The aims of the current paper are twofold: first, to explore the profile of successful microcredit entrepreneurs; second, to examine the key factors contributing to the success. The sample of this study comprises 250 entrepreneurs who joined the scheme of I-Wawasan in Perak. In this study, the total assets owned which is employed to measure success of microcredit entrepreneurs is used as the dependent. The independent variables that measure success factors however comprises the total amount of microcredit financing, education, government support and experience. The result of multiple regression (stepwise) indicated that, all the factors related to the success of microcredit entrepreneurs are significant. This suggests that, those factors are important element towards the success of microcredit entrepreneurs. All the other three variables are positively related to success of microcredit entrepreneurs with the exception of experience which was negatively related. Some recommendations are proposed along with some limitation of the study.


With the continuous development and progress of the society, China's cities such as BeiShang GuangShen etc. hold the vast majority of funds and technology in one region and even China, which makes the employment groups of other cities flood into these first- and second-tier cities. It means that the team of "empty nest youth" (Hereinafter referred to as "ENY") is getting bigger. In the fierce social competition environment, "ENY" will inevitably face many psychological and physiological challenges. The basic characteristics of "ENY" are high level of cultural education, strong independent ideas and self-esteem and self-confidence. The formation of this special youth group is not only for social and family reasons, but also for individual reasons. By comparing the "ENY" with other "emerging youth groups" and ordinary urban youth to analyze the differences in their living conditions, it is concluded that the overall difference is not significant, but we may ignore that under the different temperament theory the living conditions of "ENY" are different. This review will discuss the "ENY" of different temperament types to understand their living conditions, and propose countermeasures to help them through the "empty nest" period.


Nomads, or highly specialized mobile pastoralists, are prominent features in Central Asian archaeology, and they are often depicted in direct conflict with neighboring sedentary peoples. However, new archaeological findings are showing that the people who many scholars have called nomads engaged in a mixed economic system of farming and herding. Additionally, not all of these peoples were as mobile as previously assumed, and current data suggest that a portion of these purported mobile populations remained sedentary for much or all of the year, with localized ecological factors directing economic choices. In this article, we pull together nine complementary lines of evidence from the second through the first millennia BC to illustrate that in eastern Central Asia, a complex economy existed. While many scholars working in Eurasian archaeology now acknowledge how dynamic paleoeconomies were, broader arguments are still tied into assumptions regarding specialized economies. The formation of empires or polities, changes in social orders, greater political hierarchy, craft specialization—notably, advanced metallurgy—mobility and migration, social relations, and exchange have all been central to the often circular arguments made concerning so-called nomads in ancient Central Asia. The new interpretations of mixed and complex economies more effectively situate Central Asia into a broader global study of food production and social complexity.


This paper presents a simulated annealing algorithm (SAA) to solve the unit commitment problem (UCP). New rules for randomly generating feasible solutions are introduced. The problem has two subproblems: a combinatorial optimization problem; and a nonlinear programming problem. The former is solved using the SAA while the latter problem is solved via a quadratic programming routine. Numerical results showed an improvement in the solutions costs compared to previously obtained results.


Streptococcus pseudopneumoniae is a member of Viridans streptococci, associated with chronic obstructive lung disease and lower respiratory infection. It is non-capsulated, bile insoluble and optochin susceptible in ambient air but intermediate or resistant in 5%CO2. But, its role as a pathogen is yet to be established. The objective of the study was to detect the prevalence and to determine the clinical significance of S.pseudopneumoniae in sputum samples. The study period was 5 months. Good quality sputum samples (>25 neutrophils and <10 epithelial cells/LPF) of patients suspected of LRTIs, were inoculated onto chocolate agar. Alpha haemolytic colonies were identified by testing for capsule by India ink preparation, bile solubility and optochin susceptibility in ambient air and 5%CO2. Antibiotic sensitivity testing was done by Kirby-Bauer's disc diffusion method. Out of 66 alpha haemolytic colonies, 4 were S.pseudopneumoniae, 17 were S.pneumoniae and 45 were other Viridans streptococci. Antibiotic sensitivity patterns of S.pseudopneumoniae and S.pneumoniae were analyzed. S.pseudopneumoniae is misinterpreted as S.pneumoniae unless specifically looked for. As there is scant information available, studies have to be encouraged for better determination of clinical importance of S.pseudopneumoniae. This will help in right diagnosis and successful treatment.


A 240-mW single-chip MPEG-4 videophone LSI with a 16-Mb embedded DRAM is fabricated utilizing a 0.25-/spl mu/m CMOS triple-well quad-metal technology. The videophone LSI is applied to the 3GPP 3G-324M video-telephony standard for IMT-2000, and implements the MPEG-4 video SPL1 codec, the AMR speech codec, and the ITU-T H.223 Annex B multiplexing/demultiplexing at the same time. Three 16-bit multimedia-extended RISC processors, dedicated hardware accelerators, and a 16-Mb embedded DRAM are integrated on a 10.84 mm/spl times/10.84 mm die. It also integrates camera, display, audio, and network interfaces required for a mobile video-phone terminal. In addition to conventional low-power techniques, such as clock gating and parallel operation, some new low-power techniques are also employed. These include an embedded DRAM with optimized configuration, a low-power motion estimator, and the adoption of the variable-threshold voltage CMOS (VT-CMOS). The MPEG-4 videophone LSI consumes 240 mW at 60 MHz, which is only 22% of that for a conventional multichip design. Variable threshold voltage CMOS reduces standby leakage current to 26 /spl mu/A, which is only 17% of that for the conventional CMOS design.


The implementation of multidimensional systems in embedded devices is a major design challenge due to the high algorithmic complexity of the applications. The authors suggest a novel application-level synthesis methodology for those parts of the embedded application which are characterized by being Lebesgue measurable (the computation involved in signal and image processing systems is Lebesgue measurable). The synthesis methodology, based on perturbation analysis, supports the design of analog, digital, or mixed implementations at the very high level of the system design cycle. The outputs of the methodology are quantitative indications regarding the maximum performance loss tolerable by the subsystems composing the application. Such information, augmented with a stochastic description of the tolerated perturbations, can be related to lower synthesis levels and guide the designer toward the final implementation of the embedded device. The perturbation analysis is based on randomized algorithms for an effective evaluation of the performance loss of the computational flow once affected by behavioral perturbations and a Tabu-search-inspired optimizing algorithm for distributing the tolerable performance loss at the system output along the computational subsystems composing the possibly multidimensional processing.


With the ever growing application requirements for wireless power transmission in recent years, use of Ultra High Frequency (UHF) band via passive RFID technology escalates quickly. However, limited read range and outdoor interference has always been a great obstacle for various RFID applications. Escalating power transmission at the tag to identify and amplify received power under flawless conditions of electromagnetic theory do not provide estimates of read-rates, which bring major limitations to RFID system performance. Therefore, discovering the reason behind these problems and assessing the performance of backscatter power to improve the system performance remains as a crying need. Implying radar cross section (RCS) mechanism into RFID can enhance the system performance at a larger extent, as passive RFID works same as radar at far field range by detecting backscatter signal from target object. Antenna radiation pattern and co located interference effect are vital considerations for RFID propagation mechanism and tag read range optimization. Consequently, the robust performance of transmitting and receiving antenna will provide a better RCS value when we get them in good agreement with experimental results. This thesis provides analytical framework for backscatter performance modeling and suggest techniques to enhance the efficiency of reader to tag to reader performance. It explores uncertainties associated with certain parameters like antenna far field radiation property, antenna spacing, optimal backscatter power and communication range, which implies scattering efficiency of the tag and establish a relationship between the measured and predicted values of tag read-rate probabilities. Comparing measurement patterns in both outdoor and in an-echoic chamber, finally it determines method to increase efficiency at power transmission and reception end. Obtained results will encourage the future researchers to design, analyze and enhance the backscattered passive RFID systems at a larger scenario.


GF120918, at 250 ng/ml, increased the sensitivity of a P-glycoprotein (P-gp)-mediated multidrug resistant (MDR) small cell lung cancer cell line (H69/LX4) to the P-gp substrates, paclitaxel, taxotere, vinblastine, vinorelbine, daunorubicin and etoposide to levels which were either greater (in the case of etoposide) or close to that of the parent cell line (H69/P). This was achieved in spite of the great variation in the levels of resistance of the MDR cell line for the various anti-cancer drugs tested. These data suggest that GF120918 is a potent antagonist of P-gp mediated multidrug resistance, even in the case of high levels of resistance, as was the case with paclitaxel and taxotere (2560 and 2215 fold more than the sensitive parent cell line respectively).


"Having fewer nursing personnel to treat patients contributes to increased patient morbidity and mortality and decreased quality care. The U.S. Army faces challenges in its nurse recruitment. Thus, retention of qualified nursing staff is imperative for the Army Nurse Corps (ANC) to provide nursing care to soldiers, retirees, and families worldwide. A stratified, purposive, non-probability sample of 6 officers was interviewed to identify and describe forces affecting retention. Influential forces are numerous and complex. The factors contributing to ANC officer retention were segregated into two global categories: personal desire and emotional investment. Personal desire included intent, career investment, need fulfillment, and benefits, while emotional investment consisted of satisfaction, challenge, and comfort. The life events contributing to ANC officer retention were also segregated into two global categories: organizational environment and personal situation. Organizational environment included education, leadership, and work environment, while personal situation consisted of familial factors, need fulfillment, and comfort. The opinions or assertions contained herein are the private views of the author and are not to be construed as official or as reflecting the views of the Department of the Army or the Department of Defense."--Abstract from author supplied metadata.


