In recognizing the potential for large, damaging impacts from climate change, California enacted Executive Order S-03-05, requiring a reduction in statewide greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions to 80% below 1990 levels by 2050. Given that the transportation light-duty vehicle (LDV) segment accounts for 28% of the state's GHG emissions today, it will be difficult to meet the 2050 goal unless a portfolio of near-zero carbon transportation solutions is pursued. Because it takes decades for a new propulsion system to capture a large fraction of the passenger vehicle market due to vehicle fleet turn-over rates, it is important to accelerate the introduction of these alternatives to ensure markets enter into early commercial volumes (10,000s) between 2015 and 2020. This report summarizes the results and conclusions of a modeling exercise that simulated GHG emissions from the LDV sector to 2050 in California. Specifically, the analysis addressed two policy questions: (1) what fraction of the onroad fleet in 2050 needs to be zero-emission vehicles (ZEVs) 1 in order for the LDV sector to achieve an 80% GHG reduction, and (2) what annual ZEV sales are necessary between 2015 and 2025 to initiate these fleet volumes? Two scenarios were developed revealing how difficult it will be to achieve this goal. Scenario 1 achieves a 66% reduction in GHG emissions by 2050 using aggressive assumptions. This scenario assumes ZEV sales reach a quarter of a million units annually by 2025 and become 100% of new vehicle sales by 2050. Scenario 2 was developed to show what would be required to achieve the full 80% GHG goal. To achieve this, two key parameters were modified with more aggressive and less certain assumptions. A steeper ZEV sales projection was simulated that achieves half a million ZEVs annually by 2025 and becomes 100% of new vehicle sales by 2040. Additionally, the availability of biofuels was increased to 1.7 billion gallons gasoline equivalent (BGGE), where it was limited to 1 BGGE in Scenario 1.


To the Editor. —We recently conducted a random mail survey of Michigan State Medical Society members to gauge the emotional impact of malpractice suits. A total of 2210 questionnaires were sent statewide. Data were analyzed from 746 fully completed forms, giving a response rate of 33.8%. Of the respondents, 64.5% had experienced at least one lawsuit; 11.1% of physicians who had been sued admitted to increased alcohol use or self-medication with narcotics, anxiolytics, or antidepressants. A majority of the physicians who had experienced malpractice action (54%) indicated that their ability to care for patients had been significantly altered as a result of being sued. While 31.4% felt a sense of relief talking about their experiences related to malpractice action, only 6.8% admitted to seeing a mental health professional as a result of malpractice-related emotional trauma. Emotional trauma resulting from malpractice suits is now an epidemic with adverse consequences for both


Power is a contested concept, and no one definition suits all purposes. Many analysts of international relations and foreign policy have confused power defined in relational and resource terms. They often use simple command definitions of behavioral power, and neglect the second and third faces of power. In terms of resources, they often have ignored ideational aspects of power resources to accommodate simplified neorealist structural models. This article surveys the usefulness of different definitions and conceptions of power and illustrates how they can produce relatively rich or truncated foreign policy analyses.


Attention to the implications of rural outmigration is growing, but little evidence exists on its association with women in agriculture. Migration affects women's work and empowerment mainly through the loss of migrants' labor and through the flow of remittances. The fact that migration may alter women's intrahousehold decision-making processes has received limited coverage and attention. It is also important to distinguish between the various aspects of empowerment. The complex issue of rural outmigration also has implications for household food security. To address these existing knowledge gaps in a framework that combines gender, migration, and food security, this study exploits a rich, comprehensive survey that collected detailed information on all types of outmigration from rural areas in Nepal and Senegal. The objective of this study is to examine the linkages between migration and women's work and empowerment in agriculture in Nepal and Senegal. In particular, this analysis seeks to understand: (i) how outmigration influences women's work in agriculture; (ii) the consequences of male-dominated migration on gender roles and women's empowerment; and (iii) whether and how outmigration impacts household food security. The study finds that male outmigration from rural, primarily agricultural areas is not linked to a decrease in women's employment, but it is associated with significant changes in women's roles in agriculture. The study reveals that male-dominated outmigration may not always be associated with women's empowerment. The consequences of migration on household food security are country-specific and mediated by the receipt of remittances.


Ab Initio Elastic and Thermodynamic Properties of High-Temperature Cubic Intermetallics at Finite Temperatures. (May 2008) Michael Eric Williams, B.S., Brigham Young University Chair of Advisory Committee: Dr. Raymundo Arróyave In this work we present the development of a method for the prediciton of finite temperature elastic and thermodynamic properties of cubic, non-magnetic unary and binary metals from first principles calculations. Vibrational, electronic and anharmonic contributions to the free energy are accounted for while magnetic effects are neglected. The method involves the construction of a free energy surface in volume/temperature space through the use of quasi-harmonic lattice dynamics. Additional strain energy calculations are performed and fit to the derived thermal expansion to present the temperature dependence of single crystal elastic constants. The methods are developed within the framework of density functional theory, lattice dynamics, and finite elasticity. The model is first developed for FCC aluminum and BCC tungsten which demonstrate the validity of the model as well as some of the limitations arising from the approximations made such as the effects of intrinsic anharmonicity. The same procedure is then applied to the B2 systems NiAl, RuAl and IrAl which are considred for high temperature applications. Overall there is excellent correlation between the calculated properties and experimentally tabulated values. Dynamic methods for the prediction of temperature dependent properties are also introduced and a groundwork is laid for future development of a robust method.


Konjac glucomannan (KGM) were modified by deacetylation with sodium hydroxide, calcium hydroxide, sodium carbonate, sodium phosphate, respectively and mechanical properties of modified KGM films were investigated. The modification mechanism was explored by FTIR. Results show that deacetylation of KGM play an important role on the flexibility of the modified membranes, and the flexibilities vary with different modifiers. The flexibility of the films modified by sodium hydroxide is significantly higher than that of the others. The modified films with good flexibility were prepared by simple steps as follows: NaOH modifiers and KGM (1%) were added to water, stirred until the pH arrived at 9. And then the KGM swelled at the temperature of 50°C for 2 hours, the modified KGM sol was cast onto glass plates, the modified membranes were formed after dried at 50°C.


Abstract Punctuated equilibrium, in the sense of Eldredge and Gould in 1972, and path dependence (Gould in 2002), dominate evolutionary processes, many of whose dynamics can be expressed in terms of interacting information sources (Wallace in 2010). Argument based on Feynman's (in 2000) characterization of information as a form of free energy leads to a close, if inverse, analogy between evolutionary transitions and economic ratchets. Driven by such a 'self-referential' mechanism, increases in available metabolic free energy – via the aerobic transition – led to the eukaryotic transition and to life as we know it. Formal analysis focuses on groupoid symmetries associated with the cognitive processes of gene expression, an extension of the symmetry breaking/making perspectives of physical science into biological phenomena. This suggests that understanding modalities of cognitive gene expression, as opposed to focus on genes themselves, provides the deepest insight into evolutionary phenomena, a perspective at some variance with current simplistic gene-centred views that constrain evolutionary theory.


Abstract Adoption of an Integrated Design Process (IDP) to achieve Net Zero Energy Building (NZEB) targets is suggested by various studies, but there is a serious lack of pragmatic understanding of factors and relationships that affect its implementation in real-life projects. The focus of this study is to identify tangible (such as budget) and intangible (such as conflict of interest, expertise and experience, sense of ownership and occupant input) factors and relationships to help practitioners and researchers gain a better operational understanding of IDP implementation in actual projects. The study first identifies and organises factors and relationships into a systematic framework and then demonstrates the applicability of the framework using a case study. In the study, identification of previously studied factors and relationships is taken up through directed content analysis of literature, followed by semi-structured interviews with ten building experts to expand on existing knowledge providing new factors and relationships. Using Dedoose, factor frequency and co-occurrence analysis of audio and textual interview transcripts are conducted to obtain a total of forty-one unique factors and relationships. Lastly, framework validation is achieved using an actual IDP implementation case study - the new NZEB at the National University of Singapore (NUS). The framework is useful to design teams for training on IDP and design management, and to researchers for comparison of IDP implementation between projects.


Hydrogenated microcrystalline silicon thin films have been prepared using HW-CVD and VHF-PECVD techniques with different silane concentrations. The steady-state photoconductivity, dual beam photoconductivity, photothermaldeflection spectroscopy and steady-state photocarrier grating (SSPG) methods have been used to investigate the optical and electronic properties of the films. Two different sub-bandgap absorption methods have been applied and analyzed to obtain a better insight into the electronic states involved. For some films, differences existed in the optical absorption spectra when the measurements were carried out through the film side and through the substrate side. In addition, for some films, fringe patterns remained on the spectrum after the calculation of the fringe free absorption spectrum, which indicates that structural inhomogeneities were present throughout the film. Finally, minority carrier diffusion lengths deduced from the SSPG measurements were investigated as a function of the crystalline volume fraction (I c R S ) obtained from Raman spectroscopy. The longest diffusion lengths and lowest sub-bandgap absorption coefficients were obtained for films deposited in the region of the transition to the amorphous growth.


