Researchers and practitioners believe that Information and Communication Technologies (ICTs) create business value in organisations. However in practice, organisations often struggle to demonstrate the benefits of ICTs. This difficulty in demonstrating the value of ICTs to organisations is not related to the technology itself, but rather the ways in which technology is used, and how it creates business value. There is an extensive body of literature which focuses on these issues. However, it is predominantly centred on large organisations in the context of developed countries. There is a lack of research on how ICTs create business value in small enterprises particularly in relation to developing countries. Hence, the business value of ICTs remains an important research topic for information systems researchers.  The tourism industry is highly information intensive and the use of ICTs in tourism has become so widespread it is almost obligatory. While the benefits that larger tourism organisations gain from ICTs have been well researched, little is known about how ICTs can be utilised to maximise the business value of Small Tourism Enterprises (STEs). Understanding the value of ICTs for STEs is important as they have gained widespread recognition as a major source of employment, income generation and poverty alleviation in developing countries. Therefore, the purpose of this study is to explore how ICTs can contribute to the business value of STEs.  Using a combination of Barney's Resource Based View of the firm (RBV) and an integrated model developed by combining the Business value of IT framework by Melville et al. and the tourism production system by Poon and Alford, this study examines how ICTs contribute to the business value of STEs. A post-positivist qualitative multi-case study was carried out using 35 STEs which represent the major tourist regions of Sri Lanka. Semi-structured interviews were the main method of data collection supported by document and website analysis. Data analysis was guided by template coding. The initial template developed using the dimensions identified from the literature was further analysed by integrating the themes which emerged from the research data. Data was analysed across cases, using a cross tabular design to compare categories and analyse within-group similarities and inter-group differences.  The use of technological and human ICT resources alongside complementary resources in key business processes was examined in order to identify how ICTs were being utilised to gain business value for STEs in Sri Lanka. The combination of internal and external factors derived from the focal firm and the external environment proved to have a significant role in determining STEs' ability to gain business value from ICTs. Further analysis of cases across four major tourism clusters revealed that business motives, strategies, and location were the main reasons for the varying levels of business value gained by small businesses in the country.  The findings of this study indicated that ICTs do contribute to the business value of STEs in Sri Lanka by improving organisational performance in terms of both financial and non-financial gains. In accordance with the claims of RBV, the findings further confirmed that in order to gain business value, ICT resources need to be combined with complementary resources. The findings also identified the significance of strategic integration of online travel agents' resources in order for STEs to gain the optimum business value from their own ICT resources.  A key outcome of this study is the development of an integrated model of the business value of ICTs for STEs. In addition, this study contributes to the theoretical understanding of IT business value research in the context of small tourism businesses, particularly in developing countries. It also has implications for business owners and governments in terms of effective utilisation of firm resources, prioritization and allocation of resources to key projects and processes.


The knowledge-led accumulation regime (KLAR) is a new accumulation regime that emerged as a way out of the crisis of Fordism. Even though it has a polarization tendency, KLAR has elements of an alternative development model beyond both Fordism and neoliberalism, since it could upgrade workers' knowledge and enhance autonomy of workers. I attempted to propose a theory of KLAR that is an economic base of contemporary capitalism. Based on the Regulation theory with a relational approach and a micro-macro nexus analysis, I investigated the structures and dynamics of KLAR on the micro-and macro-level. On the micro-level, the analysis focused on the knowledge firm in which knowledge capital and knowledge labor interacts in employment relations. On the macro-level, I tried to show how the macroeconomic circuit of KLAR is completed. Moreover, the directions of institution building for a sustainable KLAR were suggested. Lastly, I clarified how institutional diversity results in alternative KLARs.


ABSTRACT The Hindu Kush Himalayan region (HKH) is an important biodiversity repository with more than 488 protected areas covering 39% of the region's geographical coverage. However, a majority of them are small and isolated and are not large enough to address conservation challenges. About 20% of the protected areas are transboundary in nature. Conservation landscape planning based on habitat suitability is an essential step for landscape management, but there are limited data available from the Landscape Initiative for Far Eastern Himalayas (HI-LIFE). To rationalize the need for regional cooperation, this study used remote sensing (RS) data and a geographic information system (GIS) to estimate the habitat suitability for four globally significant speciesconsidering available but limited secondary information. The results showed variation in habitat suitability at an individual species level, but the combined map showed about 43% of the total area as a suitable habitat. Substantial amounts of suitable habitat also recorded from outside the existing protected areas. The results also highlighted the fact that 75.40% of the existing forest within the landscape is intact, the majority of which is outside the existing protected areas. Thus, there is a strong rationale and opportunity to strengthen regional cooperation to safeguard irreplaceable and unique biodiversity resources of this wilderness landscape.


OBJECTIVE
The objective of this study is to determine the efficacy of an interactive, home visiting curriculum tailored to low socio-economic status families in improving parental knowledge of paediatric nutrition and healthy lifestyle.

METHODS
Parents of toddlers aged 13-16 months living with a household income below 200% of the federal poverty line were randomized into healthy lifestyle intervention and control home visiting curriculum groups. Each curriculum consisted of 12 one-on-one educational sessions with parents facilitated by a trained home-visitor that were administered over a 6-month intervention period. Knowledge assessments were administered before and after the intervention period.

RESULTS
Results of a one-way analysis of covariance (ANCOVA) analysis showed that parents in the intervention group (M = 26.05, SD = 4.24) scored significantly higher than control parents (M = 23.84, SD = 4.26) post-intervention, controlling for parent education level, F(1, 102) = 7.494 (95% confidence interval [-3.68, -0.59]). One-way ANCOVA analysis showed no significant mean difference between the parents in the intervention group (M = 24.13, SD = 4.37) and the control group (M = 23.93, SD = 4.16) at baseline, controlling for parent education level, F(1, 163) = 0.002 (95% confidence interval [-1.28, 1.22]).

CONCLUSIONS
An interactive healthy lifestyle intervention focused on low-SES families significantly improved parental knowledge of paediatric healthy lifestyle. Changes in parental knowledge is a key preliminary step in behaviour change to ultimately affect behaviour. Informing and encouraging parents of toddlers to guide healthy lifestyle development early remains a promising point of intervention for prevention, rather than remediation, of childhood obesity.


This paper is about gender politics in Delhi's urban villages in transition. It explores the gender differentiated ways in which men and women of Delhi's urban villages have experienced the shift from peasant subsistence economy to capitalist urban economy, the implications this has had for gender relations and family dynamics and whether the shift has transformed the relations of men and women of dominant castes with those of other (lower) castes and communities inhabiting the villages. It argues that patriarchal codes of mobility, honour and sexuality, though far from disappearing, are changing. Men and women seem to be strategically employing the tropes of 'urban'/'rural', 'modern'/'traditional' to justify their attempts at wresting some power for themselves as they attempt to reconstitute their masculinities and femininities in these urban villages in transition. The paper is primarily based on an ongoing gendered ethnography of one such urban village in present-day South Delhi.


In pediatrics, obstructive sleep apnea syndrome (OSAS) is a disorder associated with multiple consequences at the cognitive and behavioral level. The main associated risk factor is the presence of tonsillar hypertrophy and adenoids. An adenotonsillectomy is the first-line treatment. The incidence of persistent OSAS varies from 15% to 75%, depending on comorbidities. This is a challenge in terms of management; it requires a comprehensive approach for an adequate diagnosis and treatment. The objective of this bibliographic review is to propose a diagnostic and therapeutic approach for persistent OSAS.


Sensor mission assignment involves matching the sensing resources of a wireless sensor network (WSN) to appropriate tasks (missions), which may come to the network dynamically. Although solutions for WSNs with battery-operated nodes have been proposed for this problem, no attention has been given to networks whose nodes have energy-harvesting capabilities and are powered in part by uncontrollable environmental sources, which impose quite a different energy model. In this article we address this problem by providing both an analytical model and a distributed heuristic, called EN-MASSE, specifically tailored for energy-harvesting mission-centric WSNs. To assess the performance of our proposed solution we have interfaced TelosB nodes with solar cells and performed extensive experiments to derive models and traces of solar energy acquisition. We use such real-life traces in our simulations. A comparative performance evaluation between EN-MASSE and other schemes previously proposed in the literature has shown that our solution significantly outperforms existing energy-harvesting-unaware mission assignment schemes. Moreover, using our analytical model as a benchmark, we also show that the profit earned by EN-MASSE is close to the optimum. Finally, we have implemented our proposed solution in TinyOS and experimentally validated its performance, showing the effectiveness of our approach.


New materials, design, and production technology have been introduced into laterally diffused metal oxide semiconductor (LDMOS) radio frequency power amplifier (RF-PA) transistors to provide advanced thermal features and increased thermal conductivity (K/sub th/). Recently, K/sub th/ of WCu flanges has been increased by nearly 25% from near 160W/mK to near 200W/mK. Further improvements in the latest generation of the RF-PA utilize novel flange materials such as Cu-laminate with even higher K/sub th/, by more than 25% compared to WCu. The development of Cu-laminate flange structures, involved optimization between achieving higher K/sub th/ and preserving desired mechanical properties for low stress and long-term reliability. Such optimization provided desired flatness for the RF-PA; yielding in lower interfacial thermal resistance between the RF-PA transistor flange and the next level heat sink. Furthermore, well characterized, highly thermally conductive, and very robust AuSi die attach was employed for efficient and reliable thermal coupling. Constellation of such materials and production technology improved overall quality of the RF-PA, enabling successful implementation in base-stations.