Both young people and women contribute significantly to agricultural production in the African continent, although these contributions are not usually explicitly recognized in official statistics and documents. In Ethiopia, women traditionally have been subject to sociocultural and economic discrimination that resulted in fewer economic, educational and social opportunities than men. The traditional development approaches that view the household as a unitary decision-making entity and the assumption that interventions targeted at the household head would trickle down to household members is the foundation of the exclusion of women and young people. In particular, women in married households are usually excluded from development interventions. Many governments in Africa have now started to take policy measures to recognize and enhance the contributions of young people and women in economic growth on the continent. Similarly, there seems to be strong political commitment in Ethiopia to ensure inclusive economic growth that will result in better gender equality and benefit young people. This working paper summarizes the lessons from the experiences of the Improving productivity and market success for Ethiopian smallholders and Livestock and irrigation value chains for Ethiopian smallholders projects in inclusive value chain development aimed at benefiting women and young people. It mainly focuses on the trajectories of the two projects in reaching out to women and young people in order to increase their access to resources, innovation, technologies and knowledge which could consequently improve their inclusion in and benefits from value chain development and governance. Experiences from innovative extension methods for inclusion are discussed. The paper makes recommendations for policy and development practice to improve benefits to women and young people from development interventions. 1 Value chain opportunities for women and young people in livestock production in Ethiopia: Lessons learned


Introduction The EQ-5D is a widely-used, standardised, quality of life measure producing health profiles, indices and states. The aims of this study were to assess the role of various factors in how people with Multiple Sclerosis rate their quality of life, based on responses to the EQ-5D received via the web portal of the UK MS Register. Methods The 4516 responses to the EQ-5D (between May 2011 and April 2012) were collated with basic demographic and descriptive MS data and the resulting dataset was analysed in SPSS (v.20). Results The mean health state for people with MS was 59.73 (SD 22.4, median 61), compared to the UK population mean of 82.48 (which is approximately 1SD above the cohort mean). The characteristics of respondents with high health states (at or above +1SD) were: better health profiles (most predictive dimension: Usual Activities), higher health indices, younger age, shorter durations of MS, female gender, relapsing-remitting MS, higher educational attainment and being in paid employment (all p-values<0.001). Conversely, the characteristics of respondents with low health states (at or below -1SD) were: poorer health profiles (most predictive dimension: Mobility), lower health indices, older age, longer durations of MS, male gender, progressive MS, lower educational attainment and having an employment status of sick/disabled (p = 0.0014 for age, all other p-values<0.001). Particular living arrangements were not associated with either the high or low health status groups. Conclusions This large-scale study has enabled in-depth analyses on how people with MS rate their quality of life, and it provides new knowledge on the various factors that contribute to their self-assessed health status. These findings demonstrate the impact of MS on quality of life, and they can be used to inform care provision and further research, to work towards enhancing the quality of life of people with MS.


Green building is a recent design philosophy that requires the consideration of resources depletion and waste emissions during its whole life cycle. Simulation-based optimization can assist designers to achieve a better building design by overcoming the drawbacks of trial-and-error with simulation alone. This dissertation presents the design and implementation of a simulation-based optimization system for the conceptual design of green buildings. In the optimization model, variables are mostly envelope-related design parameters such as orientation, building shape, wall type, and wall layer. The concept of structured variable is used to describe the hierarchical relationship between variables. Life-cycle cost and life-cycle environmental impact are two major objective functions that respectively evaluate the economical and environmental performance of a building. The impact categories considered in this research include resource depletion, global warming, and acidification. They are unified together with the indicator "expanded cumulative exergy consumption", which is calculated as the sum of the cumulative exergy consumption due to resource inputs, and the abatement exergy consumption due to waste emissions. The system consists of four components: the input and output, the optimizer, the simulation programs, and the data files. The genetic algorithm is implemented in the optimizer to solve both single- and multi-objective optimization problems. The simulation programs are developed based on the ASHRAE toolkit for building load calculations in order to evaluate objective functions and functional constraints. The system is developed with the object-oriented technology. An object-oriented framework, which is a reusable software architecture represented by a set of classes, is proposed in this research to facilitate the reuse of code and software design. This framework can act as a basis to solve many other simulation-based optimization problems. A case study is used to demonstrate the application of the system. In this case study, a multi-objective genetic algorithm is employed to optimize a single-story office building in terms of the life-cycle cost and life-cycle environmental impact. The case study resulted in multiple Pareto solutions which can help designers to understand the trade-off relationship between reducing environmental impacts and increasing costs due to green design strategies


Background: The Macintosh laryngoscope enables safer and easy intubation. However, the mechanism of laryngeal exposure remains unclear. I hypothesized that extension of the hyoepiglottic ligament contributes to elevation of the epiglottis, and laryngoscope maneuvers that pull the hyoid bone rostrally will effectively elevate the epiglottis and expose the glottides. Methods: To test this hypothesis, I developed a model in which the epiglottis and hyoid bone were connected with a Velcro tape to allow flexible movement and applied different maneuvers to investigate their effects on epiglottis and hyoid bone movement. Results: A comparison of the original Macintosh maneuver, a modified Macintosh maneuver and the McCoy maneuver found that the McCoy maneuver elevated the epiglottis most, and was associated with rostral and anterior displacement of the hyoid bone. When the model was adjusted so that the hyoid bone was positioned caudal to the epiglottic vallecula, the hyoepiglottic ligament was shortened and the original Macintosh maneuver failed to elevate the epiglottis. Based on these results, a modified Macintosh maneuver was applied that elevated the hyoid bone rostrally and anteriorly and enhanced epiglottis elevation. Conclusions: The position of the hyoid bone should be considered to achieve epiglottic elevation and a good view of the glottides when performing laryngeal exposure. The position of the hyoid bone relative to the epiglottic vallecula could determine the response of the hyoepiglottic ligament and epiglottis elevation. Increased understanding of the mechanism of laryngeal exposure enables development of improved intubation devices and training models. J Curr Surg. 2018;8(1-2):1-6 doi: https://doi.org/10.14740/jcs348w


It has been shown that backward doubly stochastic differential equations (BDSDEs) provide a probabilistic representation for a certain class of nonlinear parabolic stochastic partial differential equations (SPDEs). It has also been shown that the solution of a BDSDE with Lipschitz coefficients can be approximated by first discretizing time and then calculating a sequence of conditional expectations. Given fixed points in time and space, this approximation has been shown to converge in mean square.

In this thesis, we investigate the approximation of solutions of BDSDEs with coefficients that are measurable in time and space using a time discretization scheme with a view towards applications to SPDEs. To achieve this, we require the underlying forward diffusion to have smooth coefficients and we consider convergence in a norm which includes a weighted spatial integral. This combination of smoother forward coefficients and weaker norm allows the use of an equivalence of norms result which is key to our approach. We additionally take a brief look at the approximation of solutions of a class of infinite horizon BDSDEs with a view towards approximating stationary solutions of SPDEs.

Whilst we remain agnostic with regards to the implementation of our discretization scheme, our scheme should be amenable to a Monte Carlo simulation based approach. If this is the case, we propose that in addition to being attractive from a performance perspective in higher dimensions, such an approach has a potential advantage when considering measurable coefficients. Specifically, since we only discretize time and effectively rely on simulations of the underlying forward diffusion to explore space, we are potentially less vulnerable to systematically overestimating or underestimating the effects of coefficients with spatial discontinuities than alternative approaches such as finite difference or finite element schemes that do discretize space.

Another advantage of the BDSDE approach is that it is possible to derive an upper bound on the error of our method for a fairly broad class of conditions in a single analysis. Furthermore, our conditions seem more general in some respects than is typically considered in the SPDE literature.


In this article I will identify the position from which I write and the methodology I will employ, and then I will ask: "Is the Foucauldian conception of disciplinary power still at work in contemporary forms of imprisonment?" I will answer this question in the affirmative and report the results of a case study of the operational philosophy of a contemporary prison in Melbourne Australia while highlighting some key comparative points from Discipline and Punish . How prisoners resist and subvert disciplinary power by turning an inclusive grouping within the prison into a site from which they highly differentiate Self from Other will be touched upon. I will conclude by finding that homo criminalis has in fact become a definite object in the field of knowledge and he is emerging as a product from the machine for altering minds.


This project focuses on the need for collaboration and unification among faculty and students in the engineering department. As it stands, the engineering department has three buildings that are not connected. This causes students and faculty of different studies to be handcuffed. Engineering is a collaborated field, that requires like minded people to come up with solutions. This is why the design team decided to implement a pedestrian bridge that would allow rapid access to both engineering buildings. The project team completed structural and construction elements for a pedestrian bridge that connects two buildings in the SCU engineering quad. This design project aims to contribute a working solution to the recurring problem of inconvenience and lost time for both students and faculty at the University.


This exploratory study aimed to examine online communications between contact reality and non-contact fantasy child sex offenders (CSOs). This research wanted to ascertain whether it was possible to differentiate between these offenders based on the content of their online communications, something which has not previously been examined. The sample consisted of five contact reality and seven non-contact fantasy offenders, all convicted of a Child Sex Offence. Content analysis revealed 26 them. Results showed that non-contact fantasy offenders discussed Adult sexual relationships significantly more than contact reality offenders. All other comparisons were non-significant. The themes were then grouped into five higher order themes: (i) Adult relationships, (ii) Child sexual interest, (iii) Media, (iv) Sexual self, and (v) Rapport. The average largest proportion of the online communication related to Child sexual interest (34%) followed by Rapport (28%). There were no significant differences between the two types of offenders in relation to these five higher order themes. Explanations for the findings are discussed with implications for police investigations. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.


