Web Services represent a number of standard technologies and methodologies that allow developers to build applications under the Service-Oriented Computing paradigm. Within these, the WSDL language is used for representing Web Service interfaces, while code-first remains the de facto standard for building such interfaces. Previous studies with contract-first Web Services have shown that avoiding a specific catalog of bad WSDL specification practices, or anti-patterns, can reward Web Service publishers as service understandability and discoverability are considerably improved. In this paper, we study a number of simple and well-known code service refactorings that early reduce anti-pattern occurrences in WSDL documents. This relationship relies upon a statistical correlation between common OO metrics taken on a service's code and the anti-pattern occurrences in the generated WSDL document. We quantify the effects of the refactorings — which directly modify OO metric values and indirectly alter anti-pattern occurrences — on service discovery. All in all, we show that by applying the studied refactorings, anti-patterns are reduced and Web Service discovery is significantly improved. For the experiments, a dataset of real-world Web Services and an academic service registry have been employed.


The effect of cyadox on growth and apparent digestibility of nutrients in weanling pigs was investigated. Cyadox (2-formylquinoxaline-N1,N4-dioxide cyanocetylhydrazone) is a derivative of quinoxaline-1, 4-dioxide, a growth promoting antimicrobial agent that is used in pig production. Seventy-five crossbred weanling barrows were randomly assigned to three treatments with five replicates per treatment. The three dietary treatments consisted of an unmedicated diet (control), a diet containing 100 mg/kg of cyadox and a diet containing 100 mg /kg of olaquindox. The body weight and feed consumption of the pigs were measured weekly for the 4-week experimental period. During week 4 a digestibility study was conducted, and faecal grab samples were collected for six days from each pen. The pigs fed cyadox had significantly higher average daily gains and improved feed conversion efficiencies compared to the control. Cyadox did not affect average daily feed intake. The apparent digestibility of dry matter, crude protein, ether extract, nitrogen free extract, calcium, phosphorus and gross energy was significantly increased in the cyadox-fed pigs above the control. Inclusion of cyadox significantly improved the apparent digestibility of iron, copper, zinc and manganese, and that of several essential and nonessential amino acids. It is suggested that the growth promoting effect of cyadox may be attributed to the improvement in the apparent digestibility of dietary nutrients.. Keywords : Cyadox; pig; average daily gain; feed conversion efficiency;digestibility; amino acids; mineral elements South African Journal of Animal Sciences Vol. 35 (2) 2005: pp.117-125


Abstract The objective of the study was to prepare low-cost activated carbon from cornelian cherry stones (Cornus mas L.) and compare its adsorption capacities for CO2 with that of commercial multiwalled carbon nanotubes, activated carbon, MCM-41 and four zeolites (silver exchanged, 13X, faujasite type and linde type A). BET, t-plot and DFT methods were used for the characterization of all adsorbent samples based on N2 adsorption-desorption data obtained at 77 K. The produced activated carbon samples (KAC and NAC) were also characterized by scanning electron microscopy (SEM). The adsorption data were evaluated by several isotherm models such as Freundlich, Langmuir, Temkin, DR and Harkins-Jura isotherm models. Langmuir adsorption isotherms constants related to adsorption capacity, Wm were found as 11.496, 6.175, 4.189, 3.986 and 3.50 mmol/g for NAC, KAC, faujasite type zeolit, MCM-41 and AC, respectively. The CO2 adsorption capacities of the silver exchanged, 13X, faujasite type and linde type A zeolites were 10.814, 10.241, 14.608 and 13.343 wt%, respectively. Microporous zeolites showed higher CO2 adsorption capacities than the mesoporous MCM-41 and MWCNT. The CO2 adsorption capacity of commercial activated carbon (AC) was found to be 9.428 wt%, while the CO2 adsorption capacities of activated carbons obtained using NaOH and KOH were found to be 13.685 and 15.057 wt%, respectively. The highest CO2 adsorption capacity of 15.057 wt% was achieved with KAC. It could be confirmed that NaOH or KOH activation plays an important role to determine the porous structure and amount of CO2 adsorbed. Results showed that activated carbon produced from cornelian cherry stones is suitable for the adsorption of CO2 and could be used as a low cost effective adsorbent in the capture of CO2.


Public administrators have always been interested in identifying cost-effective strategies for managing their programs. As government agencies invest in data warehouses and business intelligence capabilities, it becomes feasible to employ analytic techniques used more-commonly in the private sector. Predictive analytics and rapid-cycle evaluation are analytical approaches that are used to do more than describe the current status of programs: in both the public and private sectors, these approaches provide decision makers with guidance on what to do next


The measurement of $R_D$ ($R_{D^*}$), the ratio of the branching fraction of $\overline{B} \to D \tau \bar{\nu}_\tau (\overline{B} \to D^* \tau \bar{\nu}_\tau)$ to that of $\overline{B} \to D l \bar{\nu}_l (\overline{B} \to D^* l \bar{\nu}_l)$, shows $1.9 \sigma$ $(3.3 \sigma)$ deviation from its Standard Model (SM) prediction. The combined deviation is at the level of $4 \sigma$ according to the Heavy Flavour Averaging Group (HFAG). We perform an effective field theory analysis (at the dimension 6 level) of these potential New Physics (NP) signals assuming $ SU(3)_{C} \times SU(2)_{L} \times U(1)_{Y}$ gauge invariance. We first show that, in general, $R_D$ and $R_{D^*}$ are theoretically independent observables and hence, their theoretical predictions are not correlated. We identify the operators that can explain the experimental measurements of $R_D$ and $R_{D^*}$ individually and also together. Motivated by the recent measurement of the $\tau$ polarisation in $\overline{B} \to D^* \tau \bar{\nu}_\tau$ decay, $P_\tau^{D^*}$ by the {\sc Belle} collaboration, we study the impact of a more precise measurement of $P_\tau^{D^*}$ (and a measurement of $P_\tau^D$) on the various possible NP explanations. Furthermore, we show that the measurement of $R_{D^*}$ in bins of $q^2$, the square of the invariant mass of the lepton neutrino system, along with the information on $\tau$ polarisation, can completely distinguish the various operator structures.


Many complex systems in the real world can be modeled as complex networks, which has captured in recent years enormous attention from researchers of diverse fields ranging from natural sciences to engineering. The extinction of species in ecosystems and the blackouts of power girds in engineering exhibit the vulnerability of complex networks, investigated by empirical data and analyzed by theoretical models. For studying the resilience of complex networks, three main factors should be focused on: the network structure, the network dynamics and the failure mechanism. In this review, we will introduce recent progress on the resilience of complex networks based on these three aspects. For the network structure, increasing evidence shows that biological and ecological networks are coupled with each other and that diverse critical infrastructures interact with each other, triggering a new research hotspot of "networks of networks" (NON), where a network is formed by interdependent or interconnected networks. The resilience of complex networks is deeply influenced by its interdependence with other networks, which can be analyzed and predicted by percolation theory. This review paper shows that the analytic framework for Energies 2015, 8 12188 NON yields novel percolation laws for n interdependent networks and also shows that the percolation theory of a single network studied extensively in physics and mathematics in the last 60 years is a specific limited case of the more general case of n interacting networks. Due to spatial constraints inherent in critical infrastructures, including the power gird, we also review the progress on the study of spatially-embedded interdependent networks, exhibiting extreme vulnerabilities compared to their non-embedded counterparts, especially in the case of localized attack. For the network dynamics, we illustrate the percolation framework and methods using an example of a real transportation system, where the analysis based on network dynamics is significantly different from the structural static analysis. For the failure mechanism, we here review recent progress on the spontaneous recovery after network collapse. These findings can help us to understand, realize and hopefully mitigate the increasing risk in the resilience of complex networks.


The development of a new class of artificial materials, called metamaterials, can be harnessed to provide a wide range of electromagnetic properties beyond those of natural materials. These properties include positive and negative permeability and permittivity values, strong anisotropy, and the ability to construct spatially varying electromagnetic properties within the material. These unconventional electromagnetic materials have been used to demonstrate negative refraction and a cloaking structure among other interesting phenomena. To achieve their response, metamaterials employ periodic composite structures consisting of conductors and dielectrics that are shaped in various geometries which couple to incident electromagnetic waves. In this dissertation we investigate the introduction of fundamentally resonant materials into these geometrically resonant metamaterial structures. We are able to analytically characterize the unique hybridization that occurs. More specifically, we consider the integration of a resonant gyromagnetic materials into waveguide and bulk metamaterial structures. These hybrid structures are shown to provide a means of making strongly tunable metamaterial structures. In this dissertation we initially investigate the physical nature of metamaterial structures. In chapter 2, we consider the effect of geometrical disorder in the resonant elements of a split- ring resonator (SRR) metamaterial and the resulting bulk constitutive parameters. In chapter 3, we consider the potential for metamaterials to support novel surface modes. We experimentally demonstrate the excitation of magnetic surface polariton modes on a magnetic SRR metamaterial slab. In chapter 4, as a precursor to considering how to integrate naturally magnetic materials into metamaterial structures, we consider ferromagnetic materials and their integration into small dimensional microstrip structures. We develop simulation techniques that accurately reproduce experimental results for these analytically intractable structures. In chapter 5, we examine the metamaterial concept in the transmission line environment and consider the potential for constructing tunable metamaterial structures. Finally, in chapter 6, we theoretically and numerically consider a metamaterial with incorporated naturally resonant magnetic material and demonstrate that it exhibits a unique hybrid resonance. In chapter 7, we extend our analysis to a bulk hybrid metamaterial structure with integrated gyromagnetic material. In general, these hybrid structures show potential for extending the electromagnetic properties of metamaterials. They also provide a means of magnifying and decoupling the electromagnetic properties of the integrated resonant magnetic materials


With the advances in deep submicron CMOS technologies, CMOS-based active-pixel sensors (APS) have become a practical alternative to charge-coupled devices (CCD) imaging technology. Key advantages of CMOS image sensors are that they are fabricated in standard CMOS technologies, which allow full integration of the image sensor along with the analog and digital processing and control circuits on the same chip and that they are of low cost. Since there is a practical limit on the minimum pixel size (4~5 mum), then CMOS technology scaling can allow for an increased number of transistors to be integrated into the pixel. Such smart pixels truly show the potential of CMOS technology in imaging applications, especially for high-speed applications. This work discusses various active-pixel sensors (APS) and shows the feasibility of using the DC-level to increase the sensitivity of the pixel for low-level light applications. Avalanche-photodiodes (APDs) are described, in addition to a discussion of the breakdown mechanism and microplasma in avalanche breakdown for single photon APDs. A fully integrated, 16 times 16 pixel CMOS camera-on-a-chip, fabricated in a standard CMOS 0.18 mum technology is also shown in this work. The array is based on 256 APS with a pixel size of 20 mum times 30 mum, a fill-factor of 60% with all digital and analog blocks implemented on-chip.


