A title such as this has to attract any author (or indeed reviewer or editor), whether novice or veteran. Imagine then the care that went into every sentence of this review, having just read a book filled with examples of bad scientific literature! My first reaction on searching through a very large exciting parcel, from this quality publisher, was a simple 'Oh!' This book proves smaller (i.e. in page size) and shorter (85 miniature pages of text) than I had anticipated. Wise advice is to 'leave them wanting more' and this book does prove as cheap as a single beef burger at that new London venue, that we are assured is fit for purpose, to watch association football. It is witty from the opening paragraph and I will not spoil that by reproducing the sentence that follows it. The author edits a thoracic and cardiovascular journal, and, memorably, looks at fictional studies, especially of asphalt and its many associated diseases! There is a good generic message throughout, however. There are many boxed 'Bad examples of...' to illustrate errors in submission (which I wanted to revise to 'Examples of bad...', but let us not be too pedantic). I was impressed that one A Speer, from 'Spandau University', could still claim co-authorship of a paper as on page 17! 'Why Editors Accept or Reject Manuscripts' proved a surprisingly short chapter, largely reproducing a US article from 2001. The chapter 'Types of Scientific Articles' is probably the converse of the book title, but invaluable. If it makes authors learn the meaning of the acronyms CONSORT or PRISMA, or recognise a forest plot, all well and good. Chapter 4 is entitled 'Manuscript Components: Dos and Don'ts' and comprises half the book content. Topics include authorship (at quite some length), title, abstract construction (excellent coverage for which I found myself nodding in agreement throughout) and statistics. This paragraph is getting too long, I have learnt from this book. Stop. The chapter on the review process and subsequent alterations to the manuscript contains some very sound advice (please do track changes, we would all beg you). 'Publication Ethics' covers plagiarism, and duplicate submission and publication (I am convinced that is an unrecognised, but major, issue), and even data fabrication. 'Good to Know' is once more off-topic, but a nice summary of the publication process after acceptance. 'Final Advice' is just two pages of text but, alone, justifies the price of the book. Especially thoughtprovoking is a brief discussion of the correct order in which to write the paper, starting with the methods and finishing with the title. This is not a book about research methodology, but instead how to sit down and write up the finished work (even if the title suggests only coverage of the pitfalls). I will still treasure my very dated copy of Edward Huth's 'How to Write and Publish Papers in the Medical Sciences' (Williams and Wilkins, 1990), as long out of print and far more expensive. This, instead, is a small handbook, packed with sound advice and at a bargain price. If even one single message sinks in from a reading of this, it is worthwhile. The author is skilled, and I would happily have invested far more for a much longer book. Whether I could afford that, in a few years, with the Pound/Euro exchange rate sliding, I doubt. For now, I would certainly rather spend my money on this book, thanon the catering atmy team's newhomeground.


Vascular wilt disease caused by Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. elaeidis (Foe) has devasted of oil palm in west and central Africa. This study investigates the spatial distribution of Foe, whereby non-random, clustered patterns of the disease were recorded in four separate plantations in Ghana; infection from tree to tree via elongating roots therefore plays a more significant role than aerial distribution by conidiospores, with management implications. Control of Foe with disease-resistant palm lines can depend on the genetic variability of Foe isolates. Twenty-two putative Foe isolates from several African countries, including Ghana, were obtained from oil palms in infected areas for phylogenetic analysis along with 19 fungal outgroups, using the TEF-1α gene. The data showed Foe isolates have a monophyletic origin, and therefore limited diversity. Palm adapted isolates of F. oxysporum appear to have evolved independently, as ff. spp. elaeidis, albedinis and canariensis were nested into three independent groups. Slowly developing (chronic) and fast, severe (acute) Fusarium wilt are both evident in plantations and we provide preliminary evidence that Foe isolates' different aggressiveness might contribute to this variation. Sampling for Foe infection from xylem in extracted stem cores revealed the deficiency of field surveys based only on visual symptoms.


The Magic of Things explores a former advertising strategy of Swiss product posters in which banal, everyday objects--butter, a sewing machine, or shoes--are presented as desirable objects enticing us to buy. Free from any further contextualization, the objects acquire a sensual presence and magical aura. The product poster had its heyday in Switzerland in the 1940s with designers such as Niklaus Stoecklin, Peter Birkhauser, or Otto Baumberger. As consumer society developed, however, the exclusive focus on the product and the brand name was no longer enough--in advertising, the feelings associated with the object as it related to life grew increasingly important. Today it is in the cultural poster that the magical depiction of things is experiencing a kind of renaissance."


The emergence of massive open online courses has initiated a broad national-wide discussion on higher education practices, models, and pedagogy.  Artificial intelligence and machine learning courses were at the forefront of this trend and are also being used to serve personalized, managed content in the back-end systems. Massive open online courses are just one example of the sorts of pedagogical innovations being developed to better teach AI. This column will discuss and share innovative educational approaches that teach or leverage AI and its many subfields, including robotics, machine learning, natural language processing, computer vision, and others at all levels of education (K-12, undergraduate, and graduate levels).  In particular, this column will serve the community as a venue to learn about the Symposium on Educational Advances in Artificial Intelligence (EAAI) (colocated with AAAI for the past four years); introductions to innovative pedagogy and best practices for AI and across the computer science curricula; resources for teaching AI, including model AI assignments, software packages, online videos and lectures that can be used in your classroom; topic tutorials introducing a subject to students and researchers with links to articles, presentations, and online materials; and discussion of the use of AI methods in education shaping personalized tutorials, learning analytics, and data mining


Since the European Directive on Environmental Noise 2002/49 came into effect requiring strategic agglomeration and infrastructure noise maps to be made, the demand on environmental Acoustics knowledge has been boosted in Spain. Currently several groups and companies are available to carry out noise surveys and pointing out the noise causes in different streets or areas of a city. However, a second stage is starting now: once the noise causes are identified, control noise techniques needs to be applied. This fact is supported
in the Spanish adaptation of this regulation known as Ley del Ruido (2003) that states that noise control techniques should be applied to minimize the acoustic emission of municipal work activities, municipal devices, infrastructures, road work…This means that a demand on noise control knowledge is arising. This knowledge is scarcely provided in the bachelor degrees currently available in Spain, but there are some master degrees focused in Acoustics. However, it is difficult to find an institution that can cover all the
topics needed for a complete Acoustics curriculum. This work analyses the feasibility of creating an integral curriculum in noise control involving different Spanish research groups in order to take benefit of the expertise of each one to cover the legal and industrial needs of Acoustics knowledge. In that way, the teaching effort would be optimized and the appropriate facilities would be available,
however funds would be necessary for the mobility of teachers and students.


Networks are expected to provide reliable performance under a wide range of operating conditions, but existing traffic engineering (TE) solutions optimize for performance or robustness, but not both. A key factor that impacts the quality of a TE system is the set of paths used to carry traffic. Some systems rely on shortest paths, which leads to excessive congestion in topologies with bottleneck links, while others use paths that minimize congestion, which are brittle and prone to failure. This paper presents a system that uses a set of paths computed using Räcke's oblivious routing algorithm, as well as a centralized controller to dynamically adapt sending rates. Although oblivious routing and centralized TE have been studied previously in isolation, their combination is novel and powerful. We built a software framework to model TE solutions and conducted extensive experiments across a large number of topologies and scenarios, including the production backbone of a large content provider and an ISP. Our results show that semi-oblivious routing provides near-optimal performance and is far more robust than state-of-the-art systems.


Between 1880 and 1914, there was a widespread public debate about the threat of women's work to their bodies, reproductive abilities and the future of the race. Stimulated by a series of sensational stories in the new journalistic press, this debate included politicians, doctors, working men and diverse feminist organisations. In response, the government enacted special legislative measures, known as dangerous trades regulations, to protect women and their unborn children in the white lead and pottery trades. This book explores this debate and places it within the context of the new journalism, medical theories about lead poisoning and women's bodies, the rise of labour, and the expansion of feminist activism. Most significantly, it demonstrates how ideas about sexual difference decisively shaped the construction of these important measures. This led to a gendered definition of dangerous work, one that negated evidence about unsafe working conditions that posed a threat to both working women and men. It also led to the introduction of practices that resemble what we today call 'foetal protection'. Dr CAROLYN MALONE is associate professor of history at Ball State University, Muncie, Indiana.


The subject of this thesis, \A Comparison of the Personal Property tax burden of Five Separate Groups of Business in Norton County\, was selected after much consideration and investigation. The purpose of the investigation is to find to what extent the personal property tax burden is borne by business and what group bears the heaviest burden. The first four chapters of this thesis cover materiel and data considered essential in discussing the problem of personal property tax burden of business in the state as it might be expected to affect Norton County. These chapters lay the background concerning the wealth of the several counties selected, the general trends in taxation in the state, and the data covering the general business of the five selected groups of business. Five principal groups of business have been selected as the basis of this thesis because of the completeness of the obtainable information. Seventy counties picked at random beginning at the north edge of Kansas and omitting every other tier of counties were selected as being a cross section of the entire business activity in the State. Certain other counties were included representing vital trade centers having larger cities and unusual importance in business. Adjoining counties were included in several instances because a large portion of the city's population lived in the neighboring county or counties. These seventy counties represented two-thirds of the total counties of the state. The population of these counties represented 55 .4 per cent of the total population in the state. The sales in the seventy counties were equal to 81.31 per cent of the total sales for the entire state. The five groups of business operated 73.0 per cent of the stores in the state. The percentages indicate a cross section of the business activity in the selected counties during the year 1935.


