Africa is a region of female farming compared with other regions of the world where women have the responsibility for food production, processing, marking, cooking, child care and other home related activities. It is argued that women account for 70-80 percent of household food production in sub-Sahara Africa. However, case studies in Nigerian and in most Africa countries tend to point to the fact that women who have been described as the hidden productive force in the countryside have not fully benefited from food production development planning strategies, despite their increased involvement in agricultural production. The food production development programme has often focused in the designing of effective packages for generating surpluses in agriculture without particular focus on women. The basic needs approach which emphasis the expansion of people's capabilities therefore points to the importance of re-examining the strategies for promoting participation in agricultural production with specific focus on women. Food development planning and execution strategies need to be re-oriented and re-designed to ensure that development packages reach women farmers as well as stimulate them to participate more actively to increase output though technology and other incentives. This paper therefore focuses on the importance of women's participation in Nigerian agricultural production and its implications for national development. The neglect of women's roles in agriculture and factors that have adversely affected rural women's agricultural production is also reviewed. Finally, the paper proposes some socio-economic, socio-cultural and institutional structures that must be re-examined and redesigned to facilitate the increase women participation in Nigeria main streaming agriculture.


Little is known about the impact of aging with Autism Spectrum Disorder on theory of mind (ToM). While ToM difficulties appear to abate with age in older autistic populations, this has yet to be explored in the Broad Autism Phenotype (BAP). The current study examined ToM performance among younger (n = 49, aged 18–46) and older adults (n = 47, aged 60–91) who were classified as on the BAP (younger n = 18; older n = 21) or not (younger n = 31; older n = 26) using the BAP Questionnaire. ToM was assessed using the ecologically valid Strange Stories Film Task (SSFT) and the dynamic Happé–Frith Triangle Animations task (TA). A 2 × 2 analysis of variance examined the effects of autistic traits (BAP vs. non‐BAP) and age (young vs. old). For both SSFT and TA, results showed autistic trait main effects on task performance (non‐BAP > BAP). Age main effects were observed for some but not all metrics on TA (younger better than older), with no differences in SSFT. An interaction of autistic traits and age was observed in TA Intentionality, with younger non‐BAP and younger BAP performing similarly but older non‐BAP performing better than older BAP. Results show that younger and older adults with elevated autistic traits show poorer ToM performance. Despite ToM difficulties being common in later life in the general population, this effect was not observed when using a ToM task designed to reflect real‐world scenarios. However, results suggest that autistic traits and age could interact to increase risk for poor ToM performance in older adults who endorse elevated autistic traits. Autism Res 2020, 13: 751–762. © 2019 International Society for Autism Research, Wiley Periodicals, Inc.


Abstract : Over the previous decade, operations associated with irregular warfare (IW) have placed large demands on U.S. ground forces and have led to development of new Army and Joint doctrine. This report helps analysts identify and assess key factors that create and perpetuate environments susceptible to insurgency, terrorism, and other extremist violence and instability to inform military decisions on allocation of analytic and security assistance resources. The report focuses in particular on sources of understanding about these environments from the fields of sociology and cultural anthropology. RAND researchers surveyed existing sociological and anthropological theories and schools of thought and identified 12 key factors that give rise to and sustain unstable environments. The research found a relatively high degree of consensus among experts regarding the salience of these factors. The factors are interrelated and mutually dependent in complex ways. The report proposes a series of qualitative and quantitative metrics for each of the 12 factors and uses them in an analytic construct for assessing countries and regions based on their susceptibility to unstable environments.


The entire colonic mucosa of 51 cases of colorectal carcinoma was examined histologically. Mucosal lesions including goblet cell hyperplasia, crypt dilatation, ulceration with regeneration, basal cell hyperplasia, metaplastic lesions, and adenomas were encountered. Goblet cell hyperplasia (80.4%) was most prominent adjacent to the carcinoma (transitional mucosa). Whether this represents a precancerous change is controversial. Crypt dilatation (57%) is considered a nonspecific change due to mucosal injury and indicates obstruction to the outlet of the crypts. Ulceration (6%) is often proximal to the carcinoma and is considered secondary to stasis and ischaemia due to obstruction. Basal cell hyperplasia is particularly prominent at the site of lymphoid follicles. It is suggested that the hyperplasia is a reactive response to the presence of stimuli in the intestinal content. It is observed that metaplastic lesions have their origin from these foci of basal cell hyperplasia. The presence of basal cell hyperplasia in metaplastic polyps (14%) indicates that they are active lesions in the process of formation and growth. The occurrence of metaplastic lesions may provide an indication of an adverse environment and a vulnerable mucosa. Adenomas have their origin from basal cells of colonic crypts. They are present in 47% of colorectal carcinoma. The findings support the view that adenomas are the most common and important precursor lesion associated with colorectal carcinoma in man. No de novo foci of malignant transformation was encountered but this does not exclude the possibility of de novo carcinogenesis of the colorectum.


A little-explored line of evidence for the antiquity and nature of early vegetation on land is the soils in which they grew. Vegetation is one of a number of factors known to play an important role in forming modern soils and soil features. As in studies of the role of organisms in modern soil formation, what are needed are fossil soils that supported different ancient ecosystems, but for which other soil-forming factors, such as palaeoclimate, palaeogeographical setting, parent materials and duration of formation, were closely comparable. This preliminary petrographic and chemical study compares four palaeosols; three are from the states of Pennsylvania and New York, U.S.A., and the fourth from the Potwar Plateau region of northern Pakistan. All appear to have formed in a subhumid, seasonally dry, subtropical climate, on the alluvial outwash of major mountain ranges, largely formed of sedimentary and metamorphic rocks, and over periods of only a few thousand years. These palaeosols are here named the Potters Mills clay (late Ordovician), Lehigh Gap clay (late Silurian), Peas Eddy clay (late Devonian) and Lal clay (late Miocene). Successively younger palaeosols show increasing degree of weathering, more clayey texture and better soil structure. Deep burrows are abundant in late Ordovician palaeosols, and are evidence of sizeable (3-16 mm diameter) soil animals. Bioturbation in the surface of the late Silurian palaeosol may have been produced by animals or vascular land plants. Large root traces and remains of leaf litter are indications that the late Devonian palaeosol supported a low diversity, streamside gallery forest. Weak redistribution of iron in this palaeosol may have been produced by phenolic and other herbivore suppressant toxins from these early trees. The late Miocene palaeosol is extensively bioturbated, presumably by termites and other creatures. Judging from its root traces and associated sediments and fossils, it supported gallery forest in a region of grassy savanna groveland. These early results encourage the belief that fossil soils may provide useful evidence for the nature of early ecosystems on land, not only complementary to that of early terrestrial fossils, but also in sedimentary sequences too oxidized and acidic to allow preservation of fossil plants and animals.


In order to solve the existing texture mapping seams, avoid excessive distortions and to make the topology of the mesh compatible to the one of the texture domain, with the help PolyCube allows texture mapping for the purpose of the three-dimensional network seamlessly set up parametric texture model characterized by the introduction of PolyCube. First analysis respective characteristics to obtain the formation of methods of implementation. then use the reaction-diffusion-specific examples of the implementation of three-dimensional model on the PolyCube texture synthesis, and show the whole dynamic of the reaction-diffusion simulation. the results generated seamless portrait, and the degree of distortion is very small, to achieve the expected results. Finally a follow-up research prospects: will be closed on the three-dimensional model of reaction-diffusion texture synthesis can also be PolyCube applied to other areas, the implementation of some applications.


Abstract BP Exploration, through its Frontier and International division (XFI), is the first oil major to openly release some of its international exploration data, information and internal reports to competitors for cash. The data and information relate to geographical areas in which the company foresees no strategic interest. There are various ways in which such a programme could be run. In our case, all exploration information and data have an identified owner, usually the asset manager responsible for exploration in the relevant part of the world. A dedicated XFI data broking team identifies and prices material for possible exchange or licence sale. The asset manager who owns the material certifies whether it may be released without damage to the company's competitive position. Legal staff check the ownership of the material, and ensure that there are no confidentiality constraints. Commercial brokers then either offer released material to the open market or create new products from it for licencing. The material is licenced for use rather than sold, so that the recipient cannot re-sell it. All income accrues centrally to XFI rather than to the asset manager; altruism by the owners of the data is central to our data brokerage philosophy. Such marketing follows naturally from treating data and information as a true asset, whose value can be established in the market-place. When such marketing becomes the industry standard, then XFI can also enter the market-place as a buyer. Those who can buy existing exploration data and information will save the great cost of generating their own. This is part of a sea-change in the industry, in which the players are moving towards a lower cost base through shared activity as opposed to duplicated activity.


Ia Systematic review withmeta-analysis of randomized controlled studies Ib At least one randomized controlled trial IIa At least one well-designed controlled study without randomization IIb At least one other type of well-designed quasi-experimental study III Well-designed non-experimental descriptive study, e.g. comparative, correlation and case studies IV Expert committee reports or opinions and/or clinical experiences of respected authorities


A study of the effects of streamflow regulation on riparian vegetation focused on seedling establishment along 30 low-gradient, alluvial streams throughout central California. Initial establishment densities were generally lower on regulated streams than along non-regulated ones. However, prolific establishment occurred on the recently regulated streams as the vegetation adjusts to new stream conditions. Seedling survival was slightly greater on regulated streams than non-regulated ones following the 1985-1986 flooding. Survival was much higher on both regulated and non-regulated streams during the year of low discharges (1986-1987). Seedling survival and growth were monitored in a controlled experiment simulating regulated and non-regulated conditions. Survival did not vary considerably among species. Growth was less in the fluctuating water level treatment than under simulated non-regulated conditions. Growth was higher for all four common species under the fluctuating treatment in a gravelly substrate but lower for cottonwood and sandbar willow in a sandy substrate.