Green social work (GSW) is a nascent framework within the social work field that provides insights regarding social workers' engagement in disaster settings. Although this framework has recently garnered more attention, it remains under-researched and underdeveloped within the context of social work research, education, and practice in Canada and internationally. To further develop GSW in social work education and professional training, we considered how social work students and practitioners can use a learning framework to understand the impact and build their capacities to serve vulnerable and marginalized populations in diverse disaster settings. To do this, we developed a four-step case study approach, as follows: (1) provide detailed background information on the cases, (2) describe how each case is relevant to social work, (3) discuss how each case informs social work practice from a GSW perspective, and (4) provide recommendations for social work practitioners and students using GSW in future disaster-specific efforts. This case study approach centers on natural, technological, and intentional/willful hazards that examine current GSW research–practice engagement in Canada and internationally. Applying this four-step case study approach to three extreme events in Canada and internationally (a natural hazard, a technological hazard, and an intentional/willful hazard) illustrates it as a potential method for social work students and professionals to build their GSW capacities. This will assist in building the resilience of Canadian and international communities—especially those who have been historically marginalized. This article sheds light on how current social work education and professional training should develop new approaches to incorporate the GSW framework into the social work curriculum at large in order to prepare for future extreme events while incorporating environmental and social justice into research and practice.


Radiation detectors have been fabricated on 8 mm × 8 mm substrates, ~390 μm in thickness, diced from a (0001) 4H-SiC semi-insulating (SI) wafer (≥ 1012 Ohm-cm). The crystals used for detector fabrication have been characterized by x-ray diffraction (XRD), electron beam induced current (EBIC), chemical etching, cross-polarized imaging, and Raman spectroscopy. Current-voltage (I-V) characteristics showed very low leakage current (≤ 50 pA at -800 V) and the capability of detector's operation ≥ 470 K. EBIC investigations revealed that the screw dislocations produce dark EBIC contrast indicating high leakage current in the defective regions. Thermally stimulated current (TSC) measurements and high temperature resistivity measurements revealed deep level centers with activation energies 1.1-1.2 eV, and 1.56 eV. The TSC peak at ~460 K associated with the ~1.2 eV center was much stronger than the other high temperature peaks (e.g., 370 K due to vanadium impurity, 0.95 eV below of conduction band edge), indicating that this level along with the 1.56 eV level should dominate in controlling the resistivity and carrier lifetime in the studied 4H-SiC. Based on the literature data, we associate these centers with intrinsic defects and/or V-related complex. Nuclear detection measurements on the single-element SiC detectors with 241Am X-γ ray source clearly detected 59.6 keV and other low energy x-rays.


Fullerene-functionalized graphene shows a hierarchical structure, and is promising for many potential applications. In this paper, a new method is presented to synthesize such a novel nanostructure. Graphite flakes were intercalated to graphite oxide, and then functionalized with zero-dimensional fullerene nanocrystals. The resultant compounds were characterized by FT-IR spectroscopy, UV–Vis spectroscopy, atomic force microscopy, and transmission electron microscopy. The characterization results confirmed that fullerene crystals were successfully attached onto the single-layer graphene sheets and significantly facilitated the exfoliation of graphite to monolayer graphene. The fullerene grafted on the graphene surface serves as a space impediment to prevent the re-stacking of exfoliated graphene sheets. This attempt provides an effective route for large-scale exfoliation and functionalization of monolayer graphene, and is expected to significantly facilitate the application of graphene in the electronic devices, energy storage, and functional materials.


The tropic flowers cultivation constitutes a niche market to be explored in the Mato Grosso state. The aim of this this work was evaluate the production of seven cultivars of anthurium in the conditions of Acorizal-MT. The experiment was conducted with micropropagated and acclimated seedlings of the cultivars Brasao, Bruma, Eidibel, Jureia, Poiares, Sonata e Supremo acquired from a reputable company associated with Campinas Agronomic Institute, with about 0,1 m of height. The substrate was prepared with sugarcane bagasse, rice straw, black soil and cattle manure in the ratio of 2:2:1:1. The seedlings were planted in January 2011, in four beds with five repetitions of four plants, totaling 80 plants of each cultivar, with 0,3 x 0,3 m spacing. The beds were prepared on a place under black mesh with 80% shade. The irrigation system used was inverted microaspersion, to keep the environment always humid. The evaluations were performed from the beginning of flowering, from October 2011 until January 2013. Inflorescences were harvested when the spadix presented half to three quarters of the real flowers opened. Were evaluated the number and characteristics (length and width of the spathe and length of the spadix) of the flower stalks. Every two months there was a replacement in the bed's cover with sugarcane bagasse. The cultivars Eidibel and Supremo were the most productive with 2,4 stalks/month/plant; the bigger spathe was obtained by the cultivar Brasao with 17,2 cm of width and 12,6 cm length; and the cultivar Sonata presents the bigger spadix with 7,6 cm. The seven cultivars of anthurium, as a cut flower, develop and bloom satisfactorily.


Complex anthropological investigations of modern students were carried out in the three big cities of Russian Federation (Samara, Arkhangelsk, Saransk), as well as in the villages of Mordovia. The program of morphofunctional investigation included body characteristics, body mass components (evaluated with the bioelectrical impedance analyzer "Medass-1"), physiological characteristics of cardiovascular and respiratory systems, right hand grip strength (dynamometry). To evaluate the level of sexual dimorphism, coefficient of sexual dimorphism (CSD) was used in this study. The total number of the studied subjects was 476 young women and 375 young men, from 17 to 23 years old. The results of ANOVA analyses show the presence of non-random variations for the majority of studied characteristics in the examined groups. On this basis, it is possible to consider that different environmental conditions exert significant influence on human organism, which is the core of the adaptation process. The largest distance separates the groups from the city of Saransk and Mordovian villages. It shows that the impact of social and environmental factors for rural and urban inhabitants is much larger as compared to ecological ones, e.g., latitude of the location. Comparison of the CSD values in all groups showed that the degree of adaptation potentials is considerably different in males and females for many characteristics. Thus, for body mass components, characteristics of respiratory system, height and BMI, males are more sensitive to environmental influences. For the cardiovascular system traits, the degree of fat tissue development and body mass, the strength of adaptation changes is practically equal in men and women, with slight advantages in men.


Considering the impacts of ideal factor n, VBE and band gap changes with the temperature on current gain, the current gain expression has been corrected to make the results closer to the actual test. Besides, the accelerating lifetime study method in the constant temperature—humidity stress is used to estimate the reliability of the same batch transistors. Applying the revised findings from the expression, the current gains before and after the test are compared and analyzed, and, according to the degradation data of the current gain, the transistor lifetimes in the test stress are respectively extrapolated in the different failure criteria.


The monotonic tensile and creep deformations of a directionally solidified (DS) superalloy are investigated for several loading directions. The material exhibits remarkable anisotropy under elastic and creep loading conditions, whereas it shows isotropy under loading conditions of high strain rates. Tension-torsion creep tests are also conducted to investigate the deformation under multiaxial stress conditions. Referring to the observed behavior, a unified constitutive model, which has two features, is developed for the DS superalloy. One is a static recovery term of back stresses that is prescribed as a transversely isotropic property, which is supposed to have an effect on the deformation behavior under creep loading conditions. The other is the division of inelastic strain into two components, which represent octahedral and cubic slip system deformations, so as to describe multiaxial creep deformation. Calculation results obtained using the constitutive model are compared with the uniaxial and multiaxial experimental results to evaluate the validity of the model.


A Mathematical Introduction to Compressive Sensing-Simon Foucart 2013-08-13 At the intersection of mathematics, engineering, and computer science sits the thriving field of compressive sensing. Based on the premise that data acquisition and compression can be performed simultaneously, compressive sensing finds applications in imaging, signal processing, and many other domains. In the areas of applied mathematics, electrical engineering, and theoretical computer science, an explosion of research activity has already followed the theoretical results that highlighted the efficiency of the basic principles. The elegant ideas behind these principles are also of independent interest to pure mathematicians. A Mathematical Introduction to Compressive Sensing gives a detailed account of the core theory upon which the field is build. With only moderate prerequisites, it is an excellent textbook for graduate courses in mathematics, engineering, and computer science. It also serves as a reliable resource for practitioners and researchers in these disciplines who want to acquire a careful understanding of the subject. A Mathematical Introduction to Compressive Sensing uses a mathematical perspective to present the core of the theory underlying compressive sensing.


Electronic structure methods for molecular systems rely heavily on using basis sets composed of Gaussian functions for representing the molecular orbitals. A number of hierarchical basis sets have been proposed over the last two decades, and they have enabled systematic approaches to assessing and controlling the errors due to incomplete basis sets. We outline some of the principles for constructing basis sets, and compare the compositions of eight families of basis sets that are available in several different qualities and for a reasonable number of elements in the periodic table. © 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.


The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) was
jointly established by the World Meteorological Organization
(WMO) and the United Nations Environment Programme
(UNEP) in 1988 to: (i) assess available information on the
science, the impacts, and the economics of, and the options for
mitigating and/or adapting to, climate change and (ii) provide,
on request, scientific/technical/socio-economic advice to the
Conference of the Parties (COP) to the United Nations
Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC). Since
then the IPCC has produced a series of Assessment Reports,
Special Reports, Technical Papers, methodologies, and other
products that have become standard works of reference, widely
used by policymakers, scientists, and other experts.
This Special Report was prepared following a request from
the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) and the
Parties to the Montreal Protocol on Substances that Deplete the
Ozone Layer. The state of understanding of the relevant science
of the atmosphere, aviation technology, and socio-economic
issues associated with mitigation options is assessed and reported
for both subsonic and supersonic fleets. The potential effects
that aviation has had in the past and may have in the future on
both stratospheric ozone depletion and global climate change
are covered; environmental impacts of aviation at the local
scale, however, are not addressed. The report synthesizes the
findings to identify and characterize options for mitigating
future impacts.