In this paper, two new types of optical fibers are considered that can be used for design of a fiber optic gyroscope with improved characteristics. A fiber optic gyroscope is relatively novel type of sensors for measuring orientation and angular velocity. Characteristics of fiber optic gyroscopes significantly depend on type and quality a light source and a photonic fiber. There are also a number of effects that have a significant influence on the performance of FOG. Some of these effects can be eliminated or minimized by design. Currently, two novel types of optical fibers have been developed - microstructured fibers and multicore fibers. The use of these type of fibers can significantly reduce the effect of temperature influence on the gyroscope. In the paper the advantages and disadvantages of using of microstructured fibers and multicore fibers were discussed.


Background: Asthma management disparities (AMD) between African and White Americans are significant and alarming. Various determinants have been suggested by research frameworks that affect the unfair distribution of resources for asthma management to groups who are more or less advantaged socially. Ecosocial models organize determinants into individual/family, healthcare, community, and sociocultural levels. Multilevel interventions can affect AMD through simultaneous actions on different levels and pathways between determinants. Objective: Provide a comprehensive summary of the known determinants of AMD. Method: Peer reviewed research frameworks of AMD from 1998-2009 were retrieved from PubMed/ Web of Science databases using ("Socioeconomic Factors"[Mesh] OR ("Healthcare Disparities"[Mesh] OR "Health Status Disparities"[Mesh])) AND "Asthma"[Mesh] AND "African Americans"[Mesh] OR "Ethnic Groups"[Mesh]). Abstracts assessed for a focus on AMD, and determinants. Articles were analyzed for ecosocial levels and determinants. Results: 13 research frameworks described 34 determinants. Compared to other levels, Individual/family levels had the most emphasis, and frameworks using healthcare and community levels were the most narrow in focus. Stress, poverty, violence/crime, quality of care, healthcare access, and indoor air quality were well described determinants. Conclusions: Multilevel investigations should include those well described determinants of AMD and increase knowledge of pathway interactions between healthcare and community levels.


We propose a family of clustering algorithms based on the maximization of dependence between the input variables and their cluster labels, as expressed by the Hilbert-Schmidt Independence Criterion (HSIC). Under this framework, we unify the geometric, spectral, and statistical dependence views of clustering, and subsume many existing algorithms as special cases (e.g. k-means and spectral clustering). Distinctive to our framework is that kernels can also be applied on the labels, which can endow them with particular structures. We also obtain a perturbation bound on the change in k-means clustering.


Abstract The argument is that if we assume a non-cognitivist outlook in metaethics then we should also adopt a way of reading classics in political philosophy that focuses on moral knowledge and its link to political authority. By distinguishing between Plato and Socrates on these matters we are provided with two ideal types that may serve as useful models when clarifying past and present controversies over one of the most important questions in political philosophy: the justifiability (or non-justifiability) of majority rule. As a by-product of the discussion of Plato and Socrates a path to an interesting defence of majority rule based on non-cognitivism will become visible.


Understanding polymer deformation during the nanoimprinting process is key to achieving robust polymer nanostructures. Information regarding this process can be extracted from monitoring the decay of the imprinted polymer patterns during thermal annealing. In the present work, the effect of both the molar mass and the imprinting temperature on the pattern decay behavior during thermal annealing is investigated. Previously, it was found that the decay rate is fastest for a highly entangled polymer due to the elastic recovery caused by the residual stress created during the imprinting process. The present paper demonstrates that this residual stress level can be modified through control of the imprinting temperature. These results are contrasted with those for an unentangled polymer over a similar range of imprinting temperatures, where it is found that the pattern decay is controlled by simple Newtonian flow. In particular, the pattern decay is well described by surface‐tension‐driven viscous flow, and no imprinting‐temperature effect is observed during thermal annealing. It is shown that the stability of the film against pattern decay can be optimized for moderately entangled polymer films. This effect is attributed to the competition between the effect of increased viscosity with increasing molar mass and increased residual stresses with entanglements. These observations provide guidance for the optimization of imprinting process in terms of selection of molar mass and processing temperatures.


There has been growing interest in the field come to me known as "behavioral economics" which attempts to incorporate insights from other social sciences, especially psychology, in order to enrich the standard economic model. This interest the underlying psychology of human behavior returns economics to its earliest roots. Scholars such as Adam Smith talked about such key concepts as loss aversion, overconfidence, and self-control. Nevertheless, the modern version of behavioral economics introduced in the 1980s met with resistance by some economists, who preferred to retain the standard neo-classical model. They introduced several arguments for why psychology could safely be ignored. In this essay I show that these arguments have been rejected, both theoretically and empirically, so it is time to move on. The new approach to economics should include two different kinds of theories: normative models that characterize the optimal solution to specific problems and descriptive models that capture how humans actually behave. The latter theories will incorporate some variables I call supposedly irrelevant factors. By adding these factors such as framing or temptation we can improve the explanatory power of economic models. If everyone includes all the factors that do determine economic behavior, then the field of behavioral economics will no longer need to exist.


Although the research of plasma-material interaction (PMI) is rather immature comparing the recent success of Korean fusion program, there are several facilities and programs of PMI research in Korea. DiPS (Divertor Plasma Simulator)-2 is a linear device with a four-inch-LaB6 cathode at the Center for Edge Plasma Science (cEps), concentrating on the development of various diagnostics for divertor and scrape-off plasmas, and for PMI research such as tungsten and graphite related phenomena. This is modified from DiPS-1, which were for the simulations of divertor, space and processing plasmas using LaB6 and helicon plasma sources. MP2 (Multi-Purpose Plasma) is a linear device with an eight-inch-LaB6 cathode for PMI in National Fusion Research Institute (NFRI), and will be merged with molten salt (FLiNaK) experiment by using an Electron Cyclotron Resonance (ECR) plasma source. High power plasma torch facilities have been developed at the High-Enthalpy Plasma Research Center in ChonBuk National University, aiming for the development of new materials of the aerospace-, nano-, and automobile-industries, yet recently they have interest in fusion materials. Plasma Immersion Ion Implantation & Deposition (PIIID) facility has been utilized for the research of processing materials in Korean Institute of Science and Technology (KIST), and is to be used for fusion material researches with high energy ions (~70 keV). Electron beam irradiation has been tried for the research of graphite and tungsten at DanKook university. These facilities are to be utilized for the application to KSTAR, ITER and/or Korean DEMO fusion devices. Dust as the by-product of PMI in fusion device is to be characterized and removed in TReD (Transport & Removal experiment of Dust) device in Hanyang University. Plasma sources, diagnostics, and surface analyses of these programs will be explained with design philosophies and basic parameters of plasmas.


The capabilities of using gold nanoparticle based near-infrared surface-enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) to obtain biochemical information with high spatial resolution from human nasopharyngeal tissue were presented in this paper. The gold nanoparticles used have a mean diameter of 43 nm with a standard deviation of 6 nm. The SERS bands of nasopharyngeal tissue were assigned to known molecular vibrations of nucleic acids, amino acids, proteins, and metabolites. We also observed the blinking phenomenon at the tissue level when measuring the nasopharyngeal tissue SERS spectra, most frequently in signal intensity but also occasionally in peak positions. This phenomenon is excitation light intensity dependent. This work demonstrated great potential for using SERS imaging for distinguishing cancerous and normal nasopharyngeal tissues on frozen sections without using any dye labeling or other chemical species as functionalized binding sites.


This essay is a revision of my earlier effort to overturn the prevailing view that there is merely a 'family resemblance' between religions. A religion is a system of practices rationalized by beliefs according to which the practices place the practitioner in a relation-of-value to a supermundane reality so grand that it can figure centrally in the satisfaction of substantial human needs. A 'supermundane reality' is one that exceeds the mundane world revealed by sense perception. The theory generates a useful taxonomy of practices and theories closely related to, but substantially different from, religions.


The first HIV (human immunodeficiency virus) case in India was detected in 1986 among female sex workers. The rapid spread in HIV infections subsequently due mainly to high-risk behavior among vulnerable population groups required a sensitive, multisectoral, multipronged response that had to influence risk behavior and alleviate the socioeconomic impact of the epidemic. The journey has been a unique one in many ways in the history of public health in India. The challenges emanated from the economic, social, legal, and cultural contexts in which risk-taking behavior took place, and to be effective, the response required a framework that had to be vastly different from the usual public health approaches adopted in the country. The fairly successful national response was made possible due to the presence and subsequent co-option of a vibrant civil society, which shaped discussions and discourses around sex, sexuality, and gender and could reach out to marginalized and stigmatized groups with messages and interventions. During the course of the thirty years of response to the epidemic, shifts in positions of individuals in the three organs of the government—executive, legislative, and judiciary—on key sensitive issues around sexual behavior and preferences could be discerned to some extent, which was unprecedented and helped strengthen the response.
 New infections have come down significantly over the years and treatment has scaled up massively. However, the momentum in national HIV programs has slowed down globally and in India, with lower finances and a shift to other national priorities. The sociocultural and economic contexts have yet to change for most of the groups vulnerable to HIV, and they will continue to determine risk behavior, requiring interventions to continue at a fairly high level of intensity.


