This thesis is concerned with the general trade theoretic issue of what explains tariffs. Two possible theories are investigated: (i) the optimum tariff argument where countries exploit their market power to affect world prices, and (ii) the political economy argument, where well-organised interest groups who have a preference for the tariff protection level can influence their governments through lobbying.

The main contribution of this thesis is the use of the many-country, two-good trade model, which can be found in the customs union literature, to investigate the importance of the (world) market structure on the welfare effects of tariffs. This model, where a good is exported by more than one country, allows us to examine the welfare effects of tariffs which vary with how the goods are divided initially among the countries. The theory of optimum tariffs and retaliation, usually in the two-country, two-good context, suggests that the country whose endowments of goods are relatively large tends to 'win' a trade war. Still, the analysis in this chapter shows that there is a greater possibility for a country to win even if the country's endowments are relatively small if the world market of its exportable moves closer to the monopolistic market, i.e. there are less countries exporting the same good and/or the world endowment of that good is divided more disproportionately among its exporters.

An important feature of the many-country, two-good trade model is that tariffs are strategic complements between countries that have the same trade pattern and are strategic substitutes otherwise. Therefore, two possible trade agreements can be investigated: (i) an agreement between countries whose tariffs are strategic complements, and (ii) an agreement between countries whose tariffs are strategic substitutes. Since these trade agreements imply different sources of gain for a country (gain from an improvement in terms of trade for the former and gain from an increase in volume of trade for the latter), this thesis examines the choice of a country by comparing the welfare implications between the two possibilities. It is found that a country would prefer to have a trade agreement with the country whose endowments of goods are relatively large regardless of the strategic complementarity or substitutability of their tariffs.

Finally, this thesis attempts to endogenise the lobby formation by modelling an individual's decision to participate in lobbying prior to the stages of interaction between a government and lobbies studied by Grossman and Helpman (1994). It is found that no one lobbies individually in equilibrium if the total population and/or the fixed cost of lobbying are too large. An incentive that leads individuals to form a lobby is the ability of the group to restrain the individuals' otherwise offsetting lobbying efforts. An interesting result is that, in equilibrium, some individuals might choose to join the lobbies that lobby against their interests to moderate their efforts rather than to join the lobbies that lobby in their favour. This result raises a question whether the standard industry-lobby in the literature might exaggerate the actual lobbying activities.


This paper explores gender relations on social network sites, wikis and weblogs: the gendered design and use, presentations of gendered identities, possibilities for feminist, queer and gender politics, and the negotiations of gender topics in web 2.0. It provides a review of early feminist discourses regarding the internet and some theoretical considerations on web 2.0 and feminism. It goes on to discuss initial empirical results obtained from other studies about gender relevance in web 2.0 as well as my own findings based on considerations of online documentation and press reports about two gender relevant incidents in web 2.0. This overview shows that while an insistence on binary gender roles can be observed in the design and use of social network sites, weblogs offer space for diverse identity constructions as well as for queer subject construction and politics without referring to offline identities. Finally, wikis as well as social network sites appear to provide a platform for tough struggles about gender issues


We explore the forces that shape the development of aspirations and the achievement of grades during high school and the role that these aspirations, grades, and other variables play in educational outcomes such as going to university and graduating. We find that parental expectations and peer effects have a significant impact on educational outcomes through grades, aspirations, and their interconnectedness, an issue explained in the context of a rich, longitudinal data set. Apart from this indirect path, parents and peers also influence educational outcomes directly. Policy measures that operate on parental influences may modify educational outcomes in desired directions.


Iron nanoparticles with a diameter of 35 nm are synthesized by the thermal decomposition of iron pentacarbonyl in a hot wall reactor. The particles are ferromagnetic and single magnetic domain. The magnetic forces between the particles cause the formation of iron nanowires of up to 300 µm in length. Morphological characterization using high resolution transmission electron microscopy indicates an oxidic shell with a thickness of 3–4 nm. The electrical properties of single chains are investigated under air using impedance spectroscopy (IS). It is found that the conductivity of the iron is in the same range as that of the bulk material. Temperature dependent measurements on iron nanochain powders performed under H2-atmosphere reveal strong sintering effects and a transition into iron.


The Deadlocked Election of 1800: Jefferson, Burr and the Union in the Balance. By James Roger Sharp. (Lawrence, KS: University of Kansas Press, 2010. Pp. 256; 8 ill. Cloth, $34.95.)Reviewed by Andrew W. RobertsonThe two hundredth anniversary of the election of 1800 launched a veritable cottage industry of books on the subject.1 Nothing concentrates the mind on past events better than their re-enactment, and in many of these works, the election of 2000 looms as an all-encompassing comparison. For James Roger Sharp, however, the informative parallel to the election of 1800 is not Bush v. Gore but the election of Abraham Lincoln in 1860. Sharp calls these the "two most critical elections in American history," because each "had the potential for destroying the Union" (169).Sharp shows us that, if the election of 1860 brought on civil war, the election of 1800 could easily have had a similarly ominous result for the survival of the Union: an extra-constitutional "solution" to a manufactured crisis. Only a dozen years into the second U.S. constitutional regime, the survival of the Union was nearly as imperiled by boardinghouse intrigues in the new capital as it was by armed rebellion sixty years later.Sharp comes to this project very well qualified to write about the political background of this critical election. Sharp's earlier work, American Politics in the Early Republic, is an erudite, eminently readable narrative history on the politics of the 1790s.2 Because Sharp is so well versed in the political context, he brings this era to life. Refreshingly, he shies away from easy parallels to present-day politics. From Sharp we learn that late eighteenth-century politics was about both personality and principle. He reveals to us the rivalries and insecurities of brilliant, ambitious men like Jefferson and Hamilton without neglecting their ideological differences or their roles as creators and managers of mass-based popular movements, the forerunners of political parties. Sharp also describes what he sees as the "countervailing, competing and antithetical political philosophies" of the federal era: the democratic and egalitarian "popular spirit" of the American Revolution versus the "longstanding belief in classical republicanism" that assumed a disinterested elite, who would serve a unified public interest (17).Sharp explains in vivid detail the dramatic oscillations in public support between the Federalists and Republicans in the late 1 790s. Here the author shows himself to be the master of the telling details of both state and national politics. In congressional elections and many contests for governor, the Republicans and Federalists were already engaged in a full-scale effort to mobilize as many of their voters as possible and get them to the polls. Sharp writes quite compellingly about the details of these increasingly democratic elections. He is very well informed about congressional and local elections, frequently citing the voting data collected by Philip Lampi at the American Antiquarian Society. On the other hand, as Sharp makes quite apparent, both parties increasingly attempted to restrict popular choice in presidential elections. In 1796, eight of the fifteen states provided for popular election of presidential electors. By 1800 only five of fifteen states had popular contests for electors. Among the states that decided to change the rules were Massachusetts, which feared losing electoral votes to Jefferson in Maine, and Virginia, which expected to maximize the vote for Jefferson by providing a winner-take-all popular contest for electors. In New York, the Federalists thought they had locked up the state's electoral vote for Adams by having the legislature select electors; instead, Aaron Burr waged a successful campaign to win the state legislative elections for the Republicans and wrest control of both houses of the legislature out of Federalist hands. Alexander Hamilton wrote to Governor John Jay suggesting that the lame-duck legislature revert to a system of selecting presidential electors in district elections. …


100 years ago Einstein discovered $E=mc^2$, the secret energy stored in ordinary mass. $\Delta H = D(H-H)$ is the chemical energy released in chemical bond formation between two H atoms. The failure to recognize the enormously different energy scales in those two equations reflected in current events may start a chain reaction this very year, on the one-hundredths anniversary of Einstein's discovery, that leads to the end of civilization. Due to the confluence of a particular set of circumstances, this particular moment is more dangerous than any other in the history of nuclear weapons. Physicists have a special responsibility to do their utmost to prevent this from happening. This paper is a call to arms. A principle to underpin nuclear non-proliferation and enhance stability is advocated.


Abstract Aims Delayed re-endothelialization after balloon angioplasty in patients with coronary or peripheral artery disease impairs vascular healing and leads to neointimal proliferation. In the present study, we examined the effect of RNA-binding motif protein 38 (Rbm38) during re-endothelialization in a murine model of experimental vascular injury. Methods and results Left common carotid arteries of C57BL/6 mice were electrically denudated and endothelial regeneration was evaluated. Profiling of RNA-binding proteins revealed dysregulated expression of Rbm38 in the denudated and regenerated areas. We next tested the importance of Rbm38 in human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECS) and analysed its effects on cellular proliferation, migration and apoptosis. Rbm38 silencing in vitro demonstrated important beneficial functional effects on migratory capacity and proliferation of endothelial cells. In vivo, local silencing of Rbm38 also improved re-endothelialization of denuded carotid arteries. Luciferase reporter assay identified miR-98 and let-7f to regulate Rbm38 and the positive proliferative properties of Rbm38 silencing in vitro and in vivo were mimicked by therapeutic overexpression of these miRNAs. Conclusion The present data identified Rbm38 as an important factor of the regulation of various endothelial cell functions. Local inhibition of Rbm38 as well as overexpression of the upstream regulators miR-98 and let-7f improved endothelial regeneration in vivo and thus may be a novel therapeutic entry point to avoid endothelial damage after balloon angioplasty.


This best-selling atlas provides medical, dental, allied health, and biology students with an outstanding collection of histology images for all of the major tissue classes and body systems. This is a concise lab atlas with relevant text and consistent format presentation of photomicrograph plates. With a handy spiral binding that allows ease of use, it features a full-color art program comprising over 500 high-quality photomicrographs, scanning electron micrographs, and drawings. Didactic text in each chapter includes an introduction, clinical correlations, overview, and chapter summary.


