Atmospheric blocking is an unusual weather phenomenon that is often associated with severe weather events such as heat waves, cold spells, and droughts. Improved understanding of the long-term variability of atmospheric blocking has important societal implication, but its mechanisms are not well understood. Multidecadal variability of winter (DJFM) atmospheric blocking in the North Atlantic, especially its relationship with multi-decadal oceanic variability represented by the Atlantic Multidecadal Oscillation (AMO), is examined using observational datasets and the Community Earth System Model version1 Large Ensemble (CESM1LE) simulations. The CESM1LE has 30 ensemble members from 1920 to 2005 forced with the identical historical radiative forcing but slightly different initial conditions. Therefore, the internal climate variability in the 30 simulations do not necessarily exhibit identical temporal evolutions, while the externally driven variability due to the radiative forcing are likely to be coherent. The mean spatial patterns of the number of blocking days in the North Atlantic are examined in the 20th Century Reanalysis (20CR) and the 30 member CESM1LE simulations. In addition, the AMO index is examined in the Hadley Centre Sea Ice and Sea Surface Temperature data set version 1 (HadISST) and the CESM1LE. In the observations, the two primary maxima of atmospheric blocking occurrence are found over the Greenland and the British Isles. CESM1LE underestimates the mean number of blocking days in these two locations, but the time-scale of variability in these regions is comparable to that in the observations. CESM1LE also shows a reasonable AMO with similar amplitude and periodicity to the observations. In the observations, preliminary results show some correlation between the blocking in the North Atlantic and the AMO on decadal time-scales when the AMO leads the blocking by a few years. This suggests that atmospheric blocking and the associated extreme weather variability in the North Atlantic might be modulated by the multi-decadal oceanic variability associated with the AMO. In CESM1LE, the ensemble mean of AMO index and the number of blocking days show robust increasing and decreasing trends, respectively, which are likely driven by the anthropogenic radiative forcing.


BACKGROUND AND AIMS
This cross-sectional international survey explored the beliefs of physiotherapists regarding the possible mechanisms of benefit of exercise for rotator cuff-related shoulder pain (RCRSP). Clinical practice guidelines recommend physiotherapists use exercise as a primary treatment to help people with RCRSP, but the explanations provided to patients by physiotherapists regarding its mechanism of effect is unknown.

MATERIALS AND METHODS
Registered physiotherapists were surveyed about 'how and why' they believe exercise provides a clinical benefit for people with RCRSP. Information was also gathered about commonly used exercise types and preferred diagnostic labels. The survey was designed and reported in concordance with Consensus-Based Checklist for Reporting of Survey Studies guidelines.

RESULTS
Four hundred and eighty physiotherapists from forty-nine countries completed the survey. Psychosocial and biomedical mechanisms of exercise were evenly selected by participants. Improving muscle strength, muscle endurance, pain self-efficacy and reducing kinesiophobia, and fear avoidance beliefs were the most common individual mechanisms thought to underpin exercise therapy for RCRSP. Rotator cuff-related shoulder pain was the most commonly used diagnostic label.

DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSION
Physiotherapists hold beliefs regarding exercise mechanisms that is largely concordant with the current evidence base, which is commendable. Future research should consider the patients perspective and consider testing commonly selected mechanisms of exercise, such as shoulder muscle strength, pain self-efficacy and kinesiophobia as possible mediators of recovery.


Vasculitis has been linked to several processes, like infections, drugs and allergic, rheumatologic and neoplastic diseases. Neoplasm-associated vasculitis described in the medical literature has mostly been reported in association with haemotological neoplasms. Adenocarcinoma of rectum presenting as leucocytoclastic vasculitis is rare. We present a case of a 43-year-old male with paraneoplastic leucocytoclastic vasculitis preceding the manifestation of adenocarcinoma rectum. The vasculitis subsided on resection of the rectal malignancy and the patient did not require steroid therapy thereafter.


The pervasiveness of mass media has become an inevitable side of our daily life; the ubiquity of the latter has allowed an unprecedented influx of information that is not necessarily value free and objective. The news that is present on our devices is full of ideological insinuations and is undoubtedly value laden. News corporations have spread enormously and reached different homes, especially with the advent of technology which permitted an outreach to distant various communities with a simple click. There are daily articles released claiming to have the most breaking and exclusive scoops of news that was not covered. Nevertheless, people find themselves overwhelmed and unable to differentiate between what is authentic and what is not. Not only that, but they ostensibly newspaper claim to have an innocent editorial line that matches worldwide media ethics, the truth is certainly a far cry from what is publicized. Every day, covert ideologies and doctrines are passed through news articles that target specific communities that either tend to vilify it exclude to perpetuate certain clichés and stereotypes about it. So this paper aims to critically analyze an article in the Daily Mail British newspaper which was written on British Muslim minorities, it address the issue of religion in a generalized way using extreme categorization, so as to infiltrate and increase division and animosity in British community. The paper uses a set of critical methods of discourses analysis to uncover hidden and even explicit messages ideologies in the article that. The analysis shows how implicit strategies are utilized to display a binary line between US and THEM. The THEM group is synonymous with extremism, irrationality and oppression against women whereas US is portrayed as a group serving justice and eradicate fanaticism and radicalism.


The advent of the Internet of things (IoT) is changing the way how we interact with the physical world. However, the current Internet suffers from exponential increase in bandwidth demand. In order to resolve the bandwidth issue, we can consider aerial networks by unmanned aerial vehicles (UAV) or the so-called drones for establishing a three-dimensional mobile network in an ad hoc manner. By deploying a network from the sky, we can use the otherwise idle wireless medium and high mobility free from ground obstacles. Aerial networks are especially effective for supporting the temporary surge of population as well as disaster areas because building an additional network infrastructure requires extensive time. In this paper, we propose an efficient handover mechanism for aerial networks in the three-dimensional space, which significantly differs from the conventional two-dimensional schemes. The proposed scheme adjusts the height of a drone and the distance between the drones. To this end, we use the seamless handover success probability and the false handover initiation probability in order to evaluate the optimal coverage decision algorithm. To the best of our knowledge, the proposed scheme is the first attempt for resolving handover of net-drones in the three-dimensional space.