We determine the relative branching fractions of semileptonic B decays to charmed final states. The measurement is performed on the recoil from a fully reconstructed B meson in a sample of 362 pairs collected at the (cid:1) (cid:4) 4 S (cid:5) resonance with the BABAR detector. A simultaneous fit to a set of discriminating variables is performed on a sample of B ! DX' (cid:2) (cid:2) (cid:1) ' decays to determine the contributions from the different channels. We measure (cid:3)


The World Bank is no stranger to criticism of its projects, especially in respect of its privatization and private sector development projects. Critics point to the environmental, social and cultural damage that certain projects have caused, which for some appears not just to be a product of the individual projects themselves, but symptomatic of a broader policy failure within the Bank to engage with the social consequences of its actions. In fact, and somewhat surprisingly, both the Bank's critics and its defenders seldom employ human rights language in their reasoning and rhetoric, and where they do, it is only fleetingly and often lacking in any real substance. This is surprising because of so much of what the Bank does can be, and is, supportive of the objects of international human rights standards, especially in respect of economic, social and cultural rights. It is a central theme of this Discussion Paper that for the Bank to embrace this fact alone would be a very significant step towards it being better able not only to respond to its critics, but also, crucially, to deliver upon its own objectives as most recently expressed in the Millennium Development Goals. This Discussion Paper was commissioned by the World Bank. The brief was to provide an account of the major criticisms directed at the World Bank's private sector-oriented projects, and to determine what, if any, consequences for the protection of human rights are revealed by those criticisms. The approach adopted in this paper is first to identify key criticisms through empirical research and then to subject them to human rights analysis. This provides the basis for a clear account of the legal and programmatic implications for the Bank, today and in the future, of those human rights obligations and duties raised, directly or indirectly, by the critics of the Bank.


The study aims at improving the speaking ability of the students at grade VIII, A class of SMPN 3 Ngaglik in the academic year of 2012 / 2013. The scripted role play was chosen as the teaching technique in this study.
This study was an action research consisting two cycles. The research was carried out at the first semester from November to December 2012. It involved the researcher, the collaborator, and the students. The participants of this research were 36 students of VIII A class of SMPN 3 Ngaglik in the academic year of 2012 / 2013. The data of this study were qualitative and quantitative. The qualitative data were obtained by observing teaching and learning process during the implementation of the actions, giving questionnaire, and interviewing. It was in the form of field notes and interview transcripts. The quantitative data were taken byassessing the students speaking ability through the pre-test and the post-test.
The finding of the first cycle indicated that the students' speaking ability improved along with a lot of speaking practices. The result of the second cycle shows that the implementation of the role-play technique improves the students' speaking ability, especially their fluency, self-confidence and motivation by providing them a lot of speaking activities. It was also found that using the language more often can improve their fluency. The indicators of the success of the implementation were that: (1) the students were more active in the speaking activities than the previous condition; (2) the students were more enthusiastic in doing speaking activities; and (3) the students' self-confidence and motivation to speak English increased. Furthermore, the findings were also supported by the means of the students' speaking score which had improved from 68.5 and 69.2 in the pre-test to 76 and 76.5 in the post-test.


Background: Dural arteriovenous fistulae (dAVF) are common intracranial vascular lesions typically becoming symptomatic with cortical venous hypertension and possible hemorrhage. Here, we present a case illustration of a petrous apex dAVF with marked medullary venous hypertension and a unique clinical presentation. Methods: Case report. Results: A 72-year-old female, whose clinical progression was significant for altered mental status and progressive weakness, presented with diplopia, right leg paresis, and ataxia. Magnetic resonance imaging revealed edema involving the medulla. On digital subtraction cerebral angiogram, the patient was found to have a petrous apex dAVF, Cognard type IV. Following treatment with Onyx embolization, her symptoms rapidly improved, with complete resolution of diplopia and drastic improvement of her ataxia. Conclusion: The importance of this case is in the presentation and deterioration of the clinical exam, resembling an acute ischemic event. Further, this case illustrates that dAVF may cause venous hypertension with rapid onset of focal neurologic symptoms not exclusive to cortical locations.


Detailed studies of benthonic foraminifera, stable isotopes, and lithofacies in cores from the southeastern Alpha Ridge, central Arctic Ocean, reveal some new aspects of Arctic Ocean paleoceanography. High ratios of benthonic to planktonic foraminifera are found in most of the Quaternary sediment units, and ratios of 1:1 appear to characterize the Arctic deep-water sediments. Benthonic foraminifera in the carbonate mud unit M show a succession of calcareous species reflecting increased influx of Norwegian Sea bottom water to the Arctic Ocean during the past 0.4 m.y. Foraminiferal and lithological data indicate less-uniform sedimentation during a warmer interval from 0.4 to 0.6 Ma, when most of the silty lutite unit L was deposited at the CESAR site. Lower Pleistocene units J to I contain less limestone and more dolomite, and they contain a uniform faunal assemblage with low numbers of calcareous foraminifera. Upper Pliocene units H to AB contain rare limestone and relatively large amounts of do-lomite and quartz sand. Middle to upper Pliocene units AB to A3 are marked by abundant sand-sized ferromanganese-coated particles, which in many cases have a silt nucleus; hence, much of the coarse sand in these units does not indicate increased ice rafting. The Pliocene sediments mostly contain a low-diversity assemblage of agglutinated foraminifera, but a mixed calcareous/arenaceous fauna occurs in a short interval above the Matuyama-Gauss boundary (2.4 Ma).

Stable-isotopic curves occur within sequences which broadly correspond to stages 1-9 of the global record; below stage 9, the record is discontinuous. Strong vertical mixing apparently prevailed during most of the Pliocene and early Pleistocene, then decreased during the past 0.4 m.y. owing to damping by a perennial ice cover. Isotopic and foraminiferal data, however, suggest that an interval of perennial sea ice also occurred during the late Pliocene at the time of the earliest glacial event recorded in the North Atlantic.


Overall 146 females suffering from essential hypertension (borderline, stage I and II according to WHO, 1980) were examined for basal concentrations of estradiol, estriol, progesterone, testosterone, cortisol, ACTH, prolactin in plasma, LH and FSH in blood and urine. The patients and 69 control normotensive females were reproductive, premenopausal, menopausal, postmenopausal, postcastration. Latent hypertension was elicited at bicycle exercise. It was found that relationships between sex hormones and gonadotropins both in hypertensive and normotensive women did not differ noticeably in reproductive period and in menopause. Hormone defects due to primary and secondary infertility, castration, menopause did not raise the risk of arterial hypertension onset. An-Unfavorable course of hypertension was observed in premenopause, following operative castration, in climacteric syndrome. The severity of AH at reproductive age was associated with hyposecretion of progesterone, estrogens and gonadotropins LH, FSH. This relationship was absent in menopausal women. A conclusion is proposed on miner significance of sex hormones imbalance and gonadotropins in the onset of arterial hypertension in females varying by generative activity.


Anisakis simplex is a nematode which parasitizes mainly fish and cephalopods and accidentally human beings after ingestion. Apart from the different digestive syndromes, this organism has recently been involved as cause of IgE-mediated allergic reactions of variable degree (urticaria to severe angioedema). In this report three patients with the diagnosis of allergy to Anisakis simplex are reported and a review of the literature is made.


The massively parallel processor (MPP) system is designed to process satellite imagery at high rates. A large number (16,384) of processing elements (PE's) are configured in a square array. For optimum performance on operands of arbitrary length, processing is performed in a bit-serial manner. On 8-bit integer data, addition can occur at 6553 million operations per second (MOPS) and multiplication at 1861 MOPS. On 32-bit floating-point data, addition can occur at 430 MOPS and multiplication at 216 MOPS.


Abstract:  Assessing conservation strategies requires reliable estimates of abundance. Because detecting all individuals is most often impossible in free‐ranging populations, estimation procedures have to account for a <1 detection probability. Capture–recapture methods allow biologists to cope with this issue of detectability. Nevertheless, capture–recapture models for open populations are built on the assumption that all individuals share the same detection probability, although detection heterogeneity among individuals has led to underestimating abundance of closed populations. We developed multievent capture–recapture models for an open population and proposed an associated estimator of population size that both account for individual detection heterogeneity (IDH). We considered a two‐class mixture model with weakly and highly detectable individuals to account for IDH. In a noninvasive capture–recapture study of wolves we based on genotypes identified in feces and hairs, we found a large underestimation of population size (27% on average) occurred when IDH was ignored.


E-learning was thought to be one of the fastest growing industries on both sides of the Atlantic and has been frequently heralded as a transforming influence on global corporate training and higher education. Despite such rhetoric, the adoption, diffusion and exploitation have been slower than anticipated. In this paper we attempt to explain why this might have been the case in Europe by drawing on an increasingly influential body of management literature on the absorptive capacity (ACAP) of organizations to acquire, assimilate and use new technologies and ideas. We supplement this work on absorptive capacity with two other streams of literature on learners and on the business systems or institutionalist perspective, which focuses on the embeddedness of unique organizational forms, ideas and human resource development approaches in particular national business systems. We develop a model of absorptive capacity for e-learning in organizations (ACAP for eL), which we argue has important theoretical implications for business and management academics in developing a model of technology transfer and diffusion, key lessons for HRD practitioners and politicians associated with furthering e-learning developments in their organizations, and also for policy makers at government level wishing to spread the e-learning message.