The results of follow-up studies in 77 dogs with clinical signs of large bowel disease are presented. In 32 dogs colonic and/or rectal biopsy follow-up studies were done, combined with necropsy in seven dogs. In 45 dogs a follow-up necropsy only was done. The time between the first and the last series of biopsies varied from three to 729 days and between the first series of biopsies and necropsy from one to 980 days. Colitis found in 45 dogs in the initial biopsies was still present in 29 cases in the follow-up biopsy studies and/or at necropsy. Eleven cases showed hystiocytic ulcerative colitis. In general, adenoma, carcinoma and lymphosarcoma were confirmed in the follow-up examination, except for one adenoma, which appeared to be a carcinoma at necropsy. In cases in which the differential diagnosis was adenoma or carcinoma, the necropsy diagnosis was always carcinoma and in cases of a differential diagnosis of lymphosarcoma and/or colitis, lymphosarcoma was always diagnosed at necropsy. Several dogs without colonic changes in the initial biopsies had other gastric or small intestinal lesions at necropsy such as gastritis and enteritis of the small intestine, or tumors, in these areas.


The purpose of this study is to re-assess the poorly understood, yet extensive, quantities of finds from the Roman 'temple site' at Springhead in North Kent. The publication of this material by William Penn and Sydney Harker in a series of reports, between 1957 and 1984, meant that the assemblage was never viewed as a whole, and a full analysis has never been undertaken. Recent work by Oxford Archaeology (1994) and Wessex Archaeology (1998-2001) led to a major increase in knowledge about the site, revealing three new temples in an extensive 'religious enclosure' and a large number of accompanying structures. It was, therefore, important that the large quantities of finds discovered during Penn and Harker's excavations were examined in relation to this work to provide as complete an understanding of the site as possible. The study sought to map the distribution of finds from Penn and Harker's excavations in time and space, and explore their relationship to the structural history of the site, to see what light they might shed on past activities, drawing on similar approaches used in current research on 'temple sites' in Roman Britain, which are felt to have yielded interesting information. The issues raised by current approaches to 'ritual' and 'structured deposition', which have played an important role in current studies of the distribution of finds and their significance to past activities, were also considered. Examination was undertaken, firstly, of the distribution of finds sharing similar forms and potential functions, to ascertain whether traits could be identified in their treatment and deposition that may have been significant as part of past activities. The importance of the material for understanding activities associated with other 'temple sites' in Roman Britain was also assessed. Analysis also took into account that while there may have been commonly held symbolic concepts affecting the use and treatment of finds on 'temple sites', such objects could have been used in many different ways once they had been brought there, in a variety of circumstances throughout its long history of use. Analysis was, therefore, also conducted upon relationships between finds deposited in archaeological features and strata from different periods, in an attempt to consider the potential for diversity in the use of objects at Springhead. The information obtained by the analysis was used to reappraise interpretations made about the site by Penn, Harker and various researchers, taking into consideration issues raised in current approaches towards 'interpretative archaeologies'.


Abnormal signal transduction pathways have been implicated in the pathogenesis of bipolar disorder and major depression. G-proteins are key elements of these pathways in the regulation of cellular responses by transmission of signals from receptors to effector proteins. In recent years several studies have reported altered levels and activities of G-protein alpha subunits in depressive patients. A recently identified polymorphism of a G-protein beta3 subunit (C825T) has been shown to be associated with increased signal transduction and ion transport activity. Therefore, we investigated whether this Gbeta3 polymorphism is associated with affective disorders or with the response to antidepressant treatment in 88 depressive patients (10 bipolar disorder, 78 major depression) compared with 68 schizophrenic patients and 111 healthy controls. We found a significantly higher frequency of the T allele in depressive patients than in healthy controls (genotype: chi2 = 9.571, df = 2, p = 0.008; alleles: p = 0.004, OR = 1.87, 95% CI 1.23-2.84; Fisher's exact test, two sided) and schizophrenic patients (genotype: chi2 = 8.037, df = 2, p = 0.018; alleles: p = 0.009, OR = 1.94, 95% CI 1.99-3.14; Fisher's exact test, two sided). We also found a statistical significant association between TT homozygosity and response to antidepressant treatment after four weeks (p = 0.01). The results of this study suggest that the investigated G-protein beta3 subunit seems to be a susceptibility factor for major depression and maybe even for bipolar disorder, but not for schizophrenia. Further, the presence of the T allele could be an indicator for treatment response.


ABSTRACT Improving agricultural productivity and production is a prerequisite to sustain rural livelihoods in developing countries of sub-Saharan Africa (SSA). This requires increased use of quality seed of improved and well-adapted crop varieties. Legumes are particularly critical in ensuring food and nutritional securities of the majority of farming households. However, their productivity has been constrained because of limited availability of quality seed, jeopardizing henceforth food security and rural livelihoods. The lack of interest in production of legume seeds by potential seed producers, especially the private sector, is attributable to limited information on the cost and profitability of producing these seeds. Using primary data collected from Tanzania and Uganda, we analyzed the cost structure of improved groundnut (Arachis hypogaea L.) seed production to assess viability. We adopted cost-benefit analysis framework to evaluate different seed production models. Results showed that groundnut seed price varied between 1 and 2 US$ kg−1 for certified and quality declared seed and between 2 and 3.5 US$ kg−1 for early generation seed. Overall, up to 50% increase in total seed production costs resulted in reduced drop in the gross margin earned. However, when production costs increased by 75–100%, the gross margin dropped by about 18% and 50% in Tanzania and in Uganda, respectively. These findings indicated that groundnut seed could be provided to farmers in remote communities at an affordable price while still keeping seed producers profitably in business. Availing these seeds to smallholder producers is a major step in achieving food security and nutritional health in developing countries in SSA.


The paper presents selected results of an investigation over possible ways to improve Building Integrated Solar Thermal systems (BIST) on the formal level. It shows the results of a European survey intended to help defining quality in the architectural integration of BIST. A few criteria of integration are derived and presented as guidelines intended to support architects in their integration design work. Finally the paper describes a methodology for the formal development of solar thermal collectors responding to both energy and architectural needs.


Queer and Bookish: Eve Kosofksy Sedgwick as Book Artist represents the first book-length study to explore the intersections of Sedgwick's critical writing, poetry, and, most importantly, book art, making the case that her art criticism, especially her meditations on domestic and nineteenth-century photography, and "artist's book" projects are as formally complex and brilliant, conceptually significant and life-changing, as her literary criticism and theory. In addition, the book represents a significant intervention into recent debates about reparative reading, surface reading, and the descriptive turn across the humanities, because of its sustained, positive accounts on Sedgwick's books as visual, textural, and material objects. The book ranges across Sedgwick's published output, from The Coherence of Gothic Conventions (1980) to the posthumously published The Weather in Proust (2011), and features her meditations on a wide variety of art-historical topoi, including Judith Scott's queer/crip fiber art; the anality of Polykleitos's Doryphorus; queer Modernist typography; Piranesi's punitive space; Duncan Grant and Vanessa Bell's queer holy family; Manet's frontality and thalassic aesthetics; fat and thin aesthetics of various stripes; and the queer photography of Anna Atkins, Clementina Hawarden, and Julia Margaret Cameron; Baron De Mayer, Eugene Atget, and P.H. Emerson; as well as David Hockney, Ken Brown, and her own father, a NASA lunar photographer. The book climaxes with two chapter-length explorations of Sedgwick's own late-life book-art practice: her panda Valentine alphabet cards (c. 1996) and her Last Days of Pompeii/Cavafy unique artist's book (c. 2007).


In general two scenarios for Jatropha plantations are considered to be realistic for Nepal. The first scenario concentrates on the Terai region. In this area large-scale plantations seem to be possible for example in locations formerly subjected to flooding. The plantations can be set up within a professional context – meaning to provide the necessary inputs (fertilizer, labour) for maximising yields. Using this sort of wasteland Jatropha can be used to produce straight vegetable oil (SVO) for the direct use in water pumps or modified engines or – if the yield exceeds the demand for SVO, with establishing transesterification-units the SVO can be transformed into biodiesel. With water pumps crops can be increased from one yield per year up to three yields per year with irrigation. The second scenario concentrates on the hill region. In this context Jatropha is considered as being part of poverty alleviation strategies. Per household 500 plants could be planted as a fence, along roads, against erosion or around the leasehold forestry areas. In this scenario no plant care besides some cutting and weeding is assumed. Accordingly the yield is expected to be lower than in the first scenario. For hill areas the SVO will mainly find application for lightning or running processing mills, pumps, generators or tractors. Replacing Kerosene and Diesel in modified engines and lamps will be the best application for the hill areas. Transforming SVO into biodiesel is economically not viable and efficient as the analysis will show. Key Words: Biofuel; Jatropha; Financial analysis; Renewable energies; Transesterification; Jatropha plantation; Biodiesel; Cash flow analysis DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.3126/jie.v8i1-2.5105 Journal of the Institute of Engineering Vol. 8, No. 1&2, 2010/2011 Page: 143-148 Uploaded Date : 20 July, 2011


This study is one of the first of its kind to examine actual consumer purchasing decisions for forest products certified by the Forest Stewardship Council (FSC). Consumer purchasing was examined based on the presence or absence of a promotional brochure and a price premium for red oak and yellow poplar surfaced-four-sides (S4S) boards. This research also compared typical demographic factors for purchasers and non-purchasers of FSC certified S4S boards. Finally, the study examined subscales from a previously designed ecoscale to determine whether two of the subscales were effective predictors of the sale of FSC certified boards. Due to significant interactions between the price premium and the promotional brochure, Analysis of Variance (ANOVA) statistics could not be interpreted. However, these strong interactions indicate that these two factors are interdependent. Examining respondents' understanding of the trade term, "certification," showed that most did not understand the term as it is used by the forest products industry. Respondents did not link certification directly with the environment, but rather stated that it was a measure of quality excellence. This illustrates that the forest products industry must use more specific descriptions that consumers will understand when referring to certification. Based on survey results from this study, a large proportion of respondents who paid more for FSC certified boards were unable to recall whether they had cost any more than the alternative product. Respondents of this study were not found to have a high level of confidence in the environmental claims of any group. These included forest products companies, industry associations, and independent organizations. The subscales of a previously designed ecoscale were not found to be strong indicators of a respondents' likelihood to purchase FSC certified S4S boards. This project should be seen as a starting point for additional researchers interested in studying actual purchase decisions of consumers of environmentally conscious products, such as certified hardwood boards.


