Wireless Power Transfer (WPT) technology is one of the most promising application for charging the batteries of electric vehicles. The exposure assessment of human body to the stray electromagnetic fields emitted by WPT devices is a critical issue which can limit the spreading of this technology in everyday life. In this paper, a numerical dosimetric study was carried out to evaluate the electric (E)-field induced in both a homogeneous ellipsoid phantom and in an anatomical human model exposed to a WPT system prototype delivering a power of 560 W, which was previously experimentally characterized. A methodology for the numerical assessment of the E-field induced by WPT system in exposed people was set up in order to obtain reliable dosimetric results, avoiding high computational costs for simulations. Two exposure scenarios were considered employing the anatomical model: the maximum 99th percentile of the induced E-field value in central nervous system was 0.05 V/m, that is compliant with the basic restriction for general public established in [1]. The maximum current density value in the head was 30 mA/m2; even in this case the compliance with the basic restriction for population in [2] was assured.


The perceptions of ASW and LEV at different source-listener distances in a reverberant soundfield were investigated
subjectively and objectively. 12 subjects graded the magnitudes of perceived ASW and LEV for trumpet and conga
sounds that were convolved with binaural room impulse responses measured at 3m, 6m and 12m from the source. Both
ASW and LEV were found to decrease significantly and almost linearly per doubling the distance. The distance-
dependent ASW was best predicted using objective measures called GE (early sound strength) while the LEV results
were highly correlated with GL (late sound strength) and B/F ratio (Back/Front energy ratio of late sound). Such
conventional measures as [1-IACCE], [1-IACCL] and LF did not agree with the perceived results. The findings of the
current study are expected to provide psychoacoustic basis for controlling virtual front-back listening positions in a
reproduced soundfield.


A large, world-wide community of physicists is working to realise an exceptional physics program of energy-frontier, electron-positron collisions with the International Linear Collider (ILC). This program will begin with a central focus on high-precision and model-independent measurements of the Higgs boson couplings. This method of searching for new physics beyond the Standard Model is orthogonal to and complements the LHC physics program. The ILC at 250 GeV will also search for direct new physics in exotic Higgs decays and in pair-production of weakly interacting particles. Polarised electron and positron beams add unique opportunities to the physics reach. The ILC can be upgraded to higher energy, enabling precision studies of the top quark and measurement of the top Yukawa coupling and the Higgs self-coupling. The key accelerator technology, superconducting radio-frequency cavities, has matured. Optimised collider and detector designs, and associated physics analyses, were presented in the ILC Technical Design Report, signed by 2400 scientists. There is a strong interest in Japan to host this international effort. A detailed review of the many aspects of the project is nearing a conclusion in Japan. Now the Japanese government is preparing for a decision on the next phase of international negotiations, that could lead to a project start within a few years. The potential timeline of the ILC project includes an initial phase of about 4 years to obtain international agreements, complete engineering design and prepare construction, and form the requisite international collaboration, followed by a construction phase of 9 years.


This paper presents the first step towards a formalism for the modelling and analysis of dynamic reconfiguration of dependable real-time systems. The first version of our formalism (CCSdp) is focused on dynamic process reconfiguration. That is, process creation, deletion and replacement at run-time. We illustrate the process through which CCSdp is being developed using a series of trials in modelling a highly simplified sensor array, in order to determine the simplest construct necessary for modelling process reconfiguration. We define the syntax and operational semantics of CCSdp, and identify a bisimulation for further investigation.


Abstract. Input-output mass balances within stream reaches provide in situ estimates of stream nutrient retention/release under a wide spectrum of hydrological conditions. Providing good estimates of the mass balances for nutrients depends on precise hydrological monitoring and good chemical characterisation of stream water at the input and output ends of the stream reach. There is a need to optimise the hydrological monitoring and the frequencies of water sampling to yield precise annual mass balances, so as to avoid undue cost - high resolution monitoring and subsequent chemical analysis can be labour intensive and costly. In this paper, simulation exercises were performed using a data set created to represent the instantaneous discharge and solute dynamics at the input and output ends of a model stream reach during a one year period. At the output end, stream discharge and water chemistry were monitored continuously, while the input end was assumed to be ungauged; water sampling frequency was changed arbitrarily. Instantaneous discharge at the ungauged sampling point was estimated with an empirical power model linking the discharge to the catchment area (Hooper, 1986). The model thus substitutes for the additional gauge station. Simulations showed that 10 days was the longest chemical sampling interval which could provide reach annual mass balances of acceptable precision. Presently, the relationship between discharge and catchment area is usually assumed to be linear but simulations indicate that small departures from the linearity of this relationship could cause dramatic changes in the mass balance estimations.


Braverman and Kahzdan have introduced an influential conjecture on local functional equations for general Langlands $L$-functions. It is related to L. Lafforgue's equally influential conjectural construction of kernels for functorial transfers. We formulate and prove a version of Braverman and Kazhdan's conjecture for spherical representations over an archimedean field that is suitable for application to the trace formula. We then give a global application related to Langlands' beyond endoscopy proposal. It is motivated by Ngo's suggestion that one combine nonabelian Fourier transforms with the trace formula in order to prove the functional equations of Langlands $L$-functions in general.


This article considers the benefits and pitfalls of international human rights law as a component of artificial intelligence (AI) governance initiatives. It argues that (1) human rights law can serve as an authoritative resource for providing definitions to highly contested terms such as fairness or equality, (2) it can be used to address the problem of international regulatory arbitrage, and (3) it provides a framework to hold public and private actors legally accountable. At the same time, the paper considers recent critiques of human rights law and its application to AI governance, such as (1) lack of effectiveness; (2) inability to effect structural change, and finally, (3) the problem of cooptation. The article argues that while there is room for international human rights in the realm of AI governance, we should look to it with tempered expectations as to its promises and limitations.


This research applies a Theory of Quality Management (TQM) Underlying the Deming Management Method, by Anderson et al. (1994). As an effort to develop a flexible data collection tool, a questionnaire was developed for the respondents from herbal industry in Malaysia. The quantitative approach was used to measure the possible relationship among variables in the modification Deming model. The research data is collected via the survey method. Leedy and Ormrod (2005) stated that the goal of survey research is to learn information about a large population by surveying a sample
of that population. The data and results of a quantitative approach can provide a general picture of the research problem (Creswell, 2005).To assess the factor structure of the scales and loadings of individual items on each scale, structural equation modelling was conducted using AMOS 18 (Arbuckle, 1999). Structural equation modelling (SEM) is a useful technique to examine multiple interrelated dependence relationships containing unobservable concepts (Hair et al., 2005; Byrne, 2010).


In recent years, as government agencies have encouraged faith-based organizations to help ensure social welfare, many black churches have received grants to provide services to their neighborhoods' poorest residents. This collaboration, activist churches explain, is a way of enacting their faith and helping their neighborhoods. But as Michael Leo Owens demonstrates in "God and Government in the Ghetto", this alliance also serves as a means for black clergy to reaffirm their political leadership and reposition moral authority in black civil society. Drawing on both survey data and fieldwork in New York City, Owens reveals that African American churches can use these newly forged connections with public agencies to influence policy and government responsiveness in a way that reaches beyond traditional electoral or protest politics. The churches and neighborhoods, Owens argues, can see a real benefit from that influence - but it may come at the expense of less involvement at the grassroots. Anyone with a stake in the changing strategies employed by churches as they fight for social justice will find "God and Government in the Ghetto" compelling reading.


This study replicates VanPatten and Cadierno (1993) in an attempt to determine whether or not explicit information given to learners receiving processing instruction is responsible for the beneficial effects of instruction. Fifty-nine subjects were divided into three groups: (1) one receiving processing instruction in object pronouns and word order in Spanish as in VanPatten and Cadierno (1993), (2) another receiving explanation only with no activities or practice, (3) and another receiving only the structured input activities with no explanation. A pretest/post-test assessment was used involving two tests, an interpretation test and a sentence-level production test. Results showed that the beneficial effects of instruction were due to the structured input activities and not to the explicit information (explanation) provided to learners.


Mondragón Corporación Cooperativa (MCC) is the bigger cooperative industrial group in the world in terms of turnover. It originated in the 1950s and tracked an unique development path based on internal and dimensional growth which led to relevant governance innovations. In light of this, during the 1990s MCC became a strongly internationalized group. Foreign subsidiaries are not cooperatives: this issue triggered off a debate focused on the matter if the group had lost its original identity. In this paper it is shown how the group has conciliated its cooperative goals, its relationship with the local communities and the necessary need of efficiency and competitiveness by adopting a peculiar organizational structure. In this scheme, cooperatives are clustered in industrial divisions and coordinated by central bodies which are made up by the members of the cooperatives themselves. The complex institutional organization of MCC Group has allowed to rationalise the presence of cooperatives on markets and to sharpen their efficiency and competitiveness. On the other hand, cooperatives do not need to give up their typical prerogatives and can fulfill, on a wide scale, the social goals which characterise this form of enterprise. In the early 2000s a further stage of MCC international growth has been launched: this step is characterized by the attempt to recover the cooperative identity even in foreign subsidiaries.