Exposure of cells to a wide variety of chemoprotective compounds confers resistance to a broad set of carcinogens. For a subset of the chemoprotective compounds, protection is generated by an increase in the abundance of protective enzymes, such as glutathione S-transferases (GSTs). In the present study, we developed a cell culture system that potently responds to phenolic antioxidants and found that antitumor prostaglandins (PGs) are potential inducers of GSTs. We screened primary hepatocytes and multiple cell lines for inducing GST activity upon incubation with the phenolic antioxidant (tert-butylhydroquinone) and found that rat liver epithelial RL34 cells most potently responded. Based on an extensive screening of diverse chemical agents on the induction of GST activity in RL34 cells, the J2 series of PGs, 15-deoxy-Δ12,14-prostaglandin J2 (15-deoxy-Δ12,14-PGJ2) in particular, were found to be potential inducers of GST. Enhanced gene expression of Class π GST isozyme (GSTP1) by 15-deoxy-Δ12,14-PGJ2 was evident as a drastic elevation of the mRNA level. Hence, we examined the molecular mechanism underlying the 15-deoxy-Δ12,14-PGJ2-induced GSTP1 gene expression. From functional analysis of various deletion mutant genes, we found that the 15-deoxy-Δ12,14-PGJ2 reponse element was localized in a region containing a GSTP1 enhancer I (GPEI) that consists of two imperfect phorbol 12-O-tetradecanoylphorbol-13-acetate response elements. When the GPEI was combined with the minimum GSTP1 promoter, the element indeed showed an enhancer activity in response to 15-deoxy-Δ12,14-PGJ2. Point mutations of either of the two imperfect 12-O-tetradecanoylphorbol-13-acetate response elements in GPEI completely abolished the enhancer activity. Gel mobility shift assays demonstrated that 15-deoxy-Δ12,14-PGJ2 specifically stimulated the binding of nuclear proteins including the transcription factor c-Jun, but not Nrf2, to GPEI. These results suggest that 15-deoxy-Δ12,14-PGJ2 induces the expression of the ratGSTP1 gene through binding of proteins, including c-Jun, to a specific GPEI.


Public health nurses (PHNs) have been attached to family doctors' offices as one mode of organizing the delivery of nursing services in the community. However, different nurses function in different roles on a continuum from generalist to liaison. A descriptive study was undertaken to determine the most effective role for PHNs attached to family physicians' offices. Outcomes for both physicians and nurses were satisfaction with the role of the PHN, appropriateness of referrals, and accessibility for consultation. These outcomes were compared relative to the rating of PHNs of their role. A cohort of physicians without attachment PHNs were also surveyed to compare responses on the same criteria. The majority of nurses described their role generalist. This role was related to greater satisfaction for nurses and the physicians with whom they worked. Satisfaction with PHN service, ease of arranging consultation with PHN, and appropriateness of referrals from PHNs was greater for physicians who had the attachment than those who used the usual service.


Background. Infections are the main cause of death for patients with autoimmune rheumatic diseases. In adult patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA), mortality caused by respiratory infections is 2–5 times higher than in the population. One of the frequent infectious complications in the course of treatment with tocilizumab, the first-choice drug for treating systemic juvenile idiopathic arthritis (sJIA), is pneumonia characterized by a poor clinical picture, normal values of laboratory indices of the disease activity (ESR, C-reactive protein) with pronounced changes in the lungs revealed by computed tomography. In case of acute respiratory infection in children with systemic JIA, immunosuppressants and genetically engineered biological preparations (GEBP) are discontinued. This often leads to an exacerbation of the underlying disease and the progression of a pathological process. At present, vaccination against pneumococcal infection in Russia is not included in the standard for managing patients with rheumatic diseases. Studies of the safety and efficacy of vaccination with 13-valent pneumococcal conjugate vaccine (PCV) in patients with sJIA receiving genetically engineered biological preparations were not conducted. Clinical Case Description. The article shares the experience of vaccination of a girl aged 9 years with a 13-valent PCV that was conducted in the course of a scientific investigation, which studied the efficacy and safety of vaccination of children with systemic JIA prior to prescription of GEBP tocilizumab. Vaccination did not cause a deterioration in the course of the main disease (1 month), led to a reduction in the incidence of acute respiratory infections (from 4 to 1 time within 6 months before and after vaccination), and discontinuation of antibacterial drugs within 6 months after vaccination. Conclusion. The safety of a 13-valent PCV in a child with sJIA and a decrease of the incidence of respiratory diseases after vaccination, their complications, and the use of antibacterial drugs have been shown.


Employers have dismissed and disciplined teachers and other school employees for posting controversial material and engaging in inappropriate employee student relationships over social networking. In response, schools have enacted policies that greatly restrict educators' social networking. This Article examines whether restrictive social networking policies are necessary. After analyzing the relevant state legislation, statewide guidance, district policies, and case law, this Article argues that restrictive policies are unwarranted and misguided. School districts have prevailed in the vast majority of the cases because they already have the legal authority to discipline employees under existing law. This Article also recommends how policymakers and school leaders could respond to school employees' social networking more effectively.


Exserohilum turcicum is a major constraint to maize production in the humid highlands of sub-Saharan Africa. To develop efficient cultivars, the gene action involved and genetic stability across target ecologies must be understood. A half diallel study of 12 inbred lines was conducted to assess the types of gene action involved in turcicum resistance and genetic stability across 5 locations in central and western Kenya. Both additive and non-additive gene effects were important and highly dependent on test ecologies. General combining ability accounted for 84% of the variation across locations and hence selection for resistance to turcicum should be effective if directed at disease environments. Dominant effects were less influenced by the environments, suggesting stability of turcicum resistance among hybrids. Two environments, Bukura and Kitale, were found most discriminating for the disease both among parental genotypes and among the F1 crosses. Half of lines used in this study were found to have acceptable levels of resistance. One parent, P2 (S4 80-17-2-1) had the most desirable qualities of per se resistance, general combining ability and genetic stability. Multi-locational breeding nurseries can be a useful strategy to identify turcicum resistant lines with wide ecological appeal to plant breeders.


The nonstationary behaviors of complex system and their applications to the climate prediction present a significant and forward-looking study. Up to now, its importance is not yet well understood. In reality, climate is just a normal nonstationary system. However, almost all the current theories for climate prediction, including the ones in statistics and nonlinear science, are based on one assumption that the process is stationary which is contrary to the nature of the climate process. Probably, this contradictory is an important cause resulting in the climate prediction being at a low reliability level. Therefore, it is theoretically important in climate prediction to start with how to reduce the nonstationary degree of time series. In this paper, support vector machine (SVM) method based on an idea of dimension raising is presented to study the time series prediction analysis, and prediction experiments are performed using some nonstationary time series from the Lorenz model and logistic system with changing control parameter, as well as two realistic climatic time series. The prediction results suggest that the SVM method can perform well in predicting nonstationary time series, which may be due to that the SVM method can map the input space into a higher dimensional feature space through nonlinear mapping and can reduce to some extent the nonstationary degree of the system.


The leaf shaped bronze sword is one of the most distinctive and evocative weapons of prehistory. The type appears throughout Western Europe in the final centuries of the second millennium BC only to disappear as an artefact type with the widespread introduction of iron weapons hundreds of years later. The widespread distribution of the bronze sword points to the increasingly martial nature of Late Bronze Age society, a feature echoed in Ireland by the appearance of defensive landscape features.
The expansion and development of Irish archaeology in the last fifteen years has rather left metalwork and swords, in particular, behind, as the main focus has moved away from artefacts towards settlement. It is only in recent years that interest has revived in the Bronze Age and bronze metalwork. Over six hundred swords have been recovered from Ireland, the vast majority being nineteenth century finds. Most belong to the equivalent of the Ewart Park type in Britain – but there are significant numbers of early flange hilted weapons and of the late Gundlingen type.
This thesis represents the first major study of the development and context of the Irish swords since George Eogan's work (Eogan 1964). It examines, in addition to those weapons listed in Eogan's catalogue, all of the more recent discoveries, and takes as the central theme the biography or life cycle of a sword, from manufacture through to use and deposition, with the emphasis on the latter. The thesis represents a companion to the comprehensive analysis and catalogue of Bronze Age swords in Britain, co- authored by myself and Colin Burgess (Colquhoun and Burgess 1988).
Following the death of Ian Colquhoun on 7th June 2013, the thesis was compiled, formatted and submitted posthumously by his supervisors – Dr Benjamin Roberts and Dr Tom Moore.


Previous studies reveal that the pH of the apoplastic solution in the guard cell walls may vary between 7.2 and 5.1 in closed and open stomata, respectively. During these aperture and pH changes, massive K+ fluxes cross the cellular plasma membrane driving the osmotic turgor and volume changes of guard cells. Therefore, we examined the effect of extracellular pH on the depolarization-activated K channels (KD channels), which constitute the K+ efflux pathway, in the plasma membrane of Vicia faba guard cell protoplasts. We used patch clamp, both in whole cells as well as in excised outside-out membrane patches. Approximately 500 KD channels, at least, could be activated by depolarization in one protoplast (density: approximately 0.6 micron-2). Acidification from ph 8.1 to 4.4 decreased markedly the whole-cell conductance, GK, of the KD channels, shifted its voltage dependence, GK- EM, to the right on the voltage axis, slowed the rate of activation and increased the rate of deactivation, whereas the single channel conductance was not affected significantly. Based on the GK-EM shifts, the estimated average negative surface charge spacing near the KD channel is 39 A. To quantify the effects of protons on the rates of transitions between the hypothesized conformational states of the channels, we fitted the experimental macroscopic steady state conductance-voltage relationship and the voltage dependence of time constants of activation and deactivation, simultaneously, with a sequential three-state model CCO. In terms of this model, protonation affects the voltage-dependent properties via a decrease in localized, rather than homogeneous, surface charge sensed by the gating moieties. In terms of either the CO or CCO model, the protonation of a site with a pKa of 4.8 decreases the voltage-independent number of channels, N, that are available for activation by depolarization.