I. INTRODUCTION This legislation springs from one of our most essential principles: a democracy works best when the people have all the information that the security of the [n]ation permits. No one should be able to pull curtains of secrecy around decisions which can be revealed without injury to the public interest.(1) With this statement over thirty years ago, President Lyndon B. Johnson signed the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA)(2) into law. Although the Act had lofty goals, neither the President nor Congress could have realized, in 1966, the problems that would result once the Act was applied to the myriad of government operations. One of these problems, especially important since the 1980s, is whether to apply the Act to private entities.(3) This issue is important because, as government agencies turn to private entities in order to function more efficiently,(4) courts have had to deal with FOIA requests for information relating to the government but created or possessed by entities not explicitly covered under the Act.(5) Debates therefore have developed regarding the benefits and drawbacks of privatization, including its effects on freedom of information.(6) As privatization of government services continues into the late 1990s, some commentators worry that the desire for government efficiency will cause information that is important to the public to become shrouded in secrecy.(7) Commentators say unless Congress amends the FOIA to ensure that private entities performing government functions fall within its reach, courts must come forward to protect the public's right to know because privatization is affecting a wide variety of services and operations associated with the federal government.(8) These services include prison operations,(9) the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA),(10) medical research,(11) and railroad operations.(12) As the federal government contracts with private entities to handle these services, citizens are finding it very difficult to obtain important information related to the government because these private entities often do not fall under the definition of "agency" in the FOIA.(13) Additionally, the Act does not define the term "agency records," and private entities may not be holding records with a sufficient nexus to the government to qualify as agency records under judicial analysis.(14) Thus, federal government privatization can have a substantial impact on important information that was public while in the government's hands but becomes secret once it is farmed out to private entities. The purpose of this Article is to discuss what definition of "agency" and "agency record" best protects the public's right to know and retains the spirit of the FOIA in light of the government's privatization efforts. This Article discusses the federal government's privatization efforts and how they have been handled in the federal courts dealing with requests under the FOIA. This Article analyzes the definition of "agency" under the Act, as well as the judicial interpretations of what constitute "agency records," followed by a detailed analysis of the federal court opinions applying these terms to private entities dealing with the federal government. This Article concludes with an analysis of the strengths and weaknesses of the various court approaches, including a discussion of how they square with the stated legislative purposes behind the Act. This Article then suggests an approach that best comports with the spirit of the FOIA and can be applied to federal privatization efforts in the future. II. FEDERAL GOVERNMENT PRIVATIZATION EFFORTS Several types of privatization are undertaken by state and federal governments in the United States. For example, the federal government engaged in "load shedding" by cutting social welfare programs and allowing private for-profit or not-for-profit companies to take over the programs.(15) Government subsidies allow consumers to choose private entities through a voucher system, such as in the federal food stamp program. …


High dietary intake of calcium has been classified as a probable cause of prostate cancer, although the mechanism underlying the association between dietary calcium and prostate cancer risk is unclear. The vitamin D receptor (VDR) is a key regulator of calcium absorption. In the small intestine, VDR expression is regulated by the CDX‐2 transcription factor, which binds a polymorphic site in the VDR gene promoter. We examined VDR Cdx2 genotype and calcium intake, assessed by a food frequency questionnaire, in 533 African–American prostate cancer cases (256 with advanced stage at diagnosis, 277 with localized stage) and 250 African–American controls who participated in the California Collaborative Prostate Cancer Study. We examined the effects of genotype, calcium intake, and diet–gene interactions by conditional logistic regression. Compared with men in the lowest quartile of calcium intake, men in the highest quartile had an approximately twofold increased risk of localized and advanced prostate cancer (odds ratio [OR] = 2.20, 95% confidence interval [CI] = 1.40, 3.46), with a significant dose–response. Poor absorbers of calcium (VDR Cdx2 GG genotype) had a significantly lower risk of advanced prostate cancer (OR = 0.41, 95% CI = 0.19, 0.90). The gene–calcium interaction was statistically significant (p = 0.03). Among men with calcium intake below the median (680 mg/day), carriers of the G allele had an approximately 50% decreased risk compared with men with the AA genotype. These findings suggest a link between prostate cancer risk and high intestinal absorption of calcium. © 2012 American Society for Bone and Mineral Research


A mixture of molluscicidal saponin compounds was isolated from a methanolic extract of seed meal of Camellia oleifera and tested against Pomacea canaliculata. The most potent saponin fraction showed an LC50 value of 0.66 ppm. This was then used as a marker for quantitative analysis of active molluscicidal compounds in commercial oil- seed camellia meals on HPLC fractionation. The active saponin content was found to be 0.25-1.26% w/w. Methanol was the preferred extraction solvent for analysis of saponin compounds from oil-seed camellia meal. The effect of oil-seed camellia meal on P. canaliculata in a field experiment was determined for three doses: 12.50, 15.63, and 18.75 kg/ha in terms of numbers of dead snails. After one day, all treatments containing oil-seed camellia meal killed 100% of the snails in the sample compared with just 3.8% in the control without any chemical additive. No rice plant damage was detected from any treatments with oil-seed camellia meal, and the dry grain yield was comparable to that of niclosamide treatment. Thus oil-seed camellia meals may be a useful molluscicide for organic rice production.


The Dutch Windward Islands (St. Eustatius, Saba, St. Maarten) support a collective herpetofauna consisting of two frogs (both introduced), six turtles (one introduced, one of uncertain origin, and four sea turtles, of which three are known to nest in the islands), 15 or 16 lizards (depending on whether the iguanas of Saba are a species distinct from Iguana iguana), and three snakes (one introduced). Although politically united, the islands are distinct biogeographic entities and binary similarity indices for the herpetofauna are 0.38 for St. Eustatius/Saba, 0.35 for St. Eustatius/St. Maarten, and 0.20 for Saba/St. Maarten (with values varying only little when the introduced species are included). Only three species, Eleutherodactylus johnstonei, Hemidactylus mabouia, and Thecadactylus rapicauda, are found on all three islands. Species given formal recognition as being in need of protection include the sea turtles (listed in CITES appendices and the IUCN Redlist), Geochelone carbonaria (CITES), Iguana delicatissima (CITES and IUCN), Iguana iguana (CITES), and two species of Alsophis (IUCN). Other species of conservation concern include two species of Ameiva, both of which are restricted to areas of considerable human activity on islands where mongooses (Herpestes javanicus) are established, and Mabuya sp., which may be extirpated on St. Maarten. Three factors largely responsible for the status of these species are: (1) large size and economic value (turtles and iguanas), (2) persecution by people who fear them (snakes), and (3) diurnally active, terrestrial, and vulnerable to predation by mongooses (snakes, Ameiva, Mabuya). Non-governmental organizations on each island are largely responsible for conservation and related educational efforts. Specific recommendations for each island are listed.


This paper presents an overview of the past, present and future of the OpenMP application programming interface (API). While the API originally specified a small set of directives that guided shared memory fork-join parallelization of loops and program sections, OpenMP now provides a richer set of directives that capture a wide range of parallelization strategies that are not strictly limited to shared memory. As we look toward the future of OpenMP, we immediately see further evolution of the support for that range of parallelization strategies and the addition of direct support for debugging and performance analysis tools. Looking beyond the next major release of the specification of the OpenMP API, we expect the specification eventually to include support for more parallelization strategies and to embrace closer integration into its Fortran, C and, in particular, C++ base languages, which will likely require the API to adopt additional programming abstractions.


The modern world faces huge challenges. Globalization changed the socio-economic conditions of many countries. The current processes in the global environment have a different impact on countries with different cultures. However, an alleviation of poverty and improvement of living conditions is still the basic challenge for the majority of countries, because much of the population still lives under the official threshold of poverty. It is very important to stimulate youth employment. In order to prepare young people for the labour market, it is essential to provide them with the appropriate professional skills and knowledge. It is necessary to plan efficient activities for decreasing an unemployment rate and for developing the perfect mechanisms for regulation of a labour market. Such planning requires thorough study and analysis of existing reality, as well as development of corresponding mechanisms. Statistical analysis of unemployment is one of the main platforms for regulation of the labour market key mechanisms. The corresponding statistical methods should be used in the study process. Such methods are observation, gathering, grouping, and calculation of the generalized indicators. Unemployment is one of the most severe socioeconomic problems in Georgia. According to the past as well as the current statistics, unemployment rates always have been the most problematic issue to resolve for policy makers. Analytical works towards to the above-mentioned problem will be the basis for the next sustainable steps to solve the main problem. The results of the study showed that the choice of young people is not often due to their inclinations, their interests and the labour market demand. That is why the wrong professional orientation of young people in most cases leads to their unemployment. At the same time, it was shown that there are a number of professions in the labour market with a high demand because of the deficit the appropriate specialties. To achieve healthy competitiveness in youth employment, it is necessary to formulate regional employment programs with taking into account the regional infrastructure specifications. Keywords—Unemployment. analysis, methods, tendencies, regulation mechanisms.