Background The Catheter Ablation Registry was the first international, multicenter, pro-spective study of the safety and efficacy of catheter ablation. Methods and Results From August 1987 through March 1990, the study comprised 136 patients in whom only DC energy was used in attempted production of third-degree atrioven-tricular block to treat uncontrollable supraventricular tachycardias. Eight patients died during hospitalization for ablation. In seven (5.1%), the ablation may have contributed to their deaths. Causes of death included ventricular fibrillation (five patients, three with polymorphic ventricular tachycardia), progressive heart failure (one patient), and respiratory failure (two patients, one dying after resuscitation from ventricular fibrillation). Compared with survivors, patients who died were more likely to have had prior aborted sudden death (38% versus 2%, p< 0.05), congestive heart failure (88% versus 22%, p < 0.001), cardiomyopathy (50% versus 16%, p< 0.05), lower baseline systolic blood pressure (106 versus 138 mm Hg, p< 0.001), prolonged baseline and postablation corrected QT interval (p< 0.01), and markedly reduced ejection fraction (27% versus 52%, p< 0.001). Ablation successfully produced third-degree atrioventric-ular block in 88% of the patients who died and in 83% of survivors. Conclusions Catheter ablation of the atrioventricular junction with DC energy carries a significant, previously unrecognized risk of death (5.1%), particularly from lethal arrhythmias, when applied to patients with severe left ventricular dysfunction. Great care should be taken in these seriously ill patients to guard against postablation ventricular arrhythmias.


Purpose To understand the influence of a community-based child advocacy block rotation on the perspectives of first-year pediatric residents and whether this influence persists. Method The authors conducted semistructured interviews to assess the impact of the training program on pediatrics residents' perspectives regarding child advocacy and their understanding of the role of the community members and community-based assets in child advocacy. Three cohorts of first-year residents at the University of California, Davis, participated in the two-week community collaborative rotation from 2000–03. Two cohorts of 23 first-year residents were interviewed. In 2003, the first cohort of nine third-year residents was reinterviewed to assess long-term impact. Interviews were conducted before and after residents' experiences with community collaboratives. Transcripts of interviews were reviewed using an iterative process, and a coding system was applied using a qualitative software program. Results Comparison of pre- and postrotation interview data showed that residents' conceptions of advocacy shifted from ideas about being a pediatrician for the community to being a pediatrician in the community. This change in definition reflected a view of the pediatrician as facilitator, a community asset, rather than as a central administrator of child health affairs. This shift persisted through the completion of residency. Conclusions These findings suggest that substantive interaction in a community collaborative can provide a starting point for residents to reconceptualize their role as pediatrician, for understanding the diverse contexts characteristic of children's circumstances, and for identifying and using community-based assets for improving child health. Definition changes persisted through residency and may influence residents' future behavior in clinical practice.


Abstract We study the flow of an electrically conducting fluid past a truncated square cylinder in a rectangular duct under the influence of an externally applied homogeneous magnetic field oriented along the cylinder axis. Our aim is to bridge the gap between the non-magnetic regime, where we previously found a complex set of three-dimensional recirculations behind the cylinder (Dousset & Pothérat, J. Fluid Mech., vol. 653, 2010, pp. 519–536) and the asymptotic regime of dominating Lorentz force analysed by Hunt & Ludford (J. Fluid. Mech., vol. 33, 1968, pp. 693–714). The latter regime is characterized by a remarkable structure known as Hunt's wake in the magnetohydrodynamics community, where the flow is deflected on either side of a stagnant zone, right above the truncated cylinder as if the latter would span the full height of the duct. In steady flows dominated by the Lorentz force, with negligible inertia, we provide the first numerical flow visualization of Hunt's wake. In regimes of finite inertia, a thorough topological analysis of the steady flow regimes reveals how the Lorentz force gradually reorganizes the flow structures in the hydrodynamic wake of the cylinder as the Hartmann number $\mathit{Ha}$ (which gives a non-dimensional measure of the magnetic field) is increased. The nature of the vortex shedding follows from this rearrangement of the steady structures by the magnetic field. As $\mathit{Ha}$ is increased, we observe that the vortex street changes from a strongly symmetric one to the alternate procession of counter-rotating vortices typical of the non-truncated cylinder wakes.


The ideal vaccine can generate a strong immune reaction without adverse effects on the body. Thus, many vaccines are now created using recombinant technology to accomplish this goal. Purification of recombinant proteins produced in Gram negative bacteria (GNB) presents several challenges, including reducing the concentration of contaminating host cell molecules to nontoxic levels. The most prevalent host cell molecule is lipopolysaccharide (LPS), which is a major constituent of the outer membrane of GNB. Residual LPS in final product presents a major problem for proteins intended for pharmaceutical application, as it is toxic to mammalian cells. An orthogonal approach is an FDA requirement for preparation of proteins intended for use as pharmaceuticals. The ideal approach not only reduces contaminants to acceptable measures, but also results in a high yield of properly folded protein, while maintaining an expeditious time table and keeping costs low. Though a truly universal scheme for processing proteins from GNB is not possible, a comprehensive study of scalable and certifiable methods currently used for protein purification will be performed on multiple constructs in order to outline general principles for the system in a helpful blueprint, evaluating the effectiveness of different methods of retrieval of protein from inclusion bodies in particular. This approach is based upon the hypothesis that production of fusion proteins in the insoluble fraction results in a greater yield of pure protein with fewer processing steps. INDEX WORDS: Gram negative bacteria, Lipopolysaccharide, Endotoxin, Protein, Purification, Inclusion bodies APPROACHES FOR PURIFYING RECOMBINANT PROTEINS FROM GRAM NEGATIVE BACTERIA


An ideal solar energy to electricity or fuel converter should work without the use of any external bias potential. An analysis of self-sufficiency when CaFe204 is used to absorb the sunlight is carried out based on the CaFe2Ü4 absorption coefficient. We started to obtain this coefficient theoretically within the experimental bandgap range in order to fix the interval of possible values of photocurrents, maximum absorption efficiencies, and photovoltages and thus that of selfsufficiency considering only the radiative processes. Also for single-gap CaFe2Ü4, we evaluate an alternative for increasing the photocurrent and maximum absorption efficiency based on inserting an intermediate band using high doping or alloying.


From the inception of the cloud, running multi-tenant workloads has put strain on the Linux kernel's abstractions. After years of having its abstractions bypassed via virtualization, the kernel has responded with a native container abstraction that is eagerly being applied in the cloud. In this paper, we point out that history is repeating itself: with the introduction of serverless computing, even the native container abstraction is ill-suited. We show that bypassing the kernel with unikernels can yield at least a factor of 6 better latency and throughput. Facing a more complex kernel than ever and a relatively undemanding computing model, we must revisit the question of whether the kernel should try to adapt, we should continue bypassing the kernel, or if it is finally time to try a new native OS for this important future cloud workload.


Characterizing hydrological processes within tropical wetlands is challenging due to their remoteness, complexity and heterogeneity. In particular, estimates of evaporative water loss are inherently uncertain. In view of the large influence on the local and regional climate, the quantification of evaporation is essential for the determination of the water balance of permanent and intermittent water bodies. Data for tropical wetlands are scarce where their remoteness impedes direct evaporation measurements. Seasonal inundation dynamics affect evaporation processes in tropical wetlands, which can be analysed in two stages: the first stage during the wet season and the second stage during the dry season. As yet no adequate method exists for determining second-stage evaporation in a data-scarce environment that additionally allows for a transfer of simulated actual evaporation (AET) to other locations. Our study aimed at developing a process-based model to simulate first- and second-stage evaporation in tropical wetlands. We selected a set of empirical potential evaporation (PET) models of varying complexity, each based on different assumptions and available data sets, and evaluated the models with pan evaporation observations in the Pantanal of South America, one of the largest tropical wetlands in the world. We used high-resolution measurements of surface and groundwater levels at different locations to determine the water available for evaporation. AET was derived by constraining simulated PET based on available water. The model of best fit was applied to different types of water bodies with varying hydroperiods to capture first- and second-stage evaporation across a range of wetland types. With our new model we could quantify evaporative water loss in the dry and the wet season for different locations in the Pantanal. This new spatially explicit approach represents an improvement in our understanding of the role of evaporation in the water balance of the Pantanal. We recommend the application of this model in other remote tropical wetlands, since only a minimum of input data is necessary.


Privatization of public law dispute resolution in workplaces has been under intense scrutiny in the context of arbitration. Another kind of workplace dispute privatization is presently underway, or under serious consideration, in several states. In connection with state workers' compensation statutes, one state has implemented, and others are considering, a dispute resolution model in which employers are explicitly authorized to opt out of coverage. "Alternative benefit plans," created under such statutes, permit employers to, among other things, unilaterally and without limitation designate private fact-finders, whose conclusions are subject to highly deferential judicial review. This model is arbitration on steroids. While there may be doubts in some quarters about the neutrality of arbitrators, reasonable doubts about the loyalties of an employer-appointed fact-finder are inevitable. Such a design would mark a decisive break with the quid pro quo/Grand Bargain of the early twentieth century, and there is a risk of some states getting caught up in a "race to the bottom," where states not recognizing a right to a remedy for physical injury become havens of low-cost labor, and thus exert pressure on states that safeguard traditional rights to follow suit. The Supreme Court may be forced to intimate an opinion on the constitutional right to a remedy for personal, and especially physical, injury (whether within or outside of the workplace). The Court has not squarely addressed the issue since 1917, when it decided New York Cent. R. Co. v. White, a case originally upholding the constitutionality of workers' compensation systems. In White, the Court hinted, but did not clearly establish, that the right to a remedy for physical injury may not be abolished without substitution of a reasonable remedy.


