PURPOSE
Wisdom has received increasing attention in empirical research in recent years, especially in gerontology and psychology, but consistent definitions of wisdom remain elusive. We sought to better characterize this concept via an expert consensus panel using a 2-phase Delphi method.

DESIGN AND METHODS
A survey questionnaire comprised 53 Likert scale statements related to the concepts of wisdom, intelligence, and spirituality was developed to determine if and how wisdom was viewed as being distinct from the latter 2 concepts. Of the 57 international wisdom experts contacted by e-mail, 30 completed the Phase 1 survey and 27 also completed the Phase 2 survey.

RESULTS
In Phase 1, there were significant group differences among the concepts of wisdom, intelligence, and spirituality on 49 of the 53 items rated by the experts. Wisdom differed from intelligence on 46 of these 49 items, whereas wisdom differed from spirituality on 31 items. In Phase 2, we sought to define wisdom further by selecting 12 items based on Phase 1 results. Most experts agreed on many of the suggested characteristics of wisdom-that is, it is uniquely human; a form of advanced cognitive and emotional development that is experience driven; and a personal quality, albeit a rare one, which can be learned, increases with age, can be measured, and is not likely to be enhanced by taking medication.

IMPLICATIONS
There was considerable agreement among the expert participants on wisdom being a distinct entity and a number of its characteristic qualities. These data should help in designing additional empirical research on wisdom.


An entire category of urban space, albeit hardly recognized as such, is disappearing across North America. As retail logistics globalizes and big-box power centres replace enclosed shopping malls from the postwar era, a distinct form of social infrastructure vanishes as well. 'Dead malls' are now a staple of North American (sub)urban landscapes, and have provoked local activism in many places. But despite popular concern for the demise of mall space, critical urban scholarship has largely sidelined the phenomenon. Much of the disjuncture between popular outcry and academic silence relates to conceptions of 'public' space, and specifically the gap between formal ownership and everyday spatial practice. Spatial practice often exceeds the conceptions of designers and managers, transforming malls into community space. This is particularly true in declining inner suburbs, where poor and racialized communities depend more heavily on malls for social reproduction as well as recreation and consumption. In this article we investigate the revolution in logistics that has provoked the phenomenon of 'dead malls' and the creative activism emerging that aims to protect mall space as 'community space'. Taking the case of the Morningside Mall in an old suburb of Toronto, we investigate the informal claims made on mall space through everyday spatial practice and the explicit claims for community space that arise when that space is threatened. We argue that many malls have effectively become community space, and activism to prevent its loss can be understood as a form of anti-globalization practice, even if it never employs that language.


Field experiments were carried out at three locations with different vegetation in Nigeria between 1996 and 1998 to determine the physiological changes in coffee intercropped with maize, cassava and plantain. There were four intercropping treatments comprising coffee/maize, coffee/cassava, coffee/plantain and coffee/maize/cassava/plantain while coffee sole was used as the control. Spacing of 3.1m was used for coffee and plantain, 1m apart for cassava while it was 0.75m [inter row] and 0.30m [intra row] apart for maize. The treatments were replicated four times under randomized complete block design. Data were collected at 3-monthly intervals for 36 months on net assimilation rate [NAR], leaf area ratio [LAR] and relative growth rate [RGR]. Land equivalent ratio (LER) of the trial was also determined. Result showed that NAR decreased as coffee seedlings aged and coffee/plantain gave the highest value while coffee/cassava showed the least NAR value. Same trend above was recorded for the LAR values. Coffee sole had the least RGR value and it was highest in coffee/plantain. This indicates that intercropping coffee with plantain will improve its physiological growth than when grown as sole crop. The land equivalent ratio was recorded for coffee/plantain intercrop in all the locations. Consequently, coffee/plantain intercrop is recommended for coffee farmers in the first three years after transplanting to the field. Key words: Physiological changes; coffee seedlings; intercropped Moor Journal of Agricultural Research Vol.4(2) 2003: 218-224


As the Army invests in the integration of VICTORY (Vehicular Integration for C4ISR/EW Interoperability) into its ground vehicle platforms, it becomes clear there are multiple ways to achieve interoperable if not common implementation across the fleet. There are positive and negatives associated with each of the possible VICTORY configurations that ultimately achieve the same results. This paper will outline, compare, and evaluate the 3 most popular implementation configurations. Both the Army and Marines are developing programs to implement VICTORY as a means of network improvement as well as more effective connectivity. A deeper understanding of the different architectures will reinforce what works well and achieves the goal, and provides insight into technical and operational areas that may be in need of some refinement or modification. The information provided by the analysis in all options can help guide the integration in a more successful direction by establishing a roadmap for technical and operational performance requirements. There are 3 main VICTORY architectures the paper will analyze.


In situ and ex situ bioremediation of oil contaminated effluent pits, sludge pits, oil spilled land and tank bottom, and effluent treatment plant (ETP) oily sludge was carried out at Ankleshwar, Mehsana, Assam and Cauvery Asset of Oil and Natural Gas Corporation Limited (ONGC), India. The types of contaminant were heavy paraffinic, asphaltic and light crude oil and emulsified oily sludge /contaminated soil. An indigenous microbial consortium was developed by assembling four species of bacteria, isolated from various oil contaminated sites of India, which could biodegrade different fractions of total petroleum hydrocarbon (TPH) of the oily waste to environment friendly end products. The said consortium was on a large scale field applied to the above oil installations and it successfully bioremediated 30,706 tonnes of different types of oily waste. In 65 case studies of different batch size of in situ and ex situ bioremediation processes, the initial TPH content varying from 69.20 to 662.70 g/kg of oily waste has been biodegraded to 5.30 – 16.90 g/kg of oily waste in a range of 2 to 33 months. Biodegradation rate varied in the range of 0.22 – 1.10 Kg TPH /day/m2 area due to the climatic condition of the treatment zone and the type of waste treated. The bioremediated soil was non-toxic and natural vegetation was found to be grown on the same ground. Successful eco-restoration of one large effluent pit of 26,000 m2 area was carried out by cultivation of local fish species after completion of bioremediation. Bioremediation technology has helped ONGC with the management of their hazardous oily wastes in an environment friendly manner. DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.5755/j01.erem.68.2.5632


In this paper, we employ the stochastic dominance approach to rank the performance of commodity trading advisors (CTA) funds. An advantage of this approach is that it alleviates the problems that can arise if CTA returns are not normally distributed by utilizing the entire returns distribution. We find both first-order and higher-order stochastic dominance relationships amongst the CTA funds and conclude that investors would be better off investing in the first-order dominant funds to maximize their expected utilities and expected wealth. However, for higher-order dominant CTA, risk-averse investors can maximize their expected utilities but not their expected wealth. We conclude that the stochastic dominance approach is more appropriate compared with traditional approaches as a filter in the CTA selection process given that a meaningful economic interpretation of the results is possible as the entire return distribution is utilized when returns are non-normal.


In this study, micro patterns were formed on the developed AlN-hBN composites using powder blasting techniques, which have been considered as one of the most appropriate micro machining methods for hard and brittle materials such as ceramics. To achieve the objective, first, material properties of the developed AlN-hBN composites were evaluated according to the variation of h-BN contents. And, a series of required experiments were performed, and the results were analyzed. As the results, it was investigated that the machiniability of the developed AlN-hBN composites increased with the increase of the h-BN contents in the composites. From the experimental results, it was possible to determine optimum blasting conditions for micro pattern making on the developed AlN-hBN composites.


The counter marketing strategy of the truth® campaign is unique. They use a voice that does not talk down to the teens in their target market; instead, they talk to teens in their own voice. Throughout this paper, I work to determine the effectiveness of the truth campaign's counter marketing strategy. I do this through my own research, in which I utilize a survey and two focus groups, in addition to secondary research. As many of the studies I looked at were from the time of the launch of truth®, conducting my own research allowed me to gain a better understanding of truth® and the effects of the campaign today. This research is more important than ever before as youth smoking rates have once again increased due to the introduction of e-cigarettes. Research supports my hypothesis that truth® has been effective, but it is important that they continue this success and tailor their strategy to combat the everchanging tobacco industry.


RT-ASLAN, a formal language for specifying real-time systems, is an extension of the ASLAN specification language for sequential systems. Some of the features of the ASLAN language, such as constructs for writing procedural semantics in a nonprocedural logical language, are highlighted. The RT-ASLAN language supports specification of parallel real-time processes through arbitrary levels of abstraction; processes do not have to be specified to the same level of detail. Communicating processes use an interface process as an abstract data type representing shared information. From RT-ASLAN specifications, performance correctness conjectures are generated. These conjectures are logic statements whose proof guarantees that the specification meets critical time bounds. A detailed example as well as a discussion of the advantages and disadvantages of formal specification and verification are included.


We describe an approach for the identification of good distance spectra for possibly existing binary linear block codes based on linear programming and the MacWilliams-Delsarte (1977, 1972) identities. Specifically, the linear program is defined by an expression characterizing the performance of a potential code in terms of its distance spectrum and constraints imposed by the MacWilliams-Delsarte identities. Using the union bound to characterize performance, our results suggest that the best distance spectrum is not a function of signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) above the cutoff rate SNR and also suggest the existence of several unknown, good codes. Characterizing the performance using the maximum spectral error component of the union bound suggests spectral thinning with decreasing SNR.