Most violence risk assessment tools have been validated predominantly in males. In this multicenter study, the Historical, Clinical, Risk Management–20 (HCR-20), Historical, Clinical, Risk Management–20 Version 3 (HCR-20V3), Female Additional Manual (FAM), Short-Term Assessment of Risk and Treatability (START), Structured Assessment of Protective Factors for violence risk (SAPROF), and Psychopathy Checklist–Revised (PCL-R) were coded on file information of 78 female forensic psychiatric patients discharged between 1993 and 2012 with a mean follow-up period of 11.8 years from one of four Dutch forensic psychiatric hospitals. Notable was the high rate of mortality (17.9%) and readmission to psychiatric settings (11.5%) after discharge. Official reconviction data could be retrieved from the Ministry of Justice and Security for 71 women. Twenty-four women (33.8%) were reconvicted after discharge, including 13 for violent offenses (18.3%). Overall, predictive validity was moderate for all types of recidivism, but low for violence. The START Vulnerability scores, HCR-20V3, and FAM showed the highest predictive accuracy for all recidivism. With respect to violent recidivism, only the START Vulnerability scores and the Clinical scale of the HCR-20V3 demonstrated significant predictive accuracy.


This paper explores questions of reference and communicative functions of the Norwegian first-person plural pronoun vi , based on transcripts of video recorded conversations between patients and nursing students or medical students. While many authentic examples of vi seem to be at odds with the meaning of vi proposed in Borthen (2010), we argue that the discrepancy is only apparent and can be accounted for through a pragmatic, relevance-theoretic analysis (Sperber and Wilson 1995). We compare this analysis to a sense enumeration approach and claim that the former is preferred for cognitive reasons. We show how pragmatic processes and principles can explain the fluidity of vi , and how our analysis is compatible with various communicative functions of the pronoun.


China's diverse minorities (shaoshu minzu) with various languages and cultures have much experience with the push and pull of homogenizing forces and indigenous cultures, representing a context-specific paradox of multiculturalism. Within the framework of Fei Xiaotong's duoyuan yiti geju (plurality within unity), attempts have been made by the Chinese government in the provision of education for its ethnic minorities in order to balance ethnic diversity and national unity with an assumed pluralistic nature. Taking curriculum as a form of identity politics, this study provides insights into the role of the Chinese language curriculum in molding its minority readers' identity that is embodied in an ambivalence of national-ethnic identity configuration. This study relies on the content analysis of official syllabus and 12 volumes of Chinese language textbooks for ethnic Korean children throughout the six years of primary schooling. It concludes that the language curriculum serves to reinforce its minority readers with a sense of nationalism, thereby rendering ethnic minority culture and value systems that can contribute to the development of ethnic identity under multiculturalism, almost invisible. The study's findings call for a shift of focus in curricula from the indoctrination of the Chinese culturalism for social control to an increasing emphasis on a variety of cultural knowledge and the fostering of critical thinking and application of the cultural knowledge in an inclusive society.


In this paper, we introduce and investigate a method combining principle component analysis (PCA) and independent component analysis (ICA) for blind source separation (BSS). A recursive method for the PCA is applied to meet the demands of a real-time application, and likewise a modified on-line version of the information maximization principle is used. The combined PCA-ICA algorithm, first reduces the dimension of the problem and then separates the signals. Evaluation of the proposed algorithm in a real room shows superior noise suppression capabilities compared to the use of PCA or ICA individually. The proposed algorithm achieves an impressive noise suppression/separation of up to 14 dB with only two microphones. Most importantly this is achieved with negligible distortion of the recovered signal


The aim of this Special Edition is to explore the use of the phenomenological notion of the lifeworld in educational empirical research. This notion was originally developed within philosophy to answer philosophical questions. If it is going to be used in empirical research, it is necessary to discuss how it can be used in this new and different context. Consequently, this Special Edition aims to address this challenge in two ways: Firstly, by theoretical discussion; and secondly, by showing how the lifeworld can be used in research practice. This Special Edition includes contributions from the Gothenburg tradition.


We use Chinese firm-level data from the World Bank Investment Climate Survey to examine the link between importing intermediates and intra-firm wage inequality. Our results show that intermediate input importers not only have a significant wage premium but also have a greater intra-firm wage dispersion than non-importing firms. This pattern is robust when we control for productivity and use trade costs as the instruments. We further investigate the mechanism of how importing intermediates might contribute to both inter-firm and intra-firm wage inequality. Our evidence is consistent with three important channels. First, imported intermediate inputs complement skilled labour. Second, intermediates importers are more likely to use performance pay. Third, imported inputs complement innovation and employee training.


Ni-Zn ferrite (NixZn1-xFe2O4, for x=0, 0.1, 0.3, 0.5, 0.7) nanoparticles have been successfully synthesized using chemical coprecipitation method for two different compositions of nickel nitrides (Ni(NO3)2.6H2O) and nickel chlorides (NiCl2.6H2O) respectively. X-ray analysis explored that nanoparticles for each value of x have cubic spinal structure. No extra peaks were observed in XRD spectra indicating the absence of any un-reacted component in the samples for both the series. The d-spacing and lattice parameter were found to lay in the range of 2.54 Ao to 2.51 Ao and 8.42 Ao to 8.33 Ao for nickel chloride series and 2.56 Ao to 2.54 Ao and 8.49 Ao to 8.42 Ao for nickel nitride series respectively. Both of these decreased by increasing Ni doping due to the less ionic radius of Ni2+ ions then Zn2+ and for strong preference of Ni2+ ions for octahedral sites. The crystallite size was observed to vary between 10-13 nm and its value is maximum for x=0.3 for nickel chloride series, whereas it vary between 18-36 nm and its value is maximum for x=0.5 and x=0.7 which shows that by adding nickel chloride a better result of 10 nm is achieved at x=0.7 whereas, 18 nm is achieved at x=0.1 and it increases by increasing nickel nitride.


This paper introduces a holistic typology of 20 mood states that are presented with a componential approach, describing six aspects: subjective feeling, perception, reaction, tendency, liking, and disliking. In addition, each mood is illustrated with a short example narrative and a collection of four images. The typology was generated by combining the results of two studies. With a lexical analysis and researcher introspections, Study 1 examined 135 mood words, which resulted in an initial identification of mood states and corresponding verbal and pictorial descriptions. Study 2 validated and enriched these results with a phenomenological analysis of 159 introspective mood samples that were collected by a group of nine co-researchers in a two-week mood diary exercise. The mood typology provides a fine-grained overview and a vocabulary of user moods. Designers and design researchers can use these results as a foundation for systematic mood-focused design research, as a means to develop mood sensibility and granularity (i.e., the ability to distinguish between moods and the variety of mood manifestations), and as a tool to facilitate user interviews in empathy-based design processes.


Background: Ionic liquid-based microwave-assisted extraction (IL-MAE) is one of the non-conventional extraction methods that has been developed and applied in recent years. Some studies have reported the success of this approach for extracting the target compound (secondary metabolites) from medicinal plants optimally. Objective: This review paper aimed to provide detail information about the application of the IL-MAE method as a fast and green extraction of a secondary metabolite from the medicinal plant. Materials and Methods: The literature published on IL-MAE was searched and collected using online resources from the electronic databases including Google Scholar, DOAJ, PubMed, ScienceDirect, and Scopus. Results: This review highlights the role of IL as a green solvent, the basic principles, mechanisms of MAE, and its utilization of natural product extraction. Furthermore, this review explained about the application of the IL-MAE method to extract secondary metabolite (particularly the targeted compound) from a medicinal plant, and a brief extraction mechanism of IL-MAE using Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy and scanning electron microscopy. Conclusion: The application of IL-MAE method has successfully performed to extract the targeted secondary metabolite from a natural product, where the extraction process to be rapid, efficient, and green.


Legislation that singles out an identifiable individual for benefits or harms that do not apply to the rest of the population is called "special legislation." In previous work, I have argued that the text, history, and jurisprudential underpinnings of the Constitution suggest that special legislation is constitutionally suspect. In this Article, I explore the normative consequences of special legislation, assessing both the costs it imposes and the benefits that it can provide. Drawing on constitutional theory, public choice theory, and the history of special legislation in state legislatures, I argue that the enactment of special legislation leads to the corruption of the political process, low-quality legislation, unjustifiably unequal treatment, and legislative encroachment on the judicial and executive functions. By contrast, special legislation is more normatively attractive when it addresses a problem that is unique, when it addresses matters of general concern, when it reduces rather than exacerbates disuniformity in the law, and when it provides for relief for underrepresented political minorities. After considering these costs and benefits, I conclude by suggesting modifications to the legislative process that will diminish the costs associated with special legislation while still preserving some of its benefits.


Tennyson Transformed explores how the life and work of the great Victorian Poet Laureate was interpreted by artists, illustrators, photographers and other creative practitioners. This book evaluates several strands of Tennyson's influence on Victorian visual culture, and sheds new light on this crucial aspect of his influence.