Lower gastrointestinal bleeding represents one-fourth of all gastrointestinal hemorrhages. The bleeding usually originates in the colon while less than 10% of cases originate in the small bowel. Colonoscopy is considered the initial procedure of choice due to its diagnostic efficacy, safety, and therapeutic potential. Mesenteric arteriography can be an alternative in patients with massive hemorrhage. Helical computed tomography of the abdomen with endovenous contrast can be useful but has not been directly compared with arteriography. When the results of gastroscopy and colonoscopy are negative, small bowel bleeding is suspected. Capsule endoscopy allows non-invasive examination of the entire small bowel. The diagnostic efficacy of this procedure is clearly superior to that of other conventional examinations and, compared with intraoperative endoscopy, capsule endoscopy has a sensitivity of 95% and a specificity of 75%. Double balloon enteroscopy is a new modality that also allows complete examination of the small bowel with the additional advantage of its therapeutic potential. Definitive diagnosis of the hemorrhagic site is essential for appropriate treatment. Endoscopic and angiographic advances are therapeutic alternatives to surgical resection. Endoscopic treatment is indicated in lesions with active bleeding or signs of recent hemorrhage. Arterial embolization can be a therapeutic alternative when arteriography shows active hemorrhage. Surgical treatment is reserved for patients with persistent bleeding in whom other options have failed.


Neuroticism is a stable personality trait 1; twin studies report heritability between 30% and 50% 2, and SNP-based heritability is about 15% 3. Higher levels of neuroticism are associated with poorer mental and physical health 4,5, and the economic burden of neuroticism for societies is high 6. To date, genome-wide association (GWA) studies of neuroticism have identified up to 11 genetic loci 3,7. Here we report 116 significant independent genetic loci from a GWA of neuroticism in 329,821 UK Biobank participants, with replication available in a GWA meta-analysis of neuroticism in 122,867 individuals. Genetic signals for neuroticism were enriched in neuronal genesis and differentiation pathways, and substantial genetic correlations were found between neuroticism and depressive symptoms (rg = .82, SE=.03), major depressive disorder (rg = .69, SE=.07) and subjective wellbeing (rg = -.68, SE=.03) alongside other mental health traits. These discoveries significantly advance our understanding of neuroticism and its association with major depressive disorder.


OBJECTIVE
To investigate the safety and efficacy of using 0.1% tacrolimus ointment for long-term treatment of atopic dermatitis.

DESIGN
Open-label, noncomparative study with 6 to 12 months of follow-up.

SETTINGS
Outpatient departments in 30 study centers in 11 European countries.

PATIENTS
We enrolled 316 patients aged 18 years and older with moderate to severe atopic dermatitis, 200 for 6 months and 116 for 12 months; 77.5% of patients completed the study.

INTERVENTION
Twice-daily application of 0.1% tacrolimus ointment on all affected skin. Visits were scheduled on day 1; after 1, 2, and 4 weeks of treatment; and monthly thereafter.

MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES
Safety assessments included monitoring of adverse events, clinical laboratory values, and tacrolimus blood concentrations. Efficacy end points included a combined score (modified Eczema Area and Severity Index) and an investigator's global assessment.

RESULTS
Local irritation, adverse events such as burning sensation (47% of patients), pruritus (24% of patients), and erythema (12% of patients) were common but tended to occur only when initiating treatment. Laboratory values showed no marked changes over time. Systemic absorption was minimal, with the maximum tacrolimus blood concentration being less than 1 ng/mL in 76% of patients. All efficacy end points showed improvement. The mean (SD) modified Eczema Area and Severity Index score was 23.7 (12.6) at day 1, 13.5 (11.3) at week 1, 6.1 (9.2) at month 6, and 6.1 (8.1) at month 12. Marked or excellent improvement or clearance of disease was reported in 54%, 81%, and 86% of patients at week 1, month 6, and month 12, respectively.

CONCLUSION
Up to 1 year of tacrolimus ointment use was safe and effective in patients with atopic dermatitis. Arch Dermatol. 2000;136:999-1006


The aim of this work is to examine the possibility of high performance pressure sensors based on piezoresistive thick films deposited on steel membranes, which combine the performance advantage of thin-film sensors (high-strength steel substrates, assembly without elastomer seal) with the low cost of ceramic thick-film sensors. As standard thick-film firing conditions degrade the properties of most high-strength steels, two routes were explored: 1) application of a special steel, which does not undergo mechanical degradation at 850°C, and 2) development and use of thick-film materials firing at a lower temperature. This work presents the development and characterisation of low-firing thick-film systems (dielectrics, resistors and conductors), formulated to achieve chemical and thermal expansion compatibility with a wide range of substrates. Results on electrical properties of these systems: resistance, thermal coefficient of resistance (TCR) and strain response on different steel substrates are compared, together with those of standard thick-film systems on heat resistant special steel.


A large number of texts is posted daily on social media. However, only a small portion of these texts is informative for a specific purpose. For example, in order to collect a set of tweets for marketing strategy, we should collect a large number of tweets related to a specific topic with high accuracy. If we accurately filter the texts, we can continuously obtain fresh and useful information in real time. In a keyword-based approach, filters are constructed using keywords, but selecting the appropriate keywords is often tricky. In this work, we propose a method for filtering texts that are related to specific topics using a classification method that is based on crowdsourcing and machine learning. In our approach, we construct a text classifier using fastText and then annotate whether the tweets are related to the topics using crowdsourcing. For constructing an accurate classifier, we should prepare a large amount of learning data. However, this process is costly and time-consuming. To construct an accurate classifier using a small number of learning data, we consider two strategies for selecting tweets which the crowdsourcing participants should assess: optimistic and pessimistic approach. Then, we reconstruct the text classifier using the annotated texts and classify them again. If we continue instigating this loop, the accuracy of the classifier will improve, and we will obtain useful information without having to specify the keywords. Experimental results demonstrate that our proposed system is adequate for filtering social media streams. Moreover, we discovered that the pessimistic approach is better than the optimistic approach.


Intersectionality theory has been put forth to explain how gender and race dually impact and act upon African American women (e.g., Settles, 2006; Thomas et al., 2008). Although there is a growing body of literature on the negative effect that perceived racism has on Black/African Americans well-being and that sexism has on women's well-being, there is a paucity of research on the intersection of racism and sexism (i.e., gendered racism) and its influence on African American women's well-being (e.g., Perry, Pullen, & Oser, 2012; Thomas et al., 2008). To address this gap in the literature, the current study examined gendered racism's impact on African American women's well-being (i.e., depressive and anxiety symptoms, life satisfaction, and the quality of their social relationships). Additionally, the protective (moderating) influence of racial identity, in particular racial centrality, racial public regard, and racial private regard, on the gendered racism and well-being relationship was examined. Selfidentified African American, adult women (N = 249) were recruited from a southeastern metropolitan university. Lastly, the gendered racism measure used in the study, the Revised Schedule of Sexist Events (Thomas et al., 2008), appears to be a valid and reliable measure of African American women's gendered racism experiences. Regression analyses found that more frequent experiences with gendered racism was associated with more depressive and anxiety symptoms. More frequent experiences of gendered racism were also associated with less optimal social relationships and poorer life satisfaction. Furthermore, racial identity dimensions did not moderate the impact of gendered racism on African American women's well-being. Future studies should consider identities or worldviews that are theoretically aligned with the tenets of intersectionality theory as protective factors against the effect of gendered racism on African American women's well-being. INDEX WORDS: Gendered racism, African American, women, intersectionality, racial identity GENDERED RACISM AND THE MODERATING INFLUENCE OF RACIAL IDENTITY: IMPLICATIONS FOR AFRICAN AMERICAN WOMEN'S WELL-BEING


Beam-column connections of high-rise steel frames are usually welded, studies on seismic damages for nodes show that the existence of welding seam is the main reason which contributes to the brittle failure of nodes. This paper studies on the coming into being process of nodes, the deformation ability can be improved through changing welding order to reduce residual stresses for nodes. In the paper, numerical stimulations for nodes are conducted through finite element software. Distribution and peak value of residual stresses of beam-column connections are compared in accordance with different welding order. The analysis provides a theoretical basis for connection nodes in terms of utilizing their strength and ductility of steel.


BACKGROUND
Faun tail is a rare cutaneous marker of spinal dysraphism. This neurological abnormality may lead to difficulties such as severe pain and burning sensations in treatment of hypertrichosis of faun tail with laser or laser-like devices.

OBJECTIVE
We evaluated outcomes of an intense pulsed light source in two patients with faun tail.

METHODS
The Lumina intense pulsed light system [650-nm handpiece (550-1100 nm)] was used for the treatment. Magnetic resonance imaging and neurological examination were done.

RESULTS
Tethered cord syndrome was detected as a neurological abnormality. The patients were treated with an energy fluence of 18- 26 J/cm(2), pulse sequencing of 3 to 4, and a delay time of 20-35 ms. Local anesthesia was applied in one patient during treatment for severe pain sensation. A mean of 85% hair reduction was achieved.

CONCLUSION
A good cosmetic result with intense pulsed light treatment was achieved in the patients with faun tail. Local anesthesia may be required before treatment of faun tail with laser or laser-like systems due to associated neurological abnormalities.