Objective: The objective of study is to compare the efficacy of micro needling for the treatment of acne scars in Asian skin with and without subcision. Study Design: A randomized controlled trial. Settings: This study was conducted from May 2014 to July 2014, in the department of dermatology DHQ hospital, Faisalabad, Pakistan. Patients and Method: Total of 70 patients having acne scars were randomly divided into two equal groups having 35 patients in each group. Group 1 underwent micro needling alone every month for 3 consecutive months and Group 2 underwent micro needling and subcision both (combined in a single session) every month for 3 consecutive months. To determine efficacy, a simple 5 grade scoring system was used in either group, with grade 0 (no improvement), grade 1 (minimal improvement), grade 2 (good improvement), grade 3 (very good improvement), grade 4 (excellent improvement), where minimal is 25%, good is 50%, very good is 75% and excellent is 100%. Efficacy was considered as obtaining grade 1 or above. Results: Efficacy was present in 27 patients (77.1%) in group A and 35 patients (100%) in group B. Efficacy was not seen in 8 patients (22.9%) of group A. In age group 15-20 yrs: Efficacy was present in 3 patients of group A (75%) and all the 3 patients of group B (100 %). In one patient of group A (25%) the treatment was not effective. P value was 0.350. In age group 21-25 yrs: Efficacy was present in 9 patients of group A (69.2%) and 13 patients of group B (100%). In 4 patients of group A (30.8%), the treatment was not effective. P value was 0.030. In age group 26-30 yrs: Efficacy was present in 15 patients of group A (83.3%) and 19 patients of group B (100%). In 3 patients of group A (16.7%) the treatment was not effective. P value was 0.063. In males: Efficacy was seen in 14 patients of group A (66.7%) and 18 patients of group B (100%). 7 patients in group A (33.3%) did not respond to the treatment. P value was 0.007. In females: Efficacy was seen in 13 patients of group A (92.9%) and 17 patients of group B (100%). One patient in group A (7.1%) did not show efficacy. P value was 0.0263. Conclusion: The combination of treatment modalities (micro needling and subcision) for treating acne scars have better results as compared to micro needling alone. Males are more commonly and more severly affected by acne scars. If duration of study is extended beyond 3 months then even better results can be achieved in both groups. Achieving grade 0 i-e complete recovery of acne scars is very difficult even if combination of treatment modalities is used.


: Separately cultured parenchymatous and nonparenchymatous liver cells of mice produce factors to influence migration properties and oxygen-dependent metabolism of neutrophils. Cell-free supernatant of intact parenchymatous cells activates neutrophil chemotaxis only, while supernatant of intact nonparenchymatous cells stimulates oxygen-dependent reactions as well. Injure of the liver cells with 5 mM tetrachlormethane significantly increases neutrophil functional activation. Treatment of the liver cells with anti-liver antibodies (0.5 mg/ml) results in suppression of neutrophil activation. At the same time, supernatant of the liver cells treated with normal rabbit antibodies (0.5 mg/ml) possessed neutrophil stimulating properties, nonparenchymatous cell factors stimulating mainly the neutrophil oxygen-dependent metabolism.


In the village of Pirg, on the Greek island of Chios, the faades of hundreds of buildings are completely covered with gray and white friezes. Circles, squares, triangles and rhomboids are used to create a lively geometry, ranging from the straightforward to the complex, to give each house its distinctive identity, its own unique face to display to the world. While analyzing the frieze designs, the authors discovered that the frieze artists intuitively obey a unique set of color-reversing rules. The goal of the project was to explain this powerful art form and to discover the essential mathematical structure underlying these color-reversing friezes.


We derive an effective Hamiltonian that describes the dynamics of electrons in the conduction band of monolayer transition metal dichalcogenides (TMDC) in the presence of perpendicular electric and magnetic fields. We discuss in detail both the intrinsic and the Bychkov-Rashba spin-orbit coupling induced by an external electric field. We point out interesting differences in the spin-split conduction band between different TMDC compounds. An important consequence of the strong intrinsic spin-orbit coupling is an effective out-of-plane g factor for the electrons that differs from the free-electron g factor g~=2. We identify a new term in the Hamiltonian of the Bychkov-Rashba spin-orbit coupling that does not exist in III-V semiconductors. Using first-principles calculations, we give estimates of the various parameters appearing in the theory. Finally, we consider quantum dots formed in TMDC materials and derive an effective Hamiltonian that allows us to calculate the magnetic field dependence of the bound states in the quantum dots. We find that all states are both valley and spin split, which suggests that these quantum dots could be used as valley-spin filters. We explore the possibility of using spin and valley states in TMDCs as quantum bits, and conclude that, due to the relatively strong intrinsic spin-orbit splitting in the conduction band, the most realistic option appears to be a combined spin-valley (Kramers) qubit at low magnetic fields.


We suggest a development-compatible refunding system designed to mitigate climate change. Industrial countries pay an initial fee into a global fund. Each country chooses its national carbon tax. Part of the global fund is refunded to developing and industrial countries, in proportion to the relative emission reductions they achieve. Countries receive refunds net of tax revenues. We show that such a scheme can simultaneously achieve efficient emission reductions and equity objectives, as developing countries abate voluntarily, do not have to pay an initial fee, are net receivers of funds, and are net beneficiaries. Moreover, we explore the potential of simple refunding schemes that do not claim tax revenues and only rely on initial fees paid by industrial countries.


In this paper the research draws upon reminiscence therapy, which is used in treating dementia, as an applied theory to promote well being in people who experience low moods. The application proposed here aims to promote wellbeing for people suffering from mood disorders and dementia but could potentially be used to enhance wellbeing for many types of users. Use of the application is anticipated to improve mood in a group of users where severe emotional problems are prevalent. The research aims to evaluate the effectiveness of a reminiscence based application in promoting well being in people specifically with Borderline Personality Disorder (BPD). The long term objective of this research is to establish the effectiveness of reminiscence theory on user groups aside from dementia, particularly other mental illnesses. The research advocates involving end users within the design process both to inform and evaluate the development of a mobile and tablet application.


In-and outsiders conceive of the modern city as a conglomerate of strangers, the individuals being anonymous and traditions and conventions lacking. Social relations are governed by the two divergent aims of avoiding identity and establishing cells of community. Unlike that of the rooted community, the orientation of the city is to time and not to place. Consequently, the traditional social order disintegrates, and new groups, which are not classes, emerge. This urban development will spread from the city to the country and change the ways of life and patterns of values.


Children with autism spectrum disorders often suffer from poor school inclusion, loneliness, and poor quality of life. Suitable support options for overcoming these risks are lacking, partly because children's perspectives concerning their support needs are unknown. We need to improve the involvement of children in social research. However, involving children with autism in research is not always simple, and there is scant literature on qualitative methods for addressing challenges related to involving children with unique characteristics such as autism. Children with autism may lack mimetic expressions to reflect their feelings, and they may answer questions very briefly despite having a nuanced perspective on the issue addressed, thus leaving the researcher with few indicators to act upon. Consequently, it can be difficult for the researcher to "read" the child, assess ethical important moments, and adapt the methodology to the individual child. Based on a qualitative study of 22 children with autism in the capital region of Denmark, this article offers reflections on methodological and practical challenges in involving children with autism in research. Matching expectations between researcher and child, staying open to communication forms, and posing precise questions are shown to be important to have insight into the children's perspectives.


H-pylori is a pathogen that can cause infection in human in all ages worldwide, mainly considered as a chronic infection that requires a serious treatment regimens. Most guidelines advice triple therapy including proton pump inhibitor PPI, two different antibiotics for the initial attempt to eradication of H-pylori. If the infection is persistent after the first therapy trial, a quadruple therapy which include PPI, Bismuth sub-citrate and two different antibiotics is recommended for second attempt.
 This study was conducted in alsamawa city/ Iraq to compare the efficacy of levofloxacin versus clarithromycin in the eradication of H.pylori .it was carried out from october 2018 to march 2019. A total of 103 patients treated with one of these regimens were interviewed after treatment completion (group A –50 patients, group B –53 patients). Collected data included age, gender, chronic diseases, smoking and indication for treatment, side effects and adherence.
The eradication rate obtained with clarithromycin was significantly lower than with Levofloxacin-based therapy. From our experimental work, the side effect with clarithromycin more than with levofloxacin. In Iraq as in other developing countries, almost all antibiotics are easy to get from local pharmacies even without doctor's prescription so there is a significant misuse of antibiotics, so the antibiotic resistance is higher.


Austrian archival documents, reflecting the views of Austrian diplomats on the direct and indirect developments regarding the Mosul issue, consist of the articles written by three Austrian ambassadors working in Türkiye, the Soviet Union and Switzerland, addressing their foreign ministers. In their writings, these Austrian diplomats not only included the experiences and views on the Mosul issue, but also tried to reveal the connections of England, France, Italy and Russia on the subject. In the first of five different dated articles consisting of thirty-four archival documents, Prime Minister Rauf Bey himself explained why Türkiye took a step back against Britain in the Mosul issue. In other articles, it is stated how Mosul was left to Iraq by England and its contribution to the creation of a wall between Türkiye and Azerbaijan. In addition, the role played by the Americans in Mosul and why Britain cannot risk a war with Türkiye are explained. In addition, the anxiety caused by Russia in securing the Indian land route and its relationship with Mosul are revealed. Subsequently, while France was on the side of England regarding Mosul, its foresight regarding an important problem that Türkiye still has to grapple with is declared. At the same time, it is revealed how Italy tried to gain an advantage by taking sides with England in the Mosul issue and its relation with its expansionist ambitions towards Türkiye. Finally, it is also mentioned how Italy tried to benefit from the Balkan states in this direction and why it had to take a step back against Türkiye.
The aim of our research is to reveal the extent to which the information and analyzes of the Austrian diplomats working in three different countries on the Mosul issue, based on the Austrian archival documents, overlap with the facts.