Including discussion of well-known paintings such as J.W. Waterhouse's Lady of Shalott and other Pre-Raphaelite masterpieces, the book looks beyond the obvious to uncover the breadth of media used to express Tennysonian themes. Book illustration, photography, engraving and sculpture are examined alongside previously unpublished archival material, such as the proof woodcuts for the famous 'Moxon Tennyson' of 1857. Including essays by leading specialists in the field and followed by a catalogue of seminal objects and images, Tennyson Transformed is essential reading for both the specialist and the enthusiast. Literary scholars and art historians will find fascinating new connections between the art and literature of the nineteenth century.


Endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress is an emerging target for human chronic disorders, including β cell death in type 1 and type 2 diabetes, as well as neurodegenerative diseases. However, there is currently no treatment for preventing ER stress-mediated cell death due to its complex nature. Our strategy for overcoming this challenge is to focus on a rare monogenic disease, Wolfram syndrome. Wolfram syndrome is a rare genetic disease characterized by juvenile-onset diabetes mellitus, optic nerve atrophy, diabetes insipidus, impaired hearing and neurodegeneration. As this syndrome is caused by the loss-of-function of the WFS1 gene which is involved in ER calcium homeostasis and ER stress-mediated cell death, it is ideal for testing potential new treatments targeting the ER. Mesencephalic astrocyte-derived neurotrophic factor (MANF) is a trophic factor whose expression and secretion is enhanced by ER stress and ER calcium depletion. It has been demonstrated that MANF plays a critical role in the survival of ER stressed β cells and neurons, raising the possibility that MANF can be beneficial for patients suffering from ER stress-related disorders. In this study, we show that treatment with recombinant MANF peptide in cell models of Wolfram syndrome suppresses the caspase 3/7 activation and terminal ER stress markers, including C/EBP homologous protein (Chop) and Tribbles 3 (Trb3), and activates the mTOR/S6K signaling pathway. Furthermore, the proliferation of β cells in a WS mouse model is activated by recombinant MANF peptide treatment and adeno-associated virus induced MANF overexpression. Our results indicate that molecular pathways regulated by MANF are promising drug targets for ER stress-related disorders, including β cell death in diabetes and Wolfram syndrome. Disclosure S. Morikawa: None. J. Mahadevan: None. T. Yagi: None. D. Abreu: None. K. Kanekura: None. C.M. Brown: None. F. Urano: Board Member; Self; Healthbeat. Research Support; Self; Aetas, Amylyx, JDRF, National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases, National Institutes of Health. Stock/Shareholder; Self; CytRx. Other Relationship; Self; Novus Biologicals. Funding National Institutes of Health/National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases (DK112921, DK020579); National Institutes of Health/National Center for Advancing Translational Science (TR002065); Unravel Wolfram Syndrome Fund; Lois and Samuel Silberman Fund; Stowe Education Fund; Ellie White Foundation for Rare Genetic Disorders; Eye Hope Foundation; Snow Foundation (to F.U.); National Institutes of Health (F30DK111070 to D.A.)


In this paper, we investigate the use of machine-learning techniques in order to produce harmonised surface reflectances between Sentinel-2 and Pleiades images, and reduce the impact of the differences in sensors, view conditions, and atmospheric correction differences between them. We demonstrate that if a simple linear regression considering Sentinel-2 surface reflectances as the target domain can overcome this problem when both images are calibrated to Top of Canopy reflectances, the non-linearity brought by a simple Multi-Layer-Perceptron is already useful when Pleiades is corrected to Top of Atmosphere level and contributions of the atmosphere need to be learned. We also demonstrate that learning a Convolution Neural Network instead of a plain MLP can learn undesired spatial effects such as mis-registration or differences in spatial frequency content, that will affect the image quality of the corrected Pleiades product. We overcome this issue by proposing an adhoc input convolutional layer that will capture those effects and can later be unplugged during inference. Last, we also propose an architecture and loss function that is robust to unmasked clouds and produces a confidence prediction during inference.


AIM
The targeting efficiency of folate receptor-α (FR-α)-targeted high-density lipoprotein nanoparticles (HDL NPs) was evaluated in a syngeneic mouse model of ovarian cancer.

MATERIALS & METHODS
Folic acid was conjugated to the surface of fluorescent-labeled HDL NPs. In vivo tumor targeting of folic acid-HDL NPs and HDL NPs were evaluated in mice with metastatic ovarian cancer following intravenous or intraperitoneal (ip.) administration.

RESULTS & DISCUSSION
Intravenous FR-α-targeted HDL resulted in high uptake of the fluorescent nanoparticle in host liver and spleen. The ip. injection of fluorescent HDL produced moderate fluorescence throughout the abdomen. Conversely, animals receiving the ip. FR-α-targeted HDL showed a high fluorescence signal in ovarian tumors, surpassing that seen in all of the host tissues.

CONCLUSION
The authors' findings demonstrate that the combination of local-regional ip. administration and FR-α-directed nanoparticles provides an enhanced approach to selectively targeting ovarian cancer cells for drug treatment.


In an attempt to present itself as an apolitical organization, leading members of the German Football Association (DFB) have repeatedly argued over the last 100 years that football and politics have to be kept apart. Consequently, there has never been a critical self‐appraisal of the DFB analysing its political history. Instead the DFB's commemorative publications to its centenary are full of anecdotes, glossy pictures, statistical material and details about victories and defeats. This article will provide a critical historical overview of the DFB's early development and will focus upon the organization's political position and ideological orientation in the context of associated social conflicts, from its beginnings in 1900 to the foundation of the Federal Republic of Germany in the late 1940s. It will show that the political history of the German Football Association is characterized by a high degree of ideological continuity and closeness to nationalist, militaristic and later national‐socialist ideas.


Worldwide water distribution infrastructure system is old and deteriorating. A water system with its myriad appurtenances (including pumps, valves, and tanks) is susceptible to hydraulic transients resulting in high and low pressure waves alternatively passing through the network. While both low and high pressure events structurally tax the already weak system, there is copious evidence indicating intrusion of contaminants into the drinking water pipes from the pipe's exterior environment due to low pressure events associated with water hammer phenomenon. These contaminants enter into the drinking water as the home plumbing system is a passive recipient from the water main. While the major (municipal) system is readily recognized as a vast infrastructure system of nearly 1,409,800 km of piping within the United States, the minor (plumbing) system that is at least 5 to 10 times larger is generally not well analyzed. In this study, an experimental plumbing rig was designed and implemented that replicates the range of pressures encountered in actual minor water distribution systems. This research addresses how a pressure transient triggered within a house and from municipal systems can impact the service line with a possible suction effect. Experimental results on low pressure events and the accompanying numerical modeling showed good agreement. The experiment also enabled visualization of the various pressure transient phenomena. It is demonstrated that hydraulic transients triggered from water mains result in low pressures events (up to -10 psig) in service lines which can allow possible intrusion of microbial and chemical contaminants at the service line. Structural integrity of service line and hydraulic integrity at water mains should be maintained to minimize any public health risks. In the USA, about 90% of residential drinking water plumbing systems use copper pipes. Pinhole leaks in copper plumbing pipes have become a nationwide concern because these leaks cause property damage, lower property values, and result in possibility of adversely affecting homeowners' insurance coverage. In addition, resulting mold damage may cause health concerns. This research also addresses the concerns of the affected homeowners by enabling them to decide on whether to continue to repair or replace their plumbing system, the factors to be considered in a replacement decision, and the type of material to use for replacement. Plastic pipes such as PEX (cross-linked polyethylene), CPVC (Chlorinated Polyvinyl Chloride), and copper are considered in present analysis. Other alternatives iii include an epoxy coating technique on the existing piping systems, without the need to tear into walls. Multiple attributes of a plumbing system including cost (material plus labor charges), taste and odor impacts, potential for corrosion, longevity of the pipe system, fire retardance, convenience of installation or replacement, plumber or general contractor's opinions or expertise, and proven record in the market are considered. Attributes and material rankings are formalized within the framework of a preference elicitation tool namely AHP (Analytical Hierarchical Process). Surveys are conducted with selected homeowners in pinhole leak prone area in Southeastern US Community to observe their revealed and stated preferences. Participants' overall preference tradeoffs are reported in addition to comparing their revealed and stated preferences. Health effects, taste and odor of water turned out to be the most important factors from the survey. In real life, however, homeowners were not well aware of these safety issues related with plumbing materials. It is recommended that water professionals should work on bridging the gap between public perception and research results related to major and minor systems.


In this paper, we describe an approach of spectral-based features ranking for Javanese gamelan instruments identification using filter techniques. The model extracted spectral-based features set of the signal using Short Time Fourier Transform (STFT). The rank of the features was determined using the five algorithms; namely ReliefF, Chi-Squared, Information Gain, Gain Ratio, and Symmetric Uncertainty. Then, we tested the ranked features by cross validation using Support Vector Machine (SVM). The experiment showed that Gain Ratio algorithm gave the best result, it yielded accuracy of 98.93%.


This article provides a contextual analysis of the evolution and reform processes of Palestinian security forces over the last two decades. It categorises the evolution of security reform processes into three phases: the Oslo Accords phase; the Second Intifada phase; and the Fayyadism phase. The article argues that despite the attempt to reverse the conditions of insecurity through security reform under Fayyadism (the Palestinian Authority's state-building project between 2007–2013 in the occupied West Bank), fundamental tensions between the Palestinian Authority's security forces and the Palestinian resistance movement have emerged. This tension manifested in authoritarian transformations and trends and therefore the entire security reform project constituted yet another form of institutionalised insecurity, but framed in a state-building and good governance framework. This article concludes that the enhanced functionality of the Palestinian Authority's security forces and the reformed style of governance, resulted in the criminalisation of resistance against the Israeli occupation. In this way, the state-building project during the Fayyadism era directly and indirectly sustained the occupation. Conceptually, the Palestinian case demonstrates the fundamental flaws of conducting a security sector reform in the absence of sovereign authority and local ownership of the reform processes, and while living under a foreign military occupation.


