Purpose: The aim of this research is to present the concept of regulation, defining the idea of sustainable development in terms of Society 5.0, developing recommendations for good regulation in the postal and telecommunications markets with social solutions. Design/Methodology/Approach: Critical analysis of scientific literature, graphic visualization, and the CAWI method have been used to support the research questions. Findings: The findings helped to formulate recommendations for the postal and telecommunications services and social solutions. Practical Implications: The obtained results can be used to formulate a model of good regulation regarding postal and telecommunications services and social solutions. Originality/value: The issues in such a context as the one presented in this article have not been studied in Polish and foreign literature.


The aim of this study was to study the relationship between physician-assessed quality of life parameters, i.e., toxicity and physical performance, and patients' self-reports of their quality of life (QoL). QoL was assessed at baseline and before each treatment, using the EORTC QLQ-C30. The WHO performance score (PS) and toxicity were assessed in physician interviews. The correlations between the WHO PS and the QLQ-C30 functioning scale scores varied from weak to moderate, depending on the scale. Strongest associations were found in physical-, social-, and role functioning, and in the global QoL. The QLQ-C30 nausea/vomiting and diarrhea scales correlated moderately to corresponding WHO scores. A multiple linear regression analysis was used to analyze the contribution of WHO PS and toxicity variables to the global QoL. The best model explained only 16% of the variance of the global QoL score. The present findings highlight the importance of independent QoL assessments focused on those aspects of QoL not captured in clinical interviews with the physician.


The Strandja massif consists of metamorphic basement intruded by large Early Permian plutons of the Kirklareli type and overlain by Triassic metasedimentary cover. Together with its continuation in Bulgaria this massif forms an important link between the Pontides and the orogenic belts of Europe. Various types of orthogneisses constitute a significant part of the metamorphic basement however these rocks have until now escaped a particular study and therefore the Paleozoic history of the massif is essentially unknown. In this study these rocks are classified and mapped as hornblende-biotite, biotite-muscovite, and leucocratic orthogneisses. Their modal compositions correspond to quartz diorite, tonalite, granodiorite and trondhjemite. Geochemical data suggest a calc-alkaline trend of differentiation and metaluminous character of the parent magmas. Isotopic dating using the single zircon evaporation method has shown that magmatic ages of these orthogneisses cluster within a short time interval between 312±2 and 315 ±5 Ma in the Carboniferous. At the same time inherited ages of magmatic zircons in these rocks record a long lived magmatic activity between 340 and 650 Ma. We infer that the Carboniferous orthogneisses were formed in a magmatic arc that evolved atop of a mature continental basement. Previously established ([1, 2]) Early Permian magmatic event has been confirmed by additional age determinations constraining it at 257±6 Ma. Tectonic setting of this episode is also interpreted as subduction related taking into consideration its geochemical features and relationships with surrounding tectonic units.


U.S. Courts generally prefer applying the Federal Rules of Civil Procedure over The Hague Evidence Convention for the taking of documentary evidence located abroad. With respect to the French blocking statute with which the Supreme Court was dealing in the seminal case of Aerospatiale, and under the powerful influence of stare decisis, a line of cases developed dismissing the French blocking statute for having been intended by its legislature principally to thwart the sovereignty of the U.S. trial court, and never having been intended to be enforced. Criteria for the general assessment of blocking statutes have emerged from the courts' weighing of factors involving the French statute against that of other countries, but traditionally with a broad tendency to favor discovery and disfavor foreign blocking statutes. The most recent cases seem to be more open to according greater weight to foreign state interests, in what appears to reflect the US. Supreme Court's increased attention to international comity and a strengthened presumption against the extraterritorial application of U.S. laws.
A corollary to documentary evidence gathering abroad has been the Section 1782 motion for discovery in the United States. A controversial instance concerns petitioners litigating in foreign legal proceedings where the forum court does not permit such discovery and where the sole connection to the U.S. court is the production of evidence within its jurisdiction that is located abroad and may have originated abroad. The only U.S. Supreme Court ruling on Section 1782 absolved U.S. courts from inquiring into the foreign court's discovery practices and legal system, a tradition that continues to be observed as much as possible, but is ripe for modification in an era in which the courts must, and therefore do, engage with foreign law, however reluctantly.
Newer discovery issues have arisen in the area of data location where computer servers store information in locations that have blocking statutes, but where the defendant may nevertheless have access to the information at different sites. The deterritorialization inherent in digitalization gives rise to novel issues in terms of international comity. This article addresses developments to date, which include how e-discovery is interfacing with a particular federal statute in an illustrative manner. It concludes that U.S. discovery law today must adapt to current conditions by developing tools for comparative law competence and interdisciplinary analysis.


Numerical simulations of granular flows based on the Distinct Element Method (DEM) commonly use spherical particles for ease of contact mechanics calculations and for having fast contact searching algorithms. However, for irregularly shaped particles, rotation is not only affected by friction but also by mechanical interlocking (Cleary, 2010). Only tangential forces lead to the rotation of spherical particles, whereas for irregularly shaped particles, rotation can be as a result of both normal and tangential contact forces (Favier et al., 2001). Mechanical interlocking of irrregularly shaped particles can be simulated in DEM by (i) limiting the rolling friction of spherical particles (Morgan, 2004), (ii) using overlapping spheres (Favier et al., 2001), (iii) using polyhydra (Potapov and Campbell, 1997). The first two method have been critically evaluated for the flow of corn seeds and spray-dried powders. A comparison is made of the estimated solid fraction and the tangential and radial velocity distributions of the particles from DEM and those measured experimentally. The shapes of the corn seeds and spray-dried powders have been captured using X-Ray micro tomography, and ASG2013 software has been used to generate the coordinates of the overlapping spheres. It is shown that the approximation of particle shape is only critical for dense shearing flows. The use of polyhydra enables particle fracture to be simulated more realistically, but necessitates implementation of fracture mechanics to be predictive. In this paper the results of our evaluations are reported.


Verification provides the answer to the question "How good is my forecast?". Knowing the quality of a forecasting system provides a necessary baseline for improvement of that quality. It also contributes to forecast informed decision making, as verification provides a baseline estimate of residual uncertainties.

To monitor the quality of the forecasts produced by Deltares Global Flow Forecasting system, a prototype of an operational forecast verification system was developed. The verification system comprises various components including the Ensemble Verification System (EVS), the Deltares OpenArchive and the Delft-FEWS forecast production system. Relevant verification metrics are computed by the EVS, which are subsequently stored and displayed in the forecasting system. This will allow for robust, automated forecast verification, and the usage of this information during the real-time forecasting process.

Future work on the system will include a post-processing routine which will cast the verification information in a format suitable for publication to both existing and prospective GLOFFIS clients. Over the years, the system's outcomes are expected to provide a significant contribution to the quality of the GLOFFIS forecasts.

In parallel, the system is being applied to various other operational hydrological forecasting systems around the globe.


: Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 49 women who had experienced stillbirth in 1987-1989. Only 55% were satisfied with the manner in which the first suspicion had been communicated to them, while 85% were satisfied with the communication at the time of the diagnosis. Opinions about care in the labour ward, while largely positive, indicate that lack of tact from an individual may cloud the entire perception of care. Although only 40% had expressed a desire to see the baby, the others were happy to have been persuaded to do so and all were positive about the contact with the dead baby. Of 42 women (86%) who gave consent for autopsy, only one regretted this decision. Support received post partum was considered to be inadequate or insufficient by 10%. Despite the short hospital stay (average 1 day), most women afterwards felt that they would have preferred to return home earlier; only 9% felt that they would have preferred to stay longer.


Low income high school graduates are less likely to enroll in four-year colleges than their more advantaged peers. When they do enroll, they are more likely to choose colleges with low graduation rates and higher costs, increasing their risk of leaving college without a degree and with substantial debt. Such decision-making may be driven in part by a lack of information about the full range of college options that are available to students. We study the potential for intensive college counseling to remedy this informational barrier and improve students' college choices. Capitalizing on an arbitrary cut-off in the admissions criteria for Bottom Line, an college advising program in Massachusetts, we use a regression discontinuity design to estimate the effect of intensive advising on students' college choices as well as on their overall enrollment and persistence in college. We find that intensive college advising substantially shifts towards one of the four-year colleges encouraged by the program and away from institutions the program discourages. This effect is particularly strong for students from families where English is not the first language, and for whom the informational barriers may be particularly constraining. This shift in enrollment reduces the average net price of the institutions students are attending, likely lowering their financial burden. Finally, we see suggestive evidence of increases in overall four-year college enrollment and persistence through the first two years of college. We argue that this evidence indicates that intensive college advising can generate large impacts on college enrollment decisions and may improve persistence and, ultimately, degree completion.