Three-dimension scene simulation technology of virtual environment maybe widely applied in many fields such as city planning, tourist industry and virtual battlefield. The technique has been applied to the research of ldquodigital campusrdquo which provides a new research topic in the todaypsilas world. In this paper, in allusion to the problem of digital campus GUI, some key technologies about how to realize the system are introduced, including 3D modeling, object picking up, multi-channel comparison, object hierarchical display and so on. Through Multigen Creator which is modeling platform for three-dimensional digital campus model databasepsilas construction, and Vega is software environment for virtual reality and real-time simulation applications. The Vega application based on MFC is realized which using the technology of VC++ and Vega API on the windows platform.


The paper concerns analysis of internal forces and displacements in steel bridge girders flexibly connected with concrete deck slab. Types of deck slabs, shear connectors and test results are discussed. Five models describing the phenomenon of connection flexibility in bent girders are presented. The emphasis is put on the solution of the analytical problem based on differential equations. The analysis concerns two applied forms of the problem concerning the interaction of the combined girder elements resulting with internal forces or displacements. The mixed solution has been proven to be more effective, as it provides exact results (internal forces and displacements). The analysis of the problem, carried out with use of classical parameter Cz characterizing flexibility of connection, was complemented with  and  indicators introduced by authors. It is shown that  and  indicators inform on the stress distribution in cross section of the girder. The Cz(x) and M(x) functions essentially influence the internal forces distribution along the girder. Thus they influence the  and  indicators as well. Numerical examples given in the paper describe relations between Cz(x) and M(x) as well as (x) and (x).


We fragment the cost of bank failures within the national Deposit Insurance Fund into three components that include the resolution cost of the less-essential banks, the administrative rescue cost of the larger and more influential financial institutions, and the complete legislative bailout cost of the systemically vital banks. We develop a forecasting model that can help regulators to comprehend the expected systemic cost of future bank failures both over reasonably short-terms and through extended periods of time. The current theory can assist policy makers in better designing the reserves within the Deposit Insurance Fund and the exclusive premiums charged from banks that routinely subsidize these reserves.


We study the positive and negative bias-temperature instabilities (PBTI and NBTI) on the back gate of single-layer double-gated graphene field-effect transistors (GFETs). By analyzing the resulting degradation at different stress times and oxide fields we show that there is a significant asymmetry between PBTI and NBTI with respect to their dependences on these parameters. Finally, we compare the results obtained on the high-k top gate and SiO2 back gate of the same device and show that SiO2 gate is more stable with respect to BTI.


Two siblings from a Mexican family who carried lethal Raine syndrome are presented. A newborn term male (case 1) and his 21 gestational week brother (case 2), with a similar osteosclerotic pattern: generalized osteosclerosis, which is more evident in facial bones and cranial base. Prenatal findings at 21 weeks and histopathological features for case 2 are described. A novel combination of biallelic FAM20C pathogenic variants were detected, a maternal cytosine duplication at position 456 and a paternal deletion of a cytosine in position 474 in exon 1, which change the reading frame with a premature termination at codon 207 and 185 respectively. These changes are in concordance with a negative detection of the protein in liver and kidney as shown in case 2. Necropsy showed absence of pancreatic Langerhans Islets, which are reported here for the first time. Corpus callosum absence is added to the few reported cases of brain defects in Raine syndrome. This report shows two new FAM20C variants not described previously, and negative protein detection in the liver and the kidney. We highlight that lethal Raine syndrome is well defined as early as 21 weeks, including mineralization defects and craniofacial features. Pancreas and brain defects found here in FAM20C deficiency extend the functional spectrum of this protein to previously unknown organs, and can lead to search for new FAM20C targets in order to get ala better understanding of the wide pathologic and phenotypic spectrum of RS.


Objective: Few data exist on successes at reducing pediatric catheter-associated bloodstream infections (CA-BSI). The objective was to eradicate CA-BSI with a multifaceted pediatric-relevant intervention proven effective in adult patients. Design: Prospective cohort of pediatric intensive care (PICU) patients with historical controls. Setting: Multidisciplinary PICU. Patients/Participants: PICU patients with intervention targeting PICU providers. Interventions: Multifaceted intervention involving preintervention staff surveys, provider educational program, creation of central catheter procedure cart, guideline-supported central catheter insertion checklist, nursing staff empowerment to stop procedures that breached guidelines, and real-time data feedback to PICU leadership. Measurements and Main Results: We measured rate of CA-BSI per 1000 catheter days from August 2001 through September 2006. Reliable use of evidence-based best practices for insertion of central catheters in our PICU was associated with a statistically and clinically significant decrease in our CA-BSI rate for 24 months postintervention (p < .05). During a portion of this postintervention period, we experienced a dramatic increase in our CA-BSI rate that was ultimately found to be due to the introduction of a new positive displacement mechanical valve intravenous port in April 2004. After removal of this positive displacement mechanical valve, our CA-BSI rate dropped from 5.2 ± 4.5 CA-BSI per 1000 central catheter days to a rate of 3.0 ± 1.9 CA-BSI per 1000 central catheter days. Chart review of postintervention CA-BSI cases revealed that these patients acquired CA-BSI weeks after both PICU admission and after insertion of the most recent central catheter. Conclusions: Our data show that improving practices for insertion of central catheters leads to a reduction of CA-BSI among pediatric patients but not elimination of CA-BSI. More research is needed to identify best practices for maintenance of central catheters for children. In addition, our experience shows that even despite good interventions to control CA-BSI, institutions must remain vigilant to factors such as new technology with apparent advantages but short track records of use.


Influence of area ratio (AR) on main performance parameters of solar chimney power plants (SCPPs) is investigated through a justified 3D axisymmetric CFD model. Geometric characteristics of Manzanares pilot plant (MPP) are taken into consideration for the numerical model. AR is varied from 0.5 to 10 to cover both concave and convex (convergent and divergent) solar chimney designs. Following the accuracy verification of the CFD results and proving mesh-independent solution, main performance oriented parameters are assessed as a function of AR such as velocity, temperature and pressure distribution within MPP, temperature rise of air in collector, mass flow rate of air around the turbine area, dynamic pressure difference across the turbine, minimum static pressure in the entire plant, power output and system efficiency. The results reveal that AR plays a vital role in performance figures of MPP. Mass flow rate of air ($\dot{m}$) is found to be 1122.1 kg/s for the reference geometry (AR = 1), whereas it is 1629.1 kg/s for the optimum AR value of 4. System efficiency (η) is determined to be 0.29% for the reference case; however, it is enhanced to 0.83% for the AR of 4.1. MPP can generate 54.3 kW electrical power in its current design while it is possible to improve this figure to 168.5 kW with the optimal AR value.


Emphysema is a very common cause of morbidity and mortality in South Africa (SA). Therapeutic options in severe emphysema are limited. Endoscopic lung volume reduction (ELVR) is increasingly being used internationally for the treatment of advanced emphysema in a subset of patients with advanced disease, aiming to obtain the same functional advantages as surgical lung volume reduction while reducing risks and costs. In addition to endobronchial valves, ELVR using endobronchial coils is now available in SA. The high cost of these interventions underscores the need for careful patient selection to best identify those who may or may not benefit from ELVR-related procedures. The Assembly on Interventional Pulmonology of the South African Thoracic Society appointed a committee comprising both local and international experts to extensively review all relevant evidence and provide advice on the use of ELVR in SA based on published evidence, expert opinion and local access to the various devices.


Sandwich composites utilize a low density core and relatively stiff face sheets. These structures are ideal for applications that require high compressive strength, high bending stiffness, and very low weight such as aerospace vehicles. However, one problem with sandwich composites is their susceptibility to low velocity impact damage. Low velocity impacts result in both external damage, in the form of dents, and internal damage, in the form of core crushing, face sheet delaminations (two adjacent plies separating from one another), fiber fractures and matrix cracks. In general, it is assumed that visibly evident damage will be repaired. Barely visible impact damage (BVID) therefore represents a threshold, such that damage of this size or smaller must be considered to exist in flight structure, and structure must therefore be designed to tolerate this level of damage without a loss in performance. In order to design structures appropriately, it is necessary to understand the type and extent of internal damage present at or near the BVID threshold. Such damage assessments are then used as input for structural performance determinations. The purpose of this paper is to investigate how structural and impact parameters affect the nature and extent of damage in sandwich composites in the vicinity of BVID. The particular sandwich composites that were studied are comprised of an aluminum honeycomb core and face sheets made from multiple plies of unidirectional graphite fibers in an epoxy matrix. The plies in the face sheets have fibers oriented in the 0°, 90°, 45° and -45° directions. These plies are relatively stiff in the fiber direction and compliant in the perpendicular direction. Plies of different directions are stacked on top of each other to build face sheets that are quasi-isotropic, i.e., that have the same strength and stiffness in their in-plane directions. The parameters that are investigated in this paper are the core thickness, core density, face sheet stacking sequence (the sequence that the plies in various directions are placed on top of one another), load, and indenter diameter. To this end, specimens are indented using a quasi-static indentation test. In this test, load is applied monotonically using a fixed diameter indenter until the permanent dent becomes barely visible. This approach has been shown to produce essentially the same type of damage as low-velocity impact, but allows for more consistent and controllable levels of damage to be created. The damage was then evaluated nondestructively via ultrasonics and destructively via cross sectioning and microscopy. The results obtained by these two methods were then compared and synthesized to obtain an understanding of the internal state of damage as a function of those parameters studied. It was found that the two parameters that are most important are the face sheet stacking sequence and the core density. In terms of stacking sequence, delaminations are most prominent between plies with large differences in their fiber orientations. For adjacent plies with very different fiber directions (i.e., a 90° ply followed by a 0° ply), there is a large mismatch in stiffness and in coefficient of thermal expansion. This causes large shear stresses, which in turn lead to delamination. In addition, stiffer, higher density cores are observed to cause more delamination to occur than lower density, more compliant cores. It is expected that the data and trends collected in this study may be used to provide guidance for choosing structural geometries that optimize weight, cost, and impact resistance for practical structural applications.