A significant amount of academic research has documented momentum within and across broad sectors of the stock market as a means of generating alpha over a passive benchmark. However, few studies approach sector allocation from a mean reversion perspective using the Chicago Board of Exchange (CBOE) Volatility Index (VIX) as the trigger. We find that positioning into defensive sectors during periods of low volatility for the stock market, and into cyclical sectors during periods of high volatility produces significant long-term alpha. Using this framework, we back-test a dollar neutral strategy documenting return differentials, and create a modified S&P 500 Index that over-weights and underweights cyclical and defensive sectors systematically based on VIX levels. Absolute and relative returns for a sector allocation strategy that uses VIX levels significantly outperforms a passive buy and hold approach by using mean reversion to generate alpha. We postulate that the approach likely works because of behavioral biases related to loss aversion and the disposition effect creating mispricing that are repeatable and exploitable during periods of extreme market stress.


Topology optimization is one of the most important methods of reducing the weight of structure. Optimality Criteria method (OC) as a heuristic way can be used to deal with this problem efficiently. Popular SIMP method implements micro-structural density as the design variable. During the process of optimization, numerical instabilities are always observed; Moreover, higher penalty factor is not better for decreasing intermediate density elements. In this paper a penalty factor is imposed in OC method, and a relation between the filtering area and elements is also obtained. Meanwhile, the nodal density is used as design variable for more smoothing boundary. The results show that numerical stability can be obtained, checkerboard patterns haven't been observed, and the clear boundary of structure has been developed.


Self-Controlled Case Series Studies: A Modelling Guide with R provides the first comprehensive account of the self-controlled case series (SCCS) method, a statistical technique for investigating associations between outcome events and time-varying exposures. The method only requires information from individuals who have experienced the event of interest, and automatically controls for multiplicative time-invariant confounders, even when these are unmeasured or unknown. It is increasingly being used in epidemiology, most frequently to study the safety of vaccines and pharmaceutical drugs.

Key features of the book include:

•A thorough yet accessible description of the SCCS method, with mathematical details provided in separate starred sections.

•Comprehensive discussion of assumptions and how they may be verified.

•A detailed account of different SCCS models, extensions of the SCCS method, and the design of SCCS studies.

•Extensive practical illustrations and worked examples from epidemiology.

•Full computer code from the associated R package SCCS, which includes all the data sets used in the book.

The book is aimed at a broad range of readers, including epidemiologists and medical statisticians who wish to use the SCCS method, and also researchers with an interest in statistical methodology. The three authors have been closely involved with the inception, development, popularisation and programming of the SCCS method.


We report for the first time synthesis of high-density arrays of vertically well-aligned cobalt monosilicide (CoSi) nanowires (NWs) in a large area via a solid-state reaction. The vertical arrays of 1-μm-long Si NWs were first grown on a p-type (1 0 0) Si substrate by the aqueous electroless etching (AEE) method, and a 40-nm-thick Co layer was conformally deposited using a thermal atomic layer deposition system as revealed by SEM and transmission electron microscope analyses. The rapid thermal annealing process was carried out at various temperatures ranging from 700 to 1000 °C; the X-ray diffraction analysis confirmed that the polycrystalline CoSi NW arrays were formed at temperatures above 900 °C. The required high driving force for this silicide formation can be attributed to the significant amounts of oxygen-related contaminants at the defect sites of the highly rough surfaces of AEE-grown Si NWs. To demonstrate practical applications, field emitters and Schottky diodes were fabricated using the vertically aligned CoSi NW arrays. The field emission measurements showed a turn-on field of 10.9 V/μm and a field enhancement factor of 328, indicating the feasibility of vertically aligned CoSi NW arrays as promising field emitters. For the Schottky diodes, the measured Schottky barrier height was 0.52 eV and the estimated ideality factor obtained from the I-V characteristic curves was 2.28.


The ethnic outbidding thesis predicts centrifugal polarisation in ethnically divided party systems. We argue instead that the incentives of power-sharing institutions can encourage the development of electoral strategies based on 'ethnic tribune appeals' in which parties combine robust ethnic identity representation with increased pragmatism over resource allocation. We test these arguments in Northern Ireland and show that though evidence of direct vote switching from moderate parties to ostensibly 'extreme' parties is prima facie consistent with the outbidding thesis, attitudinal convergence between the nationalist and unionist communities on the main political issues is not. The recent electoral success of the DUP and Sinn Féin can instead be explained by these parties' 'ethnic tribune' appeals. Many voters simultaneously endorse peace, prosperity and (increasingly) power sharing but also want the strongest voice to protect their ethnonational interests. Identity voting for ethnic tribune parties implies a degree of resolve in advocating ethnic group interests, but does not entail the increased polarisation implied by outbidding models. Like their voters, ethnic tribune parties can be simultaneously pragmatic (with regard to resources) and intransigent (with regard to identity), so that despite appearances to the contrary, the power-sharing institutions in Northern Ireland incentivise centripetal dynamics that inhibit outbidding.


When the interplanetary magnetic field (IMF) encounters the Earth's magnetosphere, it is compressed and distorted. This distortion is known as draping, and plays an important role in the interaction between the IMF and the geomagnetic field. This paper considers a particular aspect of draping, namely how the orientation of the IMF in a plane perpendicular to the Sun-Earth line (the clock angle) is altered by draping in the magnetosheath close to the dayside magnetopause. The clock angle of the magnetosheath field is commonly estimated from the interplanetary magnetic field (IMF) measured by upstream monitoring spacecraft either by assuming that the draping process does not significantly alter the clock angle ("perfect draping") or that the change in clock angle is reasonably approximated by a gas dynamic model. In this paper, the magnetosheath clock angles measured during 36 crossings of the magnetopause by the Geotail and Interball-Tail spacecraft are compared to the upstream IMF clock angles measured by the Wind spacecraft. Overall, about 30% of data points exhibit perfect draping within ±10°, and 70% are within 30°. The differences between the IMF and magnetosheath clock angles are not, in general, well-ordered in any systematic fashion which could be accounted for by hydrodynamic draping. The draping behaviour is asymmetric with respect to the y-component of the IMF, and the form of the draping distribution function is dependent on solar wind pressure. While the average clock angle observed in the magnetosheath does reflect the orientation of the IMF to within ~30° or less, the assumption that the magnetosheath field direction at any particular region of the magnetopause at any instant is approximately similar to the IMF direction is not justified. This study shows that reconnection models which assume laminar draping are unlikely to accurately reflect the distribution of reconnection sites across the dayside magnetopause.


The article is devoted to the influence exercised by Germany, the European Union, the USA, and Russia on Moldavia's home and foreign policy in the context of integration processes in Europe and in the post-Soviet territories. The analysis of the causes of Kishinev's failures in carrying out the reforms testifies to the mistakes made by Germany, the EU, the USA, and the Russian Federation due to the underestimation of the Moldavian oligarchic clans which seized the key posts in the governmental structures. While relying on the support from Russia, the EU and the USA, the parliamentary majority in Moldova succeeded in bringing into being a governmental coalition composed of the Party of Socialists and the right-wing block ACUM. The compromise opens prospects for a mutually beneficial cooperation of Moldova with Russia, the CIS, the EAEU, the EU, and the USA. The statement by Chancellor A. Merkel in June 2019 as to the absence of trustworthy information about the depth of political crisis in Moldova is either an evidence of poor performance by German diplomats, or an evidence of Berlin's deliberate disregard of the activities by political forces in Moldova who are identifying themselves as pro-European. One thing is clear: having seen the endorsement of the Kiev regime by Germany, the EU and the USA, the oligarchs in Moldova also decided to assume the reins of authority within the country. Meanwhile the pronouncements by the head of the government M. Sandu on the possibility of holding out-of-term parliamentary elections and the supposed viability of the government that can last only one year encourage the experts in their assumptions that there are profound differences inside the coalition. Therefore, any forecasts of the future of the coalition between socialists and the right-wing forces seem difficult to make. Contradictions between the participants in the governmental alliance, for example regarding the approaches to the solution of the conflict in Transdniestria, may act as a catalyst on the out-of-term elections to the Moldavian parliament. Apprehensions concerning the likely resignation of the government of parliamentary majority composed of socialists and the right-wing forces headed by Premier Maia Sandu (the right-wing bloc) came true. According to the experts, she did not seek agreement with her socialist partners in the coalition when planning to update the legislative procedure for appointing Prosecutor General. Nor she consulted the members of her own party. A step of this kind could have strengthened the positions of the government's right-wing bloc and secure a favourable head-start for the Premier when launching the Republic's presidential elections of 2020.Maia Sandu's government was fired by means of the no confidence vote lodged by the socialists in parliament.   The new government of Moldova headed by Prime Minister Iona Kiku (no party affiliation) declared its intention to pursue reforms in the fields of economy, justice, state governance, to go ahead with the implementation of the Agreement of Association with the European Union, to build back Kishinev's strategic relations with Moscow and Washington and to promote cooperation and friendship with Ukraine and Romania. Now there are too few people who venture to predict the capacity of Moldova's new government.  Russia has an incentive in the resumption of a pragmatic and mutually beneficial dialog with Moldova in various fields on the basis of the 2001 Treaty of Friendship and Cooperation.