Spin adducts, formally derived from tricyanomethyl radical attachment to α-phenyl-N-tert-butylnitrone (PBN; IUPAC name: N-benzylidene-tert-butylamine N-oxide), have been generated by various methods, such as oxidation of a mixture of tricyanomethanide ion and PBN by tris(4-bromophenyl)aminium ion or bromine, photo-oxidation of a mixture of tricyanomethane and PBN with 2,4,6-tris(4-methoxyphenyl)pyrylium ion as a sensitizer, or photolysis of chlorotricyanomethane and PBN at –30 °C, the low temperature being necessary to avoid fast concurrent cycloaddition with PBN. Both the C- and N-connected spin adducts, (NC)3C-PBN˙ and (NC)2CCN–PBN˙, have been characterized, as has an aminoxyl formed by elimination of hydrogen cyanide from the former species, (NC)2CC(Ph)N(O˙)But. For comparison, similar experiments have been performed using carbamoyldicyanomethanide ion and carbamoylchlorodicyanomethane and the spin adduct H2NCO(CN)2C-PBN˙ has been characterized.The redox properties of tricyanomethanide ion, carbamoyldicyanomethanide ion, chlorotricyanomethane and carbamoylchlorodicyanomethane have been studied by cyclic voltammetry. For chlorotricyanomethane, the redox reactivity has also been evaluated by its propensity to generate radical cations from aromatic substrates ArH in 1,1,1,3,3,3-hexafluoropropan-2-ol. Tricyanomethanide ion has E[(CN)3C˙/(CN)3C–]rev at 1.35 V (vs. Ag/AgCl) in acetonitrile while chlorotricyanomethane with Epc at about 0.6 V and a capability to oxidize compounds with redox potentials up to ca. 1.5 V to radical cations, emerges as belonging to the strongest neutral organic electron acceptors.


The purpose of this article is to analyze the connections of spatial relations and settings with narrative, and the presentation of these relations in Juri Ehlvest's texts. Distinctions are made between textual space (as designation, description, or rhetorical presentation) and fictional space (the space in which narrative action takes place and the site of the denouement of events). Fictional space can be expressed as textual space in one of the four following ways: (a) perceived space (b) experienced space (c) logical space (d) alogical space. The multilayeredness of Ehlvest's texts, their fragmentariness and dislocated reality, entail a complicated reception. In contrast, however, the geographical space represented in the texts is generally quite clear and accessible, with the effect of seeming real and humanly possible. Indeed, specific spatial elements are one of the sources of the verisimilitude and plausibility of Ehlvest's texts. For the most part, the place where ehlvestian narrative plays itself out is a clear topographical environment, usually an interior; the textual representation of spaces is minimalist, avoiding descriptions, and with practically no impression of movement. In addition to representation of places, rooms, houses, and open space using ordinary, direct, (yet very minimalist) means, several more indirect strategies of creating space can be found in Ehlvest's texts. This article calls attention to some characteristic devices from this indirect repertoire, grouping them as follows: things; window and picture; repetition, fragment, and mirror; body and emptiness. Of the four types of textual space mentioned above, the one most characteristic of Ehlvest's stories is experienced space, which could also be described as haptic space of experience. However, due to the fragmentariness and bricolage typical of Ehlvest, there are certainly also plenty of examples of the other types, particularly perceived and alogical space. Many transformations can be noted when comparing Ehlvest's earlier and later texts. First, many earlier images disappear (tree, mill, bridge). Second, the first-person protagonist's bodily experience becomes more important (eating, illness, pain). Third, the borders between consciousness and the world become nebulous, yet the boundary between the protagonist and his environment does not disappear completely. Neither does the text become a meandering between consciousness and the world. Indeed, narrative emphasis shifts to this very boundary, and to the possibility of its erasure. As such, however, the plausibility of the space where action takes place is maintained, much as in Ehlvest's earlier stories.


In this work, a cyber-physical prototyping and testing framework to enable the rapid development of UAVs is conceived and demonstrated. The UAV Development Framework is an extension of the typical iterative engineering design and development process, specifically applied to the rapid development of UAVs. Unlike other development frameworks in the literature, the presented framework allows for iteration throughout the entire development process from design to construction, using a mixture of simulated and real-life testing as well as cross-aircraft development. The framework presented includes low- and high-order methods and tools that can be applied to a broad range of fixed-wing UAVs and can either be combined and executed simultaneously or be executed sequentially. As part of this work, seven novel and enhanced methods and tools were developed that apply to fixed-wing UAVs in the areas of: flight testing, measurement, modeling and emulation, and optimization. A demonstration of the framework to quickly develop an unmanned aircraft for agricultural field surveillance is presented.


The use of molecular self-assembly to fabricate microstructures suitable for advanced material development is described. Templating techniques that transform biomolecular self-assemblies into rugged and stable nano- and microstructures are described. By using a lipid-based microcylinder (tubule) as a paradigm, the path followed from research and development to emerging technological applications is detailed. This process includes modification of the lipid molecular structure, the formation and subsequent characterization of cylindrical microstructures, the use of these structures as templates for metallization, and the characterization and assessment of these hollow metal microcylinders for several potential applications.


