Preface M.P. BENDSOE: Computational Challenges for Multi-Physics Topology Optimization J.A. COTTRELL, A. REALI, Y. BAZILEVS and T.J.R. HUGHES: Computational Geometry and the Analysis of Solids and Structures E. ONATE, S.R. IDELSOHN, M.A. CELIGUETA and R. ROSSI: Advances in the Particle Finite Element Method for Fluid-Structure Interaction Problems W. SCHIEHLEN and R. SEIFRIED: Elastic and Plastic Impacts in Multibody Dynamics A. SULEMAN and P. MONIZ: Active Aeroelastic Aircraft Structures O. ALLIX: Multiscale Strategy for Solving Industrial Problems F. ARMERO and C. ZAMBRANA: Numerical Integration of the Nonlinear Dynamics of Elastoplastic Solids P.G. BERGAN, K. BAKKEN and K.C. THIENEL: Analysis and Design of Sandwich Structures Made of Steel and Lightweight Concrete R.I. BORJA: Multiscale Modeling of Pore Collapse Instability in High-Porosity Solids R. de BORST, M.A. ABELLAN and J. RETHORE: Instabilities and Discontinuities in Two-Phase Media C.L. BOTTASSO: Towards Maneuvering Aeroelasticity - Progress in the Simulation of Large Fluid-Structure Interaction Problems K.K. CHOI and L. DU: A Design Optimization Formulation for Problems with Random and Fuzzy Input Variables Using Performance Measure Approach I. DOLTSINIS: Strength of Porous Ceramics - Mechanical Testing and Numerical Modelling E.H. DOWELL, K.C. HALL, J.P. THOMAS, R.E. KIELB, M.A. SPIKER and C.M. DENEGRI, Jr.: Reduced Order Models in Unsteady Aerodynamic Models, Aeroelasticity and Molecular Dynamics G.S. DULIKRAVICH, H.R.B. ORLANDE and B.H. DENNIS: Inverse Engineering J. FISH and W. CHEN: Multiscale Approaches for Bridging Discrete and Continuum Scales P.L. GEORGE: Adaptive Mesh Generation in 3 Dimensions by Means of a Delaunay Based Method. Applications to Mechanical Problems C. HELLMICH, K. HOFSTETTER and C. KOBER: Computational Micromechanics of Biological Materials: Bone and Wood B.L. KARIHALOO and Q.Z. XIAO: Recent Developments of Hybrid Crack Element: Determination ofits Complete Displacement Field and Combination with XFEM P. LADEVEZE, P. ENJALBERT, G. PUEL and T. ROMEUF: Structural Model Validation and the Lack-of-Knowledge Theory J.V. LEMOS: Modeling of Historical Masonry with Discrete Elements G.R. LIU and B.B.T. KEE: A Regularized Strong-form Meshfree Method for Adaptive Analysis J.F. DEU, W. LARBI and R. OHAYON: Dissipative Interface Modeling for Vibroacoustic Problems - A New Symmetric Formulation M. PAPADRAKAKIS, N.D. LAGAROS and M. FRAGIADAKIS: Seismic Design Procedures in The Framework of Evolutionary Based Structural Optimization E. RAMM, C. FORSTER, M. NEUMANN and W.A. WALL: Interaction of Shells and Membranes with Incompressible Flows J.N. REDDY and R.A. ARCINIEGA: Nonlinear Analysis of Composite and FGM Shells Using Tensor-Based Shell Finite Elements R. ROLFES G. ERNST, D. HARTUNG and J. TEssMER: Strength of Textile Composites - A Voxel Based Continuum Damage Mechanics Approach B.A. SCHREFLER, F. PESAVENTO, D. GAWIN and M. WYRZYKOWSKI: Concrete at Early Ages and Beyond: Numerical Model and Validation G.I. SCHUELLER: Uncertainty & Reliability Analysis of Structural Dynamical Systems Z. WASZCZYSZYN and L. ZIEMIANSKI: Neural Networks: New Results and Prospects of Applications in Structural Engineering T. EKEVID, P. KETTIL, H. LANE and N.E. WIBERG: Computational Railway Dynamics R. Lackner, R. Blab, J. Eberhardsteiner and H.A. Mang: Characterization and Multiscale Modeling of Asphalt - Recent Developments in Upscaling of Viscous and Strength Properties


ABSTRACT This Grounded Theory study utilized Self-determination Theory to analyze the interview results of 18 community college African American and Latino males. The goal was to learn what helped participants to succeed and persist in developmental and transfer-level writing courses despite the obstacles that they faced. Three major themes emerged: (a) Male students of color continued to take and complete English courses because they were determined to achieve their academic goals; (b) they sought assistance and guidance from their English professors, from the writing lab attached to the basic skills course and from the writing tutoring staff; and (c) when they felt overwhelmed and considered dropping their English classes, their determination to achieve their goals and the assistance they received from faculty and other writing staff ultimately kept them from doing so. Therefore, first, community colleges should encourage students' ability to be autonomous. Second, they can help students develop a sense of relatedness by providing a better sense of belonging. Third, institutions should develop strong faculty networks within the college to increase student motivation and self-determination by providing mentoring opportunities. Finally, institutions should consider utilizing faculty and other institutional agents to help students by providing information regarding various student support services that may help address issues students may be encountering.


These plots are drawn for all protein, RNA, DNA and oligosaccharide chains in the entry. The first graphic for a chain summarises the proportions of the various outlier classes displayed in the second graphic. The second graphic shows the sequence view annotated by issues in geometry and electron density. Residues are color-coded according to the number of geometric quality criteria for which they contain at least one outlier: green = 0, yellow = 1, orange = 2 and red = 3 or more. A red dot above a residue indicates a poor fit to the electron density (RSRZ > 2 ). Stretches of 2 or more consecutive residues without any outlier are shown as a green connector. Residues present in the sample, but not in the model, are shown in grey.


Textile composites are becoming more and more popular in armor application due to their lightweight and excellent impact resistance properties. In this paper, we investigate the ballistic impact behavior of a plain-weave carbon/epoxy composite experimentally and numerically. The impact test is conducted using a gas gun system with a cylindrical projectile. The damage phenomena and impact tolerance of the composite plates are examined under various impact velocities (220~360 m/s). An analytical approach is developed based on energy equilibrium and information of fracture pattern. It predicts the impact threshold velocity in a reasonable accuracy and the profile of residual impact velocity after penetration. On the other hand, finite element model is developed to model the damage behavior of the composite plate. The results described the progressive failure process and predicted the fracture area in both the front-side and backside of the composite panel. Overall, the presented analytical and numerical models correlate well with the experimental results. They are useful for further investigation on the quantitatively analyzing the energy absorption and failure mechanisms.


The early detection, alert and response (eDare) framework is presented in this paper. The goal of this framework is to address the risks stemming from malicious software propagating via networks operated by Internet/network service providers (ISP/NSP). To achieve this goal, eDare employs network-based traffic scanning appliances that enable sanitation of Internet traffic of known malware. Remaining traffic is extracted and various types of algorithms are invoked in an attempt to detect instances of previously un-encountered malware and to generate a unique and simple byte-string signature for such malware. That signature is immediately uploaded to the aforementioned network traffic scanners. To augment judgments of the algorithms, human experts are consulted for assistance in classifying files suspected of being malware about which the automatic detection algorithms are not sufficiently decisive. Finally, collaborative feedback and tips from end-users are meshed into the identification process. This makes tackling of suspect files, whose impact can be assessed on a large, distributed scale, possible. The system incorporates static and behavioral analysis of malware and novel automatic signature generation algorithm. eDare was implemented and tested using an evaluation environment especially developed for that purpose. The results suggest that eDare can detect and remove unknown malware effectively. Copyright © 2010 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.


Babot, M. del P. 2009. The kitchen, the workshop and the ritual: exploring trajectories of plant processing in northwestern Argentina. Darwiniana 47(1): 7-30. This work explores the trajectories of plant resources in Northwestern Argentina by means of mate- rial evidences of food processing, artefact production and psicoactive consumption. Evidences of use- ful plants from different archaeological sites located at Puna, Prepuna and Valliserrana areas, between ca. 6500-400 years BP., are analyzed. Every case study includes the milling and/or pounding of plant resources as one of several steps on their processing chains. This characteristic, particularly, allow us to identify the plant resources by means of their use residues (microscopic items such as microfossils) preserved on grinding tools surface (milling tools, mortars and pestles). Ethnographic, ethnoarchaeo- logical and historical information is used to propose modalities for the processing of different plant resources related to production chains of food, psicoactive items and artefacts.


Caveolin-1 is a substrate for nonreceptor tyrosine kinases including Src, Fyn, and Abl. To investigate the function of caveolin-1 phosphorylation, we modified the Gal4-based yeast two-hybrid system to screen for phosphorylation-dependent protein interactions. A cDNA library was screened using the N terminus of caveolin-1 as bait in a yeast strain expressing the catalytic domain of Abl. We identified two proteins in this screen that interact with caveolin-1 in a phosphorylation-dependent manner: tumor necrosis factor-α receptor-associated factor 2 (TRAF2) and C-terminal Src kinase (Csk). TRAF2 bound to nonphosphorylated caveolin-1, but this association was increased 3-fold by phosphorylation. In contrast, association of Csk with caveolin-1 was completely dependent on phosphorylation of caveolin-1, both for fusion proteins in yeast (>35-fold difference in affinity) and for endogenous proteins in tissue culture cells. Our data suggest that phosphorylation of caveolin-1 leads to Csk translocation into caveolae. This may induce a feedback loop that leads to inactivation of the Src family kinases that are highly enriched in caveolae.


