In this work, we demonstrate In0.52Al0.48As top/backside-illuminated avalanche photodiodes (APD) with dual multiplication layers for high-speed and wide dynamic range performances. Our fabricated top-illuminated APDs, with a partially depleted p-type In0.53Ga0.47As absorber layer and thin In0.52Al0.48As dual multiplication (M-) layer (60 and 88 nm), exhibit a wide optical-to-electrical bandwidth (16 GHz) with high responsivity (2.5 A/W) under strong light illumination (around 1 mW). The measured bias dependent 3-dB O-E bandwidth was pinned at 16 GHz without any serious degradation near the saturation current output. To further increase the speed, we downscaled the active diameter and adopted a back-side illuminated structure with flip-chip bonding for batter optical alignment tolerance. A significant improvement in maximum bandwidth was demonstrated (25 versus 18 GHz). On the other hand, we adopted a thick dual M-layer (200 and 300 nm) and 2 μm absorber layer in the APD design to circumvent the problem of serious bandwidth degradation under high gain (>100) and high-power operation which significantly enhanced the dynamic range. Due to dual M-layer, the carriers could be energized in the first M-layer then propagate to the second M-layer to trigger the avalanche process. In both cases, despite variation in thickness of the absorber and M-layer, the cascade avalanche process leads to values close to the ultra-high gain bandwidth product (GBP) of around 460 GHz with a responsivity of 0.4 and 1 A/W at unit gain for the thin and thick M-layer devices, respectively. We successfully achieved a good sensitivity of around −20.6 dBm optical modulation amplitude (OMA) at a data rate of 25.78 Gb/s, by packaging the fabricated APDs (thin dual M-layer (60 and 88 nm) version) with a 25 Gb/s trans-impedance amplifier in a 100 Gb/s ROSA package. The results show that, the incorporation of a dual multiplication (M) layer structure in the APD opens a new window to obtaining the higher GBP in order to meet the requirements for high-speed transmission without the need of further downscaling the multiplication layer.


Cooperative diversity protocols are designed with the assumption that terminals always help each other in a socially efficient manner. This assumption may not be valid in commercial wireless networks where terminals may misbehave for selfish or malicious intentions. The presence of misbehaving terminals creates a social-dilemma where terminals exhibit uncertainty about the cooperative behavior of other terminals in the network. Cooperation in social-dilemma is characterized by a sub-optimal Nash equilibrium where wireless terminals opt out of cooperation. Hence, without establishing a mechanism to detect and mitigates effects of misbehavior, it is difficult to maintain a socially optimal cooperation. In this paper, we analyze effects of misbehavior based on game theoretic approaches. We show using evolutionary game theory, the permeation of selfish behavior in cooperative diversity. Our main goal is to design a mechanism that would enable wireless terminals to select reliable partners in the presence of uncertainty. To this end, we characterize cooperative diversity within the framework of a dynamic game with incomplete information. We introduce a reputation mechanism which would lead to a perfect Bayesian equilibrium.


A 58-year-old man with liver cirrhosis and renal failure was diagnosed with esophageal varices (EVs) and a gastric cardia varix (GCV) by esophagogastroduodenoscopy (EGD). The patient also exhibited early gastric cancer (EGC) in the upper gastric body adjacent to the GCV. The EVs and GCV were treated using endoscopy before endoscopic submucosal dissection (ESD) of the EGC to prevent variceal bleeding during ESD. Endoscopic variceal ligation (EVL) was performed to treat the EVs. In addition, extra-variceal polidocanol injection and argon plasma coagulation (APC) were performed after EVL. Follow-up EGD two months after APC revealed that the GCV had diminished in size. Then, ESD was performed with polidocanol injection into the submucosa around the GCV to prevent bleeding. During ESD, the EGC was resected en bloc without severe bleeding. Complications were not observed after ESD. Histopathological examination of the ESD specimens indicated that the resection was curative.


In "Stationary distributions for the random waypoint mobility model" (TMC, Vol. 3, No, 1), Navidi and Camp find the stationary distribution of the random waypoint model, with or without pause on a rectangular area. In this short note, we show that, under the stationary regime, speed and location are independent.


In understanding the behaviour of animals and humans, insects are a good starting point. The behaviour of insects is complex, but their brains are simple. It is often believed that understanding an insect brain is an important step in the process of understanding the human brain. At the Institute of Perception, Action and Behaviour in Edinburgh, where I conducted my research, the auditory and motor system of a cricket has been modelled. The cricket behaviour that is simulated at the IPAB is phonotaxis, the behaviour by which a female cricket localizes a male cricket by its song. Female crickets only respond to the song of their conspecific male. Hundreds of different species of crickets exist all around the world and each species has its own specific song. These different species and their songs have evolved over time. In this research project I have tried to simulate this process of speciation. I implemented a genetic algorithm to co-evolve the male song patterns and the female song preference. I combined my genetic algorithm with the existing model and conducted some evolutionary experiments.


With the eigen-functional bosonization method, we study one-dimensional strongly correlated electron systems with large momentum (2kF and/or 4kF ) transfer term(s), and demonstrate that this kind of problems ends in to solve the Eikonal-type equations, and these equations are universal, and independent of whether or not the system is integrable. In contrast to usual perturbation theory, this method is valid not only for weak electron interaction, but also for strong electron interaction. Comparing with exact solution of some integrable models, it can give correct results in one-loop approximation. This method can also be used to study electron-phonon interaction systems, and two coupled spin chain or quantum wire systems.


Interleaving data acquisition channels is a well-known and interesting technique to achieve higher acquisition rates. However, to obtain the expected benefits, a careful look at the interleaving technique and to mismatches that can lead to unwanted harmonic distortion and noise is essential. In this paper we discuss the methods used to interleave existing high-speed, 250 MSPS 8-bit acquisition channels, and the results obtained. The methods presented allowed a good relative channel calibration in amplitude (amplitude mismatch under 0.1 lsb) and in time (time mismatch between acquisition channels in the ps range, under the specified maximum jitter for the ADC used). A dynamic, by software, amplitude level signal-dependent adjustment procedure is also suggested for signals with rich frequency content that can substantially improve the quality of the acquired signal when using interleaved channels. The techniques presented provide good results even in the presence of noise.


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The revelation that females of many taxa mate with multiple males has broadened perspectives in sexual selection to encompass the study of conflicts of interest between males and females over mating and reproduction. Conflict often exists between the sexes over reproductive decisions such as how often to mate, because the optimum mating rate may often be higher for males than for females. Selection is expected to favour traits in males that manipulate female mating frequency and that confer an advantage over competing males, particularly in relation to post- copulatory competition. A significant fraction of male post-copulatory success in Drosophila melanogaster is determined by the action of accessory gland proteins (Acps) that are transferred by males to females during mating. Acps have significant effects on female behaviour and physiology and have been shown to play a role in mediating sexual conflict. Exploring the role of the male accessory glands and of Acps in moulding evolutionary interactions between the sexes and in determining overall fitness remains an important task and one that will illuminate the mechanisms underlying sexual selection and sexual conflict. In this thesis I use Drosophila melanogaster as a model system to ask how reproductive traits, strategies and morphologies have been shaped by sexual selection and sexual conflict. I show that traits related to ejaculate investment and depletion have evolved in lines of D. melanogaster with an evolutionary history of exposure to high or low levels of sperm competition and mating opportunities. I then describe how I initiated, propagated and analysed lines selected for increased and decreased male accessory gland size. I describe the direct and correlated responses to selection and show that accessory gland size is associated with male post- copulatory success but not with the magnitude of female mating costs. I further probe the nature of female mating costs by analysing the contribution to them of a single Acp, Acp62F. Finally, I summarise my thesis and discuss future directions for investigating the mechanisms of sexual selection and sexual conflict in Drosophila.


Background : Coincident with health promotion and medical science improvement, the incidence of infectous disease declined but the accidents still remain as a universal problem and one of most important danger to children's health. Objective : To determine the type of accidents, their cases, time and place of occurrence in rural and urban children, in central state of Iran. Design : This was a comparative study. Data explained accidents happened for children in urban and rural areas and then compared. Samples : 560 urban injured child of age 1-12 and 300 rural injured child participated in study. Results : The finding indicated that the predominant accident were burn, poisoning, fractures, wounds and falls. In comp airing two population, fracture was predominant accident in urban and wounds were predominant in rural areas. Conclusion : Research findings suggest, community education about accident's risk factors. Further research is recommended to find out the specific risk factors.


We aim to draw on an important overlooked potential of affective dialogue systems: their application to promote positive emotional states, similar to that of emotional support between humans. This can be achieved by eliciting a more positive emotional valence throughout a dialogue system interaction, i.e., positive emotion elicitation. Existing works on emotion elicitation have not yet paid attention to the emotional benefit for the users. Moreover, a positive emotion elicitation corpus does not yet exist despite the growing number of emotion-rich corpora. Towards this goal, firstly, we propose a response retrieval approach for positive emotion elicitation by utilizing examples of emotion appraisal from a dialogue corpus. Secondly, we efficiently construct a corpus using the proposed retrieval method, by replacing responses in a dialogue with those that elicit a more positive emotion. We validate the corpus through crowdsourcing to ensure its quality. Lastly, we propose a novel neural network architecture for an emotion-sensitive neural chat-based dialogue system, optimized on the constructed corpus to elicit positive emotion. Objective and subjective evaluations show that the proposed methods result in dialogue responses that are more natural and elicit a more positive emotional response. Further analyses of the results are discussed in this paper.


