In Present scenario Internal Combustion Engines [ICE] is overcome by Electric Vehicles [EV] due to advantages like reduction in carbon-di-oxide [CO2] emission, cost. Advancement in electric vehicles are extensively going on and one such concept is Battery management system [BMS]in Battery Electric vehicle. In Battery Electric Vehicle there are many types of batteries and from the literature survey Lithium Ion Battery can be concluded to be suitable as it is advantageous in weight, cost, energy density and many aspects. Battery may be overcharged or it may undergo faults. Hence a reliable management system is required to control the Electric vehicle [EV]. In this paper two battery charge estimation models namely, open circuit voltage and Kalman filter has been considered. From the simulation results obtained it is found that data retrieval is difficult in open circuit voltage method can be achieved using Kalman filter and found out to be satisfactory. Keywords— Battery management system, Open Circuit Voltage, Kalman filter, State of Charge.


This work presents 4 design artefacts as an annotated portfolio, exploring how to design for tangible, non-screen jewelry devices which enable personal and interpersonal connections. We posit that these connections are key in furthering people's relationship with technology, beyond the basic functionality and efficiency of many so-called smart products today. To explore these connections, we have chosen to design jewelry devices as most traditionally crafted jewelry does not usually serve a particular functional purpose beyond emotional engagement, such as a wedding ring, an heirloom or a photo locket. As wearables become more ubiquitous, we look to traditional craft to inform future designs and ask the question of which combination of technology and traditional craft can enable these connections and more meaningful experiences via our devices. We explore related works in interaction design where traditional craft and technology has been combined and create an annotated portfolio of our designs as an attempt to exemplify qualities which are not typically tacit in the design of smart products. Through reflection of each of the artefacts, the following four annotations are derived: 1) Desire as a driver of jewelry devices; 2) Engagement beyond useful functionality; 3) The current day novelty and importance of an app-less device and; 4) Using links to achieve deeper connections: people to people, a person to their sense of self, and a person to time (past, present or future). This work contributes as a key insight, that in a time where 'smart products' are emerging in every domain, interaction designers can utilize traditional craft and the connections described in this work to influence and contribute to the thoughtful and thorough design of these future devices, helping create a future where technology enables richer interpersonal relationships


We present results from a study about the expression of gratitude in children and adolescents. Four hundred and thirty children, aged 7 to 14 years old (58% female), answered the questions: "What is your greatest wish?" and "What would you do for the person who granted you this wish?" The responses to the second question were content-analyzed and coded into four types of gratitude: verbal, concrete, connective and finalistic. Subsequently we conducted a quantitative analysis regarding age by each type of response. The results show a decline in the frequency of concrete gratitude and an increase in connective gratitude as respondents' age increases. The results - discussed with reference to the current literature - suggest questions for new research.


In this study, a method of moment has been used to determine the induced electric field
and specific absorption rate (SAR) distribution inside the human head due to far field
electromagnetic wave radiation. Homogeneous and three layered spherical models were
used to simulate a head of a two year old child at 900 MHz and 1800 MHz. In the
models, the antenna was placed at 30 cm away fiom the head. The head was represented
by 680 cells, suitable when using PC with Pentium IV processor and 512 MB DDR
RAM memory. The method of moments (MOM) was employed to calculate the induced
electric field which in turn can obtain the absorbed power, P,,; localized SAR, SAR;
and averaged SAR, SAR, . The results of the calculated SAR were presented for the far
field case. For both homogeneous and three layered models, the value of SAR were
found higher at fkquency of 1800 MHz than 900 MHz. At both fiequencies, the three layered models have shown lower values of SAR. The results have shown the maximum
absorbed power, localized SAR and averaged SAR are found in a homogeneous model
at 1800 MHz, followed by three layered model at 1800 MHz, homogeneous model at
900 MHz and three layered model at 900 MHz. The averaged SAR for all models were
in range 0.003 Wkg to 0.005 Wkg, which were still far behind the safety limit 0.08
Wkg averaged over 1 g of tissue. It was found that the behaviour of the localized SAR
distribution were not uniform inside the head. It might be due to multiple reflection and
absorption in the head. Besides, the incident electric field calculated in many angles
might also contribute to the non-uniformity.


A review of:

McLoughlin, Carla, and Anne Morris. "UK Public Libraries: Roles in Adult Literacy Provision." Journal of Librarianship and Information Science 36.1 (March 2004): 37-46.

Objective – To examine the role of public libraries in the provision of adult literacy services, with a detailed look at both the successes and concerns of the libraries under study; to provide recommendations for best practice in establishing or reviewing adult literacy services.

Design – A series of case studies using written reports and semi-structured interviews.

Setting – Eight public libraries in the UK involved in literacy service provision or reader development services.

Subjects – Eight senior staff members in charge of library literacy programming.

Method – A written report of literacy service initiatives was solicited from each participating library. A single interview was conducted with a staff member in charge of literacy service at each of the eight participating libraries. Fact-checking telephone interviews were conducted at three locations where adult literacy programs were in early stages. More in-depth, face-to-face interviews were conducted at the five libraries with better established programs. Each type of interview consisted of a set of scripted questions supplemented by individualized questions based on the written reports.

Main results – There are four key areas of results to be summarized from this study:
 Adult Literacy Collections – The authors observed three main approaches to branding literacy collections:

? Emphasis on reading for pleasure (with collections entitled 'Quick Reads' or 'First Choice');

? Emphasis on reading for skills development;

? Discreet labelling enabling stock recognition without advertising that the reader is borrowing literacy materials.

The authors conclude that the 'Quick Reads' approach was the most successful in highlighting the collection without stigmatizing it and in promoting the pleasure of reading. The importance of maintaining relevant, attractive books was highlighted, with collections targeting both entry level readers and emergent readers. Approaches for Supporting Adult Literacy – The libraries used reader development extensively as a strategy to support adult literacy efforts. Staff tied literacy offerings to other programs or services of interest (for example, promoting adult literacy services alongside audio-visual collections and Internet access). Adult learners were also targeted for library tours, reading groups, and assistance with book selection for the literacy collection. Some of the libraries hired new staff from outside the library profession, choosing candidates with prior experience in basic skills development or community work.

 Methods of Attracting Adults with Poor Literacy -- Partnership was identified as a key strategy for the libraries studied. Partnerships were formed with numerous agencies, including the probationary service, a community centre (where the library's 'reader in residence' was installed), a college, and a Peugeot factory. Networking with other literacy service providers and coalitions was also an important strategy, particularly as a way to increase the library's profile as a literacy service provider. Perhaps the simplest strategy for attracting adults with poor literacy was to identify areas of the library districts where literacy skills were lowest and then to target literacy service to those regions.

 Sustainability and Mainstreaming -- Early planning for sustainability was crucial. Incorporating funding for literacy staffing and collections into the core budget and annual library plan was also an important step. While some libraries hired new staff, and one library staffed the literacy project with volunteers, using existing staff for adult literacy work proved to be more efficient and sustainable. Instilling a sense of ownership in the project for both staff and users of the literacy services by involving them in the development and promotion of literacy service and collections was another strategy employed to ensure longevity of the service.
Conclusions – The most successful form of library literacy service provision was found to be the reader development approach (promoting reading for enjoyment and building reading activities around existing interests). The libraries studied showed an understanding of the wide range of reading levels and interests among adult learners. Potential barriers for libraries in the provision of adult literacy service "include restrictive funding criteria, limited staff capacity, and a bidding culture that remains unsympathetic to public library circumstances" (44). The authors make five recommendations for best practices in adult literacy service provision:
 Eclectic adult literacy collections: Collections should be fresh and appealing and should incorporate engaging non-fiction.

 Standardized criteria for adult literacy stock: Standardized criteria should be developed by a basic skills agency, preferably at a national level.

 Equality for adult readers: Approach adult readers as people who read for enjoyment or who are 'getting back to reading', rather than as those needing to 'improve' their reading.

 Maximum access: Ensure a diverse and well-stocked collection of books that is easy for adult learners to locate.

 Community profiling: Optimize service delivery by profiling your community's literacy levels.


In the natural environment, minerals are often associated with coexisting microorganisms. These interactions have profound impacts on the fate of a wide variety of contaminants. However, little information is available on the sorption of hydrophobic organic compounds (HOC), such as polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons and chlorinated benzenes, onto the composites of minerals with bacteria, and knowledge of the influence of combined bacteria on HOC sorption to minerals is limited. In our study, sorption isotherms of phenanthrene (Phen) and 1,2,3-trichlorobenzene (TCB) onto Bacillus subtilis, minerals (kaolinite, montmorillonite, and goethite), and mineral-B. subtilis composites were studied to determine the role of B. subtilis in sorption. For pure mineral systems, the order of Phen and TCB sorption affinity was montmorillonite > kaolinite > goethite. For mineral-B. subtilis composites, the trend was montmorillonite > goethite > kaolinite, consistent with that of their ability to combine with bacteria. The coating of B. subtilis with minerals enhanced the sorption due to the strong sorption of Phen and TCB onto B. subtilis cells and the increase of total organic carbon of minerals. With increasing B. subtilis concentration, sorption of Phen and TCB on pure B. subtilis cells decreased, but sorption on kaolinite surface increased. Sodium azide can greatly reduce sorption capacity but increases sorption linearity for B. subtilis and mineral-B. subtilis composites. Compared with TCB, Phen had higher sorption affinity due to its high hydrophobicity. Our results may be useful for understanding the role of bacteria in regulating the distribution and transport of HOCs in the environment.


