geometry and composite structure of a problem. We consider both convex and strongly convex objectives with non-smooth loss functions, for each of which we establish high-probability convergence rates optimal up to a logarithmic factor. We apply the derived computational error bounds to study the generalization performance of multi-pass stochastic gradient descent (SGD) in a non-parametric setting. Our high-probability generalization bounds enjoy a logarithmical dependency on the number of passes provided that the step size sequence is square-summable, which improves the existing bounds in expectation with a polynomial dependency and therefore gives a strong justification on the ability of multi-pass SGD to overcome overfitting. Our analysis removes boundedness assumptions on subgradients often imposed in the literature. Numerical results are reported to support our theoretical findings.


Procedural evolution in complex cases seems to have left the civil jury behind. The trend toward centralization of cases pending on the same topic in one court results in cases of national scope being tried by local juries; this reality is a catalyst for forum shopping and a frequent justification for calls to eliminate jury trial in complex cases altogether. Yet the jury is at the heart of a uniquely American understanding of civil justice, and the Seventh Amendment still mandates its use in federal cases. This article makes a bold new proposal designed to preserve the constitutional and functional value of citizen participation in the civil justice system by aligning the jury assembly mechanism with the scope of the litigation. Thus, in cases of national scope, juries should be assembled from a national pool. This idea would eliminate incentives to forum-shop into local jury pools, and would make the decisionmaking body commensurate with the polity that will feel the effects of its decisions. We might also expect a higher level of legitimacy for decisions rendered by a national jury in national cases because they would not be subject to the criticism that a local jury is imposing its values on the rest of the country, and because geographical diversification of the jury would enhance the quality of decisionmaking.


Thionins and defensins are small (5kDa), basic, cysteine–rich polypeptides with antifungal properties. In this study, expression of Thionin and PDF1.2 genes after inoculation of Magnaporthe oryzae to cultivars Khazar (resistant) and Tarom (susceptible) was analyzed. The treatments were subjected to Quantitative Real-time PCR at different times (from 0 to 96 hours after inoculation, hai). The peak expression of PDF1.2 gene in both cultivars was at 24 hai (about 20 fold of 0 hai). Expression of Thionin gene showed a peak at 48 hai (about 8 fold of 0 hai). Expression profiles of both tested genes were more and less similar in both cultivars but the transcript level of Khazar was higher than Tarom. T-Student's analysis of data showed significant differences between two cultivars (P values of <0.05). The results showed that these antimicrobial polypeptides can play an important role in resistance of cv. Khazar against rice blast fungus, M. oryzae.


Recital presented at the UNT School of Music Concert Hall in partial fulfillment of the Doctor of Musical Arts (DMA) degree.


Recently, Vision Transformer and its variants have shown great promise on various computer vision tasks. The ability of capturing short- and long-range visual dependencies through self-attention is arguably the main source for the success. But it also brings challenges due to quadratic computational overhead, especially for the high-resolution vision tasks (e.g., object detection). In this paper, we present focal self-attention, a new mechanism that incorporates both fine-grained local and coarse-grained global interactions. Using this new mechanism, each token attends the closest surrounding tokens at fine granularity but the tokens far away at coarse granularity, and thus can capture both short- and long-range visual dependencies efficiently and effectively. With focal self-attention, we propose a new variant of Vision Transformer models, called Focal Transformer, which achieves superior performance over the state-of-the-art vision Transformers on a range of public image classification and object detection benchmarks. In particular, our Focal Transformer models with a moderate size of 51.1M and a larger size of 89.8M achieve 83.5 and 83.8 Top-1 accuracy, respectively, on ImageNet classification at 224x224 resolution. Using Focal Transformers as the backbones, we obtain consistent and substantial improvements over the current state-of-the-art Swin Transformers for 6 different object detection methods trained with standard 1x and 3x schedules. Our largest Focal Transformer yields 58.7/58.9 box mAPs and 50.9/51.3 mask mAPs on COCO mini-val/test-dev, and 55.4 mIoU on ADE20K for semantic segmentation, creating new SoTA on three of the most challenging computer vision tasks.


In an effort to strengthen conceptual foundations of eudaimonic well-being, key messages from Aristotle's Nichomacean Ethics are revisited. Also examined are ideas about positive human functioning from existential and utilitarian philosophy as well as clinical, developmental, and humanistic psychology. How these perspectives were integrated to create a multidimensional model of psychological well-being [Ryff, C.D.: 1989a, Journal of Personality and Social Psychology 57(6), pp. 1069–1081] is described, and empirical evidence supporting the factorial validity of the model is briefly noted. Life course and socioeconomic correlates of well-being are examined to underscore the point that opportunities for eudaimonic well-being are not equally distributed. Biological correlates (cardiovascular, neuroendocrine, immune) of psychological well-being are also briefly noted as they suggest possible health benefits associated with living a life rich in purpose and meaning, continued growth, and quality ties to others. We conclude with future challenges in carrying the eudaimonic vision forward.


In the wake of the FCC's 2018 decision to rescind federal network neutrality rules, several states have implemented their own network neutrality regulations, some in the form of procurement conditions on state contracts and others affirmative mandates requiring broadband Internet service providers to observe neutrality in providing service. The federal government and industry trade associations have challenged the state network neutrality laws as both preempted and unconstitutional under the "dormant Commerce Clause" doctrine.

This paper analyzes those state restrictions, as a matter of constitutional law. The Court has recently changed dormant Commerce Clause law, liberalizing those limits with regard to the Internet last year in South Dakota v. Wayfair and showing more deference to state regulation of the Internet. But state network neutrality rules present an altogether different problem than typically arises in dormant Commerce Clause cases, requiring a new approach. Much state network neutrality regulation (especially regulation of Internet traffic exchange) is problematic under traditional dormant Commerce Clause and due process analysis because it explicitly reaches outside of local states. But more fundamentally, the entire economic theory underlying network neutrality regulation makes network neutrality especially problematic under dormant Commerce Clause law. Although states are likely free to regulate many aspects of the Internet – especially after Wayfair – the peculiar nature of network neutrality regulation makes it singularly poorly suited for state regulation.


Domino-Centric Perspectives on Water Justice. This chapter takes as its starting point the call from activists and academics for water justice and for better understanding of how this can be achieved. I argue that, though important and often inspiring, such critical studies often over-focus on struggle and resistance at the expense of understanding the more common ways in which water injustices are routinized, accepted and reproduced by those who suffer from them. Water justice literature aims to understand the dimensions of injustice and inequality that underpin a perceived world water crisis, and to identify the possibility of alternative water orders. The contributions are varied, examples including: manifestos (Petrella, 2001; Santa Cruz, 2014); moves to theorize water justice and governance (Perreault, 2014); studies of struggles for the right to water (Sultana and Loftus, 2012) and of water "wars" (Graham et al., 2013; Perera, 2012); explorations of anti-privatization movements (Spronk, 2007); water relations viewed through an environmental-justice lens (Mehta et al., 2014; McDonald, 2004); analyses of gendered contestations over water access (Delgado and Zwarteveen, 2007); and examinations of embedding unjust water distributions in culture and politics (Boelens, 2014). This work is important in our understanding of the politics of water allocations and in scrutinizing policy ideas that equity and water rights can be furthered through markets or through technical and managerial processes (Joy et al., 2014). Often located in political ecology or critical geography approaches, water justice studies advocate context-specific understandings of justice, manifestations of injustice and the "always-contested" nature of water allocations (Zwarteveen and Boelens, 2014). Much of this literature focuses on explicit instances of struggle, and references to protest, opposition, resistance, mobilizations, contestation and conflict abound. Taxonomies of water conflict are offered (Rodriguez-Labajos and Martinez-Alier, 2015) and dimensions of contestation usefully anatomized (Zwarteveen and Boelens, 2014). There is a strong theme in the literature linking the defense of local water values to achieving water justice, and linking social mobilizations around water to the advance of democracy (Hoogesteger and Verzijl, 2015; Loftus, 2014; Bond and Dugard, 2008). The Santa Cruz Declaration (2014: 249) summarizes this well: "Actions and research for more justice need to be explicitly connected to and grounded in people's experiences of injustice and their strategies and struggles to contest and remedy it".