Summary —During 2007, 49 states and Puerto Rico reported 7,258 cases of rabies in animals and 1 case in a hu- man to the CDC, representing a 4.6% increase from the 6,940 cases in animals and 3 cases in humans reported in 2006. Approximately 93% of the cases were in wildlife, and 7% were in domestic animals. Relative contributions by the major animal groups were as follows: 2,659 raccoons (36.6%), 1,973 bats (27.2%), 1,478 skunks (20.4%), 489 foxes (6.7%), 274 cats (3.8%), 93 dogs (1.3%), and 57 cattle (0.8%). Compared with numbers of reported cases in 2006, cases in 2007 increased among dogs, bats, foxes, and skunks while decreases were reported among cattle, cats, and skunks. Increases in numbers of rabid raccoons during 2007 were reported by 11 of the 20 eastern states where raccoon rabies was enzootic, and reported cases increased by 1.7% overall, compared with 2006. On a national level, the number of rabies cases in skunks during 2007 decreased by 1.1% from the number re- ported in 2006. Texas reported the greatest number (n = 362) of rabid skunks and the greatest overall state total of animal rabies cases (969). No cases of rabies associated with the dog/coyote rabies virus variant were reported. The United States remains free of dog-to-dog transmission of canine rabies virus variants. The total number of cases of rabies reported nationally in foxes increased 14.5%, compared with 2006. Increases in the number of reported rabid foxes were attributable to greater numbers of foxes reported with the Arctic fox


3D printing is manufacturing process that consists of the fabrication of prototypes, parts and functional pieces. Several methods can be used, with different materials in different formats. One of the most popular techniques is the Fused Deposition Modelling (FDM). This method has several advantages with respect to other manufacturing processes, although it also has some problems and difficulties. One of these problems arises when setting the printing parameters. Generally, the printing parameters are selected according to the user's experience, although it is rather difficult to adapt the parameter settings in order to obtain specific mechanical properties of the printed parts. This work, analyzes the influence of infill on the tensile strength in parts printed with ABS, using a Makerbot Replicator 2X 3D printer. Test specimens were printed, modifying the infill, while maintaining the other parameters constant. Afterwards, the test specimens were tested in a traction test obtaining the tensile strength. In addition, the effective impression time was analyzed, in order to obtain a recommended infill ranges of impression time and tensile strength. Results showed that the maximum tensile strength was 34.57 [MPa] considering a 100% infill.


Mid-infrared is a spectral region of molecular vibration and rotation modes and thus, it has been widely used in chem/bio analysis. On-chip MIR waveguides combining attenuated total reflection spectroscopy provide an efficient way to minimize equipment size and benefit chemical trace analysis. But, inevitable surface roughness-induced scattering is harmful for waveguide mode propagation in traditional sensors. Two-dimensional materials are natural thin slabs with atomic-scale smooth surfaces and thus could be excellent for building weak surface scattering waveguides. Here, we used near-field microscopy to investigate a waveguide mode of 1T tin diselenide slabs at nanoscale resolution in 5.13-6.57 μm and manipulate the mode strengths and wavelengths by controlling the slab thickness. This work extends two-dimensional materials as building blocks for integrated MIR chips.


We develop inference methods for generalized coalescent models, such as the Λ- and Ξ-coalescents, which have recently been proposed for populations with broad offspring distributions, repeated selective sweeps, or strong selection. These are all populations that may not be adequately described by the usual Kingman coalescent. A roadblock to the application of such models has been the lack of effective tools for inferring an appropriate model, which stems from difficulties in evaluating the associated likelihoods. We overcome these difficulties by introducing estimators that are both computationally tractable and statistically efficient. We use these estimators to obtain point estimates and confidence intervals for the parameters of the coalescent models, and p-values for the hypothesis that the population is described by the Kingman coalescent. Our approach is based on the theory of unbiased estimating equations, which is more general than composite likelihood and may be applicable in other areas of statistical genetics. Our main focus is on inference from linked site-frequency spectra using parameterized families of Λ-coalescents. We show that useful inferences may be made from non-singleton data alone if singletons are suspect due to sequencing or data-cleaning errors, although the data requirements are greatly increased. We apply our method to mitochondrial sequence data from Gadus morhua, the Atlantic cod.


Black, Asian and minority-ethnic (BAME) citizens are under-represented in the House of Commons. Nevertheless, the Chambers ethnic composition has become more reflective of the general population as a result of the 2005 and 2010 parliamentary elections. The article seeks to map and explain variations in the extent to which BAME Members of Parliament (MPs) use the Chamber to articulate issues relevant to minority constituents. We compare the content of all parliamentary questions for written answer asked by BAME MPs between May 2005 and December 2011 to the questions asked by a matching sample of non-minority legislators. We find that BAME MPs ask more questions relating to the problems and rights of ethnic minorities in, and immigration to, the UK. However, we also find that all British MPs are responsive to the interests of minority constituents where these are geographically concentrated. Building on theoretical predictions derived from (1) models focusing on MPs political socialisation and (2) on the electoral incentives they are facing, we discover that the MPs in our sample respond systematically to electoral incentives, especially in the politically salient area of immigration policy. While these findings are in line with an 'electoral-incentives model, a 'socialisation model' is better suited to explain the larger number of questions on the interests of ethnic minorities asked by Labour MPs.


Summary form only given. An affine supply function equilibrium (SFE) approach is used to discuss voltage constraints and reactive power issues in the modelling of strategic behaviour. Generation companies (GenCos) can choose their bids parameters with no restrictions for energy and spinning reserves. The strategic behaviour of generators is formulated as a multi-leader single-follower game. Each GenCo is modelled as a leader, while the central market operator running a cost minimization process is the sole follower. An ac model is considered to represent the transmission system. A three-node system is used to illustrate several cases, and study the implications of the incentives of the strategic players to exploit active and reactive power, and spinning reserves in order to maximize profits. Results for a 14-node system are also presented.


The principal focus in this paper is a sympathetic critique of the institutional turn in economic geography and its analysis of convergence in contemporary capitalism. While insightful, this perspective does not fully capture the dynamic and contradictions of capitalist development and has tended to neglect the role of labor-capital relations in how systems of work organization develop. Following Jessop (1999; 2001), I argue that macroeconomic competition driven by the law of value disrupts institutions and acts as a 'disembedding' force for convergence within capitalism. In the workplace these tendencies are mediated by labor's ability to resist capital through what Burawoy (1985) terms the production politics of workplace regimes. I then illustrate these general points via an analysis of lean production in the automobile industry. Lean production is associated with strong convergence tendencies, because TNC reorganization facilitates the increased comparability of work quality and intensity across space. However, drawing upon the research of Lewchuck et al. (2001) and others on lean production and workers in Canada, the UK and Germany, I argue that, while national regimes are declining relative to firm-specific ones, workplace regimes continue to be an active force for divergence.


Abstract:Background: Cigarette smoking rates have decreased in the United States, particularly in California. Despite representing a large population in the United States and particularly in California, Arab Americans are not typically assessed in tobacco-related health studies. Disparately high smoking rates have been found in community samples of Arab Americans. In a formative participatory research study, we aimed to assess experiences with tobacco products and access to cessation and prevention services for Arab Americans who use commercial tobacco products.Methods: In partnership with a community advisory board, we conducted a brief survey of adult Northern California Arab Americans who use tobacco products, both men and women (n = 101), followed by assets mapping to identify services, and focus groups with a subset of survey participants (n = 30), to assess tobacco product use, readiness to quit, and access to culturally appropriate cessation services.Results: The majority of people who smoked did so daily. Waterpipe use was as common as cigarette smoking, and more so for women. Intent to quit was offset by highly normative tobacco use in the social environment, and limited access to culturally appropriate cessation services.Conclusions: Improvement in outreach and services specific to Arab Americans may support prevention and cessation of commercial tobacco products.


The Yellow River Watershed Structure No. 15 (Y-15) is a project that has been ongoing for Gwinnett County since the year 1999 with sometimes insurmountable political, technical, and financial hurdles. Residents did not support the project and application of the design criteria resulted in massive and costly spillway improvements to bring the structure into compliance with the high hazard design criteria. In mid 2004 Golder Associates Inc. was contracted by Gwinnett County for the design of the conceptual solution proposed by previous consultants. Golder's evaluation of the conceptual design identified several modifications could be made to the preliminary design parameters. During preliminary design, the proposed spillway was significantly modified such that the size of the chute was reduced by 30% (over 200 linear feet) and the proposed ogee weir was replaced by a broad-crested weir. These changes were possible by modifying the spillway crest to permit additional flow during more frequent storm events, but the existing mapped 100 year floodplain remains unchanged. Golder's proposed reduction in the size of the spillway structure aided in the final acceptance of the project by local residents.


SPLACID is a semi-formal language conceived for the specification and synthesis of (advanced) transactional models from basic features, such as transaction types and (relaxed) ACID variants. SPLACID is an improvement of the ACTA framework offering a well-structured and formal syntax. Neither ACTA nor SPLACID, however, benefit from a formal tool-supported semantics. This paper presents the first step for having a full formal semantics of SPLACID by translation to Alloy. In particular, we present the translation of the SPLACID concepts into Alloy concepts focusing on those concepts pertaining to the structure of a Transactional Model and those characterizing the isolation variant. The Alloy specification obtained by this translation preserve the SPLACID main key-properties, namely, modularity, flexibility and reusability. To support this claim we show how flexible, modular and reusable structures and isolation variants can be obtained in Alloy. Finally, we analyze the flat and nested transactional model structures and the serializability-based isolation variant using the Alloy Analyzer.