We examine bilingual light verb constructions (BLVCs) in Northern Belize codeswitching by analyzing clause type, syntactic verb type, pronoun type and number of syllables in both switched and non-switched utterances. Results revealed that BLVCs appear in a rich variety of syntactic, lexical and phonological contexts. Although there were distributional trends that were similar across switched and monolingual data, BLVCs were noted for their structural complexity in terms of nominal and adverbial subordination. Also salient in these hybrid constructions was the skillful integration of Spanish pronominal features. The Northern Belize data reveal that these syntactic innovations do not only exhibit productivity and language creativity, but the optimal use of linguistic resources as well.


Efficient methods to compute intrinsic distances and geodesic paths have been presented for various types of surface representations, most importantly polygon meshes. These meshes are usually assumed to be well‐structured and manifold. In practice, however, they often contain defects like holes, gaps, degeneracies, non‐manifold configurations – or they might even be just a soup of polygons. The task of repairing these defects is computationally complex and in many cases exhibits various ambiguities demanding tedious manual efforts. We present a computational framework that enables the computation of meaningful approximate intrinsic distances and geodesic paths on raw meshes in a way which is tolerant to such defects. Holes and gaps are bridged up to a user‐specified tolerance threshold such that distances can be computed plausibly even across multiple connected components of inconsistent meshes. Further, we show ways to locally parameterize a surface based on geodesic distance fields, easily facilitating the application of textures and decals on raw meshes. We do all this without explicitly repairing the input, thereby avoiding the costly additional efforts. In order to enable broad applicability we provide details on two implementation variants, one optimized for performance, the other optimized for memory efficiency. Using the presented framework many applications can readily be extended to deal with imperfect meshes. Since we abstract from the input applicability is not even limited to meshes, other representations can be handled as well.


Metal–organic frameworks (MOFs) have attracted extensive research interest due to their rich structure chemistry and many potential industrial applications in the areas of gas separation and storage, catalysis, drug delivery, chemical sensors, magnetism, and others. The synthesis of MOF materials by convenient and environmentally friendly methods is highly desirable for the advancement of MOF chemistry. This critical review summarizes the recent developments in the application of new synthetic strategies for preparing MOFs, including the ionothermal method, deep eutectic solvent usage, surfactant-thermal process, and mechanochemistry. The roles of different solvents in the reaction systems are discussed.


Stabilization of tidal inlets is a major engineering problem that is frequently encountered in the development of harbors. The planning, design, and modification of these inlets under the dynamic conditions that generally characterize their surroundings is, at best, a complex and uncertain undertaking. Prediction of the sedimentary response of an existing inlet to artificial improvements and to changing environmental conditions, or of a new inlet to the expected ambient conditions, and the optimization of the layout in order to minimize undesirable accretion or erosion are major elements in the design of tidal inlets. Because of the complexity of the problem, movable bed hydraulic models often are employed, despite the questions that surround their validity, to investigate these responses and to guide designs. The success of a movable bed hydraulic model depends upon the proper choice of similitude conditions and modeling criteria. Unfortunately, the conditions of similitude still are not well defined, as many of the phenomena constituent to the processes involved are yet to be elucidated adequately and formulated. Moreover, it is not possible to satisfy simultaneously all of the similitude conditions that arise. The required grain size and density of the model bed material, the current exaggeration that may be required, the effects of geometric distortion, etc. cannot be determined by straightforward computations. These must be chosen to obtain the most favorable balance between all relevant phenomena. The criteria of similitude generally are specified by experimenters who have previous experience with this type of model. The execution of a model studies of this type is, therefore, largely an "art" and entails major elements of subjectivity. The Iowa Institute of Hydraulic Research, under contract to Coastal Engineering Research Center, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, is presently (1976) conducting a study to evaluate the reliability and effectiveness of movable bed, tidal inlet, hydraulic models as predictors of prototype behavior. The main emphasis of this study is on comparison of model predictions with observations made in the prototypes, and evaluation of model performance in the light of: (i) the criteria of similitude adopted; (ii) the sedimentary material and instrumentation utilized in the models; (iii) the experimental procedure followed; (iv) the quality of the prototype data utilized in verification of the models; and (v) the degree and accuracy of model verification. The scope of this study is limited to those models in which the area of interest is composed entirely of movable material and not of just a thin erodible layer placed over a fixed bathymetry.


Dynamic web applications such as mashups need efficient access to web data that is only accessible via entity search engines (e.g. product or publication search engines). However, most current mashup systems and applications only support simple keyword searches for retrieving data from search engines. We propose the use of more powerful search strategies building on so-called query generators. For a given set of entities query generators are able to automatically determine a set of search queries to retrieve these entities from an entity search engine. We demonstrate the usefulness of query generators for on-demand web data integration and evaluate the effectiveness and efficiency of query generators for a challenging real-world integration scenario.


In Australia, the accountability for, and management of, road safety rests almost entirely with the states and territories. In order to promote road safety more effectively and nationally, the jurisdictions work together in several ways, including the National Road Safety Executive Group, and the creation of National Road Safety Strategies each covering periods of a decade. Critical national advocacy groups already exist, including the Australasian College of Road Safety, ANCAP, and the Australian Automobile Association (AAA). In addition, the states, territories, and Commonwealth Governments agreed to create the National Road Safety Council (NRSC), an independent body working at the national level for road safety, but with funding from all the jurisdictions. This paper identifies advantages of this body in advancing road safety, and considers the best ways for the NRSC to move forward. Key advantages of the NRSC include: (1) independence of commentary from Government and credibility as an unbiased advocacy group (unlike the Government experts in each jurisdiction who are often presented in the media as simply defending the Governments position rather than bringing evidence based expertise); (2) independence from the pressure of the views of members (which may sometimes limit the evidence basis of road safety positions of motoring clubs); and (3) the funding base, which while small in comparison with the jurisdictions, is still large compared with other independent voices such as the ACRS. The NRSC has three strategic advantages that it aims to capture: (1) by purchasing materials or processes for national use it captures efficiencies over each state conducting its own purchase process; (2) as an independent voice the NRSC can advocate courageous actions, helping the political process, applying pressure for national uniformity, and encouraging stronger decision making through the knowledge that the other states are doing it and the feeling that 'I am not alone in this'; (3) the NRSC has sufficient funds to trial some promising programs and conduct key pieces of research. Examples of these are identified from the activities of the NRSC to date, including the funding of materials, advocacy to the media, and the trialling of programs.


We describe an approach to building brain-computer interfaces (BCI) based on graphical models for probabilistic inference and learning. We show how a dynamic Bayesian network (DBN) can be used to infer probability distributions over brain- and body-states during planning and execution of actions. The DBN is learned directly from observed data and allows measured signals such as EEG and EMG to be interpreted in terms of internal states such as intent to move, preparatory activity, and movement execution. Unlike traditional classification-based approaches to BCI, the proposed approach (1) allows continuous tracking and prediction of internal states over time, and (2) generates control signals based on an entire probability distribution over states rather than binary yes/no decisions. We present preliminary results of brain- and body-state estimation using simultaneous EEG and EMG signals recorded during a self-paced left/right hand movement task.


It is often said that human beings have the ability to plan and choose what to do, can think for themselves and have the freedom and the right to form their own opinions on moral questions. Such claims are sometimes expressed by saying that the human agent is autonomous. In this paper we shall try to disentangle various theses about the autonomy of the agent which the common claims do not always distinguish.


Difficulties with sociability include a tendency to avoid social contacts and activities, and to prefer being alone rather than being with others. While sociability is a continuously distributed trait in the population, decreased sociability represent a common early manifestation of multiple neuropsychiatric disorders such as Schizophrenia (SCZ), Bipolar Disorder (BP), Major Depressive Disorder (MDD), Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASDs), and Alzheimer's disease (AD). We aimed to investigate the genetic underpinnings of sociability as a continuous trait in the general population. In this respect, we performed a genome-wide association study (GWAS) using a sociability score based on 4 social functioning-related self-report questions in the UK Biobank sample (n=342,461) to test the effect of individual genetic variants. This was followed by LD score analyses to investigate the genetic correlation with psychiatric disorders (SCZ, BP, MDD, ASDs) and a neurological disorder (AD) as well as related phenotypes (Loneliness and Social Anxiety). The phenotypic data indeed showed that the sociability score was decreased in individuals with ASD, (probable) MDD, BP and SCZ, but not in individuals with AD. Our GWAS showed 604 genome-wide significant SNPs, coming from 18 independent loci (SNP-based h2=0.06). Genetic correlation analyses showed significant correlations with SCZ (rg=0.15, p=9.8e-23), MDD (rg=0.68, p=6.6e-248) and ASDs (rg=0.27, p=4.5e-28), but no correlation with BP (rg=0.01, p=0.45) or AD (rg=0.04, p=0.55). Our sociability trait was also genetically correlated with Loneliness (rg=0.45, p=2.4e-8) and Social Anxiety (rg=0.48, p=0.002). Our study shows that there is a significant genetic component to variation in population levels of sociability, which is relevant to some psychiatric disorders (SCZ, MDD, ASDs), but not to BP and AD.


This paper addresses the problem of detecting multiple oscillations and tracking down their root cause. The oscillations are detected by two methods based on spectral analysis, and the power related to the oscillations is used to identify the signals more likely to be the root cause. Since this method of finding the root cause is prone to fail when multiple frequencies are detected, Granger causality and subset selection methods are proposed. After a presentation of the methods, examples are provided using both simulated and industrial data. The clustering of signals containing the same frequency of oscillations followed by the methods to indicate the root cause is shown to be a good approach for rapid troubleshooting using only historical data.