Context is known to affect how a stimulus is perceived. A variety of illusions have been attributed to contextual processing—from orientation tilt effects to chromatic induction phenomena, but their neural underpinnings remain poorly understood. Here, we present a recurrent network model of classical and extraclassical receptive fields that is constrained by the anatomy and physiology of the visual cortex. A key feature of the model is the postulated existence of near- versus far- extraclassical regions with complementary facilitatory and suppressive contributions to the classical receptive field. The model accounts for a variety of contextual illusions, reveals commonalities between seemingly disparate phenomena, and helps organize them into a novel taxonomy. It explains how center-surround interactions may shift from attraction to repulsion in tilt effects, and from contrast to assimilation in induction phenomena. The model further explains enhanced perceptual shifts generated by a class of patterned background stimuli that activate the two opponent extraclassical regions cooperatively. Overall, the ability of the model to account for the variety and complexity of contextual illusions provides computational evidence for a novel canonical circuit that is shared across visual modalities.


In albinism a large proportion of nerve fibres originating in temporal retina cross the midline at the chiasm and project to the contralateral hemisphere. Studies in rodents with albinism have suggested that the extent of this misrouting at the chiasm is inversely related to pigmentation levels. Here, we examine whether there is evidence for a similar relationship in humans with albinism. Functional MRI was performed on 18 subjects with albinism, 17 control subjects and six controls with nystagmus as they underwent hemifield visual stimulation of nasal or temporal retina. Functional activation in 16 coronal slices beginning at the posterior occipital lobes were analysed and the extent of hemispheric response lateralization at each slice position was determined. During temporal retina stimulation, the control response was lateralized to the hemisphere ipsilateral to the stimulated eye for all slices. In albinos, the response in posterior slices was predominantly in the contralateral hemisphere, consistent with misrouting of temporal retina fibres. However, as slice location became progressively anterior, response lateralization reverted to the ipsilateral hemisphere. The slice location at which the transition from contra‐ to ipsilateralization occurred provided an estimate of the extent of fibre misrouting in the individual. The slice transition location correlated negatively with pigmentation level, providing the first evidence for a relationship between pigmentation and the extent of misrouting in humans with albinism.


Article history: Received 25 June 2014 Received in revised form 8 July 2014 Accepted 25 July 2014 Available online 20 August 2014


Recent research reports that respiration responses to directed lie comparison questions may not result in the expected shorter line excursion with innocent participants compared with responses to target stimuli. However, the implications for those physiological findings for numerical scoring are unexplored. We examined the impact of the use of the directed lie on numerical scores with new analyses of two existing data sets. We examined a set of 25 confirmed field cases from Honts and Raskin (1988) where directed lie and probable lie comparison questions were contrasted within subjects. We then examined data from 250 participants in an experiment (Honts & Reavy, 2009) that explores differences between examinations with directed or probable lie comparison questions. Our analyses failed to reveal any significant effects of directed lies on either Utah or Objective Scoring System, Version 2 numerical scores. Results showed that numerical scores differ significantly for guilty and innocent examinees using both probable and directed lie comparison questions. Results indicate the potential that examiners who use directed lie comparison questions may simply score them using certain standard numerical criteria. Continued research and interest in the directed lie comparison question is recommended.


The accurate design of conveyor transfers for the efficient transfer of product from one conveyor to another is of utmost importance and companies can not afford a hit and miss approach in their construction. Several key particle mechanisms occur within a transfer chute, discharge from a belt conveyor, trajectory, impact, free-fall and chute flow. This paper will focus on the prediction of product discharge and product trajectory from conveyor belts, which are the defining elements determining the flow through a conveyor transfer. There are several approaches available in the literature which will be reviewed taking into account issues such as the parameters used in the trajectory determination, complexity of method and potential accuracy. Following this review, trajectory curves for a range of belt velocities and pulley diameters will be generated to allow visual scrutiny of each method and to better compare one method to another.


This grounded theory study aimed to comprehend how teachers inspire their secondary gifted students. A theory, grounded in participants' experiences was developed. In three Victorian secondary schools, 91 gifted and highly able students nominated their inspiring teachers. Teachers, who received the highest number of nominations, were interviewed, and observed subsequently teaching their students. The core process identified the importance of opening new possibilities for their gifted students, by expanding their knowledge and understanding, developing positive attitudes, and encouraging them to take action. These findings will contribute to relevant key teacher development and teaching strategies in the field of gifted education.


The aim of this PhD thesis was to study at a microscopic level different liquid crystal (LC) systems, in
order to determine their physical properties, resorting to two distinct methodologies, one involving computer
simulations, and the other spectroscopic techniques, in particular electron spin resonance (ESR) spectroscopy.
 By means of the computer simulation approach we tried to demonstrate this tool effectiveness for calculating anisotropic static properties of a LC material, as well as for predicting its behaviour and features. This
required the development and adoption of suitable molecular models based on a convenient intermolecular
potentials reflecting the essential molecular features of the investigated system.
 In particular, concerning the simulation approach, we have set up models for discotic liquid crystal dimers and
we have studied, by means of Monte Carlo simulations, their phase behaviour and self-assembling properties,
with respect to the simple monomer case. Each discotic dimer is described by two oblate GayBerne ellipsoids
connected by a flexible spacer, modelled by a harmonic "spring" of three different lengths. In particular we
investigated the effects of dimerization on the transition temperatures, as well as on the characteristics of
molecular aggregation displayed and the relative orientational order.
 Moving to the experimental results, among the many experimental techniques that are typically employed
to evaluate LC system distinctive features, ESR has proved to be a powerful tool in microscopic scale
investigation of the properties, structure, order and dynamics of these materials. We have taken advantage
of the high sensitivity of the ESR spin probe technique to investigate increasingly complex LC systems
ranging from devices constituted by a polymer matrix in which LC molecules are confined in shape of nano-
droplets, as well as biaxial liquid crystalline elastomers, and dimers whose monomeric units or lateral groups
are constituted by rod-like mesogens (11BCB).
 Reflection-mode holographic-polymer dispersed liquid crystals (H-PDLCs) are devices in which LCs are
confined into nanosized (50-300 nm) droplets, arranged in layers which alternate with polymer layers, forming
a diffraction grating. We have determined the configuration of the LC local director and we have derived
a model of the nanodroplet organization inside the layers. Resorting also to additional information on the
nanodroplet size and shape distribution provided by SEM images of the H-PDLC cross-section, the observed
director configuration has been modeled as a bidimensional distribution of elongated nanodroplets whose
long axis is, on the average, parallel to the layers and whose internal director configuration is a uniaxial quasi-
monodomain aligned along the nanodroplet long axis. The results suggest that the molecular organization is
dictated mainly by the confinement, explaining, at least in part, the need for switching voltages significantly
higher and the observed faster turn-off times in H-PDLCs compared to standard PDLC devices.
 Liquid crystal elastomers consist in cross-linked polymers, in which mesogens represent the monomers
constituting the main chain or the laterally attached side groups. They bring together three important aspects: orientational order in amorphous soft materials, responsive molecular shape and quenched topological constraints.
In biaxial nematic liquid crystalline elastomers (BLCEs), two orthogonal directions, rather than the one of
normal uniaxial nematic, can be controlled, greatly enhancing their potential value for applications as novel
actuators. Two versions of a side-chain BLCEs were characterized: side-on and end-on. Many tests have
been carried out on both types of LCE, the main features detected being the lack of a significant dynamical
behaviour, together with a strong permanent alignment along the principal director, and the confirmation of
the transition temperatures already determined by DSC measurements. The end-on sample demonstrates a
less hindered rotation of the side group mesogenic units and a greater freedom of alignment to the magnetic
field, as already shown by previous NMR studies. Biaxial nematic ESR static spectra were also obtained
on the basis of Molecular Dynamics generated biaxial configurations, to be compared to the experimentally
determined ones, as a mean to establish a possible relation between biaxiality and the spectral features.
This provides a concrete example of the advantages of combining the computer simulation and spectroscopic
approaches.
 Finally, the dimer α,ω-bis(4'-cyanobiphenyl-4-yl)undecane (11BCB), synthesized in the "quest" for the
biaxial nematic phase has been analysed. Its importance lies in the dimer significance as building blocks
in the development of new materials to be employed in innovative technological applications, such as faster
switching displays, resorting to the easier aligning ability of the secondary director in biaxial phases. A
preliminary series of tests were performed revealing the population of mesogenic molecules as divided into
two groups: one of elongated straightened conformers sharing a common director, and one of bent molecules,
which display no order, being equally distributed in the three dimensions. Employing this model, the
calculated values show a consistent trend, confirming at the same time the transition temperatures indicated
by the DSC measurements, together with rotational diffusion tensor values that follow closely those of the
constituting monomer 5CB.