A rare case of dental malocclusion in an adult white chinchilla
rabbit buck is reported. A diagnosis of acquired incisor malocclusion was made based on the history, physical examination of the rabbit and postmortem examination of the skull. To the best of our knowledge, this appears to be the first reported case of this condition in Nigeria. It is suggested that the condition may be more common among rabbits in Nigeria and elsewhere than the paucity of reports on the incidence. Measures to be adopted in order to forestall dental malocclusion in rabbits are discussed.

Keywords: Malocclusion, rabbit, incisor.


Otolith daily increment analysis was used to describe the first growth season of young-of-the-year anchovy (Engraulis encrasicolus L.) in the Bay of Biscay. Anchovy larvae and juveniles were sampled during their growth season over a three year period (2004, 2005 and 2006). A logistic curve was fitted to the length at age data. At the end of the first year of growth, length was 168.3 mm, with a maximum growth rate of 1.85 mm day-1 for 73 days after hatching. Moreover, a Gompertz growth model was applied to estimate otolith growth parameters. At the end of the first year the otolith radius was 1759 μm, with a maximum growth increment of 22.19 μm day-1 observed 56 days after hatching. Standard length and otolith radius were closely related; however, this relationship showed a characteristic change from exponential in the larval stage to linear in the juvenile stage.


The aim of this study was to improve knowledge on road users' experiences, problems and needs in night-time traffic in urban areas. Based on a previous literature study, the following road user groups were selected for a focus group study: bicyclists, older drivers and older pedestrians. All three focus groups thought that the problems in night-time traffic in urban areas mainly are related to pedestrians and bicyclists. They seldom have proper lighting and/or retroreflective markings and are thus difficult to detect, not only for drivers but also for other pedestrians and bicyclists. Furthermore, traffic rules for pedestrians and bicyclists are experienced as unclear and inconsistent, which causes irritation and may increase the risk of accidents. Both the bicyclist group and the group with older pedestrians asked for better road markings that clearly show where to walk and where to cycle, since they themselves sometimes find it difficult to know where to walk/cycle and also because they think other pedestrians and bicyclists walk or cycle on the wrong part of the road.


We propose a bulk negative refractive index (NRI) metamaterial composed of periodic array of tightly coupled metallic cross-pairs printed on the six sides of a cube for applications of superlenses. The structural characteristics of the three-dimensional (3D) metamaterial consist in the high symmetry and the superposition of metallic cross-pairs, which can increase the magnetic inductive coupling between adjacent cross-pairs and realize a broadband and isotropic NRI. The proposed 3D structure is simulated using the CST Microwave Studio 2006 to verify the design validity. The simulation results show that the proposed structure can not only realize simultaneously an electric and magnetic response to an incident electromagnetic (EM) wave, but also exhibit a broadband NRI whose relative bandwidth can reach up to 56.7%. In addition, the NRI band is insensitive to the polarization and the incident angle of the incident EM wave. Therefore, the proposed metamaterial is a good candidate material as three-dimensional broadband isotropic NRI metamaterial.


The Pilliga Forest is one of the largest surviving woodland remnants on the New South Wales western slopes in inland eastern Australia. Collation of personal observations by a resident herpetologist working in the Pilliga Forest over a 12-year period identified 18 frog species and 49 reptile species. One additional reptile species was identified from museum specimen records, and unconfirmed reports of another one frog and seven reptile species are also noted. This paper provides the most comprehensive published account of the herpetofauna of the Pilliga Forest to date, and illustrates the value of observations over an extended period. Comparison with other locations across western New South Wales highlights the high species richness of the Pilliga Forest for both frogs and reptiles. This is in part a function of its location in a biogeographic overlap zone between eastern, western and northern faunal assemblages. Species of particular conservation concern found in the Pilliga Forest include the threatened Hoplocephalus bitorquatus, near-threatened Pseudophryne bibronii and declining woodland reptiles such as Ctenotus allotropis, Diporiphora nobbi, Morelia spilota metcalfei, Acanthophis antarcticus, Brachyurophis australis and Vermicella annulata.


One of the known monoclinic polymorphs of 1,1,4,4-tetraphenyl-1,3-butadiene was grown by the floating-drop technique. This material is of interest for blue emitting devices and for fundamental studies on intermolecular interactions, excited states and vibronic coupling in the fields of chemical physics and materials science. Polarized UV-visible spectra are reported. The origin of the optical bands is resolved. The results give information on the intermolecular interactions and are compared with theoretical predictions and modeling. The full material dielectric tensor is provided, as deduced from generalized spectroscopic ellipsometry. Details on the use of this technique on strongly anisotropic and absorbing molecular materials are given. Some typical features of the optical spectra are also demonstrated to be very sensitive to the presence of misaligned domains, which, in our samples, are found to be rotated around the normal to the surface and whose amount is determined. The method allows discriminating among monocrystals, in-plane polycrystalline samples, layered samples formed by misaligned successive layers, or samples with both types of disorder. Two independent parameters giving the fraction of misaligned domains or layers are suggested for the characterization and optimization of the growth and deposition of molecular organic materials.


Abstract Objectives The aim of this study was to develop a feasible and effective strategy to involve patients in the Spanish Network of Agencies of Health Technology Assessment (RedETS). Methods The framework for patient involvement (PI) in the assessment activities and processes of RedETS were developed through a research project that included: (i) a systematic search of the international literature describing a strategy and/or a methodology linking health technology assessment (HTA) and PI; (ii) a qualitative study through interviews with RedETS members to analyze the perceptions of PI among HTA managers in the Spanish context; (iii) a Delphi consultation with three large platforms of patients, carers and consumer organizations in Spain about their perspectives of PI; (iv) a consensus process with the members of the RedETS Governing Council to define the final strategy. Results Three main themes were identified in the literature and Web site review: (i) PI methods for the different HTA phases; (ii) Participant definition and selection; (iii) Resources needed. A three-step implementation strategy was proposed: (i) short-term actions: piloting and testing patient participation in HTA and building patients' capacity; (ii) medium-term actions: broadening the participation of patients, and building internal capacity; (iii) long-term actions: consolidating and mainstreaming patient involvement Conclusions Patient participation can be incorporated into almost all the HTA phases and products with greater or lesser degrees of difficulty. However, a progressive implementation strategy is suggested for a feasible PI process.


Nearly every handbook of critical theory acknowledges Kenneth Burke (1897–1993) to be the twentieth-century North American critic who was most ahead of his time. Yet he seems to have been so ambitious that we still do not know how to place him. Indeed, it would require the space of a whole book to trace the extensive but scarcely documented impact which he has had. Concepts for which many other critics became famous may be traced back to him: ''the order of words'' (Frye); ''the rhetoric of fiction'' (Booth); ''blindness and insight'' (De Man); ''narrative as a socially symbolic act'' (Jameson); ''the anxiety of influence'' (Bloom). Indeed, it may well be that very anxiety which has led so many contemporary critics to repress his memory. But there is a change in the critical climate, corresponding to the global. This article is written in the hope that Burke will shortly be recognized as the first critic systematically to analyse culture and literature from an ecological perspective. As the dating of our epigraph indicates, he initiated this project over half a century before the rise of ecocriticism in the United States. Moreover, this was no passing phase for him; his whole career may be understood as a profound experiment in green thinking.


The main aim of this article is to discuss the concept of family and its values and its place and role as a multi-dimensional institution from the Islamic perspective. The author seeks to show that the Islamic family institution as envisaged by the Quran and as practised by Muslims throughout the history of Islam is at once a religious, an educational, and a socio-economic institution. The family is first of all a religious institution since it is based on the principle of sacred marriage and it exists to serve as an instrument to help man realise the twin goals of his existence in accordance with God's cosmic plan. The twin goals in question are of servitude (ubudiyyah) and vicegerency (khilafah) and equivalently of man's perfect relationship with God (hablun min Allah) and man's perfect relationship with fellow men (hablun min al-nas). The author then discusses the role of the family as an educational institution in the sense of it being the first school for its children dependants where basic religious and 'secular' knowledge are both provided. Next to be discussed is the family's role as a socio-economic institution with particular emphasis on household governance and economic health. This article emphasises the view that societal health, particularly its economic dimension, presupposes family health. A crisis in the family institution can have grave consequences on the well-being of society as a whole. Finally, the author discusses the challenges faced by the family institution in the twenty-first century and presents several recommendations on what needs to be done in response to these challenges.