1 Tropical rain forest trees have been classified according to the importance of canopy disturbances for their life histories. To assess gap‐dependence vs. shade tolerance, we propose using demographic analysis of the degree to which gaps are critical for population growth. 2 Population growth is the composite of the successes and failures of individuals experiencing different life‐cycle pathways (i.e. gap, building, and mature forest patches). To assess the contribution of each pathway, it is necessary to study patch dynamics. 3 We use stage and patch structured matrix models and loop analysis to assess the life‐history strategies of two Neotropical mangrove trees, Avicennia germinans and Rhizophora mangle. We use data from field studies in Lake Maracaibo, Venezuela, that were specifically designed to parameterize these models. 4 In R. mangle, seedling to juvenile progression was limited to high light patches (> 20% canopy openness), even though they comprised < 10% of the area, and population growth depended entirely on gaps. A. germinans seedlings progressed to juveniles from all light patches, and progression rates increased with light level. However, low and medium light patches (< 20% openness) were most important to population growth because they were most frequent. We suggest that R. mangle is gap‐dependent while A. germinans is shade‐promoted (i.e. shaded patches are demographically more important to A. germinans population growth even though seedling progression rates increase with canopy openness). 5 Previous studies considered R. mangle shade‐tolerant because its propagules can establish and initially survive in the shade, but our classification was based on its entire life cycle. For A. germinans, the important measure was not the growth response to light, but the frequency and demographic importance of different light patches. 6 Synthesis: These examples show that observations of a plant's germination biology or photosynthetic/growth response to light do not necessarily translate into demographic behaviour because physiology can be decoupled from demography by patch dynamics. Thus, it is critical to consider the entire life cycle in the context of forest patch dynamics when assessing the life‐history strategies of tropical trees.


We consider distributed control of double-integrator networks, where agents are subject to stochastic disturbances. We study performance of such networks in terms of coherence, defined through an  $\mathcal {H}_{2}$  norm metric that represents the variance of nodal state fluctuations. Specifically, we address known performance limitations of the standard consensus protocol, which cause this variance to scale unboundedly with network size for a large class of networks. We propose distributed proportional integral and proportional derivative controllers that relax these limitations and achieve bounded variance, in cases where agents can access an absolute measurement of one of their states. This case applies to, for example, frequency control of power networks and vehicular formation control with limited sensing. We discuss optimal tuning of the controllers with respect to network coherence and demonstrate our results in simulations.


This study uses a policy-capturing approach to examine 816 pay-increase decisions made by 17 hospital administrators. Subjects were asked to respond to packages consisting of hypothetical employees who varied in performance levels, specialized skills or expertise, difficulty in replacing, potential turnover, and current salary. Results indicated that all five factors were significant and in the direction expected for most of the raters. None of the hypothesized interaction effects were significant for any of the raters. Results also showed that subjects' explicit rankings of the importance of the factors did not correspond highly with the rankings of their regression weights. The implications of this study for both research and practice are discussed.


The RISC Algorithm Language (RISCAL) is a language for the formal modeling of theories and algorithms. A RISCAL specification describes an infinite class of models each of which has finite size; this allows to fully automatically check in such a model the validity of all theorems and the correctness of all algorithms. RISCAL thus enables us to quickly verify/falsify the specific truth of propositions in sample instances of a model class before attempting to prove their general truth in the whole class: the first can be achieved in a fully automatic way while the second typically requires our assistance. RISCAL has been mainly developed for educational purposes. To this end this paper reports on some new enhancements of the tool: the automatic generation of checkable verification conditions from algorithms, the visualization of the execution of procedures and the evaluation of formulas illustrating the computation of their results, and the generation of Web-based student exercises and assignments from RISCAL specifications. Furthermore, we report on our first experience with RISCAL in the teaching of courses on logic and formal methods and on further plans to use this tool to enhance formal education.


An integrated energy model to estimate the energy requirement, in stationary operation, of different bulk material handling mechanical systems was presented. The integrated model was developed identifying similarities in the conveyance phenomena between systems, matching them up in four mathematical expressions based on existing models. The total power required by the drive system is estimated as the sum of those expressions. The integrated model was use to determinate the specific energy requirements to convey the material in horizontal and lifting applications. It allows to compare the energy consumption in bucket elevators, screw and belt conveyors, determining the most efficiency system for each application and explaining the differences between energy requirement of each system.


The authors first give a brief overview of how computers can afford multiple forms of transformational experiences. Some of these experiences can be purposely designed, for example, to detect and regulate students' affective states to improve aspects of their learning experiences. They can also be used in computer-based psychological interventions that treat psychological illness or that preventively promote wellbeing, healthy lifestyles, and mental health. This special section aims to contribute ideas, methods and case studies for how affective computing can move toward the goal of promoting wellbeing. The papers spread across some of the multiple modalities and techniques used to perceive and detect affect from text, physiology facial expressions, and gaze, and some of the approaches to analyze the expression of sentiments shared via online communities by depressed patients. The articles in this special section discuss how information that computers collect about our behaviour, cognition - and particularly affect - can be used in the further understanding, nurturing or development of wellbeing and human strengths: e.g. self-understanding, empathy, intrinsic motivation toward wellbeing healthy lifestyles.


A significant proportion of the operational cost for datacenters is attributed to their energy consumption. Using virtualization techniques in datacenters is enabling the control of electricity use in servers. However, as servers are becoming more energy-proportional, datacenter networks are starting to consume a greater portion of the overall power although networks devices often remain under-utilized. This thesis proposes an energy aware resource management technique for reducing the consumption of energy by the network for a Spine-Leaf topology-based datacenter. The main idea of the system
is to keep track of the dynamic workload and enable only switches that are necessary for handling the current network traffic. We have developed an energy aware resource management system for dynamically controlling the number of Spine switches in Spine-Leaf datacenter networks and performed simulation using CloudSim for a number of scenarios.


q 201 Toward the end of the twentieth century, the Cold War ended, and "globalization" became a key word in public discourse. In the new situation people could ask, with relief or anxiety, what might happen next. So a small but lively intellectual industry rose to the challenge, creating scenarios for a born-again world. As the world turned, there would be more of them.With 9/11 there was another wave of global commentary. There were hot wars in Central Asia and the Middle East, and then, with economic upheavals spreading rather unevenly over the world, there were shifts in the global centers of gravity. This again generated more scenarios for the world. Often, the future visions could be encapsulated in striking catchphrases: "the end of history," "the clash of civilizations," "jihad versus McWorld," "soft power," and others. The Eric Wolf Lecture of 2014 scrutinizes world scenarios as a genre of creative writing but also considers their role as a set of representations of the world that are now circulated, received, and debated in a worldwide web of social relationships. As a contemporary sociocultural phenomenon, the scenarios come out of a zone of knowledge production where academia, media, and politics meet. The authors are "global public intellectuals." While anthropology has contributed little to them directly, these writings deserve attention for the way they offer the "Big Picture" of the world and, at times, for their use of cultural understandings.


Uranium ore deposits in the Grants Mineral Belt, New Mexico, occur in fluvial sandstones in the Jurassic Morrison Formation. Uranium mineralization is concentrated by a dark-gray to black substance that has been identified as humate derived from decaying vegetation. Black ore is truncated by overlying sandstone in at least two ore deposits, documenting an early age of mineralization. Ore deposits in the Grants Mineral Belt vary greatly in size and shape, generally occur in clusters, and often are difficult targets for drilling. Current exploration is largely a process of drilling in stages to (1) delineate favorable from unfavorable ground on a wide-spacing, (2) seek mineralization in favorable ground, and (3) conduct closely spaced drilling in mineralized areas. Criteria for favorability differ among exploration groups but generally includes (1) the presence of a host sandstone, (2) anomalous mineralization, (3) color of host rock, (4) presence of carbonaceous matter, and (5) position of area with respect to mineralized trends. A description of the sequence of drilling, from ore discovery to a mine on a one-square mile area at the Johnny M uranium deposit located in the east part of the Ambrosia Lake District, provides an example of the problem of predicting ahead of discovery where in a certain area, orebodies may occur. A study of the drill data at the Johnny M indicates the uranium ore is not related to specific features other than the presence of humate which is commonly associated with coalified plant fragments in mudstone-rich parts of the host sandstone. End_of_Article - Last_Page 688------------


Heterogeneous communication networks with their variety of application demands, uncertain time-varying traffic load, and mixture of wired and wireless links pose several challenging problem in modeling and control. In this paper we focus on the roundtrip time (RTT), which is a particularly important variable for efficient end-to-end congestion control. Based on a simple aggregated model of the network, an algorithm combining a Kalmanfilter and a change detection algorithm is proposed for RTT estimation. It is illustrated on real data that this algorithm provides estimates of significantly better accuracy as compared to the RTT estimator currently used in TCP, especially in scenarios where new cross-trafficflows cause a bottle-neck link to rapidly build up a queue, which in turn induces rapid changes of the RTT.


The aim of this study was to adapt the BriefCOPE Inventory for Portuguese-speaking university students. We evaluate the Portuguese BriefCOPE psychometrics qualities and estimated the BriefCOPE factorial invariance in Brazil and Portugal. The data collected from a sample of 1573 students of both nationalities did confirm the 14-factor structure of the BriefCOPE and showed both factorial, convergent and discriminant related validities. However, the factor model did not show invariance across countries indicating that the use of the Portuguese version of the BriefCOPE cannot be bailed for comparisons of scores of inter-countries' student coping. Key- words - coping; college students; evaluation; psychometrics.