Raman microspectroscopy and confocal Raman imaging combined with confocal fluorescence were used to study the distribution and aggregation of aluminum tetrasulfonated phthalocyanine (AlPcS4) in noncancerous and cancerous breast tissues. The results demonstrate the ability of Raman spectroscopy to distinguish between noncancerous and cancerous human breast tissue and to identify differences in the distribution and aggregation of aluminum phthalocyanine, which is a potential photosensitizer in photodynamic therapy (PDT), photodynamic diagnosis (PDD) and photoimmunotherapy (PIT) of cancer. We have observed that the distribution of aluminum tetrasulfonated phthalocyanine confined in cancerous tissue is markedly different from that in noncancerous tissue. We have concluded that Raman imaging can be treated as a new and powerful technique useful in cancer photodynamic therapy, increasing our understanding of the mechanisms and efficiency of photosensitizers by better monitoring localization in cancer cells as well as the clinical assessment of the therapeutic effects of PDT and PIT.


Guerraoui and Kapalka defined opacity as a safety criterion for transactional memory algorithms in 2008. Researchers have shown how to prove opacity, while little is known about pitfalls that can lead to non-opacity. In this paper, we identify two problems that lead to non-opacity and we prove an impossibility result. We first show that the well-known TM algorithms DSTM and McRT don't satisfy opacity. DSTM suffers from a write-skew anomaly, while McRT suffers from a write-exposure anomaly. We then prove that for direct-update TM algorithms, opacity is incompatible with a liveness criterion called local progress, even for fault-free systems. Our result implies that if TM algorithm designers want both opacity and local progress, they should avoid direct-update algorithms.


Understanding transport of tritium (3H) in unsaturated zones is critical to evaluating options for waste isolation. Tritium typically is a large component of low‐level radioactive waste (LLRW). Studies at the U.S. Geological Survey's Amargosa Desert Research Site (ADRS) in Nevada investigate 3H transport from a closed LLRW facility. Two boreholes are 100 and 160 m from the nearest waste trench and extend to the water table at 110 m. Soil‐water vapor samples from the deep boreholes show elevated levels of 3H at all depths. The objectives of this study were to (i) test source thermal and gas‐advection mechanisms driving 3H transport and (ii) evaluate model sensitivity to these mechanisms and to selected physical and hydraulic properties including porosity, tortuosity, and anisotropy. A two‐dimensional numerical model incorporated a non‐isothermal, heterogeneous domain of the unsaturated zone and instantaneous isotopic equilibrium. The TOUGH2 code was used; however, it required modification to account for temperature dependence of both the Henry's law equilibrium constant and isotopic fractionation with respect to tritiated water. Increases in source temperature, pressure, and porosity enhanced 3H migration, but failed to match measured 3H distributions. All anisotropic simulations with a source pressure component resembled, in shape, the upper portion of the 3H distribution of the nearest borehole. Isotopic equilibrium limited migration of 3H, while effects of radioactive decay were negligible. A 500 Pa pressure increase above ambient pressure in conjunction with a high degree of anisotropy (1:100) was necessary for simulated 3H transport to reach the nearest borehole.


Once a voiceless region dominated by authoritarian rulers, the Arab world seems to have developed an identity of its own almost overnight. The series of uprisings that began in 2010 profoundly altered politics in the region, forcing many experts to drastically revise their understandings of the Arab people. Yet while the Arab uprisings have indeed triggered seismic changes, Arab public opinion has been a perennial but long ignored force influencing events in the Middle East. In The World Through Arab Eyes, eminent political scientist Shibley Telhami draws upon a decade's worth of original polling data, probing the depths of the Arab psyche to analyze the driving forces and emotions of the Arab uprisings and the next phase of Arab politics. With great insight into the people and countries he has surveyed, Telhami provides a longitudinal account of Arab identity, revealing how Arabs' present-day priorities and grievances have been gestating for decades. The demand for dignity foremost in the chants of millions went far beyond a straightforward struggle for food and individual rights. The Arabs' cries were not simply a response to corrupt leaders, but were in fact inseparable from the collective respect they crave from the outside world. Decades of perceived humiliations at the hands of the West have left many Arabs with a wounded sense of national pride, but also a desire for political systems with elements of Western democracies--an apparent contradiction that is only one of many complicating our understanding of the monumental shifts in Arab politics and society. In astonishing detail and with great humanity, Telhami identifies the key prisms through which Arabs view issues central to their everyday lives, from democracy to religion to foreign relations with Iran, Israel, the United States, and other world powers. The World Through Arab Eyes reveals the hearts and minds of a people often misunderstood but ever more central to our globalized world.


Online data-intensive services, such as search, serve billions of users, utilize millions of cores, and comprise a significant and growing portion of datacenter-scale workloads. However, the complexity of these workloads and their proprietary nature has precluded detailed architectural evaluations and optimizations of processor design trade-offs. We present the first detailed study of the memory hierarchy for the largest commercial search engine today. We use a combination of measurements from longitudinal studies across tens of thousands of deployed servers, systematic microarchitectural evaluation on individual platforms, validated trace-driven simulation, and performance modeling – all driven by production workloads servicing real-world user requests. Our data quantifies significant differences between production search and benchmarks commonly used in the architecture community. We identify the memory hierarchy as an important opportunity for performance optimization, and present new insights pertaining to how search stresses the cache hierarchy, both for instructions and data. We show that, contrary to conventional wisdom, there is significant reuse of data that is not captured by current cache hierarchies, and discuss why this precludes state-of-the-art tiled and scale-out architectures. Based on these insights, we rethink a new cache hierarchy optimized for search that trades off the inefficient use of L3 cache transistors for higher-performance cores, and adds a latency-optimized on-package eDRAM L4 cache. Compared to state-of-the-art processors, our proposed design performs 27% to 38% better.


High-average-power ultra-broadband mid-IR radiation can be generated by illuminating a nonlinear medium with a multi-line laser radiation. Propagation of a multi-line pulsed CO2 laser beam in a nonlinear medium, e.g., gallium arsenide or chalcogenide, can generate directed broadband IR radiation in the atmospheric window (2–13 μm). A 3D laser code for propagation in a nonlinear medium has been developed to incorporate extreme spectral broadening resulting from the beating of several wavelengths. The code has the capability to treat coupled forward and backward-propagating waves, as well as transverse and full linear dispersion effects. Methods for enhancing the spectral broadening are proposed and analyzed. Grading the refractive index radially or using a cladding will tend to guide the CO2 radiation and extend the interaction distance, allowing for enhanced spectral broadening. Nonlinear coupling of the CO2 laser beam to a backward-propagating reflected beam can increase the rate of spectral broadening in the anomalous dispersion regime of a medium. Laser phase noise associated with the finite CO2 linewidths can significantly enhance the spectral broadening, as well. In a dispersive medium, laser phase noise results in laser intensity fluctuations. These intensity fluctuations result in spectral broadening due to the self-phase modulation mechanism. Finally, we present propagation through a chalcogenide fiber as an alternative for extreme spectral broadening of a frequency-doubled CO2 multi-line laser beam.


The ability to recognize the identity of faces and voices is essential for social relationships. Although the heritability of social memory is high, knowledge about the contributing genes is sparse. Since sex differences and rodent studies support an influence of estrogens and androgens on social memory, polymorphisms in the estrogen and androgen receptor genes (ESR1, ESR2, AR) are candidates for this trait. Recognition of faces and vocal sounds, separately and combined, was investigated in 490 subjects, genotyped for 10 single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in ESR1, four in ESR2 and one in the AR Four of the associations survived correction for multiple testing: women carrying rare alleles of the three ESR2 SNPs, rs928554, rs1271572 and rs1256030, in linkage disequilibrium with each other, displayed superior face recognition compared with non-carriers. Furthermore, the uncommon genotype of the ESR1 SNP rs2504063 was associated with better recognition of identity through vocal sounds, also specifically in women. This study demonstrates evidence for associations in women between face recognition and variation in ESR2, and recognition of identity through vocal sounds and variation in ESR1. These results suggest that estrogen receptors may regulate social memory function in humans, in line with what has previously been established in mice.


This paper presents a study examining strategies that assist in planning and constructing green buildings in urban cities. Hence, contributing in creating a sustainable environment. Two case studies including commercial and residential buildings in Mutla, Kuwait were analyzed for CO2 emissions. Kuwait code requirements fall significantly short of what is required for low carbon housing. Therefore, energy consumption for the two types of buildings was modeled with an energy simulation software. Furthermore, optimization was carried out on the overall heat transfer coefficient value of the wall, roof and window. Moreover, the solar heat gain coefficient value of the glazing was optimized to improve the environmental performance of housing. Economical study was conducted to determine the effect of cost. The data was optimized with the payback calculations as a necessary optimality condition, which resulted in four optimized values for each case. The emissions decreased by 7% and 10% for the residential and commercial buildings..