Americans deserve a healthcare system that provides high-quality care at a reasonable cost. The current system is failing many people, but especially those who have the greatest health needs and the fewest resources to pay for it. Many solutions have been proposed to better serve the growing number of high-need patients. Unfortunately, efforts have been largely ineffective and sporadically coordinated with social services, resulting in great variations of outcomes and cost. That variation is cause for concern because the result is an underperforming healthcare system—leading to lower-quality care for people who need it most, and threatening the financial sustainability of the overall healthcare system. At the same time, however, the variation suggests that there may be pockets of excellence where better care is being delivered at a lower cost— and this is our great opportunity. With 5% of Americans accounting for almost 50% the nation's healthcare spend, doing better in this key area of healthcare could improve millions of lives and free up wasted resources. To make progress, we need to know more about the people with the most significant healthcare needs and the services they use; identify and validate the care delivery models that generate above-average health outcomes at lower-than-average costs; and transfer the knowledge and know-how to promote their broad adoption so that the models of excellence can become the community standard. Learning Update: Improving Healthcare for High-Need Patients [1]


Humans sometimes do perceive differences where physically there are none. It is thus tenable that perception is susceptible to seemingly random fluctuations in brain activity or "neural noise". Here, we demonstrate the potency of both trial-aggregated as well as trial-by-trial measures in the human electroencephalogram (EEG) to characterize neural noise as (i) a trait of individuals of varying age (n = 19; 19–74 years), and (ii) a brain state that predicts an individual's impending perceptual decision. Human participants were instructed to discriminate two identical, consecutively presented pure tones. Behaviorally, all participants reported perceiving pitch differences of first versus second tone. Neurally, decisions for the first versus the second tone were preceded by more consistently phase-locked responses to the first tone in the theta (4–9 Hz) band at central scalp electrodes. Second, a trial-wise information-theoretic measure quantifying the irregularity of broadband EEG, Weighted Permutation Entropy (WPE), prior to stimulus onset allowed to classify a listener's impending decision on this trial. Average entropy not only increased with participants' age, but correlated with previously suggested measures of an altered excitation-inhibition balance in the aging brain. Therefore, neural noise is best conceived not only as a state variable that can shape perceptual decisions but moreover can capture trait-like changes with age. Significance Statement Humans sometimes do perceive differences where physically there are none, a phenomenon likely due to seemingly random fluctuations in brain activity, or "neural noise". The potency of neural noise to explain intra- and inter-individual differences is largely unresolved. Here, we show that two complementary neural noise measures from the human EEG, across-trials phase-coherence of slow neural oscillations and a within-trial entropy measure, both predict decisions of participants when they are to compare physically identical tones. We also find the overall level of neural noise to increase with participants' age, likely reflecting changes to an excitation-inhibition balance. Thus, neural noise not only helps to characterize behaviorally relevant brain states, but can also second as an inter-individual marker of neurobiological age.


SMEs are important part of the national economy. The level of human resources management in an enterprise ultimately determines the competitiveness of enterprises and effective development and scientific and rational management of human resources is the key to the business success. Therefore, how to strengthen and improve the enterprise human resources management are the urgent issues in the development process of current enterprises. The article analyzes the prominent problems in SMEs' human resources management from human resource perspective, taking Zhengzhou Wuhua Lamp Company for example. It puts forward how to strengthen and perfect the SMEs' human resources management and gives some countermeasures and suggestions, also highlights the importance of "people-oriented" concept of modern human resources management and provides valuable suggestions for SMEs' health development.


Crabgrass species are problematic weeds in bermudagrass turf that can be controlled by PRE herbicide applications. Because of the difficulty in predicting crabgrass emergence and other prevailing management constraints, PRE herbicide applications are not always properly timed. Mesotrione controls crabgrass both PRE and POST; however, relatively short soil-residual activity limits its use as a PRE herbicide. Two experiments were conducted to evaluate smooth crabgrass control with PRE applications of mesotrione plus prodiamine. The first experiment evaluated the influence of application timing on the efficacy of mesotrione-plus-prodiamine combinations. Applications were made every 2 wk from March 15 to May 24. Mesotrione plus prodiamine controlled smooth crabgrass more consistently across all application dates than either mesotrione or prodiamine applied alone. The second experiment evaluated mesotrione along with current PRE and early POST herbicide treatments used for control of crabgrass. When applied at one to two tillers growth stage, mesotrione plus prodiamine controlled smooth crabgrass 99% when rated on August 31. Bermudagrass injury from mesotrione ranged from 9 to 44%, but did not result in any reduction in turf plant density. Mesotrione plus prodiamine is an effective tank mixture when prodiamine alone is not applied in a timely fashion; however, variable and excessive turf injury is a potential impediment to mesotrione use on bermudagrass turf. Nomenclature: Mesotrione, prodiamine, smooth crabgrass, Digitaria ischaemum (Schreb) Schreb. ex Muhl Schreb. DIGIS, bermudagrass, Cynodon dactylon L. CYNDA


Unlike many countries throughout the world, Canada does not have a national school food program (Rutledge, 2016). As such, school meals in Canada are typically provided by community-led organizations or are paid for out of individual school budgets, if they are provided at all (Gougeon, Henry, Ramdath, & Whiting, 2011). In the absence of a national program, community-led organizations can be e ective at providing nutritionally-adequate meals to students in need (Gougeon et al., 2011). Across the country, community members are participating in these organizations as sta and volunteers to meet the food needs of schoolchildren (Gougeon et al., 2011). However, the rich perspectives of these school food facilitators have not been deeply explored and integrated into school food discourse. The objective of this research, therefore, is to contribute to the body of literature on school food in Canada, speci cally developing a deeper understanding of community-led school food programs and the people who facilitate them. Using two community organizations in Regina, Saskatchewan as a case study, this research informs the question, \how and why are school food programs operationalized by community organizations?" Through qualitative interviews and eld observations with the sta and volunteers of these organizations, school food facilitators shared insights about their practices, motivations, and observations as they operate within their speci c community as well as within the broader Canadian landscape. Three emergent themes illustrate the class, gender, and race relations operating within the current climate of school food in Canada: (1) functioning within the neoliberal context, (2) operating as gendered subjects, and (3) acting to support racialized subjects. Together, these themes highlight the shortcomings of the neoliberal model | wherein gendered subjects facilitate charitable programs to support underserved, often racialized, community members | and point to possibilities for an alternative Canadian school food future. Lunch Money: Understanding Community-Led School Food Programs in Regina, Saskatchewan


Nanocomposites of single-walled carbon nanotubes modified polypyrrole (PPy/SWNTs) were synthesized successfully by in situ oxidative polymerization method in the FeCl3·6H2O solution. The morphological structure, electrical conductivity and thermal stability of the nanocomposites were characterized by TEM, SEM, FTIR and TGA. The PPy/SWNTs were 50-100 nm in diameter of PPy coating uniformly on the surface of the SWNTs. FTIR spectra revealed the presence of covalently interaction between the PPy and the carbon nanotubes. The electrical conductivity of PPy/SWNTs composite and pure PPy were 93 and 8.0×10-3 S/cm, respectively. Meanwhile, the PPy/SWNTs composites possessed higher thermal stability (65.9 wt. % weight loss at 600 °C) compared to pure PPy (81.2 wt. % weight loss at 600°C), the content of SWNTs was 15.3 wt. %.


Establishing plant communities is essential for the restoration of contaminated land. As potential cover materials, fly ash and sewage sludge can prevent formation of acid mine drainage from sulfidic mine waste. The aim of the thesis was to i) screen for plants that can be established in, and prevent leakage of metals and nutrients from sludge on top of ash and tailings, and ii) investigate root growth into sealing layers of ash and sludge. Analyses were performed under laboratory, greenhouse and field conditions using selected plant species to examine the release of Cd, Cu, Zn, N, and P from the materials. Plant physiological responses and interactions with fly ash were also investigated. The data show that plants can decrease metal and nutrient leakage from the materials, and lower the elemental levels in the leachate, but with varying efficiencies among plant species. Plants capable of taking up both nitrate and ammonium were more efficient in preventing N leakage compared with those taking up primarily ammonium. Fast growing plants could raise the pH in acidic sludge leachate, but the initial pH decrease and N leakage was not counteracted by plants. Germination in fresh sludge was problematic, but enhanced by aeration of the sludge. In general, the accumulation of metals in plant shoots was low, especially if ash was located below the sludge. Fresh ash was phytotoxic (e.g., high alkalinity, salinity and metal levels) and induced the activity of stress-related enzymes in shoots. In sealing layers of aged and cured ash, roots could grow if the penetration resistance was low, or into the surface of stronger layers if the surface had become pulverized. The roots caused dissolution of calcium-rich minerals, possibly by exudation of saccharides. Addition of sludge to an ash layer increased root growth, likely due to decreased bulk density and pH, and nutrient addition. In conclusion, with selected plant species and a properly constructed cover, metal and nutrient leaching from the materials and root growth into the sealing layer can be restricted.


This work presents measurements concerning sintering description according to two the: Kuczynski and Frenkel models. Investigation covered selected metal–like carbides: TiC0,8, NbC and WC. Kinetic equations were also developed, according to Kuczynski model to describe sintering of each carbide and it was attempted to determine mechanisms of mass transport mechanism dominating at each sintering stage. Parameters describing sintering process of each of investigated carbides: α and β constants, the initial shrinkage rate α-1, the limit of shrinkage at infinite time β-1 and initial apparent viscosity of system were in turn determined using Frenkel model. Such data allowed to achieve full characterization of carbide sintering.