Vertically ordered (1-D) nanostructures provide a promising alternative to conventional nanoparticle films used as electrode materials for energy conversion and storage devices. These 1-D nanostructures, in forms of nanowires or nanotubes, promote mass transfer and accessibility of the electrodes while providing a direct conduction path for electrons. Our work has been focused on synthesis and application of novel 1-D nanostructures for dye-sensitized solar cells (DSCs) and lithium-ion batteries (LIBs).

The vertically aligned 1-D nanostructures are employed in DSCs to overcome the limitation of nanoparticle-based DSCs. Much longer electron life time has been observed in DSCs based on 1-D nanostructures compared to the nanoparticle-based ones, which allows us to use thicker sensitized film to improve the efficiency. We have developed a facile low-temperature hydrothermal method to synthesize vertically aligned ZnO nanowire arrays directly on transparent conductive oxide, and to use the ZnO nanowire arrays as a template to synthesize SnO2 nanotube arrays. In addition, we have developed a convenient approach that involves alternate cycles of nanowire growth and self-assembled monolayer coating processes for synthesizing multilayer assemblies of 1-D nanostructures with ultrahigh internal surface areas.

The vertically aligned nanostructure also enables us to fabricate high-efficiency solid-state DSCs by replacing the liquid electrolyte with a solid hole transporting material. The vertically aligned nanostructures provide straight channels for filling the solid electrolyte, enabling the use of thicker photoanodes for solid-state DSCs. Significantly, by using vertically aligned multilayer arrays of TiO2-coated ZnO nanowires, liquid-electrolyte DSCs with power conversion efficiency up to 7.0% and solid-state DSCs with efficiency up to 5.65% have been obtained.

Vertically ordered 1-D nanostructures also offer remarkable advantages for rechargeable LIBs including fast electron transport/collection and ion diffusion, enhanced electrode-electrolyte contact area, and facile accommodation of strains caused during the charge and discharge cycles. We have developed a method to fabricate SnO2 nanotube arrays and hybrid Sn-based nanotube arrays directly on current collecting substrate (Ti) and have evaluated their performance as anodes in rechargeable LIBs. The hybrid Sn-based nanotube arrays synthesized by us delivered a capacity of 710 mAh/g after 80 cycles with a low capacity fade.


Education plays an important role in human development by empowering
people to improve their well-being and participate actively in nation building.
Education and training help to build human capacity for both men and women. It is
a key priority area for poverty reduction. The development of contemporary
technologies, especially the Internet, on the one hand and changes in management
practice, communication and work organization in companies on the other hand,
have in recent years brought about changes in the kinds of knowledge and ways of
acquiring it. In keeping with these, new educational programs, as well as new
modes of studying, everywhere in the world the existing education system is being
redefined and educational programs that have to closely relate to practice are
being improved. For that sake, "new schools for entrepreneurs and managers" are
founded, which are based on modern programs and courses meant for various groups of business people. Very popular are virtual faculties which are found all
around the world and which enable connections between business people and
business students with lecturers from all around the world, no matter where they
actually might be. Participating in courses and testing over internet, essentially
change previous way of gaining knowledge in classical classrooms. This way of
learning contributes to fast information exchange, more access to the newest
knowledge and experiences in this domain and save the time and money. Thus, in
this millennium, the classic way of education will be slowly substituted with some
other forms of education, in which learning from homes and offices with the help of
computers were true. Interactive education should provide a completely new
dimension of gaining knowledge and to make it easier for those who attend certain
courses to learn faster and easier.


PURPOSE OF THE STUDY
There is a global imperative to increase awareness of the emerging evidence on physical activity (PA) among older adults. "Healthy aging" has traditionally focused on preventing chronic disease, but greater efforts are required to reduce frailty and dependency and to maintain independent physical and cognitive function and mental health and well-being.

DESIGN AND METHODS
This integrated review updates the epidemiological data on PA, summarizes the existing evidence-based PA guidelines, describes the global magnitude of inactivity, and finally describes the rationale for action. The first section updates the epidemiological evidence for reduced cardiometabolic risk, reduced risks of falls, the burgeoning new evidence on improved cognitive function and functional capacity, and reduced risk of depression, anxiety, and dementia. This is followed by a summary of population prevalence studies among older adults. Finally, we present a "review of reviews" of PA interventions delivered from community or population settings, followed by a consideration of interventions among the "oldest-old," where efforts are needed to increase resistance (strength) training and balance.

RESULTS
This review identifies the global importance of considering "active aging" beyond the established benefits attributed to noncommunicable disease prevention alone.

IMPLICATIONS
Innovative population-level efforts are required to address physical inactivity, prevent loss of muscle strength, and maintain balance in older adults. Specific investment in healthy aging requires global policy support from the World Health Organization and is implemented at the national and regional levels, in order to reduce the burden of disease and disability among older adults.


Nesospiza finches are a classic example of a simple adaptive radiation, with two ecologically distinct forms confined to the Tristan da Cunha Archipelago, South Atlantic Ocean: an abundant, small-billed dietary generalist, and a scarce, large-billed specialist. These have segregated into two species at Nightingale Island, but there is still local introgression between the two forms at Inaccessible Island. We describe the phenology and breeding behaviour of the two sympatric species at Nightingale Island (2.6 km2): Wilkins's Finch Nesospiza wilkinsi (Endangered) and Nightingale Island Finch N. questi (Vulnerable). The finch breeding season starts in late October-November but the onset of breeding varies by 4–5 weeks among years. The small-billed Nightingale Island Finch typically (two of three study seasons) starts breeding 1–3 weeks earlier than the large-billed Wilkins's Finch, unlike at Inaccessible Island where the Wilkins's Finches start breeding first. Laying of initial clutches was quite well synchronised, peaking 1–2 weeks after the first nests were found. Females constructed the nests, which were mostly (>90%) in dense Spartina arundinacea tussock grass stands and occasionally in ferns or sedge grasses. Clutches comprised one or two eggs, with no difference between Wilkins's (1.66 ± 0.48) or Nightingale Island finch clutches (1.71 ± 0.46). Incubation periods averaged longer for Wilkins's Finch (18.3 ± 0.5 d) than Nightingale Island Finch (17.7 ± 0.5 d), but this difference was not statistically significant. Females incubated the eggs, and were fed by the males. The difference in egg volume within two-egg clutches was 2–13% for Wilkins's Finches (mean 5.9 ± 3.3%) and 1–19% for Nightingale Island Finches (mean 8.4 ± 5.3%). At least 31% of pairs re -laid after their first breeding attempt failed but there was no evidence of double brooding. Repeat nests were 0–20 m (mean 5.6 ± 4.9 m) from the initial nest site and inter-seasonal nest sites for 38 known pairs were 0–33 m apart (mean 12 ± 9 m). No inter-species pairs or hybrid birds were seen, but two instances of inter-species fledgling provisioning were observed.


This article aims to add to the relatively small body of literature on online hatred. In particular, it focuses on the role social networking sites may play in the development of polarisation, by exploring how online users respond to explicit online hate materials. Specifically, this article discusses the ways in which a self-selected sample of YouTube users responded, via posting online comments, to a video clip in which a White female train passenger (called Emma) could be seen to racially to abuse other passengers. Thematic analysis of the YouTube comments identified four main themes: (1) Making Sense of Emma, which encapsulated posters' attempts to find explanations for Emma's behaviour; (2) Meeting Hatred with Hatred, which described posters' attempts to oppose Emma's racism by means of resorting to aggressive, hateful language; (3) Us versus Them, which encapsulated posters' tendencies to categorise themselves and other posters into inand outgroups, based on their particular stance on racism; (4) Contesting Britishness, which expressed posters' attempts to articulate (and contest) what it means to be British. Whilst the current analysis provides some evidence that hateful web content can fuel aggressive and hateful responses, many of the comments analysed here emphasised common group membership, alongside people's right to claim membership in a particular social category (i.e. Britishness). The current evidence, therefore, suggests that, at least in the specific context of this study, hateful web content may not necessarily lead to an automatic endorsement or escalation of hatred.


Education is a key component for progress in both the developed and developing world. It is imperative that society has access to new strides made in the area of sustainability so that current global challenges are resolved. Handbook of Research on Pedagogical Innovations for Sustainable Development brings together case study examples in the fields of sustainability, sustainable development, and education for sustainable development. This book will be an essential reference for educators, teachers, trainers at all levels of education, sustainable development practitioners, education policy makers, and the public at large.


The saponin aescin from the horse chestnut tree is a natural surfactant well-known to self-assemble as oriented-aggregates at fluid interfaces. Using model membranes in the form of lipid vesicles and Langmuir monolayers, we study the mixing properties of aescin with the phase-segregating phospholipid 1,2-dimyristoyl-sn-glycero-phosphocholine (DMPC). The binary membranes are experimentally studied on different length scales ranging from the lipid headgroup area to the macroscopic scale using small-angle X-ray scattering (SAXS), photon correlation spectroscopy (PCS), and differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) with binary bilayer vesicles and Langmuir tensiometry (LT) with lipid monolayers spread on the surface of aescin solutions. The binary interaction was found to strongly depend on aescin concentration in two well differentiated concentration regimes. Below 7 mol %, the results reveal phase segregation of nanometer-sized aescin-rich domains in an aescin-poor continuous bilayer. Above this concentration, aescin-aescin interactions dominate, which inhibit vesicle formation but lead to the formation of new membrane aggregates of smaller sizes. From LT studies in monolayers, the interaction of aescin with DMPC was shown to be stronger in the condensed phase than in the liquid expanded phase. Furthermore, a destructuring role was revealed for aescin on phospholipid membranes, similar to the fluidizing effect of cholesterol and nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) on lipid bilayers.