In this paper, a new treatment or method has been presented to calculate the parameters of the etched track and its shape development after irradiating polyallyldiglycol carbonate (PADC) detector CR-39 by alpha particles using direct measurement of the track opening diameters. The method is based on a concept that the track diameter growth rate (VD ) and the track etch rate (VT ) are not constants with the progressing of the etching process. Some of the equations used in the case of VD to be a constant have been modified as a function of etching time to be more suitable for the case. Certain boundary conditions have been extracted from previous works based on the measurement of the track lengths directly from the track's images, to use them in the equations that were applied to figure out the track parameters in the present work. A CR-39 detector was irradiated with alpha particles having energies of 1.53 MeV, 2.35 MeV, 3.06 MeV, 3.80 MeV and 4.44 MeV under normal incidence using 1 μCi 241Am source of 5.485 MeV. The irradiated detectors were etched chemically with an aqueous 6.25 N solution of NaOH at 70°C. The track parameters and the profile development, as well as the V(R') function, were determined. The results obtained by this method using the track diameters information showed a good agreement with previous works that used the direct measurement of the track lengths


Given the increasing level of technology readiness associated with subsea processing equipment under the trust of ambitious and challenging subsea field development schemes, in order to allow or enhance the hydrocarbon production and/or to reduce topside space requirements, oil and gas Operators are more keen to sanction new projects involving active subsea equipment.
 The above scenario will most likely be the driver for a step-up towards a further communication link between subsea equipment (e.g. subsea pumps, compressors, separators, ancillary systems, etc.) and the end user. This link, enabled by a brand-new Condition Monitoring System, will be in addition to already consolidated subsea control system technologies and will pave the way for predictive maintenance operations of subsea processing systems.
 Through the acquisition of subsea processing systems specific parameters detected during their operation and comparison with the relevant normal (baseline) conditions associated with each piece of equipment and/or typical component failure modes, it will be possible to monitor the deterioration of the equipment. It will also be possible to understand if it is time to plan a maintenance campaign for the system or if it can be postponed or moved up with respect to the MTBM of the system.
 The condition monitoring system will collect a huge amount of data regarding system and components status, operating conditions and performances, and by tracking the collected information, it will be able to build a system history. This becomes the feed in a machine learning process that will regularly increase the level of confidence under real conditions of the subsea equipment laid far from the Operator's sight.
 This paper will focus on a condition monitoring system concept applied to Saipem technologies for subsea processing.


High altitude medicine deals with a continuum of diseases ranging from a mild discomfort to serious ailments affecting all organ systems, including the lungs, brain, and eyes. Decreased oxygen tension is the primary cause. The main principles of prevention are staging and graded ascent to allow acclimatization. Adventure travel to high altitude destinations is becoming increasingly popular; family physicians should be informed of the medical problems associated with such travel.


The problem of the mixing of two plasmas is very difficult to solve if the methods of statistical mechanics are used. When both plasmas are homogeneous in space, and the limit of weak coupling is appropriate, the Landau equation describes the motion. An equation, similar to the Landau equation, is developed for the case when one of the plasmas is initially inhomogeneous in space. The equation is a power series in time and involves wave vectors in space. The short-time-after-mixing limit is considered, which restricts the number of wave vectors. A sample problem is presented of the short time development of an infinite-temperature spike interacting with a homogeneous plasma. The spike is found to move very rapidly from the origin owing to the long range of the forces. Extension of the time development past the initial short time requires consideration of destructive wave vectors in addition to the wave vector generation considered here.


Three new triphenyltin(IV) complexes, viz., triphenylstannyl 2-((E)-(4-hydroxy-3-((E)-((4-(methoxycarbonyl)phenyl)imino)methyl)phenyl)-diazenyl)benzoate (Ph(3)SnL(2)H: 2), methyl 2-((E)-(4-hydroxy-3-((E)-((4-(((triphenylstannyl)oxy)carbonyl)phenyl)imino)methyl)phenyl)diazenyl)benzoate (Ph(3)SnL(3)H: 3), and triphenylstannyl 2-((E)-(4-hydroxy-3-((E)-((4-(((triphenylstannyl)oxy)carbonyl)phenyl)imino)methyl)phenyl)diazenyl)benzoate ((Ph(3)Sn)(2)L(4)H: 4) were synthesized and characterized by spectroscopic ((1)H, (119)Sn NMR and IR) techniques in combination with elemental analysis. The (119)Sn NMR spectral data were recorded in a non-coordinating solvent and indicate tetrahedral coordination geometry in solution. In the solid state, a single-crystal X-ray diffraction analysis of the dinuclear complex (Ph(3)Sn)(2)L(4)H (4) revealed a monocapped tetrahedral coordination geometry with anisobidentate coordination modes of the carboxylate groups with average bond angles around the Sn atoms of 113.5 and 112.2°, respectively. In vitro cytotoxicity studies were performed with all three complexes 2-4, along with a previously reported parent aquatriphenylstannyl complex, 2-((3-formyl-4-hydroxyphenyl)diazenyl)benzoate (Ph(3)SnL(1)H.OH(2) (1)) across a panel of human tumor cell lines, viz., A498, EVSA-T, H226, IGROV, M19 MEL, MCF-7 and WIDR. The screening results were compared with those from related triphenyltin(IV) carboxylates containing (i) imino (11-16) and (ii) diazenyl frameworks (1, 5-10). In general, complexes 2-4 exhibited good cytotoxic activity and among them, compound 4 was found to be the best performer, particularly for EVSA-T and MCF-7 cell lines. Additionally, 4 scored better activity than cisplatin (2-15 folds), 5-fluorouracil and etoposide across a panel of cell lines. Docking studies indicated that the diazenyl and imino nitrogen atoms, and the oxygen atoms of triphenyltin ester, methyl ester and phenolic group play an important role for the complexation of the organotin compounds in the active sites of enzymes such as ribonucleotide reductase (pdb ID: 4R1R), thymidylate synthase (pdb ID: 2G8D), thymidylate phosphorylase (pdb ID: 1BRW) and topoisomerase II (pdb ID: 1QZR).


Using direct numerical simulations of turbulent channel flow, we present new insight into the generation of streamwise vortices near the wall, and an associated drag reduction strategy. Growth of xdependent spanwise velocity disturbances w(x) is shown to occur via two mechanisms: (i) linear transient growth, which dominates early-time evolution, and (ii) linear normal-mode instability, dominant asymptotically at late time (for frozen base flow streaks). Approximately 25% of streaks extracted from near-wall turbulence are shown to be strong enough for linear instability (above a critical vortex line lift angle). However, due to viscous annihilation of streak normal vorticity ωy, normal mode growth ceases after a factor of two energy growth. In contrast, the linear transient disturbance produces a 2fold amplification, due to its rapid, early-time growth before significant viscous streak decay. Thus, linear transient growth of w(x) is revealed as a new, apparently dominant, generation mechanism of xdependent turbulent energy near the wall. Combined transient growth/instability of lifted, vortex-free low-speed streaks (above the instability cutoff of streak strength) is shown to generate new streamwise vortices, which dominate near-wall turbulence phenomena. This new vortex formation mechanism consists of: (i) streak waviness in the horizontal plane caused by w(x) disturbance growth, (ii) generation of horizontal sheets of streamwise vorticity and induction of positive stretching ∂u/∂x (i.e. positive VISA), inherent to streak waviness, and finally (iii) vorticity sheet collapse via stretching (rather than roll-up) into streamwise vortices. Significantly, the 3D features of the (instantaneous) vortices generated by transient/instability growth agree well with the coherent structures educed (i.e. ensemble-averaged) from fully turbulent flow, suggesting the prevalence of this mechanism. Results suggest promising new strategies for drag and heat transfer control, involving large-scale (hence more durable) actuators, without requiring wall sensors or control logic.


This thesis critically analyses, reconstructs and deconstructs the Living Educational Theory (LET) approach. It examines, challenges and modifies it, dialectically transforms it and offers a more suitable alternative to it. Whilst LET has not been well received in academia for two decades, this thesis is being written at a point in time when LET has greater recognition and influence. The thesis is composed of three parts. The first part examines and reconstructs the LET approach as a theoretical possibility and a practical methodological and heuristic approach. It introduces the LET approach and its key features, components, intentions and practices. It examines and interrelates the writings of the developers of that approach and its history and development. It also relates that approach to educational, action, reflective practice, practitioner and ontological research and the work and educational development of this author. The second part criticises, deconstructs and transforms the LET approach and proposes an alternative heuristic tool, solution and approach. It criticises the claim of living educational theorists that LET is an improved approach to the theorisation of a human existence and the educational, ontological, professional and epistemological development of practitioners. As well as criticising the new directions which the LET approach has recently taken, it introduces an alternative educational action research heuristic tool and approach that is based on self-dialectical reflective enquiry. The proposed alternative is based on creative and auto-phenomenological writing, self-dialectical and cathartic logging, public blogging and enquiring-within-writing logging into the question: how do I lead a more meaningful existence in the world for myself? It seeks to transform the LET approach into a deeper ontological, auto-phenomenological, and self-therapeutic auto-analysis, self-reevaluation and auto-empowerment. The third part concludes the thesis and reflects on my learning from my engagement with the LET approach and my hopes and intentions for the future.


In wet granulation process, granules are prepared in rotary drum granulator by adding a liquid binding agent as an aqueous solution of corn starch. Various factors, which affecting the production and strength of granules are particle size, moisture (liquid binder), residence time (time of rotation) and binder. Liquid binding agent plays a significant role in determining the strength of granules. To get better production and strength of granules several experiments are carried out with varying moisture content by keeping constant time of rotation and feed quantity. Increase in moisture leads to increase in production and strength of granules until an optimum condition is reached where nucleation and layering is done perfectly. Further increase in moisture leads to less strength and more plasticity this is due to over coalescence of granules. To determine the strength of granules a very important test i. e. Drop test is done with repeated droppings and with varying height of dropping for different size of granules at wet and dried conditions. From the experiments and drop tests on different size of granules at different conditions, an optimum condition of moisture content for feed is obtained, which is responsible for more production and added strength of granules.