Objective To assess the diagnostic value of gadolinium (Gd) contrast administration in MRI follow-up examinations of patients with MS if the T2 lesion load is stable. Methods We included 100 patients with MS with at least 2 cranial MRI follow-up examinations (mean follow-up time 4.0 ± 2.6 years). MRI was performed at 3 Tesla with a standardized protocol including T2-weighted, fluid-attenuated inversion recovery (FLAIR) and T1-weighted contrast-enhanced sequences. Images were analyzed for T2/FLAIR and contrast-enhancing (CE) lesions by 3 independent neuroradiologists. Isolated Gd-enhancing lesions without correlate in T2 and FLAIR images, and reactivated Gd+ lesions were further assessed for size and signal intensity. Results We identified a total of 343 new T2 lesions and 152 CE lesions in a total of 559 MRI follow-up examinations. New T2/FLAIR lesions were present in 30% of the scans. Of the Gd-enhancing lesions, 145/152 (95.4%) showed a correlate as a new T2/FLAIR lesion. There were 3 enhancing lesions (1.9% of all enhancing lesions) without T2/FLAIR correlate and 4 lesions (2.6%) that exhibited lesion reactivation or persistent enhancement over time. As a predictive factor of enhancement, we found that enhancing lesions had a higher T2 signal ratio (T2 SRlesion/normal-appearing white matter: 3.0 ± 0.1 vs 2.2 ± 0.1, p < 0.001). Conclusion The likelihood of missing "active lesions" is overall small (1.7%) if T2 lesions are stable compared with the previous MRI examination. Lesion reactivation is rare. Our study indicates that Gd contrast administration might be dispensable in follow-up MRI of patients with MS if no new T2/FLAIR lesions and no new neurologic symptoms are present.


To the Editor.— The assessment of the area and of the severity of atopic dermatitis is of considerable importance.1Unfortunately, the current scoring systems are rather complicated.1,2Thus, we propose a simple scoring system based on color coding of diseased areas according to their severity on body schemes. The extent of the colored areas is evaluated by point counting. We use the following color coding: green, discret erythema with or without some scaling, no infiltration; blue, erythema with some infiltration, more or less scaling; and red, marked erythema with infiltration, with or without scaling; or lichenification with or without excoriation, with or without superinfection. The area fractions of the colored parts on the schemes (height about 18 cm) are determined by point counting with a grid of parallel lines 2-cm apart (Figure). The number of points on the area to be determined, divided by the total number of


It has long been recognized that there is an association between certain skin diseases and the differing seasons of the year, but in most cases precise relationships are not well known. Temperature, humidity, air movement, atmospheric pressure, sunlight, electrostatic charges, and cosmic radiation may all affect the skin from without or by such endogenous means as an influence on the general circulation or the basal metabolic rate. The influence may be exerted more indirectly through changes induced in micro-organisms, disease vectors, flora and fauna, work activities (fig harvesting, cotton picking), clothing habits, and the heating and ventilation of houses. Seasonally recurring cultural and religious customs (holiday hikes, sunbathing, feasts and fasts) also merit consideration. Although seasonal factors may sometimes be the primary causative agents of a disease they usually only serve to precipitate its onset or modify its development, intrinsic or "host" factors being of greater importance in most cases.


The spatial join operations combine two sets of spatial data by their spatial relationships. They are among the most important, yet most time-consuming operations in spatial databases. We consider the problem of binary polygon intersection joins based on the filter-and-refine strategy. Our objective is to minimize the I/O cost and the response time for the refinement step. First, a graph model is proposed to formalize the refinement cost and matrix-based sequential data partition algorithms are introduced. Then a parallel data partitioning algorithm is developed with a detailed complexity analysis. Based on the data partition results, a distribution algorithm is also proposed for scheduling parallel spatial join processing.


We report of the design of a SAW delay line developed for a wireless pressure sensing system operating in the 434 MHz ISM-band. The structure is a one port configuration fabricated on quartz 37.5/spl deg/rotYX. It is hermetically sealed in all-quartz-package (APQ) technology with the SAW structure being placed on a diaphragm inside the cavity. The sensor allows for the measurement of absolute pressure values in the range from 0 to 8.5 bar. The SAW structure shows a linear phase although it incorporates chirped SAW components for enhancing the sensor sensitivity. The SAW structure is built up of two overlap-weighted dispersive split finger interdigital transducers (IDTs). An improvement of the sensor sensitivity by a factor of 32 compared to systems using non-dispersive SAW components has been achieved.


This paper describes and evaluates an objective measurement that profiles a complex musical signal over time in terms of identification of dynamic content and overall perceived quality. The authors have previously identified a potential correlation between inter-band dynamics and the subjective quality of produced music excerpts. This paper describes the previously presented Inter-Band Relationship (IBR) descriptor and extends this work by conducting more thorough testing of its relationship to perceived punch and clarity over varying time resolutions. A degree of correlation is observed between subjective test scores and the objective IBR descriptor suggesting it could be used as an additional model output variable (MOV) to describe punch and clarity with a piece of music. Limitations have been identified in the measure however and further consideration is required with regards to the choice of threshold adopted based on the range of dynamics detected within the musical extract and the possible inclusion of a gate as utilised in some loudness algorithms.


Abstract The article deals with the narrative of the 'cold' or 'inhumane bureaucracy'. The author argues that one can already observe this narrative during the early bureaucratisation in Germany. He shows that the perception of a 'cold bureaucracy' resulted from conflicts about the legitimacy of administrative practices: The new bureaucratic system clashes with the traditional practices exercised by officials, among them certain gift-giving practices. Those actions were based on a concept of honour, they shaped the emotional practices of the officials. The bureaucratic system reduced the spaces for those emotional practices, because it interdicted traditional practices. Officials argued that this interdiction and the bureaucratic instruments of monitoring and controlling was mistrusting and defamatory to them. Public observers condemned the new administrative system to be 'cold' and 'inhumane'. They demanded more spaces for emotional practices by reallowing traditional actions and re-introducing elements of the old administrative system.