The practice of co-instructing in North American outdoor adventure education programs, although ubiquitous, has received minimal research attention. Instead, leadership and instruction are discussed primarily as individual practices and as a matter of enacting institutionally prescribed skills, judgments, and responsibilities. Likewise, instructors' lived experiences are infrequently represented in outdoor adventure education literature, perhaps stemming from an emphasis on "ideal" leadership qualities and roles in the research and training literature. The qualitative study reported in this article attended to the experiences of program co-instructors as well as the phenomenon of co-instruction. Phenomenological analysis revealed co-instructing among these participants as essentially a negotiated relationship constituted by themes of living work , the dilemma of the super-instructor , sizing up , and relational resolutions , through which staff interpreted both professional and personal meaning. Implications for practice and future research are discussed.


Objective: To compare mean homeostatic model assessment of insulin resistance (HOMA-IR) in patients with and without chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). Methods: A Case control analytic study was conducted in medical outpatient department of Medial Unit-II of Dow University of Health Sciences from April 2013 to September 2013. All patients with the diagnosis of COPD were included as cases. Controls were age match healthy individuals with minor illnesses. Age, weight, height and forced expiratory volume in one second to forced vital capacity (FEV1/FVC) ratio were documented. Fasting blood glucose and fasting insulin levels were done. Body mass index (BMI) and IR was calculated using the formulas. HOMA-IR was compared between cases and controls. Results: Forty COPD patients were compared with thirty five age match controls. HOMA-IR was found to be higher in cases as compared to controls (2.85 v/s 2.00) with a p value <0.000. Conclusion: COPD is one of the chronic debilitating diseases in our region with various extra-pulmonary complications. We found IR to be present higher in COPD patients compared with healthy controls. Evaluating the pulmonary function as well as systemic metabolic parameters, may contribute to minimizing mortality and morbidity.


Lakes are important components of our landscape and along with networks of rivers and streams provide a range of important ecosystem services and natural capital. Estimates of lake numbers, particularly small lakes, have generally been under-represented historically as they did not appear on most printed maps. Accurate calculation of lake numbers is necessary in determining realistic estimates of their collective contribution to provisioning, regulating, supporting and cultural ecosystem services. A summary of the available lake data is vital to help shape research efforts to determine catchment and lake system contributions to biogeochemical processes, for example, carbon burial, pollution, filtration, and biodiversity. This is particularly important in the context of global climate change. In light of the most recent global inventory of lakes and an increasing recognition of aquatic ecosystem services, this paper summarises the publicly available spatial data on the lake population for the island of Ireland. A range of datasets of variable spatial resolution exists for the Irish ecoregion, which suggest varying lake populations of 360, 908 and 976 lakes greater than 0.1 km2 surface area. Moreover, the most detailed dataset includes 12,205 lakes greater than 0.00001 km2 in the Republic of Ireland (RoI). Additional complexities exist with access to lake data for Northern Ireland (NI). This creates confusion in efforts to valorise lake natural capital for the Irish ecoregion. This summary of the Irish lake population provides context for the selection of lakes for future study and highlights the variable nature of the spatial data.


First published in 1968, The Buildings of Detroit: A History by W. Hawkins Ferry is the definitive resource on the architecture of Detroit and its adjacent communities, from pioneering times to the end of the twentieth century. Ferry based his impressive volume on thirteen years of meticulous research, interviews with many prominent architects, and hundreds of photos commissioned specifically for the book. Ferry revised The Buildings of Detroit in 1980, adding the Renaissance Center and other modern works, and this re-released version presents the revised edition adding only a new foreword by John Gallagher. spans from the early 1700s, when the city was a fur-trading post in the wilderness, to its more contemporary position as the capital of the automotive industry and a major industrial city. Along the way, Ferry offers glimpses of the log cabins of early explorers and soldiers, the Victorian mansions of lumber barons, and the Grosse Pointe and Bloomfield Hills residences of motor magnates. He traces the development of new building techniques that gave rise to the American skyscraper and the modern factory. Ferry details all of downtown's landmark buildings, including many that are no longer standing, and visits fascinating neighborhood structures like movie theatres, hotels, shopping centres, and apartment buildings. In each chapter, readers will meet the visionary architects and clients whose foresight and initiative helped shape the fabric of one of America's great cities. The Buildings of Detroit also includes a selected chronology, maps, references, notes, an extensive index, and 475 illustrations. Previously out of print and difficult to find, this re-released classic will be treasured by Detroit history buffs and architectural historians.


In the summer of 2003 the temperatures reached were responsible for a large number of deaths in Europe. A year after this fact, many countries had implemented some sort of plan of prevention against excessive temperatures. Plans that had already shown its ability to prevent a large proportion of avoidable mortality in other latitudes. Since then, a lot of papers have been published providing new data on health effects of a heat wave, which can help increase the efficiency of these prevention plans. Knowing the weather conditions at risk, defining "heat wave" or to take into account the time that the plan should be active from the study of the relationship between temperature and their effects on health, to identify weather patterns that modulate the relationship between temperature and mortality, locate the profile of people at risk or to develop protocols for action as accurately as possible and based on scientific knowledge are elements drawn from studies carried on in recent years that should be taken into account.


It is commonly assumed that in a smart city there will be thousands of mostly mobile/wireless smart devices (e.g. sensors, smart-phones, etc.) that will continuously generate big amounts of data. Data will have to be collected and processed in order to extract knowledge out of it, to feed users' and smart city applications. A typical approach to process such big amounts of data is to i) gather all the collected data on the cloud through wireless pervasive networks, and ii) perform data analysis operations exploiting machine learning techniques. However, according to many studies, this centralised cloud-based approach may not be sustainable from a networking point of view. The joint effect of data-intensive users' multimedia applications and smart cities monitoring and control applications may result in severe network congestions making applications hardly usable. To cope with this problem, in this paper we propose a distributed machine learning approach that does not require to move data in a centralised cloud platform, but processes it directly where it is collected. Specifically, we exploit Hypothesis Transfer Learning (HTL) to build a distributed machine learning framework. In our framework we train a series of partial models, each ''residing'' in a location where a subset of the dataset is generated. We then refine the partial models by exchanging them between locations, thus obtaining a unique complete model. Using an activity classification task on a reference dataset as a concrete example, we show that the classification accuracy of the HTL model is comparable with that of a model built out of the complete dataset, but the cost in term of network overhead is dramatically reduced. We then perform a sensitiveness analysis to characterise how the overhead depends on key parameters. It is also worth noticing that the HTL approach is suitable for applications dealing with privacy sensitive data, as data can stay where they are generated, and do not need to be transferred to third parties, i.e., to a cloud provider, to extract knowledge out of it.


This essay is aimed to introduce the development status of the new media art in China; the author gave its definition based on his own understanding and observation, which included various forms. Moreover, the developing environment of the new media art in the world is presented systematically in the essay. The author combed the art history and technology history which are closely connected with the birth of the new media art. China has achieved many accomplishments in new media art forms, such as the successful hosting of 2008 World Olympic Games and 2010 World expo. In the opening ceremony of 2008 World Olympic Games, interactive art, installation art and virtual space are in perfect use. Especially, "scroll" has combined all the above technological methods into display, which brought about stunning sensory impact to the audiences. After two years, Shanghai was the focus of the world, 242 countries and international organizations that have attended 2010 Shanghai World expo. The new media art forms are bloomed and flourished, China pavilion's Qingming Riverside was endowed with new vitality via these new art media forms.


We build a Zeeman slower with consecutive coils and use it to load an Yb magneto-optical trap (MOTs). Cooling efficiency is measured by the fluorescence intensity of the atomic cloud trapped by the MOT. An optimized magnetic field profile can acquire the maximum cooling efficiency, corresponding to a good compromise between the smaller magnetic field mismatch and the high capture velocity. Our studies provide useful information on how the performance of the Zeeman slower can be improved.


Caloric restriction slows aging and extends the life-span of various organisms. In the yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae, this extension of life-span is mediated through activation of the sirtuin-family deacetylase Sir2 in what may represent a stress response. Sirtuin activity has also been implicated in Caenorhabditis elegans longevity, and the related human enzyme, SIRT1, which deacetylates the tumor suppressor p53, promotes cell survival (see Finkel). Howitz et al. screened small molecule libraries for compounds that affected sirtuin function and discovered that several plant polyphenols stimulated SIRT1 activity in an in vitro fluorescent deacetylation assay. Resveratrol, which is found in red wine and may be implicated in various health benefits associated with moderate wine drinking, was the most potent of these sirtuin-activating compounds (STACs). Low concentrations of resveratrol stimulated yeast Sir2, and resveratrol and other STACs prolonged yeast replicative life-span. The effects of resveratrol on life-span were dependent on Sir2, and, in the presence of resveratrol, glucose deprivation produced no further life-span extension. Low concentrations of resveratrol extended the survival of human embryonic kidney cells (HEK 293 cells) exposed to ionizing radiation and decreased p53 acetylation in irradiated HEK 293 and osteosarcoma cells. (The concentration dependence of resveratrol's effects was complex, and high concentrations of resveratrol increased p53 acetylation in the osteosarcoma cells.) The authors proposed a model in which plants under stress synthesize polyphenols in order to regulate sirtuin-mediated responses, and animals and fungi are able to respond to these plant stress metabolites. K. T. Howitz, K. J. Bitterman, H. Y. Cohen, D. W. Lamming, S. Lavu, J. G. Wood, R. E. Zipkin, P. Chung, A. Kisielewski, L.-L. Zhang, B. Scherer, D. A. Sinclair, Small molecule activators of sirtuins extend Saccharomyces cerevisiae lifespan. Nature 425, 191-196 (2003). [Online Journal] T. Finkel, A toast to long life. Nature 425, 132-133 (2003). [Online Journal]


When interpreting data as a graph for visualization, an analyst first assigns semantic meaning to graph concepts. For example, they may choose to represent actors and movies as nodes, and roles as edges. Alternatively, they may wish to represent movies as edges, connecting actor nodes when they collaborate. Data abstraction choices such as these are critical, because different data abstractions can limit—or inspire—different analysis questions, approaches, perspectives, and visualizations [2, 5]. However, current network modeling frameworks, systems, and databases narrowly define graph abstraction constructs—such as nodes, edges, node / edge classes, supernodes, hyperedges, etc.—in terms of how the data is stored in memory or on disk, rather than semantic, human-driven abstractions. Consequently, the ability of an analyst to iterate on a data abstraction becomes fundamentally limited by the implementation details of data wrangling software. We present work-in-progress toward a broader framework for modeling network data that is less dependent on its underlying structure and storage. Our goal is to use semantic data abstraction constructs to inform how algorithms wrangle data, instead of allowing algorithmic concerns to define and constrain the semantics. We also present mure.js, a software library that represents an initial implementation of this framework, allowing users to map semantic graph constructs to arbitrary data structures as metadata, that can, in turn, be used to select, navigate, and reshape the underlying data. Additionally, we discuss an early software prototype of a visual graph wrangling system based on this library.