Several conventions on climate change, such as the Kyoto Protocol, the European
Union Protocol, and the UK White Paper, have been issued to control and reduce
greenhouse gas emissions. Research has been conducted to find friendly environment
sources of energy such as renewable energy, and to reduce greenhouses gas emissions
by reducing the use of conventional energy.
Analysis of the energy consumption from a perspective of end-use indicates that
buildings are one of the main energy consumers. Optimization of building design has
the potential to save 22% to 32% of building energy consumption [Caldas and Norford,
2001; EU, 2002; and Wetter and Wright, 2003]. There are several optimization
algorithms that have been developed to solve engineering problems. However, in this
research a probabilistic optimization algorithm (a binary encoded Genetic Algorithms,
GA), has been implemented to optimize building design with the aim of finding nearoptimum
design solutions with the minimum number of new function calls.
The main aim of this research is to identify a GA structure and control parameters that
is effective in solving whole building optimization problems, including large scale
constrained problems having many design variables. The research is restricted to the
single objective, minimising building energy.
The performance of the GA was evaluated for two building optimization problems, both
based on an example five zone air-conditioned building located in Chicago, USA. The
first example is for an unconstrained minimization of building energy use, the
optimization of the building construction design. The second problem extends this to
include the HVAC system control variables and as a result, includes constraints on the
occupant thermal comfort. In each experiment, the performance of the GA was
examined for different population sizes, crossover probability, and the mutation rate. The maximum number of new function calls (and building simulations) was restricted
in each experiment set (this being the GA stopping criterion). The number of new
function calls was selected to allow the optimization problem to be solved in a practical
time. For the unconstrained problem, 12 GA control parameter sets were evaluated
(with a total of 60,000 building simulations). Whereas for the constrained problem,
eight sets of parameters were evaluated. Again the experiments were requiring a further
60,000 trial simulations.
The results showed that GA performance was insensitive to most GA control parameter
values, such as crossover probability and mutation rate. However, the control parameter
that had the most significant effect was the population size. The small population sizes
(5 individuals) gave better results on the unconstrained problem, whereas the mid-size
population size (15 individuals) showed better result with the constrained problem. It
can be concluded from this research that a binary encoded GA with small population
sizes can be used to solve unconstrained building optimization problems with 500 or
less building simulation calls. However, large scale constrained building optimization
problems require in the order of 2000-3000 simulations.


This study investigated potential applications of Lesson Study (LS) as a collaborative form of reflective practice and as a model of effective Professional Learning (PL) in English as a Foreign Language (EFL) teaching in Indonesian tertiary contexts. Three research issues were addressed: the EFL secondary school teachers' and LS specialists' beliefs about LS as a form of PL, the EFL tertiary lecturers' beliefs about PL, and the potential applications of LS as a model of PL in tertiary contexts. LS is presented as a model of PL that offers EFL teachers in Indonesia a way to shift current transmissive teacher-centered approaches to EFL teaching to more student- centered learning. It is argued that in Indonesian tertiary educational settings, secondary school teachers PL should similarly become the centre of their own learning. Drawing on theories of reflective practices in teaching and learning and the principles of LS, the study sought to demonstrate the applicability of LS as a model of EFL lecturers' PL in tertiary contexts. Informed by interpretivist approach and naturalistic inquiry, the study involved twelve EFL teachers from secondary schools, three LS specialists, and seven EFL lecturers from the Gama Language Training Centre (GLTC) in Indonesia. Using qualitative methods, focus group interviews and in-depth interviews were utilized to gather the data. Focus group interviews were conducted with the EFL secondary school teachers and the EFL lecturers in the GLTC, while individual in-depth interviews were carried out with the LS specialists. These three lenses on the phenomenon under enquiry provided rich data for exploration. The data were triangulated for trustworthiness and credibility. The data were analysed thematically using increasingly rigorous levels of coding. The findings are illustrated by verbatim quotations to give voice to the participants. The findings indicate that many of the participants in the secondary school contexts considered LS an efficacious approach to teacher reflective practice and PL. The collaborative work and reflective practice embedded in the phases of LS provided many learning opportunities for enhancing EFL content knowledge and creating effective pedagogies that contributed positively to their sense of self as professional educators. Another finding reveals that after having focus group interviews, the EFL lecturers in the GLTC shifted their beliefs from a paradigm of professional development to one of PL. LS with its phases of PLAN, DO, SEE offers a potential framework of PL to achieving this. When comparing and contrasting the school teachers' beliefs about LS as a collaborative and reflective practice form of PL with those beliefs held about PL at the tertiary level, it was found that both groups of participants believed their PL activity was an opportunity for them to become better practitioners. The findings too revealed that the characteristics of LS as the form of the EFL secondary school teachers PL have embedded in the EFL lecturers' PL in the GLTC. This provides opportunities for LS to be adopted as a collaborative model of reflective practice so that the transmissive mode of EFL teaching in Indonesia can be shifted to one more focused on student learning. LS proved to be effective model of PL and it is currently undertaken by secondary school teachers; therefore, it will be particularly useful for EFL teaching in Indonesian tertiary contexts. The implication of this study of LS as collaborative and reflective PL in Indonesian tertiary institutions is that PL is essential in improving teacher professionalism and supporting a shift from a transmissive teaching practice to one that is learner centred.


This article examines the acceptance of renewable energy in the adoption of the climate package, taking into account the GREEN consumer values among consumers in Poland. The research problem addressed in this paper relates to the measurement of consumer values in terms of the GREEN concept; specifically, consumer acceptance of the available offerings provided by real businesses. In addition, consumer needs are important in terms of ensuring the acceptance of renewable energy, which will create opportunities for its production in the context of the Fit 55 climate package. The study formulates some research questions and hypotheses to justify the concept with empirical data by applying statistical tests. The study is presented in several sections with a detailed presentation of secondary and primary data. The main outcome of the research is based on the primary data using a structured survey questionnaire administered in Poland and 557 collected samples. Nowadays, the responsibility also lies with consumers, as green consumption will entail green production. The research concludes that Poland's consumers have a good level of acceptance of RES, based on the current green energy situation of Poland, which may lead to sustainability and will benefit policy makers in government, corporations and end consumers.


Introduction. Here, we present a case of polymicrobial anaerobic spondylodiscitis. Case Presentation. A forty-five year-old female patient was referred to a specialist orthopaedic hospital with an eight week history of back pain without fevers. X-ray imaging and magnetic resonance imaging showed acute osteomyelitis of the twelfth thoracic and first lumbar vertebrae. Prolonged enrichment cultures grew Parvimonas micra and Fusobacterium nucleatum, identified by matrix-assisted laser desorption ionisation-time of flight (MALDI-ToF) mass spectrometry (MS). The patient was successfully treated with six weeks of intravenous ertapenem and oral clindamycin. Conclusion. Anaerobic discitis is rare, and polymicrobial discitis is rarer still. A PubMed literature review revealed only seven cases of F. nucleatum discitis and only twelve cases of P. micra discitis; this includes only one other reported case of a polymicrobial discitis due to infection with both anaerobes. We emphasise the importance of prolonging enrichment culture and the use of fast yet accurate identification of anaerobes using MALDI-ToF MS in these infections.


In presence of different variants of the associated lesions of the visceral and renal arteries and occlusive process limited to the proximal segment, one-stage correction of the blood flow should be tried. This task is relatively easily solved by a method of one-stage transaortic endarterectomy, which essentially consists of the longitudinal dissection of the aortic lumen along the posterior-lateral surface and removal of the changed intima and plaques from the aorta and affected arteries en bloc. This method was used in 25 cases with atherosclerosis (13) and sclerotic stage of the non-specific aorto-arteritis (12). Reconstruction of different segments of the abdominal aorta and endarterectomy was done in 18 cases. Clinical effect was seen in 22 (88%) operated patients. Three patients died from acute cardiovascular insufficiency.


Executive summary This paper will begin by defining some of the challenges that we face on the MACSUR project in terms of evaluating model uncertainty and carrying out model integration. I will briefly review what cloud technologies are available, followed with some suggestions about how those cloud technologies can be used in order to contribute to meeting the challenges set out in the first part of the paper. 'Month 12' deliverable for WP1 is a review of the opportunities for using cloud computing to develop the potential for model inter-comparison and interlinking in MACSUR. A challenging aspect of compiling this review is that before an 'opportunity' for any kind of model linking/comparison can be identified, a lot of information about the specifics of extant models and workflows must be gathered from each of the three themes (TradeM, CropM, and LiveM). This deliverable must, however, be more than just saying 'these are the computing tools that we can use to ...'. There are a number of different challenges at different levels; a hierarchy of challenges, if you like. For example, in order to get models 'talking' to one another, adequate protocols for the transference of data and scaleability will need to be established, and then things like uncertainty analysis for these integrated models will need to be addressed. Further issues exist relating to human behaviour and logistics (e.g. MACSUR is a large project with many members from all over Europe, with substantial distances between many of it's members). The term "Cloud" is very ambiguous, and Cloud Computing covers a huge range of services, and a number of innovative tools exist which can make international collaborative research more effective. Two examples (already implemented on the MACSUR website) are: a discussion forum (where project members can create topics, make or reply to posts, and upload documents) and a complete surveying platform (to provide an un-restricted and fully featured survey platform for MACSUR members' information gathering needs.) Table of


Shear stress plays a significant role in endothelial cell biology and atherosclerosis development. Previous work by our group has shown that fluid flow stimulates important functional changes in cells through protein expression regulation. Peroxiredoxins (PRX) are a family of antioxidant enzymes but have yet to be investigated in response to shear stress. Studies have shown that oscillatory shear stress (OS) increases reactive oxygen species (ROS) levels in endothelial cells, whereas laminar shear stress (LS) blocks this response. We hypothesized that PRX are responsible for the anti-oxidative effect of LS. To test this hypothesis, bovine aortic endothelial cells (BAEC) were subjected to LS (15 dyn/cm2), OS (±5 dyn/cm2, 1 Hz), or static conditions for 24 h. Using Western blot and immunofluorescence staining, all six isoforms of PRX were identified in BAEC. When compared with OS and static, exposure to chronic LS up-regulated PRX 1 levels intracellularly. LS also increased expression of PRX 5 relative to static controls, but not OS. PRX exhibited broad subcellular localization, with distribution in the cytoplasm, Golgi, mitochondria, and intermediate filaments. In addition, PRX 1 knock down, using specific small interference RNA, attenuated LS-dependent reactive oxygen species reduction in BAEC. However, PRX 5 depletion did not. Together, these results suggest that PRX 1 is a novel mechanosensitive antioxidant, playing an important role in shear-dependent regulation of endothelial biology and atherosclerosis.