Didemnin B (DB) is a 7-amino-acid, cyclic polypeptide with potent (10−7-10−10M) antiproliferative effects in vivo and in vitro against a variety of viruses and tumor cell lines. Because lymphocyte blastogenesis is essential for many immune responses, DB appeared likely to exert immunosuppressive effects as well. Using primary cultures of murine (Balb/c) splenic mononuclear cells to evaluate this possibility, we found that DB was a potent (IC50=190 ng/ml) inhibitor of lymphocyte protein synthesis, although RNA synthesis and cell viability were unaffected. However, it markedly inhibited blastogenesis stimulated by concanavalin A (IC50=50 pg/ml), lipopolysaccharide (IC50=<100 pg/ml) and alloantigen (IC50=<10 pg/ml) when added to cultures immediately after stimulation. DB added later, at the time of thymidine labeling was much less potent (1/46–1/1430), suggesting that the lymphocyte activation process is particularly sensitive to this agent. Our finding that alloantigen-driven proliferation was exquisitely sensitive to DB (>90% inhibition at 10 pg/ml) led us to test its effects in vivo using the Simonsen parental-to-F1 graft-versus-host reaction (GVHR). Treatment of graft recipients with 0.05, 0.10, and 0.20 mg DB/kg/day for 7 days produced 51%, 40%, and 60% inhibition of splenomegally induced by the GVHR, and treatment with 0.3 mg/ kg/day on days 1, 2, 4, and 6 inhibited 71%. These data show that the in vitro inhibition of alloantigen-driven blastogenesis by DB was reproduced by in vivo treatment as well, even across major histocompatibility differences. This leads us to conclude that DB has potent immunosuppressive activity both in vitro and in vivo.


Taxonomic classification has a wide-range of applications such as finding out more about evolutionary history. Compared to the estimated number of organisms that nature harbors, humanity does not have a thorough comprehension of to which specific classes they belong. The classification of living organisms can be done in many machine learning techniques. However, in this study, this is performed using convolutional neural networks. Moreover, a DNA encoding technique is incorporated in the algorithm to increase performance and avoid misclassifications. The algorithm proposed outperformed the state of the art algorithms in terms of accuracy and sensitivity, which illustrates a high potential for using it in many other applications in genome analysis.


The emphasis of Bethwell Alan Ogot's Historical Dictionary of Kenya is on political personalities and on the post-independence period. Students of nationalism will find the biographical notes on the leading political activists from the 1940s and 1950s especially valuable, and the references to many prominent politicians in government since independence are also very useful. Kikuyu, Luo and Kamba 'nationalist' leaders from the colonial era are well represented, although those from other ethnic groups receive rather less attention. If political biography is the strength of this compilation, then it has to be said that the coverage of several important, and perhaps controversial, historical events is weak. It is not the purpose of a historical dictionary to pose or to answer historical questions, but the problems involved in the transfer of lands at independence under the Million Acre Scheme surely deserve fuller explanation, and the female circumcision crisis should be included either as a distinct entry or under the description of the Church of Scotland Mission (whose actions precipitated events), while the infamous Lari massacre during the emergency of the 1950s also merits a paragraph or two. To accompany the main body of the dictionary, Professor Ogot has provided us with more than fifty pages of bibliography on Kenya (covering publications up to 1980) and appendices listing the commissioners and governors of colonial Kenya and the Kenya Cabinet of June 1980. A fuller introduction and a rather less 'select' chronological chart would have helped readers to grasp something of the shape and dynamic of Kenya's history. This dictionary will certainly be an important acquisition for any reference library, although the tendency towards an emphasis on more contemporary events and personalities may require a revised and enlarged second edition before too long.


In this paper, we investigate how to efficiently implement TDMA (Time Division Multiple Access) on a wormhole switched network using a pure software solution in the end nodes. Transmission is conflict free on the time-slot level and hence deadlock free. On the sub- slot level, however, conflicts are possible when using early sending, a method we propose in order to reduce latency while still not hazarding the TDMA schedule. We propose a complete system to offer services for dynamic establishment of guaranteed periodic real-time virtual channels. Two different clock synchronization approaches for integration into the TDMA system are discussed. Implementation and experimental studies have been done on a cluster of PCs connected by a Myrinet network. Also, a case study with a radar signal processing application is presented to show the usability. A best-case reduction of the latency of up to 37 percent for 640 Byte messages by using early sending in Myrinet is shown in the case study. Source routed wormhole switching networks are assumed in the work but the results are applicable on some other categories of switched networks too.


According to the World Bank's Doing Business report, most Caribbean countries have made starting a business much easier in recent years. This is the result of changes in regulations and in the implementation of new reforms for business registration over time. However, despite reducing the time and cost needed to register a company, the international ranking of most Caribbean countries fell, as other countries made registering even easier. Nevertheless, registering a company has become easy enough that further reforms to shorten the time or reduce costs are not crucial. Given the past progress, it is preferable to study the registration process and the quality of the business registry to assess whether further simplification is warranted, or the quality of the business registration should be improved. JEL Codes: L51, P48, L10


SVX4 is the new silicon strip readout IC designed to meet the increased radiation tolerance requirements for Run IIb at the Tevatron collider. Devices have been fabricated, tested, and approved for production. The SVX4 design is a technology migration of the SVX3D design currently in use by CDF. Whereas SVX3D was fabricated in a 0.8 /spl mu/m radiation-hard process, SVX4 was fabricated in a standard 0.25 /spl mu/m mixed-signal CMOS technology using the "radiation tolerant by design" transistor topologies devised by the RD-49 collaboration. The specific cell layouts include digital cells developed by the ATLAS Pixel group, and full-custom analog blocks. Unlike its predecessors, the new design also includes the necessary features required for generic use by both the CDF and DO experiments at Fermilab. Performance of the IC includes >20 Mrad total dose tolerance, and /spl sim/2000 e- rms equivalent input noise charge with 40 pF input capacitance, when sampled at 132 ns period with an 80 ns preamp risetime. At the nominal digitize/readout rate of 106/53 MHz, the 9 mm /spl times/ 6.3 mm die dissipates /spl sim/2 mW/channel average at 2.5 V. A review of typical operation, details of the design conversion process, and performance measurements are covered.


The effect of salt level, vegetable juice powder (VJP) and temperature were investigated in a preliminary study to determine optimum conditions needed during the incubation of curing brines including VJP and a starter culture containing Staphylococcus carnosus for the production of "uncured" no nitrate/nitrite-added meat products. Subsequently, incubated curing brines were utilized to produce no-nitrate/nitrite-added ham in which quality characteristics and residual nitrite concentrations were measured. Two ham treatments (SC: VJP and starter culture containing Staphylococcus carnosus; PC: pre-converted VJP) and a nitrite-added control (C) were used for the study. No differences (P>0.05) were found between treatments and control for CIE L* or TBARS values. Residual nitrite concentration was greater (P<0.05) in the control hams during the first week of storage. Although nitrite in the control remained at relatively greater concentration throughout storage, the difference was not statistically significant after the first week. At day 42 of storage, the control (C) treatment retained significantly (P<0.05) greater a* (redness) values than either the SC or PC treatments. Introduction The curing of meat has been performed for centuries and can be traced back to the earliest recorded history. Historically, salt was the primary ingredient used for meat


ABSTRACT This paper presents artwork that was inspired by a computational model called Swarm Grammars. In this work, the liveliness of swarms is combined with the generative capabilities of more established developmental representations. Three of the authors followed their individual artistic approaches to explore the creativity and dynamics of Swarm Grammar structures. One chose to breed structures interactively to compose virtual spaces. The second explores the movement and construction dynamics of interactive swarms. The third artist translated developmental processes of Swarm Grammars into interactions of paint particles driven by friction and gravity.


I. INTRODUCTION The first Islamic financial institution was a mutual savings bank formed in the Egyptian town of Mit Ghamar in 1963. Since then, Islamic finance has evolved into an adaptive system of international practices and regulations capable of harmonizing classical religious precepts, social responsibility, and traditionalism with the modern exigencies of globalized banking. Today, according to the International Monetary Fund, there are over 300 Islamic financial institutions in more than 75 countries with total assets worldwide exceeding $250 billion and growth rates exceeding 15 percent a year.1 As of June 2006, Moody's estimated that there are over 250 Islamic mutual funds, with a total of $300 billion in assets.2 Despite this scope and imprint on the global economy, Islamic finance remains poorly understood at both the theoretical and practical level. Moreover, despite a number of recent optimistic trends, Islamic finance faces several ideological and structural challenges to full integration in the globalized economy. This Article aims to illuminate these challenges and provide a general overview of contemporary Islamic financial theories and practices. The first section concentrates on the size of the world's Muslim population, the size of Muslim economies, and concepts of Islamic finance itself. The second section examines Muslim beliefs related to contemporary corporate finance. The third section looks at the challenges of Islamic finance. Security issues in Islamic finance, with a particular focus on the financial theories of the radical Salafi movement, are an important development and need to be understood clearly in terms of the challenges facing Muslim financial instruments and law. Specifically, we examine the fundamental paradox of the Salafi's particular interpretation of Islamic finance. While Salafi-jihadist writings impose a sort of economic apartheid between Muslims and non-Muslims, their calls for economic jihad against the West (divestiture and boycott) try to exploit the very same interdependence and forces of globalization they decry. II. SCOPE OF MUSLIM POPULATION AND SIZE OF ECONOMIES Muslim people comprise over 20 percent of the world's population. Countries with Muslim-majority populations are distinguished by significant economic and political statistics. As a group they generate over 10 percent of global GDP and constitute 10 of the 11 members of OPEC. One member of this group, Turkey, also belongs to NATO. These countries are clustered mostly in the second and third quartiles of the Heritage Foundation/Wall Street Journal Index of Economic Freedom3 and receive an average rank of 111 out of 177 countries in the United Nation's Human Development Index (but include the lowest 5 in the index).4 These statistics demonstrate the economic and political importance and diversity of countries where Muslims are the majority. But juxtaposed against this complex tapestry is the common faith of Muslims, which is based primarily on two literary works. The most authoritative work is the Holy Qur'an, consisting of divine revelations by the Prophet Muhammad. Another primary source is the Sunnah, a collection of books organized into narrations of the life and lessons of the Prophet Muhammad. Among other things, these works establish the laws of daily social life for Muslims, collectively called Shari'ah. Rules are prescribed for marriage, diet, religious observation, dress, family obligations, and other issues that shape societal behavior. III. IMPACT OF MUSLIM BELIEFS ON MODERN CORPORATE FINANCE Shar'ah prescribes certain rules that apply to business practices, perhaps the best known being the Islamic ban on riba (interest or usurious interest). But Islamic finance is complex and is broadly defined as business practices with a base of rules that are generally consistent with Muslim beliefs. There are numerous ways that Shari'ah impacts business from a Western perspective. …