Knowledge of soil hydraulic parameters for the van Genuchten function is important to characterize soil water movement for watershed management. Accurate and rapid prediction of soil water flow in heterogeneous gravel soil has become a hot topic in recent years. However, it is difficult to precisely estimate hydraulic parameters in a heterogeneous soil with rock fragments. In this study, the HYDRUS-2D numerical model was used to evaluate hydraulic parameters for heterogeneous gravel soil that was irregularly embedded with rock fragments in a grape production base. The centrifugal method (CM), tensiometer method (TM) and inverse solution method (ISM) were compared for various parameters in the van Genuchten function. The soil core method (SCM), disc infiltration method (DIM) and inverse solution method (ISM) were also investigated for measuring saturated hydraulic conductivity. Simulation with the DIM approach revealed a problem of overestimating soil water infiltration whereas simulation with the SCM approach revealed a problem of underestimating water movement as compared to actual field observation. The ISM approach produced the best simulation result even though this approach slightly overestimated soil moisture by ignoring the impact of rock fragments. This study provides useful information on the overall evaluation of soil hydraulic parameters attained with different measurement methods for simulating soil water movement and distribution in heterogeneous gravel soil.


The first seismic stations of the Los Alamos Seismic Network (LASN) were installed in 1973, as a part of research on monitoring of nuclear testing. The extent of the network rapidly expanded by the late 1970s. By the middle 1980s, spatial coverage of the network was drastically reduced, due to a loss of funding. Since then, however, it has been possible to expand the coverage of the network with additional stations and to slowly upgrade network equipment to match contemporary instrument standards. These improvements will make it possible to keep recording the network's data and to initiate real-time exchange of data with other institutions to improve earthquake monitoring throughout New Mexico and neighboring states. During more than 40 yr of operation, the network has provided a slow but steady increase in the volume of earthquake seismograms available to study seismicity and tectonics in north-central New Mexico. The current network covers an area from the Valles Caldera on the west, to within the Rio Grande rift on the east. LASN has yielded locations for about 900 earthquakes in north-central New Mexico between 1973 and 2013 (the most recent locations available). Epicenters of these have a complex pattern, with some that can be attributed to the deformation of the rift, though most are spread in areas west of the rift. A lack of seismicity in and near the Valles Caldera reinforces an earlier observation, based on far fewer earthquakes, which first called attention to this paucity of seismicity and attributed it to ductile deformation resulting from elevated crustal temperatures.


INTRODUCTION
Communited intra-articular distal humerus fractures are commonly encountered in orthopaedic practice and they are present with unique difficulties for internal fixation. This problem is especially worse in the elderly due to osteoporotic bone.

AIM
To evaluate the intermediate term results (minimum follow up of two years) of communited intra-articular distal humerus fractures treated with bicolumnar plating with or without olecranon osteotomy in elderly Indian population.

MATERIALS AND METHODS
Sixty three consecutive patients operated with bicolumnar plating for communited intra-articular distal humerus fractures at the tertiary care centre were identified in the time period between 2009 and 2013. All patients had an age more than 60 years at the time of surgery. A minimum follow up of two years post surgery was a mandatory criteria. The Disabilities of Arm and Shoulder and Hand (DASH) score and the Mayo Elbow Performance (MEP) score calculated along with complete range of motion.

RESULTS
The mean follow-up was 38 months. All patients achieved fracture union with mean MEP and DASH scores being 85 ± 15.5 and 21.4 ± 4.9 respectively. These scores although poor were comparable to the opposite side (90 and 12.2 respectively). Also the mean supination-pronation arc and flexion-extension arc was 156 degrees and 105 degrees respectively. This is well within the functional range of elbow. The mean block to extension was at 15 degrees with a mean maximal flexion of 120 degrees.

CONCLUSION
Our study conclusively establishes that excellent functional outcome can be achieved with open reduction and internal fixation in Type C distal humerus fractures in elderly including the ones that are communited. Total elbow arthroplasty although a viable option, gives similar results to a well done internal fixation with added cost.


The disparity between the distribution and abundance of the koala (Phascolarctos cinereus) and its major food trees (Eucalyptus spp.) is examined in terms of the essential oil content of the leaves, the influence of weather, social behaviour, and the level of available nitrogenous food.

The essential oils are considered to be relatively unimportant since the koala has the ability to detoxify them.

It is proposed that the level of available nitrogenous food is the major limiting influence on the abundance of the koala. Social behaviour enables a few koalas to acquire sufficient food while the majority of the population is subject to a relative shortage of food. The weather varies the local availability of adequate nitrogenous food by its influence on leaf growth in the eucalypts.

Unusually favourable weather or inappropriate management which lead to a local increase in the availability of young growing leaves (flush growth) may result in outbreaks in koala numbers.


Estimation of warranty servicing costs during the product life cycle is of great importance to the manufacturers. Earlier research has usually assumed that the product is in continuous use and the usage intensity is the same for all buyers. This paper deals with the problem of estimating the expected warranty cost for the case where the item usage is intermittent and of heterogeneous usage intensity over the product life cycle when sales occur continuously. The failure of the item is dependent on the number of times, the duration the unit has been used and the usage intensity. Also, the product sales depend on product price and design quality. We consider repairable and nonrepairable items and obtain results for the free-replacement warranty (FRW) and Pro-rata Warranty (PRW) policy. Furthermore, the models consider the infl uences of price level, investment growth and warranty execution effects for the expected warranty costs. It also incorporates the cash fl ows of warranty reserve costs at any time intervals during the product life cycle. A numerical example is given to illustrate the application of the models.


It is recognised that the transition from school or college to university is a challenging and uncertain time for most students. One of the emerging issues is that there may be a mismatch between the expectations of students and staff in terms of what the university will provide in a number of different areas (academic guidance, personal support, monitoring and feedback) versus what is the students responsibility. An evaluation of the expectations of the programme from both the staff and student perspective would enable us to clarify the situation and allow us to address any disparity.

Teaching staff and first and third year vet students at the University of Glasgow School of Veterinary Medicine were asked to complete the "Managing Expectations" questionnaire (adapted from Ingrid Moses, University of Technology, Sydney, Australia; Research supervision @ Oxford). Participants were asked to indicate the relative responsibility (student or Vet School) for 14 pairs of statements relating to transition into and through the programme. Completion of the questionnaire was anonymous and voluntary.

The questionnaire will be presented along with the results obtained; the data illustrates aspects where student and staff expectations are concordant (curriculum flexibility, attendance monitoring, mentoring and support) and areas where expectations are disparate (feedback, opportunities to practice clinical and animal handling skills). The implications of our findings will be discussed. This data will help us manage expectations of future cohorts of students and to implement improved support mechanisms during the transition from school/college to university and onwards through the programme.


It has been said that a week is a long time in politics. But in human disease gene mapping, 10 years can seem a very short time indeed. It once seemed so simple: find a family with a number of affected individuals and narrow down regions of the genome shared by affected individuals but not their unaffected siblings. This process (family linkage analysis) was lengthy but had notable success with some diseases, including hereditary breast cancers caused by the BRCA1 and BRCA2 genes. Yet, many diseases known to have a genetic component (because they tend to run in families or siblings show a high concordance) do not follow a simple Mendelian pattern of inheritance and cannot be dissected in this way. Instead, researchers tried an "association" approach, starting with a large number of unrelated individuals, to find gene variants, or alleles, that are more common in affected than in unaffected controls. For such a strategy to work, the diseases must be influenced by variants that are quite common in the populations.

Some readers might recall the heated debates about the common disease, common variant (CD-CV) hypothesis. Using arguments based on population genetics (such as the rate of creation and purging of deleterious alleles, the genetic bottleneck in the human population and subsequent population expansion) [1], the CD-CV hypothesis proposed that in common diseases with a genetic component, some predisposing alleles are relatively common and a combination of alleles or environmental effects was required before disease occurred, much like being dealt a bad hand from a common deck of cards. Under this hypothesis, disease-associated alleles might be found by using common gene variants, such as single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs), as a guide and comparing affected individuals with controls. Others cast doubt on this idea and suggested that common diseases are unlikely to be caused by common alleles and more likely to be caused by rarer ones; they too deployed arguments based on population genetics and suggested that association studies using common genetic variants might not be successful [2],[3]. As with all scientific debates, there seemed only one way out: collect the data and see. Well, 10 years and several millions of dollars later we have a lot of data, but are we any the wiser? Do we understand the allelic spectrum of disease any better than we did 10 years ago?