Due to the need for CO2 sequestration associated with H2 production from fossil fuels, zeolite membrane are very promising due to their low cost, high stability and high permeance. Recently, the faujasite(FAU), the silica/aluminophophate(SAPO-4) framework family of zeolite have been studied for CO2 gas separation. In our study, ZSM-5 membrane was prepared on the porous alumina support using a hydrothermal technique. The thickness of zeolite membrane was controlled by the hydrothermal reaction time and temperature. The prepared zeolite membranes were characterized with SEM and thin film XRD. The hydrogen permeability and selectivity toward carbon dioxide gas were 0.6x 10-6 mole/m2.s.pa and 3.16, respectively. The hydrogen selective zeolite membranes show promising application in hydrogen separation from coal gasification such as Integrated Gasification Combined Cycle (IGCC).


Coherent oscillations of free electrons in a metal, localized in a small volume or at an interface between a metal and a dielectric medium, have attracted a lot of attention in the past decades. These so-called surface plasmons have special optical properties that can be used in many applications ranging from optoelectronics to sensing of small quantities of molecules. One of the key issues is that electromagnetic energy can be confined to a relatively small volume close to the metal surface. This field enhancement and the resonance frequency strongly depend on the shape and size of the metal structures. In this thesis, several fabrication methods to create these metal structures on the nanometer to micrometer scale are presented. The optical properties are studied with a special emphasis on the effect of shape anisotropy. Self-assembled 2D colloidal crystals are used as mask to fabricate arrays of metal triangles on a substrate. One of the limitations of this nanosphere lithography technique is that the size of the holes in the colloidal mask (through which the metal is evaporated) is determined by the size of the colloids in the mask. The masks, however, can be modified by use of MeV ion beams and/or wet-chemical growth of a thin layer of silica, resulting in a reduced hole size. Arbitrary symmetry and spacing can be obtained by use of optical tweezers and angle-resolved metal deposition. In contrast to pure metals, amorphous materials like silica are known to show anisotropic plastic deformation at constant volume when subject to MeV ion irradiation. Gold cores embedded in a silica matrix, however, show an elongation along the direction of the ion beam, whereas silver cores rather disintegrate. Silver nanocrystals in an ion-exchanged soda-lime glass redistribute themselves in arrays along the ion beam direction. The optical extinction becomes polarization-dependent, with red- and blue-shifts of the plasmon resonances for polarizations longitudinal and transverse to the arrays, respectively. The band splitting is attributed to near-field electromagnetic plasmon coupling within the arrays. Finite difference time domain simulations indicate that the combination of particle center-to-center spacing and diameter, rather than inter-particle spacing alone, is the key parameter determining the coupling strength. The resonant electric field is concentrated in the very small gaps between the particles in the array. With the MeV ion beam technique, it is possible to fabricate large substrates with relatively monodisperse oblate ellipsoidal silica-core/metal-shell colloids, with the short axis aligned in the direction of the ion beam. The optical extinction of these particles, is a complex function of the core radius and the shell thickness, due to a competition between phase retardation effects and the coupling between the surface plasmons at the inner and outer surfaces of the shell. After deformation, the extinction is angle- and polarization-dependent. Calculations indicate that large Au-shell particles can sustain cavity modes, for which the electric field is enhanced in almost the full volume of the dielectric core. The resonance frequency is sensitive to the size, shape and dielectric constant of the core, and the polarization direction.


A national survey which evaluated the current and anticipated future emphasis of chemistry-related content, the credentials of the faculty teaching the content and pedagogical methods used in the delivery of the content was conducted in 1997-1998. Thirty-three schools or colleges of pharmacy participated. Twenty-one content areas related to General Principles, Medicinal Chemistry, Clinical/Biological Chemistry and Computational/Analytical Chemistry were addressed in the survey instrument. The first section of the survey asked about past, current and anticipated future emphasis on each topic, as well as the discipline(s) of the individuals responsible for delivery. The second section asked about the format of the course(s) that offered the content, pedagogical methods employed in those courses, and perceived adequacy of coverage. The majority of the respondents reported a steady emphasis on the content areas over the past five years with little change anticipated in the foreseeable future. In general, coverage of the General Principles and Medicinal Chemistry content areas was perceived as adequate. Coverage was most commonly deemed inadequate in the Computational/Analytical area, although the Clinical/Biological topics of biotechnology and herbals and natural products were also viewed as in need of augmentation. Faculty educated in the chemical sciences were heavily engaged in the instruction of all topics, and were joined appropriately by pharmacology and pharmaceutics faculty in selected topic areas. Courses in the Computational/Analytical area are most likely to be taught by a single instructor, or by a team of faculty within a single discipline. Multi-disciplinary coverage (either within a single course or in multiple courses) was common in all of the other content areas. Case studies and computerized learning aids were commonly utilized in the delivery of chemistry-related content, with recitations, laboratories and demonstrations used less frequently to augment lecture. Schools and colleges of pharmacy are offering a wide variety of chemistry-related elective coursework to professional students. Respondents view the foundational nature of chemistry, the critical-thinking and problem-solving skills the discipline instills, and the ease with which it can be integrated with other science and practice-based courses as the major strengths of this basic pharmaceutical science.


A 65-nm energy-efficient power management with frequency-based control (FBC) is proposed to achieve the near-optimum dynamic voltage scaling (DVS) in a system-on-chip system. Since DVS and dynamic frequency scaling (DFS) operations are demanded for system processor, control loop of the proposed single-inductor dual-output (SIDO) power module is merged with the frequency-controlled phase-locked loop (PLL) to constitute the operation of hybrid control loop. This means that both DVS and DFS operations can be guaranteed and are not affected by process, supply voltage, and temperature variations. The proposed power management can receive the demand of system processor by hybrid control loop and can help realize the supply voltage with different operation tasks for near-optimum DVS operation. The fabricated chip occupies a 1.12-mm2 silicon area. Experimental results show that the SIDO power module achieves a peak efficiency of 90% and the highest power reduction of 33% with the proposed near-optimum DVS operation.


In an attempt to overcome the current WTO Appellate Body crisis, a number of WTO Members agreed to participate in the Multi-Party Interim Appeal Arbitration Arrangement pursuant to Article 25 of the Dispute Settlement Understanding (MPIA). The majority of the WTO Members have not yet agreed to participate in the MPIA have been attempting to assess the effectiveness of the MPIA in meeting their interests. This leads to the question as to whether the MPIA can serve as the temporary solution for the Appellate Body crisis. Is it a practically effective mechanism for dispute resolution, or is it simply a political declaration by MPIA participants that they stick to the two-tier dispute settlement system? To respond to these questions, this article analyses the legal basis of the MPIA and its negotiating history. This article also addresses the differences between the appeal mechanisms provided for in the MPIA and the Dispute Settlement Understanding (DSU) and provides a conceptual discussion with regard to the legal nature of the MPIA. Finally, the article identifies the main advantages and drawbacks of MPIA. It should be taken into account that the effectiveness of the MPIA will only be assessed when any of the disputes submitted for consideration under the MPIA rules is resolved.
WTO Anti-Dumping Agreement, WTO Panels, Constructed Value, CV Profit, USDOC, Anti-Dumping Investigation, US – OCTG (Korea), Reform, Best Information Available


The effects of austenite grain size, level of undercooling, and strain and strain rate in compression on the austenite-to-ferrite transformation were investigated in a 0.1 % C, 1.4% Mn steel. The influence of this transformation on the hot ductility was then examined. Straining was found to raise the effective Ar 3 temperature almost to the Ae 3 , and to accelerate the transformation significantly in both fine (∼ 25 μm) and coarse (∼ 200 μm) grained samples. At relatively low levels of undercooling ( ∼40°C), deformation induced ferrite only formed in regions that were significantly affected by the applied strain. In tension, it was observed that, if thin bands of grain boundary ferrite were present in the microstructure, the ductility decreased significantly and failure always occurred in this second phase. Increasing the strain rate significantly reduced the depth of the ductility trough across its entire width. It is concluded that, for the steel in question, unbending after continuous casting should be performed at strain rates in excess of 3 x 10 -2 s -1 to ensure good ductility.


The land is like our mother. People come from the land. We must always respect our mother, not explode bombs in her belly Our good way of life comes from the land. Destruction of land will lead to destruction of life. JACQUES IHORAI, president, Evangelical Church of French Polynesia

"The nuclear testing ruined the country," says a French doctor. We met on the docks of Tahiti, watching Greenpeace's ship, Rainbow Warrior, depart for the atoll of Mururoa. "Not only by contamination of the environment with nuclear fallout or leakage of the residue in the bottom of the atoll, but far more by disrupting the social harmony of the country," he continues. "The country was self sufficient before the testing started; people subsisted on farming and fishing. Nowadays the state is entirely dependent on France. Imports exceed exports tenfold; it is an artificial state: approximately 15% of the population work as civil servants. Migration, loss of cultural values, degradation of agriculture, change in eating habits, prostitution, alcoholism, and mental illnesses are all the result of this. This country is addicted to France. Since the moratorium on the testing, the people have been forced to think of a future without France. Resuming the testing is like giving an addict who recently stopped using drugs another shot. France has the obligation to leave behind a state that is self sufficient and not a wreck with a long term legacy of nuclear waste. I can show you files of patients who died of radiation, but I guess you are more interested in public health aspects. Well, the cancer register you might look for doesn't exist: not kept, or hidden, who knows? Anyway, inaccessible for us. Don't forget that until 1984 most practising doctors here were military people. It is no coincidence that the doctor …


The aim of this paper is to verify if Southern enterprises achieve different performances in cases where they are established in areas characterized by small enterprises or outside such areas. For this purpose, we make use of a partition of the Southern territory into local labour systems, in which we identify three large groups: the first, in which systems of small enterprises prevail; the second, in which large enterprises settlements prevail, and the third, which shows a low industrialization rate. Data on enterprises have been retrieved from Capitalia three-yearly surveys. In this case, three surveys covering the period from 1995 to 2005 have been used. Southern enterprises have been aggregated into three groups according to the location of their factory in one of the groups previously mentioned. Their performance between 1996 and 2003 has then been analysed, using some indicators such as ROE and ROI. This paper points out that enterprises localized in low industrialization areas show ROI values significantly higher than those of the enterprises localized in other areas only in the first years of the period considered. In the period 2000-2003 differences disappear in almost all sectors considered; finally, in 2003, a better performance for enterprises located in systems in which large enterprise prevails emerges. Furthermore, it appears that made in Italy-exporting enterprises do not show performances significantly higher than those of non exporting enterprises. These last two aggregates show progressively similar results, if we consider 2000 and 2003.