The mechanisms responsible for the accumulation of eosinophils at sites of allergic and other inflammatory reactions are unknown, but recent studies have implicated both eosinophil and endothelial adhesion molecules in this process. However, less well studied have been the adhesive interactions between eosinophils and the subendothelial basement membrane and interstitial connective tissues. To test the hypothesis that eosinophils might interact with extracellular matrix proteins, we analyzed purified human eosinophils for the expression and function of various beta 1 integrins. Using indirect immunofluorescence and flow cytometry, purified eosinophils from mildly allergic donors were found to consistently express the integrin subunits beta 1 (CD29), alpha 4 (CD49d, very late activation antigen [VLA]-4 alpha), and alpha 6 (CD49f, VLA-6 alpha). No significant expression of the alpha 1, alpha 2, alpha 3, alpha 5, or beta 4 subunits was detected. Platelet contamination of the eosinophil preparations was excluded by light microscopy and by the inability to detect expression of platelet glycoproteins alpha v, CD41b, and CD42b. Immunoprecipitation and sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis analysis of eosinophils confirmed the expression of cell-surface beta 1, alpha 4, and alpha 6. Furthermore, eosinophils purified from allergic donors were shown to adhere to plate-bound laminin, but not to type 1 or type 4 collagen. Adhesion to laminin was concentration-dependent, required divalent cations, and was completely and specifically inhibited by the anti-alpha 6 monoclonal antibody (MoAb) GoH3 and by the anti-beta 1 MoAb 33B6. Interestingly, the anti-beta 1 MoAb 18D3 (which like 33B6 blocks eosinophil binding to VCAM-1) did not inhibit eosinophil adhesion to laminin, suggesting that there are functionally distinct epitopes on the beta 1 subunit. Eosinophils purified from 4 healthy, nonallergic donors also showed alpha 6-dependent adhesion to laminin, although these cells adhered less well. These studies establish the expression of alpha 6 beta 1 on human eosinophils and document its function as a laminin receptor. Interaction of eosinophil alpha 6 beta 1 with laminin, eg, in basement membranes, may contribute to the localization of these cells at inflammatory sites in vivo.


Artificial intelligence, which is included in many technologies we use today, serves the justice system by facilitating the work of the judicial organs thanks to the analysis, storage and connections between the systems. Especially in the United States and China, it is seen that legal counseling services are provided with lawyer robots and artificial intelligence software with the ability to make decisions is developed. Increasing the powers of artificial intelligence and the widespread use of it also lead to questioning its reliability and discussing the risks it carries. So that, even the issue of who/what will be the responsibility for the compensation of damages caused by artificial intelligence software requires new acceptance in legal systems alone. In this new society model in which artificial intelligence is included in our lives, legal rules will be regulated within the framework of ethical rules to be adopted. In this sense, the European Union, which has taken an important step to establish ethical principles between artificial intelligence and human rights and to use artificial intelligence in judicial systems, has first created a Declaration of Cooperation to determine the rules that artificial intelligence technologies will follow while serving the judiciary in the legal world and then "human-oriented ethics" with the understanding of Artificial Intelligence has published the Ethical Charter. These two basic texts are of particular importance, as they will shed light on future artificial intelligence studies in the European Union.


The 2016 NASA InSight lander is the first planetary mission designed to study the deep interior of Mars. InSight's Seismic Experiment for Interior Structure (SEIS) package will quantify global and regional seismic activity and determine parameters like core properties, mantle composition, and Martian lithospheric thickness. An improved understanding of the location, magnitude, and frequency of potential seismic sources is essential for optimization of instrument design, sampling strategy, and interpretation of mission data. We focus on forecasting seismic activity for the Cerberus Fossae of the Elysium Planitia, chosen for their proximity to the proposed landing site and their recent formation and assuming these are active tectonic grabens. The minimum age we determine for the units around the Fossae, using Context Camera and High Resolution Imaging Science Experiment imagery for crater density surveying, is 10 Ma, placing them in the Late Amazonian. We are able to determine the rate of motion from measurements of observed throw, assuming that the faults remain active. Digital terrain models, made from stereo‐image pairs from the High Resolution Stereo Camera (HRSC), are used to determine the maximum throw on four graben systems. Using these measured throws to estimate a length‐averaged slip and assuming an inferred slip rate from surface age, we estimate an annual moment release of 1.58−1.03+2.35×1017Nm . From this we calculate an annual size‐frequency distribution of events using the Gütenberg‐Richter relationship. We estimate that between 1.5×100and 1.9×105events per year will have an amplitude greater than the peak band noise and so will be detectable at the InSight landing site.


Formalin-fixed paraffin-embedded (FFPE) specimen from biopsy materials are a widespread sample format for pathologists and medical researchers. Pathologists are archiving vast numbers of FFPE samples which can be stored for decades. Conventional immunohistochemical staining (IHC) of biomarkers on FFPE tissue sections is one of the most important analytical techniques for cancer diagnosis and pathology in general. However standardization for IHC samples and quality management is tedious and differs significantly from clinic to clinic. Combining established IHC staining strategies with modern mass spectrometry mediated methods would increase it's potential and enable access of large FFPE archives for multiplexed quantitation purposes. In this work element mass spectrometry and a new ink-jet printed internal standardization approach was successfully combined with IHC staining to facilitate quantitative multiplex assays for archived FFPE samples. The printing strategy improves elemental image resolution and reproducibility of paraffin embedded breast cancer tissue sections in laser ablation inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (LA-ICP-MS) using conventional IHC staining as a model system to investigate the new capabilities of this technique. For the internal standardization we applied a conventional CD-ink-jet printer to print a metal spiked ink onto the top of thin layer tissue sections with constant density. Printing was carried out in a direct comparison to an iodination of the tissue section as previously described as an alternative standardization method. The use of the printed internal standard allowed correction of the fluctuation during the laser ablation process and compensated instrumental drift effects. Mediated by the ink correction approach we achieved better signal-to-background-ratios (SBR) of 74 and better spatial resolution of 30 μm compared to iodination (SBR = 23). This improved performance was demonstrated on tumorous areas in FFPE breast cancer tissue sections and allowing detection of Her-2 in tumorous areas of this tissue with significantly improved contrast.


An evaluation is made of liver malfunctions in patients receiving TPN over a period of > or = 15 days between 1989 and 1991. Use was made of the monitoring records on patients undergoing TPN and, subsequently, of clinical records, with analysis of diagnoses and type of intervention, the biochemical parameters (SGOT, SGPT, GGT, FA, LDH, and total and direct bilirubin), and the type and degree of malnutrition, nutritional backup, associated medication, etc. A group of patients was excluded from the study on the basis of the following criteria: liver-biliary disease, cardiac insufficiency, liver metastasis, sepsis, kidney insufficiency and hepatotoxic drugs. Of 237 patients, 75 (31.64%) had liver alterations: following application of the exclusion criteria, 24 patients (10.12%) were taken with liver alterations attributable to the TPN. Macro- and micronutrients were included in the TPN. We found no relation between the kcal/kg of weight, nor with the quantity of glucose and fats nor of nitrogen, calculated according to individual requirements: they remained within the limits established. No serious case of cholestatic jaundice was encountered. Moderate to severe malnutrition was found in 50% of patients, so that this must be treated as a risk factor. GGT is the first enzyme to alter; this occurred in the largest proportion of patients (91.66%), followed by SGPT. FA and GOT are altered in the same percentage of patients. Biochemical parameter monitoring is essential in patients undergoing TPN, not only for appraisal of the nutritional state but also to prevent or correct potential serious metabolic complications.


An improved model for simulating the transient behavior of salient-pole synchronous generators with internal and ground faults in the stator winding is established using the multi-loop circuit method. The model caters for faults under different ground conditions for the neutral, and accounts for the distributed capacitances of the windings to ground. Predictions from the model are validated by experiments, and it is shown that the model accurately predicts the voltage and current waveforms under fault conditions. Hence, it can be used to analyze important features of faults and to design appropriate protection schemes.


One remarkable feature of the South African law of defamation or iniuria is how it has retained a historical form of redress still known under its French name as amende honorable. After a long period of eclipse, the remedy has recently been revived (albeit to an extent which remains uncertain), at least in part under the influence of ideas of restorative justice and ubuntu. In that new context, it has been suggested that the remedy – a form of retraction of the offending words coupled with an apology for their utterance – could redress injuries to reputation, dignity or feelings better than money damages would, and also help mend relationships between the parties. This paper offers a sceptical note on those various counts. Tracing the history of amende honorable in Roman-Dutch law and beyond, it argues that the gist of the action, both historically and doctrinally, lies in a now largely overlooked dimension, namely, the public humiliation of the offender. It is this dimension, unpalatable though it might be to us, which accounts for the potency of the remedy; if we lose sight of it, we find ourselves left with a Court-imposed retraction and apology which is incapable of meeting any of the hopes placed by the moderns in the revival of the ancient remedy.


In this paper, we argue that we can reach a better understanding of the relationships between firm resources and competitive advantage by considering actions that firms take against their rivals' resources in factor markets and political markets. We outline market and firm characteristics that facilitate the deployment of competitors' resource-oriented strategies. We then argue that the effectiveness of the firm's actions on its competitors' resources depends on the competitive responses of the competitors being attacked.


ABSTRACT An experiment was conducted to evaluate effects on growth, body composition and nutrient digestibility of addition protease and phytase to soybean meal-based diet in rainbow trout. Seven soybean meal-based diets were prepared by adding protease, phytase and mixture of both enzymes at two different levels (1 and 2 g kg−1) to a base diet without enzymes. Mixed enzymes (1, 2 g kg−1) were prepared by adding protease and phytase at the same doses (0.5 + 0.5 and 1 + 1 g kg−1). Diets consisted of 31% fish meal and 44% dehulled hexane extracted soybean meal. At the start of the experiment, 45 rainbow trout (initial mean body weight 88 g) were stocked into each of 21 fibre tanks. After 90 days, there were no significant differences on the growth, feed conversion ratio, digestibility of protein and lipid among the groups. Results of this study showed that the addition of protease or phytase as mix to soybean meal-based diet could not increase growth and nutrient digestibility in trout.