Effective habitat conservation is essential if wild populations of primates are to survive. This revised edition of the African Primate Action Plan (1986) provides a summary review of progress on projects originally recommended and gives recommendations for new projects in areas and on populations not previously included


To improve the permeate flux of ceramic membrane, commercial α-Al2O3 microfiltration membrane of 0.2 μm pore diameter was modified with SnO2 nano grains by in situ synthesis method. The permeate fluxes of the membrane for pure water and treating Fe(OH)2 suspensions were studied mainly in the paper. The results showed that the pure water stable permeate fluxes of unmodified and SnO2 modified microfiltration membranes were 0.61 m3h-1m-2 and 1.87 m3h-1m-2, respectively. When treating 1L 0.01 mol∙L-1 Fe(OH)2 suspensions, the permeate fluxes of SnO2 modified membrane was higher than that of unmodified membrane all the time and the clarified permeate was obtained. The results indicated that in situ synthesis method can be successfully used to modify α-Al2O3 microfiltration membrane with SnO2 nano grains for permeate flux increase, and the microfiltration membrane has excellent treatment effect on Fe(OH)2 suspensions. Furthermore, the enhancement mechanism of permeate flux of SnO2 modification microfiltration membrane was discussed initially.


Privacy is gravely endangered in the digital age, and we, the digital citizens, are its principal threat, willingly surrendering it to avail ourselves of new technology, and granting the government and corporations immense power over us. In this highly original work, Firmin DeBrabander begins with this premise and asks how we can ensure and protect our freedom in the absence of privacy. Can—and should—we rally anew to support this institution? Is privacy so important to political liberty after all? DeBrabander makes the case that privacy is a poor foundation for democracy, that it is a relatively new value that has been rarely enjoyed throughout history—but constantly persecuted—and politically and philosophically suspect. The vitality of the public realm, he argues, is far more significant to the health of our democracy, but is equally endangered—and often overlooked—in the digital age.


This paper provides a legislative and jurisprudential comparative of European and U.S. case Law on humour. Whilst the Europe-U.S. comparison, in the ambit of expression, has been looked at extensively, there has yet to be a focus on the varying ways in which humour is treated in the two spheres.  What will become evident is the intricacy of cultivating just legal tests to be used by the judiciary in deciphering an inherently abstract theme. At the core of these tests at the European level, is a balancing exercise between the right to offend and the right to be free from offence. However, the multitude of available interpretative routes, in addition to the array of differing human responses to humour, renders such tests and their application legally fragile. This reality raises concerns vis-à-vis the fundamental right of freedom of expression and becomes particularly topical within the current digital age and the 'polarizing dynamics of social media.' Godioli (2020:1) The analysis will demonstrate that humour receives much greater protection in the U.S. Framework due to the First Amendment whereas the highest regional human rights court in Europe, namely the European Court of Human Rights is quick to limit humorous speech on grounds of offending others, thereby demonstrating a backsliding of the fundamental freedom of expression, including humorous expression in the region.


In this paper a general solution for the dynamic analysis of plates stiffened by arbitrarily placed parallel beams of arbitrary cross section subjected to an arbitrary dynamic loading is presented. According to the proposed model, the stiffening beams are isolated from the plate by sections in the lower outer surface of the plate, taking into account the arising tractions in all directions at the fictitious interfaces. The aforementioned integrated tractions result in the loading of the beams as well as the additional loading of the plate. Their distribution is established by applying continuity conditions in all directions at the interfaces. The analysis of both the plate and the beams is accomplished on their deformed shape taking into account second-order effects. The method of analysis is based on the capability to establish a flexibility matrix with respect to a set of nodal mass points, while a lumped mass matrix is constructed from the tributary mass areas to these mass points. Both free and forced damped or undamped transverse vibrations are considered and numerical examples with great practical interest are presented. The discrepancy in the obtained eigenfrequencies using the presented analysis (which approximates better the actual response of the platebeams system since it permits the evaluation of the shear forces at the interfaces in both directions) and the corresponding ones ignoring the inplane forces and deformations justify the analysis based on the proposed model.


The work aims to determine thermolysis capacity by losses by sweating using trans epidermal water loss values (TEWL) and by tachypnea. Fifty six Santa Ines ewes were divided in facilities having covered area with a cement floor and fiber cement roof panels (4 m high, 8 x 10 m) and uncovered area with hard dirt floor (15 x 15 m). Thermolysis capacity was evaluated using heat stress challenge in three consecutive days, in which animals stayed under the shade, from 08:00 to 13:00 h, when the first sample was taken (T0: 08:00 h). From 13:00 to 14:00 h, they stayed in sunny place for 1 h, and the second sample was taken (T1: 14:00h). Then, animals went back to the shade, where they stayed for more 45 minutes (14:00–14:45 h), and the third sample was taken (T2: 14:45h). TEWL with a VapoMeter (Delfin, Finland), respiratory rate (RR) by count of movements per minute and rectal temperature (RT) with a digital thermometer were collected in all sampling times. During the heat challenge, air temperature and relative humidity were measured under the shade and in the sun (Table 1). Variance analysis with multiple comparisons of means by Tukey test at 5% was performed. The study was approved by Ethics Committee of USP (12.1.755.74.9). The highest values of TEWL, RR and RT were found shortly after 1 hour of sunshine (P<0.05, Table 2). Despite TEWL and RR decreased after 45 minutes under the shade, RT did not decrease significantly during this period. This can be explained by the lower thermal inertia for body heat loss, with 17.4% decrease in RR and 0.21% in RT. TEWL can be used to evaluate thermolysis capacity of ewes in addition to RR.


A new neurobehavioral experiment was developed to investigate cortical control of reach to grasp tasks for application towards neural prosthetics. An apparatus was designed for the reach to grasp movement, with perturbations to both target location and orientation. In addition, an algorithm was developed to track the subject's gaze location while leaving the head unrestrained. The integration and synchronization of the system for kinematics, gaze, behavior control, and cortical recording were evaluated.