Palliative care has become an essential component of oncology care, with a focus on maximizing quality of life and optimizing function, as well as promoting pain and symptom management. This article focuses on the care of a patient experiencing bowel obstruction and delirium, two common issues in patients with advanced cancer, and demonstrates the integration of palliative care and oncology care to achieve an individualized care plan. Management focuses on identifying and treating reversible causes and improving quality of life while respecting the patient's values and goals. Sometimes the causes are not easily identified or treatment of the cause may impair quality of life, at least temporarily. At other times, the causes may be irreversible and the focus is exclusively on quality of life. Determination of best care for individual patients requires synthesis of data from holistic assessment, including the patient's goals of care and values, as well as knowledge of the patient's disease state with evidence-based approaches to management.


Background: During pregnancy, the rapidly rising hormones such as estrogen, progesterone, and prolactin change the maternal body into a suitable environment for the fetus and may cause some symptoms in the mother called as minor disorders. Minor disorders are effectively managed at home. Therefore, it is important that a mother should possess an adequate knowledge of the common minor disorders and their management.

Objective: To find the effectiveness of a structured teaching program on the minor disorders for pregnancy and their home management.

Materials and Methods: A quasi-experimental study with a quantitative approach was undertaken to obtain an error-free result. A total of 100 antenatal mothers were consecutively recruited from a selected setting.

Result: Before the implementation of a planned teaching program, the antenatal mothers showed a poor knowledge of the common minor disorders (19.56 ± 12.73), whereas after the implementation, the knowledge significantly improved with the difference of 18.02 ± 0.742 revealing the effectiveness of the planned teaching program.

Conclusion: Teaching about minor disorders of pregnancy and its home management helps the mothers to manage their minor disorders at home itself and continue their pregnancy more comfortably and securely.


Part 1 Context: Overview - setting the scene, a historical perspective on the economy - environment relationship, structure of the book biodiversity, ecosystem functions and human activity - multicultural diversity, loss of biodiversity, alternative perspectives on biodiversity value. Part 2 Bio-ecological foundations: conceptualizing biodiversity and ecosystem functions - introduction, the "4-box model", biodiversity functions, community, ecosystem and ecological organization, ecosystem health measuring biodiversity - introduction, biotic richness - genetic, species and ecosystem diversity, ecological methods for biodiversity analysis. Part 3 Economic foundations: economic analysis of biodiversity values - the concept of economic value, general aspects of economic valuation of biodiversity, motivation for economic valuation of biodiversity a classification of economic values of biodiversity measuring economic value of biodiversity benefits - alternative valuation methods and their degree of applicability, biodiversity valuation studies discussion of the valuation results. Part 4 Economics - ecology interface: integrated ecological-economic modeling and analysis of biodiversity - introduction frameworks and theories underlying integrated modeling, integrated model assessment, specific methods and models, interaction between integrated modeling and monetary valuation, advantages and disadvantages of integrated modeling, a spatial-economic-hydro-ecological model for biodiversity evaluation multi-criteria evaluation - introduction, meta-analytical methods, value transfer, a comparative study of biodiversity values. Part 5 Policy and conclusions: biodiversity policy - introduction, public policy strategies, biodiversity certification and eco-labeling as public biodiversity policies conclusions.


SOCIAL POLICIES IN SMALL STATES SERIES
The country case studies and thematic papers in this series examine social policy issues facing small states and their implications for economic development. They show how, despite their inherent vulnerability, some small states have been successful in improving their social indicators because of the complementary social and economic policies they have implemented.
THEMATIC PAPER – SOCIAL COHESION
Social cohesion is a concept with multiple definitions and uses in the development community. Its general aim is to ensure that all citizens, without discrimination and on an equal footing, have access to fundamental social and economic rights. Jane Jenson examines this concept in policy debates and assesses its role in social development. Part I examines the literature on social cohesion, identifying three different 'families' of usage and the empirical grounding of each. Part II presents a range of indicators that have previously been used to measure social cohesion. Part III provides some discussion of the lessons to be drawn and the indicators that might be used to measure social cohesion in future.


Primary squamous cell carcinoma of renal pelvis is rare clinical entity with only few cases have been reported in the literature. It is usually associated with long standing renal calculi. Insidious onset of symptom and inconclusive clinical and radiological features leads to locally advanced or metastatic disease at presentation; resulting in poor prognosis. Here we are reporting two cases of squamous cell carcinoma of kidney having renal calculi to highlight its clinical presentation and to document the association of squamous cell carcinoma in longstanding nephrolithiasis due to its rarity.


Il contributo, accettato dal Direttore, riproduce l'intervento di chiusura del convegno di studio organizzato dall'ADEC sul tema "Laicita e dimensione pubblica del fattore religioso – Stato attuale e prospettive" (Bari, Aula Magna "Aldo Moro", 17-18 settembre 2009). SOMMARIO: 1. Le diverse soglie della laicita – 2. Prevalenza della liberta sulla laicita: i presupposti sistematici – 3. I parametri della relativita – 4. Alcune prospettive per lo studio del diritto ecclesiastico: The Principle of Secularism (laicita) "in Progress".  General Conclusion ABSTRACT: Like the previous national meetings, from the sessions of this Conference one may appreciate the worthwhile link between the academic-scientific experience and the juridical-jurisprudential experience. The homogeneity of contents (as revealed by the academic doctrine) together with the relativity of substantial values (strictly related to the conceptions of liberty, secularism and equality) is not necessary due to be translated into different models of State-religions relationship. The concrete use of normative systems is a clear example of that. These are in fact results that emerge from both the public relevance of religious phenomena and the outcomes given by the overview of legislative works; as the main Italian scholars have already underlined at the national and international level, including the European area.


I. INTRODUCTION Washington Post writer David Segal once observed, "[f]or most Americans the words 'Washington lobbyist' have roughly the same cachet as, say, 'deadbeat dad."'1 Both lawmakers and the public regard lobbying as an unsavory part of the political process.2 Much of this perception stems from the vast sums of money spent each year on lobbying activity. For example, in the first half of 2004 alone, mortgage funding companies Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac reported spending over $11 million on lobbying activities, General Electric spent $8.5 million, and the U.S. Chamber of Commerce spent $20.1 million-and these were only three of the 600 groups that spent more than a quarter of a million dollars in that six-month period.3 The amount spent just on direct lobbying, where a lobbyist communicates directly with officials rather than pursuing other persuasive tactics, is estimated at almost $2 billion a year.4 The belief that lobbying is more about connections and favors than sound policymaking is also not without support and further contributes to the lobbying industry's poor reputation. Although the "legislator-turned-lobbyist" was not viewed favorably thirty years ago, members of Congress now frequently move into the lobbying arena when they retire or lose re-election bids.5 Even little-known members are able to earn over $300,000 as lobbyists in their first year out of Congress.6 Critics claim that the flood of legislators into lobbying heightens the perception that lobbyists use personal contacts to take home big paychecks,7 and that taxpayers pay the price in the end. These are not the only unsavory aspects of the lobbying profession in Washington today. Corporations and interest groups seeking access to government officials at all levels have found an interesting way to make high-powered lobbyists work even harder for their money: the contingency fee. Contingency fee lobbying contracts have become surprisingly common, particularly in situations where corporations seek government contract work or appropriations for a particular program that would put money in their pockets.8 Savvy clients are increasingly deciding that they do not want to pay full price when they do not get a desired result, and contingency fees force lobbyists to risk failure or success along with them. While contingency fee arrangements are not widely reported,9 the media has uncovered various examples at the state and local levels. A recent contract dispute in Florida revealed that the city of Tallahassee's official lobbyists accepted a $50,000 contingency fee, or "success fee" as they are sometimes called, for securing approval to build a luxury resort on public land for their entertainment mogul client.10 The 2000 presidential election in Florida led to a contingency fee lobbying controversy when it was revealed that lobbyists in Broward County received $500,000 to help a Nebraska corporation procure a multi-million dollar contract to supply the touch screen voting machines used in the election fiasco.11 Broward County Commissioner Ben Graber said that he heard officials discussing their desire to pass certain measures only to help lobbyist friends who were in financial trouble and who would directly benefit from the initiatives because of a contingency fee contract.12 According to Miami-Dade County Commissioner Katy Sorenson, the problem with these contracts is that "[w]henever you have somebody who's going to get a real jackpot in exchange for winning a vote, the ethics might slide."13 State and local laws that prohibit contingency fee lobbying sometimes result in sanctions for prominent lobbyists who influence state legislatures and push for government contracts on behalf of their clients in exchange for a contingency fee.14 While the federal government has regulated these arrangements for lobbyists trying to influence the executive branch in awards for government contracts,15 lobbyists are still free to receive contingency fees for lobbying members of Congress. …


Title of thesis: DESIGN OF AN ANTHROPOMORPHIC ROBOTIC HAND FOR SPACE OPERATIONS Emily Tai, Master of Science, 2007 Thesis directed by: Associate Professor David L. Akin Department of Aerospace Engineering Robotic end-effectors provide the link between machines and the environment. The evolution of end-effector design has traded off between simplistic single-taskers and highly complex multi-function grippers. For future space operations, launch payload weight and the wide range of desired tasks necessitate a highly dexterous design with strength and manipulation capabilities matching those of the suited astronaut using EVA tools. The human hand provides the ideal parallel for a dexterous end-effector design. This thesis discusses efforts to design an anthropomorphic robotic hand, focusing on the detailed design, fabrication, and testing of an individual modular finger with considerations into overall hand configuration. The research first aims to define requirements for anthropomorphism and compare the geometry and motion of the design to that of the human hand. Active and passive ranges of motion are studied along with coupled joint behavior and grasp types. The second objective is to study the benefits and drawbacks of an active versus passive actuation systems. Tradeoffs between controllability and packaging of actuator assemblies are considered. Finally, a kinematic model is developed to predict tendon tensions and tip forces in different configurations. The results show that the measured forces are consistent with the predictive model. In addition, the coupled joint motion shows similar behavior to that of the human hand. DESIGN OF AN ANTHROPOMORPHIC ROBOTIC HAND FOR SPACE OPERATIONS


Trans people experience high rates of attempted suicide and suicidal ideation. No study to date has collated the various findings concerning correlates of trans suicide. This systematic review aimed to summarize the available data and provide recommendations based on this evidence. Articles were included if they were published before November 2016, were in English, were peer reviewed, and presented data concerning trans people's suicide attempts or ideation. Nine databases were searched, and 30 articles were selected. Discrimination emerged as strongly related to suicidal ideation and attempts, whereas positive social interactions and timely access to interventions appeared protective. Limitations included differences in how articles defined trans people or measured suicide and in their largely cross-sectional nature, making assumptions about causality in reference to lifetime ideation or attempts impossible. However, results clearly indicated a need to work at both individual and structural levels to reduce society- and service-level discrimination, enhance peer support, and ensure access to required interventions. The review highlights the need to explore suicidality in the trans population both in relation to general suicide models and in relation to models of minority stress.