There have now been over 700 genome-wide association studies (GWAS) published linking many variants to over a hundred diseases [4]. Many of these results are robust in that they can be replicated in several populations, leaving little doubt that common variants can contribute to common diseases. The problem is that the effect of these variants on disease is often rather modest, so that people with the disease-predisposing alleles are only slightly more likely to get the disease than those without. Larger and larger studies reveal more disease genes, usually with smaller and smaller effect on overall disease risk. The "missing heritability" problem then arises because, even in aggregate, these loci typically fall somewhat short of explaining the entire genetic component of disease risk. So where are the genes accounting for major predisposition to disease? One possible explanation is that GWAS do not directly reveal the disease-causative DNA variant, but rather a common DNA variant (usually an SNP) that is close enough to be genetically linked to it (almost always inherited together) and common enough to be on the genotyping microarrays. This has spurred more effort (and more expense) to find rarer and rarer SNPs by sequencing more genomes and make even larger arrays in the hope that the new SNPs may be in even closer linkage with the causative allele. Alternatively, it's possible that the disease-predisposing variants are not SNPs at all, but other changes in the genome, such as a duplicated or deleted gene or region—a so-called copy number variant (CNV)—or a result of epigenetic marks in the chromatin; neither of these would show up using the current generation of microarrays that look just at SNPs.

A paper published recently in PLoS Biology [5] from the lab of David Goldstein put the cat amongst the CD-CV pigeons by suggesting that rather than common diseases being caused by common alleles, maybe rare alleles each with a large effect on disease might be creating "synthetic associations" in the GWAS signal by occurring, by chance, more often with one common allele than another. The paper used statistical reasoning to suggest that such synthetic associations are possible—but are they likely? Given how much time and money has been invested in surveying SNPs and attempting to match them up to diseases, the relative importance of such synthetic associations would have important implications on the direction of future research. The paper got a lot of publicity, even making the New York Times [6].

Now, some might say that no one likes the implication that they have been barking up the wrong scientific tree, still less perhaps that such a critique garnered a lot of publicity. But the issue is best settled by discussion—and data—which is why in this issue of PLoS Biology we publish two critiques of the original article [7],[8] together with a response from the original authors [9]. The critiques argue that although rare variants could in theory create synthetic associations, this is not a likely explanation for the missing heritability. Perhaps with further advances in ever cheaper sequencing technologies and the ability to sequence whole genomes from affected individuals we will, before the next 10 years are up, finally have a better understanding of the missing pieces of the genetic causes of common disease.


In this paper, we study the problem of minimizing the area power consumption in wireless cellular networks. We focus on the downlink of a single-tier network, in which the locations of base stations (BSs) are distributed according to a homogeneous Poisson point process (PPP). Assuming that a mobile user is connected to its strongest candidate BS, we derive bounds on the optimal transmit power in order to guarantee a certain minimum coverage and data rate. Under the same quality of service constraints, we find the optimal network density that minimizes the area power density. Our results show that the existence of an optimal BS density for minimizing the power consumption depends on the value of the pathloss exponent.


Localist networks represent information in a very simple and straightforward way. However, localist modelling of complex behaviours ultimately entails the use of intricate "hand-designed" connectionist structures. It is, in fact, mainly these two aspects of localist network models that I believe have turned many researchers off them (perhaps wrongly so).


Since a gas sampling system can be referred to as a "cash register" it is very important that the correct sampling method be selected and the appropriate industry standard be followed. Methods reviewed by this paper will include spot sampling, composite sampling, and on-line chromatography. In addition, Gas Processors Association (GPA) 2166-86 and American Petroleum Institute (API) 14.1 will be described.


The study investigated whether family functioning can predict the self-concept and self-esteem of normally achieving (NA) and at risk for learning disabilities (LD) students in Oman regardless of parent education level and gender status. A total of 259 elementary school students were selected from schools in the main districts of Muscat, the capital and largest city in Oman. The participants included 259 students referred for learning disabilities (78) and normally achieving students (181). Self-Report Measure of Family Functioning–Child Revised, Beck Self-Concept Inventory for Youth (BSCI-Y), and Rosenberg Self-Esteem Scale were administered to the participants. In addition, demographic data on parents' education levels (PEL) and gender were collected. The study specifically investigated whether family functioning dimensions of communication, cohesion, conflict, and social/recreational orientation can predict the self-concept and self-esteem of children regardless of PEL and gender status. Multiple hierarchical regressions showed that family functioning was a strong contributory factor of self-concept for both children with and without LD although the two groups differed in terms of the significant family functioning predictors. Family functioning was a weak contributory factor of self-e esteem in children with and without LD and the two groups varied in terms of the significant family functioning variables. The differences between the two groups are discussed from cultural and ecological perspectives.


A FIRST-HAND ACCOUNT OF THE STRUGGLE FOR POWER IN TODAY'S MIDDLE EAST God Has Ninety-Nine Names is a gripping, authoritative account of the epic battle between modernity and militant Islam that is is reshaping the Middle East. Judith Miller, a reporter who has covered the Middle east for twenty years, takes us inside the militant Islamic movements in ten countries: Egypt, Saudi Arabia, Sudan, Algeria, Libya, Lebanon, Syria, Jordan, Isreal and Iran. She shows that just as there is no unified Arab world, so there is no single Islam: The movements are as different as the countries in which they are rooted. Vivid and comprehensive, Miller's first-and report reveals the meaning of the tumultuous events that will continue to affect the prospects for Arab-Isreali peace and the potential for terrorism worlwide.


In the absence of exogeneous stimulation, the murine macrophage cell line, P388D1, produced low but significant amounts of lymphocyte activating factor (LAF). When P388D1 cells were incubated with PHA-activated DBA/2 mouse or Hartley guinea pig T cells, LAF production was greatly enhanced. LAF activity was not detected in cultures of only PHA-activated T cells, or in cultures of T cells incubated with P388 cells, the parent nonmacrophage lymphoma from which the P388D1 cell line was obtained. P3888D1-derived LAF was also shown to be biologically distinct from the guinea pig lymphocyte mitogenic factor that, unlike LAF, is produced by PHA-activated T cells. These results, therefore, suggest that P388D1 cells are the cell source for most, if not all, the LAF produced in mixed cultures of P388D1 cells and T cells.
 The stimulatory effect of activated T cells on LAF production was dependent on cell contact, since LAF production was not enhanced when P388D1 cells and T cells were separated by a semipermeable Nuclepore membrane in a Marbrook culture vessel. T cells did not have to proliferate in order to stimulate P388D1-LAF production, but T cell viability was essential. In addition, the level of LAF activity was dependent on at least three culture variables: the time of incubation of P388D1 cells and T lymphocytes, the ratio of P388D1 cells to T lymphocytes, and the fetal calf serum concentration.
 Based on the results of these studies, it appears that P388D1 cells are an excellent source of LAF for both biologic and biochemical studies.