In a world that is increasingly global in scope, society has come to view the ever-growing body of international commercial laws as being exceptionally important. This is evidenced through the adoption of several high profile pieces of legislation over the past several decades: International Interest in Mobile Equipment - Study LXXI, the EU's Draft Common Frame of Reference, the EU Directives on Consumer Protection, and, most noteworthy of all, the Convention for the International Sale of Goods (CISG). As raised by Professors Sprankling, Coletta, and Mirow, what has been conspicuously absent from this growing body of laws is an international framework for the sale of real property across national borders. This absence is not surprising, considering the way society has historically conceptualized property law. Real property is local and individualistic in nature. The laws governing real property vary from country to country and even region to region. Property law is both rigid and inflexible, thus there is very little opportunity for the parties to a real estate transaction to materially modify or shape the contract. However, times have changed and so has the way people think about real property transactions. The sale of real property increasingly reaches across these national borders. The purchasing of vacation homes in other countries, the acquisition of real property for those who live near border areas, and the acquiring of real property by multi-national and international companies is an undeniable part of the global economy. Society has come to realize the integral part that real estate transactions play in a robust global economy. The time has come for a rethinking of the way society views real property. This involves a questioning of the current legal patchwork governing real estate transactions that an international buyer must navigate in order to consummate the sale. In so doing, jurisdictions should take the next step on the road toward an ever-more vibrant global economy: the creation and global adoption of a framework for the international sale of real property. This article begins a discussion of whether a convention for the international sale of real property, akin to the highly successful and somewhat similar CISG, could realistically be developed and, in doing so, hopes that future scholars and policy-makers will continue to explore the possibility of such a system. This is accomplished by reviewing three common features of all real property contracts - contract formalities, warranties of title, and security financing - and discusses their importance to an international investor. It further examines how three different countries currently which are highly engaged in international business and investment - the U.S., China, and France - view contract formation requirements, warranties, and security financing, and determines, based on general comparisons, whether a convention for the international sale of real property could be developed for each basic real property contract provision. Finally, this Article concludes by arguing the many existing shared contract principles in each of the subject countries makes an international framework, at least with regards to these particular provisions, very promising.


This comprehensive handbook of mathematical and programming techniques for audio signal processing will be an essential reference for all computer musicians, computer scientists, engineers, and anyone interested in audio. Designed to be used by readers with varying levels of programming expertise, it not only provides the foundations for music and audio development but also tackles issues that sometimes remain mysterious even to experienced software designers. Exercises and copious examples (all cross-platform and based on free or open source software) make the book ideal for classroom use. Fifteen chapters and eight appendixes cover such topics as programming basics for C and C++ (with music-oriented examples), audio programming basics and more advanced topics, spectral audio programming; programming Csound opcodes, and algorithmic synthesis and music programming. Appendixes cover topics in compiling, audio and MIDI, computing, and math. An accompanying DVD provides an additional 40 chapters, covering musical and audio programs with micro-controllers, alternate MIDI controllers, video controllers, developing Apple Audio Unit plug-ins from Csound opcodes, and audio programming for the iPhone. The sections and chapters of the book are arranged progressively and topics can be followed from chapter to chapter and from section to section. At the same time, each section can stand alone as a self-contained unit. Readers will find The Audio Programming Book a trustworthy companion on their journey through making music and programming audio on modern computers.


A noninvasive technique to detect vulnerable atherosclerotic plaque is critically needed. Formation of atherosclerotic plaque is a dynamic inflammatory process that involves interactions between atherogenic lipoproteins and macrophages. As vulnerable plaques are usually numerous, extending beyond the culprit plaque and involving multiple vessels, targeting a single plaque underestimates the complexity and extent of disease. Thus, an ideal imaging modality should be able to identify the vulnerable arterial bed and, therefore, the vulnerable patient, to prevent the serious complications of atherosclerosis.


This paper describes a novel method to acquire depth images using a pair of ToF (Time of Flight) cameras. As opposed to approaches that filter, calibrate or do 3D reconstructions posterior to the image acquisition, we combine the measurements of the two cameras within a modified acquisition procedure. The new proposed stereo-ToF acquisition is composed of three stages during which we actively modify the infrared lighting of the scene: first, the two cameras emit an infrared signal one after the other (stages 1 and 2), and then, simultaneously (stage 3). Assuming the scene is static during the three stages, we gather the depth measurements obtained with both cameras and define a cost function to optimize the two depth images. A qualitative and quantitative evaluation of the performance of the proposed stereo-ToF acquisition is provided both for simulated and real ToF cameras. In both cases, the stereo-ToF acquisition produces more accurate depth measurements. Moreover, an extension to the multi-view ToF case and a detailed study on the interference specifications of the system are included.


During World War II, after Japan attacked the Aleutian Islands off Alaska's coast, the United States forcibly evacuated the islands' natives and quartered soldiers in private homes. That hitherto unremarked violation of the Third Amendment gives us a fresh perspective on what "Property" means in the U.S. Constitution. As a general legal matter, property includes not just real estate - land, fixtures attached thereto, and related rights - but also various kinds of personal property, ranging from tangibles such as books to intangibles such as causes of action. That knowledge would, if we interpreted the Constitution as we do other legal documents, tell us just about everything we need to know about the scope of constitutional property. Case law and commentary do not speak as plainly, however, raising troubling questions about what "Property" means each of the four times it appears in the Constitution. In particular, some authority suggests that the Takings Clause protects personal property less completely than it does real property. The unjust treatment of Aleutian natives during World War II shows the risk of giving constitutional property so peculiar and narrow a definition. This paper describes the troubling inconsistencies that afflict the law of constitutional property and invokes the Third Amendment, that oft-forgotten relic of the American Revolution, to argue for giving "Property" a plain, generous, and consistent meaning throughout Constitution.


Cajal bodies (CBs) are nuclear organelles concentrating two kinds of RNA–protein complexes (RNPs), spliceosomal small nuclear (sn), and small CB-specific (sca)RNPs. Whereas the CB marker protein coilin is responsible for retaining snRNPs, the tether for scaRNPs is not known. Here we show that Nopp140, an intrinsically disordered CB phosphoprotein, is required to recruit and retain all scaRNPs in CBs. Knockdown (KD) of Nopp140 releases all scaRNPs leading to an unprecedented reduction in size of CB granules, hallmarks of CB ultrastructure. The CB-localizing protein WDR79 (aka TCAB1), which is mutated in the inherited bone marrow failure syndrome dyskeratosis congenita, is a specific component of all scaRNPs, including telomerase. Whereas mislocalization of telomerase by mutation of WDR79 leads to critically shortened telomeres, mislocalization of telomerase by Nopp140 KD leads to gradual extension of telomeres. Our studies suggest that the dynamic distribution of telomerase between CBs and nucleoplasm uniquely impacts telomere length maintenance and identify Nopp140 as a novel player in telomere biology.


Graphical choreographies, or global graphs, are general multiparty session specifications featuring expressive constructs such as forking, merging, and joining for representing application-level protocols. Global graphs can be directly translated into modelling notations such as BPMN and UML. This paper presents an algorithm whereby a global graph can be constructed from asynchronous interactions represented by communicating finite-state machines (CFSMs). Our results include: a sound and complete characterisation of a subset of safe CFSMs from which global graphs can be constructed; an algorithm to translate CFSMs to global graphs; a time complexity analysis; and an implementation of our theory, as well as an experimental evaluation.


Paulownia catalpifolia, previously invalidly described, is validated. Paulownia catalpifolia, which is native to Shandong Province (China), was described by Gong (1976). However, the name is invalid, because the original protologue designated two "types," representing flowering and fruiting states. In order to include the species in the forthcoming treatment of the Scrophulariaceae for the Flora of China, the name is validated below. Paulownia catalpifolia T. Gong ex D. Y. Hong, sp. nov. TYPE: China. Beijing, Zizhimen (cultivated), 8 May 1973, Z. H. Chu 7 (holotype, CAF). Species P fortunei et P. elongatae affinis; ab illa corollis prope basin abrupte curvatis ventre a basi ad faucem longitudinaliter 2-plicatibus, capsulis multo minoribus, 4.55.5 cm longis differt; ab hac foliis pendulis longe ovatocordatis atroviridibus, corollae tubo tenuiore, capsulis oblongo-ellipsoideis (non ovoideis) prope medianum latissimis recedit. Trees; crown large and high. Trunk straight. Leaves often narrowly ovate-cordate, ca. 2 X as long as wide, abaxially densely stellate tomentose, adaxially glabrous, margin entire or undulate and angled, apex acuminate. Thyrses pyramidal or narrowly conical, usually less than 35 cm; cyme peduncle nearly as long as pedicels. Calyx shallowly campanulate, less than 2 cm, glabrescent after flowering; lobes y2 of calyx length, triangular to ovate. Corolla light purple, narrowly tubular-funnelform, 7-8 cm, less than 3.5 cm wide, ridged ventrally, inside with dense small purple spots, base curved forward; throat ca. 1.5 cm, apically less than 3.5 cm diam. Capsule ellipsoid, 4.5-5.5 cm, stellate hairy when young; pericarp to 3 mm. Paratype. CHINA. Beijing, Zizhimen (cultivated), October 1974, Z. H. Chu s.n. (CAF).


PENEVA, A., 2007. Allelopathic effect of seed extracts and powder of coffee (Coffea arabica L.) on common cocklebur (Xanthium strumarium L.). Bulg. J. Agric. Sci.,13: 205-211 Pot trials were conducted to determine the allelopathic effect of water extracts and dry powder of ripe coffee beans on germination and growth dynamic of Xanthium strumarium. It was established that both the extract concentrations and the doses of the incorporated coffee powder decreased in the X. strumarium germination. The number of the seedlings was smaller but they were better developed. That resulted in a stimulating allelopathic effect on the weed growth dynamic, especially in relation to the fresh weight. There only was a slight depressive effect of the higher dose incorporated coffee powder.


The growing complexity and interdependence of water management processes requires the involvement of multiple stakeholders in water governance. Multi-party collaboration is increasingly vital at both the strategy development and implementation levels. Multi-party collaboration involves a process of joint decision-making among key stakeholders in a problem domain directed towards the future of that domain. However, the common goal is not present from the beginning; rather, the common goal emerges during the process of collaboration. Unfortunately, when the conflicting interests of different actors are at stake, the large majority of environmental multi-party efforts often do not reliably deliver sustainable improvements to policy and/or practice. One of the reasons for this, which has been long established by many case studies, is that social learning with a focus on relational practices is missing. The purpose of this paper is to present the design and initial results of a pilot study that utilized a game-based approach to explore the effects of relational practices on the effectiveness of water governance. This paper verifies the methods used by addressing the following question: are game mechanisms, protocols for facilitation and observation, the recording of decisions and results, and participant surveys adequate to reliably test hypotheses about behavioral decisions related to water governance? We used the "Lords of the Valley" (LOV) game, which focuses on the local-level management of a hypothetical river valley involving many stakeholders. We used an observation protocol to collect data on the quality of relational practices and compared this data with the quantitative outcomes achieved by participants in the game. In this pilot study, we ran the game three times with different groups of participants, and here we provide the outcomes within the context of verifying and improving the methods.