In early modern north-western Europe, real wages declined while GDP per capita was on the increase. In contrast, wage growth in Tokugawa Japan went hand in hand with output growth. Based on this finding, the paper revisits Thomas Smith's thesis on 'Pre-modern Economic Growth: Japan and the West'. It is suggested that the common denominator found in both European and Japanese cases was market-led, 'Smithian growth'. However, unlike north-western Europe, there was no room for mercantile or agricultural capitalism playing a part. Also, Tokugawa growth was not associated with increased income inequality. All this accounted for the slower pace of growth and the absence of any gap between real wage growth and per-capita GDP growth in Japan's pre-modern economic regime.


This paper reports an international comparison of changes in library/information curricula, in response to the changing information environment in which graduates of such courses will work. It is based on a thematic analysis of five case-studies from Australia, Ireland, Lithuania, Slovenia and the United Kingdom.
Specifically, it describes responses to an increasing proportion of e-content and the impact of the communication and social networking features of Web 2.0, and Library 2.0. It examines both changes in curriculum content, and in methods of teaching and learning. The latter involves pedagogy adapting and changing in the same way as the professional environment, with a greater emphasis on e-learning, and use of Web 2.0 tools. Students therefore learn about the issues by making use of these tools and systems in their studies.
Specific issues arising from these case studies include: the best mode of introduction of Web 2.0 facilities, both as topics in the curriculum and as tools for teaching and learning; the set of topics to be covered; the relation between 'conventional' e-learning and Web 2.0, problems and difficulties arising. Examples of particular courses and course units are given.


Abstract. For the interpretation of the storm event-induced landslide distribution for an area, deterministic methods are frequently used, while a region's landslide susceptibility is commonly predicted via a statistical approach based upon multi-temporal landslide inventories and environmental factors. In this study we try to use an event-based landslide inventory, a set of environmental variables and a triggering factor to build a susceptibility model for a region which is solved using a multivariate statistical method. Data for shallow landslides triggered by the 2002 typhoon, Toraji, in central western Taiwan, are selected for training the susceptibility model. The maximum rainfall intensity of the storm event is found to be an effective triggering factor affecting the landslide distribution and this is used in the model. The model is built for the Kuohsing region and validated using data from the neighboring Tungshih area and a subsequent storm event – the 2004 typhoon, Mindulle, which affected both the Kuohsing and the Tungshih areas. The results show that we can accurately interpret the landslide distribution in the study area and predict the occurrence of landslides in the neighboring region in a subsequent typhoon event. The advantage of this statistical method is that neither hydrological data, strength data, failure depth, nor a long-period landslide inventory is needed as input.


Various pharmacognostic parameters including macroscopy, microscopy, chemomicroscopy and behaviour of powdered drug on treatment with different chemical reagents were studied on the leaves of Bauhinia purpurea Linn. (Family Caesalpinaceae). Phytochemical screening of the plant part with various solvents revealed the presence of phenolic compounds, tannins, flavonoids, phytosterols, saponins and glycosides in it.


Puzzling Through Gravity Much of the excitement of scientific discovery seems to get lost when science is taught as facts by lectures. Granger et al. (p. 105) present a large study of outcomes comparing inquiry-based teaching with more traditional teaching methods. Over 2000 students were involved, in 125 classrooms of 4th- and 5th-graders. The classes studied space-science with a curriculum that uses models and evidence to entice students into improving their own understanding of the science. Students who were encouraged to use evidence to support their models seemed to develop improved knowledge of content. A randomized trial reveals that opportunities to support models with evidence aids understanding in grade-school students. Transforming science learning through student-centered instruction that engages students in a variety of scientific practices is central to national science-teaching reform efforts. Our study employed a large-scale, randomized-cluster experimental design to compare the effects of student-centered and teacher-centered approaches on elementary school students' understanding of space-science concepts. Data included measures of student characteristics and learning and teacher characteristics and fidelity to the instructional approach. Results reveal that learning outcomes were higher for students enrolled in classrooms engaging in scientific practices through a student-centered approach; two moderators were identified. A statistical search for potential causal mechanisms for the observed outcomes uncovered two potential mediators: students' understanding of models and evidence and the self-efficacy of teachers.


The Medicare Access and CHIP Reauthorization Act of 2015 (MACRA) eliminated the flawed Sustainable Growth Rate (SGR) act formula - a longstanding crucial issue of concern for health care providers and Medicare beneficiaries. MACRA also included a quality improvement program entitled, "The Merit-Based Incentive Payment System, or MIPS." The proposed rule of MIPS sought to streamline existing federal quality efforts and therefore linked 4 distinct programs into one. Three existing programs, meaningful use (MU), Physician Quality Reporting System (PQRS), value-based payment (VBP) system were merged with the addition of Clinical Improvement Activity category. The proposed rule also changed the name of MU to Advancing Care Information, or ACI. ACI contributes to 25% of composite score of the four programs, PQRS contributes 50% of the composite score, while VBP system, which deals with resource use or cost, contributes to 10% of the composite score. The newest category, Improvement Activities or IA, contributes 15% to the composite score. The proposed rule also created what it called a design incentive that drives movement to delivery system reform principles with the inclusion of Advanced Alternative Payment Models (APMs).Following the release of the proposed rule, the medical community, as well as Congress, provided substantial input to Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS),expressing their concern. American Society of Interventional Pain Physicians (ASIPP) focused on 3 important aspects: delay the implementation, provide a 3-month performance period, and provide ability to submit meaningful quality measures in a timely and economic manner. The final rule accepted many of the comments from various organizations, including several of those specifically emphasized by ASIPP, with acceptance of 3-month reporting period, as well as the ability to submit non-MIPS measures to improve real quality and make the system meaningful. CMS also provided a mechanism for physicians to avoid penalties for non-reporting with reporting of just a single patient. In summary, CMS has provided substantial flexibility with mechanisms to avoid penalties, reporting for 90 continuous days, increasing the low volume threshold, changing the reporting burden and data thresholds and, finally, coordination between performance categories. The final rule has made MIPS more meaningful with bonuses for exceptional performance, the ability to report for 90 days, and to report on 50% of the patients in 2017 and 60% of the patients in 2018. The final rule also reduced the quality measures to 6, including only one outcome or high priority measure with elimination of cross cutting measure requirement. In addition, the final rule reduced the burden of ACI, improved the coordination of performance, reduced improvement activities burden from 60 points to 40 points, and finally improved coordination between performance categories. Multiple concerns remain regarding the reduction in scoring for quality improvement in future years, increase in proportion of MIPS scoring for resource use utilizing flawed, claims based methodology and the continuation of the disproportionate importance of ACI, an expensive program that can be onerous for providers which in many ways has not lived up to its promise. Key words: Medicare Access and CHIP Reauthorization Act of 2015, merit-based incentive payment system, quality performance measures, resource use, improvement activities, advancing care information performance category.


This article offers an account of the taxing policies in Australia from 1788 up until the beginning of World War I, when the exigencies of the First World War forced the Australian government to reassess its tax policies. During the period from 1788 until 1914, Australia transitioned from being a collection of provincial colonies with their own economic objectives and taxing policies to a Federation with a centrally-directed taxing authority. Whilst this political transition was taking place there was also a transition occurring in government policy concerning the function of taxation in Australia. Government no longer used taxation just for revenue-raising but began to use it more as an intrusive tool to modify the private behaviour of Australians to reflect its own economic policy of protectionism. As a result, a strong symbiotic relationship developed between taxation and protectionism and, by the end of the first decade after Federation, Australia had become almost uniformly Protectionist. This article argues that at the same time taxation was taking on this decidedly protectionist character, the Federal government's policy of imposing high tariffs on apparel began, especially in the first three decades after Federation, to markedly resemble what Alan Hunt calls 'a project' of sumptuary regulation. This meant that the Government, in effect, controlled what type and quality of clothing certain classes of people could wear.


This paper first presented modeling methods and procedures aiming to a truck cab and its occupant under blast loading, followed by numerical simulation analysis of dynamic responses of the cab and blast injuries of the occupant by using Ls_Dyna. According to energy history the response duration can be divided into three phases, corresponding to local effect, whole effect and drop down effect. And two schemes for cab blast-resistant design including an aluminum foam sandwich plate and a V-shape deflector were put forward. Using the proposed numerical models, response characters of the two schemes were analyzed, advantages and shortcomings were compared with the initial design. Simulation results show that dynamic responses of cab structure and occupants decrease obviously by using sandwich structure filled aluminum foam, but for a V-shaped deflector it is very difficult to protection the cab structure and occupants simultaneously. And effect of several key parameters, i.e. relative density of foam core, and core thickness were discussed also.