Abstract Under the premise on how public policy can contribute to decision-making on the consolidation of the urban-regional system, physical-productive integration, connectivity and social mobility in the Department of Bolivar, Colombia, from its planning with a horizon of 50 years, the study determines strategic recommendations necessary for its competitive positioning before more developed regions in the country. The study intends to visualize territorial planning based on integrating elements such as the culture, geographic characteristics, economic vocation and infrastructure of the Bolivarian territory, based on its great wealth, but a great affectation for the violence of the Colombian conflict, and the forget about centralized development. Based on an integral vision of the department, a long-term perspective means an opportunistic vision supported on transversal and inclusive elements of the territory, leading the discussion towards the feasible application of adjusted prospective planning methodology, and even continental scales of vision in which the region registers but whose processes are very questionable.


Background Patients play a critical role in managing their health, especially in the context of chronic conditions like diabetes. Electronic patient portals have been identified as a potential means to improve patient engagement; that is, patients' involvement in their care. However, little is known about the pathways through which portals may help patients engage in their care. Objective Our objective is to understand how an electronic patient portal facilitates patient engagement among individuals with diabetes. Methods This qualitative study employed semistructured telephone interviews of 40 patients living with diabetes since at least 2011, who had experienced uncontrolled diabetes, and had used secure messaging through a portal at least 4 times over 18 months. The interviews were recorded, transcribed, coded, and analyzed using primarily an inductive approach to identify how patients living with diabetes use an online health portal to support diabetes self-management. Results Overall, patients who used the portal reported feeling engaged in their health care. We identified four pathways by which the portal facilitates patient engagement and some challenges. The portal provides a platform that patients use to (1) better understand their health by asking questions about new symptoms, notes, or labs, (2) prepare for medical appointments by reviewing labs and notes, (3) coordinate care between VA (Veterans Affairs) and non-VA health care teams, and (4) reach out to providers to request help between visits. Several patients reported that the portal helped improve the patient-provider relationship; however, aspects of the portal design may hinder engagement for others. Patients reported challenges with both secure messaging and access to medical records that had negative impacts on their engagement. Benefits for patient engagement were described by many types of portal users with varying degrees of diabetes control. Conclusions Patient portals support engagement by facilitating patient access to their health information and by facilitating patient-provider communication. Portals can help a wide range of users engage with their care.


During social interaction, humans prefer to keep a certain distance between themselves and other individuals. This preferred 'interpersonal distance' (IPD) is known to be sensitive to social context, and in the present study we aimed to further investigate the extent to which IPD is affected by the specific type of social interaction. In particular, we focused on the contrast between joint actions, where two or more individuals coordinate their actions in space and time to achieve a shared goal, and parallel actions, where individuals act alongside each other but individually. We predicted that joint action would be associated with a smaller preferred IPD compared to parallel action. Additionally, given that this research took place in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic, we aimed to assess whether IPD preferences are affected by individuals' concerns about infection in general, as well as COVID-19 in particular. We predicted that higher individual concerns would be associated with greater preferred IPD. To test these hypotheses, we asked participants to imagine different social scenarios (involving either joint or parallel actions alongside a stranger) and indicate, on a visual scale, their preferred IPD. The results of two experiments (n = 211, n = 212) showed that participants preferred a shorter distance when they imagined acting jointly compared to when they imagined acting in parallel. Moreover, participants who reported higher discomfort for potential pathogen contact and who were more aware of the COVID-19 context in which the study took place preferred a larger IPD in general. Our results provide further evidence that different types of social interaction shape IPD preference. We discuss potential reasons for this phenomenon and highlight remaining questions for future research.


efficiently fulfill a vast range of life processes. In the processes, proteins are dynamic in responding to the environmental changes. If a given protein is needed, de novo synthesis from mRNA will be augmented. Of note, a less emphasized but probably more efficacious way is to enhance the protein stability through preventing from degradation. If redundant, proteins will be promptly dumped out by degradation. Regulation of protein stability via degradation plays an important role in a vast range of life processes. Most proteins destined for turnover are via ubiquitin proteasomal/lysosomal degradation machinery. Protein turnover is not a randomly happened event but highly regulated and is a substrate-specific signal transduction cascade. Firstly, targeted proteins are posttranslational modified for recognition by the ubiquitin proteasomal/lysosomal degradation machinery. A well-studied prototype is phosphorylation that may directly affects ubiquitin proteasome system recognition of the substrate. Other posttranslational modifications, such as acetylation, methylation, or palmitoylation are important modifications involved in ubiquitination process as well. Secondly, the destined protein is ubiquitinated. Ubiquitination covalently adds a ubiquitin or polyubiquitin moieties to a lysine residue within the protein substrate. The process of ubiquitination is an enzymatic cascade involving E1 ubiquitin activation enzyme, E2 ubiquitin conjugation enzyme, and E3 ubiquitin ligase. Among the ubiquitin enzymes, E3 ubiquitin ligase recognizes the substrate that is substrate specific. Strikingly, the ubiquitin can be removed from the ubiquitinated protein by a family of enzymes called de ubiquitin enzymes. Finally, the ubiquitinated protein is then escorted into proteasome or lysosome for degradation. Bacterial infection fine-turns proteins involving in cell surface sensors, signal mediator proteins, and effect or proteins. For example, endotoxin lipopolysaccharide treatment or bacterial infection regulates IL22R, IL33, kinases, and TRAF proteins in lung epithelial cells. Epigenetic enzymes that control essential life process such as DNA replication and gene transcription are also deregulated in these models. Enzymes involved in active lung surfactant or other phospholipids synthesis, metabolism, and energy production are also regulated in this system. Understanding the molecular mechanism(s) of protein turnover in infectious lung disease has shed light on the development of new pharmaceutical therapeutic approaches. Successful results have been achieved to screen small molecules against novel molecular targets including E3 ubiquitin ligases in infectious lung diseases.


The Fermi-LAT collaboration has recently reported the detection of angular power above the photon noise level in the diffuse gamma-ray background between 1 and 50 GeV. Such signal can be used to constrain a possible contribution from dark matter (DM) induced photons. We estimate the intensity and features of the angular power spectrum (APS) of this potential DM signal, for both decaying and annihilating DM candidates, by constructing template all-sky gamma-ray maps for the emission produced in the galactic halo and its substructures, as well as in extragalactic (sub)haloes. The DM distribution is given by state-of-the-art N-body simulations of cosmic structure formation, namely Millennium-II for extragalactic (sub)haloes, and Aquarius for the galactic halo and its subhaloes. We use a hybrid method of extrapolation to account for (sub)structures that are below the resolution limit of the simulations, allowing us to estimate the total emission all the way down to the minimal self-bound halo mass. We describe in detail the features appearing in the APS of our template maps and we estimate the effect of various uncertainties such as the value of the minimal halo mass, the fraction of substructures hosted in a halo and the shape of the DM density profile. Our results indicate that the fluctuation APS of the DM-induced emission is of the same order as the Fermi-LAT APS, suggesting that one can constrain this hypothetical emission from the comparison with the measured anisotropy. We also quantify the uncertainties affecting our results, finding 'theoretical error bands' spanning more than two orders of magnitude and dominated (for a given particle physics model) by our lack of knowledge of the abundance of low-mass (sub)haloes.


Multidimensional hourglass filter banks decompose the frequency spectrum of input signals into hourglass-shaped directional subbands, each aligned with one of the frequency axes. The directionality of the spectral partitioning makes these filter banks useful in separating the directional information in multidimensional signals. Despite the existence of various design techniques proposed for the 2-D case, to our best knowledge, the design of hourglass filter banks in 3-D and higher dimensions with finite impulse response (FIR) filters and perfect reconstruction has not been previously reported. In this paper, we propose a novel mapping-based design for the hourglass filter banks in arbitrary dimensions, featuring perfect reconstruction, FIR filters, efficient implementation using lifting/ladder structures, and a near-tight frame construction. The effectiveness of the proposed mapping- based design depends on the study of a set of conditions on the frequency supports of the mapping kernels. These conditions ensure that we can still get good frequency responses when the component filters used are nonideal. Among all feasible choices, we then propose an optimal specification for the mapping kernels, which leads to the simplest passband shapes and involves the fewest number of frequency variables. Finally, we illustrate the proposed techniques by a design example in 3-D, and an application in video denoising.


The overarching objective of the Second Rural Access and Mobility Project (RAMP) for Nigeria is to support the improvement of rural access and mobility in the participating States by: (a) providing improved all-weather access road networks in selected and prioritized rural development areas; and (b) supporting the institutional reform in the transport sector in the states to improve management of the state-wide road network. Some of the negative impacts of the project are: erosion observed near bridge between Jambutu and Boggare, embankment to river crossing has been eroded by river run-off path, pot holes from water of last rain and poor drainage conditions, stagnant water along road with waste. Can be potential breeding spot for mosquitoes, and flooding of road due to river crossing between old and new Demsa, road is marshy in some parts, dust, and noise pollution. Mitigation measures include: dust control by application of water, Workers will wear hearing aid protection; ensure most of such work is carried out after gives consideration for nearby schools; health centers etc; ensure all vegetation destroyed is re-instated/re-planted after construction work is completed; develop proper decommissioning procedures that will prevent and avoid damage to vegetation and ecosystem; and educate personnel on strict adherence to decommissioning procedures.


Brand loyalty, although an old idea central to marketing practice, remains a poorly understood and measured construct. Given the renewed interest in brand and branding issues, pleas for fresh perspectives that could rejuvenate brand loyalty research have proliferated. The objective of this paper is to advocate and illustrate the adoption of a situational approach in the analysis of brand loyalty patterns. A situational scale is developed in the context of fast moving consumer goods; its scalability is established, its convergent validity is assessed and its diagnostic power is illustrated.