A problem for dairy cows following milk stasis is to cope with a high risk of intramammary infection and there is a need to initiate an extensive renewal of secretory modules in mammary glands so that milk production in next lactation may be optimized. We recently reported that ultrasonicated Enterococcus faecium SF68 (SF68) is compatible with cow mammary glands and an enhancer of innate immunity during the immediate post-milk stasis period. The current study further examines the concomitant effect of ultrasonicated SF68 on mammary tissue remodeling. Four Holstein cows each received intramammary infusions of regular antibiotic dry-cow formula (positive control) and two different doses of SF68 in different quarters. Analyses of individual quarter secretion samples showed faster neutrophil infiltration, earlier modifications in protein composition, including caseins and lactoferrins, as well as more prompt elevation of the specific unit of 92-kDa matrix metalloproteinase 9 (MMP9) in SF68-infused quarters compared to the positive controls. Intramammary infusion of ultrasonicated SF68 seems able to accelerate the regression of mammary synthetic capacity and potentiate the breakdown of glandular extracellular matrix, indicating a more efficient mammary gland involution. Correlation analyses imply that the ability of ultrasonicated SF68 to induce faster neutrophil chemotaxis and the associated MMP9 release is partly responsible.


Abstract Literature on the topic of trans older adults has documented a few anecdotal cases in which some trans people living with dementia forgot they transitioned and reidentified with their sex assigned at birth ("detransition"). Trans communities and their allies have encouraged trans people to engage in end-of-life planning, including the preparation of legal documents that state their wishes regarding gender identity and expression in the event of "incapacity" caused by dementia. While useful, we contend that end-of-life planning is often implicitly based on cisnormative and cognonormative (normative system based on cognitive abilities) assumptions. Such planning is founded on a stable notion of gender identity throughout the life course ("post-transition") and assumes that the pre-dementia self is better equipped to make decisions than the "demented" self. We conclude by encouraging, based on an intersectional, trans-affirmative, crip-positive, and age-positive approach, respect for the agency of trans people with dementia.


In this paper, the problem of simultaneously approximating a function and its derivative is formulated within the support vector machine (SVM) framework. The problem has been solved by using the /spl epsiv/-insensitive loss function and introducing new linear constraints in the approximation of the derivative. The resulting quadratic problem can be solved by quadratic programming (QP) techniques. Moreover, a computationally efficient iterative re-weighted least square (IRWLS) procedure has been derived to solve the problem in large data sets. The performance of the method has been compared with the conventional SVM for regression, providing outstanding results.


The authors present calculated densities of states (DOS) for CuxZr1-x amorphous alloys across the compositional range. They find that for x<80 at.% Cu there is no ordering and the Fermi level EF is dominated by the Zr 4d subband, while above 80 at.% Cu the local order increases and the DOS at EF abruptly decreases and is dominated by the s states. These changes in the DOS and the fact that the energy derivative of the self-energy changes its sign (implying a change of sign of the Fermi velocity) gives further insight into the experimentally observed sign reversal of the Hall coefficient which occurs for 80lxl85 at.% Cu


This thesis improves and extends existing methods in the research area of audio resynthesis and retargeting and extends its usage scopes. The existing approach analyzes a musical piece for possible cut points that allow the resynthesis of a novel soundtrack by lining up the source segments according to specified rules. For the improvement of matching harmonic and rhythmic structures during cut points search, beat tracking is used as core component of this work. Segment rearrangement is improved by employing faster and better suited algorithms.


Serotonin (5-HT) is a biogenic amine with diverse effects in the central nervous system as well as in the periphery. It regulates vascular biology, ranging from the control of vascular resistance and blood pressure to hemostasis and platelet function. 5-HT also plays an important role in the pathogenesis of cardiovascular diseases being involved in the development of valvulopathy, atherosclerosis and pulmonary hypertension. Outside the central nervous system 5-HT is synthesized in enterochromaffin cells of the intestine and is stored in dense granules in platelets and released during platelet activation. Most circulating 5-HT in man is stored in platelets, but only free 5-HT (not sequestered in granules in the platelets) has biological activity. Due to release of 5-HT from platelets during blood sampling and plasma preparation, there have been problems in establishing a reliable method for the determination of free 5-HT in blood. In paper I, we aimed to establish a method to assess the influence of platelet release upon platelet-poor plasma 5- HT measurement by concomitant determination of 5-HT, β-thromboglobulin (β-TG) and chromogranin A (CgA).We established our own methods of blood sampling and handling to avoid activating or destroying platelets and thereby minimize the component of platelet derived 5-HT measured in our samples. 5-HT and β-TG levels were measured using ELISA techniques according to manufactures instructions. The influence of platelets to blood 5-HT concentrations in our samples was evaluated by measuring both parameters in blood from patients with thrombocytopenia as well as thrombocytosis compared to healthy volunteers. Moreover, the optimal concentration of EDTA in the sampling tubes to prevent platelet 5-HT release was examined. Furthermore, 5-HT and β-TG were determined together with CgA in blood from patients with small intestinal carcinoids in order to separate between platelet and tumor derived 5-HT. Our assessment of the role of 5-HT platelet release shows that platelet numbers did not affect plasma 5-HT concentrations in contrast to β-TG.Because of the role of 5-HT in the pathogenesis of pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH) and acute coronary syndrome (ACS), we aimed in paper II and III to test if venous plasma 5-HT is a potential biomarker of PAH and ACS. We also measured venous blood β-TG in all participants to ensure that any increase in 5-HT levels measured is due to platelet release. Our study shows that the venous plasma 5-HT concentrations in patients with PAH were almost similar to those of healthy controls. Therefore, the measurement of venous plasma 5-HT concentrations is not suitable to distinguish between patients and healthy controls in a clinical setting. Indeed, the concentration in peripheral venous blood may not necessarily be the same as that in the pulmonary circulation, which is the concentration of interest with respect to the potential role of 5-HT in the pathogenesis of PAH. In the lungs, 5-HT may be released from pulmonary endothelial cells and from platelets resulting in higher local concentrations than those found in plasma and sufficient to induce a vasoconstrictor effect.In paper III the venous plasma 5-HT concentrations in patients with ACS were almost similar to those of healthy controls. Patients with ACS did not either have significantly elevated venous plasma β-TG levels compared to controls. Our negative findings indicate that the amount of β-TG and 5-HT released from a platelet thrombus occluding a coronary artery is not sufficient to cause a measurable increase in the systemic circulation.In paper IV, we aimed to develop a rather non-invasive model of aortic stenosis in rabbits using radiofrequency ablation technique (RFA). Considering that hemodynamic disturbances with accelerated and turbulent flow probably activate platelets and may cause release of 5-HT from dense granules, our hypothesis is that platelet-derived 5-HT may be a crucial factor in development of valvular heart disease. Therefore a suitable animal model of aortic stenosis is required to investigate disease mechanisms and potential therapies. In this study, by placing the heparinized RF catheter at the level of the aortic valve, we applied various strengths of RFA to induce aortic stenosis. The peak velocity of the aortic valve blood flow was measured as the mean of 5 cycles of continuous Doppler recordings, before and immediately after the procedure and six weeks after RFA. No increase in the PSV was observed immediately after radiofrequency ablation. PSV immediately after the procedure and at the six week follow-up were almost similar. We did not succeed in inducing aortic valve stenosis using different RFA energies. Inadequate RFA power or inappropriate positioning of the RFA catheter could be limitations of our study.


This study evaluates the climate change perception of Michigan State Housing Development Authority's (MSHDA) only through determining MSHDA's institutional identity and understanding its housing policy responding in climate change adaptation. MSHDA's certain plans and strategies for housing policy are analyzed and the contents of these documents are examined in terms of Michigan Climate Action Plan (CAP) objectives. In the first part of the study, a sectoral assessment based on carbon emissions is presented. In the second part, MSHDA housing policy is explained by text-based analysis. With this textbased analysis it is possible to define MSHDA's institutional climate change perception.


Abstract New reforms and debates are underway in contemporary Cuba. The core issues, however, were raised but not resolved by the Great Debate of 1963–1965 instigated by Che Guevara. The challenge was then and remains today to increase productive capacity and labor productivity in conditions of underdevelopment and in transition to socialism, without over-reliance on capitalist mechanisms which undermine the formation of a new consciousness and social relations integral to socialism. The Great Debate focused on the operation of the law of value, money, finance and banking, and consciousness and incentives in the transition to socialism, issues which remain central today. The concern for efficiency within socialism frames the connection between Guevara's critique of the USSR's Manual of Political Economy, his Budgetary Finance System of economic management, and contemporary developments within Cuba.