In this work, a mathematical modelling approach is taken to improve and optimize the designs of bioartificial liver (BAL) systems. BALs are an alternative therapy for the extremely serious condition of liver failure where liver transplant is currently the only viable option. As yet, large-scale clinical trials have not been successful enough in order for BALs to gain regulatory approval. Through the work in this report, it is envisaged that BAL design can be improved to the point where they can gain clinical acceptance One of the main issues in BAL design is the provision of adequate oxygen to the cell mass. To this end, a mathematical model to describe oxygen mass transport is developed based on the principle of Krogh cylinders. The results of this model are subsequently interpreted and presented in Operating Region charts, an image of a parameter space that corresponds to viable BAL designs. These charts allow several important design trends to be identified, e.g. numerous short and thin hollow fibres are favourable over fewer thicker, longer fibres. In addition, it is shown that a physiologically relevant cell number of more than 10% of the native liver cell mass can be supported in these devices under the right conditions. Subsequently the concept of the Operating Region is expanded to include zonation, a metabolic phenomenon where local oxygen tension is a primary modulator of liver cell function. It is found that zonation profiles can be well controlled and under standard conditions a plasma flow rate of 185 ml/min to the BAL would distribute the three metabolic zones evenly. Finally, the principles of the Operating Region charts and zonation are applied to three existing commercial BAL designs; the HepaMate, BLSS and ELAD systems. In each case it could be seen that the default designs of each system did not present ideal environments for liver cells. Through consideration of zonation profiles, each device design and operating parameters could be optimized to produce in vivo-like environments. In the case of the ELAD, reducing the plasma flow rate from 500 to 90 ml/min resulted in a balanced zonation profile. Overall, the work in this report has developed and detailed a series of tools that will assist a BAL designer in making judicious choices over bioreactor design and operating parameters. As a result, it is hoped that BALs can take a step forward towards clinical practice and ultimately saving lives.


Diffusion, or the widespread adoption of innovations, is a critical yet under-researched topic. There is a wide gap between development and successful adoption of an innovation. Therefore, a better understanding of why and how an innovation is adopted can help develop realistic management and business plans. Most books on this topic use a single-discipline approach to explain the diffusion of innovations. This book adopts a multi-disciplinary and managerial process approach to understanding and promoting the adoption of innovations, based on the latest research and practice. It will be of interest to graduates and researchers in marketing, product development and innovation courses.


Virtually all consumer products in the developed world are produced in supply chain factories abroad. Media exposis periodically reveal the deplorable working conditions in factories that produce products for world-renowned brands. Public institutions, however, tend to be too weak to enforce local labor laws in the prime jurisdictions for supply chain manufacturing, and the recent efforts of private regulators to maintain labor standards throughout the chains have failed. This Note argues that supply chain labor compliance ought to be mandatory, not aspirational. Several examples of innovative public-private partnerships have delivered on the promise of supply chain labor maintenance. In order to scale-up those successful programs, both public and private actors must orchestrate a transnational enforcement mechanism. Each downstream actor, in its own specialized capacity, must influence actors upstream to enforce


Governing the Air looks at the regulation of air pollution not as a static procedure of enactment and agreement but as a dynamic process that reflects the shifting interrelationships of science, policy, and citizens. Taking transboundary air pollution in Europe as its empirical focus, the book not only assesses the particular regulation strategies that have evolved to govern European air, but also offers theoretical insights into dynamics of social order, political negotiation, and scientific practices. These dynamics are of pivotal concern today, in light of emerging international governance problems related to climate change. The contributors, all prominent social scientists specializing in international environmental governance, review earlier findings, analyze the current situation, and discuss future directions for both empirical and theoretical work. The chapters discuss the institutional dimensions of international efforts to combat air pollution, examining the effectiveness of CLRTAP (Convention for Long-Range Transboundary Air Pollution) and the political complexity of the European Union; offer a broad overview and detailed case studies of the roles of science, expertise, and learning; and examine the "missing link" in air pollution policies: citizen involvement. Changing political conditions, evolving scientific knowledge, and the need for citizen engagement offer significant challenges for air pollution policy making. By focusing on process rather than product, learning rather than knowledge, and strategies rather than interests, this book gives a nuanced view of how air pollution is made governable.


Vascular stability and tone are maintained by contractile smooth muscle cells (VSMCs). However, injury-induced growth factors stimulate a contractile-synthetic phenotypic switch which promotes atherosclerosis and susceptibility to abdominal aortic aneurysm (AAA). As a regulator of embryonic VSMC differentiation, we hypothesised that Thymosin β4 (Tβ4) may additionally function to maintain healthy vasculature and protect against disease throughout postnatal life. This was supported by identification of an interaction with Low density lipoprotein receptor related protein 1 (LRP1), an endocytic regulator of PDGF-BB signalling and VSMC proliferation. LRP1 variants have been identified by GWAS as major risk loci for AAA and coronary artery disease. Tβ4-null mice display aortic VSMC and elastin defects, phenocopying LRP1 mutants and suggesting compromised vascular integrity. We confirmed predisposition to disease in models of atherosclerosis and AAA. Diseased vessels and plaques were characterised by accelerated contractile-synthetic VSMC switching and augmented PDGFRβ signalling. In vitro, enhanced sensitivity to PDGF-BB, upon loss of Tβ4, coincided with dysregulated endocytosis, leading to increased recycling of LRP1-PDGFRβ and reduced lysosomal targeting. Our study identifies Tβ4 as a key regulator of LRP1 for maintaining vascular health, providing insight which may reveal useful therapeutic targets for modulation of VSMC phenotypic switching and disease progression.


Droplet jumping phenomenon widely exists in the fields of self-cleaning, anti-frosting and heat transfer enhancement. Numerous studies have been reported on the static droplet jumping while the rolling droplet jumping still remains unnoticed although it is very common in practice. Here, we used the volume of fluid (VOF) method to simulate the droplet jumping induced by coalescence of a rolling droplet and a stationary one with corresponding experiments conducted to validate the correctness of the simulation model. The departure velocity of the jumping droplet was mainly concerned here. The results show that when the center velocity of the rolling droplet (V0 =ωR, where ω is the angular velocity of the rolling droplet and R is the droplet radius) is fixed, the vertical departure velocity satisfies a power law which can be expressed as Vz, depar = aRb. When the droplet radius is fixed, the vertical departure velocity first decreases, and then increases if the center velocity exceeds a critical value. Interestingly, the critical center velocity is demonstrated to be approximately 0.76 times of the capillary-inertial velocity, corresponding to a constant Weber number of 0.58. Different from the vertical departure velocity, the horizontal departure velocity is basically proportional to the center velocity of the rolling droplet. These results deepen the understanding of the droplet jumping physics, which shall further promote related applications in engineering fields.


Objective: The objectives of this study were to evaluate a nurse-led Comprehensive Child Development Service aimed at reducing depression and increasing satisfaction with care among a group of high-risk pregnant women. Background: Many studies have indicated that mental health problems, substance abuse, teenage pregnancy and poor social support for single mothers are associated with poor outcomes in fetal and child development. Pre-term delivery and low birth weight can be found in mothers engaging in substance abuse. The nurse-led Comprehensive Child Development Service includes an early identification and referral system for families in need that is geared towards providing better care and ensuring better health outcomes and positive life courses for children and families. Methods: A single group pre-test post-test design was used and participants – 74 pregnant women who presented with symptoms of low mood, had separated from their partners or had a history of illicit drug use – were recruited from an outpatient clinic in Hong Kong. Depression and satisfaction were measured by the Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale and a self-developed questionnaire respectively. Results: Participants reported a significant reduction in depression and a high level of satisfaction with the service. Conclusion: The study demonstrates that the Comprehensive Child Development Service has a positive impact on pregnant women.


How to transfer your organization's most important knowledge--before it walks out the door When highly skilled subject matter experts, engineers, and managers leave their organizations, they take with them years of hard-earned, experience-based knowledge--much of it undocumented and irreplaceable. Organizations can thereby lose a good part of their competitive advantage. The tsunami of "boomer" retirements has created the most visible, urgent need to transfer such knowledge to the next generation. But there is also an ongoing torrent of acquisitions, layoffs, and successions--not to mention commonplace promotions and transfers--all of which involve the loss of essential expertise. Dorothy Leonard and Walter Swap first addressed this acute loss of knowledge in their groundbreaking book Deep Smarts (2005). Since then, managers have repeatedly asked them for practical, proven techniques that will help transfer those deep smarts--the organization's critical, experience-based knowledge--before it's too late. Now, with coauthor Gavin Barton, the authors share a comprehensive approach to doing just that. Based on original research, numerous interviews with top managers, and a wide range of corporate examples, Critical Knowledge Transfer provides a variety of practical options for identifying your firm's deep smarts and transferring that intelligence from experts to successors. Critical Knowledge Transfer will enable managers to: * Determine the seriousness of their knowledge loss * Identify the deep smarts essential to their business * Utilize proven techniques for transferring knowledge when its loss is imminent * Identify and implement long-term transfer program apprenticeships * Set up individual learning plans for successors * Assess the success of their knowledge transfer initiatives This book is essential reading for anyone managing talent in today's volatile environment.