The Ca(2+)-binding S-100 proteins are involved in the regulation of a number of cellular processes and an altered expression has been reported in several neoplastic tissues. Tissue specimens of normal salivary glands (n = 23), pleomorphic adenomas (n = 60), basal cell adenomas (n = 6), canalicular ademomas (n = 2), myoepitheliomas (n = 2), adenoid cystic carcinomas (n = 26) and adenocarcinomas NOS (n = 11) were evaluated for the expression of S-100A1, S-100A2, A-100A4, S-100A6 and S-100B by using highly specific polyclonal and monoclonal antibodies generated against the recombinant human protein. In normal salivary glands, the ductal cells showed mild to intense immunoreactivity for S-100A1, S-100A2, S-100A4 and S-100A6, while S-100B was observed in nerve fibers in the connective tissue. The normal myoepithelial cells were unreactive. In pleomorphic adenoma, the luminal tumor cells of the duct-like structures showed moderate to intense immunoreactivity for S-100A2, while reactivity for S-100A1, S-100A4 and S-100A6 was relatively weak. The non-luminal cells, also termed neoplastic myoepithelial cells, showed immunoreactivity for S-100B, while tumor cells in the solid, myxoid and chondroid areas were immunoreactive for S-100A1, S-100A4, S-100A6 and S-100B. The non-luminally located tumor cells in basal cell adenomas and canalicular adenomas, and numerous tumor cells in clusters in myoepitheliomas were intensely reactive for S-100A2. In adenoid cystic carcinomas and in adenocarcinomas not otherwise specified, the luminal cells forming the tubular or cribriform structures were markedly positive for S-100A2 and/or S-100A6. Squamous metaplastic cells in salivary tumors showed intense immunoreactivity for S-100A2. The results of the present study suggest that the majority of the tumor cells in salivary neoplasms, despite the most heterogeneous tumor cell differentiation, express S-100 proteins more heterogeneously than the normal glandular ducts. The salivary ducts in normal glands, the luminal tumor cells and squamous metaplastic cells in the neoplastic lesions were intensely immunoreactive for S-100A2 as compared to S-100A1, S-100A4 or S-100A6. In contrast, the non-luminal tumor cells showed a rather heterogeneous expression of the S-100 proteins.


Studies continue to indicate that higher education is frequently a worthwhile investment for individuals and that it raises the productivity of the workforce as a whole. While the rising cost of post-secondary education has not eliminated this "college premium," it has raised new questions about how growing numbers of students can make these investments. One solution to this problem is student loans, which have come to play an increasingly important role in financing higher education. Yet, despite its importance, educational debt is not well understood. Among the reasons is that there exist few central repositories of information on the characteristics and performance of all student loans, which currently include loans made by both government and private lenders. In this paper, we bring a new data set to bear on this important issue and present a brief analysis of the historical and current levels of student debt and how those loans are performing. We also briefly discuss the implications of student loans for borrowers and the economy.


Modeling approaches could be a powerful solution for specification, design and analysis. At a system level, models must take into account many system concerns. Thus, several system modeling approaches are based on several viewpoints expressed in Domain Specific Modeling Languages. Cyber threat analysis takes place within this modeling context with the need for several DSMLs to address several viewpoints of the system. So, the analysis of this domain is supported by DSML interoperability to perform simulation or other algorithms. Therefore, in this paper, we present an approach to face DSML interoperability based on role modeling. The Role4All framework is based on a metamodel including the Role concept. The Role4All language provides the capacity to define shared semantics between the DSMLs. Role4All and role modeling avoid model transformations and promote a federation approach between several DSMLs. The federation mechanisms of Role4All are illustrated in the cyber threat modeling framework to emphasize information gathering and the updates of the role model.


Abstract The primary aim of this study was the accurate determination of unit-cell parameters and description of disorder in chlorites with semi-random stacking using common X‑ray diffraction (XRD) data for bulk powder samples. In the case of ordered chlorite structures, comprehensive crystallographic information can be obtained based on powder XRD data. Problems arise for samples with semi-random stacking, where due to strong broadening of hkl peaks with k ≠ 3n, the determination of unit-cell parameters is demanding. In this study a complete set of information about the stacking sequences in chlorite structures was determined based on XRD pattern simulation, which included determining a fraction of layers shifted by ±1/3b, interstratification with different polytypes and 2:1 layer rotations. A carefully selected series of pure Mg-Fe tri-trioctahedral chlorites with iron content in the range from 0.1 to 3.9 atoms per half formula unit cell was used in the study. In addition, powder XRD patterns were carefully investigated for the broadening of the odd-number basal reflections to determine interstratification of 14 and 7 Å layers. These type of interstratifications were finally not found in any of the samples. This result was also confirmed by the XRD pattern simulations, assuming interstratification with R0 ordering. Based on h0l XRD reflections, all the studied chlorites were found to be the IIbb polytype with a monoclinic-shaped unit cell (β ≈ 97°). For three samples, the hkl reflections with k ≠ 3n were partially resolvable; therefore, a conventional indexing procedure was applied. Two of the chlorites were found to have a monoclinic cell (with α, γ = 90°). Nevertheless, among all the samples, the more general triclinic (pseudomonoclinic) crystal system with symmetry C1 was assumed, to calculate unit-cell parameters using Le Bail fitting. A detailed study of semi-random stacking sequences shows that simple consideration of the proportion of IIb-2 and IIb-4/6 polytypes, assuming equal content of IIb-4 and IIb-6, is not sufficient to fully model the stacking structure in chlorites. Several, more general, possible models were therefore considered. In the first approach, a parameter describing a shift into one of the ±1/3b directions (thus, the proportion of IIb-4 and IIb-6 polytypes) was refined. In the second approach, for samples with slightly distinguishable hkl reflections with k ≠ 3n, some kind of segregation of individual polytypes (IIb-2/4/6) was considered. In the third approach, a model with rotations of 2:1 layers about 0°, 120°, 240° was shown to have the lowest number of parameters to be optimized and therefore give the most reliable fits. In all of the studied samples, interstratification of different polytypes was revealed with the fraction of polytypes being different than IIbb ranging from 5 to 19%, as confirmed by fitting of h0l XRD reflections.


The sequential metabolism of eicosanoids by AA oxygenases confers biological properties that may have significant functional implications. Further, the interpretation of the effects of cyclooxygenase inhibitors on eicosanoid, dependent mechanisms needs to be reevaluated. Previously, if cyclooxygenase inhibitors affected the biological action of AA, it was considered to be due to elimination of a prostanoid-mediated component. This interpretation is no longer valid if a cell or tissue has significant P450 and cyclooxygenase activity. The cellular proximity of the P450-dependent monooxygenases and cyclooxygenase, described in tubules, interstitial cells, and blood vessels, may confer a unique ability of AA metabolites to coordinate tubular and vascular function.


The commute trip (to work, education, etc.) is generally the most commonly scheduled and realized trip purpose. For the working population, the commuting trip is by far the trip that makes people spend the most miles. Also, commute trips have temporal and geographic regularity. Thus, they stress a lot the transportation network, since they are really concentrated in time (pick hours) and space. On top of this, car ownership is increasing, as more and more people use their cars for every day commuting. Mainly, people who work in capital cities often face the most lengthy journey times to work and some of the most extended delays due to traffic congestion (Eurostat, 2015). Research has revealed that the length of the average EU commute is estimated to be 37.5 minutes per day. The mode of transport used for the commute trip, as well as many other actions humans take in life, demand to some degree making a decision that involves choice. In this paper, we discuss the commute trip and its trends for the next years. Additionally we describe how we build a Stated Preference Survey, using the Discrete choice model in order to find the most strong predictors regarding the commute trip taking into account both attitudinal attributes, that focus on cognitive determinants of travel mode choice; and situational attributes which are characterized by a focus on travel mode characteristics and socio-demographic factors. We explain the steps that we followed in order to build the survey, as well as the data population. Finally, a short discussion on the tools that will be used for the analysis of the survey takes place. The current work can be used as summative guidance to whoever wants to build a stated preference survey regarding mode choice. The results of the survey will be discussed in future work.


Location of mobile computers, potentially indoors, is essential information to enable location-aware applications in wireless pervasive computing. The popularity of wireless local area networks (WLANs) inside and around buildings makes positioning systems based on readily available received signal strength (RSS) from access points (APs) desirable. The fingerprinting technique associates location-dependent characteristics such as RSS values from multiple APs to a location (namely location fingerprint) and uses these characteristics to infer the location. The collection of RSS fingerprints from different locations are stored in a database called radio map, which is later used to compare to an observed RSS sample vector for estimating the MS's location.
An important challenge for the location fingerprinting is how to efficiently collect fingerprints and construct an effective radio map for different indoor environments. In addition, analytical models to evaluate and predict "precision" performance of indoor positioning systems based on location fingerprinting are lacking. In this dissertation, we provide a location fingerprint framework that will enable a construction of efficient wireless indoor systems. We develop a new analytical model that employs a proximity graph for predicting performance of indoor positioning systems based on location fingerprinting. The model approximates probability distribution of error distance given a RSS location fingerprint database and its associated statistics. This model also allows a system designer to perform analysis of the internal structure of location fingerprints. The analytical model is employed to identify and eliminate unnecessary location fingerprints stored in the radio map, thereby saving on computation while performing location estimation. Using the location fingerprint properties such as clustering is also shown to help reduce computational effort and create a more scalable model. Finally, by study actual measurement with the analytical results, a useful guideline for collecting fingerprints is given.
Keywords: Indoor position location system, location fingerprint, performance model, efficient radio map.


Ecological speciation is the process by which reproductively isolated populations emerge as a consequence of divergent natural or ecologically-mediated sexual selection. Most genomic studies of ecological speciation have investigated allopatric populations, making it difficult to infer reproductive isolation. The few studies on sympatric ecotypes have focused on advanced stages of the speciation process after thousands of generations of divergence. As a consequence, we still do not know what genomic signatures of the early onset of ecological speciation look like. Here, we examined genomic differentiation among migratory lake and resident stream ecotypes of threespine stickleback reproducing in sympatry in one stream, and in parapatry in another stream. Importantly, these ecotypes started diverging less than 150 years ago. We obtained 34,756 SNPs with restriction-site associated DNA sequencing and identified genomic islands of differentiation using a Hidden Markov Model approach. Consistent with incipient ecological speciation, we found significant genomic differentiation between ecotypes both in sympatry and parapatry. Of 19 islands of differentiation resisting gene flow in sympatry, all were also differentiated in parapatry and were thus likely driven by divergent selection among habitats. These islands clustered in quantitative trait loci controlling divergent traits among the ecotypes, many of them concentrated in one region with low to intermediate recombination. Our findings suggest that adaptive genomic differentiation at many genetic loci can arise and persist in sympatry at the very early stage of ecotype divergence, and that the genomic architecture of adaptation may facilitate this.