The idea of progress from the Enlightenment to postmodernism is still very much with us. In intellectual discourse, journals, popular magazines, and radio and talk shows, the debate between those who are "progressivists" and those who are "declinists" is as spirited as it was in the late seventeenth century. In History of the Idea of Progress, Robert Nisbet traces the idea of progress from its origins in Greek, Roman, and medieval civilizations to modern times. It is a masterful frame of reference for understanding the present world. Nisbet asserts there are two fundamental building blocks necessary to Western doctrines of human advancement: the idea of growth, and the idea of necessity. He sees Christianity as a key element in both secular and spiritual evolution, for it conveys all the ingredients of the modern idea of progress: the advancement of the human race in time, a single time frame for all the peoples and epochs of the past and present, the conception of time as linear, and the envisagement of the future as having a Utopian end. In his new introduction, Nisbet shows why the idea of progress remains of critical importance to studies of social evolution and natural history. He provides a contemporary basis for many disciplines, including sociology, economics, philosophy, religion, politics, and science. History of the Idea of Progress continues to be a major resource for scholars in all these areas.


The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic has caused disruption to professional and recreational sports across the world. The SARS-CoV-2 virus can be transmitted by relatively large respiratory droplets that behave ballistically, and exhaled aerosol droplets, which potentially pose a greater risk. This review provides a summary of end-to-end SARS-CoV-2 transmission risk factors for sport and an overview of transmission mechanisms to be considered by all stakeholders. The risk of SARS-CoV-2 transmission is greatest indoors, and primarily influenced by the ventilation of the environment and the close proximity of individuals. The SARS-CoV-2 transmission risks outdoors, e.g. via water, and from fomites, appear less than initially thought. Mitigation strategies include good end-to-end scenario planning of activities to optimise physical distancing, face mask wearing and hygiene practice of individuals, the environment and equipment. The identification and removal of infectious individuals should be undertaken by means of the taking of temperature and COVID-19 symptom screening, and the use of diagnostic monitoring tests to identify asymptomatic individuals. Using adequate video footage, data from proximity technology and subject interviews, the identification and isolation of 'close contacts' should also be undertaken to limit SARS-CoV-2 transmission within sporting environments and into the wider community. Sports should aim to undertake activities outdoors where possible, given the lower SARS-CoV-2 transmission risk, in comparison to indoor environments.


In this work we analyzed the Kepler light curve data of HD 73045. The raw data has been smoothened using standard filters. The power spectrum has been obtained by using a fast Fourier transform routine. It shows the presence of more than one period. In order to take care of any non-stationary behavior, we carried out a wavelet analysis to obtain the wavelet power spectrum. In addition, to identify the scale invariant structure, the data has been analyzed using a multifractal detrended fluctuation analysis. Further to characterize the diversity of embedded patterns in the HD 73045 flux time series, we computed various entropy-based complexity measures e.g. sample entropy, spectral entropy and permutation entropy. The presence of periodic structure in the time series was further analyzed using the visibility network and horizontal visibility network model of the time series. The degree distributions in the two network models confirm such structures.


A Single Function Agent (SiFA) is a software agent, with only one function, one point of view, and one target object on which to act. For example, an agent might be a critic (function) of material (target) from the point of view of cost. This research investigates the possibilities and implications of the SiFA concept, and analyzes the definition language, negotiation language and negotiation strategies of the agents. After defining a domain-independent set of agent types we investigated negotiation, analyzing which pairs/groups of agents have reason to communicate, and what the information passed between them should be, as well as what knowledge was needed to support the negotiation. A library for the CLIPS expert system shell was built, which allows development of SiFA based expert systems from domain independent templates. We will present two such systems, one as implemented for the domain of ceramic component material selection and the other (in development) for simple sailboat design. The effect of negotiation on the design process and the results are discussed, as well as directions for future research into SiFAs.


Provides the essential foundation for psychology students, this is a revised and updated version of the most trusted introduction written by the bestselling psychology author Richard Gross. Psychology: The Science of Mind and Behaviour has helped over half a million students worldwide. It is the essential introduction to psychology, covering all students need to know to understand and evaluate classic and contemporary topics. - Enables students to easily access psychological theories and research with colourful, user-friendly content and useful features including summaries, critical discussion and research updates - Helps students to understand the research process with contributions from leading psychologists including Elizabeth Loftus, Alex Haslam and David Canter - Ensures students are up to date with the latest issues and debates with this fully updated edition


A ssam, which is the most
populous state in North East
India, has been facing a number of
movements aiming to achieve a variety of
objectives having both ethnic and
territorial focus. While some of these issues
were partially resolved through the
intervention of the Central government,
several others remain unresolved. The
unresolved conflicts have resulted in a
series of flashpoints. In February 1983,
ethnic riots took place in and around the
village of Nellie killing over 1500 Muslim
peasants of East Bengal origin. As many
as 14 senior government officials, including
a Russian coalmine expert, were abducted
by the United Liberation Front of Asom
(ULFA) from different parts of the state
on July 1, 1991. The Russian coalmine
expert and two other officials were
subsequently killed. The others were
released one after another in exchange for
several jailed ULFA rebels. Thirty-four
train passengers were killed in a powerful
bomb explosion in a Delhi-bound train in Kokrajhar district on December 30, 1996.
Sanjoy Ghosh, a known social worker, was
abducted and latter killed by ULFA in
1997. In 2003, the Bhutanese government
launched an operation to flush out Indian
armed groups operating on its soil in
which a large number of rebels were either
arrested or killed. More than 100 people
were killed in the violent Kuki-Karbi
conflict in Karbi Anglong district during
2003 and 2004. Sixteen children were
killed in a bomb explosion at the venue of
the Independence Day celebrations at
Dhemaji on August 15, 2004. Nine nearsimultaneous
bomb explosions on October
30, 2008 claimed nearly 90 lives and
wounded more than 300 others.


This ambitious publication is the first book to thoroughly evaluate the photography that emerged during Germany's geopolitical division from the 1950s to the 1980s. With richly illustrated and exhaustively researched analyses of photographic projects from East and West Germany, including exhibitions, photo-essays, private archives, and photo-books, Common Ground constructs a comparative perspective, examining how sequence, seriality, and repetition were mobilized to produce forms of solidarity and political agency. Author Sarah James places German postwar photography in the context of Soviet, American, and European photographic developments; the specific cultural experiences of the Cold War; and the shifting politics of German identity. By reconsidering the relationship between divergent cultures of the pre-war Weimar period and the Cold War era, Common Ground prompts new readings of major figures such as Bernd and Hilla Becher, Karl Blossfeldt, and August Sander, as well as historically neglected figures such as Karl Pawek, Evelyn Richter, and Rudolf Schafer. The result is a groundbreaking study of the political and pedagogical functions of documentary photography.


This paper compares the fault-detecting ability of several software test data adequacy criteria. It has previously been shown that if C/sub 1/ properly covers C/sub 2/, then C/sub 1/ is guaranteed to be better at detecting faults than C/sub 2/, in the following sense: a test suite selected by independent random selection of one test case from each subdomain induced by C/sub 1/ is at least as likely to detect a fault as a test suite similarly selected using C/sub 2/. In contrast, if C/sub 1/ subsumes but does not properly cover C/sub 2/, this is not necessarily the case. These results are used to compare a number of criteria, including several that have been proposed as stronger alternatives to branch testing. We compare the relative fault-detecting ability of data flow testing, mutation testing, and the condition-coverage techniques, to branch testing, showing that most of the criteria examined are guaranteed to be better than branch testing according to two probabilistic measures. We also show that there are criteria that can sometimes be poorer at detecting faults than substantially less expensive criteria. >


Ceramics materials from clay were widely applied as dielectric materials. Dielectrics were being vastly applied in the capacitor for functional electronic devices. In order to raise quality of ceramic dielectric materials, engineering of magnetic ceramics from ferrite is conducted that use strontium ferrite. Strontium ferrite is obtained by synthesize SrO and Fe3O4.Fe3O4 which abundant in magnetic sands. Strontium has high permittivity that is used as filler in the ceramics for dielectric application. The composite ceramic samples are prepared by mix clay and strontium ferrite in the cup with mass ratios 0 : 20, 5 : 15, 10 : 10 and 15 : 5 then is added PVAC as binder. The next stage, the sample are printed and the curing process at 250°C along 2 hours then characterized by hydrolic pressure device, multimeter and SEM to study physical and electrical properties, and morphology structure. The samples show the increasing of strontium ferrite raise stress strength of the ceramic composites. The optimum capacitance is obtained when the amount of Strontium ferrite is 5 grams. The structure characterization shows decreasing of grain size particle in the sample as increasing of the amount of strontium ferrite. This structure result is similar to stress strength of the ceramic composite which more solid.


The aims of this paper are twofold: to investigate how Taiwanese teachers of English as a Foreign Language turned experiences into critical reflections via journal writings and to describe how they gauged critical reflections as teaching inquiry. The participants were 12 Taiwanese in-service teachers enrolled in an elective course entitled 'Doing Teacher Research in English Instruction', meeting three hours a week for 17 weeks. Two types of data, journal entries and semi-structured oral interviews, were collected. Three levels of critical reflection – transitions, transformations, and problematics – were generated for further discussion. The results indicate that critical reflection as teaching inquiry helped the teachers deal with situations of uncertainty, instability, and value conflict in multiple contexts. Critical reflections enhanced teachers' understanding and brought about changes in their awareness of instructional effectiveness and teaching beliefs in their practice. For a variety of reasons, these teachers perceived critical reflections as teaching inquiry with positive and/or negative positions.


Tenzing is a query engine built on top of MapReduce [9] for ad hoc analysis of Google data. Tenzing supports a mostly complete SQL implementation (with several extensions) combined with several key characteristics such as heterogeneity, high performance, scalability, reliability, metadata awareness, low latency, support for columnar storage and structured data, and easy extensibility. Tenzing is currently used internally at Google by 1000+ employees and serves 10000+ queries per day over 1.5 petabytes of compressed data. In this paper, we describe the architecture and implementation of Tenzing, and present benchmarks of typical analytical queries.