This paper formalizes the binarization operations over neural networks from a learning perspective. In contrast to classical hand crafted rules (\eg hard thresholding) to binarize full-precision neurons, we propose to learn a mapping from full-precision neurons to the target binary ones. Each individual weight entry will not be binarized independently. Instead, they are taken as a whole to accomplish the binarization, just as they work together in generating convolution features. To help the training of the binarization mapping, the full-precision neurons after taking sign operations is regarded as some auxiliary supervision signal, which is noisy but still has valuable guidance. An unbiased estimator is therefore introduced to mitigate the influence of the supervision noise. Experimental results on benchmark datasets indicate that the proposed binarization technique attains consistent improvements over baselines.


This article describes the application of wavelet transform for image enhancement in medical imaging. The initial clinical application is the enhancement of microcalcification clusters (MCCs) in digitized mammograms to improve both their visualization and their detection using computer assisted diagnostic (CAD) methods. The potential universal application for improved visual interpretation of medical images using a computer monitor is also demonstrated. The early detection of MCCs is important in screening programs since their presence is often associated with a high incidence of breast cancer. The enhancement of MCCs is an excellent model for real world evaluation of the wavelet transform. The detection of MCCs presents a significant challenge to the performance characteristics of X-ray imaging sensors and image display monitors since microcalcifications vary in size, shape, signal intensity, and contrast and may be located in areas of very dense parenchymal tissue, making their detection difficult. The classification of MCCs, in turn, as benign or malignant, requires their morphology and detail to be preserved. >


Author(s): Shoorideh, Kaveh | Advisor(s): Chui, Chi On | Abstract: Over the past 15 years, biologically sensitive field-effect-transistors (bioFETs) employing a nanowire as their active element have become very popular. Each year, many experiments are reported that use nanowire bioFETs to detect and quantify new clinically relevant biomolecules.This thesis aims to enhance our understanding of bioFETs in order to answer important practical questions regarding the operation and optimization of them.We discuss the proper biasing of a bioFET in order to maximize sensitivity. Using electrostatic arguments and MATLAB simulations, we offer a recipe for biasing that applies to biomolecule detection using SOI-based FETs, including nanowire and nanoribbon bioFETs. In contrast to previous works, we take into account the two degree of freedom afforded by a solution-gate and a back-gate. We find that such a bioFET is best operated when the channel is fully depleted. This is in line with the findings of others regarding the biasing of bioFETs using a single gate. We also discuss the opportunity to tune an extra degree-of-freedom: the electric charge on the surface of bioFETs that could be brought by other chemical species, such as linker molecules, probe molecules, or surface groups. We show that an optimum value exists for this surface charge. The optimum amount of charge is that which minimizes the electric field at the solution/bioFET interface prior to analyte capture. We show that this optimum is a result of a minimum in Debye screening strength.We study the electrostatics of a nanowire bioFET as we change the geometry of the nanowire. It is commonly accepted that nanowires with small diameters are more sensitive than larger nanowires because their surface-area-to-volume ratio is larger. We use analytical arguments to show that this analysis is incorrect. Using simulations, we show that analytes captured in concave regions and corners produce a stronger signal due to reduced Debye screening. All structures have such corners, but in small nanowires, these corners are a larger fraction of the entire surface, so the positive effect of the corner is more apparent, leading to higher sensitivity for smaller nanowires.We discuss the necessity of solution electrodes in the operation of bioFETs. We show that without a solution electrode, the sample solution will capacitively couple to various FET terminals, resulting in an unpredictable bias point, and an unpredictable return path for the bioFET electric field. These effects could adversely affect the reproducibility of bioFET measurements. We use analytical arguments to show that a return path must exist for the electric fields that emanate from the biomolecules and enter the bioFET. We use simulations to show that the uncontrolled capacitive coupling between the sample solution and the bioFET terminals provides this path in the absence of a solution electrode. We also show that slight variations in the structure could affect this capacitive coupling and change the sensitivity in largely unpredictable and unexpected ways. We conclude that either a solution electrode must be present, or the sample solution must be coupled to a terminal using a controlled large capacitance in order to minimize the effect of variations. We also show that lack of a solution electrode can be a source of signal drift in experiments.


We sampled rocks for zircon (ZHe) and apatite (AHe) (U-Th)/He thermochronology from seven mountain ranges across the Rio Grande rift-Basin and Range transition zone in southeastern Arizona, southern New Mexico, and western Texas. Individual AHe ages (n=23) range from 8–26 Ma, and ZHe ages (n=42) range from 19–649 Ma. Samples from the Basin and Range province, west of the Cookes Range and the Florida Mountains (southwestern New Mexico), have a small spread in ZHe ages, whereas samples from the southern Rio Grande rift yield a wide range of ZHe ages that is related to a corresponding spread in effective uranium (eU). Forward and inverse modeling suggests that cooling from temperatures >200°C in the southeastern Basin and Range may have been due to a combination of tectonic exhumation and mid-Cenozoic igneous activity, whereas extension in the southern Rio Grande rift exhumed rocks from depths corresponding to temperatures <200°C. However, basins in the southern Rio Grande rift are up to 3 km deep, whereas the southeastern Basin and Range is characterized by basins with less than 700 m of basin fill. While further work is needed to fully understand the effects of normal faulting vs. igneous activity on thermochronologic data in southwestern New Mexico, these observations may be a reflection of different styles of extension in each region, separated by a N–S trending boundary in southern New Mexico. Core complex style extension involving low-angle normal faults and mid-crustal detachments are common within the Basin and Range. In contrast, extension in the southern Rio Grande rift may have been accomplished through high-angle faults, which would favor the formation of deep basins, but which did not exhume rocks from depths corresponding to temperatures >200°C. 127 New Mexico Geological Society Guidebook, 69th Field Conference, Las Cruces Country III, 2018, p. 127-135.


Background

Syrian refugees are seriously traumatized by the conflict in their country. Consequently, mental health problems, particularly depression and PTSD, are prevalent among refugees. Despite this fact, they make little use of mental health services. Using a population sample of Syrian refugees living in Ankara, we assessed the perceived need for and contact with mental health services, as well as the barriers to access these services.
Methods

This was a cross-sectional study of 420 Syrian refugees living in Ankara city center, using face to face interviews administered at the respondents' home by trained, Arabic-speaking interviewers. The data were collected in October–November 2016 in two neighborhoods of Ankara, where most of Syrian refugees were concentrated. PTSD and depression were assessed using Harvard Trauma Questionnaire and Beck Depression Inventory, respectively. Both measures have been validated in Arabic.
Results

Of all the refugees in our sample, 14.8% (N = 62) stated that they felt the need for mental healthcare since arriving in Turkey. The actual number contacting any mental health service, however, was very low (N = 6). Multivariate analyses revealed that traumatic stress scores predicted the perceived need for contacting services. Though women reported much higher need for contact with mental health services than men, there was no gender effect on actual contact. Speaking Turkish seemed to increase contact with services, which is in line with language being listed as the most important barrier to accessing care.
Conclusions

Our results show that, although refugees with mental health problems are more likely to contact services than others, most of those who need mental health care go untreated, and there is a significant gender inequity in this regard. To address this treatment gap, and to provide adequate care for refugees with mental health problems, common barriers (language, stigma, and awareness) should be identified and dealt with.


Our goal for this paper is to apply the methodologies of statistical mechanics to develop exible tools for use in computational musicology. Classical statistical mechanics is the study of extremely information-rich particle systems. Large quantities of information describing the position and velocity of each particle may be compressed into a few descriptive variables such as temperature and pressure. These variables are easily perceived by an observer. In the same way, we will distill information from the scores of musical compositions, producing new macroscopic quantities that describe perceptible features of the music.


The point of view is adopted that there are many natural situations in which the controller is interested in finding a policy that will achieve a sufficiently high long-run average reward, that is, a target level with a sufficiently high probability, that is, a percentile. The key conceptual difference between this approach and the classical problem is that the present controller is not searching for an optimal policy but rather for a policy that is 'good enough', knowing that such a policy will typically fail to exist if the target level and the percentile are set too high. Conceptually, the approach is somewhat analogous to that often adopted by statisticians in testing of hypotheses where it is desirable (but usually not possible) to minimize simultaneously the so-called 'type 1' and the 'type 2' errors.<<ETX>>


Complexity is one of the most important characteristic properties of the economic behaviour. The new field of knowledge called Chaotic Dynamic Economics born precisely with the objective of understanding, structuring and explaining in an endogenous way such complexity. In this paper, and after scanning the principal concepts and techniques about the mathematics of chaos and the fractal geometry, we analyze the possibilities of application of these valuable tools to the different areas of Economics. After a set of general considerations, within a wide landscape, we tackle the study of two main economic areas: the existence of chaos in time series, and the eventual chaotic behaviour in the Capital Markets during the recent period of crisis, considering the IBEX 35 daily data in the years 2006-2013, obtaining very interesting results.