We report the demonstration of compact fluidic fibre lasers based on capillary tubes and photonic crystal fibres, featuring single channel and multiple laterally integrated fluidic lasers respectively. Their preparation was based on capillary action and lasing occurred without the need for external mirrors or lithographically defined microstructures. The fibre lasers were found to be tunable by varying the chromophore density in the liquid core and a functional wavelength selectivity mechanism inherent in both types of lasers provided a long free spectral range that does not correspond to the length of the fibres. The enhanced mode spacing is attributed to a Vernier resonant effect.


A scheme for global synchronization of arbitrarily large computing structures such that clock skew between any two communicating cells is bounded above by a constant is described. The scheme utilizes clock nodes that perform simple processing on clock signals to maintain a constant skew bound irrespective of the size of the computing structure. Among the salient features of the scheme is the interdependence between network topology, skew upper bound, and maximum clocking rate achievable. A 2-D mesh framework is used to present the concepts, introduce three network designs, and to prove some basic results. For each network the (constant) upper bound on clock skew between any two communicating processors, is established, and its independence of network size is shown. Simulations were carried out to verify correctness and to check the workability of the scheme. A 4*4 network was built and successfully tested for stability. Such issues as node design, clocking of nonplanar structures such as hypercubes, and the concept of fuse programmed clock networks are addressed. >


The enzymic hydrolysis of commercial wheat starch and freshly prepared wheat starch fractions was studied in batch and flow systems. Fresh starch was prepared by wet separation of wheat flour into starch milk and gluten, followed by processing the starch milk using a serially connected hydrocyclone system to produce underflow and overflow streams. The underflow stream consisted mainly of the larger (> 30 w m) granules, while the overflow stream contained only the smaller (< 10 w m) granules. In batch system, the hydrolysis behavior of wheat starch fractions was investigated under the action of Sigma f -amylase ( Bacillus licheniformis ), either as soon as they were prepared or after spray drying. The two fractions of fresh wheat starch showed different hydrolysis behavior, the difference getting larger as the separation improves. Underflow streams were found to be much more susceptible to hydrolysis than overflow streams, regardless of whether the hydrolysis was carried out right away or on dried samples, and also regardless of whether rinsing was applied. In flow system, dried underflow stream and commercialwheat starch were hydrolyzed using Orbamil-T ( Bacillus licheniformis ), Orbamil-BHT ( Bacillus stearothermophilus ), and Sigma f -amylase ( Bacillus licheniformis ). Hydrolysis of fresh starch was found to be significantly faster than commercial wheat starch. Commercial f -amylase Orbamil-T was found to be almost as effective as the purified Sigma f -amylase.


The Subject of Torture: Psychoanalysis and Biopolitics in Television and Film by Hilary Neroni. New York: Columbia University Press, 2015. 200 pages. $28.00 paperback.In his well-known essay "Kant with Sade,"1 Jacques Lacan claims that Donatien Alphonse Francois, Marquis de Sade, is in fact the truth of Kant. That is to say, the Kantian respect for the moral law, according to Lacan, contains an unconscious enjoyment that possesses a certain sadistic characteristic. The respect for the moral law articulated by Kant is unknowingly tied to a sadistic pleasure in being able to cause pain and humiliation in the victim. The Sadist torturer acts, according to Lacan, as an agent of the moral law. Although for Kant there must remain a gap between the subject's pathological motivations and personal sentiments (feelings, personal desires, and so forth) and the moral law, there is, as Slavoj Zizek explains, "one a priori sentiment that the subject necessarily experiences when confronted with the injunction of the moral Law, the pain of humiliation."2 Zizek notes that for Lacan, the Kantian privileging of pain as the only a priori sentiment is correlative with the Sadean notion of pain as the privileged way to access sexual enjoyment. How might we consider Lacan's argument in the context of contemporary practices and representations of torture-torture, that is, as an arm of the law?Hilary Neroni's The Subject of Torture takes up this question directly. The book is insightful and enjoyable, and it provides a considerably useful point of entry into a key debate in contemporary cultural and political theory. Its overarching focus is the debate between proponents of "biopolitics" and those of psychoanalysis. The book addresses the diverging critical and analytical perspectives of power that depend on the choice of the body or the subject as the site of knowledge. This debate is at the heart of current theories of subjectivity, power, and ideology, and in this book Neroni defends the Lacanian psychoanalytic approach, particularly a version of it influenced by Zizek and Joan Copjec.3Interest in biopolitics and the body have developed out of critiques of Marxist and psychoanalytic conceptions of subjectivity. Though important in many respects-particularly when dealing with questions about racism and sex, for instance-a focus on the body seems to sidestep the role of desire and enjoyment and their connection to truth. In The Subject of Torture, which includes poignant, psychoanalytically charged interpretations of popular films such as Zero Dark Thirty (2012), the Hostel and Saw series, and television series such as 24, Homeland, and Alias, Neroni contends that "biopolitics" is actually aligned with contemporary torture ideology and informs the predominant fantasy about torture. The "torture fantasy," as it is described by Neroni, is one that sees the body as a repository of information that, bound to its wish for mere corporeal survival, can be made to purge whatever details are deemed necessary for the enhancement of the security state. Neroni contrasts the biopolitical torture fantasy with the psychoanalytic conception of the desiring subject. Unlike the biopolitical body, the desiring subject is not a repository of information. Rather, it is based in an irrational (unconscious) experience of enjoyment. Therefore, on the one hand the reigning torture fantasy, the one that sees the body as repository, opens up an avenue for the critical interrogation of biopolitics and biopower that Neroni pursues, and on the other hand, according to Neroni, the psychoanalytic interpretation of the desiring subject shows precisely why torture as a technique of interrogation is bound to failure. Through her interpretation of various media representations of torture, Neroni shows that the limits of torture are tied to ideologies of the body and knowledge that miss the pathological dimension of libidinal pleasure. Her analyses also make a significant contribution to the psychoanalytic critique of ideology, and the book therefore proves useful beyond the limited scope of popular culture studies. …


Latin American countries show some of the highest incidences of cervical cancer in the world. Many barriers that impact decisions regarding screening behavior have been identified in Mexico; however, the specific role of male partners in the decision-making process is rarely explored. This study investigated the impact of male sexual partners, as well as perceptions of the medical community, on female decisions concerning cervical cancer screenings in Patzcuaro, Michoacan. It also examined whether the perception of subjection discourages women from seeking medical care. Data were obtained through 75 surveys and 9 interviews conducted in Patzcuaro, Michoacan, with women between the ages of 25 and 64 years. Cross-tabulations, descriptive statistics, and chi-squares of the survey data, along with the coding of interviews, were performed to examine barriers associated with cervical cancer screening. Survey data shows that 24.2% of women said their partners make their health decisions for them, and 8% said that their partners would not support them if they wanted a pelvic exam. Almost half (48.4%) of the women said their partners would not be comfortable with them being examined by a male medical provider. Additionally, 28% of women stated that they fear a male doctor might take advantage of them during an examination. In the interviews, women discussed male machismo, or exaggerated masculinity, and how it contributes to their feelings of subjection. More educated women were less likely to share these experiences. Women expressed that male influence is indeed a barrier to cervical cancer screenings. Neither male influences nor negative perceptions of medical providers were significantly associated with screening behavior. More research is needed to better understand the contradiction between what women perceive and actually do. Additionally, future research should explore the role of cash incentives for screening on screening behavior. This research is relevant to public health because mortality due to cervical cancer is high in Mexico, and it is important to understand barriers to screening since early detection increases the odds of survival. This study gives insight into the role of female subjection to a patriarchal society as a barrier to cervical cancer screening.


Pain is the earliest and most prominent feature of symptomatic spinal metastases. In some cases, pain may have been present for months and dismissed as arthritis or back strain. Local back or neck pain occurring in a cancer patient is due to spinal metastasis until proved otherwise. Once weakness occurs, the disease progresses to paraplegia unless treatment is undertaken. Pedicle erosion is the most common abnormality on spinal films. Irradiation is often effective, but surgery is indicated for radiation failure, unknown diagnosis, pathologic fracture-dislocation and rapid disease progression.


This paper presents a simulated-environment study to determine the effects of noise level and source type on annoyance responses to different transportation noises. Noise sources used in the study were; road, railway and aircraft traffic whose noise levels varied between 30–55 dB(A) inLeq(indoor). Pass-by number for railway and aircraft traffic had values of 8,12 and 16 per 30 min, while road traffic was continuous during this period. 64 subjects attending three different sessions of 30 min each, filled in a special questionnaire during the experiments. At each session, the subjects performed two different activities (reading and listening) and thus in addition to the overall annoyance, the activity disturbance was investigated. The total of 192 answers were analyzed as individual values, group average scores and highly annoyed subjects (HA%). The overall annoyance in both group average scores (giving the best correlation with noise level) and individual scores, are presented in this first of the two companion papers. The noise and annoyance relationships determined for each source revealed very strong dependence on noise levels and the regression lines displayed a steeper increase in comparison with the previous results. The significance of the source-type effect on annoyance was found at the levels of 0·03 and 0·02 for the overall annoyance question (P<0·05). However since this effect was significant only for half of the different questions asked, it can be said that the source type is not a highly deterministic factor while the respondents are concentrating on daily work at home. Railway noise appeared to be the most prominent noise source in the overall annoyance, especially at moderate and low noise levels. The results supported the view thatLeq=45 dB(A) is an indoor noise limit indicating a crossover between the source-specific annoyance lines. The activity disturbance will be elaborated in Part 2.