SF6 gas has been classified as a potent Green House Gas by environmental and climate change organizations. Releasing of SF6 in atmosphere will be aggravating the current scenario of global warming and climate change. However, SF6 is also a popular dielectric used in High Voltage switchgears, and contrary to the popular notion, SF6 does decompose and lose its dielectric strength. This requires quality checks and regeneration of SF6 in a timely manner.


The Balanced Scorecard (BSC) is a performance measurement and strategic management system which appears suitable for use by all types and sizes of business. The BSC's greatest strength for most businesses comes from its innate ability to integrate financial and non-financial measures together by measuring both strategic and business performance across four interrelated perspectives. Many studies have shown that the BSC can be successfully implemented within large-scale companies and organizations. However, there is limited empirical evidence regarding the use of the BSC within small companies. This study adds to the existing literature by reporting the results of a comparative investigation of BSC awareness and use within small companies located in the UK and Cyprus. In addition, the study examines the reasons for non-adoption by small companies and whether these companies use performances measures that are similar to those typically contained within the BSC model. The research data was collected from self-completed questionnaires that were distributed to 500 companies in the UK and Cyprus. The findings of the survey suggest that the majority of small companies, especially in the UK, are unaware of the BSC, and consequently levels of BSC usage are extremely low. Certain respondents believed that BSC is an unsuitable tool for small companies and that its implementation is beyond the resources available to such entities. However, the findings also suggest that even though very few small companies actually use the BSC, many such companies appear to use performances measures and indicators similar to those typically included within a BSC model.


We study low-dimensional quantum systems with analytical and computational methods. Firstly, the one-dimensional extended t-V model of fermions with interactions of finite range is investigated. The model exhibits a phase transition between liquid and insulating regimes. We use various analytical approaches to generalise previous theoretical studies. We devise a strong coupling expansion to go beyond first-order perturbation theory. The method is insensitive to the presence or the lack of integrability of the system. We extract the ground state energy and critical parameters of the model near the Mott insulating commensurate density. A summary of the methods used is provided to give a broader view of their advantages and disadvantages. We also study the possible charge-density-wave phases that exist when the model is at the critical density. A complete description of phase diagrams of the model is provided: at low critical densities the phases are defined analytically, and at higher critical densities we tackle this problem computationally. We also provide a future outlook for determining the phases that occur at non-zero temperature. Secondly, we investigate Mott-Wannier complexes of two (excitons), three (trions) and four (biexcitons) charge carriers in two-dimensional semiconductors. The fermions interact through an effective interaction of a form introduced by Keldysh. Our study also includes impurity-bound complexes. We provide a classification of trions and biexcitons in transition-metal dichalcogenides, which incorporates the difference of spin polarisation between molybdenum- and tungsten-based materials. Using the diffusion Monte Carlo method, which is statistically exact for these systems, we extract binding energies of the complexes for a complete set of parameters of the model. Our results are compared with theoretical and experimental work on transition-metal dichalcogenides. Agreement is found for excitonic and trionic results, but we also observe a large discrepancy in the theoretical biexcitonic binding energies as compared to the experimental values. Possible reasons for this are outlined. Simple interpolation formulas for binding energies are provided, that can be used to easily determine the values within the accuracy of 5% for any two-dimensional semiconductor. We also calculate contact pair densities, which in the future can be used in the determination of the contact interaction.


The current U.S. financial crisis began in 1997 when the market lost confidence in the creditworthiness of subprime mortgages and the structured financial products tied to them. In attempting to unravel the origins of the current problems, it has become clear that many factors and many market participants have played a role. In this article, the authors dissect the subprime mortgage crisis and clarify its many facets and offer a number of recommendations for changes to the system that could greatly reduce the probability of similar crises in the future.


John Calvin was called a heretic, a schismatic interested only in his own power, a prophet, and a religious fanatic who made God out to be the author of sin. He has been credited (or blamed for) the rise of capitalism, democratic government, and the spread of rebellion. One of his recent biographers named him "the greatest Protestant reformer of the sixteenth century, brilliant, visionary, and iconic." But that same biographer also stated, "He was also ruthless and an outstanding hater." Calvin has been lauded and derided throughout the centuries; he is a man whose thought and legacy engenders either praise or abhorrence. Naturally, the quincentennial of his birth was marked by several publications that took up his thought and presented his work. In November, at almost the end of the Calvin Jubilee year, it is appropriate to look back and see what 2009 has brought in Calvin studies. Certainly, the fruits of this year will not be fully harvested yet; books and conference papers that were in some way attached to the relative storm of Calviniana in 2009 will continue to appear for years to come. But the publishing impact in this long year can give one sort of gauge of the interest in Calvin and of the present direction of Calvin studies.


The emergence of blogging and citizen journalism has created challenges in defining the once-simple terms of "journalist" and "news media". Internationally, courts, legislators and policy makers are developing new definitions that incorporate a broader understanding of journalism practice, as territories blur and shift across digital spaces. However, a lack of consensus has resulted in jurisdictional clashes, challenges to legislative amendments, appeals to higher courts, and confusion for regulators and practitioners alike. In Australia, recently legislated shield laws have resulted in different definitions across the country's various jurisdictions. In the United States, court cases relating to defamation and shield laws have been successfully appealed based on differing definitions of the role of a journalist. In New Zealand, a High Court judgement overturned a lower court decision, to find that a blogger could be viewed as a journalist. At the same time, courts internationally are developing policies and guidelines relating to live text-based communication from courts, which also requires them to determine who is permitted to text, tweet or blog from within courtroom. This paper examines how these courts, legislators and policy makers are grappling with the challenges of redefining "journalist" and "news media" while ultimately focusing on the objective of ensuring a free and democratic flow of information.


The effects of nitrogen (N), phosphorus (P), and potassium (K) fertilization were investigated in a field trial with Vitis vinifera L. var. Chenin blanc over a period of 11 years. Three levels of N (16, 56, and 96 kg N/ha/yr), P (0, 9, and 18 kg P/ha/yr), and K (0, 45, and 90 kg K/ha/yr) were tested in a 3 x 3 x 3 factorial layout on a gravelly sandy loam soil containing 1.1% organic material, 12.7 mg P/kg, and 38 mg K/kg. Nitrogen fertilization increased yield and shoot growth slightly but reduced the pH of the topsoil. It was concluded that the N-supplying capacity of the soil was nearly sufficient to satisfy the N demand of the vines, which had an average yield of 13t/ha, and that an additional fertilization of only 40 kg N/ha was justified in this case. Phosphorus fertilization increased P levels in both topsoil and subsoil and also had a positive effect on yield and shoot growth. Evidence of a P/K antagonism was encountered. Apparently, little P fixation occurred, and it was found that less than 9 kg P/ha/yr was needed on this P-deficient soil to ensure optimum yield and growth. Potassium fertilization increased K levels in the soil as well as yield and shoot mass. A fertilization level of less than 45 kg K/ha/yr was needed on this soil with its marginal initial K content and a soil norm of 50 mg/kg seemed appropriate for K.


In this paper, we propose a new maximum-likelihood (ML) target localization approach which uses quantized sensor data as well as wireless channel statistics in a wireless sensor network. The novelty of our approach comes from the fact that statistics of imperfect wireless channels between sensors and the fusion center along with some physical layer design parameters are incorporated in the localization algorithm. We call this approach ldquochannel-aware target localization.rdquo ML target location estimators are derived for different wireless channel models and receiver architectures. Furthermore, we derive the Cramer-Rao lower bounds (CRLBs) for our proposed channel-aware ML location estimators. Simulation results are presented to show that the performance of the channel-aware ML location estimators are quite close to their theoretical performance bounds even with relatively small number of sensors and their performance is superior compared to that of the channel-unaware ML estimators.


[1] Using a climate model of intermediate complexity, we simulate the response of the El Nino–Southern Oscillation (ENSO) system to solar and orbital forcing over the Holocene. Solar forcing is reconstructed from radiocarbon production rate data, using various scaling factors to account for the conflicting estimates of solar irradiance variability. As estimates of the difference since the Maunder Minimum range from 0.05% to 0.5% of the solar "constant," we consider these two extreme scenarios, along with the intermediate case of 0.2%. We show that for large or moderate forcings, the low-pass-filtered east-west sea surface temperature gradient along the equator responds almost linearly to irradiance forcing, with a short phase lag (about a decade). Wavelet analysis shows a statistically significant enhancement of the century-to-millennial-scale ENSO variability for even a moderate irradiance forcing. In contrast, the 0.05% case displays no such enhancement. Orbitally driven insolation forcing is found to produce a long-term increase of ENSO variability from the early Holocene onward, in accordance with previous findings. When both forcings are combined, the superposition is approximately linear in the strong scaling case. Overall, the sea surface temperature response is of the magnitude required, and is persistent enough, to induce important climatic perturbations worldwide. The results suggest that ENSO may plausibly have acted as a mediator between the Sun and the Earth's climate. A comparison to key Holocene climate records, from the Northern Hemisphere subtropics and midlatitudes, shows support for this hypothesis.