Background: Social media usage is one of the most popular online activities, but with it comes privacy concerns due to how personal data are handled by these social networking sites. Prior literature aimed at identifying users' privacy concerns as well as user behavior associated with privacy mitigation strategies and policies. However, OSN users continue to divulge private information online and privacy remains an issue. Accordingly, this review aims to present extant research on this topic, and to highlight any potential research gaps. Method: The paper presents a systematic literature review for the period 2006 - 2021, in which 33 full papers that explored privacy concerns in online social networks (OSN), users' behavior associated with privacy preservation strategies and OSN privacy policies were examined. Results: The findings indicate that users are concerned about their identity being stolen, the disclosure of sensitive information by third-party applications and through data leakage and the degree of control users have over their data. Strategies such as encryption, authentication, and privacy settings configuration, can be used to address users' concerns. Users generally do not leverage privacy settings available to them, or read the privacy policies, but will opt to share information based on the benefits to be derived from OSNs. Conclusion: OSN users have specific privacy concerns due primarily to the inherent way in which personal data are handled. Different preservation strategies are available to be used by OSN users. Policies are provided to inform users, however, these policies at times are difficult to read and understand, but studies show that there is no direct effect on the behavior of OSN users. Further research is needed to elucidate the correlation between the relative effectiveness of different privacy preservation strategies and the privacy concerns exhibited by users. Extending the research to comparatively assess different social media sites could help with better awareness of the true influence of privacy policies on user behavior.


The significant role played by youth entrepreneurship for the economic growth of countries has shift the attention of researchers to the potential entrepreneurs, and how to stimulate the enter on the market of new and innovative individuals which might have positive effects on economic development. The present research is conducted to identify the influence of some characteristics of business environment and of access to financial resources on entrepreneurial intentions of faculty students from one of the largest universities of Romania. We conducted the study on a sample of undergraduate and master students, by applying a questionnaire. The main objectives of this paper are to analyze how the young potential entrepreneurs perceive the access to finance for start-ups and if this factor would be a significant predictor of the decision to become entrepreneurs of the students. In addition, our study discusses how policy makers could provide support for young people to create innovative businesses, from a financial perspective. Our findings show a high level of entrepreneurial intentions among the interviewed students, but also that easy access to financial resources is the most important obstacle identified by the students with entrepreneurial intentions. Young entrepreneurs encounter significant obstacles in trying to obtain the necessary financial resources because they do not have a market history or sufficient guarantees. Access to information and fewer business regulations were also identified as factors with a significant contribution on the entrepreneurial orientation of youth. The implications of the study are significant for potential policy intervention, because emphasize the need of the policymakers to stimulate young entrepreneurs by promoting policies that allow young entrepreneurs greater access to finance.
Keywords: young entrepreneurs, potential entrepreneurs, entrepreneurial intentions, access to finance, business environment, university students


Objectives
Our aims were to describe stress trajectories for newly diagnosed type 1 diabetes (T1D) in adolescents and their parents, explore whether resilience is associated with stress trajectories, and to examine the effects of stress trajectories on diabetes-specific outcomes.

Methods
Fifty-nine youth aged 10-18 years with newly diagnosed T1D and a primary caregiver were followed for 12 months. Stress and resilience were assessed using questionnaires every 3 months, and diabetes-specific outcomes (self-care, quality of life, and hemoglobin A1C) at 6 and 12 months. Parent and adolescent stress trajectories were identified using semiparametric group-based modeling.

Results
Four stress trajectories emerged for parents and three emerged for adolescents. Adolescent trajectories were stable throughout the 12 months, and those with stable low stress had the highest levels of resilience. Further, the stable low stress group had higher quality of life scores at 12-month postdiagnosis. In contrast, stress for parents changed considerably over the 12-month period, and trajectory groups did not associate with 12-month outcomes.

Conclusions
Distinct patterns of stress emerged for both the adolescent and parent cohorts. Resilience at the time of diagnosis was particularly protective for adolescents. These results suggest that stress-reducing and resilience-promoting interventions for newly diagnosed adolescents with T1D may have potential to improve longer-term outcomes.


Loteprednol etabonate (LE) is a soft corticosteroid that maintains therapeutic activity with much reduced adverse effects. Yet, its ocular bioavailability is hindered by its poor aqueous solubility. Early attempts of LE complexation with cyclodextrins (CDs) did not involve the study of the effects of various complexation methods on the characteristics of the complexes formed. Formulation of complexes into different delivery systems as well in vitro and in vivo assessments has not been accomplished in the earlier studies. In this study, complexation of LE with each of hydroxypropyl-β-cyclodextrin (HP-β-CD) and β-cyclodextrin (β-CD) by kneading, freeze drying, and co-precipitation was attempted. These complexes were incorporated into gels, drops, and ocuserts using hydroxypropyl methylcellulose (HPMC), methylcellulose (MC), and sodium alginate (ALG). These formulae were examined with respect to drug content, pH, viscosity, in vitro release, and stability for 6 months. Kinetic analysis of release data was done. Selected formulations were assessed for their efficacy in the treatment of ocular allergic conjunctivitis and their ocular bioavailability in rabbits' eyes. All formulations exhibited accepted drug content, pH, and viscosity. The drug release was increased by complexation particularly with HP-β-CD in the order of ocuserts ≥ drops > gels, being the highest for HPMC preparations that also exhibited the greatest stability and anti-inflammatory activity especially in case of LE-HP-β-CD complexes. Ocuserts of co-precipitated LE-HP-β-CD using HPMC (5% w/w) and Carbopol 934P (0.1% w/w) provided a significantly enhanced stability (p < 0.05), ocular anti-inflammatory efficacy (p < 0.05), and ocular bioavailability (p < 0.0001), to be represented as a potential ocular delivery system of LE.


Our aim was to evaluate the usefulness of the monoclonal antibody Das-1 as a premalignant marker of gastric intestinal metaplasia (GIM) associated with gastric cancer and its association with mucin expression. We evaluated Das-1 and mucin expression in 4 groups: 1 (n = 50), gastric carcinoma, paired samples of the cancer area and GIM away from the tumor; 2 (n = 25), gastric or duodenal ulcer with Helicobacter pylori infection with GIM and chronic gastritis; 3 (n = 25),H pylori- autoimmune chronic atrophic gastritis with GIM; and 4 (n = 25),H pylori- chronic gastritis without GIM. Das-1 immunostaining was observed in 20 (40%) of 50 cases in cancer areas. The expression of Das-1 in GIM from group 1 cases away from the cancer area was different from that in GIM from nontumor cases (groups 2 and 3): 13 (26%) of 50 vs 2 (8%) and 0 (0%) of 25 (P = .004). There was no association between Das-1 and mucin expression. Das-1 expression was associated with GIM from patients with gastric cancer. However, this relation was weaker than previously reported, precluding clinical usefulness as a premalignant marker of GIM.


Abstract This paper provides cross-country evidence of the link between securitized real estate and stocks, bonds, and direct real estate. First, the behavior of betas in sixteen countries is examined and then the causes of their variation are identified. Second, securitized real estate returns are regressed on "pure" stock, bond, and real estate factors. The betas are generally found to decrease over the 1990-2004 period, but the causes for such decline differ across countries. Securitized real estate returns are found to be positively associated with stock and direct real estate returns, but negatively related to bond returns. Financial assets contribute greatly to the variance of securitized real estate, while the impact of direct real estate is limited. However, a large fraction of the variance is not accounted for by these factors, especially in the United States, which suggests that other factors are at play. (ProQuest: ... denotes formulae omitted.) With a market capitalization estimated at USD 800 billion as of the end of 2005 (Brounen, Ling, and Eichholtz, 2006), the importance of securitized real estate as an asset class has grown considerably. Accordingly, much research has been devoted to studying the behavior and to unmasking the driving factors of publicly traded real estate.1 As for any other asset class, there are many important reasons for studying the return generating process of securitized real estate, such as to examine whether returns can be forecasted (Liu and Mei, 1992; Bharati and Gupta, 1992; and Brooks and Tsolacos, 2003), to ascertain the diversification benefits of the asset class (Mull and Soenen, 1997; and Gordon, Canter, and Webb, 1998), and to analyze the inflationhedging effectiveness of such vehicles (Liu, Hartzell, and Hoesli, 1997; and Adrangi, Chatrath, and Raffiee, 2004). The aims of this paper are twofold. The first objective is to expand the investigation done by Khoo, Hartzell, and Hoesli (1993) on the behavior of real estate investment trust (REIT) betas in the United States by employing a similar procedure to securitized real estate in sixteen countries from 1990 to 2004 and by providing a cross-country analysis of the causes underlying the variations in the betas. Second, this research expands Clayton and MacKinnon's (2003) work on the importance of stock, bond, and real estate ''pure factors'' in explaining securitized real estate returns by doing the analysis for five countries. In sum, this research seeks to expand the literature by depicting the dynamics that underpin different markets and analyze if the previous findings for the U.S. can be generalized for other markets. The paper is organized as follows. First, there is a discussion of related work on securitized real estate's betas and on the hybrid nature of such securities. Second, there is a presentation of the methodologies employed and the data, respectively, followed by a discussion of the results. Finally, the paper closes with concluding remarks. Literature Review An important question addressed by the literature concerning securitized real estate has been whether or not this asset class outperforms other asset classes. Chan, Hendershott, and Sanders (1990), Glascock (1991), and Peterson and Hsieh (1997) find that REITs do not display higher risk-adjusted returns with respect to stocks. On an international basis, this result is confirmed by Ling and Naranjo (2002). Contrasting evidence for the U.S. is provided by Liu and Mei (1992) who show that on a riskadjusted basis, EREITs outperform large caps and small caps, but not bonds. Lying in between and probably settling the differences, Chen, Hsieh, and Jordan (1997) derive a Jensen measure for each EREIT using excess returns and conclude that EREITs outperform other investments during some periods but not always. To better understand the asset class, the analysis of the time-varying nature of securitized real estate betas constitutes another stream of research. …