We report a newly developed miniature short stroke tubular linear permanent-magnet actuator for robotic applications. Compared to a rotary-to-linear mechanism, the linear actuator has the advantages of efficiency, thrust control, and compact size in generating linear motion. We optimized the electromagnetic force of the actuator analytically by selecting appropriate dimensions and then predicted the force produced by the winding currents by the finite-element method under the brushless dc excitation scheme. We analyzed the actuation performance by dynamic modeling of the actuator. We constructed and tested a prototype on a specially designed test bench to verify the design. Finally, we analyzed and measured the end effect on the magnetic force due to the limited length of the stator core and translator.


Abstract The paper analyses logistics industry in Czech Republic and analyzes clusters and groups of one hundred companies that were active in the market in 2014. Analysis is based on the economic theory of endogenous growth and technological spillovers of multinational firms. They have the know-how and technology, which makes them more productive than local firms which tries to catch up the leaders and try to get as much knowledge as possible. This paper contributes to this theory. Key findings for this transitional economy is that quality certification is not beneficial for labor productivity and earnings, there are differences among multinational firms in terms of output efficiency and they are on average more productive than local firms, older firms are less productive than younger, but entrants are not more profitable than older firms.


There has been a turn from traditional notions of state-led, top-down cultural diplomacy toward a cultural relations approach that seeks to build mutual relationships with people and nations through meaningful communication, dialogue, and collaboration—typically without direct state involvement. There is, though, considerable confusion around the distinctions among the models, and a dearth of impact assessments. This article identifies five key features of cultural relations that help to distinguish it from cultural diplomacy. These are used to assess the structure, practice, and outcomes of Asialink's experimental Kerjasama Residency between Australian and Indonesian artists and Asialink's involvement in the Fukutake House Asia Art Platform in Japan. Using interviews with participants alongside two senior Asialink staff responsible for organizing the initiatives, the article finds that a cultural relations approach was adopted, but there were also elements of cultural diplomacy, and the projects resulted in mutually beneficial outcomes.


OBJECTIVE
To determine the sensitivity and specificity of computed tomographic (CT) scanning in predicting residual cervical metastatic disease (N-positive neck) in patients undergoing curative radiotherapy and chemoradiotherapy for squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) of the upper aerodigestive tract.

DESIGN
Retrospective case series (1995-2002) of patients undergoing radiotherapy and chemoradiotherapy for advanced head and neck SCC.

METHODS
Study entry criteria included N-positive neck disease, a complete response to treatment at the primary tumor site, posttreatment CT scan, posttreatment neck dissection, and correlation of posttreatment CT scan with pathologic neck specimen. We calculated the sensitivity and specificity of the CT scan to predict the presence of residual cervical metastatic disease after curative radiotherapy and chemoradiotherapy.

RESULTS
Forty-three patients (including 10 with bilateral N-positive necks) met the study criteria for analysis. Twenty (38%) of the 53 neck dissection specimens were positive for residual cervical metastatic disease. The sensitivity of the CT scan was 85%, while the specificity was only 24%. The positive predictive value of the CT scan was 40%.

CONCLUSIONS
While the role of the posttreatment neck dissection remains controversial, the surgeon must rely on clinical examination and imaging studies. Our practice has been to perform planned staged neck dissections on all N2/N3 necks as well as N1 necks with an incomplete response to treatment. Based on our results, it appears that the CT scan technique lacks adequate sensitivity and specificity to reliably predict the presence of residual metastatic disease.


Nutrients are essential for plant growth and development, and soil nutrient ratios play key roles in coffee quality. The objective of this study was to investigate the influence of soil nutrient ratios on the quality of wild Arabica coffee in Ethiopia. Results revealed that the balance between the soil nutrients was well correlated with coffee quality attributes. The balance between magnesium and calcium (Mg:Ca) and the balance between nitrogen and phosphorus (N:P) were found to be very important factors for bean size. Increase in Ca relative to Mg increased bean size, and vice versa. The higher the concentration of available P in relation to soil organic carbon (P:C) or total N (P:N), the better the cup quality of the coffee, and vice versa. The Mg:K ratio, P:N ratio, P:C ratio and P:Zn ratio were very important factors for cup quality. Although the ratio between Mg and K was important for cup quality, it was not apparent for bean size. The ratio between Ca and Mg was of no or little importance for coffee cup quality as opposed to that of bean size. Therefore, coffee growers should make careful decisions depending on the demands of the buyers/consumers and environmental requirements.

 Key words: Arabica coffee, bean size, cup quality, coffee forest, nutrient ratios.


On the basis of offering a definition of New Rural Communities (NRCs), the paper analyzes the Values of New Rural Communities and argues that the construction of NRCs is able to contribute to the enhancement of the comprehensive agricultural production capability as well as the development of social productivity Meanwhile the incomes of the Rural residents can be boosted, which denotes the realization of a harmonious society where the achievements of China's reform and development are shared by each citizen. Moreover, the construction of NRCs facilitates the economization of land use and thus improves the overall living standard of the residents, while helping to cut the administrative cost and promote democracy at the primary level. This paper also points out various problems arising during the construction of NRCS in China: blindly following suit in accordance with the modes of the urban communities; lack of funds, which leads to the absence of the supporting mechanisms of NRCs; vague positioning and the ensuing shortage of impetus for continued development. Finally, the paper raises the corresponding measures and suggestions, first, based on reality, make overall planning and scientific arrangement; second, the government should play the dominant role while respecting the principal position of the Rural residents and introducing the market mechanism; third, increase science and technology input and attach equal importance to economic and social benefits; fourth, broaden fund-raising channels while completing the supervision mechanism.


People's lifespan is increasing. Therefore, it is necessary to keep the high quality of life. Healthy lifestyle is related to healthy food and must include some physical activities. The aim of the study was to analyse how students' (aged 13–16 years) eating habits and physical activity are related to the height-weight classes. They were administered a questionnaire that asked for information about the frequency of eating different food groups. Based on the 5 SD height-weight classification devised by the Centre for Physical Anthropology at the University of Tartu, the subjects were divided into five classes. Boys were more often overweight than girls. Most of the normal-weight boys and girls in the present study ate breakfast and had a school lunch. Their diet was sufficiently healthy, but included too many sweets and beverages with sugar. According to the heightweight classification, the group of leptomorphs was the largest – 27.8% of girls and 29.6% of boys. Pycnomorphs and large respondents did not like to eat in the morning but ate extra food at school. Although pycnomorphs were heavy, they were physically more active than others.


A proportion of patients with invasive bladder cancer are treated with radical irradiation and salvage cystectomy. The use of neo-adjuvant chemotherapy is being widely investigated. Five patients with invasive bladder cancer at Groote Schuur Hospital have undergone salvage cystectomy after neo-adjuvant chemotherapy and radical irradiation. Two of these patients had severe small bowel morbidity while clear of carcinoma and this was fatal in one patient. In our historical series of 30 patients who had salvage cystectomy after radical irradiation alone, there was only one patient with similar small bowel morbidity. There may be an increase in small bowel morbidity from neo-adjuvant chemotherapy in patients who are treated to clinical tolerance by irradiation and who then require a cystectomy.


An understanding of the nutritional ecology of endangered ungulates inhabiting a highly managed ecosystem would be of significant value for directing habitat management inputs. In this study seasonal food habits of the endangered blackbuck antelope Antelope cervicapra were studied by observing wild and captive blackbuck feeding in different habitats within Velavadar National Park, India. Proportional use of different habitats was estimated in each season for 2 years. Seasonal forage consumption and digestibility were estimated using captive blackbuck subsisting on natural forage. Blackbuck primarily used grassland habitat for grazing. Dicanthium annulatum and pods of the exotic shrub Prosopis juliflora contributed 35% and 9.5% to the annual dry matter intake, respectively. Forage consumption and nutrient digestibility were high in the monsoon and winter seasons, but low in summer. Both were positively correlated with crude protein content of the forage. In summer, the crude protein content of forage (3.6%) was below the critical requirements of ungulates. Apparent digestibility of crude protein was negative during summers. Faecal nitrogen content and faecal ether extract were correlated with forage quality and digestibility. These were used to develop relationships for estimating forage quality. Seasonal lows in forage quality, which became even more pronounced during droughts, together with limited grazing area were considered to be important limiting factors for blackbuck. Pods of P. juliflora were considered a significant food resource, especially when grazing deteriorated. Therefore, total eradication of this exotic shrub from the park would not be desirable. Instead, managing the Prosopis to produce more available pods is recommended. Increasing the grazing area of the park and/or managing the habitat to produce high quality forage, especially during summer, would benefit the blackbuck population.


On the basis of notorious evidence of corporate misconduct and of the legal difficulty to ascertain private companies' liability in international law, this article seeks to map such companies' duties in international investment law. This is undertaken by perusing how this law field makes provision and room for the issue of corporate social responsibility. As such, a trend exists in recent investment agreements and also in the arbitral jurisprudence which oversees investors' malpractices so as to, firstly, foster a culture of corporate social responsibility and to, secondly, evaluate their intrinsic legal protection. The present article maps this general direction of duly considering investors' duties while assessing their claims and discusses the legal purpose(s) of the new reference to corporate social responsibility in international investment law.