ABSTRACT While global greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions are still rising, a number of countries have emerged with a sustained record of emissions reductions. In this article, we identify these countries and examine their progress, exploring how fast, how deep, and in which sectors they have reduced emissions. We analyse changes in all major GHG emissions sources, with both production – and consumption-based accounting, but exclude very small countries with high volatility, along with land-use, land-use change and forestry CO2 emissions. We find that 24 countries have sustained reductions in annual CO2 and GHG emissions between 1970 and 2018, in total equalling 3.2 GtCO2eq since their respective emissions peaks. In all but three countries, overall GHG reductions are less than energy and industrial CO2 reductions alone. We group countries into three types of emissions pathway: six former Eastern Bloc countries, where emissions declined rapidly in the 1990s and have continued on a downward trajectory since; six Long-term decline countries, which have sustained reductions since the 1970s; and 12 Recent peak countries, whose emissions decline began in the 2000s. In all cases, emissions reductions were achieved primarily in the energy systems sector, specifically in electricity and heat generation, which still remains the largest source of emissions in most countries. By contrast, in the transport sector, emissions tend to be stable or increasing. Transport is the second largest source of current emissions in Recent peak and Long-term decline countries. While the total GHG reductions of these 24 countries are trivial compared to recent global emissions growth, some have achieved a decline of up to 50% in their annual emissions, showing what is possible even under very moderate climate action. Most countries achieved emissions reductions alongside sustained economic growth, and some approached the fast annual rates of change that will be needed across the world in the coming decades to limit warming to 2°C. This raises the hope that more substantive climate policy, as planned in a growing number of countries, may bring about deeper and more rapid emissions reductions than some may expect today. Key policy insights 24 countries have sustained CO2 and GHG emissions reductions between 1970 and 2018 The annual emissions reductions of some countries are within the range of those needed to limit global warming to 2°C, but not consistently, nor across all underlying sectors Most emissions reductions were achieved in the energy sector; transport emissions have remained stable or continue to grow


This study investigated the linguistic, affective, and intercultural outcomes of a four-week study abroad program for Korean teachers of English offered through a U.S. southwestern university. In an effort to understand better what the 42 participants experienced during their study abroad, mixed methods including quantitative and qualitative data analysis, were used. To measure the participants" linguistic development, pretest and posttest measures of Listening, Reading, Structure, Speaking, and Writing were administered by the study abroad program. Also, participants responded to Self- Assessment questionnaires developed by the National Language Service Corps that asked them to assess the degree to which their reading, speaking, and listening had improved. The participants" daily journal entries were collected throughout the program, and some of the participants were interviewed at the beginning, at the middle, and at the end of the program on a volunteer basis.
For the quantitative data analysis, the pretest and posttest scores of each measure were statistically compared by using MANOVA with follow-up ANOVA tests. Except for the reading scores, the other four measures showed significant improvement from pretest to posttest. For the Self-Assessment questionnaire, most participants checked only a few items as having improved. Interestingly, a few perceived that they had become less able to do some of the listening and speaking items over the program. These findings can be explained as resulting from overestimation before this program or as a result of increase in self-monitoring processes during the program.
Through the constant comparison method (Strauss & Corbin, 1998), four themes emerged from analysis of the qualitative data. First, many participants were motivated to improve their English proficiency and increase authentic contacts with local people, with various sources shaping their motivation. Second, they increased their awareness of cultural and linguistic differences between the United States and Korea. Third, some participants showed a feeling of resistance to the dominant culture represented by native English-speaking instructors of the program. Fourth, at the end of the program, many showed improved intercultural competence.
Results provide some theoretical, methodological, pedagogical, and policy implications for study abroad researchers, participants, and program instructors.


Are people who are best able to implement strategies to regulate their emotional expressive behavior happier and more successful than their counterparts? Although past research has examined individual variation in knowledge of the most effective emotion regulation strategies, little is known about how individual differences in the ability to actually implement these strategies, as assessed objectively in the laboratory, are associated with external criteria. In two studies, we examined how individual variation in the ability to modify emotional expressive behavior in response to evocative stimuli is related to well-being and financial success. Study 1 showed that individuals who can best suppress their emotional reaction to an acoustic startle are happiest with their lives. Study 2 showed that individuals who can best amplify their emotional reaction to a disgust-eliciting movie are happiest with their lives and have the highest disposable income and socioeconomic status. Thus, being able to implement emotion regulation strategies in the laboratory is closely linked to well-being and financial success.


Dr. E. Jacobson spent some months on the island of Simalur, and on some of the smaller islands in its immediate neighbourhood in the course of the year 1913. He made extensive zoological collections on these islands, whose fauna was very little known up till that time. Amongst his material was a series of shells belonging to the Pleurodontid genus Amphidromus. This series has been entrusted to me by Dr. Van Regieren Altena, and I am grateful to him for the chance of seeing these very interesting shells, and for the help he has given me in dealing with them. I have too to thank Mr. G. L. Wilkins for the figures. Simalur is the most northerly of the long chain of large islands which lie along the West coast of Sumatra. The whole chain is roughly 1000 km in length from North to South. Its several islands are separated from Su matra, and to some extent from each other by sea-depths of 500-1000 fathoms. Simalur itself is about 90 km in length; Pulau Babi or Saranbau is a smaller island lying S.E. of Simalur. Oelau Lekon (or Lekoeen) is a still smaller island near Pulau Babi. Dr. Van Regieren Altena tells me that Oelau is a local form of the Malay word Pulau. Loosjes (1953) has described Pseudonenia Jacob soni, a Clausiliid, col lected by Dr. Jacobson on Simalur. Apart from this I can find no record of land mollusca from the island.


The study focuses on the "moated" Iron Age sites of N.E. Thailand, first identified as significant prehistoric settlement sites in the 1940s from aerial photography. Two more recent photograph sets are used to map the surficial geology and prehistoric site distribution for a study area west of Phimai, N.E. Thailand, with a focus on site–landscape relationships and, in particular, relationships between site location and form and patterns of palaeodrainage. The derived record of the surficial geology reflects several phases of palaeodrainage, characterized by differing locations and types of former river channels. Of note is the differentiation between a recent period in which river channels, including those presently active, are single-string meandering channels, and an older period of broad belts of meandering multistring channels. The prehistoric site distribution correlates closely with the older drainage, and for many, the encircling channels (the "moats") are closely associated with former river channels. These relationships provide a critical and novel model for site distribution; several implications arise, supported by emerging field evidence, and introducing issues for archaeological debate: (i) there is no need, as has been done in the past, to invoke prehistoric artificial forms of drainage associated with the sites; (ii) the definition of the encircling channels as "moats" is seriously called into question; and (iii) the inferred geomorphological evolution of the floodplain implies past changes in environmental parameters such as run-off, climate or biophysical environments. Since the sites are all located in or beside ancient meander belts, these parameters should now be introduced into archaeological discussions regarding the establishment, history, evolution, and abandonment of the Iron Age sites. Methodologically, this article illustrates the need to be aware of the complexity of aerial photograph interpretation in archaeological survey, showing that careful analysis of aerial photograph information may have a significant impact upon the modeling of prehistoric interpretations. Further stratigraphical studies will be reported subsequently, and will refine the models presented here. © 1999 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.


Capacity building for Learning Analytics (LA) in Higher Education Institutions requires the coordination of organizational aspects and infrastructure development. This also depends on the organizational maturity of the institution and its leadership regarding LA adoption. LA capacity building can follow two approaches: (1) top-down, led by institutional managers; and (2) bottom-up, led by ground-level staff. This article studies two LA initiatives of each type conducted in the same institution to compare the deployment of organizational processes and infrastructure. The lessons learned that were captured from each approach are shared to inform other universities in Latin America on developing LA capabilities.


"I believe in something": Constructions of Beliefs in SwedenResearch results are dependent on how social phenomena are conceptualized. In the present article, consequences are discussed of the standardized conceptualization of religiosity as "church-oriented". In its place, a multifaceted approach to the phenomenon of religious belief is suggested. This approach was used for an analysis on how eleven Swedish women and men with different religious and spiritual as well as non-religious and atheist affiliation talk about beliefs. The results suggest that beliefs were meaningful because they related to specific perceptions of a Zeitgeist. It was hereafter underlined that belief in "something" or other brief descriptions of the sacred placed the sacred outside of the individual. Finally, while subjective authority is valued for choosing to believe, this subjectivity seems in part to be dependent on collective dimensions of recognition. The value of choosing beliefs can be conceptualized as a meaningful yet analytically distinct aspect of belief co-existing with descriptions of the sacred. Thus, it is concluded that a multifaceted approach to religious belief may develop our understanding of religion and religiosity in contemporary society