: How have conceptions of Amish womanhood changed over time? In this article, I show that while early scholars offered only a rudimentary look at Amish women's lives, current research is expanding and expounding upon this question. To begin, I survey early Amish studies literature, demonstrating that women's lives rarely featured in these analyses. More recent scholarship demonstrates that when women's lives take center stage, a fuller appreciation of the shape of women's lives emerges. Specifically, I demonstrate that a simplified rendering not only masks the role women play but also obfuscates important aspects of Amish gender norms. I then turn to the voices of excommunicated Amish women and, through analysis of their recently published memoirs, explore how the norms of Amish womanhood both allow for and foreclose upon certain aspects of their lives. These memoirs offer an in-depth analysis of the experiences of domesticity and motherhood. I conclude that, in these voices, we can identify social features and gender norms—including resilience and stoicism—that both allow for a woman's deep investment in reproduction, childbirth, and motherhood and, at the same time, put a woman at risk for domestic violence and sexual abuse. Recognizing that these are not mutually exclusive features of Amish life but are in fact part and parcel of the same set of gender norms suggests that we are merely at the starting point. I conclude with a call for plain Anabaptist research to continue to draw upon the innovative work happening in feminist theory and the social sciences to further inform how women shape—and are shaped by—gender norms. [Abstract by author.]


In this article, we address the problem of answering complex information needs by conducting conversations with search engines, in the sense that users can express their queries in natural language and directly receive the information they need from a short system response in a conversational manner. Recently, there have been some attempts towards a similar goal, e.g., studies on Conversational Agents (CAs) and Conversational Search (CS). However, they either do not address complex information needs in search scenarios or they are limited to the development of conceptual frameworks and/or laboratory-based user studies. We pursue two goals in this article: (1) the creation of a suitable dataset, the Search as a Conversation (SaaC) dataset, for the development of pipelines for conversations with search engines, and(2) the development of a state-of-the-art pipeline for conversations with search engines, Conversations with Search Engines (CaSE), using this dataset. SaaC is built based on a multi-turn conversational search dataset, where we further employ workers from a crowdsourcing platform to summarize each relevant passage into a short, conversational response. CaSE enhances the state-of-the-art by introducing a supporting token identification module and a prior-aware pointer generator, which enables us to generate more accurate responses. We carry out experiments to show that CaSE is able to outperform strong baselines. We also conduct extensive analyses on the SaaC dataset to show where there is room for further improvement beyond CaSE. Finally, we release the SaaC dataset and the code for CaSE and all models used for comparison to facilitate future research on this topic.


This study investigates the signaling hypothesis by testing the displacement property of dividends. The study uses Ohlson (1995; 2001) model and follows Hand and Landsman (2005) approach. The study however varies the methodology by using pooled Time Series Cross Section data and Panel Corrected Standard Error estimation and also control for size to take care of scale effects. The study's findings provide further empirical evidence that dividends are used as signals about future earnings prospects of the firm. After following Thakor (2003) approach in testing for the free cashflow hypothesis, the study's results do not provide evidence in favour of the cashflow hypothesis it is therefore ruled out. The study's results shed further insights on the controversy regarding the information content of dividend changes about future profitability.


Coronavirus infection, or COVID 19, was originally identified in Wuhan, China, in December 2019, but quickly spread over the world, resulting in a pandemic. Remdesivir, an antiviral agent by inhibiting viral RNA-dependent polymerase enzyme and was earlier used against Ebola, HIV etc, was presumed useful in the quest for a remedy against SARS-CoV-2. Several investigations had shown its promising antiviral properties in vitro and in vivo against severe acute respiratory syndrome due to coronavirus (SARS-CoV-1). Hence, Remdesivir was approved by the US FDA in the second half of 2020, followed by DCGI, for treatment in adults and children with SARS-CoV-2, requiring hospitalisation with moderate to severe symptoms. Pivotal trials (ACTT 1, SIMPLE Severe trial) showed a faster median time to recovery in these patients. However, several studies found no statistically significant difference in time to clinical improvement or mortality between patients who got remdesivir and those who did not. Although it was hailed as a "Miracle medicine" when it was first launched for COVID-19, its limited efficacy may not justify its status as such. The goal of this review is to outline the evidence and clinical studies of remdesivir, as well as its rise and decline as a treatment option.


Lancaster has been looking forward to paperless scholarly communication since 1976 but more recently the terms "virtual library", "digital library" and "hybrid library" have been coined, and we can begin to conceive of a new library-concept within not too many generations. Lancaster (1994) has also speculated on what will be meant by collection development by the year 2025, and has cited Dowlin who wrote of the need to move the library from a "fortress" model to an "information pipeline" model. Any such model would have to embrace the electronic forms of today's paper-based publications.


Located in Southern Ethiopia, the Maale traditionalists act for the preservation of a particular form of ancestor worship. Their society, highly hierarchized, is based on a complex patrilineal organization. Several researchers have shed light on the numerous markers used by the Maale traditionalists to express their position in the social hierarchy. This article aims at highlighting the various ways in which Maale music participates in this system of differentiation. In a continuation of previous studies, this article argues that gender, kinship, descent, and fertility are key concepts in understanding the Maale conception of hierarchy. Within this framework, Maale music appears as an offering that the musicians address to their ancestors and lineage elders. Culturally, each offering is supposed to convey four types of information, which are the musical context, the circumstance, and the social position of the musicians and of their social elders. The ethnomusicological analysis reveals the ways in which the lyrics, dance, instruments, and musical parameters convey all these pieces of information.


Proper pre-migration planning could assist individuals in post-migration settlement. This paper explores the unique pre-migration experience of six Chinese immigrants in the Greater Toronto Area. The study attempts to examine whether pre-migration planning alleviates some of the negative impact of migration and assists in settlement of Chinese immigrants in Canada. In the case of the Chinese immigrants in this study, there are indications that pre-migration planning has prepared the participants for the various barriers that they encountered during their initial settlement stages. Key words: Chinese immigrants, pre-migration planning, post-migration settlement.


The effect of TiO2 surface fluorination on the hydrogen peroxide evolution occurring in photocatalytic runs was investigated employing the azo dye Acid Red 1 (AR1) and two model organic molecules with acidic properties, i.e. formic acid (FA) and benzoic acid (BA), as substrates of oxidative degradation. While AR1 and BA photocatalytic degradation on fluorinated titanium dioxide (F–TiO2) was markedly faster than on unmodified TiO2, because of enhanced hydroxyl radical formation, H2O2 concentration during the photodegradation of both substrates on F–TiO2 was lower, possibly because of the reduced rate of interfacial electron transfer. By contrast, FA underwent slower photocatalytic degradation on F–TiO2, but, at the same time, hydrogen peroxide concentration was relatively high, while no H2O2 could be detected during FA photodegradation on unmodified TiO2. Photocatalytic runs in the presence of the nitrate anion, able to react with the CO2˙− species produced from FA oxidation, but not with conduction band electrons, demonstrated that CO2˙− plays a relevant role in H2O2 formation during FA degradation on F–TiO2. In fact, surface fluoride, having a shielding effect at the semiconductor–water interface, not only inhibits the photocatalytic decomposition of H2O2, but also favours CO2˙− desorption and reaction with dissolved O2, generating H2O2. By contrast, CO2˙− mainly gives electron transfer to the conduction band of naked TiO2 and surface reduction of the photocatalytically produced H2O2.


During the last decades our view of the genome organization has changed. We moved from a linear view to a looped view of the genome. It is now well established that inter- and intra-connections occur between chromosomes and play a major role in gene regulations. These interconnections are mainly orchestrated by the CTCF protein, which is also known as the "master weaver" of the genome. Recent advances in sequencing and genome-wide studies revealed that CTCF binds to DNA at thousands of sites within the human genome, providing the possibility to form thousands of genomic connection hubs. Strikingly, two histone variants, namely H2A.Z and H3.3, strongly co-localize at CTCF binding sites. In this article, we will review the recent advances in CTCF biology and discuss the role of histone variants H2A.Z and H3.3 at CTCF binding sites.


The European ENIAC R&D project consortium DC Components and Grid (DCC+G) is developing suitable, highly efficient components and sub systems for 380 VDC grid to show the benefits of DC grid concept on test site in an office environment. The newly developed DC grid components and their integration into a generic system are presented in this paper. The targeted overall efficiency saving compared to AC grid is 5% and the energy conversion from PV (photo voltaic) is calculated to be 7% more cost effective compared to traditional PV installations. This paper also shows the realized DC grid prototypesupplying an office building of the Fraunhofer Institute in Erlangen, Germany, and describes general benefits of a DC grid system. The DC grid prototype consists of a DC lighting system, a DC low power supply for IT infrastructure, DC electric vehicle charger, a DC μCHP unit, DC photovoltaic MPPT units, a central rectifier and grid controller unit as well as a mixed AC/DC power monitoring unit. It is shown that less conversion losses and higher distribution efficiency can be achieved with a 380 VDC grid compared to conventional AC grids.