The article presents the results of assessment works on drinking groundwater of alluvial sediments of the river valleys, perspective for water supply of mountainous regional centers of the Chechen Republic (Itum-Kale, Khimoi, Shatoi and Vedeno villages). The problem of providing quality water to more than 65,000 people living in four regions of the Chechen Republic mountainous areas is becoming more and more critical every year. According to the technical (geological) task, water demand for drinking and domestic water supply of the population is 4.0 thousand m3/day. The assessment of groundwater reserves for domestic and drinking purposes directly in the areas of the above-mentioned settlements was not made earlier, except for Itum-Kalinskoye, where in 2012–2013 HIDEK CJSC performed prospecting and assessment of the underground water reserves in the area of the projected riverbed water intake for the needs of the "All-season ski resort Veduchi". Based on the results of these works, the Khacharoiakhk field of fresh groundwater was explored in the alluvial deposits of the Khacharoiakhk River valley, which belong to the upper quaternary and modern quaternary system.


A new design for a reflecting fiber-optic confocal microscope, FOCON, is presented in which the beam splitter of a conventional confocal microscope is replaced by a fiber-optic splitter, and the core of a single-mode fiber takes the place of both the source and detector pinholes. It is shown that FOCON has the same resolution characteristics as a conventional confocal microscope, and requires fewer optical components and only rough alignment. The microscope is robust and can be rapidly scanned in the x, y, and z directions through the simple movement of the end of an optical fiber.


Euphorbia aff. viridis (Klotzsch Garcke) Boiss. a plant species belonging to the Euphorbiaceae family, is one of the most diverse of the American continent, and is used in multiple treatments in ancestral medicine. In the present study, organic compounds extracted from the leaves of the plant were analyzed. The description and taxonomic classification of the plant was established. For the phytochemical study, phenols, tannins, saponins, coumarins, lactones and flavonoids were analyzed, and positive results were observed for each chemical compound with the exception of alkaloid compounds. The chemical characterization by gas chromatography coupled to mass spectrometry GC-MS, showed 36,66% lanosterol, 12,25% β-sitosterol, 5,11% 3−β− cholest − 4− en− 3− ol, 4,73% hexadecanoic acid as major elements. The microbiological assay of ethanolic extracts showed a 44% inhibition percentage on Klebsiella pneumoniae (ATCC70693) and 43% on Escherichia coli (ATCC10536) with an MIC of 30μl/ml for each strain, and a negative inhibition result was observed for Staphylococcus aureus (ATCC24213). The organic extracts of Euphorbia aff. viridis (Klotzsch Garcke) Boiss. presented antimicrobial activity being able to observe their potential use as antimicrobial agents.


Endothelial progenitor cells (EPCs) and endothelial cells (ECs) play a vital role in endothelialization and vascularization for tissue regeneration. Various EPC/EC targeting biomolecules have been investigated to improve tissue regeneration with limited success often due to their limited functional specificity and structural stability. One-bead one-compound (OBOC) combinatorial technology is an ultrahigh throughput chemical library synthesis and screening method suitable for ligand discovery against a wide range of biological targets, such as integrins. In this study, using primary human EPCs/ECs as living probes, we identified an αvβ3 integrin ligand LXW7 discovered by OBOC combinatorial technology as a potent and specific EPC/EC targeting ligand. LXW7 overcomes the major barriers of other functional biomolecules that have previously been used to improve vascularization for tissue regeneration and possesses optimal stability, EPC/EC specificity, and functionality. LXW7 is a disulfide cyclic octa-peptide (cGRGDdvc) containing unnatural amino acids flanking both sides of the main functional motif; therefore it will be more resistant to proteolysis and more stable in vivo compared to linear peptides and peptides consisting of only natural amino acids. Compared with the conventional αvβ3 integrin ligand GRGD peptide, LXW7 showed stronger binding affinity to primary EPCs/ECs but weaker binding to platelets and no binding to THP-1 monocytes. In addition, ECs bound to the LXW7 treated culture surface exhibited enhanced biological functions such as proliferation, likely due to increased phosphorylation of VEGF receptor 2 (VEGF-R2) and activation of mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) ERK1/2. Surface modification of electrospun microfibrous PLLA/PCL biomaterial scaffolds with LXW7 via Click chemistry resulted in significantly improved endothelial coverage. LXW7 and its derivatives hold great promise for EPC/EC recruitment and delivery and can be widely applied to functionalize various biological and medical materials to improve endothelialization and vascularization for tissue regeneration applications.


Separating CBRN mixed samples that contain both chemical and biological warfare agents (CB mixed sample) in liquid and solid matrices remains a very challenging issue. Parameters were set up to assess the performance of a simple filtration-based method first optimized on separate C- and B-agents, and then assessed on a model of CB mixed sample. In this model, MS2 bacteriophage, Autographa californica nuclear polyhedrosis baculovirus (AcNPV), Bacillus atrophaeus and Bacillus subtilis spores were used as biological agent simulants whereas ethyl methylphosphonic acid (EMPA) and pinacolyl methylphophonic acid (PMPA) were used as VX and soman (GD) nerve agent surrogates, respectively. Nanoseparation centrifugal devices with various pore size cut-off (30 kD up to 0.45 µm) and three RNA extraction methods (Invisorb, EZ1 and Nuclisens) were compared. RNA (MS2) and DNA (AcNPV) quantification was carried out by means of specific and sensitive quantitative real-time PCRs (qPCR). Liquid chromatography coupled to time-of-flight mass spectrometry (LC/TOFMS) methods was used for quantifying EMPA and PMPA. Culture methods and qPCR demonstrated that membranes with a 30 kD cut-off retain more than 99.99% of biological agents (MS2, AcNPV, Bacillus Atrophaeus and Bacillus subtilis spores) tested separately. A rapid and reliable separation of CB mixed sample models (MS2/PEG-400 and MS2/EMPA/PMPA) contained in simple liquid or complex matrices such as sand and soil was also successfully achieved on a 30 kD filter with more than 99.99% retention of MS2 on the filter membrane, and up to 99% of PEG-400, EMPA and PMPA recovery in the filtrate. The whole separation process turnaround-time (TAT) was less than 10 minutes. The filtration method appears to be rapid, versatile and extremely efficient. The separation method developed in this work constitutes therefore a useful model for further evaluating and comparing additional separation alternative procedures for a safe handling and preparation of CB mixed samples.


The epidemiology of snakebite in 251 patients admitted to Shongwe Hospital is described for the period 1978-1982. The incidence of bites, their seasonal variation, environmental and population factors, age and sex variations, the bite-site, bite-admission time and bite incidents are analysed. First-aid is frequently administered inappropriately even when given by a health professional. A pregnant patient who went into labour following a mild to moderate cytotoxic snakebite was delivered of a healthy premature infant. The dangers of snakebite during pregnancy are discussed. The mean incidence of snakebite for the 5 years in review was 8,4/1,000 admissions and 34/100,000 population/yr, which is higher than that reported in other surveys.


Documentation for Master of Fine Art.
My objective is to research and comprehend the intricacies of and connections between
various mythologies of existence, to investigate beyond the immediate significance of signs
and beyond sub-cultural interpretations, and so move into the detailed fabric of meaning
that our culture imposes.
I am interested in exploring the rhythms of life, death and decay in the physical world and
the psychic world so that my perceptions have greater clarity. Coupled with fantasy and
imagination, I want to make images that are able to elucidate not only my own personal
truths, but illustrate a type of experience that is universal. This procedure leads me to
greater awareness, but at the same time to the complexities of perception.
This means recognising failures in my communication which gives me impetus to learn and
search for more effective expressions of the insights which come through experience.
I would like to develop my awareness on moral and political changes in relation to the
individuals role in society through the ages including contemporary culture.
I would like to research the myths and rituals of different cultures and their function in
expressing that culture's needs and experience.
I want to explore the common denominators of myths and inherited mythical archetypes
and their influence on modem consciousness.Utilizing practical experimentation I aim to
explore the laws of Gestalt psychology. By
 acquiring a greater understanding of these laws
(e.g. symmetry, proximity and similarity
 etc.), I can then choose to group them in a harmonious way,
or to create a feeling of
 tension and dissonance, to camouflage or to force the viewer to a deeper consideration of
 the work.
By understanding the psychological, symbolic and emotional affects of formal elements,
such as colour, shape, darkness and light, I aim to create layers of meaning that direct the
viewer's mind to something beyond the work of art, to a meaning that has universal
significance. I hope to show the viewer that the visible expressive elements of the images I
produce represent a symbolic rather than a literal meaning.
As these two areas of study interact and reinforce each other, I hope to evolve new visual
techniques to assist people toward an understanding and appreciation of our inward, as
well as the world's outward order of facts in relation to the conditions of contemporary life.


This chapter suggests a scheme of reconstruction, which explains how scenarios, questions and arguments figure in thought experiments. It then develops a typology of ethical thought experiments according to their function, which can be epistemic, illustrative, rhetorical, heuristic or theory-internal. Epistemic functions of supporting or refuting ethical claims rely on metaethical assumptions, for example, an epistemological background of reflective equilibrium. In this context, thought experiments may involve intuitive as well as explicitly argued judgements; they can be used to generate moral commitments, to explore consequences of moral theories, and to show inconsistencies within or between moral commitments and moral theory; but the results of thought experiments by themselves do not settle what is epistemically justified and may also be rejected. Finally, some prominent challenges are discussed: do unrealistic scenarios undermine epistemic thought experiments? Are ethical thought experiments misleading? Do they rely on weak analogies? Are there specifically moral objections to ethical thought experiments?