Douglas Perkins is recognized worldwide for his work in Community Psychology, social capital development, citizen participation, empowerment and sense of community. He is currently the founding director of the PhD "Research and Community Action" in the Department of Human Development and Organization and Community Studies Center at the Vander at the Vanderbilt University. He also serves as associate editor of the journal Psychosocial Intervention. He has linked research and teaching with participation in various community organization projects, migration networks, public education and health, among others. His academic work also includes topics on ecological change, evaluation of programs and development of research methods with communities. He has also developed interdisciplinary studies about the relationship between social psychology, law and public policy. The following interview was made during her visit to Chile in October 2018.


The objective of this article is to identify the limits of Wendt's (1992, 1994) theory, in which he suggests the possibility of states to overcome the self-help system through the creation of a collective identity. I too take the constructivist premise that identities and interests are socially constructed , but I argue that the dimension of politics limits the scope for real altruistic interests of states. My hypothesis is that these limits rest neither on the international structure nor on human nature, but are a feature of political relations. However, this assumption does not mean co-operation is impossible or should not be pursued. I base my argument on the Schmittian concept of the political, as defined by the antithesis friend-enemy. I shall conclude that as long collective identities form political entities, there will be the potentiality of a conflict which inhibits the creation of an international collective identity.


Abstract The excitation of electrostatic ion wakefields by electromagnetic pulses in a very dense plasma is considered. For this purpose, a wave equation for the ion wakefield in the presence of the ponderomotive force of the electromagnetic waves is obtained. Choosing a typical profile for the electromagnetic pulse, the form of the ion wakefields is deduced. The electromagnetic wave-generated ion wakefields can trap protons and accelerate them to high energies in dense plasmas.


Burns complicate 5% to 10% of combat associated injuries with infections being the leading cause of mortality. Given the long term complications and rehabilitation needs after initial recovery from the acute burns, these patients are often cared for in dedicated burn units such as the Department of Defense referral burn center at the United States Army Institute of Surgical Research in San Antonio, TX. This review highlights the evidence-based recommendations using military and civilian data to provide the most comprehensive, up-to-date management strategies for burned casualties. Areas of emphasis include antimicrobial prophylaxis, debridement of devitalized tissue, topical antimicrobial therapy, and optimal time to wound coverage.


Background and Purpose— Mechanical thrombectomy has the potential to improve recanalization rates and outcomes for patients with ischemic stroke, but potential gains could be offset by procedural complications and costs. We evaluated the cost and utility of combined intravenous (IV) tissue-type plasminogen activator (tPA) and mechanical thrombectomy compared to IV tPA alone for acute large-vessel ischemic stroke. Methods— We constructed a decision tree for a hypothetical 68-year-old with a large-vessel ischemic stroke who is eligible for IV tPA. The interventional strategy was IV tPA, a cerebral angiogram, and mechanical thrombectomy and thrombolysis if indicated. Recanalization, hemorrhage complications, and outcomes for the interventional strategy were from the Multi-MERCI study. The medical strategy was IV tPA using inputs from a comprehensive systematic review. Costs were estimated from Medicare reimbursements. We modeled lifetime costs and utilities for disability using a Markov model and Monte-Carlo multivariable sensitivity analysis. Results— For the baseline scenario, the recanalization rate was 72.9% for the interventional strategy and 46.2% for the medical strategy. For the interventional strategy, the symptomatic hemorrhage rate was 8.6% with recanalization and 15.4% without. For the medical strategy, the corresponding rates were 3.6% and 13.3%, respectively. The interventional strategy was cost-effective in 97.6% of simulations (incremental cost-effectiveness ratio $16 001/quality-adjusted life year; 95% CI, $2736–$39 232). Conclusions— Based on observational data, the combination of IV tPA and mechanical thrombectomy for large-vessel ischemic stroke appears to be cost-effective compared to IV tPA alone. These findings require additional validation with randomized trial data.


Rural development efforts in Nigeria during the Fourth Plan period (1981-1985) are being concentrated on agricultural development projects (ADPs), designed and implemented with the assistance of the World Bank. These projects began during the Third Plan period (1975-1980), during which they were initiated in 7 of the country's 19 states. Of these projects, three (Funtua, Gombe, and Gusau) had completed their initial investment phase by 1981. The ADPs are the core of the country's Green Revolution programme which aims to help Nigeria achieve food self-sufficiency by 1985. The Green Revolution strategy has as its central feature reliance on the smallholder to increase food production (Government of Nigeria). Subsidies (up to 90 percent for fertilizer) are supposed to encourage increased use of modern inputs, and thereby the necessary production increases to achieve food self-sufficiency. As the Federal Government is the sole procurer and distributer of fertilizer, ADPs in the past received a disproportionate share of fertilizer, compared to non-ADP areas (Idachaba). Assuring widespread access to fertilizer, both within ADPs and between ADP and non-ADP areas, could thus be a determining factor in meeting the Green Revolution programme's production targets. To assess the effectiveness of the ADPs as a smallholder strategy, their design, implementation, and distributional effects are examined, using the Funtua Project as a case study. The implementation of a project explicitly designed as an equity oriented project--the Guided Change Project (GCP)--is also briefly discussed.


Undoubtedly, technical education is the backbone of every nation's growth and development. Understanding and predicting business creation initiatives demand empirical studies using theory-oriented models that appropriately mirror the multi-faceted perception-based processes underlying entrepreneurial intentional and behaviour. Drawing on a model adapted from a study by Linan and Chen (2009), and based on the Theory of Planned Behaviour (TPB) by Ajzen, this article empirically investigates the influence of Perceived Behavioural Control, Subjective Norm and Attitude towards Entrepreneurship, on Entrepreneurial Intention using Structural Equation Modelling (SEM) – Smart Partial Least Square (PLS) approach. In addition, several hypotheses (demo graph ic-oriented variables) in relation to TPB are investigated. Data were collected on 574 students from a public technical university in Ghana. The findings suggest that TPB is an important tool for predicting entrepreneurial intentions. Thus, the findings support the TPB for EI in Ghana. Two motivational factors (Attitude towards Entrepreneurship and Planned Behavioural Control) related to EI, but SN showed a non-significant association with EI. This study also found SN positively affecting attitude toward entrepreneurship and perceived behavioural control. However, only one (PSE-SN relationship) of the demo graph ic-based hypotheses was significant. This study, however, cautions against the generalizability of the findings as the sample size comprises of students from a single institution. One of the theoretical implications of our study relates to evidence of the consistency of the theory of planned behavior in explaining entrepreneurial intention in the Ghanaian context. Future studies could replicate this research by sampling more technical universities in Ghana and other settings.


The aim of the research on which the present paper is based was to assess the way in which certain agrochemical indices of the soil are modified under the influence of mineral fertilization. Soil, the main means of production in agriculture, must be considered as a strategic natural resource, which is sustainable if exploited in a scientific way. It can bring its contribution to ensuring food supplies, and food safety. Exploiting agricultural areas by using incomplete or incorrect strategies has serious consequences, both from a quantitative and a qualitative point of view, on soil resources and also on agricultural yields, and the lack of fertilizers or improper use of fertilizers are elements of such a strategy. In our country, agriculture has undergone major changes after 1989. We are talking about a change in the form of ownership, a legislative system that is not a stimulus for farmers, the fact that many landowners are not properly prepared and trained in the matter of efficient use of land, poor endowment with equipment, lack of own financing, the incapacity to access investment funds, etc. The structure of crop plants has undergone quite large changes in Banat Plain, Timis County, as it has in other parts of Romania. The area cultivated with leguminous plants (annual and perennial) has become much smaller. The predominant crop plants are wheat, maize and sunflower, and then come barley, two- row barley, soybeans, oil rape, sugar beet (less and less cultivated in recent years), with small impact in the realization of sustainable crop rotation. Under these conditions, people mostly use simple rotations wheat-maize or even monoculture, and fertilization is based almost exclusively on mineral fertilizers (in many cases unilateral with nitrogen), with high fluctuation from the point of view of the quantity of active substance from a plot of land to another. That is why the agrochemical characteristics of the soil undergo large modifications, with a negative impact on fertility. The paper presents the results of the research on the changes of the agrochemical indices represented by pH, N, P, K in the context of an agricultural system based on field crops and a mineral fertilization system with variants which cover different situations met in the agriculture of the reference area, namely Banat Plain.