Blockchain technology offers a lot of potential benefits in supply chain management. However, there is a need of a reference model which addresses the gaps in existing frameworks. This paper aims to propose a blockchain technology-based reference model which can be applied to global logistics operations.,The researchers have integrated the fit-for-purpose theoretical framework and prototyping methodology to design the reference model, a blockchain-based logistics, tracking and traceability system (BLTTS). The researchers demonstrated the application of the reference model through a health-care supply chain case study. The proposed BLTTS can be implemented across global logistics operations for business performance improvement.,The research provides a framework and recommendations for global companies to consider when adopting the blockchain technology for implementation. The researchers found that the Ethereum blockchain technology improves security of the data shared within the block through the secure hashing algorithm 1. The hash algorithm ensures anonymity of the involved parties. The model integrates blockchain with supply chain thus creating transparent process, efficiency and real-time communication.,The reference model will offer a better solution to global logistics operations challenges. It provides recommendations to key stakeholders involved in logistics operations segment of the logistics industry while adopting blockchain technology. Apart from the methodological limitation of the study, the system compatibility and the layer configuration aspects might be posing potential challenges while upscaling the implementation.,The proposed reference model overcomes the drawbacks of existing models as it integrates Ethereum technology. In addition, the researchers have applied the model to demonstrate its functioning in real-time environment, which could guide for future research.


This paper aims to explore the perception of micro-entrepreneurs towards the adoption of equity-based financing models in Malaysia. The investigation has covered the following characteristics of equity-based financing such as fairness, partnership, risk sharing, business size, and MFI. The current micro-financial products in Malaysia are focusing more on debt-based financing, which is holistically increasing the financial risk level of entrepreneurs in the case of defaults. There is a dire need to identify the relevancy and viability of equity-based financing in Malaysia, it will ultimately reduce the financial risks of entrepreneurs in case of default. The Islamic financial concept offers a solution to this problem, Musharakah and Mudarabah are among the other Islamic products that offer equity-based micro-financing to entrepreneurs. However, its practical implementation is still vague. In relation to this, the study adopts a cross-sectional study with a sample size of 700 micro-entrepreneurs from the state of Selangor Malaysia. The results of this study found that micro-entrepreneurs tend to register a positive perception of the characteristics of equity-based financing and risk-sharing score as the highest factor towards the adoption of the proposed equity-based PLS model in Malaysia.


Using the topology optimization can be an effective means of synthesizing planar rigid-body linkage mechanisms to generate desired motion, as it does not require a baseline mechanism for a specific topology. While most earlier studies were mainly concerned with the formulation and implementation of topology optimization-based synthesis in a fixed grid, this study aims to realize the simultaneous shape and topology optimization of planar linkage mechanisms using a low-resolution spring-connected rigid block model. Here, we demonstrate the effectiveness of simultaneous optimization over a higher-resolution fixed-grid rigid block-based topology optimization process. When shape optimization to change the block shapes is combined with topology optimization to synthesize the mechanism, the use of low-resolution discretized models improves the computation efficiency considerably and helps to yield compact mechanisms with less complexity, making them more amenable to fabrication. After verifying the effectiveness of the simultaneous shape and topology optimization process with several benchmark problems, we apply the method to synthesize a mechanism which guides a planar version of a human's gait trajectory.


This study analyzes social entrepreneurship and its role in the response of nonprofit organizations to the Great Recession. Six case studies focus on the decisions of the executive director of selected nonprofit organizations. The research provides evidence that nonprofit organization leaders are engaging in entrepreneurship. Two organizations started new programs. Five of the six programs expanded their services and one offered their services to a new group of clients. One of the five organizations, not only started a new program, once established, was able to expand their services within a few years. Three of the six organizations created new partnerships. Although the number of cases is small, they comprise a theoretical sample that clearly indicates entrepreneurship plays an important role in the success of nonprofit organizations. A better understanding of nonprofit entrepreneurship can assist nonprofit organization executive directors and other leaders in accomplishing their missions even in hard economic times.


The impact of information and communication technologies (ICT) investment on business performance has been a major research subject for long time. Until the mid 1990s there was little empirical evidence of a positive and statistically significant relation between ICT investment and business performance (ICT Productivity Paradox). Subsequent research, conducted mainly in a few highly developed countries, provided some empirical evidence of a statistically significant positive contribution of ICT investment to some measures of business performance, which increases if ICT investment is complemented by 'co-investments' that create some complementary 'intangible assets', such as new work practices, business processes, organizational structures and skills. In this paper is presented the first study of the impact of information systems (IS) investments on business performance in Greece, based on firm-level data collected through a questionnaire-based survey in cooperation with the Federation of Greek Industries. In this study we also examine whether there is complementarity between IS investment and a set of IS management factors. It is concluded that in Greece IS spending by firms as a percentage of their sales revenue is lower than in the highly developed countries. Also, using econometric models based on the Cobb Douglas production function, we conclude that IS investments in Greece make a positive and statistically significant contribution to firm output and labour productivity, but not to the return on assets. Moreover it was found that the average marginal productivities of ICT capital and ICT labour expenses in Greece are higher than in the highly developed countries; also they are much higher than the average marginal productivities of the non-ICT capital and the non-ICT labour expenses respectively. Finally it was found that there is complementarity between IS investment and the examined set of IS management factors with respect to firm output and labour productivity; therefore the combination of IS investment with these IS management factors results in additional increase of firm output and labour productivity beyond the individual effect of IS investment.


For the foreigner students, Time aspects (usually can be referred as aspects) in Mandarin is a difficult grammar to be grasped. Indonesian student is no exception. There is only a little bit of similarities exist between Mandarin and Indonesian time aspects. For the example from the semantics point of view: Mandarin "le" and Indonesian "sudah" both of them can modify verbs to indicate an action that have been finished. Mandarin "zhe" and Indonesian "sedang" both of them also modify verbs indicating action that still happen. Mandarin "guo" and Indonesian "pernah" both of them also can modify verbs indicating action that had been happened, etc. Except these similarities, Mandarin and Indonesian time aspects have a lot of differences. For the example, in Mandarin time aspects are usually placed after the verbs, while in Indonesian time aspects placed before the verbs. Mandarin time aspects can only modify verb, while Indonesian can modify verb and adjective. For example, in Mandarin the action is already happened, it can't use the adverb of frequency "chang-chang". Eg "ta chang-chang shang xue chi dao le". We can't write it like this. But In Indonesian "sudah" can use adverb of frequency "sering" in sentences, eg : "dia sudah sering terlambat". This sentences in Indonesian is correct. So, this paper will be analyzed the grammar of Mandarin aspect "le, zhe, guo" with Indonesian aspect "sudah, sedang, pernah", compared both of them, and find the differences between both of them.


Large conflagrations of informal settlements occur regularly, leaving thousands of people homeless daily and taking tens of thousands of lives annually. Over the past few years, a large amount of data has been collected from a number of full-scale informal settlement fire experiments. This paper uses that data with a semi-probabilistic fire model previously proposed by the authors, to illustrate the potential applications of the fire spread method proposed. The current model is benchmarked against a 20-dwelling full-scale informal settlement fire experiment, and the effects of the (a) ignition criteria, (b) wind direction, and (c) wind speeds on the predicted fire spread rates are investigated through the use of a parametric study. Colour maps of the fire spread rates and patterns are then used to visually interpret the effects of different types of fire scenarios and fire breaks. Finally, the fire spread capability within B-RISK is used to derive a linear equation for the potential fire spread rate as a function of the settlement spatial metrics (e.g., density and distance to nearest neighbour). To further illustrate the potential application of this work, the fire spread rate equation is then applied across the whole of Cape Town, South Africa, to show the 10 informal settlement areas most at "risk" of large conflagrations.


The spore forming bacterium, Bacillus anthracis is the aetiological agent of anthrax. The 2001 US anthrax letter attacks and the 2009‐2010 outbreak of injectional anthrax in the UK highlighted the importance of early detection and confirmation of this agent, both for patient outcome and forensic investigations.

A reliable and consistent method was used in this study to safely simulate blood cultures with B. anthracis and used to determine the time to positive detection. This was performed with different strains and with varying concentrations of inoculum. An inverse linear relationship was observed with all strains and used to estimate the bacterial blood concentration of anthraxpatients based on data gathered from the literature and front‐line laboratories in the UK.

The study explored a method to potentially reduce the turnaround times for the confirmation of B. anthracis at the national reference laboratory. Serum separator tubes were used to concentrate the bacteria from simulated blood cultures. A simple wash step was performed prior to performing confirmatory phenotypic tests and inactivation for rapid molecular detection. A comparison of test results with and without serum separator tube processing was made for B. anthracis and bacterial isolates referred during the outbreak of injectional anthrax. Simulated mixed blood cultures of B. anthracis and possible common contaminants were also tested. Compared to routine methods, confirmatory phenotypic test results were achieved 24 hours sooner using the method. The simple wash step and inactivation was sufficient to provide nucleic acid for molecular confirmatory assays and genotyping. A new 'sample to answer' platform, the Biofire Filmarray® was also trialled and correctly identified B. anthracis directly from simulated blood culture and provided results within one hour.

Aspects relating to potential biosafety concerns for processing B. anthracis blood cultures were explored. The data generated suggests the aerosol risk is low for B. anthracis. Viability of material on microscopy slides was examined and the data supports the recommended use of alcohol fixation for slide preparation. There has been no previous evidence reported for sporulation occurring in blood culture bottles and the study findings suggest this is possible five days post positive detection.

Interactive e‐learning modules have been produced to disseminate the study outcome. The e‐learning is intended for front‐line laboratories to raise awareness for the safe handling and laboratory identification of B. anthracis.