This research is a cross-site analysis of how white, male, college students see their Asian American peers. Semi-structured interviews with 43 white males were conducted at two universities that differed substantially in their representation of Asian American students. The interviews were theoretically framed by Critical Whiteness Studies and Bobo and Tuan's conception of prejudice as group positioning. At the institution where Asian American population was higher (almost 1/3 of the undergraduate population), the participants described Asian Americans as not true minorities and blamed them for campus segregation, while also subscribing to many racial stereotypes about Asian Americans (e.g., being bad drivers). At both universities, the participants subscribed to the myth of the model minority. The high concentration of Asian Americans at one of the universities corresponded to an increased prevalence of stereotypical/racist beliefs regarding this population, which was predicted by the theoretical framework. The findings also counter the mistaken notion that Asian Americans are "almost white" because these white males framed Asian Americans as a racialized group.


Mexican sunflower management in arable crops is becoming increasingly important due to its prevalent growth habit. The field experiments were conducted to compare weed suppressive abilities of two cover crops and two maize herbicides on Mexican sunflower.  The treatments consist of the pre-emergence application of Primextra Gold (atrazine + metolachlor) at 4 l/ha, a post-emergence application of Aminoforce (2, 4-D) at 1.6 l/ha, two cover crops, Centrosema pubescens (Centro) at 2.5 kg/ha and Pueraria phaseoloides (Puero) at 2.0 kg/ha, hand weeding at 2 and 5 weeks after sowing (WAS) and no weeding. The experimental design was a randomized complete block design with four replications. Pre-emergence herbicide produced taller plants at 8 and 12 WAS and higher number of leaves at 12 WAS. Despite two hand weedings (at 2 and 5 WAS), the weed biomass of hand weeding treatment was not different from no weeding. Higher weed densities produced by hand weeding and no weeding at 12 WAS indicated that the two herbicides and the two cover crop treatments gave better weed control than both weed checks. Weed control was 4, 7 and 8 times better in pre-emergence, post-emergence and Centro; respectively, than no weeding at 8 WAS. Although Centro provided long term weed control, the herbicides were able to provide early protection for the maize plants. The highest maize yield of 2.21 t/ha obtained from Primextra Gold (atrazine + metolachlor) at 4l/ha was significantly higher than yields from the other treatments. Yield reduction of 24.5, 27.7, 34.4, 40.8 and 94.2% was obtained in 1.6 l/ha Aminoforce, Centro, hand weeding, Puero and no weeding, respectively, when compared to maize yield from Primextra Gold.

 Key words: Mexican sunflower, cover crops, herbicides, hand weeding, weed control.


This paper investigates the performance of orthogonal frequency-division multiplexing (OFDM) systems applying linear minimum mean-square-error (LMMSE) based channel estimation for coherent detection. We analyze and discuss the robustness of the estimator's mean-square error (MSE) performance under estimator-to-channel statistics mismatch and derive a closed form expression of the mean bit-error rate (BER) for coherent binary signaling. Different cases of single antenna and diversity reception over Rayleigh and Rician fading multipath channels are considered.


The contact performance of seed-layer printed, fired and plated (SFP) contacts were studied on solar cells with different emitter sheet resistivities. For the seed layer of the SFP-contacts a special metal ink called SISC (seed layer ink for the metallization of solar cells), developed and fabricated at Fraunhofer ISE to contact lowly doped emitters was used. The doping profile and the surface concentration of active phosphorus are determined by secondary ion mass spectroscopy (SIMS) and by electrochemical capacitance voltage (ECV) measurements. Large-area Cz-silicon solar cells 12.5 × 12.5 cm2 were fabricated with sheet resistivities between 40 ¿/sq. and 130 ¿/sq. The cells are metalized with SFP-contacts and conventional screen print contacts for comparison. High fill factors above 79% on solar cells with lowly doped emitters (sheet resistance of 130 ¿/sq.) could be achieved with SFP-contacts. In contrast, for screen-printed contacts using standard Ag paste the FFs for such lowly doped emitters are reduced to values around 55%. The difference in contact formation is explained by contact resistance measurements together with images from the metal semiconductor junction. Using the SISC ink solar cells with 45 ¿m wide contact structures were processed on a high efficiency cell structure with a passivated rear surface and a 110 ¿/sq. emitter a FF of 81% was achieved resulting in a cell efficiency of ¿=20.6%.


Atypical mycobacterial infections of the cornea are rare. Recently, an increasing number of cases have been reported following outpatient office procedures,1injury with foreign bodies, or intraocular surgery.2The majority of these infections have been caused by group IV, rapidly growing organismsMycobacterium fortuitumandMycobacterium chelonae. To our knowledge, there has been only one case report of keratitis caused byMycobacterium gordonae, a group II, slowly growing organism.2We describe a patient who developedM gordonaekeratitis following penetrating keratoplasty. The infection did not improve with antibiotic treatment to which the organism was sensitive by in vitro testing. Report of a Case. —An 81-year-old man developed a nonhealing keratitis 2 years after undergoing a penetrating keratoplasty in the right eye for a herpetic corneal scar. After unsuccessful treatment with fortified tobramycin sulfate and cefazolin sodium, a second penetrating keratoplasty was performed. A culture of the corneal


The addition of epoxy bending plate to the tension and compression faces or web is an effective technique for flexural or shear strengthening of reinforced concrete beams, also using of steel fibers with concrete improves the structural behavior and increases the moment capacity and shear resistance of the beams. General equations are derived for predicting the bending moment capacity, maximum and balancing reinforcement ratio the equivalent depth of the compression zone for singly and doubly reinforced rectangular sections and T-beams. The results indicate that bending moment capacity increased in beams with steel fibers and composite plates, while the maximum balancing reinforcement ratios are decreased.


Cyclic adenosine monophosphate (cAMP) is a ubiquitous second messenger that regulates cellular proliferation, differentiation, attachment, migration, and several other processes. It has become increasingly evident that tight regulation of cAMP accumulation and localization confers divergent yet specific signaling to pathways downstream. Currently, few tools are available with sufficient spatial and temporal resolution to study location-biased cAMP signaling. Here, we introduce a new fusion protein consisting of a light-activated cyclase (bPAC) and luciferase (nLuc). This novel construct allows dual activation of cAMP production using temporally precise photostimulation or chronic chemical stimulation. Furthermore, we directed this construct to various subcellular compartments to improve spatial resolution. Using a combination of FRET imaging and optogenetics, we investigate location-biased signaling in thyroid epithelial mitogenesis and potential applications of bPAC-nLuc in vivo. A better understanding of the physical interactions and dynamics between cAMP and multiple signaling pathways may provide new therapeutic approaches for treating diseases with aberrant cAMP signaling.


The task of the ANZAC Corps on the Gallipoli Peninsula was to draw upon itself the Ottoman reserve so the principal landing of the British at Cape Helles could proceed unmolested by this reserve. Thus the Corps senior officers decided upon a cautious approach - far from the full-blooded thrust it is generally thought to be. The Corps was deployed on the first reasonable defensive position ashore and spent the day repelling the anticipated counterattacks. This successful defensive battle, rather than the landing, should be regarded as the critical event of the day. It is not possible to make an amphibious landing designed to attract the enemy reserve unless one knows where that reserve is. This the Mediterranean Expeditionary Force HQ did know, in considerable detail. As it happened the ANZAC Corps landed in the wrong place and this has been seen as the cause of its failure. But the error was not so great as to prevent the Corps fulfilling its task. It was rather that the Ottoman Reserve was a strong force, well supplied with artillery, which was primarily responsible for the disorder into which the Corps fell. An assessment of the combat effectiveness of the respective forces shows the ANZAC Corps to have suffered higher casualties than has thus far been thought and that the Ottoman Reserve was overall the superior of the two. Late in the day with the Ottoman Reserve becoming the attacker and the ANZAC Corps the defender this superiority proved to be not quite sufficient to overcome the natural advantages which in modem war accrue to the defender.


Welcome to the guide to Materials Research at Auburn University. The Library of Architecture, Design and Construction is home to a Materials Lab. We collect and make available current, innovative, and sustainable building materials samples.


The current study examined associations between peer nominations of children's expression of negative emotions and psychological, social, and behavioral correlates in a sample of 523 first graders. Children (85% African American) completed a peer nomination measure for expressing negative emotions. In addition, three other domains of functioning were assessed using multiple raters: internalizing symptoms (self, parent), externalizing behavior (parent, teacher), and social competence (parent, teacher). Regression analyses indicated that peer nominations of negative emotions predicted higher levels of teacher-rated externalizing behavior and lower levels of teacher-rated social competence. Peer nominations of emotions were significantly associated with teacher ratings but unrelated to self- and parent-report measures. Adding to a small but growing literature, our findings underscore the importance of assessing peer perceptions of children's emotional expressivity and their associations to social and psychological functioning in an urban, predominantly African American sample.


Mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) are capable of self-renewal and differentiation and are thus a valuable source for the replacement of diseased or damaged organs. Previously, we reported that the tonsils can be an excellent reservoir of MSCs for the regeneration of skeletal muscle (SKM) damage. However, the mechanisms involved in the differentiation from tonsil-derived MSCs (T-MSCs) to myocytes via myoblasts remain unclear. To clarify these mechanisms, we analyzed gene expression profiles of T-MSCs during differentiation into myocytes compared with human skeletal muscle cells (hSKMCs). Total RNA was extracted from T-MSCs, T-MSC-derived myoblasts and myocytes, and hSKMCs and was subjected to analysis using a microarray. Microarray analysis of the three phases of myogenic differentiation identified candidate genes associated with myogenic differentiation. The expression pattern of undifferentiated T-MSCs was distinguishable from the myogenic differentiated T-MSCs and hSKMCs. In particular, we selected FNBP1L, which among the upregulated genes is essential for antibacterial autophagy, since autophagy is related to SKM metabolism and myogenesis. T-MSCs differentiated toward myoblasts and skeletal myocytes sequentially, as evidenced by increased expression of autophagy-related markers (including Beclin-1, LC3B and Atg5) and decreased expression of Bcl-2. Furthermore, we reconfirmed that autophagy has an effect on the mechanism of skeletal myogenic differentiation derived from T-MSCs by treatment with 5-azacytidine and bafilomycin A1. These data suggest that the transcriptome of the T-MSC-derived myocytes is similar to that of hSKMCs, and that autophagy has an important role in the mechanism of myogenic differentiation of T-MSCs.