In the spectrum allocation of cognitive radio (CR) network, the problems of local optimum and premature convergence remain challenging. To further improve the efficiency of the spectrum allocation, this paper proposes a novel method based on an improved quantum genetic algorithm. This is an algorithm that is designed to dynamically adjust the quantum rotation angle to speed up the convergence rate. In particular, the variation threshold was introduced to the mutation operation on chromosomes, establishing new interference constraint rules in the process of spectrum allocation. The simulation work was implemented for validation, and the results revealed that the proposed methodology achieved better average benefits of the CR network for a reasonable allocation of the spectrum.


Financial stability means that the financial system is robust to disturbances to the economy and is able to channel funding, execute payments and redistribute risk in a satisfactory manner. Experience shows that the foundation for financial instability is laid during periods of strong growth in debt and asset prices. Banks play a central part in providing credit and executing payments and are therefore important to financial stability. Pursuant to the Norges Bank Act and the Payment Systems Act, Norges Bank shall contribute to a robust and efficient financial system. Norges Bank therefore monitors financial institutions, securities markets and payments systems in order to detect any trends that may weaken the stability of the financial system. Should a situation arise in which financial stability is threatened, Norges Bank and other authorities will, if necessary, implement measures to strengthen the financial system. The Financial Stability report discusses the risks facing the financial system, particularly credit, liquidity and market risk. We use the designations low, relatively low, moderate, relatively high and high risk in a qualitative assessment of the degree of risk. The risk assessment may be different for the short and for the long term. The report is published twice a year. The main conclusions of the report are summarised in a submission to the Ministry of Finance. The submission is discussed at a meeting of Norges Bank's Executive Board. Norges Bank's annual Report on Payment Systems provides a broader overview of developments in the Norwegian payment system.


To comprehend how development really happens, it is necessary to understand the evolution of its drivers and their relationship with individuals' income. This paper analyzes the expansion of access to education and basic services in Latin America and its association with the evolution of incomes in the region. The paper focuses on the importance of access to opportunities as one of the drivers of development and highlights the role of policy making. The findings suggest that access to education and basic public services early in life are positively correlated with incomes in adulthood. The analysis also suggests that countries follow a dissimilar path to increase access to education and basic services. The paper undertakes a comprehensive analysis of historic census records to add granularity to the assessment of the development of countries, matched with detailed individual-level information from household surveys of several countries in the region. The paper widens an ongoing area of research on the long-run relationship between access to opportunities during childhood and incomes in adulthood.


Theoretical models of early educational attainment are explored and the limitations of some current theories are discussed. Many of the more important intervention progres aimed at helping disadvantaged pre-school children in Britain and the United States are reviewed and alternative interpretations of some of their findings are proposed. A progre of intervention, based on the parents of 159 nursery children at inner city primary schools, has been carried out for the study and is described here in detail. Various methodological issues are examined in relation to the study's goal of improving the reading or mathematical attainment of these children, when assessed near the end of reception class. The nature of the intervention prograe, which has taken the form of eight fortnightly meetings for each of 25 groups of parents, is set out in full. New forms of quantitative indices are developed to define the nomological validities of the individual variables and of the multivariate evaluation models. The study also reports the practical development of a new form of non-stochastic ridge regression, named V-ridge in recognition of the imerican statistician (ED. Vinod) who created the original algorithm; it is shown here that this method offers regression coefficients which are far more stable across samples, and often more credible, than are the equivalent ordinary least squarei coefficients. Ten path analysis models based on the study data yield a wealth of insights. The models show, inter alia: major differences in the contribution of home environments to the educational attainment of advantaged and disadvantaged children; the importance of the nursery school experience for disadvantaged children; the significant though modest contributions of the parent intervention prograame to the outcomes of reading competence and mathematical concepts, but not to the outcome of mathematical nwneracy; and the stronger integration of cognitive and academic characteristics in advantaged children than in their disadvantaged peers. The major conclusion is that a nursery class programne of parent guidance, structured and focused on the presentation of practical activities enabling parents to foster children's early reading and early mathematical development within the home, is effective and should be a regular feature of nursery education in disadvantaged areas.


In relation to the learning of mathematics, algebra occupies a very special place, both because it is in itself a powerful tool for solving problems and modelling situations, and also because it is essential to the learning of so many other parts of mathematics.
On the other hand, the teaching of algebra has proven to be a difficult task to accomplish, to the extent of algebra itself being sometimes considered the border line which separates those who can from those who cannot learn mathematics. A review of the research literature shows that no clear characterisation of the algebraic activity has been available, and that for this reason research has produced only a local understanding of aspects of the learning of algebra.
The research problem investigated in this dissertation is precisely to provide a clear characterisation of the algebraic activity.
Our research has three parts:
(i) a theoretical characterisation of algebraic thinking, which is shown to be distinct from algebra; in our framework we propose that algebraic thinking IS
• thinking aritmnetically,
• thinking internally, and
• thinking analytically.
and each of those characteristics are explained and analysed;
(ii) a study of the historical development of algebra and of algebraic thinking; in this study it is shown that our characterisation of algebraic thinking provides an adequate framework for understanding the tensions involved in the production of an algebraic knowledge in different historically situated mathematical cultures, and also that the characteristics of the algebraic knowledge of each of those mathematical cultures can only be understood in the context of their broader assumptions, particularly in relation to the concept of number.
(iii) an experimental study, in which we examine the models used by secondary school students, both from Brazil and from England, to solve "algebraic verbal problems" and "secret number problems"; it is shown that our characterisation of algebraic thinking provides an adequate framework for distinguishing different types of solutions, as well as for identifying the sources of errors and difficulties in those students' solutions.
The key notions elicited by our research are those of:
(a) intrasystemic and extrasystemic meaning;
(b) different modes of thinking as operating within different Semantical Fields;
(c) the development of an algebraic mode of thinking as a process of cultural immersion- both in history and for individual learners;
(d) ontological and symbolical conceptions of number, and their relationship to algebraic thinking and other modes of manipulating arithmetical relationships;
(e) the arithmetical articulation as a central aspect of algebraic thinking; and,
(f) the place and role of algebraic notation in relation to algebraic thinking.
The findings of our research show that although it can facilitate the learning of certain early aspects of algebra, the use of non-algebraic models-such as the scale balance or areas-to "explain" particular algebraic facts, contribute, in fact, to the constitution of obstacles to the development of an algebraic mode of thinking; not only because the sources of meaning in those models are completely distinct from those in algebraic thinking, but also because the direct manipulation of numbers as measures, by manipulating the objects measured by the numbers, is deeply conflicting with a symbolic understanding of number, which is a necessary aspect of algebraic thinking.


Title:
Long-term results of rat aortic isograft transplantation after prolonged cold storage in the vascular preservation solution TiProtec®

Objectives:
The need for biological arterial vessel replacement in case of infected alloplastic grafts and/or lack of autologous bypass grafts is still an unresolved problem in vascular and cardiac surgery.
So far only alloplastic silver coated and/or antibiotic bonded grafts or human cryopreserved homografts are available. While alloplastic material has the risk of reinfection, homografts are not readily available and have the risk of graft degeneration. In situ autologous reconstruction depends on good quality autologous venous material, has great morbidity and the operation is time-consuming.
Considering the lack of availability of vessel tissue, preservation of vascular grafts represents a crucial point. The new vascular preservation solution TiProtec® has shown superior in vitro results compared to commonly used storage solutions for a period of up to two weeks. On the other hand, there are only few reports about in vivo testing after only short storage times (2-8-h) but no reports about its prolonged storage capacity, which is especially important for banking and distribution of vascular grafts. In order to address this clinically important issue we conducted a study testing the storage capability of TiProtec® solution after two weeks cold ischemia in an in vivo model of orthotopic aortic transplantation in rats.

Methods:
Transplantation of abdominal aorta was performed in 16 weeks old male Wistar rats (n=75). Donor grafts were stored at 4°C for two weeks in TiProtec® (n=24), HTK (n=26) and NaCl (n=25) and transplanted thereafter in the abdominal position of age and size matched Wistar rat recipients after excising a segment of abdominal aorta thereby creating a vascularized pressurized aortic transplant. After 8, 16 and 26 weeks transplanted grafts were harvested and vascular function testing with respect to vascular tone development and relaxation was performed. Morphological analyses were conducted on paraffine-embeded graft sections.