Zinc is routinely employed in the synthesis of InP quantum dots (QDs) to improve the photoluminescence efficiency and carrier mobility of the resulting In(Zn)P alloy nanostructures. The exact location of Zn in the final structures and the mechanism by which it enhances the optoelectronic properties of the QDs are debated. We use synchrotron X-ray absorbance spectroscopy to show that the majority of Zn in In(Zn)P QDs is located at their surface as Zn carboxylates. However, a small amount of Zn is present inside the bulk of the QDs with the consequent contraction of their lattice, as confirmed by combining high-resolution high-angle annular dark-field imaging scanning transmission electron microscopy with statistical parameter estimation theory. We further demonstrate that the Zn content and its incorporation into the QDs can be tuned by the ligation of commonly employed Zn carboxylate precursors: the use of highly reactive Zn acetate leads to the formation of undesired Zn3P2 and the final nanostructures being characterized by broad optical features, whereas Zn carboxylates with longer carbon chains lead to InP crystals with much lower zinc content and narrow optical features. These results can explain the differences between structural and optical properties of In(Zn)P samples reported across the literature and provide a rational method to tune the amount of Zn in InP nanocrystals and to drive the incorporation of Zn either as surface Zn carboxylate, as a substitutional dopant inside the InP crystal lattice, or even predominantly as Zn3P2.


The human visual system (HVS) has evolved to have the ability to selectively focus on the most relevant parts of a visual scene. This mechanism, referred to as visual attention (VA), has been the focus of several neurological and psychological studies in the past few decades. These studies have inspired several computational VA models which have been successfully applied to problems in computer vision and robotics. In this paper we provide a comprehensive survey of the state-of-the-art in computational VA modeling with a special focus on the latest trends. We review several models published since 2012. We also discuss theoretical advantages and disadvantages of each approach. In addition, we describe existing methodologies to evaluate computational models through the use of eye-tracking data along with the VA performance metrics used. We also discuss shortcomings in existing approaches and describe approaches to overcome these shortcomings. A recent subjective evaluation for benchmarking existing VA metrics is also presented and open problems in VA are discussed. M. S. Gide and L. J. Karam Computational Visual Attention Models. Foundations and Trends © in Signal Processing, vol. 10, no. 4, pp. 347–427, 2016. DOI: 10.1561/2000000055.


The tetraploid wheat cultivar Sin Aljamel (2n = 4x =28) AABB was crossed to the bread wheat cultivar Saberbeg (2n = 6x = 42). Chromosome configurations were recorded at meiotic metaphase I in pollen mother cells (PMCs) of F1 plants. 14 II + 7 I occurred in most of the cells. The F1 hybrid plants were selfed for two generations. Chromosome numbers in pentaploid - derived F3 were determined in randomly chosen 190 seedlings; those with 29 chromosomes were selected. Chromosomes behavior in PMCs of 13 plants was investigated. The pairing figure in 12 plants was 14II + 1 I in most of the cells, led to the conclusion that the univalent chromosome belongs to the D genome. In one plant, no univalent was observed; the chromosomes paired in 13 II + 1 III in all the cells; it was concluded that the extra chromosome belongs either to A or B genome. Screening the lagging chromosomes in anaphase I and telophase I, and karyotype analysis reveals that the added chromosome is metacentric in some plants and submetacentric in the others. These plants will be subjected for further chromosomal and genetics' investigations and will be manipulated in wheat breeding and improvement.


This study analyzes the peculiar language of birth, abortion, and rebirth in the second-century Letter of the Churches of Vienne and Lyons . I argue that the metaphor of birthing, particularly in its relationship to the Virgin Mother, is deemed rhetorically useful by the letter's author in order to communicate his understanding of what constitutes a true or 'legitimate' Christian (that is, the confessor) and an 'illegitimate' Christian (that is, the denier). The author uses the notion of 'coming back to life' in order to demonstrate that Christian deniers are still eligible for legitimate birth through the Virgin Mother, representative of the Church, by means of life-giving confession. Thus, the author's rhetoric simultaneously naturalizes a sharp division between legitimate and illegitimate Christians while also opening up a permeability which allows for deniers to be reinstated as confessors. This grey space may be a response to the fact that the lines in the early church between insiders and outsiders were themselves quite porous.


Abstract Life history parameters and reproductive behaviors of the harlequin bug, Murgantia histrionica Hahn (Heteroptera: Pentatomidae), were determined. Total developmental time from egg to adult was ≈48 d. After a sexual maturation period of ≈7 d, both sexes mated repeatedly, with females laying multiple egg masses of 12 eggs at intervals of 3 d. Adult females lived an average of 41 d, whereas adult males lived an average of 25 d. Courtship and copulation activities peaked in the middle of the photophase. In mating experiments in which mixed sex pairs of virgin and previously mated bugs were combined in all possible combinations, the durations of courtship and copulation by virgin males were significantly longer with both virgin and previously mated females than the same behaviors for previously mated males. When given a choice between a virgin or previously mated female, previously mated males preferred to mate with virgin females, whereas virgin males showed no preference for virgin over previously mated females. Analyses of mating behaviors with ethograms and behavioral transition matrices suggested that a primary reason for failure to copulate by virgin males was the incorrect rotation of their pygophores to the copulation position, so that successful alignment of the genitalia could not occur.


Hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection is one of the main causes of chronic liver disease worldwide, making it a major public health issue. The World Health Organiza‐ tion (WHO) estimates a worldwide prevalence of 3%. Each year, three to four million people are newly diagnosed with HCV, and it remains endemic in many countries of the world. According to the WHO, there are at least 21.3 million HCV carriers in Eastern Mediterranean countries, a figure close to the combined number of estimated carriers in the Americas and Europe. The purpose of this chapter is to give an overview and update in treatment of HCV patients by a broad search of published literature on aspect of epidemiology, natural history, risk factors, diagnosis and treatment of HCV, graded on the best available evidence. All that to improve HCV patient care, and to promote and improve the multidisciplinary care required in the treatment of these patients.


A screen for early markers of B-lymphocyte differentiation has identified a homeobox gene, denoted LH-2, that has a pattern of expression distinct from that of other related genes. The LH-2 cDNA sequence encodes a polypeptide of 426 amino acids that contains a homeodomain and two repeats of a cysteine-rich domain referred to as a LIM domain. The homeodomain of the LH-2 protein is related to that of other LIM/homeodomain proteins, most strikingly with that of the Drosophila apterous protein. Expression of LH-2 was found in B- and T-lymphoid cell lines. Expression in B-cell lines was highest in lines that represent early stages of differentiation, whereas in T-cell lines there was no clear correlation with the stage of differentiation. In embryonic and adult tissues, the highest level of LH-2 expression was found in discrete regions of the developing central nervous system, primarily in diencephalic and telencephalic structures, and in a subset of lymphoid tissues. The expression pattern and structural characteristics of the LH-2 gene suggest that it encodes a transcriptional regulatory protein involved in the control of cell differentiation in developing lymphoid and neural cell types.


Under conventional constitutional doctrine, courts pose familiar questions. Is a right "fundamental" or "non-fundamental"? Is a classification "suspect" or "non-suspect"? Should a law be reviewed with "strict scrutiny" or with "rational basis scrutiny? But during the COVID-19 pandemic, a novel question prevailed: was a right "essential" or "non-essential." If a right was deemed "non-essential," then the state could regulate, restrict, and even prohibit that right. Modern constitutional doctrine was simply set aside during the emergency. Different states drew different lines. Some states deemed the free exercise of religion and the right to keep and bear arms as "essential," but access to abortions were deemed "non-essential." Other states did the opposite: religion and guns were "non-essential," but abortions were "essential." And in general, the courts declined to intervene so long as the state also restricted "comparable" activities.

Can the free exercise of religion be anything but essential? Can the sole method of obtaining a firearm be deemed non-essential? And under controlling Supreme Court precedent, can abortions be deemed mere elective surgeries? This article provides an early look at how the courts have interpreted the First, Second, and Fourteenth Amendments during the time of pandemic.

Part I begins with a detailed survey of the emergency lockdown measured issued in March and April of 2020. First, we will study the limits placed on religious worship. Second, we will review how Governors regulated firearm stores—the sole means in many states by which people can obtain a gun. Third, we will recount how four states interpreted their ban on "non-essential" surgeries to prohibit certain types of abortions.

Part II revisits an old, but timely precedent from 1905: Jacobson v. Massachusetts. During the COVID-19 pandemic, Governors viewed Jacobson as a constitutional get-out-of-jail-free card. It isn't. Jacobson concerned a challenge based on the Due Process Clause of the Fourteenth Amendment—what we would today call substantive due process. It is a mistake to simply graft Jacobson onto the modern framework of constitutional law.

Part III introduces two competing approaches to understand the free exercise of religion during the pandemic. Chief Justice Roberts articulated the first view in his concurrence in South Bay Pentecostal Church v. Newsom. Here, the Court deferred to the government's determination of what is "non-essential." Justice Kavanaugh developed the second model in his dissent in Calvary Chapel Dayton Valley v. Sisolak. With this approach, the Court does not defer to the government's designation of what is "non-essential." Under the Calvary Chapel approach, the free exercise of religion is presumptively "essential," unless the state can rebut that presumption.

Part IV extends these two frameworks to the context of the Second Amendment. Under the South Bay framework, prospective firearm owners would have to show that these decisions were irrational. But with the Calvary Chapel approach, the right to sell firearms would presumptively be deemed a "most-favored right."