Security issues related to fake passports etc., used in various situations like air travel etc., protecting the identity of a person is an essential task. To prevent someone's identity from being misused, they need to be protected by one of the most reliable sources of the user authentication process. This paper proposes an approach for achieving security using a novel technique for personal authentication to protect them from intruders. Here, the biometric feature used for authentication is the retinal vessel tree. The structure of the retinal vessels is unique for each individual, it is very difficult to tamper with and it remains same throughout the life time of a human being. Using these natural characteristics of human retina, this paper shows a way of extraction and calculation of one of the most crucial features of retina, i.e., bifurcation angle to prepare an e-passport which would be able to identify each person in this world uniquely. In this way the chances of theft of the passport will be reduced at the lowest level of the system. The performance of the proposed approach is evaluated using the experimental observation. Among many retinal features, the distinct bifurcation points have been generated and the angles are calculated of the same bifurcation point. The simplicity and efficiency of the proposed method makes it readily to be applied alone or incorporated with other existing security methods.


The peptide hormone gastrin is known to play a role in differentiation, growth and apoptosis of cells in the gastric mucosa. In this study we demonstrate that gastrin induces Nuclear Receptor 4A2 (NR4A2) expression in the adenocarcinoma cell lines AR42J and AGS-GR, which both possess the gastrin/CCK2 receptor. In vivo, NR4A2 is strongly expressed in the gastrin responsive neuroendocrine ECL cells in normal mucosa, whereas gastric adenocarcinoma tissue reveals a more diffuse and variable expression in tumor cells. We show that NR4A2 is a primary early transient gastrin induced gene in adenocarcinoma cell lines, and that NR4A2 expression is negatively regulated by inducible cAMP early repressor (ICER) and zinc finger protein 36, C3H1 type-like 1 (Zfp36l1), suggesting that these gastrin regulated proteins exert a negative feedback control of NR4A2 activated responses. FRAP analyses indicate that gastrin also modifies the nucleus-cytosol shuttling of NR4A2, with more NR4A2 localized to cytoplasm upon gastrin treatment. Knock-down experiments with siRNA targeting NR4A2 increase migration of gastrin treated adenocarcinoma AGS-GR cells, while ectopically expressed NR4A2 increases apoptosis and hampers gastrin induced invasion, indicating a tumor suppressor function of NR4A2. Collectively, our results uncover a role of NR4A2 in gastric adenocarcinoma cells, and suggest that both the level and the localization of NR4A2 protein are of importance regarding the cellular responses of these cells.


Some people feel threatened by the thought that life might have arisen by chance. What is it about "chance" that some people find so threatening? If life originated by chance, this suggests that life was unintended and that it was not inevitable. It is ironic that people care about whether life in general was intended, but may not have ever wondered whether their own existence was intended by their parents. If it does not matter to us whether one's own existence was intended, as will be hypothesized, then why should it matter whether there was some remote intent behind the creation of the first unicellular organism(s) billions of years ago? I will discuss three possible scenarios by which life might have originated. I will then argue that, in regard to whether one's individual life can be meaningful, it does not matter whether life was intended or arose by chance. If complex life was unintended and is rare in this universe, this is not a reason to disparage life, but a reason to appreciate and value our existence.


Purpose of review The hypolipidemic and antiobesogenic effects of tea intake have been associated with bioactive compounds that regulate peroxisome proliferator-activated receptors (PPARs). This review describes the recent research on two of these compounds, (−)-epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG) and linalool. Recent findings Catechins (specifically EGCG) are key bioactive compounds found in tea, and a recent study has shown that linalool may also be an active tea compound. These compounds act on lipid metabolism by regulating PPAR subtypes. EGCG inhibits the key adipogenic transcription factor PPAR&ggr; while activating PPAR&agr;, whereas linalool is a PPAR&agr; agonist activating hepatic fatty acid uptake and subsequent oxidation to reduce plasma triglyceride levels. Summary The collective activities of EGCG and linalool in tea may exert hypolipidemic and antiobesogenic effects by regulating PPARs. The research summarized in this review expands our understanding of the biological and physiological mechanisms of the bioactive compounds found in tea.


The popular Unified Modeling Language (UML) is both a language and notation developed by the Object Management Group (OMG) used to design and create specifications for software systems. With the recent release of version 2.0 UML, the OMG has started the OMG-Certified UML Professional Program to provide an objective measure of UML knowledge. As a certified UML professional a developer has an important credential to present to employers and clients. Certification also benefits companies looking for skilled UML practitioners by giving them a basis for making hiring and promotion decisions.UML 2 Certification Guide is the only official study guide to passing the new UML exams. This book systematically covers all of the topics covered in the exams, and has been carefully reviewed by the OMG. The book begins by assuming only a basic knowledge of UML and then progresses far enough to allow a reader to pass both the fundamental and the intermediate level exams. Along the way the book also covers topics that are not in introductory books on UML but that are necessary to pass the exams. Tim Weilkiens is considered one of the top ten experts on UML, and both authors have extensive experience training developers to successfully take the exams. * The official certification resource* Assumes a basic knowledge of UML so that you can focus immediately on the exams* Written by two authors known for their skill as trainers, consultants, and developers* Developed systematically to enable you to master all exam topics-without exception* Covers the use of UML for applications, as required by the exams, both inside and outside of the realm of software development* Includes a practice exam, glossary, list of books, and website information


Statistical characteristics and mapping of near-surface and elevated wind resources in the Middle East Chak Man Andrew Yip Wind energy is expected to contribute to alleviating the rise in energy demand in the Middle East that is driven by population growth and industrial development. However, variability and intermittency in the wind resource present significant challenges to grid integration of wind energy systems. The first chapter addresses the issues in current wind resource assessment in the Middle East due to sparse meteorological observations with varying record lengths. The wind field with consistent space-time resolution for over three decades at three hub heights over the whole Arabian Peninsula is constructed using the Modern Era Retrospective-Analysis for Research and Applications (MERRA) dataset. The wind resource is assessed at a higher spatial resolution with metrics of temporal variations in the wind than in prior studies. Previously unrecognized locations of interest with high wind abundance and low variability and intermittency have been identified in this study and confirmed by recent on-site observations. The second chapter explores high-altitude wind resources that may provide alternative energy resources in this fossil-fuel-dependent region. This study identifies areas favorable to the deployment of airborne wind energy (AWE) systems in the Middle East and computes the optimal heights at which such systems would best operate. AWE potential is estimated using realistic AWE system specifications and assumptions about deployment scenarios and is compared with the near-surface wind generation potential concerning diurnal and seasonal variability. The results show 5 the potential utility of AWE in areas in the Middle East where the energy demand is high. The third chapter investigates the potential for wind energy to provide a continuous energy supply in the region. We characterize the wind power variability at various time-scales of power operations to illustrate its effects across the Middle East via spectral analysis and clustering. Using a high-resolution dataset obtained from Weather Forecasting and Research (WRF) model simulations, this study showcases how aggregate variability may impact operation, and informs the planning of largescale wind power integration in the Middle East in light of the scarcity of observational data.


A computer-aided learning process has been previously developed to identify unique turfgrass cultivar performance levels under specific growing conditions. However, it was not determined if this process was similar to the routine assessments made by turfgrass experts. A survey was sent to 191 turfgrass experts to determine turf cultivar recommendation consistency, to validate a set of computer developed rules of association, and to determine the environmental and management characteristics the experts considered most influential on turfgrass cultivar performance. Seventy completed surveys, mostly from respondents who had worked professionally for at least 10 yr at Land Grant universities, were returned. In the first section of the survey, experts showed a high degree of consistency in recommending Kentucky bluegrass (Poa pratensis L.) cultivars for specific settings. In the second section of the survey, there was inconsistent agreement among survey respondents and machine learning output when presented with rules associating cultivar performance and turf settings. Finally, when asked to indicate which environment or management parameters experts felt most influence performance of specific Kentucky bluegrass cultivars, survey respondents selected mowing height, nitrogen fertilization levels, and irrigation. The computer-aided learning process also identified mowing height and nitrogen fertilization levels as influencing cultivar performance. The machine learning process also selected soil pH and average monthly air temperature as influential. Thus, there was not overall agreement between survey respondents and machine learning output.