A new type of ceramic-polymer biomaterial having excellent apatite-forming ability in simulated body fluid (SBF) was prepared by hot-pressing a mixture consisting of poly(-L-lactic acid)(PLA) and calcium carbonate (vaterite). The composite containing 30% vaterite showed no brittle fracture behavior and comparably high bending strength of ~50 MPa. Apatite layer of several micrometers in thickness formed on its surface after soaking in SBF at 37°C only for 1 day. Osteoclast culture tests showed that the composite coated with apatite has excellent bioresorbability. After incubation of human osteoblasts, mineralized bone nodule formation was seen on the surface.


This study reviews briefly the causes of pension crisis in Nigeria in the previous pension schemes and discusses how the present pension reform will affect active employees when they retire. It also examined the level of compliance of the participants to some of the provisions of the present reform since its implementation. One of the reform provisions discussed in this paper states that retirees' contributions be used to purchase life annuities from life insurance companies. However, the policy-makers seem not to be aware that mortality table based on life insurance experience is not suitable for use in connection with annuities for several reasons. This calls for the inclusion of actuarial profession as one of the implementing committee entrusted with the responsibility of investigating mortality experience of people in the country. This study examines some of these issues and suggests need to redesign pension schemes in Nigeria. Keywords : Pension reform, annuities, retirees, schemes implications


This paper aims at assessing the motivational factors that influence the customer's preferences of Takaful over conventional insurance. The customers' information about the Takaful products and services based on sharia are identified in order to enable them differentiate Takaful and conventional insurance. The research uses mixed method of data collection. This comprises of questionnaires and in-depth interviews with the respondents from four selected Takaful industries in Saudi Arabia. The questionnaires were analysed using simple percentages and for the interviews, thematic analyses were used. Based on the findings of the study, the customer's preferences on the selection of Takaful over conventional insurance include protection of Takaful product by sharia, support from the government. Similarly, the absence of risk incurred or transferred to participants, funds contributed in the spirit of brotherhood for all members. Moreover, another customer's preferences is that contributions (tabarru') are invested in non-interest based capitalization by the Takaful agents and profits are shared according to individual contributions. Based on Takaful, donations are established at the pooling system in line with sharia and they are formed on the bases of sympathy, consciousness of the idea of tabarru' as well as abstaining from gharar, maysir and riba.


Family is the most important social environment that affects the people's growth. People are affected by their homes' environment, not only physically and biologically, but also by their personality and early experiences. The aim of this study was to test a model consisting of causal relationship between parenting styles and academic performance, by mediating role of academic self-efficacy and achievement motivation. 236 Shahid Chamran University students (117 males and 119 female) completed Baumrind Parenting Styles Questionnaire (BPSQ), Achievement Motivation Test (AMT) and Academic Self-Efficacy Scale (ASES). The findings indicated that the authoritative parenting style had a positive direct effect and the authoritarian parenting style had a negative direct effect on achievement motivation and academic self-efficacy. The permissive parenting style had a negative direct effect on academic self-efficacy but had no effect on achievement motivation. Also, academic self-efficacy had a positive direct effect on academic performance, but there was no meaningful relationship between achievement motivation and academic performance. The results showed that the proposed model does not fit the data well. Therefore, a better fit was obtained by omitting the non-significant path from permissive parenting style to achievement motivation. In addition, the indirect total effects of authoritarian, authoritative and permissive parenting styles with academic performance, mediated by the role of academic self-efficacy and achievement motivation was significant.


This paper presents an improved method for precision motion control by combining individual axis iterative learning control (ILC) and cross-coupled ILC (CCILC) into a single control input [1]. CCILC is a new method in which a multiaxis cross-coupled controller (CCC) is reformatted into a single-input single-output (SISO) ILC approach. Applying the techniques of ILC to CCC enables learning of the cross-coupled error which leads to a modified control signal and subsequent improvements in the contour trajectory tracking performance. In this paper, performance of the combined ILC and CCILC system is compared to existing control systems through computer simulations and experimental testing on a microscale robotic deposition (mu-RD) system [2]. Sufficient stability and convergence properties for the combined system are presented along with a modified approach for determining monotonic convergence of systems that are computationally challenging. The combined design is shown to enhance the precision motion control of the mu-RD system through performance improvements in individual axis tracking and contour tracking.


With the advent of smart grids,
voltage fluctuation has increased, especially in active distribution networks
with a high penetration of distributed energy resources and a large deployment
of electric vehicles. In this context, on-load tap-changer (OLTC) distribution
transformers have become a key component, mainly because they provide automatic
voltage regulation capability. In order to maximise the lifetime of OLTC
devices, the number of tap operations should be minimised, avoiding unnecessary
changes, but ensuring the main requirement: to keep the voltage within the
limits permitted. Therefore, when the automatic mode is active, the control
policy followed by the automatic voltage regulator is decisive. This
paper presents a novel form of functional approximation of these
policies. Furthermore, by means of a unified framework, a methodology for the
simulation of policies based on control theory is proposed. The unified
framework has been validated using real data. The results confirm the ability
of the introduced framework to simulate different scenarios, optimising and
validating both existing and new policies by observing their
effect on transformer behavior. In addition, it allows the determination
of the best fit policies depending on characteristics such as the pre-selected
voltage set point or the voltage variation between transformer taps.


The sensitivity to sodium monofluoroacetate (1080) of 9 species of native animals from north-western Australia was assessed using the increasing dose procedure to determine the Approximate Lethal Dose for each species. Granivorous birds from this region (e.g. ducks, corellas) were generally more sensitive to 1080 than their counterparts from southern Australia, and would be theoretically at risk from primary poisoning during 1080 grainbased baiting programs. However, the tolerance to 1080 of birds of prey from these areas is sufficient that these species face little risk of secondary poisoning during pest-control programs aimed at rodents or rabbits. The risk of primary poisoning to raptors from meat baits containing 6 mg 1080 per bait or less also appears to be low. The coexistence of brown falcons and barn owls with fluoroacetate-bearing vegetation over parts of their range has probably contributed to their development of tolerance to fluoroacetate.


We examined how robots can successfully serve as moral advisors for humans. We evaluated the effectiveness of moral advice grounded in deontological, virtue, and Confucian role ethics frameworks in encouraging humans to make honest decisions. Participants were introduced to a tempting situation where extra monetary gain could be earned by choosing to cheat (i.e., violating the norm of honesty). Prior to their decision, a robot encouraged honest choices by offering a piece of moral advice grounded in one of the three ethics frameworks. While the robot's advice was overall not effective at discouraging dishonest choices, there was preliminary evidence indicating the relative effectiveness of moral advice drawn from deontology. We also explored how different cultural orientations (i.e., vertical and horizontal collectivism and individualism) influence honest decisions across differentially-framed moral advice. We found that individuals with a strong cultural orientation of establishing their own power and status through competition (i.e., high vertical individualism) were more likely to make dishonest choices, especially when moral advice was drawn from virtue ethics. Our findings suggest the importance of considering different ethical frameworks and cultural differences to design robots that can guide humans to comply with the norm of honesty.


Given the limitations of the materials available for photoelectrochemical water splitting, a multiphoton (tandem) approach is required to convert solar energy into hydrogen efficiently and durably. Here we investigate a promising system consisting of a hematite photoanode in combination with dye-sensitized solar cells with newly developed organic dyes, such as the squaraine dye, which permit new configurations of this tandem system. Three configurations were investigated: two side-by-side dye cells behind a semitransparent hematite photoanode, two semitransparent dye sensitized solar cells (DSCs) in front of the hematite, and a trilevel hematite/DSC/DSC architecture. Based on the current-voltage curves of state-of-the-art devices made in our laboratories, we found the trilevel tandem architecture (hematite/SQ1 dye/N749 dye) produces the highest operating current density and thus the highest expected solar-to-hydrogen efficiency (1.36% compared with 1.16% with the standard back DSC case and 0.76% for the front DSC case). Further investigation into the wavelength-dependent quantum efficiency of each component revealed that in each case photons lost as a result of scattering and reflection reduce the performance from the expected 3.3% based on the nanostructured hematite photoanodes. We further suggest avenues for the improvement of each configuration from both the DSC and the photoanode parts.


The principal focus of the essay is the idea of artistic value, understood as the value of a work of art as the work of art it is, and the essay explores the connections, if any, between artistic value and a variety of other values (social, moral, educational, and character-building) in human life. I start with a series of observations about social values and then turn to moral values. Beginning from Goethe's claim that 'music cannot affect morality, nor can the other arts, and it would be wrong to expect them to do so', I proceed from music through the other arts; I distinguish different conceptions of morality; I highlight what I call a work of art's positive moral value (its power for moral improvement); and distinguish three kinds of moral improvement, one taking pride of place. My conclusion is that the positive moral value of works of art has been greatly overrated. I then return to the social values of art, looking at the situation from a very different point of view and reaching new conclusions, some of them positive. I end by explaining why my observations and arguments about the positive moral value of a work of art in no way diminishes the importance of art in human life, the true end of art having an importance in human life not guaranteed by morality.