Forest fires constitute an important problem for the environment degradation. In this paper, we propose a Dynamic Fire Risk Index (DFRI) that takes into account different static and dynamic factors of risk for fire occurrence. Variables like insolation hours, vegetation cover, altitude, slope, proximity to main roads, and fire statistics have been used to develop a Static Fire Risk Index (SFRI) using a logistic regression model. Using satellite data to derive water stress of forest, a new dynamic index is defined weighting the static index with the actual value of water stress indicators. This methodology has been previously tested for some fires in the Canary Islands (Spain), and, in this case, we prove its usefulness using both NOAA-AVHRR and Terra-MODIS sensors data. As test sites, two different fires that took place in September 2005 on La Palma Island and August 2007 on Tenerife Island (Canary Islands, Spain) have been considered in order to validate the suitability of these tools for a regional scale application, in an area where multiple microclimates are present mainly due to its steep orography and the trade winds.


This Paper analyses the effect of the introduction of managerial incentives and new human capital on enterprise performance after privatization in the Czech Republic. We find weak evidence for the presence of managerial incentives: only in 1997, three to four years after privatization, does poor performance significantly increase the probability of managerial change. Nevertheless, replacing the managing director in a newly privatized firm improves subsequent performance. This indicates that the privatized firms operate below potential under the incumbent management. We show that the institutional framework matters as well: managerial turnover improves performance only if the management is closely interconnected with the board of directors and thus holds effective executive authority.


Why are death penalty provisions, convictions and executions so prevalent in China? This article aims to answer this question by way of defining China as a 'state power' based society characterized by a socialist social system. The prevalence of the death penalty in China can be explained in terms of the following factors: first, the death penalty is a political issue of state power; second, the death penalty is a crucial part of criminal policy in a 'state power'-based society; third, the issue of whether to retain the death penalty is a political rather than a legal matter. The Chinese government has improved its death penalty system in recent years; however, the situation has not fundamentally changed. The future of death penalty policy and practice in China will depend primarily on legal rather than democratic developments. The death penalty serves as a focal point that can help illuminate issues of punishment and society in East Asia. Accordingly, this article will elaborate my theories regarding the death penalty in contemporary China, with the primary intent of elucidating the relationship between punishment and society in China.


Microglia are emerging as key players in neurodegenerative diseases, such as Alzheimer's disease (AD). Thus far, microglia have rather been known as modulator of neurodegeneration with functions limited to neuroinflammation and release of neurotoxic molecules. However, several recent studies have demonstrated a direct role of microglia in "neuro" degeneration observed in AD by promoting phagocytosis of neuronal, in particular, synaptic structures. While some of the studies address the involvement of the β-amyloid peptides in the process, studies also indicate that this could occur independent of amyloid, further elevating the importance of microglia in AD. Here we review these recent studies and also speculate about the possible cellular mechanisms, and how they could be regulated by risk genes and sleep. Finally, we deliberate on possible avenues for targeting microglia-mediated synapse loss for therapy and prevention. Dual Perspectives Companion Paper: Alzheimer's Disease and Sleep-Wake Disturbances: Amyloid, Astrocytes, and Animal Models by William M. Vanderheyden, Miranda M. Lim, Erik S. Musiek, and Jason R. Gerstner


This PDF shows the interactive presentation and creative 3D thinking workshop given at the interactive learning track at the JISC E-Learning Conference, in 2011. The presentation aimed to contextualise the researcher's journey in practice led research, specialising in 3D technologies, and to talk through and show how these experiences have evolved and been integrated into research and teaching and learning.

This presentation and workshop also shared ideas and experiences and encouraged thinking around being open to co-creation and interdisciplinary collaborative exploration for creative beginners to become more confident in exploring new technologies and new methods for education and in the creative industries.

The interactive Prezi (with video, and links to research papers & projects) is a visual narrative and a research timeline designed for the workshop and for visually sharing the researcher's 3D experiences in FE and HE in the talk; 3D projects, evolving phases of technologies, ideas, methods, tools highlighted themes for the workshop to develop and discuss evolving reflective experiential themes on and around interactive digital and physical learning and practice-led research in art, design & architecture using 3D technologies and virtual environments.


Three new metal–organic frameworks [Co2(bmip)(bdc)2]·2DMF (1), [Cu(bmip)(bdc)]·6H2O (2) and [Zn2(bmip)(bdc)2(H2O)2] (3) have been prepared using a solvothermal process, derived from a flexible N,N′-donor spacer 1,3-bis(2-methylimidazolyl)propane (bmip) and 1,4-benzenedicarboxylic acid (H2bdc) ligands. Whereas compound 1 shows a three-dimensional (3D) framework, exhibiting a pcuα-Po network topology, compound 2 displays a two-dimensional (2D) network structure lying parallel to the plane (1 1 −1) and shows a dia topology. The 2D layers in 2 are further linked by hydrogen bonding that involves water solvate molecules, which in turn results in an infinite 3D hydrogen bonded framework. Compound 3 on the other hand shows a three-dimensional (3D) complicated framework with zigzag chains having a ThSi2 topology. The structural features of 1–3 display diverse variations from 3D, 2D and 3D frameworks, respectively, that are entirely different for each transition metal [Co(II), Cu(II), and Zn(II)] with the same combination of mixed ligands under similar reaction conditions. The physical and chemical properties of 1–3 were investigated by single crystal X-ray diffraction, elemental analysis, FTIR spectroscopy (FTIR), thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) and photoluminescence properties.


