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Many have labeled Afghanistan to be the worst place on earth to be a woman, over the past 30 years of war and conflict. This project explores what life is like for young women growing up in post-Taliban Afghanistan. For a team of female mountain climbers, the mountains represent a place of refuge. Many struggle with issues related to difficulty accessing education, war trauma and poverty. Every girl on the team has faced discrimination based on gender. This story is a series of profiles of the girls, which is strung together into chapters. There is also a short doc component that follows the girls on a climb. It becomes apparent that the girls aren’t free or safe, even in the mountains.

This research studies the development of lateral thermal expansion forces on a curved railway track. The geometric alignment of a railway right of way often requires railway tracks to be curved. This curvature which is usually defined by the radius of curvature or degree of curvature represents a higher level of complexity in the track’s analysis and design process. Particularly, presence of curvature on the track introduces multiple sources of force in the lateral (radial) direction, including, but not limited to, lateral thermal expansion, lateral wheel/rail forces due to centrifugal action, lateral components of vertical loads, bogie hunting and nosing effects of locomotives, and vehicle curving dynamics. Some of these forces are well understood such as centrifugal forces while some are not as well understood, such as lateral thermal expansion forces. To bridge this gap, this research studies the development of track-induced lateral thermal expansion forces on a curved railway track. In this research, the curved track is assumed to be an arbitrary arc section of a circular track and is modeled as an equivalent idealized circular ring for analysis. Owing to its importance, three analytical methods are used to include: 1) Timoshenko thermoelastic stress analysis in cylindrical coordinate system, 2) mechanics of thin wall cylinders and 3) adaptation of a variational calculus formulation method from a previous comparable study. A fourth analysis approach is also introduced using a commercially available finite element analysis package. The results of these analyses are compared through a wide range of parametric studies and are then validated by the finite element analysis. The results of this study showed that the several methods presented in this paper, could be used to approximate thermally induced expansion behavior (pre-buckling) on a curved railway track. While all three techniques are effective, the Timoshenko stress analysis method appears to be the most suitable as it is a direct method that examines the stress build up from the element level and takes into account additional material properties, such as the Poisson effect. The research resulted in a methodology for determining load transfer from thermally induced forces in curved railroad track to the fastener and supporting structure.

Gender wage gap is a widely discussed issue in labor economics. This paper contributes to the literature on three fronts. First, the overall gender wage gap present in Turkey’s manufacturing sector is analyzed using updated data from the years 2006, 2010, and 2014. Next, the effect of international trade on the gender wage gap is investigated. We first decompose the overall gender wage gap to its explained and unexplained components using the Blinder-Oaxaca decomposition method. Afterward, we use both the Blinder-Oaxaca decomposition and OLS regression to compare the gender wage gap in the tradable and non-tradable sectors. Then each year is decomposed separately to analyze the gender wage gap over time. Our results show that there is a gender wage gap of 2.6% in Turkey’s manufacturing sector due to discrimination. In addition, the regression results reveal that the gender wage gap in the tradable sectors is 3.3%, while in the non-tradable sectors it is 1.9%. The decomposition results show the gender wage gap in the tradable sectors to be 4.2%, while in the non-tradable sectors, it is 3.2%. Lastly, there has been an increase of the gender wage gap from 2006 to 2014. We conclude that, in contradiction to Becker’s theory, the gender wage gap in Turkey’s manufacturing sector is higher in the tradable sectors than in the non-tradable sectors. İşçi ekonomisinde, iki cinsiyet arasındaki maaş ayrımı geniş ölçüde bir bahis konusu olmak durumundadır. Bu makale, literatüre üç farklı cepheden katkı sağlamakta. İlk olarak, Türkiye'deki üretim sektöründeki mevcut genel iki cinsiyet arasındaki maaş ayrımı; 2006, 2010, 2014 yıllarından güncellenmiş veri kullanılarak analiz edilmektedir. Bunun yanı sıra, uluslararası ticaretin maaş ayrımına olan etkisi de ele alınmaktadır. Blinder-Oaxaca ayrıştırma metodunu kullanrak, genel iki cinsiyet arasındaki maaş ayrımın açıklanmış ve açıklanmamış bileşenlerine ayrıştırmakla başlamaktayız. Daha sonrasında, Blinder-Oaxaca ayrıştırma metodu ile birlikte OLS gerileme metodunu kullanrak, ticaretin yer alabildiği ve alamadığı sektörlerdeki maaş ayrımını karşılaştırıyoruz. Ondan sonra, iki cinsiyet arasındaki maaş ayrımın zamanla değişimini (var ise) analiz etmek için, her yıl ayrı ayrı dekompoze edilmekte. Sonuçlarımız, Türkiye'deki üretim sektöründe ayrımcılıktan dolayı 2.6% maaş farkı bulunduğunu göstermektedir. Bunun yanı sıra, gerileme sonuçları; maaş ayrımının ticaretin yer alabildiği sektörlerde 3.3%, fakat ticaretin yer alamadığı sektörlerde 1.9% olduğunu göstermektedir. Son olarak da, 2006 yılından 2014 yılına kadar, iki cinsiyet arasındaki maaş ayrımında bir yükselmenin yaşanması söz konusudur.Sonuç olarak; Becker teorisine karşıt, Türkiye üretim sektörü içindeki ticaretin yer alabildiği sektörlerin, ticaretin yer alamadığı sektörlere göre daha fazla maaş ayrımına yer verdiğini görmekteyiz.