Under the threat of predation, animals often group tightly together, with all group members benefiting from a reduction in predation risk through various mechanisms, including the dilution, encounter-dilution, and predator confusion effects. Additionally, the selfish herd hypothesis was first put forward by Hamilton (1971). He proposed that in order to reduce its risk of predation, an individual should approach its nearest neighbor, reducing its risk at the expense of those around it. Despite extensive empirical support, the selfish herd hypothesis has been criticized on theoretical grounds: approaching the nearest neighbor does not result in the observed dense aggregations, and the nearest neighbor in space is not necessarily the one that can be reached fastest. Increasingly complex movement rules have been proposed, successfully producing dense aggregations of individuals. However, no study to date has made a full comparison of the different proposed movement rules within the same modeling environment. Further, ecologically relevant parameters, such as the size and density of a population or group and the time it takes a predator to attack, have thus far been ignored. Here, we investigate the reduction in risk for animals aggregating using different strategies and demonstrate the importance of ecological parameters on risk reduction in group-living animals. We find that complex rules are most successful at reducing risk in small, compact populations, whereas simpler rules are most successful in larger, low-density populations, and when predators attack quickly after being detected by their prey. Copyright 2008, Oxford University Press.


The low sensitivity of protein microarrays has limited the wide application in diagnostics and high-throughput proteomic analysis. We present, for the first time, the exploration of protein microarray analysis on nanostructured plasmonic gold nanograting that showed a 10-fold fluorescence enhancement. The as-fabricated plasmonic protein microarray showed a limit of detection (LOD) of 0.36 ng mL−1 with the dynamic detection range of 1 ng mL−1 to 100 μg mL−1 for detecting the cancer biomarker of carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA). The LOD determined in this study is one order lower than that of the commercial planar glass substrates, which is attributed to the surface plasmon field enhanced fluorescence (SPFS) from the plasmonic coupling. The highly sensitive and wide dynamic detection range of plasmonic microarrays presents new opportunities in proteomic applications and diagnostics research.


The lower bandwidth of mobile devices has until recently filtered the range of attacks on the Internet. However, recent research shows that DOS and DDOS attacks, worms and viruses, and a whole range of social engineering attacks are impacting on broadband smartphone users. In our research we have developed a metric-based system to detect the traditional slow attacks that can be effective using limited resources, and then employed combinations of Internet trace back techniques to identify sources of attacks. Our research question asked: What defence mechanisms are effective? We critically evaluate the available literature to appraise the current state of the problem area and then propose an innovative solution for the detection and investigation of attacks.


Aims and background Based on the fact that scintigraphy more readily reveals uptake of a radioisotope in a superficial position owing to incomplete surgical radicality, the authors examined by 67Ga scintigraphy a group of patients who had undergone dissection of lymph nodes of the neck from carcinoma with extranodal spread. They then checked the follow-up to ascertain the efficacy of 67Ga scintigraphy in relation to the eventual recurrences in the soft tissues of the neck. Methods A group of 136 patients were examined by 67Ga scintigraphy and followed for a minimum of 3 years after complementary radiotherapy. A group of 20 patients with no lymph node metastases was used as control to evaluate eventual false positives or false negatives. Results Recurrences in the soft tissues of the neck occurred in 35 (42.7%) of the 82 patients positive at 67Ga scintigraphy and in 6 (11.1%) of the 54 patients negative at the examination (P = 0.0001). All the patients in the control group were negative at 67Ga scintigraphy and without recurrences. Conclusions 67Ga scintigraphy can give reliable information on the risk of recurrences in the soft tissues of the neck. Since in spite of postoperative radiotherapy the percentage of local recurrences in cases with positive 67Ga scintigraphy was rather high (42.7%), the authors propose a scheme of radiotherapy based on administration of a higher dose per fraction on the scintigraphically positive area.


A strong pump-power dependence of the four-wave mixing (FWM) signal for an aqueous solution of Malachite green is reported. The characteristics of the pump-power dependence of the nonlinear signal are reproduced by a theoretical model based on the coupling between pump-probe, considering signal fields and propagation effects. The effect of the intramolecular coupling on the nonlinear intensity of the FWM signal is studied using a model molecule consisting of two-coupled harmonic curves of electronic energies with minima displaced in energy and nuclear positions. Two-vibrational states are considered while including non-adiabatic effects for the two-state model. Moreover, the coupling among the field components, as well as the propagation effects, are studied by considering a constant pump-intensity. Our calculation scheme, considering both the intramolecular coupling effects in the description of the molecular structure and the effects produced by the propagation of the FWM signal along the optical length, allows the exponential dependence of the latter, as the intensity of the pumping beam increases. Our treatments do not require the inclusion of other non-resonant processes outside the RWA approximation, due to the consideration of an adiabatic basis.


: Results of radical operations for different focal diseases of the liver (alveococcosis, echinococcosis, primary and metastatic cancer, non-parasitogenic cysts, hemangioma etc.) performed in 150 patients are analyzed. Postoperation lethality was 13.3%. Recommendations for examination of the patients and technique of the surgery are given.


This chapter makes a case for recognizing, implementing, and building on communication rights in order to create 'enabling environments' conducive to at least partially achieving the Millennium Development Goals. By exercising their communication rights, people are empowered to identify, analyse, dialogue, and tackle the structural, political, economic, and cultural obstacles to improving their lives. The aim is to make possible and guarantee participation by every segment and sector of society so that people can act collectively, effectively, and justly. This requires recognizing and strengthening communication rights as essential to building people-centred, inclusive, and development-oriented societies, to countering the discrimination, exclusion and isolation of different marginalised and vulnerable groups and communities, and to affirming the inherent dignity, equality, and inalienable rights of all people.


The current practice of recognition spectra manually is no longer applicable to a large extent. This work is particularly focused on helping astronomers finding their interesting celestial objects. In this paper an efficient hierarchical clustering data mining method based on principal component analysis (PCA) is proposed. Massive stellar spectral data are clustered by improved hierarchical clustering method after dimensionality reduction by PCA.The singular points are found out after definition according to experience. An application implemented in the automated spectral analysis system based on the method is carried out and some significative data are found out.


JPL and BNS Inc. are jointly developing a compact, low mass, Electro-Optic Imaging Fourier Transform Spectrometer (E-O IFTS) for hyperspectral imaging applications. The spectral region of this spectrometer will be 1 - 2.5 μm (1000 - 4000 cm-1) to allow high-resolution, high-speed hyperspectral imaging applications. The specific applications for NASA's missions will focus on the measurement of a large number of different atmospheric gases simultaneously in the same airmass. Due to the use of a combination of birefringent phase retarders and multiple achromatic phase switches to achieve phase delay, this spectrometer is capable of hyperspectral measurements similar to that of the conventional Fourier transform spectrometer but without any moving parts. In this paper, the principle of operations, system architecture and recent experimental progress will be presented.


Youth experiencing homelessness suffer both short-term and long- term negative effects: the rate of mental health problems in the United States (U.S.) seems to be higher for youth experiencing homelessness than for the general population (Baggerly, 2004), and twenty percent of adults experiencing homelessness were homeless as children (National Coalition for the Homeless, 1999). Child-centered play therapy (CCPT) has been shown to offer positive short-term effects on self-esteem, developmental delays, and other socio-emotional delays of U.S. youth (Leblanc & Ritchie, 2001). While CCPT shows promise, the benefits of CCPT for youth experiencing homelessness are underexplored. It is imperative that social workers study the potential longitudinal benefits of CCPT specifically for youth experiencing homelessness so that they can continue to provide the most effective therapies to their clients in the short and long terms.


Changes in the carbon isotope composition of terrestrial plant tissue (δ13C) are widely cited for evidence of shifts in climate, vegetation, or atmospheric chemistry across a wide range of time scales. A global compilation of δ13C data from fossil leaves and bulk terrestrial organic matter (TOM) spanning the past 30 k.y., however, shows wide variability and no discernable trend. Here we analyze these data in terms of a relative change in net carbon isotope fractionation between the δ13C value of plant tissue and that of atmospheric CO2 [Δ13C = (δ13CCO2 – δ13C)/(1 + δ13C/1000)] and identify a global 2.1‰ shift in leaf and TOM Δ13C that is synchronous with a global rise in p CO2 documented from ice core data. We apply a relationship describing the effect of p CO2 on Δ13C to the global record of Δ13C change documented here to reconstruct p CO2 levels across the past 30 k.y. Our reconstructed p CO2 levels are in excellent agreement with the ice core data and underscore the potential of the global terrestrial δ13C record to serve as an accurate p CO2 proxy.


In order for SSM forming to produce homogeneous properties in a casting, it is important that there is a uniform distribution of the primary grains. Besides producing a sound casting free of porosity, the amount of liquid segregation must be minimized. The surface liquid segregation phenomenon was investigated on high pressure die cast (HPDC) A356 alloy. SSM slurries were prepared using the CSIR Rheocasting System and plates of 4mm × 80mm × 100mm were HPDC. The chemical composition depth profile from the surface was determined using optical emission spectroscopy (OES) and glow discharge optical emission spectroscopy (GDOES). It was found that a 0.5-1.0 mm eutectic rich layer existed on the surface of the alloy. The thickness of the segregation layer depended on the location on the casting. It was found that this layer was insignificant close to the gate of the casting but was relatively consistent over most of the plate. Although this segregation layer did not impact on the bulk mechanical properties, hardness tests did reveal that this region had significantly higher hardness values which may have a considerable impact on the fatigue properties.