Clients may be asking about the new "catch-up" pension and IRA contributions allowed under the latest tax act. CPAs should be aware of these new provisions to educate themselves and instruct clients properly. OVERVIEW Many employers offer plans in which workers set aside some of their salary for retirement. A "salary reduction" arrangement allows an employee to elect to have the employer pay a portion of salary to an employee plan. These "elective deferrals" are excludable from the employee's income if certain requirements are met. The maximum annual elective deferral per individual in 2001 in a qualified cash or deferred arrangement (CODA) (IRC section 401(k)), tax-sheltered annuity (section 403(b)) or simplified employee pension (SEP) plan (section 408(k)) is $10,500 (indexed annually for inflation). The 2001 maximum for a savings incentive match plan for employees (SIMPLE) (section 408(p)) is $6,500 (indexed annually for inflation). Employees of a state (including a political subdivision, agency or instrumentality) or a tax-exempt organization are not deemed to have constructively received compensation deferred under an eligible deferred compensation plan (section 457(a)). For these employees, the 2001 deferral limit is the lesser of $8,500 or 33 1/3% of compensation. Under a special catch-up rule, a section 457 plan can provide that, for one or more of the participant's last three years before retirement, the otherwise applicable limit is increased to the lesser of (1) $15,000 or (2) the sum of the otherwise applicable limit for the year, plus the amount by which the limit in prior participation years exceeded deferrals for that year. EGTRRA The Economic Growth and Tax Relief Reconciliation Act of 2001 (EGTRRA) added section 414(v), raising--for individuals at least age 50 before the end of the plan year--the limits on elective deferrals for section 401(k) qualified CODA plans, 403(b) tax-sheltered annuities, 408(k) SEPs, 408(p) SIMPLEs and 457 state or local government plans. This provision is particularly intended to aid women nearing retirement age who may be behind in saving for retirement due to career interruptions. Under the new law, the additional amount of elective contributions is the lesser of the (1) "applicable dollar amount" or (2) participant's compensation for the year, reduced by any other elective deferrals for the year. The "applicable dollar amount" varies, depending on plan type: * For plans other than SIMPLE plans under sections 401(k)(11) or 408(p), the applicable dollar amount is $1,000 for 2002, $2,000 for 2003, $3,000 for 2004, $4,000 for 2005 and $5,000 for 2006 and thereafter. * For section 401(k)(11) or 408(p) SIMPLE plans, the applicable dollar amount is $500 for 2002, $1,000 for 2003, $1,500 for 2004, and $2,000 for 2005. This amount rises to $2,500 for 2006 and thereafter. Both the $5,000 and $2,500 amounts applicable starting in 2006 will be indexed for inflation starting in 2007 and continue thereafter. WHO QUALIFIES? Only "eligible participants" can make these additional contributions, defined as participants who have attained age 50 before the close of the plan year and for whom no other elective deferrals may be made to the plan for the year because of any limit or restriction in section 414(v)(3) (for example, the annual limit on elective deferrals) or any comparable plan limit or restriction. …


Introduction 1. Social Capital in a Comparative Perspective Nan Lin, Yang-chih Fu and Chih-jou Jay Chen Part I: Measuring Social Capital 2. Contact Status and Finding a Job: Validation and Extension Nan Lin, Hang Young Lee and Dan Ao 3. Homophily and Heterophily in the Position-Generated Networks in the U.S. and China Dan Ao 4. Status-Based Differential Memory and Measurement of Social Capital: Recall Errors and Bias Estimates Kuo-Hsien Su and Nan Lin Part II: Endogeneity of Social Capital: Structural and Network Features 5. Similarities and Differences in Relation-Specific Social Resources Among Three Societies: Taiwan, China and the United States Ray-May Hsung and Ronald L. Breiger 6. How Social Capital Changes During One's Current Job: Work Conditions and Contact Patterns Yang-chih Fu, Ray May Hsung and Szu-Ying Lee 7. Occupational Sex Composition, Cultural Contexts, and Social Capital Formation: Cases of the United States and Taiwan Wei-hsin Yu and Chi-Tsun Chiu 8. The Internet Implications for Social Capital: Stock, Changes, and Tie Strength Wenhong Chen Part III: Accessing and Mobilizing Social Capital: Institutional, Networking and Organizational Factors 9. Job Search Chains and Embedded Resources: A Comparative Analysis Among Taiwan, China and the US Chih-jou Jay Chen 10. Network and Contact Diversities in Race and Gender and Status Attainment in the United States Joonmo Son 11. The Road to Democracy: A Three-Society Comparison of Civic Network Structures Yanlong Zhang and Hang Young Lee Part IV: Social Capital and Well-Being 12. Social Capital in the Workplace and Health Disruptions: A Cross-National Investigation Steve McDonald, Feinian Chen and Martha Crowley 13. Bright and Dark Sides of Who You Know in the Evaluation of Well-Being: Social Capital and Life Satisfaction Across Three Societies Lijun Song Appendix I: Social Capital USA 2004 Telephone Interview Questionnaire. Appendix II: Sample Characters for U.S., Taiwan, and China 2004-2005 Social Capital Surveys.


The HCI measures the amount of human capital that a child born today can expect to attain by age 18. It conveys the productivity of the next generation of workers compared to a benchmark of complete education and full health. Although the effects of COVID-19 on the HCI are yet to be measured due to the lack of data, we expect the post-pandemic HCI to be relatively lower due to the deep learning and health losses globally. Data collection efforts to allow updates to the HCI remain critical for all countries to inform policies and programs to address the setbacks to human capital.


This study evaluated if and how the Lay's Do Us a Flavour campaign could be classified as a brand community and how the features of this concept in conjunction with the features of social media are reflected in the design and interactions of the site. This paper uses the theory of technological affordances and the social media features of Trust, Transparency, and Authenticity combined with the three markers of brand community as a framework to understand the user interactions and design of the site. The study found that the design of the Lay's site was limited in its design, especially in the presence of authenticity and transparency and therefore the brand community markers of moral responsibility and consciousness of kind did not have a strong presence within the site. Based on these findings, the study determined the contest, especially when considering its temporary nature, does not demonstrate the features of brand communities and cannot be considered one in its own right but could be effective as an incentive to participate in more permanent communities.


This article examines attitudes related to feminism and gender equality by evaluating the trends in, and determinants of, women and men's attitudes from 1974 to 1998. Past accounts suggest two clusters of explanations based on interests and exposure. Using these, we examine opinions on abortion, sexual behavior, public sphere gender roles, and family responsibilities. We find that attitudes have continued to liberalize and converge with the exception of abortion attitudes. The determinants of feminist opinion vary across domains, but have been largely stable. While not identical, the predictors of men and women's opinions are similar. The results suggest the need for more attention to the mechanisms underlying the production of feminist opinions and theoretical integration of both interests and exposure in a dynamic process.


Accurate obscuration levels at the response time of photo-electric smoke detectors are needed for proper detection modeling and analysis. In recent works, obscuration meters were used to measure the obscuration level at photo-electric detector response. In this study, aspirated smoke detectors (VESDA) were used to measure this same obscuration level. These detailed measurements were used to reduce the ambient light and the technology difference error associated with the obscuration meters. The use of aspirated smoke detection (VESDA) instead of light obscuration meters displayed increased accuracy for a majority of the experiments conducted in the 2008 report titled " Validation of a Smoke Detection Performance Prediction Methodology " involving flaming and non-flaming incipient fire sources at 3 different ventilation conditions.


This course examines principles of social responsibility, ethics, law, and stakeholder theory as they apply to organizations domestically and abroad. Coverage includes business ethics; individual versus societal interests; labor and employment issues; consumer protection; discrimination and diversity; the natural environment; politics, public policy, and government regulation of business. Particular attention is given to developing moral reasoning skills.


Effective connectivity is an active type of association between brain regions, and its resulting network is observed to change with time. The change of links' strength in effective connectivity networks has been studied before using Granger Causality method but as far as we know, the change in the structure of the network has not yet been tested. We used a simulated time-variable data including three regions and one input to validate our method. In addition we used a real fMRI data in order to evaluate the time-variability of brain effective connectivity between four brain regions using Dynamic Causal Modeling. For this data the model space contained 38 models, all including the four regions of ventromedial prefrontal cortex, dorsolateral prefrontal cortex, amygdala, and ventral striatum. In both data a proper moving window algorithm was used to find the changes during time. The results of simulated data showed good compliance to the input pattern change during time. The results of real data initially showed time-dependent changes in the strength of some of the connections between brain regions. The most valid changes happened in the input and non-linear modulatory links. The input links' strength increased and the nonlinear links' strength decreased exponentially during time. These results show that the pattern of effective connectivity network changes during time and so reporting a single network for the whole data acquisition period is not meaningful. In this study, we have used a method to find the time-dependent pattern change during an fMRI task. We have shown the links' strength change during time and accordingly the structure of the network changes.


Tajikistan emerged from civil war as stable, but not democratic. It is a mimicry of democracy, where the regime maintains a firm grip on power behind an institutional façade and bases legitimacy on security provision. A powersharing agreement ended the war, with predatory-driven opposition actors agreeing to authoritarian peace in exchange for access to state assets. After the peace deal, Russian intervention was disjointed from that of Western donors who chose not to work with Moscow. This deprived Westerners of leverage and unleashed geopolitical rivalries. Few resources, limited understanding of the context, and conflicting objectives led to reduced international influence.


We combine the principle of superposition from quantum theory and the principle of dynamical causal structure from general relativity to attack fundamental questions in quantum gravity. We generalize the concept of entanglement to parties whose causal relation is quantum indefinite. The generalized notion of entanglement gives meaning to timelike and more generally spacetime entanglement in quantum theory both with and without indefinite causal structure. Using this generalization, we identify quantum gravitational fluctuations of causal structure as a possible mechanism that regularizes the otherwise divergent entanglement. We give the name "quantum indefinite spacetime" to the model of spacetime incorporating quantum gravitational causal fluctuations. Quantum indefinite spacetime sheds new light on black hole information problem as we argue that quantum gravitational causal fluctuations allow positive information communication capacity to the outside of the black holes. The new generalized notion of entanglement offers additional support from the black hole thermodynamics perspective. Towards the end of the thesis we make a preliminary proposal that the quantum fluctuating entanglement regularization may explain the apparent accelerated expansion of the universe without introducing dark energy or cosmological constant. All these results and proposals are obtained on the basis of jointly applying quantum and general relativistic principles, but without making tentative postulates about the microscopic degrees of freedom of quantum spacetime. We hope to convey the message that this more conservative approach can offer firm answers to several questions in quantum gravity. Moreover, other approaches to quantum gravity should incorporate features of quantum indefinite spacetime if they assume the same principles.