Apoptosis renders eosinophils functionally effete and marks them for "silent" removal from inflamed sites by macrophages. We show, for the first time, that eosinophils exposed to TNF-alpha rapidly lose their cytoplasmic levels of IkappaBalpha, the inhibitory subunit of NF-kappaB. Consequently, TNF-alpha triggers NF-kappaB mobilization from the cytoplasm to the nucleus, as determined by tracking the NF-kappaB subunit p65 by immunofluorescence and Western blot analysis. Inhibition of TNF-alpha-mediated IkappaBalpha degradation and NF-kappaB activation by gliotoxin or the proteasome inhibitor MG-132 un-masks the caspase-dependent pro-apoptotic properties of TNF-alpha. In addition, cycloheximide similarly renders TNF-alpha pro-apoptotic, suggesting that NF-kappaB activation controls the production of a protein(s) that protects eosinophils from the cytotoxic effects of TNF-alpha. Evidence is presented suggesting that TNF-alpha triggered apoptosis is more susceptible to NF-kappaB inhibition than constitutive apoptosis, leading to the possibility of the specific targeting of apoptosis in eosinophil sub-populations. Prior to morphological signs of apoptosis, TNF-alpha-induced IL-8 synthesis is abrogated by inhibition of NF-kappaB. We propose that NF-kappaB activation plays a critical role in controlling eosinophil responsiveness and apoptosis, and speculate that selective inhibitors of eosinophil NF-kappaB activation may ultimately provide alternative therapeutic agents for the treatment of eosinophilic diseases, including asthma and allergic rhinitis.


Most urban areas in Australia are facing the prospect of increasing scarcity of water. Further pressure arises from evidence that existing levels of water use in many catchments are environmentally unsustainable. One option, feasible for some but not all Australian cities is the diversion to urban areas of water currently used for irrigated agriculture. Such diversions are currently constrained by a range of government policies. However, plans for the creation of a national water market raise the possibility that water rights may be purchased from irrigators and used to increase the supply of water for residential use. A number of policy concerns, notably relating to stranded assets and environmental externalities must be addressed in the consideration of such purchases.


In the mid-1990s the classification of the most common Mendelian-inherited arthrogryposis syndromes was revised. Distal arthrogryposes (DAs) were classified into 10 hierarchically related disorders according to the proportion of features they shared with one another (DA1–DA10). Features shared among the DAs include a consistent pattern of distal joint (hands and feet) involvement, limited proximal joint involvement, autosomal dominant inheritance, variable expressivity. Most FSS cases are sporadic, but there are also evidences of autosomal-dominant transmission in FSS. An autosomal recessive or X-linked recessive pattern may be observed in cases in which the parent has non-penetrant somatic mosaicism or germ-like mosaicism. Several DA syndromes can be caused by mutations in 4 genes that encode proteins of the troponin-tropomyosin complex of fast-twich myofibres (mutations in TPM2, TNN12, TNNT3, MYH8). The most frequently seen clinical manifestation are: scoliosis, dental crowding, strabismus, severe respiratory infections, hearing loss, fractures, hernia, cryptorchidism, headaches, malignant hyperthermia, joint dislocations, severe vomiting, arthritis/joint pain. Children with Freeman-Sheldon syndrome are recognized by the characteristic face ("whistling mouth"), microcephaly and mental retardation have been observed in one third of patients. The authors present a 11-month-old boy with the phenotype of Freeman-Sheldon syndrome.


We demonstrate a directed optical decoder device consisting of two cascaded microring resonators, which are both modulated through the plasma dispersion effect. The inherent resonance wavelength mismatch between two microring resonators caused by fabrication errors is compensated for by using microheaters that are fabricated on top of the microring resonators. Two electrical signals generated by pulse pattern generators are used to modulate the PIN diodes that are embedded in the device, and the results are presented by optical signals detected at the four output ports of the device. The working wavelength and driving voltages of two MRRs are measured and analyzed by the static response spectra of the device. Dynamic experimental results show that the decoding operation is achieved at a speed of 100 Mbps.


The dynamics of ice-sheets in response to climate changes becomes increasingly a focus of research. In this regard the glacial history of the Amundsen Sea sector of the West Antarctic Ice-Sheet (WAIS) is of particular interest. A potential deglaciation and collapse of the Thwaites and Pine Island glacier drainage basins alone would result in a global sea level rise of approximately 1.5 m. New multichannel seismic reflection data of high-resolution offer a record of the glacial development and processes in this area. We present a first interpretation of five seismic profiles collected in the western Amundsen Sea Embayment as part of the RV Polarstern cruise ANT-XXIII/4 (2006).The sea-floor morphology of the observed area is highly variable. Close to the present coast, a rough topography includes troughs of several 100 m depth which were probably formed by palaeo-icestreams cut through the shelf. Here, the seismic lines reveal hardly any internal sequences. Only some thin sediment pockets ( 800 m), indicating well layered sedimentary units. The strata reveal a striking alternation of reflection-poor, almost opaque, units and sequences of closely spaced, continuous reflectors. This alternation probably represents changes in depositional conditions due to sea level variations or periods of ice-sheet extension. Reflection-poor units probably consist of a homogeneous sedimentary matrix with uniform physical properties. An extended ice-shelf cover may have led to the deposition of diamictites and till. In contrast, high-amplitude reflectors result from marked changes of sedimentary densities and P-wave velocities which are the parameters controlling the seismic reflectivity. During these times, open water conditions might have prevailed which allowed a stronger diversification of deposits. Unfortunately, no age control by drill sites is available for this region. However, borehole records of the ANDRILL project in the western Ross Sea show a similar sedimentary pattern, thats why we tentatively suggest at least 10 cycles of ice-shelf expansions and retreats since the middle Miocene in the western Amundsen Sea Embayment.


This book of specially commissioned essays by distinguished housing scholars addresses the big issues in contemporary debates about housing and housing policy in the UK. Setting out a distinctive and coherent analysis, it steers a course between those accounts that rely on economic theory and analysis and those that emphasize policy. It is informed by the idea that the 1970s was a pivotal decade in the second half of the twentieth century, and that since that time there has been a profound transformation in the housing system and housing policy in the UK. The contributors describe, analyze and explain aspects of that transformation, as a basis for understanding the present and thinking about the future. The analysis of housing is set within an understanding of the wider changes affecting the economy and the welfare state since the crises of the mid 1970s.


We present a dynamic model of the decision to pursue a college degree in which students face uncertainty about their future income stream after graduation due to unobserved heterogeneity in their innate scholastic ability. After matriculating and taking some exams, students re-evaluate their expectations about succeeding in college and may decide to drop out and start working. The model shows that, in accordance with the data, poorer students are less likely to graduate and are likely to drop out sooner than wealthier students. Our model generates these results without introducing explicit credit constraints.


Existing approaches to characterizing and evaluating level designs involve either the application of theory-based language to qualitatively describe the level's structure, or empirical evaluation of how players experience the levels. In this paper, we propose a method for evaluation that bridges these two approaches: theorybased, quantitative metrics that measure the qualities of levels. The metrics are drawn from a design activity with student designers creating levels for both a 2D and 3D platformer. The results from this activity are 20 new metrics that aim to shed light on the aesthetic and topological properties of level design, and the ways they induce players to use tactics and experience difficulty. The existence of quantitative metrics for evaluating and analyzing levels offers the opportunity for computational implementation. This could provide valuable, rapid feedback to designers during their design process, as well as have repercussions for new evaluation techniques for procedural content generation.


The major objective of this dissertation is to survey
and comment upon the usages of the term 'responsibility' in
education with particular reference to the bearing of such usage
on educational administration. It is a commonly held view that
the concept of responsibility is closely linked with the concept
of education and that it has application within the enterprises
that we label 'educational'. With this view in mind . we tend to
agree that educators should accept a heavy responsibility burden
and in order to do this it is necessary for them to be very
responsible people. Many educational theorists would also hold
that to be regarded as responsible would be a positive and perhaps
necessary attribute of the 'educated man'. The term 'responsibility' can have a variety of meanings
and it seems that a lack of clarification or specification in this
regard can lead and has led to a degree of practical and conceptual
difficulty for those involved in educational decision making. It
appears that the term is used not only too freely and in a loose
and inconsistent manner but also that such usage has tended to
obscure certain value-laden aspects of the concept of education.
Abstractions such as those closely related to the usage of terms
like 'responsibility', 'education', and 'society' are complex and
fraught with conceptual difficulty. In an attempt to overcome
the problems derived from such difficulty it will be necessary to
make some general assumptions in relation to what is meant and
what is desired.. Particular efforts will be made to emphasize
areas where inconsistency, avoidable ambiguity, combined with
disregard for logical argument have proved detrimental to the
quality of education taking place. It is intended to briefly
survey a number of issues and to deal more fully with those which
appear to have specific significance and application to educational
practices in the local situation. In the course work leading up to this dissertation, I
was concerned at the apparent lack of liaison between the
philosophical and the administrative aspects of our education
system. There are a number of reasons for this, not the least
being the difficulties of combining particular disciplines or
areas of knowledge and enquiry in such a way as to make them
more widely available and acceptable to educators in general.
Those involved in administration often find that the continuing
demands of the on-going task do not allow them time to involve
themselves in philosophical considerations which could, on more
careful analysis, be regarded as vital to the success of the
schooling and educational enterprises for which they are responsible.
The study has been undertaken with the practicalities
of educational administration and management specifically in mind
and some efforts have been made to curtail involvement in complex
theoretical debate. To do this it has been necessary to bring
together philosophical and practical issues in a discursive and
meaningful manner.
Some of the stipulations made in relation to the term
'education' will reflect my own views, and it is my main intention
to aid, where possible, the understanding of those administrators
or managers who are familiar with the local situation. Any attempts
to put forward radical innovative educational theories, Or even to
discuss alternative theories in detail, would tend to detract from
the aim of the exercise which is to reveal the central importance
of the concept of responsibility in the current management of education.