We are still in the early stages of the COVID-19 pandemic. To date, the courts have largely settled on the South Bay approach. Perhaps this framework may have made sense in the tumultuous beginning. However, as our understanding of the pandemic settles, and we learn to live with COVID-19, the courts will resume a normal approach to constitutional law. And Justice Kavanaugh's Calvary Chapel approach charts the path forward.


One of the main sources of information regarding the underlying processes involved in both normal and impaired reading has been the study of reading deficits that occur as a result of brain damage. However, patterns of reading deficits found acutely after brain injury have been little explored. The observed patterns of performance in chronic stroke patients might reflect reorganization of the cognitive processes underlying reading or development of compensatory strategies that are not normally used to read. Method: 112 acute left hemisphere stroke patients were administered a task of oral reading of words and pseudowords within 1–2 days of hospital admission; performance was examined for error rate and type, and compared to that on tasks involving visual lexical decision, visual/auditory comprehension, and naming. Results: Several distinct patterns of performance were identified. Although similarities were found between the patterns of reading performance observed acutely and the classical acquired dyslexias generally identified more chronically, some notable differences were observed. Of interest was the finding that no patient produced any pure semantic errors in reading, despite finding such errors in comprehension and naming.


Celiac disease, also known as gluten-sensitive enteropathy and nontropical sprue, is a prevalent autoimmune disorder that is triggered by the ingestion of wheat gluten and related proteins of rye and barley in genetically susceptible individuals. The immune response in celiac disease involves the adaptive, as well as the innate, and is characterized by the presence of anti-gluten and anti-transglutaminase 2 antibodies, lymphocytic infiltration in the epithelial membrane and the lamina propria, and expression of multiple cytokines and other signaling proteins. The disease leads to inflammation, villous atrophy, and crypt hyperplasia in the small intestine. In addition to the intestinal symptoms, celiac disease is associated with various extra-intestinal complications, including bone and skin disease, anemia, endocrine disorders, and neurologic deficits. Screening studies have revealed that celiac disease is most common in asymptomatic adults in the United States. Although considerable scientific progress has been made in understanding celiac disease and in preventing or curing its manifestations, a strict gluten-free diet is the only treatment for celiac disease to date. Early diagnosis and treatment, together with regular follow-up visits with a dietitian, are necessary to ensure nutritional adequacy and to prevent malnutrition while adhering to the gluten-free diet for life. This review focuses in detail on the gluten-free diet and the importance of intense expert dietary counseling for all patients with celiac disease.


Research has established a positive relationship between Facebook use and perceptions of social capital, a construct that describes the total resources − both potential and actual − available in one's social network. However, the process through which social capital conversions occur is unclear. This study presents results from semi-structured interviews with 18 adult Facebook users (ages 25 to 55) about their Facebook use, focusing on how participants use the site to request and provide social support (associated with bonding social capital) and information (associated with bridging social capital). Findings describe how Facebook use facilitates interactions related to social capital and users' beliefs about the potential negative outcomes of these interactions, providing insight into how users negotiate potential benefits and risks when making decisions about site use.


Following Butler's argument that understanding the operations of power requires an examination of the contexts of 'infants' emergence', this paper explores the potential for infant geographies. Butler points to the importance of infancy to subjection, the formation of psyches, and the 'fiction' of an interior or socially anterior self. Attention to infants' everyday geographies therefore has the potential to unravel how individuals are subjected; how power becomes an embodied part of individuals' subjective identities, operating creatively to produce subjects with agency, and, at the same time, limiting and circumscribing appropriate subjectivities. A critical reflection on Butler suggests a need to focus upon how subjection occurs in specific material spaces, and the role of a host of human and nonhuman others to the process of subjection. Also pertinent is a fuller exploration of how diversities of kinship and nonkinship social relations might lead to other constellations of power in the subjection of infants. How the geographies of infants can be operationalised methodologically and epistemologically is also explored. The paper has broader resonance to issues of subjection; to how embodied inequalities are reproduced, transformed, or both; to questions of agency; and to concerns to deconstruct an autonomous, thinking, rational, human subject within human geography—reconfiguring individuals as constituted within emotional and psychic interdependency.


'Test and Trace' systems are key components of national responses to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. Each country has its own set of measures for testing COVID-19 cases, finding contacts, and isolating and supporting those affected by the SARS-CoV-2 virus. This article presents early results from a comparative analysis of six countries; Germany, Ireland, Spain, South Africa, South Korea, and the UK. Using evidence from publicly available sources, the paper presents analyses of testing systems in the study countries, using a Find, Test, Trace, Isolate, and Support (FTTIS) framework. The article demonstrates that no single study country has a fully optimised FTTIS system, with lessons to be learned for all from international comparisons. Findings emphasise lessons for the countries studied as well as general lessons of wider relevance on the potential scope of FTTIS systems. In particular, the need for openness and evaluation is emphasised as an integral part of the FTTIS system, to support continual assessment, learning, evolution and international sharing of good practice.


Objective: The objective of this review was to explore the situation of coastal water pollution and its impact on child health and pregnancy outcomes in Bangladesh. Background: Globally coastal pollution is of greater significance than inland's for its huge resources and contribution to livelihood. As a result it has been a source of increased Global Burden of Disease by means of consumption of seafood, involvement in risky jobs, and exposure to water related disastrous events. Almost sixty percent of the world's population is at risk of costal contamination and developing countries like Bangladesh, geographically located at the tip of the Bay of Bengal, are facing significant challenges by this form of pollution. Method: This study was based on a critical review of published literature and unpublished documents from 1972 to 2011 retrieved from databases of scientific publications, from public-access search engines, reports from government, international organizations, and non-government agencies, and personal communications. Discussion: Huge noxious pollutants including heavy metals, oil spill and redionucleotides were found in the Bay of Bengal, those have enormous adverse impacts on child health and pregnancy outcomes. This review focuses on children and pregnant women because of their vulnerable physiological conditions to the impacts of environmental factors. The physiological systems of children and fetuses are developing fast and usually are sensitive to disruptions induced by environmental pollutants and exposures in utero increase the risk of future toxic insults. Conclusion: The coastal zone of Bangladesh is one of the vulnerable zones in the world which is predicted to disappear due to climate change impacts. This areas face huge weather-related disasters due to continuous changing coastal-configuration and man-made pollutions. However, these observations are indecisive due to limitations of supportive evidence. Therefore, further epidemiological studies are required to confirm initial observations.


The tumor-initiating potency of three simple alkyl carbamates and mono-N-substituted ethyl carbamates was examined in Hall strain mice. The binding of 14C-labeled carbamates of DNA was measured in Crackenbush mice. Ethyl carbamate was the most potent carcinogen for the epidermis, liver, and lung, followed by its N-alkyl derivatives. Methyl carbamate was without effect but n-propyl and n-butyl were possible carcinogens. The ethyl esters bound to a greater extent to DNA in liver and skin than the methyl, n-propyl, and n-butyl esters and only this binding persisted. A preliminary application of croton oil increased the yield of skin tumors but not of liver or lung tumors. It also increased the binding of the alkyl carbamates to DNA in skin, the increase being greatest with ethyl carbamate. The binding persisted longer in treated than in non-croton oil-treated mice.


The paper demonstrates and evaluates the effectiveness of a blended learning approach to create a meaningful learning environment. We use the term blended learning approach in this paper to refer to the use of multiple or hybrid instructional methods that emphasize the role of learners as contributors to the learning process rather than recipients of learning. Contribution to learning is attained by using in class gaming as pathways that ensure active involvement of learners. Using a blended learning approach is important in order to be able to address different learning styles of the target group. The approach was also important in order to be able to demonstrate different types of challenges, issues and competences needed in project management. Student evaluations of the course confirmed that the use of multiple learning methods and, in particular, in class gaming was beneficial and contributed to a meaningful learning experience.


The ability to quickly compute shortest paths in 3D grids is a technological enabler for several applications such as pipe routing and computer video games. The main challenge is how to deal with the many symmetric permutations of each shortest path. We tackle this problem by adapting Jump Point Search (JPS), a well-known symmetry breaking technique developed for fast pathfinding in 2D grids. We give a rigorous reformulation of the JPS pathfinding system into 3D and we prove that our new algorithm, JPS-3D, is optimality preserving. We also develop a novel method for limiting scan depth during jump operations, which can further reduce search time. Experimental results show significant improvements versus online A* search and previous attempts at generalising JPS. We demonstrate that searching with adaptive scan limits can yield additional speedups of over an order of magnitude.


Two isomorphous MOFs (Ni2(l-asp)2bipy and Ni2(l-asp)2pz) with different pore sizes were incorporated into poly(ether-block-amide) (Pebax-1657) to prepare the mixed matrix membranes (MMMs) with gas permeation properties for CO2, H2, N2, and CH4. Different loading ratios of MOFs with mass percentage from 10% to 30% were studied. Compared with the pure polymer membrane, the as-synthesized two series of MMMs showed improved CO2 permeability and CO2/H2 selectivity. The highest CO2 permeation property was achieved by Ni2(l-asp)2bipy@Pebax-20 of 120.2 barrers with an enhanced CO2/H2 selectivity of 32.88 compared with 55.85 barrers and 1.729 of the pure polymer membrane, respectively, which makes it a potential candidate for future applications in CO2 capturing.