Microphase separation in block copolymer systems forms well-defined, periodic structure on the sub-micron length scale. This structure arises from the system striving to satisfy the delicate balance of minimizing the area of contact between incompatible chain segments and maximizing the conformational entropy of the macromolecules. Candidate geometries satisfying these constraints possess intermaterial dividing surfaces (IMDS) of constant mean curvature. These include triply periodic, bicontinuous structures related to minimal surfaces. These structures, recently observed in microphase-separated block copolymer systems, also arise in phase-separated surfactant-water systems, indicating the two phenomena may be driven by similar physical mechanisms. A complete description of block copolymer phase morphology requires characterization of the long-range ordered single grain microdomain structure, the defect structures within grains, and the microstructure of the boundary region between grains. The type of structure observed is sensitive to the architecture, chemical composition, and molecular mass of the copolymers. Thermodynamic treatments using a geometrical description of the IMDS provide a means for probing the physics of phase morphology in block copolymers.


Nationalism, as we know, may express itself through other and varied ideologies: democracy, fascism or communism. This paper analyses the impact of nationalism on communism in Eastern Europe. It argues that the communist idea, by itself, is too narrow, weak and ambiguous to succeed in real life. Left to itself, communism cannot generate a vigorous, effective political system. But, coupled with the simple, encompassing idea of nationalism, comprehensible and convincing to everybody, communism can become an efficacious political force for a while. On the other hand, when nationalism clashes with communism, political tension results that weakens and/or destroys the latter ideology. Nationalism is an abstraction with a specific historical content, derived from specific social conditions. Linked closely with national consciousness and the rise of the Western European nation-state, it is best understood in relation to the developments that produced, and were symbolised by, the French Revolution of 1789. From at least the time of John Locke, many of the educated elite in the West had argued that power lies with the people, not with kings. The corollary of this idea was that loyalty should be to the state, because people are organised in and governed through social unites called 'states'. They further argued that political divisions should by and large coincide with national divisions (Minogue, 1967, p. 12; Shafer, 1984, pp. 1-19; Kohn, 1965; Seton-Watson, 1964). (1) Until the early modem period, a state had often been a conglomerate of several nations living under a common dynastic sovereign. Subjects were obliged to express loyalty to this ruler, not to the state. When one kingdom transferred territory to another, its inhabitants were expected to shift their loyalty from the previous ruler to the new one. The idea of nationalism defied this convention by demanding contiguity of state and nation, and loyalty to the nation-state, not to the dynastic ruler. This discussion uses nationalism in the sense of a political movement or creed which claims that the only natural, desirable political system is one based upon the concept of the nation-state. (2) What is natural is good, and hence worth possessing or struggling for. Therefore, national self-government is a prerequisite of the legitimate state (Kohn, 1967, pp. 3-24). However, the second half of the nineteenth century produced an antithetical current. Communists argued that the division of the world into nations would rapidly disappear once the economic basis of that division was removed under a global communist order. Virtually all nineteenth-century communists, including Karl Marx, shared such beliefs. These were not, in their views, utopian fancies, but arguments based on historical analysis and extrapolation of apparent trends in human nature. Marx, for example, asserted that the proletariat lacked a fatherland. The bourgeoisie might be said to lack one also, because capital has no national identity and capitalists are not concerned about national loyalties although they might exploit national boundaries for pragmatic reasons. For Marx, communism meant abolishing the division of labour and those alienating formations which it had produced: private property, the state, political institutions, money and religion. Bourgeois society was already in the process of destroying these forms. The ultimate proletarian revolution would complete this destruction, The Second International, following Marx's purely theoretical guidelines on nationalism, rejected it entirely with deep contempt. But while Marx, on the theoretical level, opposed the idea of nationalism, he supported some nationalistic movements for tactical reasons. The 1848 revolutions had taught Marx the explosive potential inherent in nationalism. It had originated as a revolutionary political movement to overthrow traditional legitimate governments basing their authority on divine or hereditary right. …


We theorize, building on the knowledge-based view and the theoretical distinction between explicit and tacit knowledge, that knowledge management capability across the supply chain manifests itself in explicit and tacit knowledge, which in turn effectuates supply chain performance. The model is tested with survey data from 195 small- and medium-sized enterprises reporting on their primary supply chain. The results indicate that the supply chain's knowledge management capability manifests itself in both explicit and tacit knowledge, with the latter being influenced more strongly. Moreover, it was found that while both explicit and tacit knowledge influence supply chain performance, the latter exerts a significantly greater impact than the former. Exploratory post-hoc analyses add robustness to these findings and investigate mechanisms inherent to the transformation of tacit into explicit knowledge. Overall, this research contributes to academic theory development in logistics and supply chain management by the dichotomization of knowledge types and the demonstration of their differential magnitude of effects, and to managerial practice by providing important guidance for logistics managers structuring their knowledge management efforts across supply chains.


2 Abstract: The Pulp of Gardenia aqualla fruit was analyzed for nutritional and anti-nutritional composition. The results obtained were moisture content (80.33%), ash (5.00%), crude lipid (1.70%), crude protein (3.85%), crude fibre (trace), available carbohydrate (89.45%) and the energy value (388.50 kcal/100 g). Elemental analyses shows that Sodium is the most abundant element (203.33 mg/100 g) while manganese is th e least (0.2 mg/100 g), Lead was also detected (0.37 mg/100 g). The anti-nutritional parameters analyzed include; Phytate (26.57 mg/100 g), Soluble Oxalate (1.70 mg/100 g), Saponin (1.50 mg/100 g), Nitrate (0.38 mg/100 g) while Hydrocyanic acid content are (1.14 mg/100 g). The antinutrients to nutrients ratio indicate the bioavailability of some important minerals except in the case of (Phytate)(Fe) and (Phytate)(Ca) in the pulp which are found to reach the critical levels and therefore are expected to hinder Iron and Calcium bioavailability in the pulp.