Regions in sub-Saharan Africa face many challenges around adequate healthcare services for their populations. One particular problem is the high mortality rate of mothers who live in rural areas. One of the most critical interventions for safe motherhood is ensuring that skilled professionals provide adequate care during pregnancy and childbirth. Given the challenges of providing quality pre- and post-natal care to women in developing regions, we examine the participatory design of a mobile app for pregnant and new mothers living in the rural town of Laare, Kenya. Results from two previous studies inform the design of a mobile app, MTOTO (Swahili for "baby") and provide insight into the notion of literacy, implications for the design of tools and technologies for women experiencing motherhood, and a framework for engaging targeted end-users as co-designers of tools and technologies.


Increasing atmospheric CO(2) concentration has led to concerns about potential effects on production agriculture. In the fall of 1997, a study was initiated to compare the response of two crop management systems (conventional tillage and no-tillage) to elevated CO(2). The study used a split-plot design replicated three times with two management systems as main plots and two atmospheric CO(2) levels (ambient and twice ambient) as split plots using open-top chambers on a Decatur silt loam soil (clayey, kaolinitic, thermic Rhodic Paleudults). The conventional system was a grain sorghum [Sorghum bicolor (L.) Moench.] and soybean [Glycine max (L.) Merr.] rotation with winter fallow and spring tillage practices. In the no-tillage system, sorghum and soybean were rotated, and three cover crops were used [crimson clover (Trifolium incarnatum L.), sunn hemp (Crotalaria juncea L.), and wheat (Triticum aestivum L.)]. Over multiple growing seasons, the effect of management and CO(2) concentration on leaf-level gas exchange during row crop (soybean in 1999, 2001, and 2003; sorghum in 2000, 2002, and 2004) reproductive growth were evaluated. Treatment effects were fairly consistent across years. In general, higher photosynthetic rates were observed under CO(2) enrichment (more so with soybean) regardless of residue management practice. Elevated CO(2) led to decreases in stomatal conductance and transpiration, which resulted in increased water use efficiency. The effects of management system on gas exchange measurements were infrequently significant, as were interactions of CO(2) and management. These results suggest that better soil moisture conservation and high rates of photosynthesis can occur in both tillage systems in CO(2)-enriched environments during reproductive growth.


Endothelial dysfunction is one of the main consequences of the toxic effects of cigarette smoke on the vascular system. Increasing evidence suggests that the small G-protein RhoA and its downstream effectors, the Rho-kinases (ROCKs), are involved in systemic endothelial dysfunction induced by cigarette smoke. This study aimed to evaluate the role of the RhoA/ROCKs pathway in pulmonary artery endothelial function in current smokers with normal lung function. Lung tissues were obtained from nonsmokers and smokers who underwent lobectomy for lung carcinoma. Arterial relaxation in response to acetylcholine (ACh) was assessed in isolated pulmonary arterial rings. Protein expressions and activities of endothelial nitric oxide synthase (eNOS), ROCKs and the myosin phosphatase subunit 1 (MYPT-1) were sought. Relaxation in response to ACh was significantly lower in smokers as compared with nonsmokers (n = 8 in each group), consistent with reduced eNOS activity in the former compared with the latter. eNOS protein expression remained, however, the same in both groups. Expression of ROCKs, guanosine triphosphate-RhoA and phosphorylated MYPT-1 were significantly increased in smokers compared with controls. Pulmonary endothelial dysfunction is present in smokers whose lung function has not yet been impaired. Reduced activity of eNOS accounts at least in part for this endothelial dysfunction. Increased expression and activity of ROCKs accounts for another part through direct or indirect inhibition of the Rho-A/ROCKs pathway on nitric oxide synthesis and sustained pulmonary vasoconstriction through inhibition of myosin phosphatase.


A 30-year-old man bled massively from a stab wound that injured his liver and right kidney and entered a life-threatening cycle of transfusion, hypothermia, coagulopathy, and rebleeding in spite of surgery and aggressive resuscitation. He was given a single dose of recombinant activated factor VII (rVIIa; NovoSeven, Novo Nordisk, Denmark) in a final attempt to save his life. The patient responded favorably, as bleeding stopped almost immediately and coagulation markers became normal. Clinical course following rVIIa administration was good. Severe bleeding in the trauma patient needing massive transfusion can become complicated by dilutional coagulopathy and hypothermia. Therapy with rVIIa is a promising aid to controlling bleeding in the repeatedly transfused patient who does not respond to standard replacement of blood products.


Multinational corporations (MNCs) operating in developing countries face increasing social and environmental risk. Previous work on how MNCs seek to mitigate these risks has often failed to recognize the complexity and interaction between international, home and host country governance mechanisms. Here, however, changes in corporate environmental behaviour at the site level are evaluated in terms of the dynamics of local and cross-scale institutionalization processes. The subject of the paper is the contestation of industrial pollution at Shell's Sapref oil refinery in Durban, South Africa. Using a novel research design, institutional and organizational theory is combined with social network analysis to explore how and why Sapref's environmental performance has changed over time. The analysis highlights mechanisms of institutional change and how MNC environmental performance can be contested and constructed from the bottom up, thus calling into question the effectiveness of the global environmental governance processes.


This paper presents an ecological model approach to conceptualizing risk of sexual violence against people with learning difficulties, which takes account of the complex social processes involved in the creation of risk. The concept 'vulnerability', often assumed to be a risk-creating characteristic of people with learning difficulties, is too simplistic to take account of all the processes involved in the formation of risk of sexual violence. Risk is influenced by personal attributes, self-defence skills, environments and socio-cultural factors. These risk factors are closely interlinked and constantly interact with one another. The ecological model provides a tool for examining the impact that interactions between individuals and social environments have on an individual's learning and the development opportunities that have the potential to increase self-defence skills.


Film, television and media production are subject to consistent change due to ever-evolving technological and economic environments. Accordingly, tertiary teaching of subject areas such as cinema, animation and visual effects require frequent adjustments regarding curriculum structure and pedagogy. This paper discusses a multifaceted, cross-disciplinary approach to teaching Visual Narratives as part of a Digital Design program. Specifically, pedagogical challenges in teaching Visual Storytelling through Motion Capture and Visual Effects are addressed, and a new pedagogical framework using three different modes of moving image storytelling is applied and cited as case studies. Further, ongoing changes in film production environments and their impact on curricula for tertiary education providers are detailed, and appropriate suggestions based on tangible teaching experience are made. This paper also discusses the advantages of teaching Motion Capture in the context of immersive environments.


Databases for small organic chemical molecules usually contain millions of structures. The screening decks of pharmaceutical companies contain more than a million of structures. Nevertheless chemical substructure searching in these databases can be performed interactively in seconds. Because of this nobody has really missed structural classification of these databases for the purpose of finding data for individual chemical substructures. However, a full deck high‐throughput screen produces also activity data for more than a million of substances. How can this amount of data be analyzed? Which are the active scaffolds identified by an assays? To answer such questions systematic classifications of molecules by scaffolds are needed. In this review it is described how molecules can be hierarchically classified by their scaffolds. It is explained how such classifications can be used to identify active scaffolds in an HTS data set. Once active classes are identified, they need to be visualized in the context of related scaffolds in order to understand SAR. Consequently such visualizations are another topic of this review. In addition scaffold based diversity measures are discussed and an outlook is given about the potential impact of structural classifications on a chemically aware semantic web.


Requisite variety has influenced concepts of environmental relations of organization for almost half a century. This article develops the concept of 'requisite foresight' on the basis of its roots in cybernetics and extends its applicability to contemporary knowledge management. Organization theory incorporating a temporal aspect and reaching for 'requisite foresight' challenges a dualistic and rigid interpretation of organizational environment. If considered within a network of organizations 'distributed knowledge' paves the way for 'requisite foresight'. A 'foresight' approach explains prevalent perspectives in new e-business applications, like supply chain management and customer relationship management. Concluding, 'requisite foresight' merges strands of reasoning useful to the expansion of organizational models in the knowledge economy.


In this study, we performed the static test of nuclear piping materials by the unloading compliance method and the normalization data reduction technique and obtained two fracture resistance curves (J-R curves). The two curves were similar, which proves that the normalization data reduction technique can be adopted in the static test. Then we performed the dynamic fracture toughness test for welding part of nuclear piping. The J-R curves were obtained from the dynamic test by the normalization data reduction technique and were compared to those of the static test results.


The cooling of new born rats within the first 7 days of life (15 min, +2--+4 degrees) was shown to lead to stable hormonal changes in their adult state (4 to 5 months): the content of corticosterone and insulin in blood increased twice. The short cooling of adult rats resulted in the increase of trioiodothyronine content and decrease of insulin content in blood and the increased induction of tyrosine aminotransferase in the liver. The data obtained corroborate an idea that the induction of certain biochemical processes during early postnatal period, due to the involvement in the transcription of certain genes, leads to stable changes in the spectrum of metabolic processes and reactions.


Selective oxidation of furfural to furoic acid was performed with pure oxygen in aqueous phase under mild conditions and uncontrolled pH using hydrotalcite-supported gold nanoparticles as catalyst. Hydrotalcites with different Mg: Al ratios were tested as support. The effects of reaction time, temperature and furfural/catalyst ratio were evaluated. The catalyst Au/HT 4:1 showed the highest activity and selectivity to the desired product, achieving a complete conversion of furfural to furoic acid after 2 h at 110 °C. Further, stability tests were carried out in a continuous stirred-tank reactor and a progressive deactivation of the catalyst due to the leaching of Mg2+ cations from the support inducing changes in the pH of the reaction medium was observed.