The term task-based language teaching (TBLT) is widely used in the context of The term task-based language teaching (TBLT) is widely used in the context of second language acquisition in terms of a curriculum which promotes actual language use. However, little research has been conducted in Malaysia regarding TBLT and its implicit method. This study, therefore, aims to explore and research the perceptions of teachers towards TBLT at the International Islamic University Malaysia (IIUM). The research aims to determine the level of awareness, understanding, and the perception that teachers have towards this method, as well as whether they employ it in their classrooms or not. The study employs a qualitative methodology, namely ‘case study’. The datacollection instruments consist of interviews of three randomly selected instructors at CELPAD, one for each level ranging from level 4-6. The overall findings show that the CELPAD teachers possess a clear understanding of TBLT, agreeing that TBLT is beneficial. However, they are still unsure of the advantages of using it in the classroom. Furthermore, there is some measure of fear in adopting task-based language teaching fullyprimarily as a result of the problems they face pertaining to the end of semester assessment; the English Placement Test. As a result, it is found that some teachers use a mixed approach of both TBLT and traditional teacher-centered approach. second language acquisition in terms of a curriculum which promotes actual language use. However, little research has been conducted in Malaysia regarding TBLT and its implicitmethod. This study, therefore, aims to explore and research the perceptions of CELPAD teachers towards TBLT, at the International Islamic University Malaysia (IIUM). The research aims to determine the level of awareness, understanding, and the perception that teachers have towards this method, as well as whether they employ it in their classrooms or not. The study employs a qualitative methodology, namely ‘case study’. The datacollection instruments consist of interviews of three randomly selected instructors at CELPAD, one for each level ranging from level 4-6. The overall findings show that the CELPAD teachers possess a clear understanding of TBLT, agreeing that TBLT is beneficial. However, they are still unsure of the advantages of using it in the classroom. Furthermore, there is some measure of fear in adopting task-based language teaching fullyprimarily as a result of the problems they face pertaining to the end of semester assessment; the English Placement Test. As a result, it is found that some teachers use a mixed approach of both TBLT and traditional teacher-centered approach.

İşçi ekonomisinde, iki cinsiyet arasındaki maaş ayrımı geniş ölçüde bir bahis konusu olmak durumundadır. Bu makale, literatüre üç farklı cepheden katkı sağlamakta. İlk olarak, Türkiye'deki üretim sektöründeki mevcut genel iki cinsiyet arasındaki maaş ayrımı; 2006, 2010, 2014 yıllarından güncellenmiş veri kullanılarak analiz edilmektedir. Bunun yanı sıra, uluslararası ticaretin maaş ayrımına olan etkisi de ele alınmaktadır. Blinder-Oaxaca ayrıştırma metodunu kullanrak, genel iki cinsiyet arasındaki maaş ayrımın açıklanmış ve açıklanmamış bileşenlerine ayrıştırmakla başlamaktayız. Daha sonrasında, Blinder-Oaxaca ayrıştırma metodu ile birlikte OLS gerileme metodunu kullanrak, ticaretin yer alabildiği ve alamadığı sektörlerdeki maaş ayrımını karşılaştırıyoruz. Ondan sonra, iki cinsiyet arasındaki maaş ayrımın zamanla değişimini (var ise) analiz etmek için, her yıl ayrı ayrı dekompoze edilmekte. Sonuçlarımız, Türkiye'deki üretim sektöründe ayrımcılıktan dolayı 2.6% maaş farkı bulunduğunu göstermektedir. Bunun yanı sıra, gerileme sonuçları; maaş ayrımının ticaretin yer alabildiği sektörlerde 3.3%, fakat ticaretin yer alamadığı sektörlerde 1.9% olduğunu göstermektedir. Son olarak da, 2006 yılından 2014 yılına kadar, iki cinsiyet arasındaki maaş ayrımında bir yükselmenin yaşanması söz konusudur.Sonuç olarak; Becker teorisine karşıt, Türkiye üretim sektörü içindeki ticaretin yer alabildiği sektörlerin, ticaretin yer alamadığı sektörlere göre daha fazla maaş ayrımına yer verdiğini görmekteyiz. Gender wage gap is a widely discussed issue in labor economics. This paper contributes to the literature on three fronts. First, the overall gender wage gap present in Turkey's manufacturing sector is analyzed using updated data from the years 2006, 2010, and 2014. Next, the effect of international trade on the gender wage gap is investigated. We first decompose the overall gender wage gap to its explained and unexplained components using the Blinder-Oaxaca decomposition method. Afterward, we use both the Blinder-Oaxaca decomposition and OLS regression to compare the gender wage gap in the tradable and non-tradable sectors. Then each year is decomposed separately to analyze the gender wage gap over time. Our results show that there is a gender wage gap of 2.6% in Turkey's manufacturing sector due to discrimination. In addition, the regression results reveal that the gender wage gap in the tradable sectors is 3.3%, while in the non-tradable sectors it is 1.9%. The decomposition results show the gender wage gap in the tradable sectors to be 4.2%, while in the non-tradable sectors, it is 3.2%. Lastly, there has been an increase of the gender wage gap from 2006 to 2014. We conclude that, in contradiction to Becker's theory, the gender wage gap in Turkey's manufacturing sector is higher in the tradable sectors than in the non-tradable sectors. 58