This thesis considers two main subjects divided in four problems in the broad field of mathematical finance. The first chapter treats option pricing followed by three chapters on the application of the machine learning algorithm of Random Forests to finance, specifically to risk capital aggregation, portfolio optimization and macro stress testing. In all four chapters new methodologies to treat the respective subjects are developed. All proposed models are benchmarked against commonly applied methods in the respective fields and found to outperform their peers.


Global preparedness minimizes the risk to food supplies To satisfy a growing demand for food, global agricultural production must increase by 70% by 2050. However, pests and crop diseases put global food supplies at risk. Worldwide, yield losses caused by pests and diseases are estimated to average 21.5% in wheat, 30.0% in rice, 22.6% in maize, 17.2% in potato, and 21.4% in soybean (1); these crops account for half of the global human calorie intake (2). Climate change and global trade drive the distribution, host range, and impact of plant diseases (3), many of which can spread or reemerge after having been under control (4). Though many national and regional plant protection organizations (NPPOs and RPPOs) work to monitor and contain crop disease outbreaks, many countries, particularly low-income countries (LICs), do not efficiently exchange information, delaying coordinated responses to prevent disease establishment and spread. To improve responses to unexpected crop disease spread, we propose a Global Surveillance System (GSS) that will extend and adapt established biosecurity practices and networking facilities into LICs, enabling countries and regions to quickly respond to emerging disease outbreaks to stabilize food supplies, enhancing global food protection.


We introduce a novel approach that reconstructs 3D urban scenes in the form of levels of detail (LODs). Starting from raw datasets such as surface meshes generated by multiview stereo systems, our algorithm proceeds in three main steps: classification, abstraction, and reconstruction. From geometric attributes and a set of semantic rules combined with a Markov random field, we classify the scene into four meaningful classes. The abstraction step detects and regularizes planar structures on buildings, fits icons on trees, roofs, and facades, and performs filtering and simplification for LOD generation. The abstracted data are then provided as input to the reconstruction step which generates watertight buildings through a min-cut formulation on a set of 3D arrangements. Our experiments on complex buildings and large-scale urban scenes show that our approach generates meaningful LODs while being robust and scalable. By combining semantic segmentation and abstraction, it also outperforms general mesh approximation approaches at preserving urban structures.


The existence of a novel kind of soliton in dissipative systems with competing, noninstantaneous nonlinearities has been predicted and experimentally verified. These subcritically bifurcating solitons exist near a supercritical continuous wave bifurcation. We show that their peculiarities originate from different saturation behavior of nonlinear loss and gain with regard to power and energy. Branches of stable and unstable solitary waves have been identified. For the first time to our best knowledge, we have experimentally proved critical slowing down of solitons.


We accept uncritically the "recidivist premium," which is the notion that habitual offenders are particularly blameworthy and should be punished harshly. In this article, I question that assumption and propose a radical alternative. Consider the individual punished repeatedly for hopping subway turnstiles. As convictions accumulate, sentences rise—to weeks and ultimately months in jail. At some point, criminality comes to signal something other than the need for punishment. It signals the presence of need. Perhaps, the recidivist was compelled by economic or social circumstances. Perhaps, he was internally compulsive or cognitively impaired. The precise problem matters less than the fact that there was one. No rational actor of freewill would continue to recidivate in the face of such substantial and increasing sentences. My claim is that, in these circumstances, it would be better to just stop punishing.

To that end, I offer a counterintuitive proposal, which is to provide "crime licenses" to recidivists. But I limit this prescription model to only a collection of quality-of-life offenses, like drug possession, vagrancy, and prostitution. My goals are at once narrow and broad. I present the crime license as a modest opportunity to test bolder concepts like legalization, prison abolition, and defunding police. I situate the provocative proposal within a school of social action called "radical pragmatism," which teaches that radical structural change is achievable, incrementally. I draw upon successful prescription-based, radical-pragmatic reforms, like international addiction-maintenance clinics, where habitual drug users receive free heroin in safe settings. I endorse "harm reduction," the governance philosophy that grounds those reforms. And I imagine our system reoriented around harm reduction, with crime licenses as one pragmatic, experimental step in that direction.


Assessment and feedback are two important components of learning and teaching and areas of concern for the UK HE sector, which is increasingly driven by external factors including the NSS and the Teaching Excellence Framework. HE institutions (HEIs) have been particularly concerned with the efficiency, accessibility and transparency of the assessment process. Online assessment is seen as one solution to these challenges. HEIs are adopting technologies for online submission, marking and feedback in aiming to reduce administrative costs and make this process time effective and transparent (Bausili, 2018). It is therefore unsurprising that institutions are supporting the standardisation of online assessment - with policies featuring anonymous marking, moderation, online submissions, grading time and the use of rubrics (Newland et al., 2013). However, this standardisation has been suggested to negatively impact students' perception of feedback. Winstone et al. (2017) identified barriers that inhibit the use of online feedback by students, ranging from difficulties with decoding terminologies, to their unwillingness to expend effort on reading feedback. She argues for less standardisation and more student agency in feedback to mitigate these barriers and allow more dialog and ownership. Zimbardi et al. (2017) found that when online tools are designed with the purpose of creating agency in the feedback, students do engage with it and perform better. However, one can argue that online tools are designed to support standardisation and not to enhance dialog and agency. This research examines these issues through involving users to better establish their requirements.
The project comprises of a review of the literature and current technical provision of assessment and feedback in VLEs; and participatory design workshops.
The workshops focus on collecting data from two HEIs in the UK using 'Sandpits' with students and lecturers. These look to clarify the role of VLEs in assessment and feedback, through understanding students' perceptions of feedback and how they are being addressed and understanding teachers' perceptions of the constraints they face. We are exploring what is available, looking to improve interface designs and features, and present these to VLE product designers.
The ALT-C audience is one sensitive to the issues raised in using technologies to increase the efficiency, accessibility and transparency of assessment and may offer an additional perspective. In this workshop participants will experience a lightning review of the research to date and asked to participate in 'sandpits' where they will be able to critique and redesign a two scenarios ('Agency in feedback' and 'Analytics and transparency in feedback') aligned to the theme 1 'students' data and learning analytics'.
'Sandpits' is the method being used to collect data. A 'Sandpit' is a type of creative design-thinking focus group where participants are stimulated by a narrative of a scenario around the use of a product, object or artefact and are encouraged to critique, discuss and re-design it (Frohlich, Lim and Ahmed, 2014; Casanova and Mitchell, 2017)

In closing we will reflect on participants' redesigns and how these complement current work and add perspective to recommendations that will be made to VLE providers.


In this work we focus on improving the efficiency and generalisation of learned navigation strategies when transferred from its training environment to previously unseen ones. We present an extension of the residual reinforcement learning framework from the robotic manipulation literature and adapt it to the vast and unstructured environments that mobile robots can operate in. The concept is based on learning a residual control effect to add to a typical sub-optimal classical controller in order to close the performance gap, whilst guiding the exploration process during training for improved data efficiency. We exploit this tight coupling and propose a novel deployment strategy, switching Residual Reactive Navigation (sRRN), which yields efficient trajectories whilst probabilistically switching to a classical controller in cases of high policy uncertainty. Our approach achieves improved performance over end-to-end alternatives and can be incorporated as part of a complete navigation stack for cluttered indoor navigation tasks in the real world. The code and training environment for this project is made publicly available at https://sites.google.com/view/srrn/home.