The purpose of this study was to identify the underlying aural factors of guitar performance by developing a guitar performance rating scale using facet-factorial techniques. The initial phase of the study included gathering items concerning the characteristics of a good or poor guitar performance from guitar performance literature, previously constructed rating scales, and statements from professional guitar players, guitar teachers, and college guitar majors. The item pool of statements was examined for suitability and placed into a priori categories established in previous research. The 99 item statements were paired with a five-point Likert scale and used by 67 volunteer judges to adjudicate 100 recorded samples of a wide range of guitar performance excerpts. The results of the 134 item pool adjudications were factor analyzed using a varimax rotation to identify the underlying factor structure and the items that best supported each factor. The results of the factor analysis yielded a five-factor structure consisting of interpretation, tone, technique, rhythm/tempo, and intonation. These factors accounted for approximately 71% of the total variance. The selection of the 32 items chosen to represent the factors of the Guitar Performance Rating Scale (GPRS) was based on factor loadings. Alpha reliability for the GPRS was estimated at .962 for the 32 item scale.


The authors present the formulation of the current filament model and show how the method was applied to the diffusion problems in railguns and homopolar generators (HPGs). Some computational results are included. The method was used to investigate railgun current diffusion and heating at the gun breech as well as the proximity effect eddy current in a self-excited air-core HPG. It is concluded that the current filament method is a conceptually simple and useful method for analyzing two-dimensional linear magnetic diffusion problems in which the direction of the current density can be assumed. The method is easy to program and incorporate into lumped-parameter system models on the computer. >


Received: December 09, 2018 Accepted: December 29, 2018 Published: January 31, 2019 Volume:2 Issue: 1 DOI: 10.32996/ijllt.2019.2.1.8 This paper investigates the themes of existentialism and absurdity in The Zoo Story, is a master piece play of the absurdity in the mood, where the playwright explores the different themes of existentialism, isolation, loneliness, paradox in communication as anathematization, social disparity and dehumanization in an artificial, produced and materialistic American society. These are some of the features of absurd play that reveal all the elements of absurd and social criticism in the sense of behavior, habits, and customs in the play. Edward Albee applies the absurd techniques to show a real like image of the south-east American multicultural society in the frame of present unreasonable, mental apathetic states, and self-destructive devalues of the generations throughout the play. The point is brought home by a meeting between two characters, Jerry and Peter. The whole action is in the form of a conversation between them until it culminates in the death of Jerry. KEYWORDS


Icing on blade surface of the wind turbine set in cold regions is a serious problem. To invest the mechanism of icing and ice accretion on blade surface, wind tunnel tests were carried out on a static straight blade used for the straight-bladed vertical axis wind turbine by using an icing wind tunnel. The icing and ice accretions on blade surface at some typical angles of attack were observed and recorded in a fixed wind speed and steady flow discharge. The mass of ice accretions on the surface of blade were also measured and compared. At the same time, the drag and lift coefficients were tested by a three-component force balance. Based on the test results, the factors affecting the mass and characteristic of ice accretions and the drag and lift coefficients of the straight blade were discussed.


In order to minimize the occurrence of hot-cracking phenomena in laser welding of hotcracking sensitive aluminum alloy sheets, it is a common technique to introduce silicon-containing filler wire into the weld metal. However, to achieve an optimum result, a homogenous distribution of not less than 2 % of silicon throughout the weld metal is strongly recommendable. Under certain circumstances, this may be a difficult task. One potential solution to achieve sufficient dilution and, consequently, a very homogenous silicon distribution might be the application of alternating magnetic fields. In foundry technology, the use of magnetic fields to influence melt flow is a wellestablished method. For TIG welding, a process called magnetic stirring was first investigated in the 1970s. It was sufficiently demonstrated by the help of an alternating magnetic field coaxial with the arc axis, that, among other effects, the degree of dilution can be increased and a refined grain structure is achieved. Since the late 1990s, some efforts have been taken to apply constant magnetic fields to laser welding processes. However, neither alternating fields nor potential effects on dilution have been in the focus of these investigations. To help this situation, basic studies on magnetically influencing melt flow during laser welding of aluminum have been conducted. To that end, alternating fields have been coaxially applied with magnetic flux densities up to 60 mT and frequencies in the range of 0 to 20 Hz. It was demonstrated by the help of a specially developed method that, depending on the parameters chosen, such fields are indeed capable of influencing melt flow and weld pool dilution, thus "stirring" the weld metal.


Rationale: Reduced plasma cholesterol and increased high-density lipoprotein (HDL) levels promote regression of atherosclerosis, in a process characterized by lipid unloading and emigration of macrophages from lesions. In contrast free cholesterol loading of macrophages leads to imbalanced Rac1/Rho activities and impaired chemotaxis. Objective: To study the role of HDL and the ATP-binding cassette transporters ABCA1 and ABCG1 in modulating the chemotaxis of macrophages. Methods and Results: Abca1−/−Abcg1−/− mouse macrophages displayed profoundly impaired chemotaxis both in a Transwell chamber assay and in the peritoneal cavity of wild-type (WT) mice. HDL reversed impaired chemotaxis in free cholesterol–loaded WT macrophages but was without effect in Abca1−/−Abcg1−/− cells, whereas cyclodextrin was effective in both. Abca1−/−Abcg1−/− macrophages had markedly increased Rac1 activity and increased association of Rac1 with the plasma membrane (PM). Their defective chemotaxis was reversed by a Rac1 inhibitor. To gain a better understanding of the role of transporters in PM cholesterol movement, we measured transbilayer PM sterol distribution. In WT macrophages, the majority of cholesterol was located on the inner leaflet, whereas on upregulation of transporters by liver X receptor activation, PM sterol was shifted to the outer leaflet, where it could be removed by HDL. Abca1−/−Abcg1−/− macrophages showed increased PM sterol content and defective redistribution of sterol to the outer leaflet. Conclusions: Deletion of ABCA1 and ABCG1 causes an increased cholesterol content on the inner leaflet of the PM, associated with increased Rac1 PM localization, activation, and impairment of migration. ABCA1 and ABCG1 facilitate macrophage chemotaxis by promoting PM transbilayer cholesterol movement and may contribute to the ability of HDL to promote regression of atherosclerosis.


A sophisticated method for monitoring land-cover change in a highly disturbed landscape involved change vector analysis of multitemporal Kauth-Thomas transformation data. Landsat TM data acquired after the 1980 eruption of Mt. St. Helens (1986 and 1996) were analyzed in this study. Topographic effects from the rugged terrain were removed by regressing a generated hillshade image against each band to estimate illumination variation. The estimates were subtracted from each image to generate variation-free data. The images were then transformed into Kauth-Thomas features representing brightness and greenness to enhance landscape features and reduce data redundancy. Change vector analysis allowed for land-change classification without defined calibration sites. The technique produced images of change direction and magnitude between two dates based on the inputs of brightness and greenness. The direction of change indicated whether a landscape had experienced deforestation, reforestation, or remained persistent. Magnitude indicated to what degree the change occurred. The results of the study show that intensive vegetation regeneration occurred within the blast-zone between 1986 and 1996. The method provided a clear-cut process for classifying and quantifying vegetation change.


Re-finding information on the Web is a common yet often time consuming and challenging task. Even with the use of traditional bookmarks, which allow users to return to a previously visited page, it can be hard to re-find facts within that page. Furthermore, it is not uncommon for users to have long and unmanageable lists of bookmarks, making it difficult to identify the purpose of individual bookmarks. In this paper, we present an extension to traditional bookmarks called landmarks, a user-directed technique that aids users in returning to specific content within a previously visited web page. We investigate the efficiency of landmarks for re-finding information on web pages and present the findings of a study in which participants were first primed on two web pages and returned at a later date to re-find the information using both traditional bookmarks and landmarks.


We argue that many properties of fully-connected feedforward neural networks (FCNNs), also called multi-layer perceptrons (MLPs), are explainable from the analysis of a single pair of operations, namely a random projection into a higher-dimensional space than the input, followed by a sparsification operation. For convenience, we call this pair of successive operations expand-and-sparsify following the terminology of Dasgupta. We show how expand-and-sparsify can explain the observed phenomena that have been discussed in the literature, such as the so-called Lottery Ticket Hypothesis, the surprisingly good performance of randomly-initialized untrained neural networks, the efficacy of Dropout in training and most importantly, the mysterious generalization ability of overparameterized models, first highlighted by Zhang et al. and subsequently identified even in non-neural network models by Belkin et al.


In this thesis, we introduce a methodology based on zero-inflated survival data for the purposes of dealing with propensity to default (credit risk) in bank loan portfolios. Our approach enables us to accommodate three different types of borrowers: (i) individual with event at the starting time, i.e., default on a loan at the beginning; (ii) non-susceptible for the event of default, or (iii) susceptible for the event. The information from borrowers in a given portfolio is exploited through the joint modeling of their survival time, with a multinomial logistic link for the three classes. An advantage of our approach is to accommodate zero-inflated times, which is not possible in the standard cure rate model introduced by Berkson & Gage (1952). The new model proposed is called zero-inflated cure rate model. We also extend the promotion cure rate model studied in Yakovlev & Tsodikov (1996) and Chen et al. (1999), by incorporating excess of zeros in the modelling. Despite allowing to relate covariates to the fraction of cure, the current approach does not enable to relate covariates to the fraction of zeros. The new model proposed is called zero-inflated promotion cure rate model. The second part of this thesis aims at proposing a regression version of the inflated mixture model presented by Calabrese (2014) to deal with multimodality in loss given default data. The novel methodology is applied in four retail portfolios of a large Brazilian commercial bank.