Objectives In China, the rate of downward referral is relatively low, as most people are unwilling to be referred from hospitals to community health systems (CHSs). The aim of this study was to explore the effect of doctors' and patients' practices and attitudes on their willingness for downward referral and the relationship between downward referral and sociodemographic characteristics. Methods Doctors and patients of 13 tertiary hospitals in Shanghai were stratified through random sampling. The questionnaire surveyed their sociodemographic characteristics, attitudes towards CHSs and hospitals, understanding of downward referral, recognition of the community first treatment system, and downward referral practices and willingness. Descriptive statistics, χ2 test and stepwise logistic regression analysis were employed for statistical analysis. Results Only 20.8% (161/773) of doctors were willing to accept downward referrals, although this proportion was higher among patients (37.6%, 326/866). Doctors' willingness was influenced by education, understanding of downward referral, and perception of health resources in hospitals. Patients' willingness was influenced by marital status, economic factors and recognition of the community first treatment system. Well-educated doctors who do not consider downward referral would increase their workloads and those with a more comprehensive understanding of hospitals and downward referral process were more likely to make a downward referral decision. Single-injury patients fully recognising the community first treatment system were more willing to accept downward referral. Patients' willingness was significantly increased if downward referral was cost-saving. A better medical insurance system was another key factor for patients to accept downward referral decisions, especially for the floating population. Conclusions To increase the rate of downward referral, the Chinese government should optimise the current referral system and conduct universal publicity for downward referral. Doctors and patients should promote understandings of downward referral. Hospitals should realise the necessity of downward referral, effectively reduce workloads and provide continuing education for doctors. Increasing monetary reimbursement is urgent, as is improving the medical insurance system.


Insects rely heavily on olfaction to locate food, find mates and sense danger. Odorant stimuli in their natural environment often consist of mixtures of several chemical compounds, and stimulus concentration in air fluctuates rapidly and unpredictably. Despite the complex nature of natural odorant stimuli, odor identity can be encoded by insects' olfactory systems very quickly. How this can be achieved is still an open area of study. Here, I ask two specific questions: 1. Are the olfactory responses to mixture stimuli qualitatively different from those to pure chemical compounds and are such differences relevant to olfactory coding? and 2. Which types of temporal spike information can potentially be useful for olfactory coding? To address the first question, I extended a standard receptor model to mixtures. Through mathematical analysis of the extended model, I found that first-spike latencies are shorter and activity patterns are more stable across concentrations in olfactory receptor neurons for mixtures than for pure odorants. I then built a computational model of the early olfactory system of honey bees and showed that the above-mentioned mixture effects can also be observed deeper in insects' brain. These results suggest that mixtures can be more efficiently identified by insects than pure odorants. To address the second question, I developed mathematical methods to approximate the probability distribution of the first-spike latency of a leaky integrate-and-fire neuron upon receiving an external input signal with auto-correlated background noise. The approximation is excellent for a wide range of sizes and shapes of the signal, even when the dynamical time scale of the signal is comparable to that of membrane integration. The methods allow efficient evaluation of how reliable certain correlation patterns of spikes from multiple neurons would be formed after a sensory stimulus is applied, which indicates whether these patterns could carry information about the stimulus.


Training applied talent is the goal of current college. Several common experimental teaching methods, such as 1 × N Class -Team Teaching Model, N × N Class-Team Teaching Model, N × N Teacher-Team Teaching Model, are analyzed and compared. These experimental teaching methods have some disadvantages, which are that the ratio of teacher-student is small, or teacher professional expertise is not conducive to student's comprehensive knowledge. A new experimental practice teaching model is given, which is Double Teams Model of Teachers and Students (DTMTS) experimental practice teaching model. This model can be used in course practice training, students' research training and academic competition training. The implementation process of this model are teachers team building, students team building, to carry out experimental method of teaching practice, experimental practice teaching organization, the team teaching process management, strengthen the hardware platform construction of experimental practice. Its implementation can improve student's participation in practice and innovation ability.


The Middle to Late Miocene (15.97 – 5.33 Ma) is considered a time interval that was warmer than today. It is also a time interval of significant cooling. The aim of this study is to provide a new global view of this 10 Ma interval of global warmth and climate change, through the use of vegetation, mammals and modelling. The study begins in the UK and uses palynology to assign, the previously poorly constrained, Brassington Formation to the Tortonian. The pollen of the Brassington Formation shows the existence of a warm-temperate mixed forest in the UK with a mean annual temperature of 16°C – roughly twice the modern mean annual temperature. Using this fossil site, as well as 633 others, the global biome distributions are determined for the Langhian, Seravallian, Tortonian and Messinian stages. The data show that the Langhian represents a world significantly warmer than today. Cooling occurred through the Seravallian and Tortonian and by the Messinian, this cooling trend had eliminated warm – temperate mixed forests from the western USA and Australia and had formed mid – latitude deserts. Using the palaeobotanical data for the Tortonian age a data – model hybrid vegetation map has been made, suitable for use in palaeoclimate modelling studies. This is then used as a boundary condition in the HadAM3 climate model to show influence of vegetation on the Tortonian climate. Finally the palaeoecology of Late Miocene mammals is investigated to develop a new proxy for vegetation. The co–occurrence technique uses the biome tolerances of Late Miocene mammals to reconstruct regional vegetation. This has been successfully used to add further details to the vegetation maps from palaeobotanical data. This study presents a new approach to exploring vegetation and climate during the Miocene and provides novel details on this dynamic epoch.


We study the contact values of the inter-wire pair-correlation function in electron-electron and electron-hole double-wire systems. For this purpose the ladder approximation as generalized to multicomponent systems is used. The ladder approximation yields positive values for the inter-wire gee(0) and geh(0) for all values of the density parameter rs and distance d between the wires. This allows us to infer possible instabilities in the system more reliably compared to other approaches. We also investigate the effects of quantum-wire width and screening on the inter-wire pair-correlation functions. PACS numbers: 05.30.Fk, 73.20.Dx, 71.45.Gm, 73.40.Kp


Objectives: This study aims to evaluate the compliance to home-based exercise regimen by elderly patients with osteoarthritis of the knee. Patients and methods: Between May 2012 and May 2013 year, a total of 72 patients (54 females, 18 males) over 65 years old with knee osteoarthritis admitted to the Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation outpatient clinic were included in the study. The patients were given a home-based exercise program. They were recommended to perform the exercises 10 times twice a day, for a month. We evaluated the patients' demographic data, comorbid diseases, whether they exercised previously and compliance to exercise. Results: All patients' home exercise program compliance was 62.5%. Males were more compliant than female patients and high education and comorbidity were also associated with poor compliance. Conclusion: The compliance of the geriatric patients to home-based exercise program is difficult and multiple variables affect the compliance.


A combination of tension infiltrometers and dye tracers was used to investigate the extent and nature of water movement at low tensions through the well-structured subsoil of Ships clay (very-fine, mixed, thermic, Chromic Hapluderts). Dyed-water was placed in the reservoirs of tension infiltrometers and allowed to infiltrate into the soil under seven tension sequences to separate different size pores effective in transmitting water. Flow patterns were then revealed by exposing dye-stained soil after each infiltration sequence. The results showed that, when water was supplied at tensions <24 cm, the effective porosity (fraction of pores that were stained) in this subsoil was primarily macro- and mesoporosity, which constituted about 5% of the total soil porosity. Under flow at 0-cm tension, macropores =0.5 mm and mesopores from 0.06 to 0.5 mm (radius for cylindrical pores or width for planar pores) contributed about 89% and 10% of the total water flux, respectively. Micropores <0.06 mm contributed the remaining 1% of the total water flux, but constituted about 95% of the total soil porosity. Dye stain patterns showed that water flow at tensions <24 cm in this structured subsoil was primarily controlled by slickenside fissures, root channels, and vertical fissures. The nonuniform flow pattern caused water to penetrate to depths as much as 11 times deeper than expected from a Green-Ampt model that considered the total soil porosity to be active in transmitting water. By replacing the air-filled porosity in the Green-Ampt model with the active macro- plus mesoporosity, calculated wetting front depths were close to the observed maximum dye depths.


Objective: Many of Ziziphora species have been used in traditional medicine in North of Iran. This work was determined on ecological requirements, antioxidant and antibacterial activity of Ziziphora clinopodioides Lam. from Bovanloo region, Iran. Materials and Methods: Aerial parts of plant in blooming were collected from Deraznoo mountain (2500 m) in August 2013, ecological and traditional data were recorded. The aqueous and methanol extracts were isolated by maceration, antioxidant capacity were measured by total antioxidant capacity (TAC), reducing power (RP) and 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) in comparison with butylated hydroxy toluene (BHT) and butylated hydroxyanisole BHA antioxidant standard and then their antibacterial activity were studied in vitro against 9 gram positive and negative bacteria by using well method and the minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) assay. Results: Ziziphora clinopodioides Lam. (Z. clinopodioides Lam) often grows in sunny environment in Deraznoo mountain (2500 m), with annual rainfall of 334 mm and annual temperature of 10.3°C in temperate cold climate and sandy loam soil with Ec = 0.6 and pH = 6.9. It has been used by the rural people as an antispasm, anti-inflammatory, antifungal , anti-infective, sedative and expectorant agent to treat cold, flu, diarrhea, gasterointestinal disorder and stomach ache. The ethanol extract of plant had high antioxidant activity with IC50 values (32.5 ± 0.4 μg/ml) especially in DPPH assay and exhibited good antibacterial activity on Staphylococcus aureus, Staphylococcus epidermidis, Bacillus cereus and Pseudomonas aeruginosa with IZ (28.1 ± 0.5, 24.8 ± 0.1, 19.4 ± 1.1 and 14.8 ± 1 mm), respectively with high MIC value of 14.5 μg/ml, respectively. Conclusion: The methanol extract of Z. clinopodioides Lam. have suitable antibacterial and antioxidant activity which can be used as natural anti-infective agent to treat many infectious diseases.