International audience; We report the microscopic view of the thermal structural stability of the magnesium intercalated fullerene polymer Mg2C60. With the application of X-ray Raman spectroscopy and X-ray diffraction, we study in detail the decomposition pathways of the polymer system upon annealing at temperatures between 300 and 700 degrees C. We show that there are at least two energy scales involved in the decomposition reaction. Intermolecular carbon bonds, which are responsible for the formation of a 2D fullerene polymer, are broken with a relatively modest thermal energy, while the long-range order of the original polymer remains intact. With an increased thermal energy, the crystal structure in turn is found to undergo a transition to a novel intercalated cubic phase that is stable up to the highest temperature studied here. The local structure surrounding magnesium ions gets severely modified close to, possibly at, the phase transition. We used density functional theory based calculations to study the thermodynamic and kinetic aspects of the collapse of the fullerene network, and to explain the intermediate steps as well as the reaction pathways in the break-up of this peculiar C-60 intermolecular bonding architecture

Measurements of radon exhalation for a total of 205 selected samples of construction materials used in Saudi Arabia were carried out using an active radon gas analyzer with an emanation container. It was found that granite samples were the main source of radon exhalation. The radon exhalation rates per unit area from these granite samples varied from below the minimum detection limit up to 13.1 Bq m - 2 h - 1 with an average of 1.5 ± 1.9 ( 1 σ ) Bq m - 2 h - 1 . The radium contents of 27 granite samples were measured using an HPGe-based γ spectroscopy setup. The 226Ra content of the granites varied from below the minimum detection limit up to 297 Bq kg - 1 , with an average of 83 ± 73 ( 1 σ ) Bq kg - 1 . The linear correlation coefficient between exhaled radon and radium content was found to be 0.90.

Knowledge of trace element concentrations in crude oil has been very useful to the oil industry in the areas of classification and exploration. This paper presents a preliminary study on the analysis of trace elements in crude oil samples using μ-PIXE. The scanning proton microprobe at the University of Oxford was used in this study.

A passive "can technique" and an active radon gas analyzer with an emanation container were applied for radon exhalation rate measurements from different construction materials, viz. five marble seven ceramic and 100 granite tiles used in Saudi Arabia. The marble and ceramic tiles did not show detectable radon exhalation using the active radon gas analyzer system. However the granite tiles showed relatively high radon exhalations, indicating a relatively high uranium content. A comparison of the radon exhalation rates measured by the two techniques showed a linear correlation coefficient of 0.57. The radon exhalation rates from the granites varied from 0.02 to 6.58 Bqm(-2)h(-1) with an average of 1.35+/-1.40 Bqm(-2)h(-1). The geometric mean and the geometric standard deviation of the frequency distribution were found to be 0.80 and 3.1, respectively. The track density found on the nuclear track detectors in the can technique exposed to the granites, having high exhalation rates, varied linearly with exposure time with a linear correlation coefficient of 0.99. This experimental finding agrees with the theoretical prediction. The can technique showed sensitivity to low radon exhalation rates from ceramic, marble and some granite over a period of 2 months, which were not detectable by the active radon gas analyzer system. The reproducibility of data with both measuring techniques was found to be within a 7% deviation.

The simultaneous detection of energy, momentum and temporal information in electron spectroscopy is the key aspect to enhance the detection efficiency in order to broaden the range of scientific applications. Employing a novel 60 degrees wide angle acceptance lens system, based on an additional accelerating electron optical element, leads to a significant enhancement in transmission over the previously employed 30 degrees electron lenses. Due to the performance gain, optimized capabilities for time resolved electron spectroscopy and other high transmission applications with pulsed ionizing radiation have been obtained. The energy resolution and transmission have been determined experimentally utilizing BESSY II as a photon source. Four different and complementary lens modes have been characterized. (C) 2017 The Authors. Published by Elsevier B.V., Postprints der Universität Potsdam : Mathematisch-Naturwissenschaftliche Reihe, 782

Formulas are presented for computing the joining function for the neutron spectrum in a heavy gas. Comparisons are made between series methods and Runge-Kutta integration.