Cannabigerol (CBG), a non-psychotropic phytocannabinoid, is a precursor for cannabis derivatives, Δ9-tetrahydrocannabinol and cannabidiol (CBD). Like CBD, CBG has been suggested as an analgesic. A previous study reported CBG (10 μM) blocks voltage-gated sodium (Nav) currents in CNS neurons. However, the manner in which CBG inhibits Nav channels, and whether this effect contributes to CBG's potential analgesic behavior remain unknown. Genetic and functional studies have validated Nav1.7 as an opportune target for analgesic drug development. The efforts to develop therapeutic selective Nav1.7 blockers have been unsuccessful thus far, possibly due to issues in occupancy; drugs have been administered at concentrations many folds above IC50, resulting in loss of isoform-selectivity, and increasing off-target effects. We reasoned that an alternative approach could use compounds possessing 2 important properties: ultra-hydrophobicity and functional selectivity. Hydrophobicity could enhance absorption into neuronal cells especially with local administration. Functional selectivity could reduce likelihood of side-effects. As CBG is ultra-hydrophobic (cLogD=7.04), we sought to determine whether it also possesses functional selectivity against Nav channels that are expressed in dorsal root ganglion (DRG). We found that CBG is a ~10-fold state-dependent Nav inhibitor (KI-KR: ~2-20 μM) with an average Hill-slope of ~2. We determined that at lower concentrations, CBG predominantly blocks sodium Gmax and slows recovery from inactivation; however, as concentration is increased, CBG also hyperpolarizes Nav inactivation curves. Our modeling and multielectrode array recordings suggest that CBG attenuates DRG excitability, which is likely linked with Nav inhibition. As most Nav1.7 channels are inactivated at DRG resting membrane potential, they are more likely to be inhibited by lower CBG concentrations, suggesting functional selectivity against Nav1.7 compared to other Navs (via Gmax block).


Improving health and welfare is an important adaptation and mitigation strategy Developing process based modelling, responsive to adaptation Links to climate and land use change modelling are essential  Livestock systems likely to be hit hardest by climate change Need to develop animal health models that respond to adaptation by farmers Bringing together direct and indirect impacts of climate change vital Adaptation and mitigation need to be considered and modelled together Linking models across scales is important to support policy decisions Learning between sectors carries potential for novel solutions and methodological advances Effective communication of outcomes to stakeholders (how?)


Everyone interested in building a stronger business needs to understand and use the information captured in financial statements. In Managing by the Numbers, business education and accounting experts Chuck Kremer and Ron Rizzuto team up with open-book management authority John Case to demystify the numbers. They present a practical, common-sense approach to reading financial statements and to managing the three bottom lines of business financial performance: net profit, operating cash flow, and return on assets. The book features numerous exercises and examples (with associated templates available on the Web), a powerful new management tool known as "The Financial Scoreboard," and an extensive glossary. Managing by the Numbers is an essential resource for entrepreneurs, business owners, managers, and anyone eager to improve their mastery of the financial side of running a business.


The conventional wisdom is that derivatives are exotic and uniquely risky, although innovative, financial instruments. That perception has given rise to a regulatory patchwork described as confusing, incomplete, and contradictory. This article rethinks how derivatives should be regulated. It begins by de-mystifying derivatives. In contrast to the industry-derived categories, the article shows that derivatives can be deconstructed more intuitively, by their economic functions, into two categories of traditional legal instruments—option contracts and guarantees. Being neither exotic nor uniquely risky, most derivatives should be regulated like those traditional instruments. The article then explains why at least one subset of guarantees—financial guarantees with systemically important counterparties, which are epitomized by credit-default swap (CDS) derivatives—can seriously threaten economic stability, and why the absence of an insurable-interest requirement can further magnify that threat. Finally, the article examines how to design regulation that efficiently targets that threat.


Membrane-bound lecithin retinol acyltransferase (LRAT), an essential enzyme in vitamin A processing, catalyzes the formation of retinyl esters from vitamin A and lecithin. Cloned and expressed LRAT has a molecular mass of 25.3 kDa. The enzyme is not homologous to known enzymes and is, therefore, of substantial interest mechanistically. Along these lines, the functional protomeric state of LRAT is of importance. Gel electrophoretic studies on LRAT in the presence of SDS and disulfide reducing agents show the expected 25 kDa monomer. However, gel electrophoresis in the absence of a reducing agent and/or strong denaturing conditions reveals substantial dimer formation. LRAT monomers can be efficiently and irreversibly cross-linked by thiol reactive bismaleimides in retinal pigment epithelial (RPE) membranes generating LRAT homodimers. Cross-linked LRAT homodimers are fully active catalytically. The experiments suggest that LRAT monomers interact in membranes and form functional homodimers through protein-protein interactions and disulfide bond formation.


A sample of 121 Piaroa Indians from the Federal Amazonia Territory (Venezuela) was studied for the following serum protein polymorphisms: haptoglobin (HP), group-specific component subtypes (GC), orosomucoid (ORM), third component of complement (C3), transferrin C subtypes (TF) and alpha 1-antitrypsin subtypes (PI). The gene frequencies in the whole sample were: HP1 = 0.821; GC1S = 0.698; GC1F = 0.058; GC2 = 0.244; ORMS = 0.434; C3S = 0.699; C3F = 0.289; C3var = 0.012; TFC1 = 0.955; PIM1 = 0.467; PIM2 = 0.004; PIM3 = 0.529. The studied Piaroa sample came from three different communities: Gavilan, Paria and Alto Carinagua. The distribution of GC, C3 and HP polymorphisms was heterogeneous within the three groups. All the examined serum protein markers were polymorphic, in contrast to some enzymatic markers (ADA, DIA, 6PGD, AK) previously studied, which were shown to be monomorphic in the Piaroa. The results were compared with data from other populations living in the same territory.


The Software CMM The Software Engineering Institute at Carnegie Mellon University developed the SW-CMM as a model for building organizational capability, and it has been widely adopted in the software community and beyond. As Table 1 shows, the SW-CMM is a five-level model that describes good engineering and management practices and prescribes improvement priorities for software organizations. Although the SW-CMM is described in a book of nearly 500 pages, the requirements for becoming a Level 5 organization are concisely stated in 52 sentences—the 52 goals of the model's 18 key process areas (KPAs). The practices, subpractices, and examples that flesh out the model can guide software professionals in making reasonable, informed decisions about a broad range of process implementations. The SW-CMM informative materials focus primarily on large projects and large organizations. With minor tailoring and common sense, however, the model can be applied in radically different environments, ranging from twoto three-person projects in small start-up companies to 500-person projects building hard real-time, life-critical systems.2,3 The SW-CMM's rating components are intentionally abstract, capturing "universal truths" about high-performance software organizations. As a glance at Table 2 shows, the KPAs are clearly important to all types of software organizations. With the exception of software subcontract management, which applies only to organizations that do subcontracting, the KPAs and their goals can apply to any software organization. Companies that focus on innovation more than operational excellence might downplay the role of consisExtreme Programming from a CMM Perspective


Based on an invited plenary paper to the Social Policy Association conference in 2009, and co-authored with activists in the user and career movements, this paper considers the relationship between policies and practices designed to give service users a voice in decision making, and the achievement of socially just outcomes. It uses Nancy Fraser's arguments for affirmative recognition and redistribution to frame this discussion.


Water contaminated by heavy metals remains a serious environmental and public health problem. The toxic effects of heavy metals on the biosphere have been demonstrated by a number of studies. Since the main sources of heavy metals for humans are water and food, the monitoring of the heavy metals content in natural water is of paramount importance. Diverse technologies have been used to reduce the contents of heavy metals in water. Recently, adsorption methods have been widely used because of their low cost. The novel nano-water-purifying material used in our work is composed of AlO(OH) nanoparticles loaded onto glass fibre and supported by active carbon felt. The Al nano-powder starting material, was prepared using an electric explosive technique. The products were characterized by X-ray diffraction, scanning electron microscope, transmission electron microscope, and BET techniques. It was found that the particles consisted of AlO(OH) nanofibres of pure boehmite structure. They exhibited a surface area of 431.7 m2 / g. The composite material was found to be effective in removing cadmium from dilute aqueous solutions and could find broad application in heavy metal removal.


Computational thinking is a very necessary capability in the face of the rapid development of ICT and complex. Besides, the 4.0 industrial era also requires computerization in all areas. Nevertheless, there are still not many learning practices aimed at enhancing computational thinking skills for students. Even in Indonesia, the study of Computitatioan thinking is still very minimal. Using a library review, this article will discuss the computational thinking skills in problem-solving and examples of implementation in school learning.


The ethics among educators determine the educative standards of the institution. To clarify the present state, this paper attempted to gain a better understanding of the ethics practices of university faculty in Pakistan. This question was explored in this study by collecting data from 1200 Pakistani Higher Education students through questionnaires, administered at four public sector universities of Pakistan. Multiple analyses, CFA, EFA, correlation, and paired sample t-test were calculated to measure perspectives. Four factors, teachers-students relationship (TSR), teachers conduct towards the community (TCC), teachers and teaching profession (TTP), and teachers' relation to colleagues and management (TCM) emerged as a result of EFA and CFA. The findings showed that the scale is a valid and reliable tool that can be used in Pakistani Higher Education. The study also highlights the need of giving specific attention to maintaining high standards of moral principles not only in higher education institutions (HEIs) but also in the society as well as a code of professional ethics that should also be made available to the faculty of HEIs to abide by them.