In this article we attempt to understand the new world geography through its cities by treating corporate globalization from the perspective of cities insofar as they are central to the global networks that make large-scale economic processes possible. To this end, we draw on a conceptual and empirical extension of world city network research to describe the major globalization phases that have been shaping the twenty-first century. After situating our world city network research in the much broader field of research on globalizing cities, we retell the narrative of the extensive, intensive, and Chinese globalization phases as reflected in the office networks of 175 of the world's largest producer services firms across 707 cities. A purposeful combination of connectivity and multivariate analysis is used to reveal cumulative, interacting, overlapping, and unfolding geographies of global economic patterns. We argue that these three key globalizations are shaping the global context of economic processes in the twenty-first century and describe the urban geography of each of these globalizations to understand their broader meanings within today's global economy.


Anchoring our understanding of low-energy nuclear and hadronic physics to the fundamental theory of strong interactions, QCD, remains and outstanding challenge for physicists. Lattice QCD and chiral perturbation theory are the most powerful theoretical tools we have at our disposal to make this connection. These tools share a symbiotic relationship as chiral perturbation theory is used to understand the light quark mass dependence of observables, while lattice QCD is used to determine the values of the unknown operator coefficients appearing in the chiral Lagrangian. In this talk, I review our present understanding of select single baryon properties from lattice QCD and chiral perturbation theory, highlighting some of the challenges and discussing some unresolved puzzles.


With the scaling of CMOS technology slowly coming to a halt due to quantum mechanics effects progressively eroding its performance as transistor dimensions shrink, new and experimental technologies for digital circuits are being explored and prototyped with increased effort. Design tools for such technologies have been created for these purposes and their development and refinement is now more critical than ever. ToPoliNano, developed by the VLSI group of the Polytechnic University of Turin, is one such tool, dedicated to the design and simulation of digital circuits built with nanomagnetic technologies based on Magnetic QCA. A robust EDA tool by itself with an easy-to-use GUI, it only missed, with regards to the more established professional software available to circuit designers that work with CMOS technology, the flexibility of a dual GUI/command-line offering. The aim of this Master's thesis consisted therefore of expanding the capabilities of ToPoliNano by equipping it with a text-based workflow, allowing users to access the program's powerful features by means of text commands and automation scripts. In order to bring the aforementioned text-based workflow to life, three software modules have been developed in succession as part of the thesis, each complementing the others: • a command-line interface (CLI) able to tokenize, parse and interpret a variety of text commands mapped to the functionalities of ToPoliNano (for example: layout generation, layout import/export, circuit simulation, etc.); • a new general-purpose preprocessor capable of processing variables, loops and conditional statements, which unlocks the possibility of writing complex scripts that go beyond a simple list of commands; • a console mode (loaded into terminal), referred to as no-GUI mode, which directly interfaces the user with the CLI (and, by extension, to ToPoliNano) without the need to load the GUI (which also allows the user to interact with the CLI but via widgets included in the graphical interface). As the final part of the thesis, a comprehensive user manual was written - illustrating the purpose of each supported text command, the structure of the command-line workflow and the advanced scripting features available to the user, including a collection of example scripts - to help the user gain a complete, in-depth understanding of the new instruments at their disposal for designing digital circuits.


Positive psychology has significantly advanced our understanding of well-being, yet there remains a need to better understand the how, what, and why of both positive and negative well-being. This study combined positive psychology and job loss perspectives to investigate the subjective experience of well-being following job loss. Using a qualitative-focused case study methodology, this three article dissertation explored the experiences of 20 workers who were displaced from the Ottawa, Canada technology sector from 2000-2006. The first article explored the experience of well-being from a bottom-up, naturalistic point of view and compared these inductive notions with existing a priori theories. Findings support integrated conceptualizations of hedonia and eudaimonia, while also potentially identifying new notions of well-being. Identified themes include (a) life evaluation, (b) transitory experiencing, (c) growth and grounding, (d) environmental mastery/stability, (e) mental illbeing/ill-health, and (f) motivational mindsets/conditions. This study showed well-being to be a rich, pluralistic construct. It included the non-dualistic notions of both subjectivity and objectivity, as well as encompassing notions related to the what and how of well-being. The second and third articles present inductively derived themes which helped to explain the relationship between job loss and well-being (i.e., the how and why). Three externally focused themes were reported in the second article: (a) systemic factors (e.g., broader business environment), (b) interpersonal factors (e.g., social support), and (c) chance (e.g., luck and serendipity). The third article identified two internally focused major themes: (a) differential coping responses and processes and (b) protective and sensitizing processes. Coping specifically consisted of problem-focused coping, meaning-making, attitudes and expectancies, behavioural processes, and emotional processes. Protective and sensitizing processes included identity and self-esteem, the impact of past adversity, and personal resources and characteristics. Implications for theory, research, and practice for both positive psychology and job loss are discussed.


Double-perovskite Sr2Fe1-xScxMoO6- (x = 0, 0.05, 0.1, 0.2, 0.3, 0.4) powders have been synthesized by sol-gel citrate method. Initial powders were calcined in different temperature and atmosphere (air, H2(4vol%)/Ar), then analyzed by using the methods of X-ray, scanning electron microscopy (SEM), as well as thermal analysis. It is found that the formation of perovskite structure is related to the content of Sc, pH value, calcination temperature and sintering atmosphere. Especially, a pure perovskite structure almost completely formed after three hours sintering in atmosphere of H2(4vol%)/Ar. Although the formation of perovskite structure also happened in the air atmosphere, at the same time the SrMoO4 structure formed undesirably as a result of oxidization of Mo.


The welding processes are widely used in various segments of Metal-Mechanical, Civil and Naval Industries. These sectors seek to the introduction of innovations and the consolidation of modern and advanced welding techniques. In this sense, the objective of this study was to study the applicability of self-protecting cored wire electrode (FCAW-s), with emphasis on structural steel used in deep foundations of civil construction. As a result, It was obtained a comparison of the two techniques of electric arc welding (FCAW-S and SMAW), regarding time, quality, cost and productivity. Keywords: Welding; cored wire; productivity; structural steel; construction; deep foundations.


The performance of services offered by network operators has a direct impact on its reputation, on its revenue due to new customer subscriptions, and also on penalties that can apply when services are not provided to an acceptable quality level. Previous research on business‐oriented network and service optimization has mainly focused on optimizing individual business indicators, such as profit and revenue, in isolation without analyzing the effect on network configurations and the subsequent impact on other indicators. Given that different business objectives are usually incompatible, a single network configuration cannot optimize them simultaneously. Determining the configuration and the associated trade‐offs that satisfy multiple objectives is a complex task. This paper addresses this gap and presents a framework that derives policy configurations that optimize the business value of the network infrastructure. We describe a methodology to quantify business functions considering the dynamics of network events, the dynamics of end‐user service usage, the nature of the business indicators, and their relationships with the underlying control methods. The proposed approach addresses the complexity of the target problem through a surrogate‐based optimization approach properly tailored to match our application domain needs. We evaluate the effectiveness of the proposed approach through experimentation in a simulation environment we developed over OPNET. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.


In this article we present five case studies of advanced networking functions that detail how a network processor (NP) can provide high performance and also the necessary flexibility compared with ASIC. We first review the basic NP system architectures, and describe the IBM PowerNP architecture from the data plane as well as the control plane point of view. We introduce models for the programmer's views of NP that facilitate a global understanding of NP software programming. Then, for each case study, we present results from prototypes as well as general considerations that apply to a wider range of system architectures. Specifically, we investigate the suitability of NP for QoS (active queue management and traffic engineering), header processing (GPRS tunneling protocol), intelligent forwarding (load balancing without flow disruption), payload processing (code interpretation and just-in-time compilation in active networks), and protocol stack termination (SCTP). Finally, we summarize the key features as revealed by each case study, and conclude with remarks on the future of NP.


Isolated and oriented hard magnetic FePtCu ternary alloy nanoparticles with the L10-type ordered structure have been directly fabricated by rf-magnetron sputtering onto NaCl substrate kept at 613K without any post-deposition annealing. Structure and morphology of those particles were studied by TEM. When the sputtering duration decreases, the particle size decreases and the particle areal number density increases. These nanoparticles have <100> orientation on the NaCl substrate. Alloy composition distribution from particle to particle examined by nano-beam elemental x-ray analysis was found to be quite small, which can be attributed to the homogeneous structure formed by co-deposition of Fe, Pt and Cu by sputtering. Thermal fluctuation of the magnetization becomes prominent in the specimen with the particle size smaller than about 10nm in diameter.


The members of a multidisciplinary team treating sexual dysfunction must work together from different perspectives and training to determine an accurate diagnosis, choose an appropriate treatment, and evaluate those treatments systematically. Integrating data from both physical and psychologic evaluations is essential. Anxiety, depression, or other reactions to stress are seen as cognitive interferences that inhibit sexual arousal by distracting attention from erotic stimuli. The goals of sex therapy are to enhance attentional focus on sexual cues and to lessen distractions in the form of anxiety, conflict, or other stresses. Although there continue to be methodologic problems in outcome evaluation research of multidisciplinary treatment of sexual dysfunction, follow-up studies generally indicate improvements in sexual functioning, satisfaction, and self-esteem.