Aims In acutely ill children, weights are often estimated to calculate drug and fluid dosage. Many methods exist, attempting to balance complexity and accuracy. The most accurate are based on physical measurements, but those commonly used in the UK are based on age alone. In 2011 the Advanced Paediatric Life Support (APLS) recommendations changed from using a single formula to three. Meanwhile the UK Resuscitation Council maintains that complexity increases risks of error and still advocates the single formula. To date no studies have assessed the crucial human factors affecting ease of use or rates of error. This project aimed to pilot a technique for testing accuracy, speed and user preference (usability) of different methods. Methods We developed a website (www.pemresearch.org) where participants applied four common weight estimation methods (table 1) to a range of ages. Orders of methods and ages were randomised between each entry. To reflect a real resuscitation scenario, participants were instructed to complete the test as quickly and accurately as possible. Psychological pressure was generated by a visible running timer combined with a leaderboard competition. Subject inter-method variability of speed and accuracy were analysed using one way ANOVA and pairwise t-tests with adjusted p-values. Results 34 acute paediatric staff completed the test. 74% routinely used the single formula APLS method. Post-test 77% reported the reference table method easiest to use. Both single formula APLS and reference table were significantly quicker to use than other methods (p < 0.001 and <0.001). There was no significant difference detected in accuracy between methods. (table 2) Conclusions This is a feasible technique of assessing usability. Although in our pilot there was no significant difference in accuracy detected, the time taken to apply each method and preference to use appear related to complexity. This novel method of assessing usability has potential advantages over other such as in-situ real-time simulation, including rapid turnaround and distribution via the internet. We plan to expand this study to a larger sample size and validate against in-situ simulation. After refining the technique we will extend its application to other everyday tools such as clinical decision rules. Abstract G241(P) Table 1 Method Age range Formula Single formula APLS 1–10 years weight = (age + 4) x 2 Three formulae APLS <12 months1–5 years6–12 years weight = (0.5 x age in months) + 4 weight = (2 x age) + 8 weight = (3 x age) +7 Modified Best Guess Method <12 months 1–9 years 10–14 years weight = (age in months +9)/2weight = (2 x age) +10weight = (4 x age) Reference tableDerived from UK growth data 0–16 years weight = 50th centile for age and sex Abstract G241(P) Table 2 Old APLS New APLS BGM Table Mean time taken (seconds) 49.55 57.76 55.17 33.68 Accuracy of answers (%) 90.5 94.4 95.8 95.5 Pre quiz normal method n (%) 25 (73.5) 7 (20.6) 1 (2.9) 1 (2.9) Post quiz preferred method n (%) 4 (11.8) 2 (5.9) 2 (5.9) 26 (76.5)


In a previous paper, using data from K2 Campaign 2, we identified 11 very low mass members of the ρ Oph and Upper Scorpius star-forming region as having periodic photometric variability and phased light curves showing multiple scallops or undulations. All of the stars with the "scallop-shell" light curve morphology are mid-to-late M dwarfs without evidence of active accretion and with photometric periods generally <1 day. Their phased light curves have too much structure to be attributed to non-axisymmetrically distributed photospheric spots and rotational modulation. We have now identified an additional eight probable members of the same star-forming region plus three stars in the Taurus star-forming region with this same light curve morphology and sharing the same period and spectral type range as the previous group. We describe the light curves of these new stars in detail and present their general physical characteristics. We also examine the properties of the overall set of stars in order to identify common features that might help elucidate the causes of their photometric variability.


Slow-fast dynamical systems have two time scales and an explicit parameter representing the ratio of these time scales. Locally invariant slow manifolds along which motion occurs on the slow time scale are a prominent feature of slow-fast systems. This paper introduces a rigorous numerical method to compute enclosures of the slow manifold of a slow-fast system with one fast and two slow variables. A triangulated first order approximation to the two dimensional invariant manifold is computed "algebraically." Two translations of the computed manifold in the fast direction that are transverse to the vector field are computed as the boundaries of an initial enclosure. The enclosures are refined to bring them closer to each other by moving vertices of the enclosure boundaries one at a time. As an application we use the method to prove the existence of tangencies of invariant manifolds in the problem of singular Hopf bifurcation and to give bounds on the location of one such tangency.


Objective: To determine the distribution of the Ferriman–Gallwey score in Asia and to study any association between hirsutism and endocrine markers, and also to find the cut off of  F-G score. Background: Hirsutism is the most widely used clinical diagnostic criterion for hyperandrogenism, it is present in approximately 70% of PCOS women. Using the Ferriman- Gallwey (F-G) scoring systems for evaluation of hirsutism, the degrees of hyperandrogenism from different regions are distinct and have different cut off. Material and methods: A descriptive cross-sectional study was carried out at Dr. Cipto Mangunkusumo General Hospital Jakarta in 2015. Reproductive age women who commits with PCOS criteria were included in the study. Clinical data was taken by interview, physical examination and US examination. Patient's blood was taken for FTI, and testosterone. Results: The data indicated that 32.4% PCOS woman shows clinical signs of hyperandrogenism, with the minimum score of hirsutism 2 and based on laboratory findings 34.3% subjects show high FTI and testosterone level. However not all patient with high androgen level have a high score of hirsutism. Conclusion: Clinical and laboratory finding of hyperandrogenism have a correlation to determine the score of Ferriman–Gallwey (F-G). The cut off is lower than European and west countries.


During this quarter (1/1/95-9/30/95), major progress has been made in the following areas of coal log pipeline research, development and technology transfer: (1) Conceptual design of a test machine based on hydraulic presses to mass-produce 5.4-inch-diameter coal logs for testing in a 6-inch-diameter pipeline has been completed. (2) Conceptual design of a rotary-press machine to produce 1.9-inch-diameter coal logs for testing in a 2-inch-diameter pipeline has also been completed. (3) It has been confirmed through experiments that molds with round-edge exit can make logs as good as those made with tapered exit. (4) Conducted a study to determine the effect of surface condition of mold and lubricants on the quality of coal logs. (5) Completed an evaluation of the effect of fiber (wood pulp) on coal log quality. (6) Prepared an apparatus for testing fast compaction of coal logs -- 2 second per log. (7) Compacted coal logs in a 5.3-inch-diameter mold. (8) Completed a preliminary study to assess vacuum and steam heating systems to enhance coal log production and quality. (9) Changed the small-scale-CLP-demo loop from a once-through system to a recirculating system. (10) Completed revision of CLP economic model and revised the 1993 report.


The increasing international interest in the Austrian dual system of apprenticeship has triggered a trend to transfer this system, or parts of it, to foreign countries including developing and transition countries. This paper analyzes the trend from a developmental perspective. After a historic outline of vocational education in international development and the discussion of current global trends in vocational education, the paper elaborates on the transfer of the dual system from a theoretical as well as an empirical perspective. It then goes on to describe the Austrian dual system of apprenticeship. In the empirical part, the paper first examines the status quo of the transfer trend as well as key players, funding possibilities, approaches, lessons of experience and challenges. Findings are subsequently analyzed from a developmental perspective. Finally, recommendations are made of how to strengthen the developmental impact. The paper concludes that while current transfer activities respond well to several criteria set out by the Austrian Development Cooperation, a number of open questions remain as to sustainability, systemic effect and economic bias, among others.


In this paper, we proposed a smart scheduling algorithm (S2A) for supporting multimedia traffic in IEEE 802.11e HCCA. Based on the accurate traffic prediction, S2A allocates transmission opportunity (TXOP) for each flow efficiently, and computes optimal service interval (SI). Preliminary evaluations showed that the predictions on the next VBR frame size and its expected arrival time at AP are very accurate. Thus, we expect that S2A can fully utilize the actual traffic characteristics for the efficient TXOP allocation and SI computation.


Organisations such as the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence require the synthesis of evidence from existing studies to inform their decisions—for example, about the best available treatments with respect to multiple efficacy and safety outcomes. However, relevant studies may not provide direct evidence about all the treatments or outcomes of interest. Multivariate and network meta-analysis methods provide a framework to address this, using correlated or indirect evidence from such studies alongside any direct evidence. In this article, the authors describe the key concepts and assumptions of these methods, outline how correlated and indirect evidence arises, and illustrate the contribution of such evidence in real clinical examples involving multiple outcomes and multiple treatments


Triplet–triplet annihilation (TTA)-assisted photon upconversion (TTA-UC) in three dyads (DPA–Cn–DPA), comprised of two diphenylanthracene (DPA) moieties connected by nonconjugated C1, C2, and C3 linkages (Cn), has been investigated. The performance of these dyads as energy acceptors in the presence of the energy donor platinum octaethylporphyrin are characterized by longer triplet lifetimes (τT) and different TTA rate constants than those of the parent DPA. The larger τT of the linked systems, caused by "intramolecular energy hopping" in the triplet dyad 3DPA*–Cn–DPA, results in a low threshold intensity, a key characteristic of efficient TTA-UC.


Migrant workers are marginalized and suffering people in Taiwan at present-day. There are discussions about issue of migrant worker from economical, legal, political and cultural perspectives, but rarely from religious aspects. In this paper, the author intends to approach it from the aspect of contextual theology. Firstly, the author would analyze the marginalized situations of migrant workers in Taiwan. In a sense, they are what contextual theologian identified as marginalized and suffering people or so called "minjung." Secondly, the author would observe how Christian churches and institutes respond to the plight of migrant workers by practicing missio Dei. Thirdly, the author would reflect the theological meaning of migrant workers by interpreting the biblical texts and the parable of Jesus concerning the kingdom of God, and point out to do justly, to be compassionate and to practice hospitality to migrant workers are imperative of social ethics of Christians at present-day.