This paper presents a novel range image segmentation method employing an improved robust estimator to iteratively detect and extract distinct planar and quadric surfaces. Our robust estimator extends M-estimator Sample Consensus/Random Sample Consensus (MSAC/RANSAC) to use local surface orientation information, enhancing the accuracy of inlier/outlier classification when processing noisy range data describing multiple structures. An efficient approximation to the true geometric distance between a point and a quadric surface also contributes to effectively reject weak surface hypotheses and avoid the extraction of false surface components. Additionally, a genetic algorithm was specifically designed to accelerate the optimization process of surface extraction, while avoiding premature convergence. We present thorough experimental results with quantitative evaluation against ground truth. The segmentation algorithm was applied to three real range image databases and competes favorably against eleven other segmenters using the most popular evaluation framework in the literature. Our approach lends itself naturally to parallel implementation and application in real-time tasks. The method fits well into several of today's applications in man-made environments, such as target detection and autonomous navigation, for which obstacle detection, but not description or reconstruction, is required. It can also be extended to process point clouds resulting from range image registration.


Abstract The material components and configurations inside biological materials (e.g. bone and tooth) are quite dissimilar compared to conventional engineering materials. Besides hydroxyapatite minerals and collagen proteins, non-collagenous proteins such as osteopontin are also a very important component in bone. The aim of this paper is to study the role of osteopontin on the mechanical strength of biological composites. The MD simulations were performed to investigate the failure energy of osteopontin in two different directions, i.e. the direction normal to surface (thickness direction) and the direction tangential to surface (interface direction). The FE simulations were then performed to investigate the effects of failure energy in different directions on biological composites. The results show that the failure energy of osteopontin is higher in the interface direction. Significant improvement in the mechanical behaviour of biological composites is also found with the increased failure energy in the interface direction. Contrarily, although lower failure energy of osteopontin is observed in the thickness direction, but it is also found that the mechanical behaviour of biological composites does not greatly affected by the failure energy in the thickness direction. The numerical investigation provides important insights into how the osteopontin affects the mechanical behaviour of biological composites.


The current study was developed to explore the associations between posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), level of compensation for pain and suffering, and employment status in a sample of victims of violence (n = 226) who had held a full-time job at time of victimization and had filed a claim with the Dutch Victim Compensation Fund (DVCF) thereafter. Based on previous research, it was expected that PTSD would be associated with current unemployment. If a relationship between the two were to be found, the study would explore whether this should be ascribed to the presence of a sense of foreshortened future. Results confirmed this hypothesis and indicated that participants with PTSD were more prone to be currently unemployed than non-PTSDs. Additional analyses revealed that PTSD symptom severity and symptom cluster scores were also positively associated to higher unemployment rates. The observed relationships were not merely due to a high level of compensation for pain and suffering and failed to remain significant after adjusting for sense of foreshortened future. Implications for policy practice as well as strengths and limitations of the study were discussed.


Light waves carry along their own gravitational field; for simple plain electromagnetic waves the gravitational field takes the form of a pp-wave. I present the corresponding exact solution of the Einstein-Maxwell equations and discuss the dynamics of classical particles and quantum fields in this gravitational and electromagnetic background.


Flat clinched joints are increasingly being investigated due to their flat bottom surface. In the current study, the shape of the flat clinching tools was optimized to improve the joint strength. Experimental tests of flat clinching were carried out using different forming loads to provide validation data for finite element simulations. Cross-tension tests were conducted under quasi-static conditions to evaluate the mechanical characteristics of the joint samples. Multiple finite element models based on the response surface method were developed to obtain the functional relationships between the four tool parameters and neck area, as well as the functional relationship between the four parameters and undercut area, respectively. The geometric effects of the flat clinching tools on the neck and undercut areas were analyzed. A genetic algorithm was used to obtain a solution set that maximized both the neck and undercut areas. The cross-tension strength of the joint produced according to the best-tested solution was 1526 N, which was 13.7% higher than that of the pre-optimized joint. The optimization method in this work could effectively improve the joint strength of the flat clinching process.


Abstract.
 The round goby (Neogobius melanostomus) was discovered in 2013 in the French Creek (Allegheny River Drainage) watershed and is the first documented invasion outside of the Lake Erie basin in Pennsylvania. The round goby throughout the Laurentian Great Lakes is known to eat dressenid mussels (Dreissenidae), but consumption of either dressenids or native mussels (Unionidae) in tributaries to Lake Erie is minimal based on low populations of any bivalves. The French Creek watershed, on the other hand, harbors 29 species of native freshwater mussels as well as introduced fingernail clams (Sphaeriidae; Corbicula fluminea). The objectives of this study were to document the diet of round gobies in the French Creek watershed to determine whether consumption of native freshwater mussels was occurring. Round gobies were collected in the summer months (May–Sept.) of 2016 via kick seine in four locations, dissected, and their stomach contents identified to lowest possible taxa. We separated the gobies into categories based on length classes, in order to determine if diet changed with increased size and age. Unionid mussels were consumed by all length classes, particularly in length class one (30–44 mm), but diet shifted to a dominance of sphaeriids in length class four (≥75 mm). Round gobies also consumed benthic aquatic insects, a large percentage of which were chironomids (greater than 24% in all size classes). This is the first documentation of unionid consumption by the round goby in Pennsylvania that poses possible threats to native mussels in the French Creek watershed.


Distance learning has undergone great changes, especially since the advent of the Internet and communication and information technology. Questions have been asked following the growth of this mode of instructional activity. Researchers have investigated methods to assess the benefits of e-learning from a number of perspectives. This survey assesses the associations among the system quality, information quality, and service quality on student satisfaction and use of systems in virtual learning environments using the e-learning success model adapted by Holsapple and Lee-Post from the Delone and McLean (1992, 2003) model as a theoretical basis. The survey was carried out by means of an online program offered to 291 students from public and private institutions from several regions of Brazil. Confirmatory Factor Analysis and Structural Equation Modeling were used for data analysis in order to understand the student satisfaction process in virtual learning system. Findings show that variations in system quality, information quality, and service quality influence the use of the system, and the User Satisfaction construct had 89% of variance explained by Information Quality and Service Quality. Many of the benefits of distance learning programs are related to students' satisfaction and the intensity with which they make use of the learning system. With awareness of the indicators that are antecedents of these variables, education executives can plan investments that meet the most significant demands and use the information to deal with one of the major problems in distance learning: the dropout rate. Future researches should study this subject longitudinally.


This paper uses a laboratory experiment in Gujarat, India to assess consumers' relative valuations of savings versus insurance when planning for risky rainfall in an attempt to measure potential demand for a new type of financial product that combines savings and rainfall insurance, which we call a Weather Insured Savings Account (WISA). We first develop a simple model to predict how demand for a WISA would change with its type, defined as the proportion of insurance versus savings that the WISA provides. Our model predicts that there will be an optimal WISA type, and that the utility provided by the WISA will decrease as one moves away from the optimum. We then present the results of a laboratory experiment that attempts to test the predictions of the model and calculate the optimal WISA type. Using a Becker-DeGroot-Marschak (BDM) mechanism, we measure participants' relative valuations of pure insurance, pure savings, and two intermediate WISA types. Contrary to predictions of our model, we find that a plurality of participants prefer both pure insurance and pure savings to any mixture of the two, and that this preference is most pronounced among those who are more risk averse. We present a number of possible explanations to try to square this result with the neoclassical model, including that these results were driven by confusion over the WISAs or uncertainty over whether future payment would actually be received. We do not find behavior consistent with these explanations. One possible explanation for our results is that subjects exhibited diminishing sensitivity to losses as proposed by prospect theory. Our results suggest that the introduction of a WISA is unlikely to be successful. 1


This paper addresses object detection and tracking in high-resolution omnidirectional images. The foreseen application is a visual subsystem of a rescue robot equipped with an omnidirectional camera, which demands real time efficiency and robustness against changing viewpoint. Object detectors typically do not guarantee specific frame rate. The detection time may vastly depend on a scene complexity and image resolution. The adapted tracker can often help to overcome the situation, where the appearance of the object is far from the training set. On the other hand, once a tracker is lost, it almost never finds the object again. We propose a combined solution where a very efficient tracker (based on sequential linear predictors) incrementally accommodates varying appearance and speeds up the whole process. We experimentally show that the performance of the combined algorithm, measured by a ratio between false positives and false negatives, outperforms both individual algorithms. The tracker allows to run the expensive detector only sparsely enabling the combined solution to run in real-time on 12 MPx images from a high resolution omnidirectional camera (Ladybug3).


Aspergilus sydowii MG49 produces a 30-kDa exosplitting xylobiohydrolase during growth on xylan. A specific chemical modification and substrate protection analysis of purified xylanase provided evidence that tryptophan and carboxy and amino groups are present at the catalytic site of this enzyme. Thermal inactivation of the xylanase occurs because of irreversible polymolecular aggregation, which is slower in the presence of glycerol.


The paper presents the analytical computation of the electric constriction resistance for a two coaxial cylindrical-shaped pole used as main current path in a large variety of power switchgears and electrical apparatus. The analyse relies on the accurate solution of the homogeneous second-order PDE (Partial Differential Equation) that describes the steady-state regime of the electric field strength inside the domain limited by the upper cylinder's boundary (Laplace's equation). Finally, the total electromagnetic power is obtained by means of Poynting's vector flux, thereby allowing the constriction resistance formula to be also derived.


The aim of the present study was to assess the quality of groundwater from Thiruvarur district, Tamilnadu (India) and to check its fitness for drinking purpose. Ten samples of groundwater were collected from Thiruvarur region.  The pH was estimated by pH meter. Calcium, magnesium, chloride were analyzed by titration method. Sulphate, iron, nitrate, nitrite, chromium were estimated by spetrophotometric method. Total dissolved solids of the water samples were determined gravimetrically. Color of the water samples was determined by platinum-cobalt method. Taste of the water samples was determined by taste rating method. Turbidity of the water samples was determined by Nephelometric method. Some parts of Thiruvarur region water samples were compared with standard limits recommended by BIS. The comparative study of groundwater for this region, most of the areas is not suitable for drinking purpose.