In order to investigate performance characteristics of deteriorated subway rolling stocks, several engineering assessment methods, such as the acceleration, vibration, and braking performance tests, were carried out on subway electric multiple units (EMUs) with over 20 years operation. According to the testing results, in vibration and braking performance of EMUs, the similar performance results were obtained as compared with newly manufactured EMUs. However, in terms of acceleration performance characteristic, below reference value (3.0 km/h/s) has been obtained. This is mainly due to performance deterioration of EMUs including traction motor. In this investigation, the results on precision diagnosis evaluation of deteriorated EMUs were provided through the overall evaluation of corrosion testing and structural performance of car body in subway EMUs.


The Internet was a catalyst for refiguring the previous models of media relationships. For many, the Internet is a medium that liberates individuals from the centralised and asymmetrical power structures of traditional mass media and other social institutions in particular, the boundaries set by the nation and the state. For other people, the Internet increases the capacity for surveillance and control. This dissertation argues for a fluid conception of the operations of power and resistance on the Internet that takes into account the various discourses which play a part in determining agency and subjectivity.

It examines and balances the narratives of liberation and oppression against each other: for, just as the developments in Internet technology contribute to changes in discourse, so too existing or prior discursive limits and relations of power affect Internet culture and technology. In the process of analysing the interplay of different discourses on the Internet, this dissertation takes into account transnational and national cultural flows and the insights that conceptual work on globalisation, transnationalism, and cosmopolitanism can provide. The case studies are concerned with change and centre on the use of the Internet to effect this change; they include: the Singaporean Internet, a 'thread' about Asian culture and Australia, the representation of oppression and the formation of Chinese diasporic collectivities, and anti capitalist networks. Through these case studies, the dissertation examines the degree to which the nation-state can regulate and affect the discourses at play on the Internet as well as the agency of participants in countering and maintaining these discourses. This dissertation also analyses activists' use of the Internet to form transnational networks. It discusses the limitations of their work including problems with representation.


Solid state pellets (1 mm thick) for electron spin resonance (ESR) dosimetry were made using ammonium tartrate as the radiation-sensitive substance. Their behaviour was experimentally investigated as a function of dose with 60Co gamma rays. The calibration function obtained permits measurements of absorbed dose in the 2-50 Gy range, with a combined uncertainty of ±4%. The lowest detectable dose was about 0.5 Gy. These properties are comparable with or even better than those of ESR dosimeters made from other materials. The time stability of the ESR signal of ammonium tartrate dosimeters at different storage conditions after irradiation was studied. A rather complex behaviour was observed, which suggests that more species of free radicals are produced by radiation and that migration processes may be effective. No dependence of the response on beam quality was found for high-energy photon and electron beams produced by a linear accelerator used in radiotherapy, whereas dose was underestimated with low-energy x-rays.


We simulate the rise of Newtonian drops in a nematic liquid crystal parallel to the far-field molecular orientation. The moving interface is computed in a diffuse-interface framework, and the anisotropic rheology of the liquid crystal is represented by the Leslie–Ericksen theory, regularized to permit topological defects. Results reveal interesting coupling between the flow field and the orientational field surrounding the drop, especially the defect configuration. The flow generally sweeps the point and ring defects downstream, and may transform a ring defect into a point defect. The stability of these defects and their transformation are depicted in a phase diagram in terms of the Ericksen number and the ratio between surface anchoring and bulk elastic energies. The nematic orientation affects the flow field in return. Drops with planar anchoring on the surface rise faster than those with homeotropic anchoring, and the former features a vortex ring in the wake. These are attributed to the viscous anisotropy of the nematic. With homeotropic anchoring, the drop rising velocity experiences an overshoot, owing to the transformation of the initial surface ring defect to a satellite point defect. With both types of anchoring, the drag coefficient of the drop decreases with increasing Ericksen number as the flow-alignment of the nematic orientation reduces the effective viscosity of the liquid crystal.


A Globalized world demands for a communication channel through which better opportunities are going to be available for ones who fit in its profile, the language that got on this position is English and in consequence the English proficiency, the ability in language use (Bachman, 1990) plays an important role for students who pretend to get in a better life style in this new order. Some factors are going to make a remarkable influence during the teaching learning process for students to get English as foreign language, the main one is motivation; Gardner (1985) motivation is seen as 'referring to the extent to which the individual works or strives to learn the language because of a desire to do so and the satisfaction experienced in this activity. In similar way, Brown (1980) opines that attitude is the way that you think and feel about something; these together with other variable factors may affect or significantly contribute to language learning students´ process. Language-related extra-curricular activities in universities are an excellent tool to motivate language learners and help them by providing an additional milieu for language practice. Learners in Canada and Russia report a positive impact of ECAs on all the language skills, on building confidence, developing speaking and communication skills. The learners also find that ECA participation helps to overcome shyness and nervousness (Apples – Journal of Applied Language Studies Vol. 11, 1, 2017, 59).


The principle underlying this paper is the basic observation that the problem of simultaneously solving a large class of composite monotone inclusions and their duals can be reduced to that of finding a zero of the sum of a maximally monotone operator and a linear skew-adjoint operator. An algorithmic framework is developed for solving this generic problem in a Hilbert space setting. New primal-dual splitting algorithms are derived from this framework for inclusions involving composite monotone operators, and convergence results are established. These algorithms draw their simplicity and efficacy from the fact that they operate in a fully decomposed fashion in the sense that the monotone operators and the linear transformations involved are activated separately at each iteration. Comparisons with existing methods are made and applications to composite variational problems are demonstrated.


This article analyses the images that Antislavery Usable Past creates to promote its cause of 'making the antislavery past usable for contemporary abolition'. Drawing on collective memory studies, I discuss the political implications of how pasts are used for present issues. I argue that Antislavery Usable Past appropriates black suffering by reducing the memory and imagery of slavery to objects that are compatible with the anti-trafficking narrative, without regard for the ongoing black liberation struggle. I conclude by discussing the troubling trend of incorporating anti-trafficking exhibitions into institutions that preserve the history of slavery and abolition. Such inclusions redirect the history lessons of slavery away from understanding and addressing anti-blackness in the present and towards supporting advocacy campaigns articulated in the logics that underpinned racial chattel slavery in the first place.


We have estimated the spatial variation of site response using three- component accelerograms from the Yokohama High-Density Strong Motion net- work: 150 surface and 9 borehole accelerometers located in a 20 30 km 2 area. The site response is the average from 28 earthquakes; 16 were recorded at all borehole stations. We inverted data recorded at the boreholes to determine (1) source param- eters (seismic moment M0 and corner frequency fc) for each event, (2) Q(f) for the path, and (3) frequency-dependent site factors for the boreholes. The inversion scheme is independent of a reference station, that is, there are no a priori constraints about site response. For events with depths greater than 30 km, we find Q(f) almost independent of frequency, Q(f) 285f 0.06 ; for the four shallow events that were analyzed, Q(f) 70 f 0.28 . Having determined M0, fc, and Q(f) using the borehole data, we computed the site response for each of the 150 surface stations by dividing the observed surface spec- trum by the path-modified source spectrum. We then averaged this ratio for all 24 events. To quantify the variability of the site response between sites we introduced a site-response ratio that depends on station separation and frequency. From this we computed cumulative probability functions for different frequencies for two cases: (1) the average Vs30 ratio is most similar for two sites with the same separation distance and (2) the average Vs30 ratio is least similar. When two sites have the most similar Vs30 ratio, these functions indicate that 95% of the time a frequency- dependent site response (f 1 Hz) can be predicted within a factor of two for a site up to 5 km from a site with a known site response, and 90% of the time the unknown response is within a factor of three for frequencies 1-10 Hz. When two sites have the least similar average Vs30 ratio, the cumulative probability functions have similar shapes for all frequencies above 0.5 Hz; for frequencies up to 10 Hz the site ampli- fication can be predicted within a factor of three for 80% of the station pairs separated by as much as 5 km.


A discussion of the work of the Scottish Government's No Fault Compensation Group.Medical practice, like any other human activity, sometimes leads to accidents, or unusual complications, or unexpected results. Usually no one is to blame; sometimes someone is at fault. If the patient has been harmed, and the doctor's act (or failure to act) amounts to what the law calls 'negligence', then the patient may seek monetary compensation for the injury they have suffered. Yet any patient who emerges from medical treatment with an injury he or she did not have before the treatment needs care for that injury, whether or not the doctor was negligent, or the negligence caused the injury, or the patient can prove negligence and causation to a sufficient legal standard. The current system of compensation provides high levels of compensation for some patients injured in the course of medical treatment, and no compensation at all for most.


In this paper we study the theoretical limits of finite constructive convex approximations of a given function in a Hilbert space using elements taken from a reduced subset. We also investigate the trade-off between the global error and the partial error during the iterations of the solution. These results are then specialized to constructive function approximation using sigmoidal neural networks. The emphasis then shifts to the implementation issues associated with the problem of achieving given approximation errors when using a finite number of nodes and a finite data set for training.


Inspired by speech recognition, recent state-of-the-art algorithms mostly consider scene text recognition as a sequence prediction problem. Though achieving excellent performance, these methods usually neglect an important fact that text in images are actually distributed in two-dimensional space. It is a nature quite different from that of speech, which is essentially a one-dimensional signal. In principle, directly compressing features of text into a one-dimensional form may lose useful information and introduce extra noise. In this paper, we approach scene text recognition from a two-dimensional perspective. A simple yet effective model, called Character Attention Fully Convolutional Network (CA-FCN), is devised for recognizing the text of arbitrary shapes. Scene text recognition is realized with a semantic segmentation network, where an attention mechanism for characters is adopted. Combined with a word formation module, CA-FCN can simultaneously recognize the script and predict the position of each character. Experiments demonstrate that the proposed algorithm outperforms previous methods on both regular and irregular text datasets. Moreover, it is proven to be more robust to imprecise localizations in the text detection phase, which are very common in practice.