We introduce effective uses of Gerschgorin radii of the unitary transformed covariance matrix for source number estimation. There are two approaches, likelihood and heuristic, used for developing the detection criteria. The likelihood approach combines the Gerschgorin radii to the well-known source number detectors and improves their detection performances for Gaussian and white noise processes. It is verified that the Gerschgorin likelihood estimators (GLE) are consistent. The Gerschgorin AIC yields a consistent estimate and the Gerschgorin MDL criterion does not tend to underestimate for small or moderate data samples. The heuristic approach applying the Gerschgorin disk estimator (GDE) developed from the projection concept, overcomes the problem in cases of small data samples, an unknown noise model, and data dependency. Furthermore, the detection performances of both approaches through the suggested rotations and averaging can be further improved. Finally, the proposed and existing criteria are evaluated in various conditions by using simulated and measured experimental data. >


Due to development pressure, disregard for proper planning for urban growth, and inefficient justice systems, residential areas in Abuja, Nigeria face serious crime problems. Burglaries and assault are among criminal activities that are common in these residential areas. The result of these consistent criminal activities is the creation of prison-like enclaves and fortresses means for residents to protect themselves. This in turn caused ad hoc in urban fabric, disharmony of the city facade, affecting social cohesion and interaction. Crime prevention through environmental design which will be referred to as CPTED in this thesis refers to the development of defensible space through the belief that the physical environment can be manipulated to influence behavior to reduce crime. CPTED is the basis of the design for safer living environment. An array of works from the 70's up to date have described principles that lead to the effectiveness and success of CPTED programs, and these have been successfully implemented in many countries around the world (United States,Brazil, South America). This study explores the availability of principles of CPTED in present residential areas in Nigeria and how far this principle has been implemented in the selected study sites. The methodology includes extensive literature search, non-participant observation and survey on purposefully selected residential sites in Abuja comprising of two gated and two non-gated communities with equal distances from the city center. In addition, semi-structured interview of four experts, two architects and two planners were also conducted. This research explores whether or not CPTED principles can be applied in these areas as it has been stated that the success of any CPTED program depends solely on the residents to benefit from the program. This means that residents have to support all the four (4) CPTED principles identified in this research (Territoriality, Natural Surveillance, Social interaction, and Image and Milieu) for the program to succeed. Findings from this study showed that the residents in the selected sites support three of the four CPTED principles. Those in the gated communities revealed higher support than those in the non-gated communities. This indicates that crime could be controlled through CPTED in the residential areas in Abuja, Nigeria. This research suggests that missing principle - Social Interaction needs to be established and stressed to ensure the ultimate success of CPTED implementation to prevent crime in residential areas. The results from the research can be used by urban managers, urban designers and planners as well as architects to improve residential design to reduce criminal activities and also to improve good design and encourage social interaction amongst residents to create sustainable and safe cities


STUDY DESIGN
Prospective cohort study OBJECTIVES.: To evaluate whether Patient-Reported Outcomes Measurement Information System (PROMIS) health domains can effectively estimate health utility index values for patients presenting for spine surgery.

SUMMARY OF BACKGROUND DATA
Stable estimates of health utility are required to determine cost-effectiveness of spine surgery. There are no established methods to estimate health utility using PROMIS.

METHODS
We enrolled 439 patients with spine disease (mean age, 54 ± 18 years) presenting for surgery and assessed their health using the Medical Outcomes Study Short Form-12, version 2 (SF-12v2) and PROMIS domains. Standard health utility values were estimated from the SF-12v2. Participants were randomly assigned to derivation or validation cohort. In the derivation cohort, health utility values were estimated as a function of PROMIS domains using regression models. Model fit statistics determined the most parsimonious health utility estimation equation (HEE). In the validation cohort, values were calculated using the HEE. Estimated health utility values were correlated with SF-12v2-derived health utility values.

RESULTS
Mean preoperative health utility was 0.492 ± 0.008 and was similar between the two cohorts. All PROMIS health domains were significantly associated with health utility except Anxiety (P = 0.830) and Sleep Disturbance (P = 0.818). The final HEE was:Health Utility (est) = 0.70742 - 0.00471 × Pain + 0.00647 × Physical function - 0.00316 × Fatigue - 0.00214 × Depression + 0.00317 × Satisfaction with Participation in Social Roles.The estimation model accounted for 74% of observed variation in health utility. In the validation sample, mean health utility was 0.5033 ± 0.1684 and estimated health utility was 0.4966 ± 0.1342 (P = 0.401). These measures were strongly correlated (rho = 0.834).

CONCLUSION
Our results indicate that PROMIS provides a reasonable estimate of health utility in adults presenting for lumbar or cervical spine surgery.

LEVEL OF EVIDENCE
1.


This article examines the forms of state planning associated with neoliberalism, through a history and ethnography of the Kolkata Port Trust during liberalization. All state plans are promised futures which create a contested dialogue between bureaucrats and citizens. Neoliberal governance makes these interactions particularly ambiguous and opaque, because it relies on decentralized, speculative planning and the stimulation of public-private partnerships. These produce diverse, behind-the-scenes negotiations whose outcome is entirely different from the schemes initially outlined in textual state promises. It also places low-level bureaucrats in a liminal, Janus-faced role, in which they act both to create and to cross a boundary between public and private action. This new mode of rule is particularly problematic in settings such as the Hooghly River, where informality dominates in labor relationships. Bureaucrats deploy practices previously associated with "corruption" and patronage in order to enfold networks of unprotected labor into the revenue streams and plans of the state.


JaishreeMisra's semi-autobiographical work Ancient Promises narrates the trajectories in the life of the protagonist Janaki allies Janu. The novel is about a young girl's painful journey to self-discovery and freedom. It also raises some very important questions regarding the view of society towards womanhood and disability, as in a country like India both are viewed as the "other". Janu undergoes constant struggle in her life as an affectionate and submissive daughter, an empathetic but guilty lover, a restless and depressed wife, a helpless and desolate mother and so on. The story of Janaki is obvioualy a message to the present-day society. This paper examines quest motif of the central character.


Forty men with chronic stable angina and no prior myocardial infarction were studied. Exercise tolerance testing was carried out off treatment and after beta blockade. beta Blockers were stopped and the patients were randomised to a control group and a study group of patients who undertook a one year high intensity training programme. The groups were then restudied. Submaximum heart rate was reduced by 13 beats per minute by training and by 23 beats per minute by atenolol. Training increased the maximum heart rate by 10 beats per minute and atenolol reduced it by 29 beats per minute. The double produce ST threshold was increased from 183 to 205 by training but reduced to 143 by atenolol. Maximum ST depression was similarly reduced by both training and atenolol. As a result of the effects on maximum heart rate, training produced a greater improvement in exercise tolerance than atenolol with a treadmill time increased from 741 seconds to 1272 seconds with training compared with 974 seconds with atenolol. Other variables were similarly affected. Thus the antianginal efficacy of exercise training is as good as that achieved by beta blockade and represents an alternative to such treatment.


: By means of clinico-catamnestical and anthropological methods the author examined 162 epileptic patients in the initial period (up to 5 years) and 473--in the florid period of the disease (5--24 years). The author demonstrates distinct clinical (the traits of the onset, development of the process, personality changes, invalidization), morphological (dysgenesia) and premorbid characterological and intellectual traits in patients of consanguineous and nonconsanguineous families. The results demonstrate a correlation between the fenotypical traits of epilepsy and the constitutional morphological and premorbid features. The achieved data point to the necessity of a differentiated approach to therapeutical measures and sociolabour rehabilitation in patients of consanguineous and nonconsanguineous families.


Conductive polymer composites with different carbon fillers are under intensive investigation nowadays due to their unique properties and possible applications in different areas of science and technology. The percolation character of the conductivity behaviour in these materials and influence of nanoscale structure of conductive filler on macroscopic characteristics of composites make it important to determine the 3D structure of the components. Various electrical methods of atomic force microscopy (AFM) are efficient tools for visualization of a conductive network on a sample surface. In this work, we use a combination of AFM methods and ultramicrotomy for the 3D reconstruction of the filler structure in graphene-polystyrene and carbon black-epoxy-amine composites. Common features of the various composites, such as the formation of clusters with similar conductivity and limited number of filler particles forming a conductive network, are discussed.


This Full Paper in the Research-To-Practice Category presents a long-term study about the effects of a student-centered course on communication and professional skills on students' thoughts, attitudes, and behavior. The course is offered at a European university as part of a computer science master's program. This paper shares the design and challenges of a longitudinal study that reaches ten years behind and employs a mixed-methods approach. Besides presenting and interpreting the findings, we shed light on which features tend to stay on students' minds and impact their way of being and acting in society. Moreover, we suggest implications for the design and practice in comparable courses to maximize constructive, sustainable effects, such as improved active listening, presentation skills, and openness to other perspectives. These are essential (not only) for computer science professionals. Our findings suggest that the course provided significant learning for the vast majority of respondents, including aspects such as presenting while keeping the other side in mind, managing one's stress, and becoming less shy to speak up. All in all, we aim to contribute an evidence-based source of motivation for instructors in technically focused curricula who hold a student-centered stance.


Good project management practice has been a major research theme over the last few decades with its practical impact on successful implementation of organisational strategy, becoming more paramount as business objectives become more closely linked to the lowering of prices and improvement in quality of service. It is expected that such strategy is delivered by information systems and technology. Unfortunately the need to develop and deliver innovative Information Systems and Technology projects is constrained by the belief that such projects are always going on for longer than expected. In addition, they fail to meet user requirements or a return on investment. Against this background, there have been repeated reports of very high failure rates of such projects, which indicate that businesses need to be concerned. The approach taken to examine IS&T failure at this stage of the development of this theme is non empirical. It also avoids the traditional approach of examining the entire project lifecycle. Instead, it concentrates on examining success criteria of the project from the service introduction stage.