Objective: The objective of this study is to understand the effect of angle and curvature of push-return switches, which are external factors in the operation environment inside the cars, on the feel of operation and to propose optimum alternatives. Background: Customers" needs for products are changing from functional and performance aspects to customer-led type where customers can reflect on their needs on the products. The operation inside cars is executed by HMI. The push-return switch is utilized as the most intuitive mode of HMI; therefore, this push-return switch, which is widely used, has to be developed by assessing the preference and satisfaction of the customer. Method: The angle and curvatures, which are external factors that affect the feel of operation, are drawn through surveying the preceding research literatures. The stages to construct alternatives in experiments are as follows: (1) the tactile switch is replaced after dismantling the switch assembly to evaluate the internal characteristics proposed by preceding researches, (2) a drawing is prepared by using a design software, is printed using 3D printer, and then it is attached on the switch assembly, and (3) evaluation for satisfaction of operation is carried out by using a driving simulator. Results: Both the angle and curvature that are external factors of switch significantly affect the feel of operation. However, interaction between the two factors is found insignificant. Therefore, an optimum alternative is proposed considering the experimental outcomes. Conclusion: This study evaluates the satisfaction in operation that affects the feel of operation environment inside the cars. Based on the study results, a guideline for switch design in the center fascia is proposed. Application: This study is expected to be used as basic data for designing automotive switches, as well as switches in the industries similar with the operation environments of cars.


This report aims to provide an overview of business integrity and anti-bribery legislation, policies and practices applicable to state-owned enterprises (SOEs) operating across the Southern African Development Community (SADC) region. Part 1 provides a rationale for considering the impact that corruption-prevention and business integrity measures have had in some jurisdictions, based on available academic literature on this subject. Part 2 summarises the framework in seven SADC countries for combating corruption and for encouraging responsible business practices. It also focuses on the application of this framework to SOEs by governments, as well as measures taken by SOEs to limit their exposure to the risks of corruption. The report was undertaken on behalf of the OECD Network on Corporate Governance of State-Owned Enterprises in Southern Africa and is based on voluntary responses to a questionnaire and supplemented with desk research.


We investigated if concentrations of abscisic acid (ABA) and other solutes measured in the first few droplets of xylem sap from detopped root systems, are good estimates of those in the transpiration stream as it enters the shoot-base of whole plants. Xylem sap from root systems of pot-grown tomato plants (Lycopersicon esculentum Mill., cv. Ailsa Craig), at the seven-leaf stage, was obtained by placing root systems in chambers pressurized to 0.3 MPa with air. The first sample was taken from the cut-surface of the hypo-cotyl stump within 30 s of removing the shoot. ABA, sucrose and other osmolytes were more concentrated in the initial 100–200 mm3 of xylem sap than in subsequent samples. This suggested the sap was contaminated and not unchanged transpiration fluid. The effect was reproduced on the same plant, several times, by recutting the hypocotyl prior to reassembling the sap collecting set-up and repressurizing. Similar results were found with castor-oil plants (Ricinus communis L., cv. Gibsonii). However, neither release of ABA from the cut surface of the hypocotyl stump, nor the effects of pressure to the roots caused the contamination. Instead, small radial pressures exerted by a rubber sleeve attached to the hypocotyl stump, for collecting the sap, were responsible. The effect was reproduced by lightly squeezing the hypocotyl by hand. The possibility was examined that reliable estimates of ABA concentrations in transpiration stream fluid may be obtained from sap samples taken immediately after rejecting the initial, contaminated 200 mm3. However, ABA concentrations in these later samples were also unsatisfactory since they changed with rate of sap flow. The problem may be overcome by analysing sap induced to flow through detached root systems at rates close to those of whole-plant transpiration.


Background. There is evidence supporting the effectiveness of psychoeducation (PE) in patients with symptoms of depression in primary care (PC), but very few studies have assessed this intervention in antidepressant-naïve patients. The aim of this study is to assess the effectiveness of a PE program in these patients, since the use of antidepressant (AD) medication may interfere with the effects of the intervention. Methods. 106 participants were included, 50 from the PE program (12 weekly 1.5-hour sessions) and 56 from the control group (CG) that received the usual care. Patients were assessed at baseline and at 3, 6, and 9 months. The main outcome measures were the Beck Depression Inventory (BDI) and remission based on the BDI. The analysis was carried out on an intention-to-treat basis. Results. The PE program group showed remission of symptoms of 40% (P = 0.001) posttreatment and 42% (P = 0.012) at 6 months. The analysis only showed significant differences in the BDI score posttreatment (P = 0.008; effect size Cohen's d′ = 0.55). Conclusions. The PE intervention is an effective treatment in the depressive population not treated with AD medication. Before taking an AD, psychoeducational intervention should be considered.


Background: Women worldwide may experience excruciating pain during childbirth. Epidural analgesia, sometimes used to relieve pain, has been endorsed as a safe and efficient procedure. The objective of this survey was to evaluate the attitude of women towards the use of epidural analgesia.
 Materials and Methods: Data was collected via interviews based on a standard questionnaire and analyzed using the latest version of SPSS.
Results: The results indicate that the participants were knowledgeable about the use of epidural analgesia and thought it should be available in future deliveries and cesarean sections. Those with a history of pregnancy thought that pain was unnecessary and that epidural analgesia should be made available. Safety concerns were the primary reason women gave for not wanting to use epidural analgesia. Educational level, income, age and health insurance status influenced women's opinions concerning epidural analgesia use during labor. The main source of information reported was family and friends, followed by physician advice.
Conclusion/Recommendation: Most women surveyed were informed about the use of epidural analgesia during labor. Although half believed labor pain was natural, they thought epidural analgesia should be administered to ease the pain, and 12.1% even felt that pain during delivery was unnecessary. These numbers suggest that the use of epidural analgesia for labor pain management is acceptable in this healthcare setting. However, a nationwide study with a larger sample size may be more informative owing to the significant association between socio-demographic factors and women's attitudes towards epidural analgesia use during labor.


Abstract The magnitude ( M w ) 6.9 ( M s  7.1) Yushu earthquake of 14 April 2010 ruptured the Yushu fault of the preexisting strike-slip Ganzi–Yushu fault zone, which is an extension of the Xianshuihe fault. The earthquake resulted in widespread damage in high mountain regions of the central Tibetan Plateau. Field surveys and analyses of an excavated trench and outcrop reveal that three morphogenic earthquakes have occurred on the Yushu fault in the past millennium. Paleoseismic evidence, historical records, and radiocarbon age data show that (1) the penultimate large-magnitude earthquake (i.e., prior to the 2010 Yushu earthquake) occurred within the past 570 yr, corresponding to the 1738 M  7.1 earthquake; and (2) the third most recent event occurred between A.D. 650 and A.D. 1100, suggesting a recurrence interval of 450–680 yr for large earthquakes associated with surface rupture of the Yushu fault in the past millennium. An average slip rate of ∼2–5 mm/yr is estimated for the Yushu fault. These results are consistent with those obtained from long-term geological evidence and GPS observations. Most of the strain energy on the Ganzi–Yushu fault zone, resulting from northeastward motion of the Tibetan Plateau in response to north–south shortening of the plateau due to ongoing northward penetration of the Indian Plate into the Eurasian Plate, is released as seismic slip.


Integrating gender dimensions into early warning systems is critical to support equitable crisis prevention and response. This paper investigates the extent to which food and nutrition security early warning systems (FNS EWS) in the Sahel and West Africa are gender-responsive and highlights existing gaps at national and regional levels. Progress has been made by key partners and stakeholders towards strengthening the gender analysis of FNS EWS, however, these efforts have not led to a unified reconfiguration of joint FNS EWS mechanisms to be more gender-responsive. More concerted efforts are required to assess and track the gender dimensions of FNS EWS to inform more equitable emergency prevention and response. This paper provides timely policy directions to support stakeholders' efforts in strengthening the gender-responsiveness of early warning systems in the Sahel and West Africa.


We analyze the dramatic decline in India's inflation over the last two years using an augmented Phillips Curve approach and quantify the role of different factors. Our results suggest that, contrary to popular perception, the direct role of lower oil prices in India's disinflation was relatively modest given the limited pass-through into domestic prices. Instead, we find that inflation is a highly persistent process in India, reflecting very adaptive expectations and the backward looking nature of wage and support price-setting. As a consequence, we find that a moderation of expectations, both backward and forward, and a rationalization of Minimum Support Prices (MSPs), explain the bulk of the disinflation over the last two years.


ABSTRACT The major purpose of this paper is to examine the extent to which multiethnic Korea and Thailand are cultural democracies. The primary conceptual framework guiding this study is the powerful but largely ignored concept of cultural democracy. Bereday's classic model of comparative research is another major theoretical and methodological framework utilized. The major methodologies used are comparative qualitative case studies, meta-synthesis, and participant-observation. Comparative national case studies are rare. A number of striking similarities between the two countries are identified. The very low fertility rates of both nations drive a critical need for guest workers and international students. Both countries in general have pursued assimilationist policies not conducive to cultural democracy. The final part of the paper offers suggestions for strengthening cultural democracy in both nations. Their long-term potential can be enhanced if both these societies recognize the 'diversity advantage' and move actively to realize the ideal of cultural democracy.


The article presents the results of the research conducted on Positive Organizational Potential and its role as a key factor of companies' development. The data analyzed in this article come from two stages of the research. In the first part an experts session was conducted to determine the force of the impact of each of 35 selected Development Supporting Employee Behaviours on companies' development. In the second stage of the research (done by postal survey) 104 leading Polish companies were examined. Respondents in this stage were top-managers, who have rated the intensity of particular employee behaviours identified in their companies and described their company's performance. This methodology allowed us to compare the identified behaviours with the indicators of development. This research was the first of this type that was carried out in the world, where the specific behaviour influencing development was identified. It is only a starting point for further research, which is to be conducted in the area of management of described relations in business practice.