The effect of thermal dry oxidation on an off-axis (111) 3C-SiC film have been studied in order to subsequently realize a metal-oxide-semiconductor structure. A morphological characterization of the SiO2 surface, grown at 1200 °C in an O2 flux, pointed out some defect-related effects as a consequence of the preferential oxidation of stacking faults over the (111) 3C-SiC surface. Scanning electron microscopy and atomic force microscopy confirmed such a hypothesis. Stacking faults are seen as promoters of a local polarity inversion in (111) 3C-SiC, from Si- to C-terminated surface, resulting in a higher oxidation rate as compared to defect-free zones.


ABSTRACT The biocontrol agent Pythium oligandrum produces glycoprotein elicitor in the cell wall fraction, designated CWP, and induces resistance to a broad range of pathogens. To understand the mechanism of CWP-induced resistance to pathogens, gene expression at the early stage of CWP treatment in tomato roots was analyzed using a cDNA array. At 4 h after CWP treatment, 144 genes were up-regulated and 99 genes were down-regulated. In the 144 up-regulated genes, nine genes exhibited about eightfold increased expression. Analysis of the response of these nine genes to three commercial plant activators indicated that a high level of one gene, beta-cyanoalanine synthase gene (LeCAS) encoding hydrogen cyanide (HCN) detoxification enzyme, was stably induced in tomato roots by such treatment. However, expression of LeCAS was not significantly induced in tomato roots at 4 h by abiotic stresses, whereas only a very low level of induction of such expression by cold stress was observed. This LeCAS expression was also induced after exogenous treatment with a low level of 1-amino-cyclopropane-1-carboxylate as the precursor of ethylene, but not with either salicylic acid or methyl jas-monate. The induction of LeCAS expression in CWP-treated and plant activator-treated roots is likely to be caused by the detoxification of HCN during ethylene production. Transient activation of LeCAS expression caused by ethylene production in tomato roots may be a general phenomenon in fungal elicitor-induced and synthetic plant activator-induced resistance. LeCAS seems to be useful for screening possible novel plant activators for plant protection against pathogens.


This paper reviews the use of the domestic microwave oven as a rapid processing multi-task prototyping tool. The investigation includes the use of these ovens for both plasma and non-plasma treatments, for the use in materials processing. The use of non-plasma microwave ovens for the processing of organic compounds with, or with, susceptors, ultraviolet irradiation and ultrasound irradiation is reviewed. By modifying the ovens, they can be used for plasma treatments, an example being the plasma sealing of PDMS for use in the fabrication of microfluidic devices and the plasma syntheses of carbon nanomaterials. The examples outline the potential as well as the challenges of the microwave irradiation for material processing, particularly when combined with UV/Vis as well as ultrasonic treatments.


This special issue, "Chiral Optical Materials," within the inaugural publication of Optical Materials Express, presents research describing recent advances in the field. Research presented focuses on nonlinear optical properties of chiral organic molecules, optical properties of chiral liquid crystals, and chiral nanomaterials, with a link to advanced optical characterization tools.


Emil Hans Willi Hennig was a German systematist and entomologist. As a specialist in Diptera, he published a fundamental treatise on dipteran larvae and taxonomic monographs on several families. Hennig, however, is best known for his theoretical and methodological contributions to biological systematics. Indeed, he is considered the founder of phylogenetic systematics, or cladistics. Hennig articulated a method by which the evolutionary relationships of organisms (phylogeny) can be reconstructed and this reconstruction is subsequently turned into a hierarchical classification. This method contrasted with the mainstream approach to biological systematics adopted till the 1960s, but eventually succeeded to replace it, although in a modified version in respect to Hennig's original outline. Hennig's phylogenetic systematics has heavily impacted other biological disciplines, especially biogeography.

Keywords:

cladistics;
classification;
phylogeny;
species;
tree of life


The study investigates the quality of media debates on unemployment in six European countries – Germany, the United Kingdom, France, Italy, Switzerland, and Denmark. Because there exist different normative conceptions of the democratic process (e.g., liberal and deliberative theories), the quality of media debates can be measured according to different normative standards. We argue that the characteristics of a country's media system influences to which normative standards the country's media debates conform. Hypotheses about the performance of each media system with regard to a set of normative standards were derived from the typology of media systems by Hallin and Mancini (2004). We find that there exist considerable differences in the quality of the debate on unemployment between the media systems. However, we only partly succeed in predicting debate quality on the basis of this typology. Implications of the results are discussed.


Limitations in cell proliferation are important for normal function of differentiated tissues and essential for the safety of cell replacement products made from pluripotent stem cells, which have unlimited proliferative potential. To evaluate whether these limitations can be established pharmacologically, we exposed pancreatic progenitors differentiating from human pluripotent stem cells to small molecules that interfere with cell cycle progression either by inducing G1 arrest or by impairing S phase entry or S phase completion and determined growth potential, differentiation, and function of insulin-producing endocrine cells. We found that the combination of G1 arrest with a compromised ability to complete DNA replication promoted the differentiation of pancreatic progenitor cells toward insulin-producing cells and could substitute for endocrine differentiation factors. Reduced replication fork speed during differentiation improved the stability of insulin expression, and the resulting cells protected mice from diabetes without the formation of cystic growths. The proliferative potential of grafts was proportional to the reduction of replication fork speed during pancreatic differentiation. Therefore, a compromised ability to enter and complete S phase is a functionally important property of pancreatic endocrine differentiation, can be achieved by reducing replication fork speed, and is an important determinant of cell-intrinsic limitations of growth.


It's no secret: Most triathletes are weak swimmers. Too many triathletes neglect their swimming form and rely on unfocused workouts. The result is lost time on race day. "Swim Workouts for Triathletes" features 80 swim workouts with the structure, variety, and drills triathletes need to become more efficient swimmers. Each workout is designed around a specific goal - endurance, speed, form, force, muscular endurance, or anaerobic endurance - making it easy to prepare for any race and improve all-around swimming skill. Triathletes can pick and choose workouts, slotting them into their current training, or begin one of the four new swim training plans from these accomplished swim coaches. The second edition of "Swim Workouts for Triathletes" includes: waterproof, spiral-bound pages with big fonts for easy reading through goggles; the 10 best drills for improved freestyle performance; 30-minute sessions to fit a quality workout into a busy day; Open-water workouts to get ready for race day; beginner & advanced swim sets for each workout; and, 4 training plans for sprint, Olympic & half-Ironman[registered], Ironman[registered], and general fitness. Since getting her start in triathlon in 1986, Gale Bernhardt has become one of triathlon's premier coaches. She was selected to coach the men's and women's triathlon teams for both the 2004 Olympics in Athens, Greece, and the 2003 Pan American Games, and she served as a world cup coach for the International Triathlon Union development squad. Over the course of his coaching career, Nick Hansen has been at the helm of some of the nation's most prestigious swimming programs: U.S. National Team swimming coach, University of Wisconsin head coach, University of Arizona assistant coach, and masters swim coach. Nick holds a graduate degree in exercise physiology and formerly served at the University of Wisconsin Sports Medicine Clinic.


This article sketches the features required of a platform (which I refer to as 'World of Bizcraft') that supports virtual worlds dedicated to research and education on business-related topics. Key features include progressivity of content and challenges, which is a standard feature in most educational processes; certification of players' achievements, rather than the achievements of the players' characters; the ability to control participant interaction, collaboration and creation of game assets; implementation of induced value, which forms the foundation of experimental research in economics; production functions that capture the realities of real businesses; sophisticated property rights that support complex software-enforced contracts; and comprehensive systems for business reporting.


In order to make the factory of the future vision a reality, various requirements need to be met. There is a need to continuously qualify the human worker about new and changing technology trends since the human is the most flexible entity in the production system. This demands introducing novel approaches for knowledge-delivery and skill transfer. This paper introduces the design, implementation and evaluation of an advanced virtual training system, which has been developed in the EU-FP7 project VISTRA. The domain of interest is automotive manufacturing since it is one of the leading industries in adopting future factory concepts and technologies such as cyber-physical systems and internet of things. First of all, the authors motivate the topic based on the state-of-the-art concerning training systems for manual assembly and relevant technologies. Then, the main challenges and research questions are presented followed by the design and implementation of the VISTRA project including its methodologies. Furthermore, the results of experimental and technical evaluation of the system are described and discussed. In the conclusion, the authors give an outlook at the implementation and evaluation of the example application in related industries.


The Acute Effects of Whole-Body Vibration Training on Passive and Dynamic Flexibility in Gymnasts Caisa Brooks Department of Exercise Sciences, BYU Master of Science Gymnasts must attain extreme ranges of flexibility to execute performance requirements, thus effective stretching proves vital to advancement in the sport. This study examined the acute effects of whole-body vibration (WBV) on passive and dynamic flexibility in young, female gymnasts. Participants (n = 27, Junior Olympic levels 5-10) served as their own control. Measurements of passive and dynamic flexibility were obtained using the TOPS forward split testing method to examine passive flexibility and dynamic flexibility was measured via split jumps that were analyzed with video and Dartfish software. According to randomized order, all participants completed a stretching protocol either with the WBV platform turned on (VIB) or off (C) separated by 48 h. Participants performed 4 sets of three stretches on the WBV platform. An ANCOVA was performed (using height, weight, age, years of experience, and gymnastics level as covariates). Significant improvements were found in passive flexibility for both VIB and C conditions, but there was no significant difference between the two stretching conditions (p = 0.17). The maximum split jump decreased significantly from pre to post measurement in both the VIB (p < 0.0001) and C (p = 0.04) conditions. VIB decreased the split jump significantly more than C. Based on the results of our study, an acute session of static stretching or stretching with WBV immediately before performance decreases split jump performance. Therefore, this WBV protocol is not recommended immediately prior to gymnastics competition.