A number of alloy bars were manufactured to some very precise specifications. Certain scientific institutions then performed chemical analyses and made several measurements of the content of some chemical elements of interest. The measurements made on each of the alloy bars can be considered a set of repeated measurements. Modelling techniques for repeated measurements are now well established. Many of these techniques are based on the multivariate normal distribution with some specified mean and covariance structure. Modelling of the covariance structure is necessary so that efficient and meaningful inferences may be made about the mean structure. For the example of repeated measurements made on an alloy bar, the set of measurements is assumed to follow a multivariate normal distribution with a mean mu and a covariance structure Sigma. The choice of mu and Sigma is explored. Experiments which produce sets of repeated measurements can quite often result in a large amount of data being collected. This means that the use of statistical techniques to fit the model to the data can become computationally demanding. The use of maximum likelihood estimation is considered. Several aspects of constructing computationally efficient algorithms to maximise the likelihood function of the data are addressed. When the proposed model has been fitted to the data the suitability of the model and its assumptions are investigated. A score test is constructed to assess the correctness of the proposed covariance structure. Normal plots of the standardised residuals are used to assess other possible defects in the model, such as an incorrect assumption of normally distributed data. The work which has been carried out was motivated specifically by experiments where the set of repeated measurements came from a chemical analysis of an alloy material. It is the percentage content of a number of chemical elements which is of interest and the choice of statistical models was made with this in mind. However, it is demonstrated how the statistical techniques and models for the analysis of the chemical data may be used to analyse repeated measurements which arise from other kinds of experiments.


Prosthodontic rehabilitation using dental implants has become a common practice in dentistry at the present time. The number of complications related to dental osseointegrated implants has increased according to the generalization of its use along the last decade. Among the most common of these complications are chronic inflammatory conditions affecting both hard and soft tissues around dental implants. Although severe complications are uncommon, in recent years several cases of oral squamous cell carcinoma adjacent to dental implants have been published. In this paper we present a new unusual case of primary oral squamous cell carcinoma arising around a dental fixed prosthesis over osseointegrated implants in a 76 male patient with no previous history of malignance and no risk factors related to oral cancer.


A wavelet inpainting problem refers to the problem of filling in missing wavelet coefficients in an image. A The resulting functional was minimized by the gradient descent method. In this paper, we use an optimization transfer technique which involves replacing their univariate functional by a bivariate functional by adding an auxiliary variable. Our bivariate functional can be minimized easily by alternating minimization: for the auxiliary variable, the minimum has a closed form solution; and for the original variable, the minimization problem can be formulated as a classical total variation (TV) denoising problem, and hence can be solved efficiently using a dual formulation. We show that our bivariate functional is equivalent to the original univariate functional. We also show that our alternating minimization is convergent. Numerical results show that the proposed algorithm is very efficient and outperforms that in Chan, Shen and Zhou.


Although cochlear implants (CIs) have proven to be an invaluable help for many people afflicted with severe hearing loss, there are still many hurdles left before a full restoration of hearing. A better understanding of how individual stimuli in a pulse train interact temporally to form a conjoined percept, and what effects the stimulation rate has on the percept of loudness will be beneficial for further improvements in the development of new coding strategies and thus in the quality of life of CI-wearers.

Two experiments presented here deal on the topic of temporal integration with CIs, and raise the question of the effects of the high stimulation rates made possible by the broad spread of stimulation. To this effect, curves of equal loudness were measured as a function of pulse train length for different stimulation characteristics.

In the first exploratory experiment, threshold and maximum acceptable loudness (MAL) were measured, and the existence and behaviour of the critical duration of integration in cochlear implants is discussed. In the second experiment, the effect of level was further investigated by including MAL measurements at shorter durations, as well as a line of equal loudness at a comfortable level.

It is found that the amount of temporal integration (the slope of integration as a function of duration) is greatly decreased in electrical hearing compared to acoustic hearing. The higher stimulation rates seem to have a compensating effect on this, increasing the slope with increasing rate. The highest rates investigated here lead to slopes that are even comparable to those found in persons with normal hearing and hearing impaired.

The rate also has an increasing effect on the dynamic range, which is otherwise taken to be a correlate of good performance.
The values presented here point towards larger effects of rate on dynamic range than what has been found so far in the literature for more moderate ranges. While rate effects on threshold, dynamic range and integration slope seem to act uniformly for the different test subjects, the critical duration of integration varies strongly but in a non-consistent way, possibly reflecting more central, individual-specific effects.

Additionally, measurements on the voltage spread of human CI-wearers are presented which are used to validate a 3D computational model of the human cochlea developed in our group. The theoretical model falls squarely inside of the distribution of measurements. A single, implant dependent voltage-offset seems to adequately explain most of the variability.


By literal meaning (LM) we usually refer to a theoretical notion which is at the center of a big debate involving philosophers and linguists with various orientations. At the same time, LM is rooted in a linguistic intuition of the speaker, which we could formulate as follows: words taken in isolation have a meaning. Adopting this general take on LM, we are using a notion of LM that seems incompatible with any research program of a contextualist type; I will show, instead, that in a radically contextualist (and Wittgensteinian) perspective, this notion of LM can have legitimate circulation in particular types of language games. I will propose a recovery of the notion of LM saving the speaker's intuition showing that this notion can have heuristic power but only in those particular language games in which it is necessary to recover the meaning of words considered in isolation. To put it differently, I will maintain that the LM of a linguistic expression can be considered as a metalinguistic resource available to the speaker making use of it in various cases, for example when the conversational exchange that characterizes communication breaks down.


Background: Self-medication is prevalent among pregnant women. It can cause adverse effects such as fetal anomalies. Objectives: This study aimed to estimate the prevalence of self-medication among Iranian pregnant women. Methods: This was a systematic review and meta-analysis study. Online national and international databases (namely, Scientific Information Database, MagIran, Web of Science, PubMed, Scopus, and Google Scholar) were searched using the following keywords: "pregnancy," "gravidity," "self-treatment," "self-medication," "non-prescription," "over-the-counter," "self-administered," "self-reported," "Iran," "prevalence," "occurrence," "frequency," and "epidemiology." In total, 128 studies were retrieved. Only 13 studies fulfilled eligibility criteria, i.e. cross-sectional design and publication in Persian or English. Methodological quality of the studies was assessed using a tool with four items, namely design, sample description, sample size, and methods. Meta-analysis was performed using the random-effects model and heterogeneity among the studies was assessed using the I2 index. Results: The total number of samples in the 13 analyzed studies was 4874. The overall self-medication prevalence was 38.46% (95% confidence interval: 27.42–49.49). Meta-regression analysis revealed no significant relationships between self-medication prevalence and methodological quality score (P = 0.409), participants' mean age (P = 0.400), sample size (P = 0.248), and publication year (P = 0.704). Conclusion: The overall prevalence of self-medication among Iranian pregnant women is 38.46%. Study findings can be used to design and implement interventions to reduce self-medication among pregnant women. Educational interventions are needed to improve the knowledge of pregnant women and health-care providers about the effects of self-medication, particularly herbal self-medication.


This work concerns the study of the controllability for some partial functional integrodifferential equation with infinite delay in Banach spaces. We give sufficient conditions that ensure the controllability of the system by supposing that its undelayed part admits a resolvent operator in the sense of Grimmer, and by making use of the measure of noncompactness and the Mönch fixed-point theorem. As a result, we obtain a generalization of a host of important results in the literature, without assuming the compactness of the resolvent operator. An example is given for illustration.


Vascular smooth muscle is considered a model system for the study of the compartmentation of carbohydrate metabolism. Since vascular smooth muscle is capable of synthesizing substantial glycogen stores and utilizing a variety of metabolic substrates, we sought to determine the effects of utilization of either acetate or octanoate on 2-13C-glucose metabolism and on 1-13C-glycogen metabolism in contracting hog carotid arteries having high levels of 13C-labeled glycogen. In carotid arteries that have been allowed to synthesize substantial amounts of glycogen (to a total content of 7.84 +/- 0.31 mumol/gm wet wt glucosyl units), provision of either 5 mM 2-13C-glucose and 2 mM sodium acetate or 5 mM 2-13C-glucose and 0.5 mM octanoic acid during a 3 hr. contraction resulted in a 74% and 71% increase in glycogen utilization compared to that in the presence of glucose as the sole exogenous substrate. The fraction of the 3-13C-lactate from 1-13C-glycogen was substantially reduced in the presence of either acetate or octanoate. We speculate that AMP production by thiokinases with localized access of AMP to phosphorylase may be the common mechanism of glycogenolytic modulation by acetate and octanoate in contracting vascular smooth muscle with high glycogen content. We conclude that utilization of exogenous fatty acids can regulate glycogenolysis independent of glycolysis in contracting vascular smooth muscle with high glycogen content.


We evaluated the accuracy of self-reported home-assessed and self-measured waist circumference in 101 men and eighty-three women aged 28–67 years. The main outcome measures were subjects' self-reported and self-measured waist circumference, and self-classification according to the previously defined waist action level 1 (940 mm in men, 800 mm in women) and action level 2 (1020 mm in men, 880 mm in women), and waist circumference measured by the investigator using the 'Waist Watcher' tape-measure, as the reference method. The mean errors (95% CI limits of agreement) for subjects' self-reported waist circumference (self-reported minus reference; mm) were −67 (95% CI −210, 77) in men and −43 (95% CI −211, 123) in women, and for self-measured waist circumference (mm) using the 'Waist Watcher' (self-measured minus reference) were −5 (95% CI −62, 52) in men and −4 (95% CI −50, 42) in women. The proportions of subjects classified into waist action level 1 or action level 2 by the investigator were used as the reference method. Self-reported waist circumference of men and women respectively would be classified correctly in different categories based on action level 1 with sensitivities of 58·3 and 78·7%, and specificities of 98·5 and 98·7%, and action level 2 with sensitivities of 38·3 and 48·9%, and specificities of 98·5 and 98·7%. Using the 'Waist Watcher' with different colour bands based on the action levels, male and female subjects respectively classified themselves into correct categories according to action level 1 with sensitivities of 100 and 98·7%, and specificities of 98·1 and 98·2%, and according to action level 2 with sensitivities of 98·1 and 100%, and specificities of 100% for both sexes. Only 2% of the sample misclassified themselves into the wrong categories according to waist circumference action levels. In conclusion, people tend to underestimate their waist circumference, but the 'Waist Watcher' tape-measure offers advantages over self-reported home-assessed measurement, and may be used as a screening tool for self-classifying the risk of ill health through intra-abdominal fat accumulation.