This paper investigates the effects of EFT/burst on ADSL noise spectral background. The conducted immunity EFT/burst test is a very severe test in EMC test family. The test signal is a very fast transient and has significant energy level. It is worth noting that because of their repetitive nature, EFT/burst events can also result in erratic behavior of a communication system. This paper is written with the aim of verifying experimentally the effects of EFT/burst signal on the ADSL 25 kHz to 2.2 MHz. Based on our early finding; it was found that the EFT/burst can increase the background noise power spectrum density within ADSL spectrum by 19 dB in average. This phenomenon definitely will reduce the signal to noise ratio (SNR) of the ADSL system, which will significantly jeopardize the ADSL performance and causing unreliable connectivity.


An experiment comparing the effectiveness of the all-uses and all-edges test data adequacy criteria is discussed. The experiment was designed to overcome some of the deficiencies of previous software testing experiments. A large number of test sets was randomly generated for each of nine subject programs with subtle errors. For each test set, the percentages of executable edges and definition-use associations covered were measured, and it was determined whether the test set exposed an error. Hypothesis testing was used to investigate whether all-uses adequate test sets are more likely to expose errors than are all-edges adequate test sets. Logistic regression analysis was used to investigate whether the probability that a test set exposes an error increases as the percentage of definition-use associations or edges covered by it increases. Error exposing ability was shown to be strongly positively correlated to percentage of covered definition-use associations in only four of the nine subjects. Error exposing ability was also shown to be positively correlated to the percentage of covered edges in four different subjects, but the relationship was weaker. >


Microwave humidity measurements from polar orbiting satellites are affected by diurnal sampling biases which are caused by changes in the local observation time of the satellites. The long‐term data records available from these satellites thus have spurious trends, which must be corrected. Diurnal cycles of the microwave measurements have been constructed by combining data over the period 2001–2010 from five different satellite platforms (NOAA‐15, ‐16, ‐17, ‐18, and MetOpA). This climatological diurnal cycle has been used to deduce and correct the diurnal sampling bias in Advanced Microwave Sounding Unit‐B and microwave humidity sounder measurements. Diurnal amplitudes for channels which are sensitive to surface temperature variations show a sharp land‐sea contrast with the amplitudes exceeding 10 K for land regions but less than 1 K for oceanic regions. The humidity channels sensitive to the upper and middle troposphere exhibit a seasonal variation with large diurnal amplitudes over convective land regions (often above 3 K) in comparison to oceanic regions. The diurnal peak times of these channels over land occur in the early mornings. The diurnal sampling bias correction has a greater impact over land regions when compared to oceanic regions due to the large diurnal amplitudes over land. The diurnal cycle of humidity generated as a part of this study could be used to evaluate diurnal cycles in climate models.


Feedback is considered one of the most important parts of teaching writing. Learners need to receive responses they can act upon to retain strengths and improve weaknesses of their performances. Feedback that is regular, immediate, sufficient, and, most importantly, of good quality is necessary in order to help the learners to develop. Improving the way feedback is provided is, therefore, as important as feedback itself. However, as research so far has suggested, there is no consensus on which is the most effective way to employ feedback. As a result, we still need more information to add to this controversial practice. Apart from that, in writing class with a large number of students, and with teachers who have heavy workload, giving feedback with such aforementioned characteristics is not always possible. These limitations bring peer feedback into light as it has been recommended as a fruitful solution. Peer feedback not only helps both the giver and the receiver improve writing quality but also helps them to become more self-regulated. However, for peer feedback to work effectively, students who give peer feedback need to be trained appropriately. This study applies the concept of scaffolding as a mean to train the students to possess necessary skills on giving peer feedback. The research objectives are to investigate the effectiveness of using teacher feedback on peer feedback in helping the students to give more effective peer feedback and to become self-regulated learners. The teacher/researcher who acts as scaffolding provider gives feedback on students' peer feedback. The students' improvement of feedback ability is expected to help improve their writing quality. Twenty-six third year English major students were asked to take part in the study which is divided into two phases: the learning of argumentative writing and feedback training phase, and the writing of argumentative essays and the peer feedback phase. Students' texts, questionnaires, video records of students' interactions, audio records of teacher-student conference, students' reflective diaries, and observatory comments from university colleagues were used as the data collection tools. The data was analyzed quantitatively and qualitatively. The results of the study can be summarized as follows. 1) The teacher feedback on the students' peer feedback can help improve the students' feedback quality. By the end of the study, the participants were able to provide proper feedback that covered the agreed areas which include text organization, content, idea development, and language use comparing to the early stage of the study where they only spent time commenting on some areas especially grammar and content. 2) The feedback quality that has improved resulted in the writing quality that has also improved at the end of the study. The aspect which has been improved the most is text organization. The writing scores also suggested that the participants have made improvement on content and language use. 3) The use of teacher feedback on peer feedback enables the students to possess behaviours of self-regulated learners which include the ability to give detailed explanations to points at hand, identify writing problems and provide solutions to the problems, express clear knowledge of the writing genre, use proper strategies to deliver comments, evaluate both peers' and own writing quality, share knowledge of the genre, correct the giver's errors, and take over the talk from the giver. The students showed behaviours of other regulation as they asked for opinions and confirmations, and accept the giver comment with little intention to question the comment quality. The object regulation behaviours can be seen when the students went off the topic at hand, talked about their weakness of grammar, and mentioned the insufficient time for writing. 4) The students' opinions towards the research method were positive. The students were convinced that the research activities had helped them to write better, to have more confidence to evaluate and give comments to peers' writing, and to have self-study skills. They reflected that the activity was useful for their future career too. The results also suggested that the participants sometimes made superficial comments on areas such as idea development, and language use. It also found that the students occasionally made rubber stamp comments. In terms of the pairing of the students, the findings suggested that the students no matter what level of proficiency they had received benefit from the activity. However, the interaction could be effected by pairs with different levels of language proficiency.


The adsorption of methylene blue dye from water onto longkong waste peel has been investigated under various experiment conditions. Batch experiments were conducted to determine the effect of pH, initial dye concentration, contact time, adsorbent dose and temperature. The equilibrium time was found to be 205 min at the optimum pH of 7. The capacity of adsorption was improved with increasing of initial dye concentration and temperature. In contrast, as the mass of adsorbent increased, a decrease in the adsorption capacity was obtained. For isotherm study, the adsorption data of longkong peel was best fitted to Freundlich model. The kinetics of adsorption followed the pseudo second order model. Thermodynamic parameters such as, enthalpy, entropy and free energy changes were evaluated. The adsorption process was exothermic and spontaneous.


The course of the crosslinking process of poly(sodium acrylate) (PAS), used as a binder for molding sands made of olivine sand as a matrix, was studied with use of FT-IR and Raman spectroscopic methods. Three methods of hardening were applied: classical, with use of Ca(OH) 2 + CO 2 system, and in more innovative way by microwave or UV radiation. It was found, on the basis of analysis of spectra obtained (Fig. 1-6), that the PAS crosslinking agent significantly influenced the reaction course. Namely, the Ca(OH) 2 + CO 2 system caused ionic bonds' formation while microwave radiation led to formation of covalent bonds with part of silanolic groups of matrix surface layer. In case of hardening by UV radiation, the product of complicated crosslinked structure occurs because of the reactions of active radicals formed in the polymer. Compressive strength (R u c ) of molding sands hardened with the methods mentioned above has been evaluated (Fig. 7). The samples hardened with microwaves showed the highest values of R u c .


Catenins (alpha, beta, and gamma) are a group of proteins linking E-cadherin with the cytoskeleton. Reduced expression of alpha catenin has been shown in some cancer lines and tissues and is related to the invasive nature of tumour cells. This study examined the effects of n-6 PUFAs on the expression of catenins in a range of human cancer cells by Western blotting. Although most of the cell lines expressed similar levels of beta and gamma catenins, a number of cell lines expressed low levels of alpha catenin. Treatment of cells with gamma linolenic acid (GLA) increased alpha catenin expression in most cell lines, while beta catenin levels were reduced, and gamma catenin expression was unchanged. Linoleic acid and arachidonic acid had not significant effects. We conclude that in human cancer cell lines, the expression of alpha and beta catenins can be regulated by gamma linolenic acid.


Motorcycle racing is one of sport branch favored for most people, especially by the youngsters.
But they had implementing it in a wrong way, they choose to street racing than following a formal racing event. This kind of racing takes place in common street and highly interrupting general order and also road users therefore many has come against it. Author would like to found
out what is the need profile of those street racers.
Study type used is quantitative descriptive study. What it means by descriptive study is study's result will be analyzed with figures/numbers in percentage. Subject of the study is street racers in Pasuruan. Subject is 20 people and author used EPPS test as the instrument to found out the need profile of all those racers.
Result of the analysis used is statistical number which seeks means value toward the need of each street racer. Subsequently will be put into order based on needs or motives rank which one is more dominant and become the typical character of personality from each street racer. To
obtain personality dynamic view therefore ipsative analysis is done qualitatively, and comparative analysis is done between street racers also in comparative. Based on the result of this data analysis, author might conclude that:
1. Need in the highest position for street racers personality profile is the need of Dominance, Succorance and Exhibition. This means that most racers tend to showing attitude as not taking orders from other people, but on the other side they were also dependent or tend to depends on
other people, besides they were also having the tendency to showing off in order to obtain attention from others.
Need which is gain the lowest position would be need of Intraception and Endurance, this means that they have the tendency to be not persevere in work, easy to give up, expecting help from others and unable to show empathy toward others and not care about the society of their
surrounding environment.