This article approaches the well-publicized Joel Tenenbaum copyright case through an analysis of its highly-charged trial rhetoric. In particular, it argues that the case as tried was not really about Joel Tenenbaum or his actions. Rather, the trial was about whether, and to what extent, peer-to-peer ("P2P�?) file sharing is "theft,�? and the P2P sharer a "thief.�? So approached, the case provides a captivating, perhaps unique, academic case study on the power of theft rhetoric in a copyright trial as advanced before a jury. It first introduces the Tenenbaum litigation generally, and its place in the recording companies' broad attack on P2P file-sharing. Next, it shows how the rhetoric of theft pervaded the trial to such a degree that the file-sharing-as-theft metaphor itself became the central figure in the drama. By closing arguments, the parties were effectively asking the jury to decide not whether Tenenbaum was liable for copyright infringement, which was not even in dispute, but whether Tenenbaum's infringement amounted to copyright theft. Then, working off of the framework for defining "theft�? of intellectual property developed by Prof. Stuart Green in his recent theoretical treatise on theft law, 13 Ways to Steal a Bicycle, the article asks expressly the question implicit in the Tenenbaum case. Namely, did plaintiffs succeed in showing that Tenenbaum "stole�? the copyright in the thirty songs at issue? It finds that while the plaintiffs shaped their arguments in such a way as to justify the conclusion that P2P file-sharers, working in the aggregate, could effectively steal a copyright, they failed to make such a case as against Tenenbaum individually. The article then observes that whatever theoretical flaws there might be in the theft narrative and Tenenbaum outcome, the trial provides confirmation that the industry's long campaign to promote the file-sharer-as-thief metaphor gained traction with the public. It at least primed the jury for the rhetoric advanced in the case. As between the two narratives on trial — theft and not-theft — the former best explains the jury's verdict. Nevertheless, in the final analysis, the plaintiffs "won�? little of value in the Tenenbaum case. It was ultimately a symbolic litigation that never should have happened in the first place.


Beginning 2007 the Teaching and Learning of Technical subjects in English (TLTSE) was introduced in stages in a number of Institutes of Higher Education (IHE) including Community Colleges. Since its introduction into IHE, no in-depth study has been conducted to evaluate its effectiveness. Therefore, this study investigated the extent of the implementation of TLTSE in a community college located in a district in Kuala Terengganu. The study also investigated the lecturers' and students' perceptions of the policy as well as the challenges they faced in implementing TLTSE. This study adopted a descriptive correlation design that employed both qualitative and quantitative approaches. The instrumentation involved the use of 2 sets of questionnaires and 2 sets of semi-structured interviews. The data collection involved a sample of 42 technical lecturers and 94 final semester students studying at Kolej Komuniti Kuala Terengganu (KKKT). Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 10 randomly selected lecturers and 10 randomly selected students. The findings of the study revealed that both lecturers and students realised the importance of English in their fields of study as it was the way forward. Nevertheless both parties viewed the policy negatively and this left the implementation of TLTSE much to be desired. The study also indicated that gender, teaching experience and academic qualifications were all significant contributing factors to lecturers' perceptions and attitudes towards the TLTSE policy. Besides that the challenges that the lecturers faced included their limited language proficiency, lack of motivation and recognition from the college authority, time constraints and inappropriate staff development programmes. Lecturers also revealed that the student factors such as their limited proficiency, lack of interest and their low academic achievement were also challenges they faced in making the policy a reality. On the other hand students cited their limited language proficiency, difficulty in comprehending English, interest in the language as well as their limited academic achievement as challenges they faced in the implementation of the policy. All these findings reveal that a number of mechanisms need to be put in place before the full implementation of the policy can be realised.


This article discusses the introduction of lecture capture technology on a large undergraduate module with diverse student cohorts. The literature has, so far, relied on surveying students to discover their use of the technology or attempted to quantify the impact of watching lecture recordings on assessment performance. Alternatively, the principal contribution of this article is an evaluation of the use of the recorded lectures using a revealed preference approach. Specifically, we identify to what extent students watched lecture recordings, rather than simply claimed to watch them, when asked to provide comments on the technology. Data indicate the number of distinct students who watched recordings, the frequency with which they watched recordings, the average length of viewings as well as the time of the day when lectures were viewed. We monitored viewings over two academic years, identifying 'spikes' in the number of viewings in the days before tests, as well as regularities in the viewing patterns across the 2 years. We analyse the data to assess the extent to which students used the recordings, how and when they watched the recordings. We conclude that the students value lecture recordings, making more extensive use of the recordings than has been identified in the literature, to date. Ultimately, lecture recordings are suggested to offer valuable support for students' independent study.


The present measurements have been carried out to study the energy dependence of saturation thickness of multiply scattered gamma photons from zinc targets of various thicknesses. An inverse response matrix approach has been implemented to convert the observed pulse-height distribution of a NaI (Tl) scintillation detector to a photon spectrum and hence to improve the statistical error. These results in extractions of intensity distribution of multiply scattered events originating from interactions of 662 keV photon with thick target of zinc material. The observed pulse-height distributions are a composite of singly and multiply scattered events. To evaluate the contribution of multiply scattered events only, the spectrum of singly scattered events contributing to inelastic Compton peak has been reconstructed analytically. The scattered photons have been detected by a properly shielded NaI (Tl) gamma ray detector placed at different angle to the incident beam. The saturation thickness at which the number of multiply scattered events saturates has been measured. The signal-to-noise ratio and multiple scatter fractions have been found to be decreasing with increasing target thickness. The self-absorption correction factor improves the multiply scattered photon intensity but not the saturation thickness. The same experiment has been repeated with HPGe detector at 90° scattering angle. The results obtained with NaI (Tl) and HPGe detector show the same trend. The experimental results have been found to support the Monte Carlo calculations.


We study Higgs couplings in the composite Higgs model based on the coset SO(5)/SO(4). We show that the couplings to gluons and photons are insensitive to the elementary-composite mixings and thus not affected by light fermionic resonances. Moreover, at leading order in the mixings the Higgs couplings to tops and gluons, when normalized to the Standard Model (SM), are equal. These properties are shown to be direct consequences of the Goldstone symmetry, of the partial compositeness structure and of the assumption of CP invariance. In particular, they are independent of the details of the elementary-composite couplings, and they are also insensitive to derivative interactions of the Higgs with the composite resonances. We support our conclusions with an explicit construction where the SM fermions are embedded in the 14-dimensional representation of SO(5).


Water availability is the main criterion considered in the fixation of a
planting schedule. As water plays a central role in crop establishment, and
that water availability is dependent on rainfall pattern and irrigation system
characteristics, the recommendation of a cropping schedule largely revolves
around long term rainfall pattern.
In the KETARA Irrigation Scheme, the irrigation water supply is tapped
directly from the Sungai Besut river system at Besut Barrage. The town water
supply is also dependent on the same water source, which lends competition
to the irrigation authority in the use of water. The KET ARA authority has experienced irrigation water shortages in
the scheme. To fix a cropping schedule to capitalize on direct rainfall within
the irrigation command area will help to relieve the water deficient situation.
In the process of recommending the best cropping schedule based on
long term rainfall pattern, analysis is also carried out to ascertain the status of
irrigation performance in the KETARA Irrigation Scheme.
It is found that the overall irrigation efficiency of the KETARA Irrigation
Scheme during the main season 1995/96 and off-season 1996 was 38.1%.
Available stream flow in the Sungai Besut River System was not to be able to
meet the peak water supply requirement of the scheme during the presaturation
period during the off-season 1996. Contribution of direct rainfall
towards total seasonal irrigation supply was in the region of 27% to 33%.


There are many situations in which alternatives ranked by quality wish to be chosen and compete for the imperfect attention of a chooser by selecting their own salience. The chooser may be "tricked" into choosing more salient but inferior alternatives. We investigate when competitive forces ensure instead that "the showiest is the best", that is, when the best alternative is maximally salient (and the one that gets picked most often) in equilibrium. We prove that the structure of externalities in the technology of salience is key. Broadly speaking, positive externalities favour correlation between quality and salience.


The object of this research was to determine the effect of General Allocation Fund, Specific Allocation Fund, and Local Governance Revenue on Central Java Province. The research method used is causal method which determine the effect of the independent variables with the dependent variable. Data analysis method used in this study is multiple regression analysis and testing ofclassical assumptions. Specific target of this study aims to determine the performance of local governments in tapping the potential revenue for the general welfare of the community through direct expenditure. The results are from hypotheses proposed in this study, there are two hypotheses are significant impact, and one is not significant impact General Allocation Fund, and Local Governance Revenue positive and significant impact on Direct Expenditure. The Specific Allocation Fund had no significant impact. Specific target of this study aims to investigate the performance of local governments and improve the financial performance of the local Governance.