Perceived duration of brief intervals can be altered in a specific spatial location in the
visual field by adaptation to oscillatory motion or flicker (Johnston et al, 2006, 2008). In
the first experiment here, the spatial tuning of adaptation-based temporal distortions was
investigated by varying the spatial separation of adaptor and test. It was found that
adaptation-based apparent duration compression is tightly tuned to the location of the
adaptor and that the effects of adaptation on perceived duration are dissociable from those
on temporal frequency although the spatial tuning of these effects was similar. In a second
experiment, the frame of reference (retinotopic versus spatiotopic) of adaptation effects
was investigated using pursuit and saccadic paradigms. It was observed a robust time
compression following a purely retinotopic adaptation. In two different saccadic
paradigms, no significant effect was observed after spatiotopic adaptation. No interocular
transfer was found. In a third experiment, the effect of the luminance signal on adaptationbased
duration compression was investigated using luminance-modulated and isoluminant
stimuli. It was shown that the apparent duration compression following temporal frequency
adaptation is specific to luminance-modulated stimuli and that the effect disappears at
isoluminance. The differences in visibility between luminance-modulated and isoluminant
stimuli could not explain the discrepancy. At isoluminance, duration compression was
recovered for chromatic backgrounds. The final experiments investigated the effect of
simultaneous surrounds on the perceived duration of inner patches. It was found that
perceived duration of a mid-temporal frequency counterphase modulated flicker is almost
significantly expanded if embedded within a high temporal frequency context; whereas a
low temporal frequency context can only induce a mild expansion. In an adaptation
paradigm, counterphase modulated flicker was found to induce smaller duration
compression compared to drifting stimuli. These results provide further evidence for a
difference between mechanisms modulating duration and temporal frequency.


When designing a new user interaction (UI) technology or applying UI modalities to a product or system, the designer can select from many methods and tools to assist them with evaluating the UI's function and appeal with end users. Testing early in a design process is highly desirable since any issues found can be resolved more easily and often at less expense. However, for lighting solutions, these methods and tools are less suitable due to the qualities of light as a medium. Light is often detached from the UI itself and the light output is generally experienced throughout an environment which is often encompassing the users. For example, testing a new UI to control a yet to be installed media facade is not a simple system to mock up in advance, due to scale and cost. There is a need therefore, within the lighting industry, to have tools or methods with which design teams can test lighting UI, in conjunction with the light output, early in the design process. A potential solution is to use virtual environments. These would provide designers with a space in which they can show virtual light output that can be controlled using any developmental UI; this would enable them to evaluate lighting UI much earlier and potentially in more detail than is currently possible. In this paper we report on a user study that compares three different environments (physical, virtual CAVE and screen) in a bid to determine whether the virtual environments could provide reliable evaluations of UI for lighting versus a real setup. Our findings show that virtual environments indeed have the potential to elicit similar evaluative feedback from end users as a real environment when considering the functional utilitarian elements.


Energy is recognized as an important factor in the production process by capital and labor. Energy consumption has increased substantially in the world, especially since the Industrial Revolution and the 1973 oil crisis. In this study, the causality relationship between energy consumption (petroleum, electricity, per capita and total primary energy consumption, carbon dioxide emissions) and economic growth is estimated by using the JJ cointegration test, DLVAR, generalized impulse-response, and variance decomposition analyses for the Turkish economy for the 1972–2011 period. According to the results of the JJ cointegration test, there is no co-movement between energy consumption and economic growth in the long run, but the DLVAR analysis indicates that energy is an important input for the Turkish economy's steady growth in the short run. The findings lead to the conclusion that a positive unidirectional causality runs from petroleum, electricity, primary energy consumption, and carbon dioxide emissions to economic growth in the short run. The results of generalized impulse-response and variance decomposition analyses also support the results of the DLVAR analysis.


There is a growing interest in intelligent assistants for a variety of applications from sorting email to helping people with disabilities to do their daily chores. In this paper, we formulate the problem of intelligent assistance in a decision-theoretic framework, and present both theoretical and empirical results. We first introduce a class of POMDPs called hidden-goal MDPs (HGMDPs), which formalizes the problem of interactively assisting an agent whose goal is hidden and whose actions are observable. In spite of its restricted nature, we show that optimal action selection for HGMDPs is PSPACE-complete even for deterministic dynamics. We then introduce a more restricted model called helper action MDPs (HAMDPs), which are sufficient for modeling many real-world problems. We show classes of HAMDPs for which efficient algorithms are possible. More interestingly, for general HAMDPs we show that a simple myopic policy achieves a near optimal regret, compared to an oracle assistant that knows the agent's goal. We then introduce more sophisticated versions of this policy for the general case of HGMDPs that we combine with a novel approach for quickly learning about the agent being assisted. We evaluate our approach in two game-like computer environments where human subjects perform tasks, and in a real-world domain of providing assistance during folder navigation in a computer desktop environment. The results show that in all three domains the framework results in an assistant that substantially reduces user effort with only modest computation.


I. INTRODUCTION Technological advances are expanding the medium and increasing the speed of communication. Society is adapting and so must the law. The Uniform Commercial Code (UCC) reflects these changes in many aspects, including a section decreasing the time periods that banks are allowed to dishonor checks.(1) In the United States, Congress has enacted new laws that protect privacy of information in order to control the information that passes in the growing commercial market.(2) E-mail is now admissible as proof for employment discrimination(3) and defamation(4) cases. Congress adapted copyright laws to include information exchanged via e-mail and the Internet.(5) It only seems natural that labor law will acclimate to cyberspace along with the rest of society. The effects of cyberspace in labor law are the most prevalent with union organizing activity. The use of an employer's e-mail system is a new, unique, and efficient tool that could enable labor organizers to reach a larger number of employees in a shorter amount of time. With the use of email and a list of e-mail addresses, a union officer could contact thousands of employees with one letter in a matter of seconds. Strikes could be announced at a moment's notice. Meetings could be scheduled, rescheduled, or even occur over e-mail. The organizers no longer have to leave their own offices to reach the workers. Access to employer e-mail systems would lift a boundary--that is, if the employees are granted use of the employer's e-mail system for protected concerted organizing activity. The employees have a major hurdle before they can freely use company e-mail--it is the employer's e-mail system. The employer pays for the computers, programs, technical support staff, and the employee's time while the employee uses the system. So, in conjunction with organizing power, cyberspace extends the boundaries of employer property rights. Although it is crucial to allow employees the ability to organize, employer rights may not be unreasonably infringed. There must be a balance of employer's property fight interests with the employee's fights to organize. Where does the National Labor Relations Act (NLRA) fall on the issue of whether e-mail is the employer's tool or the employee's tool? The National Labor Relations Board (NLRB or Board) has not had the opportunity to decide this issue. Hence, employers and employees are left wondering what uses of e-mail are permissible in the labor context. This is a very prevalent concern. Not only is e-mail becoming a common tool in the workplace, but it is also a very common tool in the organizing context. There are Web sites covering the Internet that link viewers to union literature, union official applications, and a list of union Web pages.(6) This Note focuses on the next step the NLRB must take to bring labor law up to speed with technology. With guidance from the NLRA and previous NLRB and court decisions, this Note demonstrates that employer property interests in e-mail systems may not be ignored when dealing with e-mail in the labor organizing context. Due to the fact that the NLRB consistently has ruled that forms of employee written communication, labeled "distribution" in the organizing context, may be nondiscriminatorily limited with a showing of legitimate business; interests, employees' personal use of company e-mail systems may be prohibited. This is not a pro-employer or pro-employee position, just an efficient and effective solution. Both the employer and employee must sacrifice with a business-only e-mail policy but less rights overall will be infringed. II. BACKGROUND To understand the issues that arise when unions and employees have unlimited access to employer e-mail systems, it is important to grasp the purpose and substance of the NLRA. The NLRA's dominant purpose is to foster the "right of employees to organize for mutual aid without employer interference. …


Spectral response curves of normal and color-defective subjects were determined with the method of electric stimulation of the eye. The curves of anomalous trichromats consist of four components R, Y, G, and B, among which either R or G is especially weak. The curves of dichromats consists of three components; R and G are missing in the protanope and the deuteranope, respectively. The three kinds of response in the color-blind are definitely small compared with the corresponding normal responses. The magnitude of response of anomalous trichromats is intermediate between the normal and the color blind. Hue discrimination curves were obtained from one and the same subjects under comparable experimental conditions and interpreted in terms of spectral responses. From these experiments it was concluded that the yellow component plays a very important role in hue discrimination of color-defective subjects, whereas it is not so important for normal hue discrimination.


In recent years, measuring instruments have become quite complex due to the integration of embedded systems and software components and the increasing aggregation of new features. Consequently, metrological regulation and control require more efforts from notified bodies, becoming slower and more expensive. In this paper, we evaluate the use of blockchains as a resource to overcome such challenges. We start with a conceptual model for implementing measuring instruments in a distributed blockchain-based architecture and compare it with traditional measuring instruments and distributed measuring models discussed in previous works. We also made a security analysis, demonstrating that blockchain-based measuring systems can impact the way measuring instruments are used in consumer relations while improving security and simplifying metrological regulation and control. We implement a vehicle speed measuring system using the Hyperledger Fabric blockchain platform. We evaluate the security and performance of our blockchain-based measuring system by executing tests with data from real speed meter sensors. The results are promising and validate the feasibility of our idea. Finally, we point out the main challenges related to our approach, suggesting alternatives and potential issues to be addressed by future works.