Industrialization of our society has led to an increased production and discharge of both xenobiotic and natural chemical substances. Many of these chemicals will end up in the soil. Pollution of soils with heavy metals is becoming one of the most severe ecological and human health hazards. Elevated levels of heavy metals decrease soil microbial activity and bacteria need to develop different mechanisms to confer resistances to these heavy metals. Bacteria develop heavy-metal resistance mostly for their survivals, especially a significant portion of the resistant phenomena was found in the environmental strains. Therefore, in the present work, we check the multiple metal tolerance patterns of bacterial strains isolated from the soils of MG University campus, Kottayam. A total of 46 bacterial strains were isolated from different locations of the campus and tested for their resistant to 5 common metals in use (lead, zinc, copper, cadmium and nickel) by agar dilution method. The results of the present work revealed that there was a spatial variation of bacterial metal resistance in the soils of MG University campus, this may be due to the difference in metal contamination in different sampling location. All of the isolates showed resistance to one or more heavy metals selected. Tolerance to lead was relatively high followed by zinc, nickel, copper and cadmium. About 33% of the isolates showed very high tolerance (>4000μg/ml) to lead. Tolerance to cadmium (65%) was rather low (<100 μg/ml). Resistance to zinc was in between 100μg/ml - 1000μg/ml and the majority of them shows resistance in between 200μg/ml - 500μg/ml. Nickel resistance was in between 100μg/ml - 1000μg/ml and a good number of them shows resistance in between 300μg/ml - 400μg/ml. Resistance to copper was in between <100μg/ml - 500μg/ml and most of them showed resistance in between 300μg/ml - 400μg/ml. From the results of this study, it was concluded that heavy metal-resistant bacteria are widely distributed in the soils of MG university campus and the tolerance of heavy metals varied among bacteria and between locations.


Chemokines recruit immune cells to inflammatory sites and promote the process of inflammation. The role of these mediators in the disease process in atherosclerosis is not fully studied. The spontaneous mRNA expression and intracellular protein production of the potential inflammatory chemokines CCL3I± and CCL3I² (macrophage- inflammatory protein-1I± and I²; CCR3I±/I² ligand) and CCL5 (regulated upon activation, normal T cell expressed and secreted (RANTES; CCR5 ligand) in atherosclerotic patients was examined together with the effects of the chlamydial antigen HSP60 and LPS on the gene expression and protein induction of these mediators. Detection of chemokine mRNA and protein levels was assessed by in situ hybridization and immunohistochemistry respectively. The examined chemokines were detected at significantly high levels on atherosclerotic patients compared to healthy controls at both mRNA and protein levels. Stimulation with HSP60 and LPS from Chlamydia pneumoniae (C. pneumoniae) and E. coli showed increased numbers of CCL3I±, CCL3I² and CCL5 mRNA expressing cells in patients compared to health controls. Protein translation of these chemokines was depicted in correspondence to the mRNA gene expression for all examined chemokines spontaneously and after stimulation with chlamydial HSP60 and LPS and E. coli LPS. Thus, the herein data demonstrate the induction of potential inflammatory chemokines in atherosclerotic patients and that bacterial antigens play a role in the immunopathologic events in this disease by generating more inflammatory mediators.


In the 1980's and 1990's, a number of critics came to the conclusion that Whitman aspired to an unmediated act of poetic self-representation. I revisit this conclusion, arguing that although it is true Whitman considered his poetry an extension of his personality, he also believed personality is ineffable, and as such avoids exposing it to engaged representation. Instead, he proceeds according to his theory of "indirection"--that is, the poem does not represent his personality as such, but rather evokes a vague atmospheric quality meant to approximate the peculiar resonance of his own personality. I inquire into the specific means available to Whitman's indirect method, as well as the challenges indirection presents to dominant reading practices.


ABSTRACT During a two-week period in September 2009, a wide variety of habitats on the island of Montserrat, West Indies, were surveyed for the presence of spiders. When compared to the results of previous surveys in the Eastern Caribbean islands, natural habitats in Montserrat at a high altitude showed a higher species richness than those at a lower altitude. Also, like a previous survey in Grenada, Montserrat produced a higher species in natural habitats compared to those that were man-made or influenced by human activity. Members of the families Araneidae and Salticidae comprised almost half of the species found. Twenty-one localities were surveyed from 13 habitats, including five man-made habitats. Seventeen families representing 43 species were collected. Key words: Spiders, Araneidae, Linyphiidae, Miturgidae, Mimetidae, Oxyopidae, Tetragnathidae, Pholcidae, Sparassidae, Salticidae, Oecobiidae, Plectreuridae, Theridiidae, Thomisidae, Sicariidae, Selenopidae, Scytodidae, Theraphosidae.


The bald eagle (Haliaeetus leucocephalus) population in the United States has made a tremendous recovery from fewer than 500 nesting pairs in 1970, to over 10,000 pairs in 2007. It is likely that the population will continue to grow. Every state, except Hawaii, now has nesting bald eagles. Because of the widespread recovery, the U. S. Department of the Interior removed the bald eagle from the Endangered Species List in August 2007. Bald eagles are still protected by the Migratory Bird Treaty Act and the Bald and Golden Eagle Protection Act as well as by state laws. At airports across the United States of America biologists are finding it difficult to manage bald eagles that threaten aviation safety. This difficulty arises because of the restrictive laws which protect this species, and the intense public interest and concern for eagles. As the eagle population continues to grow, so do the number of eagle strikes with aircraft. Overall, there were 84 reported civil aircraft strikes with bald eagles in 18 U.S. states and one in Canada to a U.S. carrier from 1990-2006. The mean number of strikes/year has increased 7-fold in the lower 48 states since 1990.


Abstract Based on a review of instructional design models, previous papers identified first principles of instruction. These principles prescribe a cycle of instruction consisting of activation, demonstration, application, and integration. These instructional phases are best implemented in the context of real-world tasks. A Pebble-in-the-Pond approach to instructional development prescribes a task-centered, content-first instructional design procedure, which implements these first principles in the resulting instructional products. This conceptual paper elaborates the component analysis and instructional strategy phases of this instructional design model. This paper also integrates previous instructional strategy prescriptions from Component Display Theory with the content components of knowledge objects. The strategy for teaching within the context of a whole task consists of applying strategy components to these various knowledge components in a way that enables learners to see their interrelationships and their relationship to the whole. The resulting instructional strategy is a guided task-centered approach as contrasted with more learner-centered problem-based approaches to instructional design. The application of this component analysis and task-centered instructional strategy is illustrated.


We have previously argued that rehearsal in spatial working memory is interfered with by spatial attention shifts rather than simply by movements to locations in space (Smyth & Scholey, 1994). It is possible, however, that the stimuli intended to induce attention shifts in our experiments also induced eye movements and interfered either with an overt eye movement rehearsal strategy or with a covert one. In the first experiment reported here, subjects fixated while they maintained a sequence of spatial items in memory before recalling them in order. Fixation did not affect recall, but auditory spatial stimuli presented during the interval did decrease performance, and it was further decreased if the stimuli were categorized as coming from the right or the left. A second experiment investigated the effects of auditory spatial stimuli to which no response was ever required and found that these did not interfere with performance, indicating that it is the spatial salience of targets that leads to interference. This interference from spatial input in the absence of any overt movement of the eyes or limbs is interpreted in terms of shifts of spatial attention or spatial monitoring, which Morris (1989) has suggested affects spatial encoding and which our findings suggest also affects reactivation in rehearsal.


This is an empirical study on the effect of house price on stock-market participation and its depths based on unique China Household Finance Survey (CHFS) data in 2011 and 2013 including 36213 sample households. We mainly found that, with an increase of one thousand RMB per square meter in macro house price, the probability to participate in the stock market will increase by 5.4% before controlling for wealth effect and 2.84% afterwards, indicating the existence of wealth effect. The participation depths of the stock-total asset ratio is expected to decrease by 0.23% and absolute stock asset is observed to decrease by 5.8 thousand RMB in response to one thousand RMB increase of per square meter house price. The effect of house price on participation decision is also related to housing area, and the negative effect of house price on stock market participation depths gets more intense with the increase of the stock-total asset ratio.


This contribution explores the transformation of the teaching practices of 10 in- service kindergarten teachers who participated in a teaching education (T.E) course in Buenos Aires, Argentina. The study is based on the assumption that representations underlie teaching practices and that T.E affects these representations (Scheuer & Pozo, 2006). Hence, a T.E course was designed and implemented to answer the following research question: how do teaching practices and teaching discourses change after teacher education? The T.E. course focused on the practices of personal narrative telling in kindergarten. It concerned the viewing and analyzing of videos of each participant´s classes. The analysis showed transformations in the 10 teachers´ practices, in relation with two dimensions: instrumental and social. The analysis of one of the teacher´s discourse and practice allowed to infer and categorize transformations in the teacher´s representations and mental models.


This paper presents a framework to interpret movements in the Beveridge curve and analyze unemployment fluctuations. We decompose the unemployment rate into three main components: (1) a component driven by changes in labor demand--movements along the Beveridge curve and shifts in the Beveridge curve due to layoffs--(2) a component driven by changes in labor supply--shifts in the Beveridge curve due to quits, movements in-and-out of the labor force and demographics--and (3) a component driven by changes in the efficiency of matching unemployed workers to jobs. We find that cyclical movements in unemployment are dominated by changes in labor demand, but that changes in labor supply due to movements in-and-out of the labor force also play an important role. Further, cyclical changes in labor demand lead cyclical changes in labor supply. Changes in matching efficiency generally play a small role but can decline substantially in recessions. At low-frequencies, labor demand displays no trend, and changes in labor supply explain virtually all of the secular trend in unemployment since 1976.