This study aims to examine the impact of family ownership on the composition of the board of directors and the number of family-affiliated directors. In addition, it analyzes how it affects corporate governance. Big capital and middle capital companies among the top 50 IICD (Indonesia Institute for Corporate Directorship) awards issuers from 2017 to 2019 make up the study population. The sample consists of 57 middle capital companies and 72 big capital companies. The link between the variables is examined using multiple linear regression. Both the partial coefficient test and the model accuracy test were performed. First, the study findings indicate that family-owned businesses have a higher proportion of family-affiliated board members and commissioners on their boards in big capital and middle capital companies. Second, while family ownership has a favorable impact on middle capital companies, it has a negative and significant impact on the application of corporate governance in big capital firms. Third, since big capital companies exhibit different signals than middle capital companies, it can be inferred that the number of directors and commissioners who are members of the same family affects the adoption of good governance practices and, consequently, the development of sound policies to deal with challenging issues that may arise within a company. This study is innovative in that it divides the sample into big capital and middle capital companies.


The long term physical health consequences of sexual trauma are gaining notoriety in research literature with survivors of sexual trauma disclosing poorer ratings of their overall health and a greater number of health conditions as compared to people who do not endorse a history of sexual trauma. With survivors of sexual trauma continuing to use medical services for ailments related to their sexual violence, this author proposes that it is vital for medical providers to be aware of the connection between trauma and physical health outcomes as well as the potential risk of secondary victimization. Additionally, while physicians note the importance of screening for sexual violence and survivors displaying a desire to be asked about their trauma histories there continues to be a lapse in screening patients for past trauma. Discomfort in discussing violence, cultural concerns, fear of offending the patients, and time constraints have all been cited as reasons for physicians displaying hesitancy in screening. In response to the connection between sexual trauma and physical health consequences and medical professionals' desire yet hesitancy in screening and assessing for past trauma, a webinar has been developed to address such a need. This doctoral project seeks to examine the links between trauma and physical health consequences, reasons for hesitancy, and present information in a webinar format that would address this aspect of survivor treatment. This webinar provides information surrounding mechanisms by which trauma can influence physical health, normalization of the hesitancy in screening that medical professionals may experience, materials to aid in the assessment of sexual violence, parallels by which medical exams can mirror sexual violence, and suggestions for reducing the risk of secondary victimization for survivors during medical visits.


Although the basal ganglia have been widely studied and implicated in signal processing and action selection, little information is known about the active role that the striatal microcircuit plays in action selection in the basal ganglia-cortical-thalamic loops. To address this knowledge gap we use a large scale three dimensional spiking model of the striatum, combined with a rate coded model of the basal ganglia-cortical-thalamic loop, to asses the computational role the striatum plays in action selection. We identify robust transient phenomena generated by the striatal microcircuit, which temporarily enhances the difference between two competing cortical inputs. We show that this
transient is sufficient to modulate decision making in the basal ganglia-thalamo-cortical circuit.

We also find that the transient selection originates from a novel adaptation effect in single striatal projection neurons, which is amenable to experimental testing. Finally, we compared transient selection with models implementing classical steady-state selection. We challenged both forms of model to account for recent reports of paradoxically enhanced response selection in Huntington's disease patients. We found that steady-state selection was uniformly impaired under all simulated Huntington's conditions, but transient selection was enhanced given a sufficient Huntington's-like increase in NMDA receptor sensitivity. I propose a mechanistic underpinning to a novel neural compensatory mechanism, responsible for improved cognition in severe neuro-degeneration. Thus, our models provide an intriguing hypothesis for the mechanisms underlying the paradoxical cognitive improvements in manifest Huntington's patients, which is consistent with recent behavioural data.


Mimicking the cognitive functions of the brain in hardware is a primary challenge for several fields, including device physics, neuromorphic engineering, and biological neuroscience. A key element in cognitive hardware systems is the ability to learn via biorealistic plasticity rules, combined with the area scaling capability to enable integration of high-density neuron/synapse networks. To this purpose, resistive switching memory (RRAM) devices have recently attracted a strong interest as potential synaptic elements. Here, we present a novel hybrid 4-transistors/1-resistor synapse capable of spike-rate-dependent plasticity. The frequency-dependent learning behavior of the synapse is shown by experiments on HfO2 RRAM devices. Unsupervised learning, update, and recognition of one or more visual patterns in sequence is demonstrated at the level of neural network, thus, supporting the feasibility of hybrid CMOS/RRAM integrated circuits matching the learning capability in the human brain.


largest world producer of automotive vehicles. The Mexican experience is part of the more general case of the "integrated peripheries." The development of these cannot be accounted for separately from the developments occurring in its core country. Unlike the core-periphery literature, however, our analysis emphasizes that the various clusters of cores and integrated peripheries are not alike. In the case under study, the core has been systematically lagging behind the main transformations pioneered by its competitors. The paper traces the evolution of the Mexican automotive industry, emphasizing the difficulties faced by a late-comer country in developing an independent industry, and the importance of policy choices as well as the macroeconomic context in affecting its development. NAFTA represents the culmination of an integration process that has profoundly transformed the structure of the Mexican automotive industry, deepening its dependence on the US market. While there is no doubt that it has contributed to the spectacular growth of the Mexican auto industry, whether it also increased its resilience or, rather, its dependence is still an open question. This issue is particularly relevant in view of the transformations that are taking place in the automotive sector and in the geopolitical scenario. These include the end of NAFTA and the advent of USMCA, the entry of powerful competitors into the global market, and the transition to electric and autonomous vehicles, which all entail risks and opportunities. The lens of the centre-periphery relationship can help to understand the present integration of North America and its future direction.


Eight trials each of 7 athletes (4 women and 3 men) were videotaped and digitized in order to investigate the variation sources and kinematic variability of video motion analysis in sprint hurdles. Mean coefficients of variation (CVs) of individuals ranged from 1.0 to 92.2% for women and from 1.2 to 209.7% for men. There were 15 and 14 variables, respectively, in which mean CVs revealed less than 5% variation. In redigitizing, CVs revealed ≤1.0% for 12 variables for the women's trials and 10 variables for the men's trials. These results, together with variance components (between-subjects, within-subject, and redigitizing), showed that one operator and the analysis system together produced repeatable values for most of the variables. The most repeatable variables by this combination were displacement variables. However, further data processing (e.g., differentiation) appeared to have some unwanted effects on repeatability. Regarding the athletes' skill, CVs showed that athletes can reproduce most parts of their performance within certain (reasonably low) limits.


The purpose of this study is to investigate the relationship among Leadership, Organizational culture, the operation of Learning organization and Employee's job satisfaction. The result obtained from 224 respondents which are selected using purposive sampling and analyzing using Structural Equation Modeling from AMOS. This research indicate that the various operation extents of Learning organization have significant difference under the dimensions of Leadership, Organizational culture and the operation of Learning organization. Leadership has significantly and positively influence Learning organization, Organizational culture is not signifantly effect on Leadership, both Leadership and Learning organization have a significantly positive effect on Employee's job satisfaction. One more finding is Organizational culture is not significantly has an effect to employee's job satisfaction.Keywords: Leadership, Organizational culture, Learning organization, Job satisfaction


The Myelogenous Leukemia (ML) is a neoplastic disease involving hematopoietic cells. A natural way to model its dynamics is by means of capturing cell cycle kinetics. In this work we develop a formal mathematical model where variables capture quantities involved in the cell cycle phases. It is in some of these phases that medications such as killing agents and recruitment agents can intervene to combat the neoplastic cells. Our work combines system dynamics, optimal control theory and Analytic Hierarchy Process to yield a chemotherapy optimized treatment protocol for instances of ML, tackling in a systematic way the subjectivity involved in the choice of the cost function coefficients.


Materials exhibiting reversible hydrogen adsorption with high gravimetric and volumetric capacities are sought for use in on-board storage systems of hydrogen fuel cell-powered vehicles. Microporous metal-org. frameworks with high internal surface areas have been shown to display excellent storage properties, but only at cryogenic temps. Methods for synthesizing frameworks contg. coordinatively-unsatd. metal centers are therefore being developed as a means of increasing the H2 adsorption enthalpy. In particular, we seek to synthesize thermally-robust, high-surface area materials with a high concn. of open metal coordination sites. By adjusting the electronic structure of the metal ions, it is expected that an optimal H2 adsorption enthalpy in the range -15 to -20 kJ/mol can be achieved, leading to a high storage capacity at room temp. and pressures of up to 100 bar. Such materials could similarly be of utility in boosting the methane storage capacity in the tanks of natural gas-powered cars operating at reduced pressures of up to 35 or 65 bar. Particular attention will be devoted to recent results involving efforts to achieve new materials in which multiple H2 or CH4 mols. can adsorb at a single metal site, and in which the thermal management requirements assocd. with gas adsorption/desorption can be reduced.


ABSTRACT This article is a qualitative study of anti-IS fighters who have traveled from the West to join the military struggle in Syria and Iraq. while earlier studies have mainly analyzed open sources (i.e. social media or journalist's reports), this article is based on an in-depth analysis of eight autobiographies written by individuals who traveled from Sweden, Norway, Denmark, the United Kingdom, Germany and the U.S. to take part in the fight against IS. What motives do they give for doing so, how are they treated by the police and journalists after they return from the wars in Syria and Iraq, and do they express other motives than those given by Westerners who have joined IS?