Caveolae are bulb-shaped nanodomains of the plasma membrane that are enriched in cholesterol and sphingolipids. They have many physiological functions, including endocytic transport, mechanosensing, and regulation of membrane and lipid transport. Caveola formation relies on integral membrane proteins termed caveolins (Cavs) and the cavin family of peripheral proteins. Both protein families bind anionic phospholipids, but the precise roles of these lipids are unknown. Here, we studied the effects of phosphatidylserine (PtdSer), phosphatidylinositol 4-phosphate (PtdIns4P), and phosphatidylinositol 4,5-bisphosphate (PtdIns(4,5)P2) on caveolar formation and dynamics. Using live-cell, single-particle tracking of GFP-labeled Cav1 and ultrastructural analyses, we compared the effect of PtdSer disruption or phosphoinositide depletion with caveola disassembly caused by cavin1 loss. We found that PtdSer plays a crucial role in both caveola formation and stability. Sequestration or depletion of PtdSer decreased the number of detectable Cav1-GFP puncta and the number of caveolae visualized by electron microscopy. Under PtdSer-limiting conditions, the co-localization of Cav1 and cavin1 was diminished, and cavin1 degradation was increased. Using rapamycin-recruitable phosphatases, we also found that the acute depletion of PtdIns4P and PtdIns(4,5)P2 has minimal impact on caveola assembly but results in decreased lateral confinement. Finally, we show in a model of phospholipid scrambling, a feature of apoptotic cells, that caveola stability is acutely affected by the scrambling. We conclude that the predominant plasmalemmal anionic lipid PtdSer is essential for proper Cav clustering, caveola formation, and caveola dynamics and that membrane scrambling can perturb caveolar stability.


Objective: The blood–brain barrier (BBB) is a major obstacle for drug delivery to the brain. Nucleolipid based liposomes are promising drug delivery systems allowing in vivo tracking using molecular imaging techniques and have proved promising theranostics agents especially for tumors. However, efficient liposomal preparations for theranostic of neuro-onco, neuro-infection and neurodegenerative diseases needs further research. Nucleolipidic liposomes (NL-Nps) are of great interest because of the site-recognition (nucleoside), lipophilicity (long alkyl chain) and better membrane translocation by interaction of fatty acid with the lipid bilayer. Thus, we have evaluated uridine derived nucleolipidic liposomes for encapsulation efficiencies of MTX (methotrexate) anti-cancer and sulfanilamide anti–infection drug and in vivo tracking by radiolabeling with 99mTc.

Materials and Method: (NL-Nps) were prepared using NL-DTPA (synthesized), heated to 50° C when mixed with organic solvent and added to aqueous phase containing the surfactant Tween-80 and the co-surfactant soya lecithin. NL-Nps were encapsulated with MTX and sulfanilamide were similarly prepared by adding drugs (0.1 to 1.5%) to the formulation. NL-Nps were evaluated for release kinetics and brain targeting in BMG-1 (brain glioma) and neuronal cell line in murine model.

Results: Multi-step synthesis leads to the final compound (NL-DTPA) and its liposomal preparation (size 113 to 130 nm, zeta potential -14 to -28 mV) with EEs of 64% was achieved. Liposomes showed sustained drug release for 2-5 days negligible hemolytic activity, no cytotoxicity in HEK cells. Radiolabeling efficiency of 98% was achieved using 99mTc conferring prolonged systemic circulation and renal route excretion. The biodistribution showed 1.8% ID/gm to 2.3% ID/gm for intact versus disrupted BBB in mice models. (NL-Nps) also in BMG tumor mice depicted higher tumor uptake (2.3T/M).

Conclusion: Nucleolipid functionalized liposomes as candidates to be used as biocompatible nanocarrier systems with high systemic retention and anti-tumour effects. Future work will concentrate on targeting of liposomes in brain tumor model using stereotaxis.


Revealed Preference Theory (Samuelson 1938) is an attempt to establish economic theory as a genuine empirical science by ridding it of nonempirical psychological concepts. Samuelson's goal was to rid economic theory of the last vestiges of utility analysis. Samuelson structured his theory on a set of preference axioms that would explain the choices of economic agents. But revealed preference theory is rendered problematic because decision making is structured therein on preferences that conform to an implicit postulate of rationality. Matters are further compounded by the fact that despite theoretical support offered by theorists such as Varian, the empirical results demonstrate that agent decision making is often at variance with the formal axioms of revealed preference. The issue is not solved even when decision making is construed within the context of imperfect, that is, 'bounded rationality'. I argue that neoclassical economic theory is best understood as a form of rule utilitarianism. In this regard, neoclassical economics is unavoidably value-laden and should be construed as an aspect of normative welfare economics. Thus efforts by theorists such as Vanberg to salvage the assumed scientific credentials of neoclassical economics by construing the postulate of rationality in evolutionary terms are seen as problematic. Neoclassical economic theory is to be viewed essentially then as an ideology that presents a particular theory of human behaviour. It is this theory that serves as the foundations of modern capitalism and its practise as neoliberal economics. This is the anthropological question then: is such an ideology socially optimal for humans as social animals in terms of efficiency and equity?


Non-noble metal oxides have emerged as potential candidate electrocatalysts for acidic oxygen evolution reactions (OERs) due to their earth abundance; however, improving their catalytic activity and stability simultaneously in strong acidic electrolytes is still a major challenge. In this work, we report Co3O4@carbon core-shell nanoparticles on 2D graphite sheets (Co3O4@C-GS) as mixed-dimensional hybrid electrocatalysts for acidic OER. The obtained Co3O4@C-GS catalyst exhibits a low overpotential of 350 mV and maintains stability for 20 h at a current density of 10 mA cm-2 in H2SO4 (pH = 1) electrolyte. X-ray photoelectron and X-ray absorption spectroscopies illustrate that the higher content of Co3+ sites boosts acidic OER. Operando Raman spectroscopy reveals that the catalytic stability of Co3O4@C nanoparticles during the acidic OER is enhanced by the introduction of graphite sheets. This interface engineering of non-noble metal sites with high valence states provides an efficient approach to boost the catalytic activity and enhance the stability of noble-metal-free electrocatalysts for acidic OER.


This Working Paper maps the labour law reforms in various European countries either triggered by the crisis or introduced using the crisis – falsely – as an excuse. Such reforms generally render existing labour law provisions more flexible and loosen minimum standards, shifting the emphasis to soft law (deregulation). In some countries it consists only of piecemeal although significant deregulatory measures, while in others it involves far-reaching overhauls of the whole labour code. Furthermore, in several countries fundamental changes are being made to industrial relations structures and processes which might jeopardise social dialogue and collective bargaining there. The authors critically address this large-scale deregulation of labour law currently taking place, in particular the lack of democratic foundations underlying the reforms and their negative impact on fundamental social rights and workers' protection. The working paper is also complemented with an annex providing an analysis of the reforms on a country by country basis. These country studies will be regularly updated and are available and downloadable in English only.


. Recent disasters demonstrated the central role of social media during emergencies thus motivating the exploitation of such data for crisis mapping. We propose a crisis mapping system that addresses limitations of current state-of-the-art approaches by analyzing the textual content of disaster reports from a twofold perspective. A damage detection component employs a SVM classifier to detect mentions of damage among emergency reports. A novel geoparsing technique is proposed and used to perform message geolocation. We report on a case study to show how the information extracted through damage detection and message geolocation can be combined to produce accurate crisis maps. Our crisis maps clearly detect both highly and lightly damaged areas, thus opening up the possibility to prioritize rescue efforts where they are most needed.


English: The purpose of this study was to determine attitudes of the elderly towards euthanasia.
The aims of this research study were achieved by gathering data from a number of elderly
respondents aged 65 and older at several old age homes in the Bloemfontein area. Six old
age homes were involved in this study with a slightly greater concentration coming from
Bloemfontein N=89 (44.5%), while the distribution was relatively even across the other
two broader residential areas N=55 (27.5%) in Heidedal, and N=56 (28%) in Mangaung.
A biographical questionnaire as well as the Euthanasia Attitude Scale was used. The
influence of three variables such as, race, religious beliefs and gender, on the attitudes of
the elderly people towards euthanasia was investigated. One-way ANOVA analysis was
used. After statistical analysis, the variable found to have the greatest influence on the
attitudes of the elderly towards euthanasia was race. Other variables, religious beliefs and
gender were not found to have a significant correlation to euthanasia.


In this work we introduce and evaluate a model of Hierarchical Reinforcement Learning with Parameters. In the first stage we train agents to execute relatively simple actions like reaching or gripping. In the second stage we train a hierarchical manager to compose these actions to solve more complicated tasks. The manager may pass parameters to agents thus controlling details of undertaken actions. The hierarchical approach with parameters can be used with any optimization algorithm. In this work we adapt to our setting methods described in [1]. We show that their theoretical foundation, including monotonicity of improvements, still holds. We experimentally compare the hierarchical reinforcement learning with the standard, non-hierarchical approach and conclude that the hierarchical learning with parameters is a viable way to improve final results and stability of learning.