The EU's approach to fake news, as epitomised by the European External Action (EEAS) Service East Stratcom Disinformation Review, violates the rights to freedom of expression and due process of those accused of distributing disinformation. The EU Disinformation Review is a publication of the European External Action Service (the European Union's diplomatic service) to target fake news and online disinformation. Following our request for access to documents, EEAS conceded that the EU Disinformation Review uses an "ad hoc" methodology for conducting its fact-checks, which makes it an outlier in the international fact-checking community led by the International Fact-Checking Network (IFCN). Despite being a well-intentioned initiative to respond to the challenges posed by pro-Kremlin disinformation, the EU should ensure the respect of fundamental rights when engaging in fact-checking.
The EU Disinformation Review seeks to control the right to freedom of expression by labelling publishers as "disinforming outlets" and their content as "disinformation," creating a chilling effect on the work of journalists that is central to democracy. The right to freedom of expression is expressed in Article 11.1 of the Charter of Fundamental Rights of the European Union (2000/C 364/01) and Article 10 of the European Convention on Human Rights. The labelling of publishers as "disinformation outlets" is contrary to principle of the freedom of press established by the European Court of Human Rights: "[a] general requirement for journalists systematically and formally to distance themselves from the content of a quotation that might insult or provoke others or damage their reputation is not reconcilable with the press' role of providing information on current events, opinion and ideas."
In addition, the methodology used by EEAS in the EU Disinformation Review is "ad hoc," which constitutes a violation of the fundamental right to good administration in Article 41 of the European Charter of Fundamental Rights. Specifically, the ad hoc design and operation of the EU Disinformation Review fails to ensure the review acts "impartially, fairly and within a reasonable time."
First, publications are not provided with the right to be heard or proper notice. The EU Disinformation Review's homepage offers an opportunity to contact the Task Force report a suspected mistake in a fact-check but the page is only available in English, in violation of the principle of multilingualism, and no notice if given to outlets accused of being "disinforming outlets" before or after fact-checks of their content are published.
Second, the EEAS does not fulfil its duty to motivate. EEAS is given a broad margin of discretion to identify disinformation, but fails to do so according to a consistent methodology. Therefore, EEAS cannot justify, on the basis of objective criteria, its choice of which content to review and how to determine its truth or falsehood.
To comply with EU law and ensure the respect of fundamental rights, the EEAS should develop and make public (1) a methodology for selecting partnerships and reviewing fact-checks in line with international standards and (2) a notice and response mechanism for journalists, publishers and citizens whose content is being reviewed. If EEAS is unable to comply with the above, the EU Disinformation Review should be shut down.


The total 19 cases of community-acquired bacterial meningitis who were admitted in Department of Medicine, Srinagarind Hospital during December 1983 to November 1988 were reviewed.  Age incidence was ranged from 16 years to 69 years, male to female ratio was 5.3:1.  The majority of them were farmer and lived in Khon Kaen and nearby provinces.  There was no seasonal variation.  The common presenting symptoms were headache (94.7%), fever (89.4%), alteration of consciousness (68.4%) and nausea/vomiting (57.8%).  Meningeal signs were found in 84.2%.  Complete blood count showed leukocytosis and shift to the left.  In almost all of them, cerebrospinal fluid revealed white blood cell more than 1,000 cells/cu.mm. with polymorphoneuclear cell predominated, high protein (100-500 mg./dl.) and low sugar profile.  Gram stain and culture of CSF were positive in 78.9% and 68.4% respectively.  The most common organism was Stretococus pneumoniae.  The symptoms improved after treatment within 1-4 days.  The mortality rate was 36.8%.


There is a clear gap in the understanding of the desorption patterns of metals sorbed on soils and clays, despite their importance in the mobility, transport and fate of metals in natural environments. In this study, we investigated the desorption behavior of Cd, Zn and Pb sorbed on montmorillonite (Mt) and on hydroxyaluminum (HyA)- and hydroxyaluminosilicate (HAS)-Mt complexes. At pH 6.5, 2.5 g L–1 of HyA-Mt and HAS-Mt sorbed almost all of the 10–6 M Cd, Zn or Pb, while Mt under the same condition sorbed ~48, 49 and 55% of the added Cd, Zn and Pb, respectively. Based on pH50 values, the selectivity of metal sorption on Mt was Pb > Zn > Cd, and on the complexes, it was Pb ≫ Zn = Cd. In general, larger fractions of sorbed metals were remobilized from Mt than from the complexes. Again, in comparison with Pb, larger fractions of sorbed Cd and Zn were remobilized from different clays. Reducing the pHs of the equilibrium sorption systems from a fixed point (6.5) to different points (6.0, 5.5, 5.0, 4.5, and 4.0) and from different points (6.5, 6.0, 5.5, 5.0, and 4.5) to a fixed point (4.0) both yielded hysteretic metal desorption patterns. The fractions of Cd and Zn desorbed through Na and Cu exchange from the clays, especially from the complexes, were very different, indicating the existence of cation exchangeable metal sorption sites of weak and strong affinities on the complexes. Based on the EDTA-extractable fractions of Cd and Zn from HAS–Mt and HyA-Mt, it appeared that HyA–metal bonds are stronger than the HAS–metal bonds. Compared with other agents, acetic acid remobilized the highest fractions of all metals irrespective of the type of clays, with a concomitant release of Al or Al + Si. The Pb-HyA/HAS-Mt bonds were, however, still much too strong to be broken substantially by this mechanism. The results accomplished in this study suggest further attention to the fundamental understanding of the mobility, fate, bioavailability and toxicity of the concerned metals in soils and related environments.


Households pay a premium to live in houses assigned to high quality public schools, and the housing market yields information about the demand for public school quality. The current study estimates a two-stage house price hedonic emphasizing the role that private schools play in the willingness to pay for public school quality. The elasticity of house prices with respect to public school quality is 0.15, and 0.04 with respect to private school quality. The price elasticity of demand for public schooling is 1.72, with an income elasticity of 0.31. Public and private schools are substitutes, with a cross-price elasticity of 0.32. A school choice program that reduced private school tuition by 10 percent would reduce the willingness to pay for public school performance by 1.9 percent. The magnitude of the results generally varies markedly between large and small houses, with large houses more responsive to public and private schooling variables.