The tendency to focus on television as a national medium has led to a relative neglect not only of the transnational flows of television across national borders, but also of the place of the regional and the local in histories of television. This section brings together four short articles by different authors all addressing the history of regional and local television within a range of national contexts in order to stimulate discussion and research into the place of the regional in transnational television history. Benoı̂t Lafon examines the centralizing tendencies of the development of regional television in France, Edgar Lersch explores how German television was initially developed as a federal system, Juan Francisco Gutiérrez Lozano examines the uneven development of regional television in Spain, and Sarita Malik looks at the ways in which national broadcasters and, more recently, transnational channels, have attempted to address diasporic communities. Together these articles demonstrate the important role of the regional in the construction of a range of different national contexts, while also pointing to the instability and variety of the 'regional' within and across these contexts.


Biomechanics testing of the lumbar spine, using cadaveric specimens, has the advantage of using actual tissue, but has several disadvantages including variability between specimens and difficultly acquiring measures such as disc pressure, bone strain, and facet joint contact pressure. A simulation model addresses all of these disadvantages. The objective of this work is to develop a method to simulate the biomechanics of the lumbar spine. A process is currently being used to convert a CT scan of a lumbar spine into a simulation model. The process includes converting the CT scan to a geometry file, creating a mesh of the bone and soft tissue, and assigning material properties to each element of the bone based on the bone density. Finally, the model is solved using Abaqus Explicit. Optimization techniques are used to tune uncertain material properties to match the kinematics of the simulation model to actual cadaveric test results. In addition, techniques have been explored to greatly reduce the computational time for the model. The soft tissue, discs, and ligaments were replaced with simplified mechanical constrains (ball-in-socket joints and non-linear, 3 dimensional torsional springs) and the vertebrae are rigid. This technique can be used for all or a portion of the spine.Further efforts are being pursued to simplify the workflow from CT scan to simulation model. This model can be used to simulate the performance of implants including total disc replacement and fusion techniques such as interbody spacers with rods and pedicle screws.


Based on an analysis of women's oral histories, this article examines the problem of articulating motherhood. Despite the fact that motherhood is a primary identity, self-reflections on being mothers are circumscribed for several reasons. First, the omnipresent and ethereal nature of the mother identity makes it difficult to capture in words. Moreover, everyday routines are taken for granted and less visible unless they become problematic. Finally, activities in the public sphere are perceived as more significant and worth discussing than those performed in the private sphere. In sum, when using oral histories to document the lives of marginalized populations, it is important to consider how the subordinate position influences the content and form of the narrative.


In biological data, it is often the case that observed data are available only for a subset of samples. When a kernel matrix is derived from such data, we have to leave the entries for unavailable samples as missing. In this paper, the missing entries are completed by exploiting an auxiliary kernel matrix derived from another information source. The parametric model of kernel matrices is created as a set of spectral variants of the auxiliary kernel matrix, and the missing entries are estimated by fitting this model to the existing entries. For model fitting, we adopt the em algorithm (distinguished from the EM algorithm of Dempster et al., 1977) based on the information geometry of positive definite matrices. We will report promising results on bacteria clustering experiments using two marker sequences: 16S and gyrB.


Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to establish a model for adopting social networked learning in higher institutions of learning in developing countries of Africa. Design/methodology/approach – Mixed methods research methodology involving survey and interviews was adopted in the collection of data for building the model. The model was theoretically underpinned by the Technology Acceptance Model and the social constructivist learning theory, and was built and validated using structural equation modelling and Delphi techniques respectively. Findings – Adoption of social networked learning in developing countries of Africa requires self efficacy, reliable technical and administrative support, infrastructure, system interactivity, adequate budgeting and accountability, and a flexible organisational culture. Practical implications – The model provides a framework for integrating social software tools with the traditional learning systems of developing countries of Africa. This has a positive outcome of providing social constructivist information and communication technology (ICT) supported learning at low or no cost. Social implications – The model has the potential to encourage formation of communities of practice to encourage development of social learning and a student-centered pedagogy. Originality/value – The novelty of this research lies in the extension of the traditional technology acceptance models with constructs for proper budgeting and accountability and organisational culture. Time and other resources need to be devoted to developing social networked learning and the model takes this into account.


The Ecclesiastical History of the English People (731 AD) is Bede's most famous work. As well as providing the authoritative Colgrave translation of the Ecclesiastical History, this edition includes a new translation of the Greater Chronicle, in which Bede examines the Roman Empire and contemporary Europe. His Letter to Egbert gives his final reflections on the English Church just before his death, and all three texts here are further illuminated by a detailed introduction and explanatory notes. ABOUT THE SERIES: For over 100 years Oxford World's Classics has made available the widest range of literature from around the globe. Each affordable volume reflects Oxford's commitment to scholarship, providing the most accurate text plus a wealth of other valuable features, including expert introductions by leading authorities, helpful notes to clarify the text, up-to-date bibliographies for further study, and much more.


Intravascular papillary endothelial hyperplasia (IPEH) or Masson's tumour is a benign vascular proliferation that mimics other malignant vascular tumour. To date, this is the fourth case of Masson's tumour at urethra being reported in the literature. A 65-year-old female Para 2, presented with post-menopausal bleeding. Examination revealed a 4x3x3 cm growth surrounding the urethral meatus. She underwent examination under anaesthesia and excision of the periurethral mass. Histopathological examination confirmed Masson's tumour. Diagnosis and management of this uncommon tumour at a rare location was discussed.


Boujagh National Park, with water ecosystems including Boujagh and Kiashahr wetlands, has an area of approximately 3477.3 hectares. In order to study factors affecting the vegetation in aquatic and wet habitats, 44 releves were implemented in the region. To test the chemical properties of the available water, samples were collected from 22 releves. The results of a two-way species indicator analysis of the modified TWINSPAN suggested that four groups of plants were present in the region. The first group being floating, immersed and submerged and the third and fourth groups being mostly helophytic. The second group of plants grows in areas with sand and mud. The results of comparative DCA analysis of water factors (PH, Depth, P, N, Cl, CO3, Hco3, EC, Na, K) showed a significant correlation between the factors and plant groups and the most important factors influencing the distribution and separation of plants was found to be water depth. In addition, Boujagh and Kiashahr wetlands vegetation map, based on the plant groups, was also prepared.


The trial-to-trial response variability of nearby cortical neurons is correlated. These correlations may strongly influence population coding performance. Numerous studies have shown that correlations can be dynamically modified by attention, adaptation, learning, and potent stimulus drive. However, the mechanisms that influence correlation strength remain poorly understood. Here we test whether correlations are influenced by presenting stimuli outside the classical receptive field (RF) of visual neurons, where they recruit a normalization signal termed surround suppression. We recorded simultaneously the activity of dozens of cells using microelectrode arrays implanted in the superficial layers of V1 in anesthetized, paralyzed macaque monkeys. We presented annular stimuli that encircled—but did not impinge upon—the RFs of the recorded cells. We found that these "extra-classical" stimuli reduced correlations in the absence of stimulation of the RF, closely resembling the decorrelating effects of stimulating the RFs directly. Our results suggest that normalization signals may be an important mechanism for modulating correlations.


Global competition and rapid changes in technology demand more innovation in organizations. Such an increase in innovation depends on developing the capabilities of employees and providing them with knowledge management support that acceler‐ ates learning and discovery. Leading companies have been creating work environments that emphasize learning and knowledge management since the turn of the century. This chapter presents profiles of practices in five such companies and draws conclusions that result in a model that ties human resource development (HRD) practices to knowledge management practices as a guide for other organizations.