We calculate the total resource cost (TRC) of energy savings for 40 of the largest 1992 commercial sector DSM programs. The calculation includes the participating customer`s cost contribution to energy saving measures and all utility costs, including incentives received by customers, program administrative and overhead costs, measurement and evaluation costs, and shareholder incentives paid to the utility. All savings are based on post-program savings evaluations. We find that, on a savings-weighted basis, the programs have saved energy at a cost of 3.2 {cents}/kWh. Taken as a whole, the programs have been highly cost effective when compared to the avoided costs faced by the utilities when the programs were developed. We investigate reasons for differences in program costs and examine uncertainties in current utility practices for reporting costs and evaluating savings.


The purpose of this study was to examine the effects of 8-week core training on core endurance and running economy in college athletes. Twenty-one male college athletes were randomly divided into 2 groups: a control group (CON) (n = 10) and a core training group (CT) (n = 11). Both groups maintained their regular training, whereas CT attended 3 extra core training sessions per week for 8 weeks. The participants were assessed before and after the training program using sensory organization test (SOT), sport-specific endurance plank test (SEPT) and 4-stage treadmill incremental running test (TIRT). Compared with the pre-test, significant improvements were observed in post-test SOT (78.8 ± 4.8 vs. 85.3 ± 4.8, p = 0.012) and SEPT (193.5 ± 71.9 s vs. 241.5 ± 98.9 s, p = 0.001) performances only in CT. In the TIRT, the post-test heart rate values were lower than the pre-test values in CT in the first 3 stages. In stage 4, the post-test oxygen consumption (VO2) was lower than that in pre-test in CT (VO2: 52.4 ± 3.5 vs. 50.0 ± 2.9 ml/kg/min, p = 0.019). These results reveal that 8-week core training may improve static balance, core endurance, and running economy in college athletes.


Desktop grid uses an idle cycle of desktop PC's in Intranet and Internet environments for large-scale computation. Heterogeneity and volatility of hosts within this environment are lead to consider issues of availability of resources. Resource availability is critical for the reliability and responsiveness of services. In this paper, two prediction systems have been introduced for task execution availability of resources in the enterprise desktop grid platform. The first one is based on cellular automata and the other one according to Bayesian network. The accuracy of proposed prediction systems is evaluated via four real desktop grids. In spite of highly volatile environment, the meaningful and robust prediction results have been gained. A comparison between two prediction systems indicates that cellular automata have a better behaviour than Bayesian network. It can predict the behaviour of resources in the desktop grid with the prediction accuracy of %95.5.


Habitat loss and habitat fragmentation are major factors leading to forest biodiversity decline. This paper discusses landscape planning as strategy to improve connectivity in a landscape with a heterogeneous distribution of ecologically valuable areas across land owners. A tax-fund system is proposed, that following the principle of common but differentiated responsibility, tries to spread the burden of conservation equally across land owners while optimizing the environmental outcome. Design options of such a tax-fund system are discussed along the lines of a simple theoretical model. Financial effects of a tax-fund system are computed for a small model landscape set in Sweden. Two design questions stand out as particularly important. The first is whether the policy is intended to be self-sustained among the land owners or if the budget can be supplemented by general tax money. The second is whether the land owners or the relevant authority select the stands for conservation set-aside.


Let $F$ be a graph.  A graph $G$ is $F$-free if it does not contain $F$ as a subgraph.  The  Turan number of $F$ , written $\textrm{ex}(n,F)$, is the maximum number of edges in an $F$-free graph with $n$ vertices.  The determination of Turan numbers of bipartite graphs is a challenging and widely investigated problem.  In this paper we introduce an ordered version of the Turan problem for bipartite graphs.  Let $G$ be a graph with $V(G) = \{1, 2, \dots , n \}$ and view the vertices of $G$ as being ordered in the natural way.  A zig-zag $K_{s,t}$ , denoted $Z_{s,t}$, is a complete bipartite graph $K_{s,t}$ whose parts $A = \{n_1 < n_2 < \dots < n_s \}$ and $B = \{m_1 < m_2 < \dots < m_t \}$ satisfy the condition $n_s < m_1$.  A zig-zag $C_{2k}$ is an even cycle $C_{2k}$ whose vertices in one part precede all of those in the other part.  Write $\mathcal{Z}_{2k}$ for the family of zig-zag $2k$-cycles.  We investigate the Turan numbers $\textrm{ex}(n,Z_{s,t})$ and $\textrm{ex}(n,\mathcal{Z}_{2k})$.  In particular we show $\textrm{ex}(n, Z_{2,2}) \leq \frac{2}{3}n^{3/2} + O(n^{5/4})$.  For infinitely many $n$ we construct a $Z_{2,2}$-free $n$-vertex graph with more than $(n - \sqrt{n} - 1) + \textrm{ex} (n,K_{2,2})$ edges.


In the current study, we examined if exercise tolerance was going to be reduced in atrial fibrillation and mitral valve regurgitation patients post a minimally invasive surgery seven to eleven weeks when compared to pre-operative. Patients that participated in this study were diagnosed with atrial fibrillation or mitral valve regurgitation and were previously scheduled for minimally invasive corrective surgery. Subjects were maximally stress tested over two visits, before and after surgery. Oxygen consumption, maximal heart rate, and maximal treadmill time were measured. They also filled out a Physical Activity Scale for the Elderly (PASE) before and after surgery to determine their activity levels. A paired t-test with significance level set at P [less than or equal to] 0.05 revealed that exercise tolerance and activity levels were not found to be significantly different. Subjects in this study were found to be asymptomatic, had mild-moderate atrial fibrillation or mitral valve regurgitation, were younger than previously studied subjects and were active in their daily activities up until the day of their surgery. The principle findings of this study are: 1) patients did not have reduced exercise tolerance after surgery when compared to pre-operative, 2) when compared to age predicted data, VO[subscript]2MAX was not significantly different before or after surgery, and 3) there was no change in activity levels between pre and post surgery.


We consider tax competition in a world with tax bases exhibiting different degrees of mobility, modeled as mobile and immobile capital. An agreement among countries not to give preferential treatment to mobile capital results in an equilibrium where mobile capital is nevertheless taxed relatively lightly. In particular, one or two of the smallest countries, measured by their stocks of immobile capital, choose relatively low tax rates, thereby attracting mobile capital away from the other countries, which are the left to set revenue maximizing taxes on their immobile capital. This conclusion holds regardless of whether countries choose their tax policies sequentially or simultaneously. In contrast, unrestricted competition for mobile capital results in the preferential treatment of mobile capital by all countries, without cross-country differences in the taxation of mobile capital. Nevertheless our main result is that the non-preferential regime generates larger global tax revenue, despite the sizable revenue loss from the emergence of low-tax countries. By extending the analysis to include cross-country differences in productivities, we are able to resurrect a case for preferential regimes, but only if the productivity differences are sufficiently large.


BACKGROUND
The role of walking, as compared with vigorous exercise, in the prevention of cardiovascular disease remains controversial. Data for women who are members of minority racial or ethnic groups are particularly sparse.

METHODS
We prospectively examined the total physical-activity score, walking, vigorous exercise, and hours spent sitting as predictors of the incidence of coronary events and total cardiovascular events among 73,743 postmenopausal women 50 to 79 years of age in the Women's Health Initiative Observational Study. At base line, participants were free of diagnosed cardiovascular disease and cancer, and all participants completed detailed questionnaires about physical activity. We documented 345 newly diagnosed cases of coronary heart disease and 1551 total cardiovascular events.

RESULTS
An increasing physical-activity score had a strong, graded, inverse association with the risk of both coronary events and total cardiovascular events. There were similar findings among white women and black women. Women in increasing quintiles of energy expenditure measured in metabolic equivalents (the MET score) had age-adjusted relative risks of coronary events of 1.00, 0.73, 0.69, 0.68, and 0.47, respectively (P for trend, <0.001). In multivariate analyses, the inverse gradient between the total MET score and the risk of cardiovascular events remained strong (adjusted relative risks for increasing quintiles, 1.00, 0.89, 0.81, 0.78, and 0.72, respectively; P for trend <0.001). Walking and vigorous exercise were associated with similar risk reductions, and the results did not vary substantially according to race, age, or body-mass index. A brisker walking pace and fewer hours spent sitting daily also predicted lower risk.

CONCLUSIONS
These prospective data indicate that both walking and vigorous exercise are associated with substantial reductions in the incidence of cardiovascular events among postmenopausal women, irrespective of race or ethnic group, age, and body-mass index. Prolonged sitting predicts increased cardiovascular risk.


Relationship between Comprehensive School Readiness Profiles and Longer-Term Academic Growth Erin Winters Chair of the Supervisory Committee: Elizabeth Sanders, Assistant Professor Educational Psychology Understanding the links between school readiness and child outcomes is essential in helping educators understand crucial early childhood intervention points to help children adjust to their academic environments. Although cognitive indicators once defined school readiness, the prevailing research over the past 15 years indicates that social-emotional indicators play an important role. Whereas prior research has examined shorter-term links between socialemotional indicators and academic achievement, the present study seeks to extend the research to investigate the longer term effects. Using a subsample of data collected in a nationally representative longitudinal dataset (ECLS-K), the present study used latent growth curve modeling that incorporates school membership and complex survey sample weights on data from grades K through 8. Final results showed that the early conceptualization of kindergarten school readiness profiles that are inclusive of social-emotional skills do systematically contribute to longer-term math and reading growth through the end of eighth grade, but primarily this is simply the difference between one "comprehensive positive" profile and the other three profiles. It may be the case that the profiles are simply defining high vs. low risk, without distinction among the high risk profiles.