Results:
Vessel tone development was very low in all groups. 26 weeks after transplantation grafts stored in TiProtec® showed a slightly better vessel tone development after challenge with KCL (100mM) and norepinephrine (3x10-6M). However, there was no significant difference compared to grafts stored in NaCl and HTK. Smooth muscle dilative function and endothelium-dependent relaxation were severely impaired in all groups. Intimal hyperplasia was significantly lower in grafts stored in TiProtec® compared to NaCl 8 and 26 weeks after transplantation.

Conclusion:
Long-term follow up after transplantation of rat aortic isografts stored for 2 weeks in TiProtec® revealed a significant reduction in intimal hyperplasia in TiProtec® stored grafts which is a clinically relevant endpoint for graft patency. Vascular reagibility to pharmacological stimuli was impaired in all groups during our study period owing most likely due to a negative effect of prolonged ischemia on vascular smooth muscle cell function. This is the first study on long-term vascularized and pressurized aortic grafts in a clinically relevant experimental setting.


Abstract By juxtaposing a phenomenological-existential mode of understanding with the mainstream therapeutic modality of cognitive behavioural therapy, this paper considers how the mode in which a therapist chooses to understand a client's thoughts may manifest in practice, and the potential implications thereof for the authenticity and effectiveness of the therapeutic process. In conclusion, the author points to the similar challenges confronting both client and therapist when thoughts are heard, despite the clamour of the collective voice, as a call from the lived to the self to explore its own possibilities.


During Aug. 1994–Feb. 1995, geothermal measurements were carried out on the TAG hydrothermal mound (26°0′N, 44°49′W) of Mid-Atlantic Ridge. Two geothermal probes made reliable measurements. Six transient anomalies in subbottom temperatures were detected 20 m south of the central black-smoker complex (CBC), having durations 40 to 400 hours and magnitude 0.2°C to > 30°C. These anomalies are probably evidence for short-period fluctuations in the fluid circulation beneath the mound. The time variability in subbottom temperatures near CBC suggests that instantaneous heat flow measurements may not represent the time average of heat flow there. Although it is difficult to specify the origin of thermal anomalies during the drilling period by the Ocean Drilling Program, at least one of them seems to correlate with the drilling events because it was also accompanied by transient temperature anomalies at CBC and 50 m east of CBC observed by other instruments.


Traditionally, acquisition of syntactic knowledge and the development of sentence comprehension behaviors have been treated as separate disciplines. This article reviews a growing body of work on the development of incremental sentence comprehension mechanisms and discusses how a better understanding of the developing parser can shed light on two linking problems that plague language acquisition research. The first linking problem is that children's behavioral data that are observable to researchers do not provide a transparent window into the developing grammar, as children's immature linguistic behaviors may reflect the immature parser. The second linking problem is that the input data that researchers investigate may not correspond veridically to the intake data that feed the language acquisition mechanisms, as the developing parser may misanalyze and incorrectly represent the input. Based on reviews of child language comprehension studies that shed light on these two linking problems, it is argued that further research is necessary to closely integrate parser development and acquisition of syntactic knowledge.


Abstract Context We recently estimated the numbers of reptiles, birds and mammals killed by cats (Felis catus) in Australia, with these assessments providing further evidence that cats have significant impacts on Australian wildlife. No previous studies have estimated the numbers of frogs killed by cats in Australia and there is limited comparable information from elsewhere in the world. Aims We sought to (1) estimate the numbers of frogs killed by cats in Australia and (2) compile a list of Australian frog species known to be killed by cats. Methods For feral cats, we estimated the number of frogs killed from information on their frequency of occurrence in 53 cat dietary studies (that examined stomach contents), the mean number of frogs in dietary samples that contained frogs, and the numbers of cats in Australia. We collated comparable information for take of frogs by pet cats, but the information base was far sparser. Key results Frogs were far more likely to be reported in studies that sampled cat stomachs than cat scats. The mean frequency of occurrence of frogs in cat stomachs was 1.5%. The estimated annual per capita consumption by feral cats in Australia's natural environments is 44 frogs, and, hence, the annual total take is estimated at 92 million frogs. The estimated annual per capita consumption by pet cats is 0.26 frogs, for a total annual kill of one million frogs by pet cats. Thirty native frog species (13% of the Australian frog fauna) are known to be killed by cats: this tally does not include any of the 51 threatened frog species, but this may simply be because no cat dietary studies have occurred within the small ranges typical of threatened frog species. Conclusions The present study indicated that cats in Australia kill nearly 100 million frogs annually, but further research is required to understand the conservation significance of such predation rates. Implications The present study completed a set of reviews of the impacts of cats on Australian terrestrial vertebrates. Cat predation on Australian frogs is substantial, but is likely to be markedly less than that on Australian reptiles, birds and mammals.


The aim of our study is to give an assessment of the dry toilets by evaluating their strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats. More and more environmentalists consider the use of dry toilets as the solution for solving the problems caused by the utilization of flush toilets. With the application of flush toilet, in addition to its harmful environmental effects and to the high water consumption of toilet, the nutrients in the human excreta are wasted. However, there are some misconceptions about the environmental effects of dry toilets, and we are not aware of the fact, that some type of dry toilets also has unfavourable environmental effects. SWOT analysis is an initialism for strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats. It can be carried out not only for projects and a business venture, but also for a product or a technical solution. With the application of SWOT analysis we assessed and compared the different types of dry toilets by evaluating the above mentioned four elements of them. We evaluate the incinerating toilets and the two main groups of composting toilets: types which treat the human faeces and urine together and types which separate them. A third type, the so-called microflush toilets is also examined. Identification of strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats is important because they can inform later steps in planning to achieve the objective: which methods and technical solutions are the best for our environment. We are convinced that the best technical solution is, which allows the composting of human excreta in order to recirculate it to the cycle of biosphere.


Construction workers are commonly subjected to ergonomic risks due to awkward postures and/or excessive manual material handling. Accurate ergonomic assessment will facilitate ergonomic risk identification and the subsequent mitigation. Traditional assessment methods such as visual observation and on-body sensors rely on subjective judgement and are intrusive in nature. To cope up with the limitations of the existing technologies, a computer vision and smart insole-based joint-level ergonomic workload calculation methodology is proposed for construction workers. Accordingly, this method could provide an objective and detailed ergonomic assessment for various construction tasks. Firstly, construction workers' skeleton data is extracted using a smartphone camera with an advanced deep learning algorithm. Secondly, smart insoles are used to quantify the plantar pressures while the worker performs a construction activity. Finally, the gathered data is fed to an inverse dynamic model in order to calculate the joint torques and workloads. The aforementioned approach was tested with experiments comprising simulations of material handling, plastering and rebar. The results reveal that the developed methodology has the potential to provide detailed and accurate ergonomic assessment. Overall, this research contributes to the knowledge of occupational safety and health in construction management by providing a novel approach to assess the risk factors of work-related musculoskeletal


The Neural Engineering Data Consortium (NEDC) is developing the Temple University Digital Pathology Corpus (TUDP), an open source database of high-resolution images from scanned pathology samples [1], as part of its National Science Foundation-funded Major Research Instrumentation grant titled "MRI: High Performance Digital Pathology Using Big Data and Machine Learning" [2]. The long-term goal of this project is to release one million images. We have currently scanned over 100,000 images and are in the process of annotating breast tissue data for our first official corpus release, v1.0.0. This release contains 3,505 annotated images of breast tissue including 74 patients with cancerous diagnoses (out of a total of 296 patients). In this poster, we will present an analysis of this corpus and discuss the challenges we have faced in efficiently producing high quality annotations of breast tissue.


Title of Document: TOWARDS THE DERIVATION OF BOVINE EMBRYONIC STEM CELLS. Disha Pant, Ph.D., 2008 Directed By: Associate Professor Carol L Keefer, Department of Animal and Avian Sciences The ability of embryonic stem cells (ESCs) to self-renew and differentiate into a wide range of cell types has encouraged researchers to attempt to isolate ESCs from embryos of domestic species for the past two decades. Success has been limited. The aim of the current study was to investigate whether colonies derived from inner cell masses (ICMs) of bovine blastocysts expressed the same markers of pluripotency and candidate genes representing the various signaling pathways as those found in human or mouse ESCs. The ability of selected cytokines to maintain the major transcription factors associated with pluripotency (NANOG, POU5F1 and SOX2) in the ICM explants was also tested. The results of the study showed that the three major transcription factors (NANOG, POU5F1 and SOX2) were expressed initially in culture but were lost with continued culture and passaging. Markers of differentiation (BMP4, HNF4, NCAM, and CDX2) were also expressed in the initial days of culture. The candidate genes representing the various signaling pathways were expressed in the initial days of culture as well as in subsequent passages. Noggin, a cytokine inhibiting the BMP4 pathway successfully upregulated the relative expression of NANOG in the ICM explants with respect to controls. The results indicate that signaling pathways associated with regulating pluripotency are expressed in ICM explants and that with cytokine supplementation pluripotency may be maintained. An alternate approach in which differentiating cells in the primary colonies were selectively ablated to eradicate cells secreting pro-differentiation signals was tested. Bovine embryos that carried the hygromycin resistance gene driven by the NANOG promoter were generated by SCNT. Any pluripotent colonies generated from these embryos should survive in the presence of hygromycin. When cultured in the presence of Noggin and hygromycin, colonies were generated; however they failed to proliferate on passaging. This suggests that the culture conditions were not optimal for the NANOG promoter to remain active over extended culture. TOWARDS THE DERIVATION OF BOVINE EMBRYONIC STEM CELLS


The WTO is one of the most important intergovernmental organizations in the world, yet the way in which it functions as an organization and the scope of its authority and power are still poorly understood. This comprehensively revised new edition of the acclaimed work by an outstanding team of WTO law specialists provides a complete overview of the law and practice of the WTO. The authors begin with the institutional law of the WTO (such as the sources of law and remedies of the dispute settlement system), then tackle the principal substantive obligations of the WTO regime (including tariffs, quotas, and MFN). They then move on to consider unfair trade, regional trading arrangements, and developing countries. In its final section the book deals with the consequences of globalization: firstly, where free trade is seen to be incompatible with environmental protection and, secondly, where WTO law confronts legal regimes governing issues of competition and intellectual property.