A reflective optics system is described that will uniformly heat or transfer momentum to a spherical target. Six laser beams or three split beams are incident along three mutually perpendicular axes. The beams are reflected from cones with a 45° half-angle onto an aspheric reflector wing shaped to impart uniform heat or momentum to the target. A sample calculation shows that, for a target sphere with 1.5 index of refraction, 93% of the energy incident on the target is transmitted into the target. For smaller indices, a greater fraction of the incident energy is imparted to the target. The design provides completely uniform transmitted light as well as nearly orthogonal distribution of light over the target and is relatively insensitive to alignment errors.


The isolated DC-DC converters are completely separated between the input and the output terminals. However, the non-isolated DC-DC converters would share a common ground between the input and the output terminals. The isolated DC-DC converters can be used as a positive grounding or negative grounding. Furthermore, isolated converters have found wide application recently due to their advantage over non-isolated converters. In addition, electrical isolation of input and output ground connections is for safety. The voltage and current stress on switches can be minimized using transformers. Moreover, the first winding can be used to put in energy into the inductor; as a result, the inductor that could gradually increase the energy from the inductor to the load cannot be available for the other coil. The two significant topologies of the isolated DC-DC converters are flyback converter and catch-winding forward converter. Therefore, the main goal is to analyze and investigate the impact of change in switching frequency, duty ratio, load and the input voltage for every topology and to find the critical points for every topology by comparing the results with every figure done through this work [1].


The broaden hypothesis, part of Fredrickson's (1998, 2001) broaden-and-build theory, proposes that positive emotions lead to broadened cognitive states. Here, we present evidence that cognitive broadening can be produced by frequent facial expressions of positive emotion. Additionally, we present a novel method of using facial electromyography (EMG) to discriminate between Duchenne (genuine) and non-Duchenne (non-genuine) smiles. Across experiments, Duchenne smiles occurred more frequently during positive emotion inductions than neutral or negative inductions. Across experiments, Duchenne smiles correlated with self-reports of specific positive emotions. In Experiment 1, high frequencies of Duchenne smiles predicted increased attentional breadth on a global–local visual processing task. In Experiment 2, high frequencies of Duchenne smiles predicted increased attentional flexibility on a covert attentional orienting task. These data underscore the value of using multiple methods to measure emotional experience in studies of emotion and cognition.


Mona Hatoum's video installation Corps étranger is an example of an artwork that critically comments on particular aspects of contemporary visual culture, such as the colonization of the body's interior by medical image technologies. It has indeed been interpreted in those terms by several authors from within the new academic field of Visual Culture. Here it is argued that the critical cultural impact of the installation might be more fully described when one grants art a relative autonomy within the cultural field and, moreover, draws on concepts from more traditional academic disciplines and approaches, such as aesthetics and phenomenology. Art is a cultural practice that is deeply involved in contemporary life and its hierarchies and differences, but that, nevertheless, can be critical by generating new experiences. I would like to describe this relative autonomy with the help of the concepts of play and of aesthetic reflexivity.


3C-SiC shows encouraging physical properties for the development of low cost high power compatible silicon based technology. The fundamental capability of grown 3C-SiC on silicon substrates leads to the possibility of a full integration of Si based process technologies. This is the driving force for the efforts for development a high quality heteroepitaxial film. The fundamental issue is the reduction of defects and stress due to the lattice mismatch between the 3C-SiC epilayer and the Silicon substrate. In this paper we show a way to reduce macroscopic structural features and to enhance the material quality and the surface quality by simply using a process based on a multilayer (ML) buffer structure with n++ and n doping alternation. This process leads to an evident improvement of both surface roughness, morphology and crystal quality.


IPTV as an integral part of triple play service offers is regarded as a major differentiation factor by incumbent telecommunication operators. However, as more operators provide these services, differentiation is fading. Analysts agree that the key to differentiation are value added services which in the long term require business collaborations of incumbents and 3rd party Service Providers. Additional value is added by integrating existing and well known Internet services into those service portfolios. In this paper, we present how Identity Management technology can simplify the setup of these collaborations and enhance the user experience by secure, anonymous and seamless service usage, e.g. by providing Single Sign On and pseudonyms. We furthermore detail an architecture that combines IPTV based on the IP-Multimedia Subsystem with Identity Management to offer consumers a comfortable, privacy aware access to value added services. Especially in the context of IPTV, these are important attributes to reach a high and sustainable user acceptance.


The substantial features, which influence the granting design as new, must be connected with the essence of design – the appearance of product or its part. As substantial features can be granted features, that influence the shaping of doubtless different appearance of product or its part. They all must be obligatory for shaping the new appearance of product or its part. As inessential details can be granted details that do not influence the new appearance of product or its part and details that are not obligatory and do not express the essence. It is not obligatory to identify the concrete persons that are acquainted with the design available for public. It is suggested to replace the concept of "specialist of certain sphere" to concept of "layer of specialists of certain sphere" or at least to have in mind such meaning by applying Law on designs. It is suggested to emphasize the knowing and to refuse the deceptive consideration of usage in the 8 article 2 part 1 point of Law on Designs. The problems influenced by the change of local novelty criteria to the world wide novelty criteria are solved with help of principle lex retro non agit. The requirement of novelty which is valid at the moment of assessing the novelty should be applied. The condition of individual feature is based on the outside impression of design. But it should be stressed that designs that differ in substantial features should leave for the informed consumer the different impression usually.


The optimal design of international institutions to confront 21st century global challenges is an increasingly urgent question in areas ranging from climate change to health and security. A central issue is whether international institutions will maintain the state-centric models of governance they have inherited or expand opportunities for participation by civil society and other stakeholders. Global environmental institutions, which pioneered broadened participation, are increasingly returning to state-centric models of governance, but a new generation of global health institutions is reimagining participation, incorporating civil society representatives as direct participants in decision-making. This article explains the growing divergence between environmental and health institutions as a product of: (1) stakeholder demand for participation, (2) institutional characteristics that influence the supply of participation, and (3) path dependence. Our findings indicate that participatory institutions rarely emerge without strong civil society demand, and are more likely to emerge outside of 20th century institutions such as the United Nations and World Bank. Normatively, evidence from the new global health institutions suggests that direct civil society participation enhances institutional legitimacy, deliberation and effectiveness. Wider adoption of the new participatory model could strengthen the global response to climate change and other pressing challenges.


Lung cancer is a most common malignancy in both men and women. Studies have indicated that YAP gene was closely related to chemo-resistance of cancers. However, whether YAPS expression participates in the resistance of human lung cancer A549 cells to Taxol (TAX) remains unclear. The aim of this study is to investigate the role of YAP in the resistance of A549 cells to TAX. The sensitivity of cells to TAX was firstly confirmed by MTT assay. The expression levels of YAP in A549 cells and A549/TAX cells were examined by QRT-PCR and Western blot. Small interference RNAs (siRNAs) were used to knock down the gene expression of YAP in A549/TAX cells. Then the cell viability and apoptosis were assessed following treatment with taxol using MTT assay and flow cytometry. The levels of drug resistance related genes, MDR1, MRP1 and BCRP, were examined in YAP-siRNA A549/TAX cells. Furthermore, Western blot analysis was utilized to determine ERK pathway following YAP knockdown. The results demonstrated that the expression of YAP was significantly increased in A549/TAX cells. YAP gene knockdown significantly decreased the IC50 value of A549/TAX cells to TAX and increased taxolinduced apoptosis in the A549/TAX cells. The expression of MDR1, MRP1 and BCRP significantly decreased, and YAP knockdown markedly decreased the activation of ERK pathway. In conclusion, YAP knockdown could reverse the resistance of A549/TAX cells to taxol, thus it may act as a candidate for therapeutic target of lung cancer.


At an ungraded, democratically structured school, we documented 196 naturally occurring interaction sequences between adolescents (ages 12–19) and children (ages 4–11) who were at least four years younger than the adolescent. Children and adolescents appeared to be drawn together by common interests and play styles, personal attraction, and complementary desires to nurture and be nurtured. Further analyses identified apparent contributions of such interactions to both parties' physical, intellectual, and social/moral education. Adolescents led children to act within the latter's zones of proximal development (Vygotsky's term), and children stimulated adolescents to make implicit knowledge explicit, be creative, and practice nurturance and leadership.