Cross-talk between human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 and 3 (HER2 and HER3) may potentially contribute to therapeutic resistance in human breast cancer. Subtractive phage display allows highly specific selection for antibody fragments directed against cells surface HER2 and HER3. The strategies to select conformation- and activation-specific antibodies against HER2 and HER3 require tightly regulated HER2 and HER3 expressing cells that allow controlled activation/inactivation of these receptors during panning procedures. To achieve this, first, we found that the VERO cell line is an appropriate cell line for heterogeneous expression of HER2 and HER3, and then we established a panel of VERO stable cell lines expressing high levels of HER2 and HER3 alone and in combination. We also showed that HER2 and HER3 expressed in VERO cells were biologically active and could form heterodimer following neuregulin1 treatment. The cell line established here not only provided platforms for phage display-based method...


In many resource constrained web/cloud applications, users are given the ability to generate different kinds of reports after selecting some criteria for each report to be produced. Such criteria could, for example, be filters on certain report attributes. With limited computing resources, it is critical to prioritize the reports requested by users at any certain period of time. Then, that prioritization can be fed into any of the known web services scheduling algorithms. In this paper, we provide a novel cognitive prioritization approach that takes into consideration the free-form user-input text about the criticality of the reports as well as their aforementioned structured attributes/filters. Our method consists of a predictive model that uses the structured data to predict the report completion time as well as another text-mining model that uses the user's text to weight its importance. Then, both outputs are combined with the user profile to come up with the final prioritization. We apply our methodology to real data taken from the report generation of a real-world application of IT service deal pricing and show results that illustrate the effectiveness of our approach.


The Safe Drinking Water Act 2011 was introduced in South Australia to provide clear direction to drinking water providers on how to achieve water safety. The Act requires drinking water providers to register with SA Health and develop a risk management plan (RMP) for their water supply that includes operational and verification monitoring plans and an incident notification and communication protocol. During the first year of operation, 212 drinking water providers registered under the Act, including one major water utility and a range of small to medium sized providers in regional and remote areas of the State. Information was captured on water source(s) used and water treatment. Rainwater was the most frequently reported drinking water source (66%), followed by bore water (13%), on-supply or carting of mains water (13%), mixed source (rainwater with bore water backup) (6%) and surface water (3%). The majority of providers (91%) treated the water supply, 87% used disinfection. During the first year of operation, 16 water quality incidents were formally reported to SA Health. These included both microbial and chemical incidents. Case studies presented highlight how the RMPs are assisting drinking water providers to identify incidents of potential health concern and implement corrective actions.


Fermentation by autochthonous yeasts may produce wines with enological properties that are unique of a specific area or variety of grape must. In order to identify yeast starter strains for the production of the Sardinian wine Cannonau DOC, 66 Saccharomyces cerevisiae strains, isolated from musts and wines Cannonau of six vitivinicole areas in Sardinia, were subjected to enological characterization and molecular identification. The RFLP-PCR fingerprinting of the ITS region of rRNA (ITS1-5,8S- ITS2) as well as ethanol, foam, and H2S production were analysed.


In this paper, we investigate the design of a field-programmable-gate-array (FPGA) based optical orthogonal frequency-division multiplexing (OFDM) transmitter implementing real-time digital signal processing at 21.4 GSample/s. The transmitter was utilized to generate 8.34 Gb/s QPSK-OFDM signals for direct detection. We study the impact of the finite resolutions of the inverse fast Fourier transform cores and the digital-to-analog converters on the system performance. Furthermore, we describe a transmission experiment over 800 and 1600 km of uncompensated standard fiber with negligible optical SNR penalties and bit error rate <; 10-3.


AIMS
The principal aim of this study was to investigate the oxidative effects of chronic ethanol consumption on the functions of the heart and the kidney and the possible modification of this effect by folic acid supplementation. Moreover, in order to find whether this oxidative profile affects cardiovascular function, parameters such as heart rate and glomerular filtration rate were also assessed.

METHODS
Four experimental groups of rats were used: control, ethanol-exposed, control supplemented with folic acid and ethanol-exposed plus folic acid. Ethanol-exposed rats were subjected to a chronic ethanol treatment (2 months), in which the level of alcohol reaches 30% v/v. Diet and ethanol solution were provided ad libitum, and folic acid supplementation was 8 vs. 2 ppm. Energy intake, creatinine clearance and heart rate were determined. Antioxidant enzyme activity and lipid and protein peroxidation of the kidney and the heart were measured by the spectrophotometric method.

RESULTS
Ethanol increases heart size and catalase (CAT) activity and decreases lipid peroxidation in heart without changing heart rate. However, in the kidney, ethanol decreases CAT activity, increases lipid peroxidation and decreases glomerular filtration rate. Folic acid supplementation avoids these situations; it does not, however, improve glomerular function.

CONCLUSION
Chronic ethanol consumption has many effects on the antioxidant enzymatic activity of the heart and the kidney, leading to increased renal lipid peroxidation prevented by folic acid supplementation.


Beta-glucan-stimulated mammalian myeloid cells, such as macrophages, show an increased responsiveness to secondary stimulation in a nonspecific manner. This phenomenon is known as trained innate immunity and is important to prevent reinfections. Trained innate immunity seems to be an evolutionary conserved phenomenon among plants, invertebrates and mammalian species. Our study aimed to explore the training of primary chicken monocytes. We hypothesized that primary chicken monocytes, similar to their mammalian counterparts, can be trained with β-glucan resulting in increased responses of these cells to a secondary stimulus. Primary blood monocytes of white leghorn chickens were primary stimulated with β-glucan microparticulates (M-βG), lipopolysaccharide (LPS), recombinant chicken interleukin-4 (IL-4) or combinations of these components for 48 h. On day 6, the primary stimulated cells were secondary stimulated with LPS. Nitric oxide (NO) production levels were measured as an indicator of pro-inflammatory activity. In addition, the cells were analyzed by flow cytometry to characterize the population of trained cells and to investigate the expression of surface markers associated with activation. After the secondary LPS stimulation, surface expression of colony stimulating factor 1 receptor (CSF1R) and the activation markers CD40 and major histocompatibility complex class II (MHC-II) was higher on macrophages that were trained with a combination of M-βG and IL-4 compared to unstimulated cells. This increased expression was paralleled by enhanced NO production. In conclusion, this study showed that trained innate immunity can be induced in primary chicken monocytes with β-glucan, which is in line with previous experiments in mammalian species. Innate immune training may have the potential to improve health and vaccination strategies within the poultry sector.


Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) frameworks worldwide have been dominated by the concerns and needs of large companies whose highly formalised CSR management systems often failed in previous years to prevent anti-social and illegal behaviour. Thus, there is growing interest in informal processes, relationships and organisational cultures – and corresponding business models – that embed and exemplify CSR. It is proposed that detailed study of Small and Medium-sized Enterprises (SMEs) with informal and non-systematic approaches to CSR can shed light on the process and effect of cultural embedding of CSR values. This research focuses on a sample of SMEs in Switzerland to investigate the "raison d'etre" that make up such informal CSR. Firstly, using a stakeholder map methodology, it explored the current state of CSR in Switzerland and identified SMEs as being the most significant CSR stakeholders. A network analysis resulting in specific parameters confirmed the importance of SMEs and their pursuit of an unconventionally informal and idiosyncratic CSR core logic. By method of interviewing 40 SME owner-managers, the next research step examined in more detail such dynamics and patterns among Swiss small business CSR. A Delphi process aggregated the results into an overarching small business model for CSR – L'EPOQuE. This model has six key features: 1) a visionary Leadership approach, where the leader "is" the business and vice versa, 2) long-term and trust-based relations to Employees, 3) niche Products, 4) driven by networks and informal, flat Organisations, 5) by efficient Quality, and 6) by Education to establish ethics during work socialisation. A further Delphi process explored the features' consistency with criteria of conventional models. It confirmed the six key features and encouraged at the same time slight modifications with regard to nomenclature of sub-features resulting in L'EPOQuE 2.0. This heightened the power of this CSR-driven approach to be a new template for informal set-ups, and niches. It emerges from the difficulties some mainstream business models have to satisfy the needs of business at the nexus of culture and economic rationale. The sixth section explored, in four focus group discussions, motives inherent to the role and dynamics of CSR in Swiss small firms. The results support earlier findings and confirm the intrinsic motivation in Swiss SMEs coming from their philosophy of stewardship and aspiration and ambition of excellent craftsmanship. Accordingly, Swiss SMEs are particularly looking at social and labour issues of CSR. This contrasts with the approach of Multinational Enterprises (MNEs), which are primarily interested in environmental aspects and assume a financial benefit from their engagement. This raises two arguments in CSR: one is that companies evidently can be competitive in CSR (and economically) with a flexible, ethics-based approach, which contradicts the exclusivity and predominance of the "business approach" and its formalised systems aiming at profit-maximisation. This suggests that CSR can be intrinsic to the business or extrinsic, so that, secondly, the question arises under what circumstances one is to be preferred over the other and what the cost of a mismatch would be. Ultimately, a comparative overview over 15 different countries to explore explicit vs. implicit CSR (using the categories of intent, codification, motives, and language) revealed a universally supra-national CSR approach in SMEs from Switzerland and elsewhere. Thus, it is concluded that SME culture and an informal CSR core logic are strongly formative and supersede forces of market economies, nationally cultural patterns, and language. Hence, CSR classifications of countries by their market system, as found in the comparative capitalism literature, do not match the practices in SMEs as they mirror neither their business nor CSR. This raises again questions on the universality and generalisability of unmediated, explicit management concepts, especially in the context of small firms. At the same time, this confirms L'EPOQuE 2.0 as spanning across business models, mirroring culturally independent key features of SME businesses. In other words, there is a much bigger portion of "SME" than "Switzerland" in L'EPOQuE 2.0.


INTRODUCTION
A committee of five was convened to update the chapter on women's sexual dysfunctions from the perspective of diagnostic issues, pathophysiology, assessment, and treatment.