Co-evolution as an approach to tourism sustainability has been under-researched in the tourism literature, which has mainly focused on the more natural evolutionary principles. Relevant questions about the co-evolutionary process remain understudied, especially in the case of multinational companies (MNCs) involved in tourism that coevolve with local authorities in developing African countries. This paper delves into the co-evolutionary process in order to identify the main challenges and key factors that condition the reciprocal interactions that give rise to co-evolution between local authorities and foreign MNCs in Africa. We apply a qualitative methodology based on a single and in-depth case study to examine the relationship between a Spanish hotel chain and local authorities in an African country. We find that a co-evolutionary approach based on cooperative interactions between tourism MNCs and local authorities may contribute towards guaranteeing sustainable tourism. Our findings also show how differences in negotiating methods can be one of the strongest challenges that co-evolution faces in Africa. Also, as co-evolution is a time-consuming and complex process in these countries, some qualities of the actors involved such as learning capabilities, patience and readiness to deal with unforeseen conditions are of high relevance for the successful culmination of the process. © 2016 Varna University of Management. All rights reserved


Abstract The gaming economy has expanded rapidly in East Asia over the past decade. Despite the known public health hazards of secondhand smoking, smoking bans in casinos remain controversial due to concerns over the potential economic harm to casino firms. Applying an event study, the authors examine the abnormal returns of casino stocks in response to three unexpected smoking ban announcements from 2011 to 2015 in Macao. Their analysis reveals that these announcements were associated with differentiated abnormal returns of casino stocks. Stocks of traditional casinos suffered abnormal losses of 0.58–3%, while the Las Vegas themed casinos enjoyed positive abnormal returns of up to 3%. Furthermore, the authors find that low air quality in gaming venues and high dependence on gaming revenues are associated with abnormal losses, while positive management initiatives are significantly correlated with positive abnormal returns. The findings of this study provide a full picture of the impacts of smoking bans on casinos and thus will be a useful policy references for the Macao government, as well as for the rapidly growing gaming industry in Asia and developing economies elsewhere.


This study provides an analysis of the aid-private capital flows-growth nexus for Ghana. It is premised on the argument that Ghana´s new status as a middle income country plus the start of oil production is bound to result in a reduction in ODA inflows in the long term. However in the short to medium term ODA will remain an important component in the country´s fiscals as well as an important tool for leveraging government policy. One of the key questions that the study addresses is how aid can be used as to reinforce the country´s growth in a way that reduces its chances of being a victim of the `oil curse´. The study makes two key observations about the economy of Ghana. First, it notes that although the structure of the economy has changed over the years, the observed change has not been of the developmentally transformative type. Production within the economy still takes place on the lower end of the technology scale and the country´s exports is still dominated by primary products. Second, it notes that revenue from oil can at best replace foreign aid in the long run. However in the short to medium term, Ghana will have the complement of both oil and aid. It there behoves on the country that aid is used in an efficient and creative way so as to help improve productivity and production in agriculture and manufacturing. The study concludes by making two suggestions as to how aid can be used to help transform the economy. The first suggestion is to tackle the structural deficiency in the country´s fiscals in a decisive way. The second is the need to properly prioritize public investments so as to maximize their returns.


Today hop growing remains a viable commercial enterprise only in parts of the far western United States--notably in Washington. But, as James Fenimore Cooper remembered, the mid-nineteenth century in Cooperstown, New York, was a time when "the 'hop was king, ' and the whole countryside was one great hop yard, and beautiful." In Tinged with Gold, Michael A. TomIan explores all aspects of hop culture in the United States and provides a background for understanding the buildings devoted to drying, baling, and storing hops. The work considers the history of these structures as it illustrates their development over almost two centuries, the result of agrarian commercialism and nearly continuous technological improvement. In examining the context in which the buildings were constructed, Tomlan considers the growth, cultivation, and harvesting of the plant; the economic, social, and recreational activities of the people involved in hop culture; and the record of mechanical inventions and technical developments that shaped hop kilns, hop houses, and hop driers and coolers in the various areas where the crop flourished. The work challenges assumptions about the noncommercial nature of American agriculture in the eighteenth and early nineteenth centuries and raises important questions about the "folk" tradition of hop houses, arguing that the designs of these buildings were rational responses to commercial imperatives rather than the continuance of arcane English or European customs. Tinged with Gold brings hop culture to life as it explores the history of this neglected aspect of rural agriculture. Because the work demonstrates that the significance of a relatively obscure building type can befully appreciated if placed in its historical context, it provides a model for studying other rural structures. Drawing upon an impressive array of primary and secondary sources, this work is a definitive history of hop culture in the United States.


The development of the knowledge economy influences the way in which learning in the context of work takes place. In order to be successful in a knowledge economy learning with the intention of innovating becomes increasingly important. It is this form of learning that is central to this thesis. The first research question aims to trace factors that enhance the learning processes leading to gradual improvements and radical innovations. The second research question examines the extent to which these factors could be deliberately applied to design a work environment that promotes innovation. Central to the research is the study of innovation practices. An innovation practice is a group of people that is motivated to collaboratively find an innovative solution for a difficult problem for which the answer is yet unknown. The method consists of a series of studies that all answer different questions.
In the first study a meta-analysis was conducted of 18 reconstruction studies of completed innovation practices. The second study was a parallel study in which we monitored 10 innovation practices. This was combined with a literature review. In the third study an expert consultation was carried out to formatively evaluate the design principles that were found in the previous studies. Then, a design study was conducted in which participants used the design principles in different ways in order to examine their prescriptive quality.
In answer to the first main question there is a set of 11 design principles which reflect the factors that enhance learning in innovation practices. In answer to the second research question we conclude that the design principles do not have a prescriptive function. The application of the principles in order to design interventions for innovation practices is influenced by six other factors as depicted in a design model. A combination of a systematic and personal approach seems the most viable for innovation. The design principles present various perspectives that offer the designer starting points for the design of interventions.


ABSTRACT Sphinganine analog mycotoxins (SAMs) are reported in maize and maize based feeds. Our objectives were to detect and quantify fumonisins B(1) and B(2) and Alternaria toxins (AAL toxins) AAL-TA and AAL-TB and determine how agronomic practices, weather conditions, and ensiling affected the occurrence and levels in maize silage. Silage was collected at harvest and after ensiling in 2001 and 2002 from 30 to 40 dairies, representing four regions in Pennsylvania. SAMs were quantified using high pressure liquid chromatography (HPLC) with fluorescence detection and high pressure liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry HPLC-MS. The average concentrations and ranges were as follows: fumonisin B(1) 2.02 mug/g (0.20 to 10.10), fumonisin B(2) 0.98 mug/g (0.20 to 20.30), AAL-TA 0.17 mug/g (0.20 to 2.01), and AAL-TB 0.05 mug/g (0.03 to 0.90). Fumonisin B(1) was the most frequently detected toxin (92%) in all samples, followed by fumonisin B(2) (55%), AAL-TA (23%), and -TB (13%). Temperature during maize development was positively correlated with fumonisin occurrence and levels and negatively with AAL-TA, while moisture events were negatively correlated with fumonisins and positively with AAL-TA. Fumonisin levels were higher in silage harvested at later developmental stages (dough through physiological maturity). Ensiling did not affect toxin concentration nor did agronomic practices (tillage system, inoculant use, or silo type) or silage characteristics (dry matter, pH, or organic acid concentration). This is the first report of AAL-TB in silage and on factors that affect SAM frequency and levels in maize silage.


The internal structure of aerobic granules has a significant impact on the hydrodynamic performance and mass transfer process, and severely affects the efficiency and stability of granules-based reactors for wastewater treatment. In this study, for the first time the granule complex structure was correlated with the hydrodynamic performance and substrates reactions process. First, a series of multiple fluorescence stained confocal laser scanning microscopy images of aerobic granules were obtained. Then, the form and structure of the entire granule was reconstructed. A three-dimensional computational fluid dynamics study was carried out for the hydrodynamic analysis. Two different models were developed on the basis of different fluorescence stained confocal laser scanning microscopy images to elucidate the roles of the granule structure in the hydrodynamic and mass transfer processes of aerobic granules. The fluid flow behavior, such as the velocity profiles, the pathlines and hence the hydrodynamic drag force, exerted on the granule in a Newtonian fluid, was studied by varying the Reynolds number. Furthermore, the spatial distribution of dissolved nutrients (e.g., oxygen) was acquired by solving the convection-diffusion equations on the basis of the reconstructed granule structure. This study demonstrates that the reconstructed granule model could offer a better understanding to the mass transfer process of aerobic granules than simply considering the granule structure to be homogeneous.


Boson sampling is a simple and experimentally viable model for non-universal linear optics quantum computing. Boson sampling has been shown to implement a classically hard algorithm when fed with single photons. This raises the question as to whether there are other quantum states of light that implement similarly computationally complex problems. We consider a class of continuous variable states---photon added coherent states---and demonstrate their computational complexity when evolved using linear optical networks and measured using photodetection. We find that, provided the coherent state amplitudes are upper bounded by an inverse polynomial in the size of the system, the sampling problem remains computationally hard.