This paper presents a novel interface to support video coding of social attention in the assessment of children with autism spectrum disorder. Video-based evaluations of social attention during therapeutic activities allow observers to find target behaviors while handling the ambiguity of attention. Despite the recent advances in computer vision-based gaze estimation methods, fully automatic recognition of social attention under diverse environments is still challenging. The goal of this work is to investigate an approach that uses automatic video analysis in a supportive manner for guiding human judgment. The proposed interface displays visualization of gaze estimation results on videos and provides GUI support to allow users to facilitate agreement between observers by defining social attention labels on the video timeline. Through user studies and expert reviews, we show how the interface helps observers perform video coding of social attention and how human judgment compensates for technical limitations of the automatic gaze analysis.


Ongoing ocean warming and acidification are tied to the rapid accumulation of human‐induced carbon dioxide (CO2) in the atmosphere and subsequent uptake of heat and CO2 by the surface ocean. These processes are expected to drive large changes in marine ecosystems. While numerous studies have examined the effects of ocean acidification on coccolithophores, less is known on their combined effect. In this study, we investigate temperature modulation of the carbonate chemistry sensitivity of the coccolithophore Emiliania huxleyi (RCC1827 from the Western Mediterranean) in a culture experiment. We analyzed the responses of coccolith morphology, particulate inorganic and organic carbon production, and sinking rate of individual cells. E. huxleyi was exposed to three CO2 levels (ca. 400 μatm, 900 μatm, and 1400 μatm) at 15°C and 20°C. Temperature adds to the negative effect of increasing pCO2 on coccolith morphology, suggesting that a significant number of E. huxleyi strains might suffer from a temperature increase, hampering their evolutionary success. Temperature amplified the positive effect of increasing pCO2 on organic carbon production, while modulating the response of calcification rates, indicating that the response to increasing pCO2 must be taken with caution depending on the temperature range studied. Sinking rates were positively correlated with temperature, whereas pCO2 did not have any effect. The combined effect of carbonate chemistry and temperature on the E. huxleyi ratio between particulate inorganic carbon and particulate organic carbon (PIC/POC) might also lower the sinking rate of aggregates. In conclusion, in a warmer and more acidified ocean, individual coccolithophore cells might sink faster, while aggregates might sink slower.


An aging study with intensive radiation sources was performed for the forward resistive plate chambers (RPCs) of the Compact Muon Solenoid (CMS) detector in the Large Hadron Collider experiment (LHC). The expected rate of the radiation background to be induced in the forward RPCs ranges from a few tens of Hz/cm to as much as ∼1 kHz/cm. Therefore, the radiation hardness for the forward RPCs should be sufficient to ensure the safe operation of the CMS and successful achievement of the LHC physics. Two oil-coated and one plain double-gap RPCs were manufactured and tested with the neutron beam provided by the MC50 cyclotron of the Korea Institute of Radiological and Medical Science (KIRAMS) and with gamma rays from a 200-mCi Cs source. The estimated radiation dose induced by the fast neutrons was approximately 50 Gy. No significant aging effect was found to be a consequence of the neutron irradiation, However, a degradation of the RPC performance was observed after intense gamma irradiation for a total of 32.5 days. The mean gamma-signal rate drawn in each RPC was 4.0 kHz/cm, which was approximately two times the maximum rate expected in the highest η-region covering the particle trigger. Increases in the noise rates and the currents accounted for the degradation in the efficiencies for the RPCs. As a result, safe operation of the forward RPCs in the avalanche mode was ensured for signal rates up to 2 kHz/cm.


An unresolved puzzle in the empirical foreign exchange literature is that tests of forward rate unbiasedness using the forward rate and forward premium equations yield markedly different conclusions about the unbiasedness of the forward exchange rate. This puzzle is resolved by showing that because of the persistence in exchange rates, estimates of the slope coefficient from the forward premium equation are extremely sensitive to small violations of the null hypothesis of the type and magnitude that are likely to exist in the real world. Moreover, contrary to suggestions in the literature and common practice, the forward premium equation does not necessarily provide a better test of unbiasedness than the forward rate equation.


The ratio of two forces acting respectively perpendicular and normal to a contact surface of two bodies, the coefficient of friction, is widely used in engineering and science depicting the friction resistance of materials sliding over one another. Ruled by the so-called Amontons-Coulomb friction laws (independence from the load, the contact area and the sliding speed), this dimensionless quantity appears to be convenient for engineering and relatively easy to determine. Nevertheless, the use of tabulated friction coefficients becomes somewhat an issue to predict friction behavior of mechanical systems. The system dependence of friction is sometimes ignored, leading to misapplication. Moreover, the fundamental origins of sliding resistance are not as clear and care should be taken when attributing a fundamental significance to the friction coefficient. This paper aims to clarify findings on friction Charles Augustin Coulomb did and that have been used for hundred of years. At the demand of the French Academie Royale des Sciences calling for rules and accurate data to design machines, Coulomb developed an experimental study of friction of woods and metals used for rubbing parts in machinery. Alongside his findings, he was aware of limitations of Amontons' findings. He demonstrated by experimentation the dependence of friction on the normal load, on the area of contact or on the sliding speed. In his day, he proposed some physical interpretations in agreement with his findings. He explained friction was originating from a variety of sources which led to various friction behaviors.


The article "Analysis of Foreign Capital Inflow Impact on Innovative Growth: the Baltic States in the Context of European Union" discusses the role of foreign direct investments (FDI) and innovations in economies of Lithuania, Latvia, Estonia and European Union countries. Impact of FDI and innovations on the growth of economy of a country is being critically evaluated. Quantitative influence of foreign direct investment and innovations on economic indicators of the Baltic states and the European Union countries is also being tested. Hypotheses formulated by authors tackle relationships between foreign direct investment, gross domestic product, labour costs, research and development expenditure (R&D), patent applications and summary innovation index in Lithuania, Latvia, Estonia and, respectively, in the European Union countries. In order to verify the presented hypotheses the correlation analysis and the Student's criteria method were used. Quantitative evaluation of separate relations enables us to compare and economically interpret the role of foreign direct investment and innovations in the Baltic states and European Union countries economies and allows forming an attitude of states towards stimulation of foreign direct investment and innovations.


At the University of Twente the first year electromagnetism course has been restructured. A web-based course consisting of different exercises (most of them using a link with Maple) and PowerPoint presentations has been developed to support existing lessons. The aim of these changes is to enhance student's performance, by integrating mathematical knowledge and skills into a Physics course. The students following the Electromagnetics course were surveyed about their views concerning two main aspects. On the one hand learning environment preferences and effectiveness were evaluated. On the other hand, the courseware was widely surveyed. Two study patterns can be distinguished: that based on lectures and tutorials, and the self study system based on studying from the book and worked out problems. Attitudes related to computer use can not be significantly correlated with any of the above mentioned study patterns. Most students considered the courseware as a complement to a normal course and not as a substitute. Students think that doing the exercises by means of the courseware resulted in more elaborated and documented work. The courseware survey found that students are generally satisfied with the user interface and the exercise selection, although half of the students admitted having trouble with the strictness that a symbolic language as Maple requires.


BACKGROUND AND METHODS
The smoking of "crack" cocaine is thought to be associated with high-risk sexual practices that accelerate the spread of infection with the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV). We studied 2323 young adults, 18 to 29 years of age, who smoked crack regularly or who had never smoked crack. The study participants, recruited from the streets of inner-city neighborhoods in New York, Miami, and San Francisco, were interviewed and tested for HIV. This report presents the findings for the 1967 participants (85 percent) who had never injected drugs.

RESULTS
Of the 1137 crack smokers, 15.7 percent were positive for HIV antibody, as compared with 5.2 percent of the 830 nonsmokers (prevalence ratio adjusted for the city, 2.4; 99 percent confidence interval, 1.7 to 3.6). The prevalence of HIV was highest among the crack-smoking women in New York (29.6 percent) and Miami (23.0 percent). Of the 283 women who had sex in exchange for money or drugs, 30.4 percent were infected with HIV as compared with 9.1 percent of the 286 other women (prevalence ratio, 3.1; 99 percent confidence interval, 1.9 to 5.1); of the 91 men who had anal sex with other men, 42.9 percent were infected with HIV as compared with 9.3 percent of the 582 men who did not have anal sex with other men (prevalence ratio, 4.7; 99 percent confidence interval, 3.0 to 7.4). In multivariable analyses, these high-risk sexual practices accounted for the higher prevalence of HIV infection among the crack smokers, as compared with those who did not smoke crack. Women who had recently had unprotected sex in exchange for money or drugs were as likely to be infected as men who had had sex with men (40.9 percent vs. 42.9 percent).