On 8 April 2020 the European Commission issued its first comfort letter for a competitor collaboration in the context of its Temporary Framework in response to Covid-19. The issuance of this comfort letter is remarkable, particularly given the paradigm shift from the system of comfort letters before 2003 under Regulation 17 towards a system of self-assessment under Regulation 1/2003. While the EC has since ushered in comprehensive guidance – via block exemptions and guidelines – to assist businesses with the task of self-assessing their compliance with the EU competition rules, such guidance still leaves too much room for error und uncertainty. This is notably the case with respect to non-full function joint ventures, and in particular those that are long-term, complex and high in value. A corollary of this is that, rather than enter into pro-competitive collaboration for fear of antitrust repercussions, companies may prefer to desist. With a view to achieving enhanced legal certainty for such joint ventures, and capitalizing on the good work it is currently doing under the Temporary Framework, the EC may wish, therefore, to give meaningful thought to the introduction of a more generalized system of comfort letters – at least for non-full function joint ventures.
COVID-19, Temporary Framework, comfort letter, non-full function joint venture, Regulation 17, legal certainty, Regulation 1/2003, Article 101(3), self-assessment, Informal Guidance Notice


Urinary incontinence is defined as the involuntary loss of urine. There are a number of distinct types of urinary incontinence, with overactive bladder (OAB) being a prevalent form. Overactive bladder is the result of involuntary contractions of the detrusor muscle that can occur because of physiological and/or pathological changes in the bladder and its nerve supply. Whereas OAB can affect a person at any age, it is a common disorder among the elderly.


Science camps for teachers have been held in Chile for several years and are recognized as important opportunities for continuing education, but they have been largely ignored as instances for impactful reflection on teacher selfassessment and identity. This article presents the analysis of teacher experiences at a science camp held in southern Chile called "Explora Va!", which was designed not just as an instance for continuing education for teachers in scientific contents but also for individual and collaborative reflection aimed at strengthening educators' skills as agents of change in their institutions. The question of this study was: how do the participants represent their teacher identities based on their experiences at the "Explora Va!" Camp? Using a qualitative approach, the results of the analysis of narratives from teachers' camp journals are reported here. The narratives from these journals provide an account of two dimensions, personal and contextual, where the importance of the teaching profession and science teaching were explored beyond conventional disciplinary limits. Collaboration, innovation, and personal and professional growth at the camp served to signify and resignify professional identities based on common elements but attending to the particular circumstances and unique backgrounds of each teacher.


A spool type high temperature control valve is developed to control the flow rate of high temperature fuel supply for scramjet engines in this paper. The clearance between the friction pairs of the spool and sleeve is crucial for the proper performance of the valve working at the temperature as high as 700 K. The high temperature environment may cause problems to the valve, for instance the thermal deformation of the valve materials, the failure of the friction pairs inside the valve and even the damage of the operating proportional electromagnet. Therefore the thermodynamic analyses of the valve are carried out using 2D finite element analysis method. The heat transfer and fluid dynamic models, as well as the boundary conditions are introduced. The heat flux through the fluid/solid interface is calculated to connect the heat transfer models inside the solid domain and the fluid domain. By solving both the heat transfer and turbulent flow models in the solid and fluid domains, the flow field distribution inside the flow channel and the thermal field distribution inside all the parts of the valve are shown. Suggestions on the design of the valve are given according to the thermodynamic analysis results.


This paper develops a model for the estimation and analysis of demand in the context of social interactions. Decisions made by a group of customers are modeled to be an equilibrium outcome of an empirical discrete game, such that all group members must be satisfied with chosen outcomes. The game-theoretic approach assists estimation by allowing us to account for the endogeneity of group members' decisions while also serving as a managerial tool that can simulate equilibrium outcomes for the group when the firm alters the marketing mix to the group. The model builds upon the existing literature on empirical models of discrete games by introducing a random coefficients heterogeneity distribution. Monte Carlo simulations reveal that including the heterogeneity resolves the endogenous group formation bias commonly noted in the social interactions literature. By estimating the heterogeneous equilibrium model using Bayesian hierarchical Markov chain Monte Carlo, we can also recover some parameters at the individual level to evaluate group-specific characteristics and targeted marketing strategies. To validate the model and illustrate its implications, we apply it to a data set of groups of golfers. We find significant social interaction effects, such that 65% of the median customer value is attributable to the customer and the other 35% is attributable to the customer's affect on members of his group. We also consider targeted marketing strategies and show that group-level targeting increases profit by 1%, whereas targeting within groups can increase profitability by 20%. We recognize that customer backlashes to targeting could be greater when group members receive different offers, so we suggest some alternatives that could retain some of the profitability of within group targeting while avoiding customer backlashes.


Author(s): Li, Xu | Advisor(s): Lynch, Christopher S. | Abstract: Over the past decade there have been considerable research efforts directed at controlling spin dynamics in nanomagnets. Spin dynamics generally covers two regimes, one is large amplitude motion associated with equilibrium magnetization state change with storage media applications that use parallel and antiparallel magnetization configurations to represent "0" and "1" states of memory bits. The other type is small amplitude oscillation, wherein spin precesses around its equilibrium state within a small cone angle. This behavior is generally used to design radio frequency(RF) devices. One of the approaches to controlling spin dynamics in nanomagnets is to use strain-mediated multiferroic heterostructures that consist of a nanomagnet deposited on a piezoelectric substrate wherein the magnetic state in the nanomagnet can be altered by electric field induced piezo-strain in piezoelectric substrates. Three innovative applications of nanomagnets via this piezo-driven method for both types of spin dynamics are presented in this dissertation: perpendicular magnetic tunnel junctions (pMTJ) in magnetoresistive random access memory(MRAM), surface acoustic wave(SAW) driven spin wave resonance (SWR) devices for RF transducers design, and multiferroic multiband tunable filters. Finite element analysis (FEA) simulation results in this dissertation demonstrated a 180-degree magnetization switch in the free layer of a pMTJ in response to an in-plane effective magnetic field induced by strain. Experimental work on thin film characterization is discussed that provides PMA material candidates for future pMTJ designs. A longer distance travelling spin wave (up to 1200um) in a SAW driven SWR device was obtained through magnetoelastic coupling. Three factors that affect energy transmission rate in this device have been investigated, which are film size, SAW wave vector k and spin pumping effect. Furthermore, a new type of E-field tuning multiband filter based on multiferroic heterostructure was proposed in this dissertation, which exhibits multiple absorption peaks and a large E-field tunability resulting from the acoustic and optical modes of spin interaction in magnetic layered structures. This work provides valuable insights into spin dynamics in nanomagnets. It opens up a new design space for next generation spintronic devices.


In recent years, electrical myostimulation (EMS) is becoming more and more popular to increase muscle function and muscle weight. Especially it is applied in healthy individual after injury to rebuild muscle mass and in severely atrophic patients who are not able or willing to perform conventional exercise training programs. Studies in experimental models as well as in human subjects confirmed that EMS can increase muscle mass by around 1% and improve muscle function by around 10–15% after 5–6 weeks of treatment. Despite a severe increase in circulating creatine kinase during the first session, EMS can be regarded as a safe therapeutic intervention. At the molecular level, EMS improves the anabolic/catabolic balance and stimulates the regenerative capacity of satellite cells. EMS intensity should be as high as individually tolerated, and a minimum of three sessions per week [large pulses (between 300–450 μs), high frequency (50–100 Hz in young and around 30 Hz in older individuals)] for at least 5–6 weeks should be performed. EMS improved functional performances more effectively than voluntary training and counteracted fast type muscle fibre atrophy, typically associated with sarcopenia. The effect of superimposing EMS on conventional exercise training to achieve more muscle mass and better function is still discussed controversially. Nevertheless, EMS should not be regarded as a replacement of exercise training per se, since the beneficial effect of exercise training is not just relying on building muscle mass but it also exerts positive effects on endothelial, myocardial, and cognitive function.


The survival of individual organisms facing stress is enhanced by the induction of a set of changes. As the intensity, duration and nature of stress is highly variable, the optimal response to stress may be unpredictable. To face such an uncertain future, it may be advantageous for a clonal population to increase its phenotypic heterogeneity (bet-hedging), ensuring that at least a subset of cells would survive the current stress. With current techniques, assessing the extent of this variability experimentally remains a challenge. Here, we use a bioinformatic approach to compare stress response genes with the rest of the genome for the presence of various kinds of repeated sequences, elements known to increase variability during the transfer of genetic information (i.e. during replication, but also during gene expression). We investigated the potential for illegitimate and homologous recombination of 296 Escherichia coli genes related to repair, recombination and physiological adaptations to different stresses. Although long repeats capable of engaging in homologous recombination are almost absent in stress response genes, we observed a significant high number of short close repeats capable of inducing phenotypic variability by slipped-mispair during DNA, RNA or protein synthesis.