Virtual Internet communities have emerged that feature cross-platform, interactive, diversified, and personalized functions, enabling members to share ideas, interests, information, feelings, knowledge, and experiences with other members in a lifelike environment. In this study, we investigated how a sense of virtual community is formed in the online environments where users communicate and build interpersonal relationships. We adopted a questionnaire survey method, selecting Wretch users as the study participants. We analyzed 196 valid questionnaires using structural equation modeling. The results revealed that a positive relationship existed between social presence and sense of virtual community and between naturalness (an element of social presence) and membership status, community support, and sense of attachment (elements of sense of virtual community). Objectivity (an element of social presence) only exhibited a positive relationship with membership status and community support (elements of sense of virtual community). According to these results, we offered a reference for future studies.


Higher education faced unplanned, unwanted, un experienced, tense test in online learning with Novel Covid-19 pandemic. For all the stakeholders participating in this type of training from lecturers, students and support ICT staff its unwelcome but the university systems were stuck on how they have to go through to ensure that they end Semester II academic year 2019/20. Early January 2020, the outbreak of the Covid-19 caused Ugandan universities to close the physical campuses following a presidential directive. On 20th March 2020, from lower primary, secondary education to universities. This forced university administration to instruct teaching staff to teach all courses on-line apart from practical courses that need laboratory training. This paper focused on instructional strategies in Uganda and focuses on a case of Islamic University in Uganda Females' Campus (IUIUFC). Fifteen specific instructional strategies are presented to summarize current online teaching experiences for university instructors who might conduct online education in similar circumstances. The study concluded with 15 high impact principles for online education.


There have been many decisions on the correct or proper third party use of trade marks. In the so-called British law countries the question of licensed use has been the subject of various judicial decisions. The author suggests that the earlier decisions dealing with the protection of the public interest cannot easily be compared with modern day commercial trends and practices. For this reason the author argues that a trade mark owner should be permitted to grant third party users the right to use a trade mark without the actual necessity of making formal application for the recording of the registered user.


Zidovudine-loaded solid lipid nanoparticles (AZT-SLNs) and zidovudine in solution were prepared and administered in rats. The aim of this research was to study whether the bioavailability of zidovudine can be improved by AZT-SLNs perorally to rats as compared to oral administration of zidovudine. Zidovudine was determined in plasma and tissues by reverse phase high performance liquid chromatography. The pharmacokinetic parameters of zidovudine were determined after peroral administration: area under curve of concentration versus time (AUC) for AZT-SLNs was 31.25% greater than AZT solution; meanwhile mean resident time (MRT) was found to be 1.83 times higher for AZT-SLNs than AZT solution. Elimination half life of zidovudine was also increased for SLN formulation. Tissue distribution pattern of zidovudine was changed in case of AZT-SLNs. AUC of zidovudine in brain and liver was found to be approximately 2.73 and 1.77 times higher in AZT-SLNs than AZT solution, respectively, indicating that AZT-SLNs could cross blood brain barrier. Distribution of zidovudine was approximately 0.95 and 0.86 times lesser in heart and kidney, respectively. It can be concluded from the study that oral administration of AZT-SLNs modifies the plasma pharmacokinetic parameters and biodistribution of zidovudine.


This paper examines the shifting the locus of agency and control in the processing of personal data, occasioned by the emerging digital ecosystem and the Internet of Things in particular. It reviews legal, policy, and industry initiatives that seek to respond to broad societal concerns over privacy, and initiatives within design that can be seen to respond to the core problem of empowering users and giving them active control over the processing of personal data. It is, in many respects, a clarion call for HCI to respond to a grand challenge in contemporary life. It suggests that current efforts to address the problem have been piecemeal and that a coherent interdisciplinary approach is required to affect the shift. It proposes that the nascent field of Human Data Interaction provides the necessary design framework needed to drive the research community forwards and put users in control in practice.


Electric-motored personal mobility devices (PMDs) are appearing on Australian roads. While legal to import and own, their use is typically illegal for adult riders within the road transport system. However, these devices could provide an answer to traffic congestion by getting people out of cars for short trips ("first-and-last mile" travel). City of Ryde council, Macquarie University, and Transport for NSW examined PMD use within the road transport system. Stage 1 of the project examined PMD use within a controlled pedestrian environment on the Macquarie University campus. Three PMD categories were used: one-wheelers (an electric unicycle, the Solowheel); two-wheelers (an electric scooter, the Egret); and three-wheelers (the Qugo). The two-wheeled PMD was most effective in terms of flexibility. In contrast, the three-wheeled PMD was most effective in terms of speed. One-wheeled PMD riders were very satisfied with their device, especially at speed, but significant training and practice was required. Two-wheeled PMD riders had less difficulty navigating through pedestrian precincts and favoured the manoeuvrability of the device as the relative narrowness of the two-wheeled PMD made it easier to use on a diversity of path widths. The usability of all PMDs was compromised by the weight of the devices, difficulties in ascending steeper gradients, portability, and parking. This was a limited trial, with a small number of participants and within a unique environment. However, agreement has been reached for a Stage 2 extension into the Macquarie Park business precinct for further real-world trials within a fully functional road transport system.


The EU Common Market Organization for bananas has been generating international controversies since its introduction in 1992. Many thought the 'banana war' had come to an end when, at the 2001 WTO Ministerial Conference in Doha, a Decision was taken for the EU to introduce, no later than 1 January 2006, a 'tariff-only regime' which ' would result in at least maintaining total market access for MFN banana suppliers'. However, proposals by the EU for a tariff-only regime have been rejected in a two-step WTO arbitration in 2005 because they were found not to satisfy this requirement. On 1 January 2006 the EU unilaterally introduced a tariff-only regime. The paper presents the main results of a modelling effort aimed at analyzing this policy issue. The results obtained suggest that: contrary to the decision by the arbitrators, the import regime proposed by the EU in the second step of the arbitration would have satisfied the requirement stated in the WTO November 2001 Decision; moreover, even the higher MFN tariff proposed by the EU in the first step of the arbitration, had it been coupled with a duty-free quota for ACP countries, would have done so. The regime introduced on 1 January 2006 is expected to yield in 2007 MFN banana exports to the EU 400,000 t above those which would have occurred under the previous regime. If a longer time frame is considered, under a tariff-only regime MFN countries will see their exports expand, while the contrary is forecasted under the previous EU import regime.


Long-term forest soil monitoring and research often requires a comparison of laboratory data generated at different times and in different laboratories. Quantifying the uncertainty associated with these analyses is necessary to assess temporal changes in soil properties. Forest soil chemical properties, and methods to measure these properties, often differ from agronomic and horticultural soils. Soil proficiency programs do not generally include forest soil samples that are highly acidic, high in extractable Al, low in extractable Ca and often high in carbon. To determine the uncertainty associated with specific analytical methods for forest soils, we collected and distributed samples from two soil horizons (Oa and Bs) to 15 laboratories in the eastern United States and Canada. Soil properties measured included total organic carbon and nitrogen, pH and exchangeable cations. Overall, results were consistent despite some differences in methodology. We calculated the median absolute deviation (MAD) for each measurement and considered the acceptable range to be the median ± 2.5 × MAD. Variability among laboratories was usually as low as the typical variability within a laboratory. A few areas of concern include a lack of consistency in the measurement and expression of results on a dry weight basis, relatively high variability in the C/N ratio in the Bs horizon, challenges associated with determining exchangeable cations at concentrations near the lower reporting range of some laboratories and the operationally defined nature of aluminum extractability. Recommendations include a continuation of reference forest soil exchange programs to quantify the uncertainty associated with these analyses in conjunction with ongoing efforts to review and standardize laboratory methods.


Interactive gender inference aims to infer the genders of the two involved users in a communication from the interactive text. In this paper, we address this task by proposing a joint inference approach which well incorporates label correlations among the instances. Specifically, an Integer Linear Programming (ILP) approach is proposed to achieve global optimization with various kinds of intra-task and extra-task constraints. Empirical studies demonstrate the effectiveness of the proposed ILP-based approach to interactive gender inference.


Discover all that Dreamweaver CS5 has to offer! Whether you're looking for a step-by-step introduction to Adobe? Dreamweaver? or a solid reference as you continue your work in Web design, this is a standout resource. ADOBE DREAMWEAVER CS5 REVEALED uses detailed, vibrant illustrations; clear, straightforward lessons; and real-world case studies to provide an overview of the Dreamweaver interface and how to use it effectively. This latest edition includes expanded content on CSS best practices, the new Navigation toolbar, the simplified site setup, Spry menu bars, improved CSS layouts, and Live view navigation. Sidebars throughout the book incorporate basic Web design principles, providing readers with a skill set that goes beyond the software interface and can be applied in a variety of situations.


The scale, timing and development of mantle heterogeneity beneath southern Africa is assessed by reference to data obtained from mantle derived igneous rocks and, to a lesser extent, from peridotites contained in kimberlite. Sr isotope data for ultrabasic and basic igneous rocks ranging in age from 3.5 Ga komatiites to Tertiary olivine melilitites indicate that heterogeneity existed at 3 Ga and was well established by 2 Ga, and also suggest progressive development of variability in Sr isotope ratios in the mantle source regions involved. Detailed evaluation of Sr isotope and incompatible element and inter-element ratios, together with rare earth element patterns, of the widespread Jurassic Karroo volcanics shows that the overall compositional variability of these volcanics is best explained by (horizontal) mantle heterogeneity. Both depletion and enrichment pre-Karroo processes appear to have affected the parental mantle source regions. Evidence for such enrichment is provided by kimberlite peridotite nodules that have been subjected to mantle metasomatic processes, leading to the development of phlogopite and the amphibole potassic richterite, with consequent enrichment of incompatible elements.