Abstract We previously described that cathepsin E specifically induces growth arrest and apoptosis in several human prostate cancer cell lines in vitro by catalyzing the proteolytic release of soluble tumor necrosis factor-related apoptosis-inducing ligand (TRAIL) from the tumor cell surface. It also prevents tumor growth and metastasis in vivo through multiple mechanisms, including induction of apoptosis, angiogenesis inhibition and enhanced immune responses. Using the prostate cancer cell line PPC-1, which is relatively resistant to cell death by doxorubicin (40–50% cytotoxicity), we first report that a combination treatment with cathepsin E can overcome resistance of the cells to this agent. In vitro studies showed that combined treatment of PPC-1 cells with the two agents synergistically induces viability loss, mainly owing to down-regulation of a short form of the FLICE inhibitory protein FLIP. The enhanced antitumor activity was corroborated by in vivo studies with athymic mice bearing PPC-1 xenografts. Intratumoral application of cathepsin E in doxorubicin-treated mice results in tumor cell apoptosis and tumor regression in xenografts by enhanced TRAIL-induced apoptosis through doxorubicin-induced c-FLIP down-regulation and by a decrease in tumor cell proliferation. These results indicate that combination of cathepsin E and doxorubicin is sufficient to overcome resistance to TRAIL-mediated apoptosis in chemoresistant prostate cancer PPC-1 cells, thus indicating therapeutic potential for clinical use.


The tread wear would change the wheel/rail relation and seriously affect the railway vehicle dynamic behaviors. After testing the several EMUs under running ,this paper not only analyses the discipline of tread wear, but also computers the influence on wheel/rail contact geometry by a program devopled in Matlab/GUI. A MBS model of trailer of EMUs is constructed, including the model of passagers. The dynamic performance of EMUs and riding comfort are compared among the standard, worn and turned tread profile. We draw the following conclusions:Tread profile after running for a long time without turning would emerge harmful concave worn;The unsymmetrical wheel/rail contact would increame the risk of derailment and debase passengers comfort of EMUs;After turning , the dynamic performance of EMUs can be improved.


Partial discharge (PD) measurements have proved their reliability for health monitoring of insulation systems in power system components including synchronous generators, power transformers, switchgear and cables etc. Online condition monitoring and pro-active detection of PD faults have been highly demanded over the last two decades. This paper provides results from a research project to develop advanced non-intrusive sensing technologies that are cost effective, reliable and efficient for early detection of PD faults in medium voltage (MV) and high voltage (HV) air-insulated switchgear. Three sensors (high frequency E-field (D-dot) sensor, Rogowski coil and loop antenna) have been developed and tested under various PD faults and their performance were evaluated in comparison with high frequency current transformer (HFCT) which is being used commercially for PD testing and measurement. Among these three sensors, it is shown that D-dot sensor and Rogowski coil are more dependable when it comes to the PD measurements due to their high signal to noise ratio and hence high accuracy. These sensors can be customized according to a specific application and can be connected together with one data acquisition device while developing an online condition monitoring system.


Effective knowledge management in institutions of higher education is critical for sustainable strategic competitive advantage. However, little information is available on how knowledge management enhances internal effectiveness in institutions of higher education.  Despite the high investment in Information Communication Technology and staff development among institutions of higher education little progress has been made in Knowledge Management practices. Challenges in institutions of higher education exist in converting tacit knowledge into explicit knowledge to enhance internal effectiveness. Codification and validation processes can be lengthy and may imply an investment by an institution which may hamper the efficiency and effectiveness of formal knowledge protection methods. This paper analyzed the mediating effect of knowledge resources, design and application in the relationship between codification strategy and internal institutional effectiveness in one public and one private university in Kenya. The objectives were to analyze the influence of codification strategy on internal effectiveness in institutions of higher education, the mediating role of Knowledge resources, design and application in the relationship between codification strategy and internal institutional effectiveness. Purposive and simple random sampling procedures were used to select the study area and respondents (246), respectively. The Process Macro Model 8 was used in data analysis.  The results indicated a strong direct positive relationship between the codification strategy and internal institutional effectiveness. The indirect serial mediation was significant for the private University and partially significant for the public university. The study concludes that serial mediation was full in the private university but not in the public university. The study recommends institutions of higher education to choose appropriate knowledge management strategies.

 Key words: Codification, higher education institutions, internal effectiveness, knowledge management.


The EU-funded SafetyCube project aims at facilitating decision making in road safety by providing systematically analysed and assessed scientific evidence on risk factors and countermeasures. While this is done for the areas infrastructure, vehicle and road users, this paper focus solely on the latter. The project outcomes are available online and are targeted at actual decision makers as well as researchers. Various stakeholders were consulted to identify hot topics and the needs of practitioners. The accessible database currently contains about 450 individual study outcomes and synopses with condensed information for 49 road risks (e.g. speeding, drink-driving, fatigue) and measures (fitness to drive, education, enforcement, campaigns, etc.) associated with all kinds of road users (vehicle drivers, cyclists, pedestrians, elderly, young, commercial drivers). In a further step, cost-benefit will be assessed on the basis of the effectiveness of countermeasures. While vehicle and infrastructure related risks and measures are well suited for effect quantification, this is a challenging endeavour for road users for many reasons.


Designing a successful block rotation for anesthesiology residents requires not only an appropriate curriculum but also a set of teaching tools, which promote learning. Traditional clinical rotations in Anesthesiology residencies emphasize clinical teaching, supported by interaction with staff. Since Perioperative Medicine is a non-traditional subject for anesthesia residents, we introduced a syllabus, and didactic curriculum to support clinical teaching. We hypothesized that the use of key words would enhance learning. Alternating groups of residents were assigned to receive key words, while control residents were expected to learn without key words. The key words were delivered in writing on the first day of the rotation and the syllabus was highlighted to identify the key words in the text. Pre and post-tests were administered to residents participating in the perioperative rotation. Learning was assessed by calculating the change in test scores. There was significantly more learning in the group given the key words. We conclude that key word designation improved learning in a rotation designed to teach perioperative medicine.


In practice the EU suggestions are translated mechanically to national and regional policies, in many instances, without taking into account the real interests and needs of the inhabitants at different regional levels. This way the capitalization of EU policies and funds is not as efficient as it should be since the endogen potentials of localities are not utilized properly. Our hypothesis is that the rural areas of the EU are so diverse that the significant differences in employment, economic, social, educational and infrastructural features of rural regions necessitates a more locally focused policy which could be supported by analyse statistical data. The analysis is based on the Eurostat General and Regional database and on national statistical databases. What are the reasons that one size fits all solutions has to be avoided and has to be changed with locally adapted policies? Probably this question can be answered partly by the facts of statistical data with which the differences, in some cases extremely huge alterations amongst territorial features, can be demonstrated. Differences based on ruralty are a common topic of rural policies and rural science in EU countries however the differences in rural features of different countries may be notably important. Analysing the employment-unemployment indicators and those indicators that closely related to employment we found that in many instances the major differences are between the post-socialist new member states (NMS) and the EU 15 countries.


Abstract. Severe drought periods followed by intense rainfall often leads to major floods in Mediterranean catchments. The resulting hydrology is complex and the response of solutes in the streams is often unpredictable. This study aimed to identify the most relevant factors controlling the hydrological responses to storms of an intermittent Mediterranean stream and to link those factors with dissolved organic carbon (DOC) and nitrate during storm events. Measurements of climate, hydrology, DOC and nitrate concentrations during 26 storm events over three hydrological years were analysed. The contribution of the storm events to the total DOC and nitrate annual export was also calculated. Nitrate was mainly mobilised during high flow, while most of the DOC export occurred during baseflow. Solute concentrations peaked after drought periods and the solute export was maximal during the largest rainfalls (i.e. > 100 L m-2). One single large storm contributed some 22% of the total annual export of DOC, and about 80% of that of nitrate. Discharge was a good predictor of neither DOC nor nitrate responses, so variables other than discharge were considered. Factor Analysis was used to identify the main factors controlling the biogeochemical responses. Antecedent moisture conditions and the magnitude of the storm event were the most relevant factors and accounted for 63% of the total variance. Solute responses during high flow were highly variable. However, solute concentration changes showed a significant and moderate relationship with the factors controlling the hydrological responses (i.e. Δ DOC v. the antecedent moisture conditions and Δ NO3-N v. the magnitude of the storm event). Keywords: dissolved organic carbon, nitrate, Mediterranean, drought, Fuirosos catchment, storms