In a WDM optical network, each fiber link can carry a certain set of wavelengths /spl Lambda/= {/spl lambda//sub 1/,/spl lambda//sub 2/,...,/spl lambda//sub W/}. One scheme for tolerating a single link failure (or node failure) in the network is the path protection scheme, which establishes an active path and a link-disjoint (or node-disjoint) backup path, so that in the event of a link failure (node failure) on the active path, data can be quickly re-routed through the backup path. We consider a dynamic scenario, where requests to establish active-backup paths between a specified source-destination node pair arrive sequentially. If a link-disjoint (node-disjoint) active-backup path pair is found at the time of the request, the paths are established; otherwise, the request is blocked. In this scenario, at the time a request arrives, not every fiber link will have all W wavelengths available for new call establishment, as some of the wavelengths may already have been allocated to earlier requests and communication through these paths may still be in progress. We assume that the network nodes do not have any wavelength converters. This paper studies the existence of a pair of link-disjoint (node-disjoint) active-backup paths satisfying the wavelength continuity constraint between a specified source-destination node pair. First we prove that both the link-disjoint and node-disjoint versions of the problem are NP-complete. Then we focus on the link-disjoint version and present an approximation algorithm and an exact algorithm for the problem. Finally, through our experimental evaluations, we demonstrate that our approximation algorithm produces near-optimal solutions in almost all of the instances of the problem in a fraction of the time required by the exact algorithm.


Males of Calopteryx splendens use two alternative mating tactics, territoriality, and non-territoriality. These different mating tactics are shown to vary between males within the same population and previous studies have shown that territorial males have considerably higher fitness than non-territorial males. In this paper, we tested whether the wing spot size as sexual ornament, wing length, relative wing spot size, asymmetry in wing length, asymmetry in wing spot size, or asymmetry in relative wing spot size differed between the territorial and non-territorial males. We sampled C. splendens males, representing both mating tactics, from a river system in south-west Finland. According to our results, territorial males have larger wing spot than non-territorial males. In contrast, there were no differences in the other tested traits between the territorial and non-territorial males. In conclusion, our data show that the size of pigmented wing spots may predict the alternative mating tactic of C. splendens males.


Network Coordinate System is vulnerable while facing malicious attacks. Traditional works can mitigate the negative influence caused by malicious attacks but the computing processes take too many computation resources. Thus the security awareness mechanism of NCS is taken into consideration. Through which nodes can know whether it is suffering an attack or not, and decide how to deal with the situations they faced on. To identify the current security situation, this paper explores an unsupervised learning method that utilizes the spectral radius of the estimation error matrix of the time series. Our method is evaluated on the Vivaldi algorithm against many attack models. In our simulations, malicious nodes perform all known attack methods against NCS. Experiments show that this method can recognize the situation of the networks swiftly with low computation cost.


Seismic retrofitting of reinforced concrete (RC) beams by means of carbon fiber reinforced polymer (CFRP) composites is one of the state-of-the-art techniques that have been widely practiced lately. Such external strengthening schemes seem to enhance both stiffness and strength of RC beams when subjected to static and cyclic loading. Extensive research investigation has been carried out for beams subjected to monotonic static loading while limited research data is available for beams subjected to cyclic loadings. Therefore, this study is initiated and its aim is to present the results of full scale experimental testing of RC beams under four-point-bending loading and subjected to monotonic and cyclic loading histories up to failure of the specimens. An unstrengthened RC beam was tested monotonically to serve as a bench-mark. The remaining two externally strengthened RC beams with different anchorage schemes were tested under cyclic loading. The strengthening test matrix included beams bonded with a unidirectional CFRP plate that covers 90% of the beam's soffit length, with one or two unidirectional layers of CFRP wraps at anchorage locations along the beam's length. The anchorage locations were at the edges of the CFRP plate and at the middle of the beam's span. The results presented herein show an increase in the overall strength for the strengthened beams over the unstrengthened ones. The different failure modes and the resulting ductility of the tested specimens are also discussed. This study is considered to be the first part of an extensive program that aims to investigate the different parameters that govern the external strengthening techniques of RC beams when subjected to cyclic loading.


During the past three decades, sustainability has become an important strategic goal for organisations. These organisations can save costs and gain long term competitive advantages by being concerned about the future of people and planet through the creation of unique sustainability-oriented processes. The focus here is on the ''cultural shift'' or change and its effects on the financial, environmental, and social performance of an organisation. This shift entails (1) the management of human resources, health and safety at work, and adaptation to change, and (2) the management of environmental impacts and natural resources. A cultural shift is needed in many workplaces, especially in those that are poorly regulated. A negative attitude towards occupational health and safety is mainly caused by the ignorance of the causes of occupational accidents and diseases, and how to prevent them practically even in highly hazardous areas. It becomes a vicious circle or a 'cycle of neglect', where occupational health and safety never get the attention it deserves, until the cycle is somehow broken. It is important to assess the potential benefits of strong safety culture as well as health literacy; specifically, the management and organisational support to find the direct and indirect effects of safety culture change on firm performance and workers' wellbeing. The safety culture is associated with several performance indicators, mostly linked to sustainable development (environmental, financial, and safety performance). Importantly, findings suggest that the relationships between safety culture and safety performance are mediated by the level of implemented environmental/safety practices within workplaces.


Measured in volume approximately 80 % of world trade is carried at sea and with just as many different actors the shipping industry acts close to a perfect market. The highly volatile nature of the industry with unexpected market fluctuations is the basis for the major decisions shipping companies are making. Especially the fleet size and mix problem in a strategic setting involving fleet changes during several planning periods as a company growth policy. This decision is therefore highly dependent on correct timing for those who want to succeed and an introduction to the shipping industry is given to state these properties. In this thesis various optimization models solving the fleet size and mix problem are presented where the best suited model structure related to the topic is chosen. This model is of deterministic nature, meaning that all input values are known, and based upon predefined routes. The decision regarding the fleet composition during several planning periods is aiming at determining an optimal fleet for a given market. The validity of the results solely relies on input data, which is highly uncertain into an unknown future. The predictions need to coincide with the real life development in order for the results to maintain its validity. Two different trades are used as cases, solved with the models presented. Some input parameters are changed and the differences are investigated. The main findings imply that only relative small changes of the input parameters resulted in very different decisions. The related loss of making the wrong decision is observed in the region of 100 – 200 million USD during three years. This large loss potential and the uncertainty related to the input parameters leads to a need for a method minimizing these effects. An approach is developed to treat uncertainties minimizing the losses by finding a robust fleet capable of handling a large set of generated future scenarios, called the "Scenario Algorithm". The approach is divided into three main steps; the scenario generating step where development are based on historical fluctuations, a deterministic solution with the given scenario as basis and finally storing of all the solutions with a statistical analysis of the output. The algorithm is used on the two cases with two different scenario generating approaches, based on an exponential- and a continuous uniform distribution. The fleet size and mix decisions which appeared with the highest frequency were chosen, and gave a consistent estimate based on risk aversion decreasing the potential of making losses. The approaches presented in this thesis is not meant to give a correct answer on how the future will be, but help the decisions makers reduce the uncertainty connected to the strategic decision. The deterministic model give valuable information with a given scenario as input, but the model is only capable of evaluate the scenarios individually. The result found by the scenario algorithm evaluating scenarios collectively is therefore of higher value since it provide a more robust solution.


OBJECTIVE
To investigate the potential cell-mediated immune response of atopic dogs to the yeast Malassezia pachydermatis and to correlate it with the type-1 hypersensitivity (humoral) response of the same population of dogs.

ANIMALS
16 clinically normal dogs, 15 atopic dogs with Malassezia dermatitis, 5 atopic dogs with Malassezia otitis, and 7 atopic control (ie, without Malassezia dermatitis or otitis) dogs.

PROCEDURE
A crude extract of M pachydermatis was extracted for use as an intradermal allergy testing reagent and for stimulation of isolated peripheral blood mononuclear cells in vitro. Flow cytometry was also used to assess cell surface antigenic determinants (CD3, CD4, CD8, CD14, CD21, CD45RA, surface immunoglobulin) on peripheral blood mononuclear cells.

RESULTS
Atopic dogs with cytologic evidence of Malassezia dermatitis had an increased lymphocyte blastogenic response to crude M pachydermatis extract, compared with clinically normal dogs and dogs with Malassezia otitis. Atopic control dogs did not differ significantly in their responses from atopic dogs with Malassezia dermatitis or otitis. A significant correlation was not found between the lymphocyte blastogenic response and the type-1 hypersensitivity response to M pachydermatis within any of the groups.

CONCLUSIONS AND CLINICAL RELEVANCE
Cell-mediated and humoral reactivities to M pachydermatis contribute to the pathogenesis of atopic dermatitis in dogs but are not directly correlated. Modification of the dysregulated immune response toward M pachydermatis may assist in the reduction of pathologic changes associated with an atopic dermatitis phenotype in dogs.


Opinions and procedures, which are incorrect or invalid but continue to exist, are discussed. Eight seldomly criticised subjects have been selected which are relevant for the theory and practice of orthodontics. First, the idea that all individuals have or can reach an occlusion with contact between all opposing teeth is commented upon. Second, interest and preferences of editors and referees in the acceptance of manuscripts is clarified and the neglecting of published information explained. Third, the reliability of conclusions drawn from lateral roentgenocephalograms is reviewed in regard of the accuracy of commonly used bony landmarks. Fourth, the interpretation of growth data concerning visual interpretation, error of the method and reliability of conclusions based on cephalometric data, is treated. Fifth, the need of lateral roentgenocephalograms and recently developed digital techniques for diagnostic purposes is evaluated. Sixth, the validity of facial orthopedics, and particularly its supposed contribution to the improvement of facial configuration and beauty is analysed. Seventh, the idea that the increase of mandibular intercanine width is the cause of the occurrence of mandibular incisor irregularities after alignment by treatment is challenged. Eight, the usefulness of traditional removable retainers as the Hawley and "wrap-around" appliance, is questioned and an approach and design, adapted to the change from banding to bonding of fixed appliances, is presented.