This history of Alabama's coal miners documents the struggle not only between labor and management but also between interracial unionism and white supremacy.Much of Alabama's labor history is written in its coal fields. This book records the critical contribution that District 20 of the United Mine Workers of America played in the state's labor movement through its strong stands on such issues as child labor, public education, and inter-racial unions.Standing at the cutting edge of social and political history, these essays cover five periods over a century of union activity: the emergence of a militant labor force during mining's formative years; the World War I era, when mine operators tried to divide black and white labor; the increasing role of the state in labor relations during the interwar years; rapid changes in the union between 1942 and 1975; and the 1977-79 strike, the largest in the United Mine Workers' history. Through historic photographs and depictions of living and working conditions, contributors Edwin L. Brown, Colin J. Davis, Daniel Letwin, Brian M. Kelly, Peter Alexander, Glenn Feldman, and Robert H. Woodrum portray the world that miners, both black and white, made. In a state where racial segregation was the norm, even the earliest District 20 contract proposals demanded equal pay for equal work regardless of color. "It Is Union and Liberty" shows that the UMW in Alabama stands apart from perceptions of southern trade unionism as exclusionary and racially fragmented. It sheds light on an important segment of the state's labor history and is a testament to District 20 on its centennial celebration.Edwin Brown is Associate Professor in the Center for Labor Education and Research and Colin Davis is Associate Professor in the Department of History, both at the University of Alabama at Birmingham.


Increasingly, people go online to seek health advice. They commonly use the symptoms they are experiencing to identify the health conditions they may have (self-diagnosis task) as well as to determine an appropriate action to take (triaging task); e.g., should they seek emergent medical attention or attempt to treat themselves at home? This paper investigates the effectiveness of two of the most common methods people use for self-diagnosis and triaging: online symptom checkers and traditional web search engines. To this end, we conducted a user study with 64 real-world users performing 8 simulated self-diagnosis tasks. Participants were exposed to both a representative symptom checker and a search engine. The results of our study provides empirical evidence for whether using a search engine for health information improves people's understanding of their health condition and their ability to act on them, compared to interacting with a symptom checker, which bases its interaction model on a question-answering process. Additionally, recorded answers to qualitative questionnaires from study participants provide insights into which style of interaction and system they prefer to use for obtaining medical information, and how helpful they thought each system was. These findings can help inform the development of better search engines and symptom checkers that support people seeking health advice online.


A robust pole placement controller design method is presented for discrete-time systems with parametric uncertainties contained within known bounds. The method is quite straightforward; it is based on using genetic algorithms to search for a controller that minimizes a cost function that takes into account the performance specifications, and thus allows for a thorough assessment of robust performance in addition to robust stability. Simulation results with a flexible transmission system show that this is an effective technique with a great deal of potential.


In this unique longitudinal study of how a divided people relate to one another, H. Arnold Barton outlines dilemmas created by the great migration of Swedes to the United States from 1840 through 1940 and the complex love-hate relationship that resulted between those who stayed and those who left. During that hundred-year period, one Swede out of five voluntarily immigrated to the United States, and four-fifths of those immigrants remained in their new country. This study seeks to explore the far-reaching implications of this mass migration for both Swedes and Swedish Americans.The Swedes were a literate, historically aware people, and the 1.2 million Swedes who immigrated to the United States offer a particularly well-documented and illuminating case study. Barton has skillfully woven into the text translations of little known published and unpublished Swedish sources from both sides of the Atlantic, to embodyin haunting human termsboth what was gained and what was lost through emigration.Past studies have traditionally shown ethnic mobilization to be a defensive reaction against the exclusive nativism of resident Americans. Barton convincingly demonstrates, however, that the creation of a distinctive Swedish-American identity was at least equally an expression of the immigrants need to justify leaving their homeland to their former compatriots and to themselves by asserting a rightful and unique place within the Swedish national community. He concludes that the relationship between Swedes and Swedish Americans was essentially similar to that experienced by other peoples divided by migration, and that the long debate over the United States and emigration at its deepest level reveals both hopes and fears most conspicuously symbolized by America and "Americanization" in an increasingly integrated world undergoing the relentless advance of modernization."


Approximate inference in dynamic systems is the problem of estimating the state of the system given a sequence of actions and partial observations. High precision estimation is fundamental in many applications like diagnosis, natural language processing, tracking, planning, and robotics. In this paper we present an algorithm that samples possible deterministic executions of a probabilistic sequence. The algorithm takes advantage of a compact representation (using first order logic) for actions and world states to improve the precision of its estimation. Theoretical and empirical results show that the algorithm's expected error is smaller than propositional sampling and Sequential Monte Carlo (SMC) sampling techniques.


The study attempts to find the relationship between education and fertility in Ghana, as Ghana wants to reduce its fertility rates from 4.0 to 3.0 replacement levels which will help to move the country into middle income status. A country that has a stable population growth is able to plan and allocate resources to its populace more effectively. High fertility rates have consequences for food security, social & economic opportunities and overall economic wellbeing of the population. The study sets outs to investigate the linkages or factors that help in reducing fertility rates, education is one major factor that has been found be to be inversely related to fertility. Does this relationship exist in Ghana? Has education in any way contributed to the recent fertility declines in Ghana? And by how much did education contribute. Finally, are there other factors that have contributed to the recent fertility decline in Ghana? To answer the questions, the study takes advantage of an educational reform program in 1987/88 that saw mass construction of schools, training of teachers and provision of study materials to estimate the impact of education on fertility. Using difference-in-difference approach and 2SLS, the study finds that the National Educational Reform program lead to reductions in early births and ideal number of children desired by a woman. Increase in education level and reduction in child mortality accounted for about 55.9% of the fertility decline from 2003 to 2008. Table of


Background Long-read RNA sequencing, such as Pacific Biosciences' Iso-Seq method, enables generation of sequencing reads that are 10 kilobases or even longer. These reads are ideal for discovering splice junctions and resolving full-length gene transcripts without time-consuming and error-prone techniques such as transcript assembly and junction inference. Results Iso-Seq Browser is a Web-based visual analytics tool for long-read RNA sequencing data produced by Pacific Biosciences' isoform sequencing (Iso-Seq) techniques. Key features of the Iso-Seq Browser are: 1) an exon-only web-based interface with zooming and exon highlighting for exploring reference gene transcripts and novel gene isoforms, 2) automated grouping of transcripts and isoforms by similarity, 3) many customization features for data exploration and creating publication ready figures, and 4) exporting selected isoforms into fasta files for further analysis. Iso-Seq Browser is written in Python using several scientific libraries. The application and analyses described in this paper are freely available to both academic and commercial users at https://github.com/goeckslab/isoseq-browser Conclusions Iso-Seq Browser enables interactive genome-wide visual analysis of long RNA sequence reads. Through visualization, highlighting, clustering, and filtering of gene isoforms, ISB makes it simple to identify novel isoforms and novel isoform features such as exons, introns and untranslated regions.


Early Modern European The Impact of the European Reformation: Princes, Clergy and People. Edited by Bridget Heal and Ole Peter Grell. [St Andrews Studies in Reformation History.] (Burlington, VT: Ashgate Publishing. 2008. Pp. xii, 305. $124.95. ISBN 978-0-754-66212-9.) Insofar as Reformation studies have in the past been guided by grand syntheses, the focus has been on modernization, and especially on ways in which Protestantism has been seen as providing an impetus to modernization. As Bridget Heal remarks here, most scholars nowadays pursue their own paths, no longer feeling a need to respond to the grand syntheses. Hence this volume is intended to "counteract" the trend toward "fragmentation" by providing "a broad perspective on the impact of the European Reformation" (p. 1). But a broad perspective may simply display the centrifugal tendencies instead of counteracting them, and that is largely the case here. Three of the essays do address elements of the modernization thesis in one way or another. Luise Schorn-Schutte (chapter 5, "The 'New Clergies' in Europe: Protestant Pastors and Catholic Reform Clergy after the Reformation") surveys recent literature and concludes that overall trends were largely similar in both religious camps: Clerics were not only more educated; they were also more and more likely to come from bourgeois households. In effect, Max Weber's Protestant-inspired modernity here gives way to the "confessionalization" thesis, according to which rival churches worked in tandem to change the outlook and behavior of ordinary believers. Christopher Haigh (chapter 6, "The Clergy and Parish Discipline in England, 1570-1640") argues, as against the distinction that Margo Todd has recently made between the Kirk of Scotland and the Anglican Church, that ministers and churchwardens in England worked effectively and largely behind the scenes to maintain parish discipline. More interestingly, and against his own previous understanding of things, he contends that anticlericalism is a constant in religious history, rising to prominence "sometimes and in some places" largely in response to "clerical sensitivty to criticism" (p. 125). Alexandra Walsham (chapter 10, "Sacred Spas? Healing Springs and Religion in Post-Reformation Britain") shows how Protestant writers came to accept and promote many of the holy wells of pre-Reformation Britain, not because of their association with popish saints, but because their waters were found to contain minerals thought to have curative power. …


In this paper, we propose a system for robust and flexible command interpretation on a mobile robot in domestic service robotics applications. Existing language processing for instructing a mobile robot often make use of a simple, restricted grammar where precisely pre-defined utterances are directly mapped to system calls. This does not take into account fallibility of human users and only allows for binary processing; either a command is part of the grammar and hence understood correctly, or it is not part of the grammar and gets rejected. We model the language processing as an interpretation process where the utterance needs to be mapped to a robot's capabilities. We do so by casting the processing as a (decision-theoretic) planning problem on interpretatory actions. This allows for a flexible system that can resolve ambiguities and which is also capable of initiating steps to achieve clarification.