The effects of LC50 dose of carbaryl and gamma benzene hexachloride (γ-BHC) on midgut histopathology and midgut enzyme activities in the third instar larvae of fruit-sucking moth, Othreis materna (L.) were studied. The sub-lethal doses of carbaryl and g-BHC caused initially hypersecretory activity in the midgut epithelial cells leading to deposition of numerous secretory vesicles in the extraperitrophic space, clumping of chromatin matter, and regression and vacuolization of the columnar cells, but later on they were recovered within 24 h. Activities of the midgut digestive enzymes (amylase, invertase, lipase, and protease) were significantly affected. Carbaryl enhanced (P < 0.05) the amylase, invertase, lipase, and protease activities initially up to 4 h and 6 h of treatment, but after 24 h of treatment, amylase and invertase activities resumed while an inhibitory effect was observed on lipase and protease activities. g-BHC did not affect the amylase and protease activities up to 4 h but later on it significantly (P < 0.05) enhanced their activities up to 6 h and 12 h, respectively. Thereafter it fell without showing any sign of recovery. g-BHC enhanced (P < 0.05) invertase and lipase activities but they fell after 4 h treatment.


We propose an integrated mechanism for discarding derogatory features and extraction of fuzzy rules based on an interval type-2 neural fuzzy system (NFS)-in fact, it is a more general scheme that can discard bad features, irrelevant antecedent clauses, and even irrelevant rules. High-dimensional input variable and a large number of rules not only enhance the computational complexity of NFSs but also reduce their interpretability. Therefore, a mechanism for simultaneous extraction of fuzzy rules and reducing the impact of (or eliminating) the inferior features is necessary. The proposed approach, namely an interval type-2 Neural Fuzzy System for online System Identification and Feature Elimination (IT2NFS-SIFE), uses type-2 fuzzy sets to model uncertainties associated with information and data in designing the knowledge base. The consequent part of the IT2NFS-SIFE is of Takagi-Sugeno-Kang type with interval weights. The IT2NFS-SIFE possesses a self-evolving property that can automatically generate fuzzy rules. The poor features can be discarded through the concept of a membership modulator. The antecedent and modulator weights are learned using a gradient descent algorithm. The consequent part weights are tuned via the rule-ordered Kalman filter algorithm to enhance learning effectiveness. Simulation results show that IT2NFS-SIFE not only simplifies the system architecture by eliminating derogatory/irrelevant antecedent clauses, rules, and features but also maintains excellent performance.


The richness and heritage of the Maori people is about to be celebrated in a way it has never been before in the Hunter. There is a push to establish a new cultural centre based in Lake Macquarie for the Maori people that live in the area. The Nga Hau E Wha Newcastle Maori Club is behind the idea, and they want to support and uphold the traditions among the Maori people.


AIMS
An issue of concern in dentistry is the inadequacy of adhesion and proper sealing following restoration of a tooth, which can lead to marginal leakage. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of a bonding agent on the microleakage of a sealant material following contamination with saliva.

MATERIALS AND METHODS
In this experimental research, 48 sound premolars were divided into two groups. The first group received sealant without bonding and the other group was given sealant with bonding. After prophylaxis, the occlusal surfaces were etched with 37% phosphoric acid gel and the teeth were then placed in fresh human saliva for l0 s. Following this, in the first group fissure sealant (Kerr) was applied directly and cured; for the second group sealant was placed and cured after bonding (Single Bond; 3M). All samples were thermocycled (500 cycles; between 5 degrees C and 55 degrees C; dwell time of 30 s). Silver nitrate was used as the leakage tracer. The teeth were sectioned. Microleakage evaluation was made by stereomicroscope at 40x magnification and the results were evaluated with the Mann-Whitney U test.

RESULTS
In the group that received sealant without bonding extensive microleakage was seen; placement of sealant with bonding significantly reduced microleakage.

CONCLUSION
In the presence of contamination with saliva, use of bonding under the fissure sealant can reduce microleakage.


Abstract Chronic rejection is the Achilles heel of modern lung transplantation, characterized by a slow, progressive decline in allograft function. Clinically, this manifests as obstructive disease, restrictive disease, or a mixture of the 2 depending on the underlying pathology. The 2 major phenotypes of chronic rejection include bronchiolitis obliterans syndrome and restrictive allograft syndrome. The last decade of research has revealed that each of these phenotypes has a unique underlying pathophysiology which may require a distinct treatment regimen for optimal control. Insights into the intricate alloimmune pathways contributing to chronic rejection have been gained from both large and small animal models, suggesting directions for future research. In this review, we explore the pathological hallmarks of chronic rejection, recent insights gained from both clinical and basic science research, and the current state of animal models of chronic lung rejection.


The imaging and testing of ultrasonic SH (Shear Horizontal) guided waves may be used into testing and SHM (Structure Health Monitoring) of industrial plate with welding structure in service, which have much more important applied potential. During imaging and testing for steel plate with lap welding structure, photoelastic experiment on propagation of guided waves in Plexiglas plate was studied to clearly see the excellent advantages of SH guided waves. The mode of SH guided waves was analyzed to select the zero order mode SH0 and the SH guided waves transducer with SH0 mode was developed. Based on the synthetic aperture focusing method,a multichannel ultrasonic imaging and testing experimental system of ultrasonic SH guided waves was constructed,the imaging of plate with lap welding structure was mainly studied. The research results shows the ultrasonic SH guided waves and the transducers are fit for long distance testing for the plate with lap welding structure. The ultrasound scattering nearby the weld may cause a blind testing zone, about 150 mm wide, in which the less size corrosion defects at the blind zone could not be revealed in image, so as to lead to defects "no testing". The imaging and testing of ultrasonic SH guided waves would be used for non-destructive testing of plate with lap welding structure, which image both can characterize the corrosion defects and lap welding structure, and realize the precise location of the weld. The proposed research provides important foundation for improving ultrasonic guided waves imaging and testing quality and SHM of industrial in-site plate with lap welding and larger size.


Researchers have shown that rainfall variability has significantly impacted on crop production with manifestations in frequent poor yield in Sub – Saharan African. This study examined the relationship between rainfall variability and sorghum yield in Potiskum Local Government Area of Yobe State, Nigeria. Rainfall data for 62 years (1956 – 2018) and yield data for sorghum were both analyzed. The standardized coefficients of skewness and kurtosis statistics were used to test for normality of the rainfall series. Pearson's mome nt product correlation coefficient was used to show the relationship between the trend in rainfall distribution and its impacts on the yield of sorghum. The results were presented in tables and graphs. The results showed that rainfall series was negatively skewed and had no significant deviation from the normal curve (1.96) at 95% confidence level showing normal distribution of data. The analyzed data showed an anomaly and decline in rainfall. The Pearson's Coefficient of Determination (R) calculated for sorghum yield (R 2 =0.364) indicated a negative correlation between rainfall variability and sorghum yield. 36.4% of the variation in sorghum yield was associated with the rainfall variation during the study period. The findings further showed that sorghum is a drought resistant crop in the study area; despite the decline in annual rainfall, sorghum yield was increasing as a result of other factors. The study thus, recommended the provision of early warning weather information to farmers; use of climate-resilient varieties, high and early maturing cultivars and fertilizer management which will play a major role in improving the productivity of sorghum in the study area.


The Episcopal Church in Virginia, 1607-2007, an exhibition at the Virginia Historical Society, Richmond, Virginia, 14 July 2007-13 January 2008. Guest curator, Patrick H. Butier III. Hours: 10:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Monday through Saturday, 1:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m. Sunday. Admission: $5.00 for adults, $4.50 for seniors, $3.00 for students; free for members of the Virginia Historical Society and on Sunday. The Anglican/Episcopal experience began in North America in the spring of 1607. It arrived in Virginia in three little ships with 104 men and boys who founded a new colony at Jamestown. From then until January 1786 the Church of England was the official state church of Virginia, and for most of that time it was a robust institution that deeply influenced the lives of the English-speaking people who lived there. The first Great Awakening, the American Revolution, and the disestablishment effectively killed off the Church of England in Virginia, and it reinvented itself at the end of the eighteenth century as a small and struggling little band of low church Episcopalians whose collective influence in the society and government of the new state was almost negligible. The Episcopal Church in Virginia changed several times and in many ways after that, and its members embraced a wide array of theological positions. The Diocese of West Virginia split off from the Diocese of Virginia after the Civil War, the Diocese of Southern Virginia split off in 1892, the Diocese of Southwestern Virginia split off in 1919, and seven Northern Virginia congregations split off in December 2006 in frustration with trends in the national church and aligned themselves with an Anglican community of Nigeria. If any one of the approximately seventy-five artifacts and images in the Virginia Historical Society's exhibition on the history of the Anglican and Episcopal Churches in Virginia demands the visitor's attention as exemplifying the degree and nature of the changes that have taken place during four hundred years, it is an enlargement of the front page of the Richmond Times-Dispatch of 18 December 2006, which contains two articles about religion in Virginia. One reports the departure of the seven congregations from the Diocese of Virginia, and the other (of the two, it is the one that is illustrated, as if it were more interesting or more important) reports on the celebration of Chanukah in Richmond. The Episcopal Church had once been the only church in Virginia, the official state church; now it is but one of many and not the largest, and it is threatened with division. This well-conceived and well-presented exhibition is derived principally from the excellent collections of the Virginia Historical Society, in Richmond, and the Protestant Episcopal Theological Seminary, in Alexandria. The holdings of those institutions relate primarily to the Diocese of Virginia, and the twentieth-century items in the exhibition are consequently focused more on that diocese than on the whole of Virginia. The items are well chosen and the text panels and captions clearly written and informative, although a beautiful Bible that the label identifies as a first edition of the 1611 King James translation clearly bears the date 1633. It would have been nice if the names of the artists whose works are on display had been included, also. Visitors will enjoy seeing the many versions of the Book of Common Prayer, including a first edition of the 1662 revision, the first United States revision, an edition for Episcopalians in the Confederate States, and right down to the revision of 1979. Changes in the Book of Common Prayer help place the experiences of Virginia's Episcopalians into long and changing national and international perspectives. Portraiture, most of it in the form of original works of art, depicts the bishops of the diocese. …


Developing and implementing mission statements continues to be a widely used managerial strategy. This study tests a model incorporating the immersion and transportation dimensions of presence and media richness for evaluating the effectiveness of two commonly used strategies (paper versus video) for introducing a mission statement to members of an organization. Outcomes include participants' recall of the statement, involvement with the statement, and perceived importance of the statement. Results suggest: (a) channel richness does not directly impact the three outcomes, (b) the richer video channel resulted in less presence, and (c) greater presence positively impacted all three outcomes. The implications of these results are discussed for both future presence research and organizational practitioners.