CONCLUSIONS
In poor, inner-city communities young smokers of crack cocaine, particularly women who have sex in exchange for money or drugs, are at high risk for HIV infection. Crack use promotes the heterosexual transmission of HIV.


Links between central counterparties (CCPs) enable participants to clear positions in any linked CCP without needing to maintain multiple CCP memberships. While links enable exposure to be reduced by allowing netting across CCPs, CCPs become exposed to one another through the possibility of a CCP default. The change in system exposure resulting from these two effects has recently been of great interest to policymakers, and we assess this quantitatively using a straightforward extension of Duffie and Zhu (2011). Our model shows that CCP links can reduce overall system exposure in most plausible scenarios. This conclusion is robust to changes in assumptions about the nature of participants and their exposures, as well as to the existence of more than two linked CCPs.


This paper provides an overview of social entrepreneurship and social enterprise, making reference to pertinent literature. Internationally the distribution of social enterprises is uneven and there are noticeable differences that reflect national differences in welfare, labour market and ideology. Essentially however social enterprises seek business solutions to social problems and in order to do so, we argue, it is necessary for social enterprises to foster innovation. The papers included in this volume present different models and theories of how this might be achieved. All the authors place emphasis on the need to develop a sound theoretical platform and raise methodological problems common to management research. Additionally, the papers raise policy issues, such as how outcomes of social enterprise are valued and prioritised in different societies. The work discussed points to how social enterprise may offer innovative solutions to help solve problems of social integration, socially dysfunctional behaviour and socio-economic development. It indicates the need for further research, especially to test further the models comparatively. Finally this body of work builds on and extends our thinking about entrepreneurship, and the need to tie it into social, cultural, civic and political agenda.


Quantum control spectroscopy denotes the combination of optical quantum coherent control with femtosecond spectroscopy.
The molecular response to a photo induced process,
controlled by shaped ultrashort light pulses,
carries information about the system and the induced chemical reaction
not obtainable by unshaped pulses.
In this work quantum control spectroscopy is used to investigate the photochemical process of
beta-carotene during its first few hundred femtoseconds, which are important in the photosynthesis
of light harvesting complexes.

A special class of shaped pulses, called pulse trains, are investigated.
Pulse trains are obtained from Fourier limited pulses, by modulation with a
sinusoidal phase mask $\phi(\omega) = a \sin(b\omega_0+c)$,
leading to a sequence of three or more phase stabilized Gaussian shaped pulses in the time domain.
The intensities of these pulses are defined by a, they are separated by
equal interpulse distances b and have a distinct phase relation which is defined by c.
In this work it will be shown that it is possible
to draw a very unique relation between molecular properties and
the molecular response to the electrical field in dependance of these parameters.

In terms of quantum coherent control, sinusoidal modulated pulse trains
have attracted special attention in the context of mode selectivity.
In a series of experiments it was observed that pulse train excitation can suppress spectral features in the detection signal when the
interpulse distance is adjusted to molecular characteristics like vibrational frequencies.
Furthermore, in many control experiments aiming to steer a chemical reaction,
the use of learning loops for field optimization leads to pulse shapes
that could be reduced to sequences of pulses, comparable to the pulse trains introduced.

Replacement of optimized light fields by appropriate adjusted pulse trains were successful in experiments controlling the energy flow in a light harvesting complex.
Control could be obtained by variation of the phase parameter c, suggesting that the achieved effect was of coherent origin.
The assumption that the carotene units in LH2 were responsible for the successful control,
was the motivation for the presented work of quantum control spectroscopy
of beta-carotene.

Although many efforts have been made to understand
the non-linear effects induced by pulse trains,
the underlying mechanism is not yet clear.
Neither the background of mode selectivity nor the mechanism of chemical reaction control
could be deciphered satisfactorily.
For spectroscopical investigations, however, the knowledge of the
underlying process and its connection to the molecular response is inevitable and are
analyzed in detail.

Starting with a simple model of bound states in a diatomic molecule,
the induced dynamics of the molecular system and the characteristics
of the response field are analyzed.
First phenomenological investigations of the pulse train induced wave packet dynamics
show dependancies between the populations and coherences of the generated molecular state
and the choice of the sinusoidal mask parameters.
Further investigations imply a mechanism connecting the outcome of the control experiment
with the pulse train parameters and the molecular properties which is
confirmed by derivation of a formula based on time dependent perturbation theory.
The proposed mechanism leads to results which are in accordance with
many experimentally observed effects.
It is found that pulse train excitation generates vibrational wave packets that can exhibit symmetric phase space structures.
Comparable structures appear during long time evolution after excitation with Fourier limited pulses
and are known as partial revival states.
Experimentally observed effects, like annihilation of spectral signals, are attributed to temporal interference effects between phase shifted vibrational coherences of these symmetric phase space structures. Contribution of such temporal interference effects are found to be essential
for the signal interpretation in the case of time limited detection periods in the femtosecond regime.

From a detailed analysis rules are extracted which serve to predict and
to interprete the outcome of quantum control experiments using sinusoidally modulated pulse trains.
It is found that the degree of rotational symmetry of the generated phase space pattern is determined by the ratio of the classical oscillation period of a vibrational mode to the interpulse distance b.
In contrast, at a fixed value of b, the variation of the phase parameter c causes an
oscillatory exchange between phase shifted components of the generated phase space structures,
leading to an oscillatory disturbance of the phase space symmetry.
While the phase space symmetry induced by b leads to destructive interference of spectral signals,
this effect can be partially removed by c.
The resulting oscillations of the peak amplitudes with c reflect the symmetry of the
b-generated phase space structures.

In a next step the model is extended towards the description of
complex biological systems.
Investigated are environmental effects,
the model expansion to polyatomic molecules and the influence of
electronic coupling elements, leading to the participation of additional electronic states.
Using the density matrix description, the influence on the pulse train mechanism
of elastic and inelastic environmental processes is investigated.
Limits are figured out, defining the scope of the extracted rules for
the two mask parameters b and c in dissipative environment.
Increasing the dimensionality of the model, it is found that the derived mechanism still holds in polyatomic molecules. In accordance with experimental results, it is possible
to damp spectral signals of selective vibrational modes by the mentioned
destructive interference effects, adapting the interpulse distance to participating modes.
By combination of the effects of b and c it is even possible to selectively damp
near resonant modes.
To come closer to the description of
beta-carotene, the model system
is extended by an additional diabatically coupled electronic state.
Now the spectroscopic response function after Fourier limited excitation, recording
the evolution of the excited state population, comprises information exclusively
of the reactive coupling modes.
Thus, the electronic coupling process can be traced without disturbance of inreactive
spectator modes by detection of the excited state population, acting as a window to coupling modes.
Additionally it is shown, that the mechanism of pulse train excitation
found for bound state potentials still holds in the presence of electronic coupling.

The described interference effects appearing in the spectroscopical signals after pulse train excitation, show that a rethinking is required in the interpretation of pulse train control experiments.
On the other hand, the different aspects of pulse train control offer a manifold of
new applications in various fields of spectroscopy.
Parallels to experiments, applying pulse trains under different conditions,
like for example nonresonant excitation, lead to the assumption, that the introduced effects
are more general.
Pulse trains in spectroscopy may enhance the sensitivity and the selectivity of spectral features and could be applied to achieve higher contrast in coherent microscopy.
By selective damping of near-resonant modes, application of pulse trains in combination with transient spectroscopy could provide access to the direct observation of dynamical processes.
Furthermore, the characteristic response to parameter variations under pulse train excitation
can serve to differentiate between vibrational and electronic origins of spectral features.
It is this method, that is used in the present work
to apply quantum control spectroscopy
to the early steps of the photochemical process in beta-carotene, i.e. the energy loss channel due to quenching via a conical intersection.

Based on experimental observations,
by the described modular construction
a model system for beta-carotene is proposed, comprising the
key components of the induced photochemical energy transfer process during the first few hundred femtoseconds.
The outcome of quantum control experiments of beta-carotene could be predicted and interpreted.
By comparison with results of quantum control experiments on beta-carotene,
performed in the group of M.~Motzkus (Heidelberg University),
it is possible to verify the key assumptions made for the construction of the model system.
Observed spectral features in dependance of the parameters b and c can be definitely assigned to vibrational coherences,
indicating that a low frequency mode is responsible for the electronic coupling
between the excited states S2 and S1 of beta-carotene.
The achieved agreement between simulations and experimental results
allow to conclude that the process of investigation is described well within the constructed
beta-carotene model.
The photochemical quenching process takes place on solely two excited states and no further electronic state plays a mentionable role.


This article proposes a novel methodology to strengthen the micro-foundations of a macroeconomic assessment of EU competition policy. A unique database containing case-specific information on merger and cartel decisions is exploited to conduct macroeconomic policy simulations using a Dynamic Stochastic General Equilibrium model. The model has been extended to allow investigating the effects of EU competition policy interventions not only on standard macroeconomic variables such as GDP and employment, but also on distributional outcomes across households with different skill levels and across different types of income earners (capital owners, wage earners, and benefit recipients). The policy simulations presented include both direct and indirect (deterrent) effects of competition policy interventions. They show that competition policy has a sizeable impact on GDP growth, job creation, and the distribution of consumption across different types of households.