AIM
To review the literature since 2003 and provide recommendations based on evidence.

METHODS
Research databases, conference proceedings, and articles in press were read for relevant new data on these topics for hypoactive sexual desire disorder (HSDD), female sexual arousal disorder (FSAD), female orgasmic disorder (FOD), and persistent genital arousal disorder (PGAD).

MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES
Recommendations by five experts from five countries were formulated with associated grades.

RESULTS
The definitions of HSDD, FSAD, and FOD in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, 4th Edition, Text-Revised are imperfect and have been criticized over the last decade. Proposed new criteria that take into account empirical findings and the diversity across women are recommended. There has been a flurry of new epidemiological studies on women's sexual dysfunction; studies also assessing distress consistently find a much lower prevalence of dysfunction if distress is considered. Assessment of sexual difficulties is best achieved through a biopsychosocial clinical interview of the woman and her partner (if possible); though laboratory investigations, a physical examination, psychophysiological measurement, and self-report questionnaires can often supplement the interview information. There are currently no approved pharmacological treatments for women's sexual dysfunction in North America, though a number of promising agents have been studied. Evidence for the efficacy of psychological treatments is based on limited studies. There is an urgent need for more data on the assessment, etiology, and treatment of PGAD.

CONCLUSIONS
Specific recommendations for the assessment and treatment of women's desire, arousal, and orgasm disorders are forwarded; however, more research into these domains is needed.


Tourists form expectations of a destination based upon advertising and promotional campaigns, past experience, word-of-mouth that, in turn, may influence demand for tourism destinations. The quality of the service and the quality of the facility and its perceived value also directly affect the quality of recreation and tourism experiences and thus the level of future demand. Further, the level of satisfaction that the tourist feels is also dependent upon the ability of the destination to deliver the type of experience, that it has marketed as a function of its facilities and programs (Fesenmaier and Uysal 1991; Ryan 1995). The objective of this paper is to review and examine the components of satisfaction in outdoor recreation and tourism settings. Measuring quality and service is premised on what Manning (1985, p. 6) refers to as "evaluative communication between visitors and managers."


Predicting the impact of habitat change on populations requires an understanding of the number of animals that a given area can support. Depletion models enable predictions of the numbers of individuals an area can support from prey density and predator searching efficiency and handling time. Depletion models have been successfully employed to predict patterns of abundance over small spatial scales, but most environmental change occurs over large spatial scales. We test the ability of depletion models to predict abundance at a range of scales with black-tailed godwits, Limosa limosa islandica. From the type II functional response of godwits to their prey, we calculated the handling time and searching efficiency associated with these prey. These were incorporated in a depletion model, together with the density of available prey determined from surveys, in order to predict godwit abundance. Tests of these predictions with Wetland Bird Survey data from the British Trust for Ornithology showed significant correlations between predicted and observed densities at three scales: within mudflats, within estuaries and between estuaries. Depletion models can thus be powerful tools for predicting the population size that can be supported on sites at a range of scales. This greatly enhances our confidence in predictions of the consequences of environmental change.


A new type of a biodegradable nerve graft conduit material, the amnion tube, has been developed in our laboratory. To test the tube in the peripheral nerve regeneration process, it was initially applied across a 1-cm sciatic nerve gap in rats and was compared with other nerve conduit materials. We used male Sprague-Dawley rats as our animal model. The experiment included 66 rats that were randomly assigned into five groups: autograft (n = 17), amnion tube (n = 19), silicone tube (n = 20), no repair (n = 7), and sham group (n = 3). The process of peripheral nerve regeneration was evaluated at 2, 4, 10, and 17 weeks following injury and repair by using morphologic and functional assessments of the outcome of nerve regeneration in each animal. Nerve regeneration across the amnion tube nerve conduit was comparable with that seen in autograft and superior to that of the silicone group. A uniform nerve tissue was seen filling and crossing the amnion conduit, and the regenerated nerve from the proximal stump reached the distal end and was undifferentiated from the normal nerve tissues. At 4 months, the amnion tube biodegraded and no longer could be identified and differentiated from the nerve tissues. The amnion tube animal group showed a number of axons very close to that in the nerve autograft group (37,157 versus 33,054). Functional recovery at a 2- to 4-week interval was significantly statistically higher only in the amnion tube animal group (p = 0.01). However, the improvement disappeared between 10 and 17 weeks. In conclusion, the amnion tube is a potential ideal nerve conduit material secondary to its unique characteristics: it contains important neurotropic factors, is biodegradable, provokes a very weak immune response, is semiflexible, is readily available, and is easily manufactured into different sizes and diameters. (Plast. Reconstr. Surg. 105: 660, 2000.)


In the context of an increasing need for reliability and safety in concrete structures under blast and impact loading conditions, the behavior of concrete under high strain rate condition has been an important issue. Since concrete subjected to impact loading associated with high strain rate shows quite different material behavior from that in the static state, several material models are proposed and used to describe the high strain rate behavior under blast and impact loading. In the process of modelling, in advance, mesh dependency in the used finite element (FE) is the key problem because simulation results under high strain-rate condition are quite sensitive to applied FE mesh size. It means that the accuracy of simulation results may be deeply dependent on FE mesh size in simulations. This paper introduces an improved criterion which can minimize the mesh-dependency of simulation results on the basis of the fracture energy concept, and HJC (Holmquist Johnson Cook), CSC (Continuous Surface Cap) and K&C (Karagozian & Case) models are examined to trace their relative sensitivity to the used FE mesh size. To coincide with the purpose of the penetration test with a concrete plate under a projectile (bullet), the residual velocities of projectile after penetration are compared. The correlation studies between analytical results and the parametric studies associated with them show that the variation of residual velocity with the used FE mesh size is quite reduced by applying a unique failure strain value determined according to the proposed criterion.


Summary form only given. The Cygnus Dual Beam Radiographic Facility consists of two 2.25-MV, 60-kA, 50-ns X-ray sources fielded in an underground laboratory at the Nevada Test Site. The tests performed in this laboratory invoke study of the dynamic properties of plutonium and are called subcritical experiments, from end-to-end. the Cygnus machines utilize the following components: Marx generator, water-filled pulse-forming line (PFL), water-filled coaxial transmission line, 3-cell inductive voltage adder (IVA), and rod-pinch diode. The upstream coaxial transmission line interface to the PFL is via a radial insulator with coaxial geometry. The downstream coaxial transmission line terminates in a manifold where the center conductor splits into three lines which individually connect to each of the IVA cell inputs. There is an impedance mismatch at this juncture. It is a concern that a reflected pulse due to anomalous behavior in the IVA or diode might initiate breakdown upon arrival at the upstream PFL/coax insulator. Therefore near the beginning of the coaxial transmission line a radial diverter switch is installed to protect the insulator from over voltage and breakdown. The diverter has adjustable gap spacing, and an in-line aqueous-solution (sodium thiosulfate) resistor array for energy dissipation. There are capacitive voltage probes at both ends of the coaxial transmission line and on the diverter switch. These voltage signals will be analyzed to determine diverter performance. Using this analysis the usefulness of the diverter switch is evaluated.


INTRODUCTION As data-driven research becomes the norm, practical knowledge in data stewardship is critical for researchers. Despite its growing importance, formal education in research data management (RDM) is rare at the university level. Academic librarians are now playing a leadership role in developing and providing RDM training and support to faculty and graduate students. This case study describes the development and implementation of a new, credit-bearing course in RDM for graduate students from all disciplines. DESCRIPTION OF PROGRAM The purpose of the course was to enable students to acquire foundational knowledge and skills in RDM that would support long-term habits in the planning, management, preservation, and sharing of research data. The pedagogical approach for the course combined outcomescentered course design with active learning techniques. Periodic course assessment was performed through anonymous student surveys, with the objective of gauging course efficacy and quality, and to obtain suggested modifications or improvements. These assessment results indicated that the course content and scope were appropriate and that the active learning approach was effective. Assessments of student learning demonstrated that all major learning objectives were achieved. NEXT STEPS Information derived from the student surveys was used to determine how the course could be modified to improve student experience and the overall quality of the course and the instruction.


The increased cost of accessing energy and the effects on economic growth (GDP) across regions is one of grave concern [1]. The Cost implication of energy supply often shapes regional energy policies across the globe. This paper presents an empirical investigation into the relationship between energy generation and economic growth, while also investigating probable threats to sustainable energy supply across regions. Energy generation was found to have some implications for economic growth across regions. It was found that hydro electric, renewable energy and nuclear generation sources were significantly driving growth across regions while coal and gas sources were not. This was particularly true since the cost of fossils was having strong cost implications, for overall energy generation cost in countries in regions due to overdependence on fossils. Generating sources were also found to have strong implications for sustained energy supply (energy security), renewable energy and gas generating sources that had the strongest effects on sustainable energy supply across regions. This was probably true since regions were focusing on new technologies in energy generation process, which are cheaper, cleaner and more sustaining, while still depending on gas plants due to the relative cost implications of maintaining gas plants compared to hydro and nuclear generating plants. The method of estimation used in the study is the seemingly unrelated regression estimation method.


Small volume fractions of metal-rich, iron-nickel-sulfur-oxygen melt do not form an interconnected network in polycrystalline olivine at pressures up to 11 gigapascals. These results suggest that iron-rich melts could not have migrated downward along olivine grain edges to form Earth's core. Core separation at pressures below 11 gigapascals within planetary bodies must have been facilitated by large degrees of partial melting, resulting in either separation of immiscible silicate and metal-sulfide melts or extraction of the silicate melt to concentrate the metallic remainder.