We study the optimal environmental tax under the possibility of corruption and licensing of a clean technology. In a environment-oriented country, the firm with dirty technology may choose to bribe the bureaucrat to mislead the actual emission, rather than adopt the clean technology. Government should set a very high environmental tax, and corruption may improve social welfare in comparing with licensing. Higher wage for bureaucrat could effectively reduce corruption, but also hinder the incentive for the clean firm to license the technology. Technology transfer is more likely to occur in an output-oriented country. Government should set a low tax rate to induce high incentive for the license and adoption. JEL Classification: L13, Q52, Q58, D73, D45


Machine perfusion systems for continuous hypothermic perfusion preservation are computer controlled and re-usable. The system of perfusion preservation proved beneficial for for storage of kidneys, particularly those harvested from NHBD donors. The first disposable continuous hypothermic perfusion system which can be used for storage of livers is presented.


Aims Serelaxin is effective in relieving dyspnoea and improving multiple outcomes in acute heart failure (AHF). Many AHF patients have preserved ejection fraction (HFpEF). Given the lack of evidence-based therapies in this population, we evaluated the effects of serelaxin according to EF in RELAX-AHF trial. Methods and results RELAX-AHF randomized 1161 AHF patients to 48-h serelaxin (30 μg/kg/day) or placebo within 16 h from presentation. We compared the effects of serelaxin on efficacy endpoints, safety endpoints, and biomarkers of organ damage between preserved (≥50%) and reduced (<50%, HFrEF) EF. HFpEF was present in 26% of patients. Serelaxin induced a similar dyspnoea relief in HFpEF vs. HFrEF patients by visual analogue scale-area under the curve (VAS-AUC) through Day 5 [mean change, 461 (−195, 1117) vs. 397 (10, 783) mm h, P = 0.87], but had possibly different effects on the proportion of patients with moderately or markedly dyspnoea improvement by Likert scale at 6, 12, and 24 h [odds ratio for favourable response, 1.70 (0.98, 2.95) vs. 0.85 (0.62, 1.15), interaction P = 0.030]. No differences were encountered in the effect of serelaxin on short- or long-term outcome between HFpEF and HFrEF patients including cardiovascular death or hospitalization for heart/renal failure through Day 60, cardiovascular death through Day 180, and all-cause death through Day 180. Similar safety and changes in biomarkers (high-sensitivity troponin T, cystatin-C, and alanine/aspartate aminotransferases) were found in both groups. Conclusions In AHF patients with HFpEF compared with those with HFrEF, serelaxin was well tolerated and effective in relieving dyspnoea and had a similar effect on short- and long-term outcome, including survival improvement.


The Cycle Packing problem asks whether a given undirected graph G = (V,E) contains k vertex-disjoint cycles. Since the publication of the classic Erdős-Pósa theorem in 1965, this problem received significant scientific attention in the fields of Graph Theory and Algorithm Design. In particular, this problem is one of the first problems studied in the framework of Parameterized Complexity. The non-uniform fixed-parameter tractability of Cycle Packing follows from the Robertson–Seymour theorem, a fact already observed by Fellows and Langston in the 1980s. In 1994, Bodlaender showed that Cycle Packing can be solved in time 2O(k) · |V | using exponential space. In case a solution exists, Bodlaender's algorithm also outputs a solution (in the same time). It has later become common knowledge that Cycle Packing admits a 2O(k log2 k) · |V |-time (deterministic) algorithm using exponential space, which is a consequence of the Erdős-Pósa theorem. Nowadays, the design of this algorithm is given as an exercise in textbooks on Parameterized Complexity. Yet, no algorithm that runs in time 2o(k log2 k) · |V |O(1), beating the bound 2O(k log2 k) · |V |O(1), has been found. In light of this, it seems natural to ask whether the 2O(k log2 k) · |V |O(1) bound is essentially optimal. In this paper, we answer this question negatively by developing a 2O( k log2 k log log k ) · |V |-time (deterministic) algorithm for Cycle Packing. In case a solution exists, our algorithm also outputs a solution (in the same time). Moreover, apart from beating the bound 2O(k log2 k) · |V |O(1), our algorithm runs in time linear in |V |, and its space complexity is polynomial in the input size. 1998 ACM Subject Classification G.2.2 Graph Algorithms, I.1.2 Analysis of Algorithms


Multicasting is emerging as an efficient method to deliver the same data to a group of users, thereby saving network resources. The fairness between different multicast groups is an important quality-of-service (QoS) indication, but it has not been given significant attention. In this paper, we propose a normalized signal-to-noise ratio (SNR)-based fair scheduling for multiple multicast groups in multicast systems. The system fairness and capacity are then analyzed and compared for both fair scheduling and greedy scheduling over independent but non-identically distributed (i.n.d.) fading channels. Closed-form expressions in terms of the system spectral efficiency, outage probability, system fairness, and average bit error rate (BER) are derived in an uncoded/coded M-ary quadrature amplitude modulation based adaptive transmission multicast system over i.n.d. Rayleigh fading channels. Numerical results show that compared with greedy scheduling, fair scheduling achieves considerably high fairness at the cost of slight system capacity loss, regardless of the number of multicast groups. Our focus is on the physical layer without rate loss, but we also briefly discuss applications of the proposed scheduling in a cross-layer design subject to the loss rate QoS constraint.


From the American Revolution to the present, the United States has enjoyed a rich and persuasive visual culture. These images have constructed, sustained, and disseminated social values and identities, but this unwieldy, sometimes untidy form of cultural expression has received less systematic attention than other modes of depicting American life. Recently, scholars in the humanities have developed a new critical approach to reading images and the cultural work they perform. This practice, American cultural iconography, is generating sophisticated analyses of how images organize our public life. The contributions to this volume exhibit the extraordinary scope and interpretive power of this interdisciplinary study while illuminating the dark corners of the nation's psyche. Drawing on such varied texts and visual media as daguerreotypes, political cartoons, tourist posters, and religious artifacts, these essays explore how pictures and words combine to teach us who we are and who we are not. They examine mimesis in elegant portraits of black Freemasons, industrial-age representations of national parks, and postwar photographs of atomic destruction. They consider how visual culture has described and disclosed the politics of racialized sexuality, whether subconsciously affirming it in the shadows of film noir or deliberately contesting it through the interethnic incest of John Sayles's Lone Star. Students of literature, film, and history will find that these essays extend the frontier of American studies. The contributors are Maurice Wallace, Dennis Berthold, Alan Trachtenberg, Shirley Samuels, Jenny Franchot, Cecelia Tichi, Eric Lott, Bryan C, Taylor, and Jose E. Limon.


Permissions are one of the most fundamental components for protecting an Android user's privacy and security. Unfortunately, developers frequently misuse permissions by requiring too many or too few permissions, or by not adhering to permission best practices. These permission-related issues can negatively impact users in a variety of ways, ranging from creating a poor user experience to severe privacy and security implications. To advance the understanding permission-related issues during the app's development process, we conducted an empirical study of 574 GitHub repositories of open-source Android apps. We analyzed the occurrences of four types of permission-related issues across the lifetime of the apps. Our findings reveal that (i) permission-related issues are a frequent phenomenon in Android apps, (ii) the majority of issues are fixed within a few days after their introduction, (iii) permission-related issues can frequently linger inside an app for an extended period of time, which can be as high as several years, before being fixed, and (iv) both project newcomers and regular contributors exhibit the same behaviour in terms of number of introduced and fixed permission-related issues per commit.


Objectives: The main aim of the research is to study the peculiarities of the organization of educational process in the dual training of students. Methods/Statistical Analysis: Research methods can be divided into two categories: 1. Theoretical: systematic analysis, synthesis, generalization, analysis of philosophical, pedagogical, psychological, methodological and technical on the research problem, and 2. Experimental: observation, conversation, monitoring, survey, and testing, pedagogical experiment. In the research process introducing innovative techniques that are used during lectures, seminars, workshops, business games, projects, simulation modeling of problem situations, thematic conferences with the participation of employers. Findings: They are identified in the loss of distinctive characteristics of dual and traditional system of training. Special attention is paid to the dual system of education in Germany, which has passed a long historical inspection and demonstrates a high quality of education, as well as the relevance, perspectives and advantages of such education in Kazakhstan. List the tasks that need to be addressed for the development of the education system in a dual format. It is concluded that, despite some shortcomings, the dual system of education is one of the successful models of cooperative learning and production, which can be used as an innovative type of organization of target training. The main aspects of the organization of dual target training of specialists in the conditions of interaction between educational institutions and enterprises - customer's frames were considered. Interest and the organization of training in the enterprise, vocational education in the dual system aims to form special knowledge, skills and abilities necessary to perform skilled professional activities. Application/Improvements: The results of this study can be applied pedagogical staffs of educational institutions of technical and vocational education, as well as representatives of employers implementing the dual training system.