The relationship between sexual behavior and pain sensitivity was assessed in 27 heterosexual men and 20 heterosexual women. Sexual behavior measures included sexual motivation and ratings of subjective sexual arousal to and enjoyment of an auditory stimulus. Pain sensitivity measures were pain threshold and pain tolerance in a cold pressor task. Participants were tested after exposure to a neutral or a sexual audio stimulus. Exposure to the sexual stimulus increased pain sensitivity in women but not in men. However, sexual behavior measures were correlated with pain threshold for both men and women. Specifically, higher pain thresholds were associated with weaker sexual motivation, lower enjoyment potential for sexual interaction, and increased inhibition during intercourse. These results are consistent with findings in laboratory animals, suggesting that differences in sexual behavior may reflect differences in responsiveness to a variety of stimuli.


Abstract Physico-chemical testing of angol water body revealed that the calcium hardness ranges from 65 mg/L to 110 mg/L, dissolved oxygen 2.8 to 9.8 mg/L, temperature 21 C to 25 C , pH 6.8 to 9.8, iron 0.1 mg/L to 1.0 mg/L, turbidity 0.381m to 0.6096 m, nitrite 0.0 mg/L to 0.3 mg/L, nitrate 18 mg/L to 23 mg/L, chloride 70 mg/L to 190 mg/L, total hardness 100 mg/L to 220 mg/L ,residual chlorine 0.0 mg/L to 0.2 mg/L ,ammonium 0.0mg/L to o.1 mg/L, phosphate 0.0 mg/L to 0.5 mg/L, fluoride 0.0 mg/L, electrical conductivity ranges from 430 μS/cm to 540 μS/cm and total alkalinity 65 mg/L to110 mg/L. Biodiversity of phytoplankton in angol water body revealed a total of 24 species belonging to five classes in which Bacillariophyceae-11 species, Chlorophyceae-10 species, Cyanophyceae-1 species, Dinophyceae-1 species and 1 species of Euglenophyceae. Bacillariophyceae species were abundant. Algal pollution index revealed a score of 22 indicating that angol water body is organically polluted. Based on the test conducted we concluded that angol water body is less polluted by organic waste and is unfit for drinking but can be utilized for re-creational activities, domestic usage, agriculture and fish rearing. Keywords: Belagavi, angol water body, biodiversity, phytoplankton Cite this Article Yashwanthrao BD and Rajanna L. Water Quality Assessment and Biodiversity Study of Phytoplanktons in Angol Water Body of Belagavi (Karnataka). Research and Reviews: Journal of Botany. 2015; 4(3): 29–36p.


An Algerian Eddy, anticyclonic vortex generated by the instability of the Algerian Current in the southwestern Mediterranean Sea, is studied using data provided by drifters (surface currents), Argo floats (temperature and salinity profiles), environmental satellites (absolute dynamic topography maps and ocean color images) and operational oceanography products. The eddy was generated in May 2018 and lasted as an isolated vortex until November 2018. Its morphology and kinematics are described in June–July 2018 when drifters were trapped in its core. During that period, the eddy was slowly moving to the NE (~2 km/day), with an overall diameter of about 200 km (slowly growing with time) and maximal surface swirl velocity of ~50 cm/s at a radius of ~50 km. Geostrophic currents derived from satellite altimetry data compare well with low-pass filtered drifter velocities, with only a slight overestimation, which is expected as its maximum vorticity corresponds to a small Rossby number of ~0.6. Satellite ocean color images and some drifters show that the eddy has an elliptical spiral structure. The looping tracks of the drifters trapped in the eddy were analyzed using two statistical methods: least-squares ellipse fitting and wavelet ridge analysis, revealing a typical eccentricity of about 0.5, a wide range of inclination and a rotation period between 3 and 10 days. Clusters of drifters on the northeastern limb of the eddy were also considered to estimate divergence and vorticity. The results indicate convergence (divergence) and downwelling (upwelling) at scales of 20–50 km near the northeastern (northwestern) edge of the eddy, in agreement with the quasi-geostrophic theory. Vertically, the eddy extends mostly down to 250 m depth, with a warm, low-salinity and low-density signature and with geostrophic currents near 50 cm/s in the top layer (down to ~80 m) reducing to less than 10 cm/s near 250 m. Near the surface, colder water is advected into it.


In this paper we focused on a pause in speech, and analyzed the factors affecting pause duration. It has been considered that utterance duration just before the pause is the only factor affecting pause duration (preboundary effect), recently effect of utterance duration just after the pause has also been noticed (postboundary effect). However, the relation between two utterance durations and pause duration sandwiched by the durations (pre-post boundary effect) has not been analyzed. Therefore we analyzed these factors inclusively, by using a simple sentence (XY sentence) consisting of two words in speech experiment. Then we used two-way analysis of variance (ANOVA) for analyzing the contribution of factors, which were the utterance duration of these words. As a result, we found two factors affecting a pause. One is utterance duration just before the pause which was already observed, and the other is the ratio of prior and posterior utterance duration. These results suggest that not only a pre or postboundary effect but also a pre-postboundary effect exist in speech.


Two diets based on fish meal (FM) or on a mixture of plant protein sources supplemented with free amino acids (PP) were fed to rainbow trout having a mean initial body weight of 162.5 g reared at 17±1 °C for 24 weeks to evaluate the effect of plant protein sources on fish growth, morphological and body quality traits. At the end of the growth study, samples were withdrawn for chemical analyses as well as measurements of different parameters of quality. Compared to the FM group, the trout fed diet PP had lower growth rates (mean final body weight 663 vs. 800 g), feed efficiency (0.95 vs. 1.07) and protein efficiency ratio (1.96 vs. 2.13). Trout fed diet PP were also characterised by a lower dressed weight (89.45% vs. 91.07%), hepato-somatic index (0.92% vs. 1.01%) and fillet lipid content (5.50% vs. 6.98%), but had a higher mesenteric fat (5.65% vs. 4.08%), viscero-somatic index (10.55% vs. 8.93%) and fillet crude protein content (20.53% vs. 19.93%). The muscle fatty acid composition reflected that of the diet with a higher level of polyunsaturated (n-6) fatty acids in trout fed diet PP and a higher content in polyunsaturated n-3 fatty acids and n-3/n-6 ratio in trout fed diet FM. Sensory analysis was carried out at 5 days post-mortem on microwave-cooked dorsal portions of fillets stored at 1 °C with ice covering. The results of the triangular test showed differences between groups (P<0.01) in organoleptic characteristics as well as in visual colour. Descriptive tests pointed out that fillets of trout fed diet PP exhibited higher hardness, less sweetness and less odour intensity than trout fed diet FM. In summary, data show that long-term feeding a diet in which fish meal was totally replaced by a mixture of plant protein sources significantly affects growth and quality criteria such as morphometric traits, fat deposits, fillet chemical composition and organoleptic characteristics of large commercial size rainbow trout.


Louis de Saussure & Peter Schulz (eds.), Manipulation and ideologies in the twentieth century. Amsterdam: Benjamins, 2005. Pp. xvi, 312. Hb €115.00/$US 138.00 One of the interesting developments in discourse analysis is its increasing interest in the explicit description and account of politically relevant text and talk and their relationships to various forms of social cognition. The collection of studies edited by Louis de Saussure and Peter Schulz is among those books that focus on this interface between political discourse and political cognition. It does so specifically by examining one of the most conspicuous forms of discursive power abuse – manipulation – as well as its relationship with ideologies, especially the totalitarian right-wing ideologies of the 20th century.


This article explores the reasons for the slow progress being made in the Northern Ireland peace process. It examines complications that exist in dealing with the past, present, and future of the conflict between the two main communities whilst also arguing that it is hard to separate these time frames in practice. In terms of the present, some well known difficulties with the consociational approach are identified. Recent studies have also demonstrated a failure to address sectarianism at the grass-roots level and there has been a resurgence in activity by spoilers and rejectionists. When thinking about the future the two communities still have competing views about the final constitutional destiny of Northern Ireland and this inhibits the development of a sense of a shared future. Although there have been a plethora of initiatives for dealing with the past and for truth recovery, there does not appear to have been a satisfactory approach to this important dimension of peacebuilding. The article concludes by advocating two key strategies. The first is the development of initiatives based on the pursuit of superordinate goals. The second endorses Rorty's idea of sentimental education as a way of building greater solidarity.


The production of sports highlight packages summarizing a game's most exciting moments is an essential task for broadcast media. Yet, it requires labor-intensive video editing. We propose a novel approach for auto-curating sports highlights, and demonstrate it to create a first of a kind, real-world system for the editorial aid of golf and tennis highlight reels. Our method fuses information from the players' reactions (action recognition such as high-fives and fist pumps), players' expressions (aggressive, tense, smiling and neutral), spectators (crowd cheering), commentator (tone of the voice and word analysis) and game analytics to determine the most interesting moments of a game.


Student testing and knowledge assessment is a significant aspect of the learning process. In a number of cases, it is expedient not to present the exact same test to all learners all the time (Pritchett, 1999). This may be desired so that cheating in the exam is made harder to carry out or so that the learners can take several practice tests on the same subject as part of the course. This study presents an e-testing platform, namely PARES, which aims to provide assessment services to academic staff by facilitating the creation and management of question banks and powering the delivery of nondeterministically generated test suites. PARES uses a conflict detection algorithm based on the vector space model to compute the similarity between questions and exclude questions which are deemed to have an unacceptably large similarity from appearing in the same test suite. The conflict detection algorithm and a statistical evaluation of its accuracy are presented. Evaluation results show that PARES succeeds in detecting question types at about 90% and its efficiency can be further increased through continuing education and enrichment of the system's correlation vocabulary.