Introduction In this paper, I defend the importance of narrative to moral philosophy, in particular to moral realism. Moral realism, for the purposes of this essay, is the claim that there are moral truths independent of human beliefs, attitudes, desires and feelings.i Contemporary philosophers typically focus on discursive arguments and exclude narrative. But narrative is considerably more powerful than argument in effecting beliefchange. I shall argue that through such belief-change one can attain to moral truth. ii This account is opposed to that of fellow narrativalist, Richard Rorty, who denies moral realism. Since I believe the clash between realists and anti-realists resolves into a cla sh of intuitions, I don't propose to offer a convincing argument in favor of moral realism. Instead, like Rorty I will draw a word-picture, which stands in stark contrast to the wordpicture that he draws about stories; it is my hope that the reader will find my word-picture more compelling than Rorty's word-picture. In the final section I will offer some considerations in favor of moral realism.


When novice modelers first attempt to build a Bayesian network, they are often impressed with the intuitive graphical structures that capture their causal understanding. This favorable impression evaporates on proceeding to parameterization. Conditional probability tables (CPT) require parameters for often hundreds of very similar scenarios and specifying them in the absence of data can be overwhelming. The problem is even more severe when eliciting parameters from experts with limited time. Often, there is local structure with fewer parameters that better describes the relationship. Such structures include the Noisy OR, decision trees, and equations. These work well for modelers, but can be an issue for experts and particularly groups of experts. An alternative approach is to elicit only a few CPT rows and interpolate the remainder. This is a promising approach, as it can handle unknown structures and multiple experts, but existing techniques can be limited. Here, we present a flexible approach called InterBeta for performing CPT interpolation with ordered nodes. In the simplest case, just two CPT rows are needed, but this can be easily augmented with further information. The basic approach assumes input independence, but allows dependencies to be reintroduced as required, and can also be combined with other local structures such as decision trees or equations, leaving the interpolator to fill in the gaps. We explain the InterBeta method, describe its capabilities and limitations and how it compares to similar approaches and show how it can trade‐off elicitation effort against faithfully representing expert understanding.


Circulating fatty acids (FA) have an endogenous or exogenous origin and are metabolized under the effect of many enzymes. They play crucial roles in many mechanisms: cell signaling, modulation of gene expression, etc., which leads to the hypothesis that their perturbation could be the cause of disease development. FA in erythrocytes and plasma rather than dietary FA could be used as a biomarker for many diseases. Cardiovascular disease was associated with elevated trans FA and decreased DHA and EPA. Increased arachidonic acid and decreased Docosahexaenoic Acids (DHA) were associated with Alzheimer's disease. Low Arachidonic acid and DHA are associated with neonatal morbidities and mortality. Decreased saturated fatty acids (SFA), increased monounsaturated FA (MUFA) and polyunsaturated FA (PUFA) (C18:2 n-6 and C20:3 n-6) are associated with cancer. Additionally, genetic polymorphisms in genes coding for enzymes implicated in FA metabolism are associated with disease development. FA desaturase (FADS1 and FADS2) polymorphisms are associated with Alzheimer's disease, Acute Coronary Syndrome, Autism spectrum disorder and obesity. Polymorphisms in FA elongase (ELOVL2) are associated with Alzheimer's disease, Autism spectrum disorder and obesity. FA-binding protein polymorphism is associated with dyslipidemia, type 2 diabetes, metabolic syndrome, obesity, hypertension, non-alcoholic fatty liver disease, peripheral atherosclerosis combined with type 2 diabetes and polycystic ovary syndrome. Acetyl-coenzyme A carboxylase polymorphisms are associated with diabetes, obesity and diabetic nephropathy. FA profile and genetic variants of proteins implicated in FA metabolism could be considered as disease biomarkers and may help with the prevention and management of diseases.


In offices, knowledge sharing largely depends on everyday face-to-face interaction patterns. These interaction patterns may depend on how employees move through the office space. This thesis explores how these spatial relations influence individual choices with respect to employee movements or routes. Space syntax related research has shown a strong relationship between spatial configuration and pedestrian movement in cities, yet field of space syntax has not applied spatial analysis to the office environment. Although several many space syntax researchers have suggested a connection between spatial configuration of offices and movement patterns of employees, no studies have developed methods to address this issue specifically. Our initial results suggest that organizational borders sometimes work as well as walls regarding movement related to face-to-face interaction in offices. This has led us to perform analysis using occupied spatial positions as a complement to the regular space syntax analysis. Using spatial positioning analysis, we incorporate organizational aspects into space syntax analysis and shift focus from analysis of movement to analysis of interaction. Our papers develop both observational methods and software for spatial modelling. We conclude that rational choice theory and actor network theory can provide useful conceptions and models for how to perform spatial analysis of interactions. Future research should focus on software development and new interpretations related to rational choice, actor networks, and symbolic interactionism.


We have a patient with 34-years-old. Who's come to the gynecological emergency room, in the general hospital, Dr. Manuel Gea González, because she has colic abdominal pain with increasing intensity. The evolution was to develop acute abdominal pain. The location pain was in the inferior abdomen, predominantly in the left iliac foci, with nausea, no vomit and pondered lose, 4 kg in two months. This is associated with changes in the defecator pattern with tendencies to difficult evacuated. By other side she have irregular menstrual period. Rhythm 15 x 2 in the last two years. And we can touch a large tumoration 13 cm in diameter with regular borders, fixed to the uterus apparently, but no to profounder planes. The tumor is lateralized to the right and she has pain with mobilization, low transvaginal hemorrhage, no fetid and finally the patient developed an acute abdominal pain.


The contribution of pesantren to the continuity of national life and statehood cannot be calculated with a numerical value. The sacrifice of the kyai as the central leader in the pesantren has also been proven in the history of the nation. During the colonial period carried out by the Dutch colonies and allies, in a period of more than 300 years, the kyai and pesantren appeared with zeal, with the motto of lovng the homeland is part of faith. The struggle of kyai did not stop after independence, so kyai and all pesantren committed to maintaining and filling independence in accordance to the purpose of the founder of the nation. So then it is time for the State to attend to the continuity of the pesantren through the policy of forming law. However, regulations through this law should not be used as a tool for the State to intervene in pesantren. Let the pesantren with their peculiarities continue to carry out all forms of service to the community. This paper is intended to see the views of kyai on Rancangan Undang-Undang (Draft of Law) on Islamic Boarding Schools and Islamic Education. This paper also analyzes using a public policy perspective on the content of draft of law for the Islamic Boarding School and Religious Education.


By adopting the pseudo-random noise (PN) sequences as the guard interval (GI) as well as the training sequence, time domain synchronous orthogonal frequency division multiplexing (TDS-OFDM) outperforms the conventional OFDM using the cyclic prefix (CP) in the spectral efficiency at the cost of the iterative padding subtraction (IPS) in channel estimation (CE). To avoid the high computational complexity of the IPS, an improved frequency domain CE scheme based on a newly designed frame structure is proposed. To further improve the CE accuracy, the time domain training sequences, which are frequency binary (FB) after the fast Fourier transform (FFT), are flexibly padded as the frame header instead of the PN sequences. Theoretical analyses and computer simulations show that the proposed scheme can improve the system performance under the time frequency doubly selective channels, even in the presence of large channel delays in the single frequency networks.


This study describes the establishment of similarity conditions among structural systems. The main objective of this research is to study the applicability of similitude theory in establishing necessary similarity conditions for designing scaled down models for predicting the vibration behavior of delaminated composite beam-plates. The results presented herein indicate that, for vibration response of delaminated plates, based on structural similitude, a set of scaling laws can be found to establish necessary structural similitude and design rules for small scale models. For models with the same material properties and stacking sequence as prototype, distorted models with different delamination length than those of prototype can predict the behavior of the prototypes with good accuracy.


Metallothionein (MT) proteins are characterized as low molecular weight, cysteine (Cys)-rich, metal binding proteins that were discovered more than 50 years ago as Cd-binding proteins present in horse kidney. They have been found in wide range of organisms and their classification was based on the phylogenetic relationships and patterns of distribution of Cys residues along the MT sequences (Binz & Kagi, 2001). They bind a variety of metals with d10 electronic configurations through mercaptide bonds with Cys residues (Vasak & Hasler, 2000). In the present study effects of mutations of Cys residue distributions on the metal-binding properties of a Cd-binding type 1 MT from Triticum durum are investigated. For this purpose, modifications were introduced to the cys-motifs of the native durum MT, dMT. Double (G61CG65C) and single mutants (G8C, G12C, G61C, G65C) were produced by site-directed mutagenesis Based on results from earlier work (Bilecen et al., 2005) mutants were expressed in E. coli as glutathione-S-transferease (GST) fusion proteins. Proteins were purified and characterized by affinity and size exclusion chromatography, SDS- and Native-PAGE, limited trypsinolysis, inductively coupled plasma optical emission spectroscopy (ICP-OES), UV-Vis absorption spectroscopy, circular dichroism spectropolarimetry (CD), dynamic light scattering (DLS), and small-angle X-ray scattering (SAXS). Expression of the mutants G8C, G12C, G61C and G65C was stable and the proteins were purified for biophysical characterization. Expression of the double mutant G61CG65C, on the other hand, could not be detected in the soluble E. coli fractions and efforts to locate it in inclusion bodies also failed. All the over-expressed mutants were purified as homodimers in solution. Protein yield for the mutant preparations ranged between 10 to 15 mg per liter of bacterial culture. The UV-Vis absorption spectra for all the mutants displayed the typical shoulder at 250 nm indicating Cd-binding. The G8C, G12C and G61C mutants had a Cd2+ to protein ratio of 3.5±1 which is similar to that observed with native GSTdMT. The G65C, however, showed enhanced Cd binding with a ratio of 4.4 Cd2+ per protein, thus binding an additional Cd for each mole of protein compared to native GSTdMT. Proteolytic cleavage results of the G65C indicated that this mutant has more compact structure compared to native GSTdMT. Shape models obtained from SAXS data of G61C showed that the shape envelope of this mutant is similar to that of the native GSTdMT. G65C mutant obtained in during these studies offers a possibility for investigation of the Cd-binding mechanisms of MTs and for designing MTs that can be used in applications including biosensors. Future work is needed to understand the basis of enhanced Cd-binding capacity and to determine if this property is preserved when the protein is cleaved from its GST partner.