Many exoplanets have been found in orbits close to their host stars and thus they are subject to the effects of photo-evaporation. Previous studies have shown that a large portion of exoplanets detected by the Kepler mission have been significantly eroded by photo-evaporation. In this paper, we numerically study the effects of photo-evaporation on the orbital evolution of a hypothesized moon system around a planet. We find that photo-evaporation is crucial to the stability of the moon system. Photo-evaporation can erode the atmosphere of the planet thus leading to significant mass loss. As the planet loses mass, its Hill radius shrinks and its moons increase their orbital semimajor axes and eccentricities. When some moons approach their critical semimajor axes, global instability of the moon system would be triggered, which usually ends up with two, one or even zero surviving moons. Some lost moons could escape from the moon system to become a new planet orbiting the star or run away further to become a free-floating object in the Galaxy. Given the destructive role of photo-evaporation, we speculate that exomoons are less common for close-in planets (<0.1 au), especially those around M-type stars, because they are more X-ray luminous and thus enhancing photo-evaporation. The lessons we learn in this study may be helpful for the target selection of on-going/future exomoon searching programs.


In her thesis, the author addresses the relationship between education and selected types of crime (economic, property and violent crime) in the context of the national economy. The aim of the thesis is to show that the relationship between crime and education is much more complex than it may appear on the basis of current findings and observations and that, besides education, the criminal career of an offender is also significantly influenced by his/her family background and, therefore, it is appropriate to include this factor into the analysis. The analytical section of the thesis is divided into two separate parts. The first part, which deals with the phenomenon of crime in general, describes the dependency of individual crime types, education and family background by means of tables and diagrams showing percentages of individual variables and using contingency tables and correlation tables. The analysis confirms that there is a significant relationship between crime and the combination of education and family background. This hypothesis, however, manifests itself only in respect of certain types of family background, namely the backgrounds described as "working class" and "intelligentsia". The second part is devoted to recidivism as a particularly negative phenomenon –58% of offenders in the analysed set are recidivists. The analysis applies three binary choice models: linear probability model, logit and probit models. Higher education in all cases reduces the likelihood of recidivism, however, as regards combinations with the family background, the differences within the various types of crime and the models used appear rather differential.


In this paper, Si crystal (000) surface was bombarded by Ar ion beam, with the energy of 90 KeV and the irradiating time of 10 min. In the process of irradiation, there were bulges on the surface of Si crystal surface, the highest of which reached 100 nm. The information of roughness (such as change in level, angle and etc.) were studied by AFM, TEM, SEM and Raman.


Meloxicam is a new non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug, that possesses a selective inhibition of the inducible isoform of cyclooxygenase enzyme (COX-2) relative to the constitutive one, COX-1. Oxidative stress has been documented to be involved in the aetiology of many pathological conditions. The present study aims to further explore the relationship between free radical generation and the inflammatory process, and extends more to investigate the effect of meloxicam on the oxidant status in experimentally induced arthritis, namely, Freund's adjuvant-induced arthritis in rats. Results of the present investigation revealed that animals inoculated with Freund's complete adjuvant showed a biphasic response regarding changes in the right hind paw oedema volume. During the chronic phase of the disease, arthritic animals showed an elevated plasma level of lipid peroxides, enhanced blood glutathione peroxidase activity, with depletion of plasma total thiols and albumin; while no significant effects have been observed on erythrocytic superoxide dismutase activity and plasma total proteins content, as compared to normal untreated rats. Long-term administration of meloxicam, at two dose levels, produced significant antioedemetous effect and succeeded in modulating the altered parameters affected during arthritis. The selected dose regimens of meloxicam did not show any apparent lesions in the gastric mucosa. The results of the present investigation lend further support to the reported observations concerning selective COX-2 inhibitors. The modulatory influence of meloxicam on the oxidant status, particularly on lipid peroxidation and thiols might be a relevant effect accounting for its anti-inflammatory properties.


Theories about experiential learning and expert performance place reflection as a vital mechanism which operates at different levels according to whether we are responding to a situation as it unfolds or critically reviewing past events to make sense of what occurred. Video recordings already play a useful role in reviewing events in many situations. Recently it has become practical to edit digital video footage using mass market, easy to use software, this has opened up new opportunities for amateur production of video stories. We describe work carried out at the Technical University Delft with small teams of industrial design students on the point of entering professional practice in which the potential of video story-making for supporting the sort of critical reflection necessary to evaluate design experience was explored. We conclude that the process of story construction presents rich opportunities for making sense of design education and experiences of design practice.


BACKGROUND
To determine characteristics of teen pregnancies in southeast Texas and the opinions of postpartum teenagers with regard to having contraceptive services available in high school clinics.

METHODS
A cross-sectional study of postpartum teenagers interviewed during their hospital stay.

RESULTS
Of 404 postpartum teenagers interviewed, 86% had unplanned pregnancies. Approximately 53% of respondents first had intercourse at less than 16 years of age. Of the 130 teenagers who had used contraception prior to pregnancy, 85% became pregnant because they were unable to visit the clinic to obtain a contraceptive refill or replacement. In multivariate modeling, factors associated with using contraceptives prior to pregnancy included black race (p < .001) and more than 1 previous pregnancy (p < .001). Variables associated with having an unplanned pregnancy included having discussed contraceptives at home or school (p = 0.049). Of the 404 postpartum teenagers surveyed, 223 (82%) were in favor of having contraceptive services offered in high school clinics.

CONCLUSIONS
Contraceptive education is not sufficient to prevent teenage pregnancy. Increase in access is critical as teenagers with previous pregnancies were more likely to use contraception, likely due to their interaction with the medical community during the antecedent pregnancy. One possible solution is to bring contraceptive services to the teenagers, by offering them at school based health systems. A majority of teenagers surveyed in this study supported this proposal.


The paper discusses the state of the Philippine garments industry, with specific focus on its competitiveness and logistics infrastructure, and how the industry can make use of the prospective Free Trade Agreement with the US. With the signing of the Agreement on Textiles and Clothing on January 1, 2005 which called for the removal of all quotas over a 10-year phase-out period, textiles and apparels had been integrated into the mainstream of trade. The question, therefore, is how the Philippines should position itself into this new era of trade in garments. For the Philippines to compete, the industry needs to move up in the value chain, significantly improve its supply chain and seek preferential access to the US. Consolidation of resources among firms and investments generation for productivity enhancement are greatly needed. An FTA can likely increase the Philippines' competitiveness in the US market but the long-term solutions should be focused on industrial upgrading. Logistics must be improved and investments on physical and human capital must be made to improve the clustering programs between garments producers and textile firms.


The objective of our study is to supplement the regional P / S 3-D velocity model in the Reno basin with shear-wave velocity models derived from ambient noise interferometry (Aki 1957; Claerbout 1968; Shapiro et al. 2005; Sabra et al. 2005; Lin et al. 2008; Yang et al. 2008). We use a variety of seismic sensors in the Reno-Carson area (Figure 1).

There is a gap for demonstrated extraction of Green's functions (GFs) from ambient noise between short and long interstation distances. The lateral resolution of existing tomographic models exceeds the dimensions of the Reno basin area (∼60 km2), and their depth resolution is larger than the Reno basin depth to basement (<3 km). GFs have been recently retrieved in the western United States from data recorded at broadband sensors, such as the EarthScope Transportable Array (TA) deployment (Figure 1C) with lateral resolution of 60–100 km (Yang et al. 2008; Lin et al. 2008) and for periods exceeding 8 s ( i.e. , sampling more than 8 km deep). Using the Re-Mi methods, noise-extracted Rayleigh waves for local shallow shear-wave velocity studies provided information on structure less than 0.2 km from the surface (Scott et al. 2004). In order to estimate P and S velocity models deeper than 3 km, earthquake tomography was until recently the only cost effective alternative to active source experiments (Frary et al. 2009). The body-wave tomographic studies in the Reno basin (Preston and von Seggern 2008) do not allow precise control of the velocity or depth of shallow structures in the basin, due to low resolution in the upper 3 km. Another disadvantage of body-wave tomography is the high level of uncertainty in the S -arrival time picks. GF extraction from noise cross-correlations at scales less than 60 …


In spite of the fact that Henry of Gent (†1293) had a major and lasting influence on the developments at the University of Paris after the condemnation of the errores philosophorum in 1277, the Gandavistae – pupils of Henry of Gent – are hardly known by their proper names in the history of philosophy. As a member of the theological and philosophical faculty, Henry broke with the predominant Averroistic approach to Aristotle's conception of science and concentrated, instead, on the Aristotelian tradition. He defended a revised version of the Aristotelian doctrine of the categories along the lines of the pseudo-Boethian Liber de sex principiis and ascribed fundamental eminence to relatio, a category which was considered ontologically "debilissimus" among the Aristotelians. John de Polliaco († p. 1321) was a pupil of Albert the Great, Thomas Aquinas, Henry of Gent and Godfrey of Fontaines during the seventies of the 13th century. In his Quodlibet I, q. 7, dating from 1307, he gave a controversial account of the notion of relation that was favoured by Henry's adherents: "Does the relation, expressed as a (modal) respect, differ from the respects (respectus) expressed by the six principles?" In this discussion he attacks the intentional and modal interpretation given by the Gandavistae and calls them non-reales. Is this accusation already an indication of the rise of 14th century nominalism?