It is important to determine both presence and number of viable microorganisms on the surface of utensils, work surfaces and other equipment in contact with food. Cross-contamination of foodborne pathogens on food-contact surfaces occurs readily during food-preparation, and the pathogens might remain viable in the kitchen for prolonged time. The Salmonella-genus is listed as a Category B food safety threat agent by CDC. This is the category for second highest priority agents. Salmonella is responsible for food infections in both the industrialized and developing parts of the world, and has the ability to survive under unfavorable environmental conditions. From a microbiological safety point of view, it is necessary to evaluate survival-ability of such pathogens. The traditional methods for detection and identification of foodborne pathogens are both time consuming and labor demanding. The protocols for determination of species and serotype in Salmonella-detection are comprehensive and include culturing and serologic tests, which take 4-6 days to complete. PCR-based techniques have proved to be very promising methods for rapid and accurate detection of Salmonella, and have been frequently studied for the past years. PCR is faster compared to culture-based detection. Absolute quantification with external standard is easy to implement in the assay, and detection limits can be very low. In this thesis, survival of Salmonella enterica serovar Typhimurium on surfaces was investigated, with surrounding temperature and matrix as effect factors. Plastic (polystyrene) surfaces were contaminated with S. Typhimurium of a known concentration and stored at room-temperature (22oC), in cold surroundings (4oC) or warm surroundings (37oC). S. Typhimurium was either diluted in PBS, or mixed with thaw water from chicken or drain water as matrix. Samples were collected with swab, according to a protocol developed for this study. The samples were investigated with plate count for survival and real-time quantitative PCR for total cell count. EMA treatment in combination with real-time PCR was used to decide total viable count. Samples of non-viable cells were subject to resuscitation to determine if the cells were dead or had entered a VBNC state. In PBS, survival was observed for 3-4 days at 22oC, up till one week at 4oC and 9 hours at 37oC. With thaw water from chicken as matrix, viable cells were observed for 6 weeks at 22oC, and four weeks at 4oC. Mixed with drain water, the survival was observed for up till 10 days and four days at 22oC and 4oC, respectably. Total cell count and total-viability count did always give higher yield compared to plate count. Total viability count did always provide lower yield compared to total count. Resuscitation of non-viable cells was possible by enrichment in buffered peptone water. Surface sampling with swab does not provide full recovery or quantification of a sample. EMA-treatment before real-time PCR can distinguish live and dead cells, but is probably not sufficient to discriminate between viable cells and VBNC-cells. It was not possible to determine if the observed resuscitation was resulted by true resuscitation from VBNC back to viable form. In conclusion, surrounding temperature and matrix have an effect on survival of S. Typhimurium on surfaces. There is highlighted that S. Typhimurium remain viable and detectable on a surface up till six weeks and may present a possible hazard for a considerable period of time.


Abstract Teachers, students and parents today have a bewildering and fast-moving array of technology innovations that purportedly will help students learn and teachers teach. Unfortunately, it is hard for anyone to grasp what works, let alone what works best. Texas Aquatic Science has become a model for enhanced water education that has rapidly risen to the top of search engine rankings for aquatic science. The project was conceived in the course of developing means to integrate use of various new mobile and interactive technologies into middle and high school curricula about water from headwaters to the Gulf of Mexico. The researchers heard that to effectively use new technology and materials regularly, there needed to be a context for their use. Led by educators and researchers from the Meadows Center for Water and the Environment (Texas State University), Harte Research Institute for Gulf of Mexico Studies (Texas A&M University—Corpus Christi), and Texas Parks and Wildlife Department, the initiative expanded through support from over 20 partners and multiple funders to develop that context. This resulted in a comprehensive STEM pathway to engage learners from middle school through adulthood on an educational journey to create water-savvy citizens of tomorrow who will ensure effective stewardship of water in the Gulf states and beyond. Project partners published a comprehensive textbook available in print and on-line versions, assembled a teacher guide with instructional and assessment materials that allowed integration of technology enhancements, produced videos and enhancement materials, and developed a field site program connecting aquatic science in the classroom with educators and outdoor place-based experiential learning in the field. This provided a comprehensive context for instruction of middle and high school students and served as a basis for aquatic science instruction at the college level for non-science majors, in the home-school environment, and to anyone wanting to learn about nature and water. Curricula met Texas teaching standards for relevant principles of geology, geography, chemistry, physics, ecology, and biology in the text and associated teaching materials. Experience and results of research to-date demonstrate integrating education enhancements into comprehensive curricula enhance student learning and teacher ability to provide meaningful instruction. We believe the model can be used for developing science education curricula in other areas of environmental sustainability, such as for watershed science, land conservation, or coastal areas management.


ABSTRACT The purpose of this study is to investigate the extent to which the existence of a polycentric climate governance regime in Pakistan has enabled diverse framings of climate justice to emerge and be operationalized within policymaking. A two-part analysis is conducted through systematic coding and textual analysis of interview transcripts and policy documents. Firstly, an analysis based on climate justice framings reveals that, whilst national governmental actors predominantly adopt an international framing of climate justice, non-state actors have increasingly adopted vulnerability, human rights and transformational framings of justice, thereby supporting the theory that polycentricity is widening the space for voicing diverse framings. Secondly, a polycentric governance-based analysis reveals that several institutional barriers limit the ability of non-state actors to operationalize these framings, particularly capacity and resource constraints, limits of scale and scope, changing legislation and the unequivocal power held by the state. Hence, Pakistan's overarching climate change strategy prioritizes justice between countries, while obscuring domestic inequalities, poverty and vulnerability, which are only addressed by non-state actors through isolated activities rather than in a coordinated manner within national policy. This finding suggests that polycentric governance can diversify climate discourse, but also that the intergovernmental climate regime may reinforce the nation state's international framings of justice at the expense of domestic justice concerns. Key policy insights Non-state actors within the polycentric climate governance regime in Pakistan are increasingly adopting framings of climate justice beyond those of the nation state, thereby bringing attention to issues of domestic poverty, inequality and vulnerability. Differences in power between state and non-state actors limit the extent to which different justice issues can be addressed through nationally and internationally-led climate policy. There are limitations to the ability of national-level polycentric climate governance regimes, when embedded in intergovernmental negotiations, to engage in redistributing power and advocating for different framings and dimensions of justice being raised by local actors.


This column summarizes findings of a study that examined the usefulness of the quadrant model for improving service delivery for persons with co-occurring disorders. The authors discuss treatment recommendations, goals and barriers related to delivering care, policy recommendations for implementing evidence-based interventions, and strengths and limitations of the model. They conclude that although the quadrant model is useful for conceptualizing systems-level factors for improving delivery, its further development is unlikely to result in improved care at the clinical level. They call for research to develop and implement evidence-based practices targeted to specific populations of persons with co-occurring disorders.


By examining the 3 surface angles which exist at any of the 8 vertices of a Diophantine parallelepiped, and classifying them by the appearance of a right angle, it is discovered that 5 unique classes of Diophantine parallelepipeds exist. It is proposed to name these classes: acute (triclinic), obtuse (triclinic), 1-ortho (biclinic), 2-ortho (monoclinic), and rectangular, according to the count of rights angles which may exist. A Diophantine analysis of the 83 possible rational components of the piped reveals that only 27 rationality checks need to be made when examining for rationality; such as skew triangles, body or face parallelograms, face diagonals, body diagonals, and volume. A computer search of 1,981,336,681 tetrahedrons with 6 rational face diagonals uncovers interesting examples of pipeds, including the perfect parallelepiped of Sawyer-Reiter (and 5 others), and the rectangular integer cuboid. Other interesting pipeds were also discovered in the 115 unique categories which the computer searches revealed. Some questions, conjectures and possible studies are provided at the conclusion.


Investment support has been considered a principal vehicle for enhancing the competitiveness of Czech agriculture since the early days of economic transition. However, thus far, little attention has been paid evaluating the actual effects of corresponding support programmes. The objective of this paper is to assess economic and other effects of Measure 121 "Modernisation of Agricultural Holdings," of the Rural Development Programme (RDP) 2007-2013 on Czech farms. The counterfactual approach is adopted to investigate what would have happened if the supported producers had not participated in the programme; the resulting indicators are than compared. The quantitative analysis of programme effects is complemented by a qualitative survey on 20 farms that received investment support between 2008 and 2010. The quantitative assessment showed significant benefits of investment support in terms of business expansion (Gross Value Added) and productivity (GVA/labour costs) improvements. These results were confirmed by the qualitative survey. Finally, the issue of deadweight as related to investment support is discussed: the figures on very low net investment relative to the provided public support at the sector level, as well as answers of respondents both indicate possible significant deadweight. The presented results refer to the research carried out in the two projects – "Multifunctional agriculture for the benefit of society and rural development"(MZe RO0911) conducted by Institute of Agricultural Economics and Information" and " The Czech Republic in the European Research Area" (MŠMT LM2010010) conducted by Technology Centre ASCR.


Background: Tanzania is one of 15 nations that share 75% of the HIV burden in sub-Saharan Africa, with a national prevalence of 5.3% and prevalence rates as high as 30% in special populations. Knowledge about HIV infection, testing, and treatment is low, especially in younger populations, suggesting a need for effective HIV educational programs. We sought to understand the impact of HIV-related stigma and gender roles in HIV education and knowledge in educational programs and explored methodologies that effectively incorporate culturally competent approaches to reduce stigma in HIV education programs. Methods: Literature searches were conducted in multiple databases including the Cumulative Index to Nursing and Allied Health Literature (CINAHL), Academic Search Complete, and the U.S. National Library of Medicine through the National Institutes of Health (Medline/PubMed). The search terms were structured to include all text of each article rather than restricting the search to titles or keywords. While these search criteria resulted in identification of 45 peer-reviewed articles, the inclusion criteria (HIV prevention, community education, HIV knowledge and stigma) led to the exclusion of all except 20 articles. Their findings are described here. Results: Attitudes of blame, fear of people on antiretroviral therapy spreading the disease, and an acceptance of a positive HIV status as punishment for sin were identified as barriers to testing. Cultural norms/perceptions and gender power dynamics were key components in creating culturally competent models that empower women to be tested and disclose their status. Community-level awareness and increased opportunities to interact with people living with HIV/AIDS were used successfully to reduce stigma among younger populations. Conclusions: Community-based programs partnered with religious organizations were effective in disseminating HIV education and can be used as a strategy for reducing shame-based stigma based upon misconceptions and popular beliefs. Stigma can also be reduced by increasing HIV knowledge with an appropriate sociocultural framework. We propose targeting community and religious leaders using train-the-trainer models as a means to improve HIV education and reduce stigma, especially within high-risk