In recent years, a dramatic increase in the study of infrastructure has occurred in the social sciences and humanities, following upon foundational work in the physical sciences, architecture, planning, information science, and engineering. This article, authored by a multidisciplinary group of scholars, probes the generative potential of infrastructure at this historical juncture. Accounting for the conceptual and material capacities of infrastructure, the article argues for the importance of paradox in understanding infrastructure. Thematically the article is organized around three key points that speak to the study of infrastructure: ruin, retrofit, and risk. The first paradox of infrastructure, ruin, suggests that even as infrastructure is generative, it degenerates. A second paradox is found in retrofit, an apparent ontological oxymoron that attempts to bridge temporality from the present to the future and yet ultimately reveals that infrastructural solidity, in material and symbolic terms, is more apparent than actual. Finally, a third paradox of infrastructure, risk, demonstrates that while a key purpose of infrastructure is to mitigate risk, it also involves new risks as it comes to fruition. The article concludes with a series of suggestions and provocations to view the study of infrastructure in more contingent and paradoxical forms.


BACKGROUND
Myasthenic crisis (MC) is often associated with prolonged intubation and with respiratory complications.

OBJECTIVES
To assess predictors of ventilation duration and to compare the effectiveness of endotracheal intubation and mechanical ventilation (ET-MV) with bilevel positive airway pressure (BiPAP) noninvasive ventilation in MC.

DESIGN
Retrospective cohort study.

SETTING
Academic research. Patients We reviewed consecutive episodes of MC treated at the Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minnesota.

MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES
Collected information included patients' demographic data, immunotherapy, medical complications, mechanical ventilation duration, and hospital lengths of stay, as well as baseline and preventilation measurements of forced vital capacity, maximal inspiratory and expiratory pressures, and arterial blood gases.

RESULTS
We identified 60 episodes of MC in 52 patients. BiPAP was the initial method of ventilatory support in 24 episodes and ET-MV was performed in 36 episodes. There were no differences in patient demographics or in baseline respiratory variables and arterial gases between the groups of episodes initially treated using BiPAP vs ET-MV. In 14 episodes treated using BiPAP, intubation was avoided. The mean duration of BiPAP in these patients was 4.3 days. The only predictor of BiPAP failure (ie, requirement for intubation) was a Pco(2) level exceeding 45 mm Hg on BiPAP initiation (P= .04). The mean ventilation duration was 10.4 days. Longer ventilation duration was associated with intubation (P= .02), atelectasis (P< .005), and lower maximal expiratory pressure on arrival (P= .02). The intensive care unit and hospital lengths of stay statistically significantly increased with ventilation duration (P< .001 for both). The only variable associated with decreased ventilation duration was initial BiPAP treatment (P< .007).

CONCLUSIONS
BiPAP is effective for the treatment of acute respiratory failure in patients with myasthenia gravis. A BiPAP trial before the development of hypercapnia can prevent intubation and prolonged ventilation, reducing pulmonary complications and lengths of intensive care unit and hospital stay.


In this brief, Lyapunov-based design techniques are utilized to propose a 2.5D visual servoing controller which stabilizes the robot end-effector pose while satisfying practical constraints on the sensing and the actuation. First, a nominal feedback controller is introduced which is then modified through an optimization-based approach in order to satisfy the constraints related to limited camera field-of-view and size of actuation. In the absence of actuator constraints, the proposed control law yields semi-global asymptotic (exponential) stability. When actuator constraints are introduced, the result is local asymptotic stability with known bounds on the region of attraction. Simulation and experimental results demonstrate the effectiveness of the proposed control methodology.


Abstract. A new modelling tool for the investigation of large-scale behaviour of cirrus clouds has been developed. This combines two existing models, the TOMCAT/SLIMCAT chemistry transport model (nupdate library version 0.80, script mpc346_l) and cirrus parameterisation of Ren and MacKenzie (LACM implementation not versioned). The development process employed a subset of best-practice software engineering and quality assurance processes, selected to be viable for small-scale projects whilst maintaining the same traceability objectives. The application of the software engineering and quality control processes during the development has been shown to be not a great overhead, and their use has been of benefit to the developers as well as the end users of the results. We provide a step-by-step guide to the implementation of traceability tailored to the production of geo-scientific research software, as distinct from commercial and operational software. Our recommendations include: maintaining a living "requirements list"; explicit consideration of unit, integration and acceptance testing; and automated revision/configuration control, including control of analysis tool scripts and programs. Initial testing of the resulting model against satellite and in-situ measurements has been promising. The model produces representative results for both spatial distribution of the frequency of occurrence of cirrus ice, and the drying of air as it moves across the tropical tropopause. The model is now ready for more rigorous quantitative testing, but will require the addition of a vertical wind velocity downscaling scheme to better represent extra-tropical continental cirrus.


Objective: To evaluate lipomas of the internal auditory canal (IAC) and cerebellopontine angle (CPA). Study Design: Retrospective review. Methods: Review of a multi‐institutional series of 17 lipomas of the IAC/CPA, combined with a Medline review of the 67 cases reported in the world literature. Results: This series of 17 IAC/CPA lipomas is the largest reported series to date, bringing the total number of documented cases to 84. There appears to be a nearly 2:1 male to female predominance. Sixty percent were leftsided lesions, and three were bilateral. Hearing loss, dizziness, and tinnitus were the most common presenting symptoms. Surgical resection was performed in 52 (62%) of these lesions; however, total tumor removal was accomplished in only 17 (33%), which is most likely because of the fact that these tumors tend to have a poorly defined matrix and a dense adherence to neurovascular structures. Sixty‐eight percent of patients experienced a new deficit postoperatively, 11% were unchanged, and only 19% improved with no new deficit. Only one documented case of tumor growth was identified; however, the reported follow‐up was short (average, less than 3 years). Conclusion: With the magnetic resonance imaging techniques now available, lipomas can be reliably differentiated from other masses within the CPA and IAC, so histopathologic diagnosis is rarely necessary. Because of the potential for significant morbidity with resection of these lesions, we believe that conservative follow‐up is the best treatment option for patients with these rare lesions. Surgery is indicated only when significant progressive or disabling symptoms are present. Laryngoscope, 108:1459–1469, 1998


In this paper two computational models for commercial vehicle engine vibration dynamics are presented. The first model is conventional elastomeric engine mounting system comprising elastic, viscous and friction functional components which expresses the nonlinear behaviour of the dynamic stiffness and damping of the engine mounts as functions of both the frequency and amplitude of
excitation. The second model is based on adding actuators, sensors and a controller to the elastomeric mounts making the engine mounting system an adaptronic one. Parameter optimization of the proposed adaptronic engine mounting system has been done. Computational models are implemented in Matlab /Simulink with GUI suitable for engine vibration dynamics analysis under different engine excitations
and realistic road inputs. Simulations of engine vibration and transmitted forces to the vehicle structure are presented which are obtained by using both computational models for the same inputs of engine and road excitations. Comparison of the obtained results for adaptronic mounting system (AMS) to the corresponding results of conventional mounting system (CMS) demonstrates up to %24 reduction in the magnitude of the transmitted force to the vehicle structure achieved with adaptronic engine mounting system that includes two actuators with forces not exceeding 50 (N).


Undernutrition causes long-term damages on the physical and cognitive development and half of deaths among children under 5 y. Most of the current interventions are concentrated on improving nutrition among young children and mothers. However, malnutrition is also prevalent among older children and adolescents, especially in Africa and in South-East Asia. It has adverse effects on their global development because of the high requirements in energy, protein and micronutrients resulting from growth and brain development spurts occurring these periods of life. Our research evaluated the prevalence of malnutrition and their determinants factors among school-aged children and adolescents in Senegal and Cambodia, as well as the effectiveness of micronutrient fortified food in schools in Cambodia. A cross-sectional study was conducted on a representative sample of ~ 600 children aged from 5 to 17 years from primary state schools of Dakar area, selected through a two-stage random cluster sample (30 schools × 20 children). Elevated rates of thinness (19%) and micronutrient deficiencies (iron 39%, iodine 33%, zinc 26%) were showed. The food consumption survey revealed insufficient micronutrients and energy intake, as well as contribution to total energy intake insufficient in proteins and excessive in lipids, which reveals poor conditions among school children in Senegal. In Cambodia, a cluster-randomized placebo-controlled double-blind trial was conducted among 2400 children aged 6-16 y to measure the impact of fortified rice consumed during 6 months within the school feeding program of WFP on their micronutrient status and cognitive performance. Before the intervention, poor cognitive performance was associated to stunting, iron deficiency and parasite infestation. The growth was positively associated to zinc status, which was negatively associated to parasite infestation. Rice fortified with vitamin A improved vitamin A status and rice with the highest iron concentration had a positive impact on cognitive performance. Data from Senegal and Cambodia were analyzed to study indicators of malnutrition among school-aged children and adolescents. According to the WHO recommendations, we suggested mid-upper-arm circumference (MUAC) cut-offs to screen for acute malnutrition among children above 5 years in Cambodia (15.5 cm, 16.4 cm and 18.2cm in boys and 15.4 cm, 16.6 cm and 17.9 cm in girls aged 5-7.9y, 8-11.9 y, and 11-13.9 y). We confirmed the need to correct plasma concentrations of retinol-binding-protein and ferritin according to inflammatory status, and showed the interest of a similar correction for transferrin receptor, these corrections improving the estimation of prevalence of vitamin A and iron deficiencies in populations where inflammation is endemic. Undernutrition remains a public health issue among school-aged children and adolescents in Senegal and Cambodia. Determination of malnutrition in this age range could be improved by research on indicators taking into account intra variability populations, environmental factors and specific needs of these populations. School-based interventions like the one in Cambodia have positive effects on nutrition and development of children, advocating for extension of school feeding, including in disadvantaged urban areas. Distribution fortified food in existing school canteens is a cost-effective strategy to improve nutrition and health. More research and efforts should be shifted to the nutritional status of adolescent girls because of the risk of early childbearing, still commonly practiced in developing countries, and the importance of adequate nutrition during pregnancy. Investing in nutrition in this age range is an opportunity to consolidate the progress achieved in pregnant women and young children through a life-cycle approach and to optimize the development of next generations in developing countries.


We take a fresh analytical look at the developments in the Japanese labour market over the last two decades and provide answers to three key questions: first, was regular employment replaced by non-regular employment on an aggregate level in general and at the expense of younger generations in particular? Second, how do today's labour market outcomes compare to the heydays of the Japanese economy, i.e. to the late 1980s? Third, have wage gaps between men and women as well as between regular and non-regular employees increased, stayed the same, or shrunk? Contrary to both public perception and many research opinions, we find that the Japanese labour market as a whole has produced normatively positive outcomes of an unexpected magnitude in a long-term perspective. By 2010, employment has expanded beyond the structural frame of 1988 both in its non-standard and in its standard segment. We further find that the increase in non-regular employment was predominantly due to an increase in labour demand, mirrored by a significantly narrowed wage gap between non-standard and standard employment. Lastly, we find that women have made substantial inroads into the labour market, both in terms of regular employment and real wage development.


Abstract : Distributed digital arrays have many potential applications in radar and communication systems. The objective of this thesis is to re-examine previous research on distributed digital array radar (DDAR) and evaluate several critical aspects of a proposed wireless architecture. Self-standing transmit/receive (T/R) modules are synchronized wirelessly. An important issue addressed in this thesis is whether a simple low-cost synchronization circuit would perform adequately. To this end two breadboard T/R modules were built to support test and evaluation. Both measurements and simulations were performed. Other issues addressed in the research include a comprehensive investigation of the demodulator performance, and the development of Controller and processing software in LabVIEW.


Abstract The question of understanding and dealing with the small peasants (xiao nong) in the course of the transition from traditional agricultural society to modern industrial society is a significant theoretical and practical issue. Previous views emphasized the peasants' vulnerability and suggested that they would eventually be replaced by other business entities. Such proposals cannot explain the fact that it was traditional small peasants who created China's agrarian civilization and that the small farming household based on the household contract responsibility system is still the main force in China's agricultural modernization. Re-examining the historical position and vitality of the small peasants, we can see that despite being vulnerable, they are "fragile but unbreakable; weak but never slackening" in their interaction with the external environment under various pressures. Historically, this kind of resilience has been endogenous within the long-term autonomous responsibility mechanism of China's small peasants, expressed in their reciprocal responsibility as a community of a shared future; in their sharing of burdens as a living community; in their internalization of responsibility as a community of production; and in their joint responsibility as a political community. After 1949, rural reform created conditions for the modern transformation of the resilient small peasant. Organization, socialization and state involvement have further enhanced the modern small peasants' resilience and developmental capacity, fueling the organic integration of small peasants and modern agriculture and driving the vigor of agricultural modernization.


This study investigated fluctuations in anxiety and menstrual distress across the menstrual cycle. Female college students (N = 318) completed self-report measures of symptoms across the menstrual cycle and measures of general psychological adjustment. A subgroup (n = 56) of Anxious participants who reported high levels of anxiety was identified. Results indicated that anxiety and menstrual symptoms were equally severe during premenstrual and menstrual phases and then dropped off during the remaining two phases. Twenty-five of the 56 Anxious subjects met PMS criteria and also reported high anxiety, whereas 31 Anxious subjects reported high levels of anxiety without PMS. These results suggest that some women, and possibly practitioners, may mislabels fluctuations in anxiety as PMS. The findings also suggest a need to attend to the entire menstrual cycle in the assessment of anxiety in women. ----- There has been an increase in research and clinical attention to menstrually related symptoms in women during the past decade (e.g., Halbreich et al., 1993). However, this interest in psychological problems related to the female reproductive cycle has been limited to the premenstrual phase of the menstrual cycle and to distress prior to the onset of menstruation, popularly known as "PMS". Yet, some of the extant literature, as well as our clinical experience, suggest that many of these menstrually related symptoms may be more than PMS and actually be manifestations of underlying anxiety. Exacerbations of both medical illnesses and psychiatric disorders during the premenstrual phase have been widely reported (e.g., Endicott, Halbreich, Schacht, & Nee, 1981; Stein, Schmidt, Rubinow, & Uhde, 1989; Stanton & Gallant, 1995) and are also discussed extensively in the appendix of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-IV) (4th ed., revised; American Psychiatric Association, 1994) under the diagnostic category of Premenstrual Dysphoric Disorder (PDD). However, systematic research on fluctuations of psychological symptoms over the entire menstrual cycle has been limited. For example, recent reviews on women's health and the reproductive cycle (Gallant & Derry, 1995; Johnson, 1995) focus primarily on PMS and, to a lesser extent, on affective disorders. A few studies have investigated anxiety and anxiety disorders within the context of the menstrual cycle, mostly emphasizing the premenstrual phase. Some of these (e.g., Cook et al., 1990; McLeod, Hoehn-Saric, Foster, & Hipsley, 1993; Veeninga, Ruiter, & Kraaimaat, 1994; Gallant & Derry, 1995) reported a premenstrual magnification of anxiety symptoms in women with diagnosed anxiety disorders (such as panic disorder). In a separate line of study, McLeod et al. (1993) reported that assessment of anxiety symptoms in women who received both the diagnosis of generalized anxiety disorder and PMS may be complicated by cyclical fluctuations of symptom severity. Finally, Halbreich (1993) and Hamilton and Gallant (1993) reported that many women experience menses at least as distressing as the premenstrual phase, suggesting that examination of more than the premenstrual phase is needed. A series of studies by Sigmon and her colleagues (e.g., Sigmon, Fink, Rohan & Hotovy, 1996; Sigmon, Dorhofer, Rohan & Boulard, 2000; Sigmon et al., 2000; Sigmon, Rohan, Boulard, Dorhofer & Whitcomb, 2000; Dorhofer & Sigmon, 2002) examined fluctuations across the entire menstrual cycle by assessing coping and anxiety experiences in university women. Their findings included that subjects with high anxiety sensitivity, as well as those diagnosed with panic disorder, were more likely to report distress and use maladaptive coping strategies. Furthermore, young women with asthma and those with panic disorder exhibited symptom fluctuations across the cycle. As the above research indicates, the extent and magnitude of fluctuations in anxiety and menstrual distress across the entire cycle has been examined in clinical populations, including those with diagnosed with PMS, generalized anxiety disorder, and panic disorder, etc. …


Epistemological understanding is an important part of college students' intellectual development. The present study examines the structure of epistemological understanding on a sample of students in an Indonesian university. The study also compares epistemological understanding of the social and natural science disciplines. Participants were mostly female (58%), on average 17.9 years, and enrolled in either a social science (fashion design, law, and psychology; N = 575) or natural sciences study programme (engineering, pharmacy, and biology; N = 924). A Likert-type instrument was used to measure three dimensions of epistemological understanding regarding authority as a source of knowledge, the subjectivity of knowledge, and the changeability of knowledge. Eigen values and scree plot in the exploratory factor analysis indicate a four-factor solution. These factors referred to the three hypothesised dimensions, and one additional dimension reflecting beliefs related specifically to factual knowledge. Additional analyses show that knowledge in the social sciences are seen as more subjective and uncertain. Furthermore, while students generally trust epistemic authorities from both fields, the trust towards authority in the social sciences is associated with a belief that knowledge is subjective. The reverse pattern was found for the natural sciences. A possible explanation is that social science students recognised but were uncomfortable with the subjective nature of their discipline, and hence sought certainty from epistemic authorities.


Understanding the social roles played by contributors to online communities can facilitate the process of task routing. In this work, we develop new techniques to find roles in Wikipedia based on editors' low-level edit types and investigate how work contributed by people from different roles affect the article quality. To do this, we first built machine-learning models to automatically identify the edit categories associated with edits. We then applied a graphical model analogous to Latent Dirichlet Allocation to uncover the latent roles in editors' edit histories. Applying this technique revealed eight different roles editors play. Finally, we validated how our identified roles collaborate to improve the quality of articles. The results demonstrate that editors carrying on different roles contribute differently in terms of edit categories and articles in different quality stages need different types of editors. Implications for editor role identification and the validation of role contribution are discussed.