France has a one of the longest- and best-established employee financial participation system in the world with 3.5 million employee-owners, the largest number of employee-owners of any European country (EFES, 2019). It has also been the first country in 1967 to have compulsory profit-sharing schemes in firms employing 50 or more. The PACTE law (action plan for the growth and transformation of companies) has been promulgated in France in 2019. The PACTE law introduces new measures that support employee financial participation through profit-sharing, gainsharing and employee ownership and, second, employee participation in decision-making through labor representation in corporate governance and social dialogue. First, gainsharing and profit-sharing bonuses are promoted in small businesses by decreasing the social tax. Second, the law introduces developments relating to the representation of employee shareholders and employees, first in corporate governance and, second, in the supervisory boards of company savings funds (CSF). The objective of this paper is to present the new measures of the PACTE law that will affect the development of employee financial participation.


At the onset of the Iron Age, after c. 1200 BC, Iran was a place of major social transformation. After the collapse of the Bronze Age urban civilisations, the land was inhabited mainly by groups of mobile pastoralists that gradually transitioned from tribal organisation into loose federations, before finally developing into the Median and Persian early states (Potts 2014). This transition is still poorly recognised, as settlement sites from this period are scarce and most evidence is from cemeteries that were excavated many decades ago. Here we report results of excavations at a recently discovered cemetery that may provide new insights into the social complexity and cultural affinities of Iron Age nomads in Iran.


This paper extends previous work which provided a theory for the interpretation of and necessity for clue words in a particular kind of discourse - namely, one-way arguments. Previous work described a taxonomy of connective clues (words such as 'hence" or phrases such as "as a result"), where each clue, classified according to the taxonomy, would set in place a default interpretation of its containing propcEtion, with respect to the representation for the argument so far. In this paper, we examine how to c0mbine the restrictions for clues with a basic processor for the discourse, offering a integrated processing algorithm, which takes advantage of clues to reduce processing and to detect incoherent arguments, and can still produce an analysis in the absence of clues. We conclude with some suggestions for incorporating clues of re-direction and clues that signal exceptional transmissions. We also demmstrate the implications of our results for discourse in general.


BACKGROUND: The optimal timing of intervention for aneurysmatic subarachnoid hemorrhage is one of the historically controversial issues in neurosurgery. Although numerous studies investigated the subject, they had many limitations due to the nature of the disease. Early and ultra-early interventions have gained more and more supporters in recent decades. Nevertheless, the effects of the early and ultra-early intervention on the outcome of the disease are far from clarity. METHODS: A single-center retrospective cohort study was carried out at Trakya University Medical Faculty Training and Practice Hospital. The study includes data on all patients admitted with an aneurysmal subarachnoid hemorrhage between January 1, 2001, and December 31, 2005. Patients were divided into two groups according to their WFNS grade status: Good (I–III) or poor (IV–V) grades. Patients are also classified according to their Glasgow Outcome Scale score: Unfavorable (1–2) or favorable (3–5) outcomes. Data were analyzed statistically, and the effects of the early and ultra-early intervention on the outcome were assessed. RESULTS: A total of 580 patients were admitted in the study period. Among them, 494 were eligible for the study. The median age (interquartile range) was 55 (18) years. While 244 (49.4%) patients were women, 250 (50.6%) patients were men. Three hundred and fourteen (63.6%) patients were operated, and 25 patients (5.1%) were undergone endovascular treatment. The ultra-early intervention was achieved in 60 (12.1%) patients and 142 patients (28.7%, including the previous ultra-early intervention group) early intervention was achieved. A meaningful outcome difference was present between the poor-grade ultra-early treatment group and the rest (p=0.007). Analogously, a meaningful outcome difference was present between the poor-grade early treatment group and the rest (p<0.001). CONCLUSION: This study supports the growing trend toward early or ultra-early intervention in aneurysmatic subarachnoid hemorrhage. Our findings showed that both early and ultra-early interventions have positive effects on the outcome in poor-grade aneurysmatic subarachnoid hemorrhage patients. Future studies with more homogenized and larger samples should be realized to clarify the optimal timing of intervention for aneurysmatic subarachnoid hemorrhage.


Abstract The effective management of work and non-work demands can have a significant effect on workers' health and performance. The last decade especially has seen an explosion of work-life balance research, resulting in substantial theoretical and practical advances. However, the published literature on organizational interventions to improve work-life balance is extremely sparse. In this paper, we provide some prominent examples of empirical research concerning work-life balance organizational interventions and note that these fall into three main groups: initiatives addressing working time and/or working hours, collaborative action research focused on improving workplace equity and performance levels, and initiatives to embed work-life balance within organizational cultures. We also comment on some common difficulties faced by researchers in evaluating interventions. The specific examples presented here illustrate challenges to research on the effectiveness of work-life balance interventions. We encourage researchers to reconsider the use of merely descriptive rather than more rigorous research designs and to investigate the long-term effectiveness of organizational strategies to enhance work-life balance.


Background Myocardial perfusion imaging using radionuclides is a well-validated, noninvasive method to aid in the diagnosis of patients with suspected or known myocardial ischemia. To increase the sensitivity of the technique, pharmacologic agents which induce coronary vasodilatation are administered. Regadenoson is a novel selective A2A receptor agonist that has similar efficacy to adenosine for cardiac magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) with a more favorable adverse effect profile and is the most widely used pharmacologic stress agent. While widely used in adults, there is limited experience with it in pediatrics, particularly young children. Methods The current study retrospectively reviews our experience with stress cardiac MRI using regadenoson in children requiring general anesthesia. The study cohort included eight patients, all male, ranging in age from 2 to 6.2 years (mean age of 4.2 years) and in weight from 10 to 30.5 kg (mean weight of 18.5 kg). All patients received general anesthesia with endotracheal intubation and a volatile anesthetic agent. Results Heart rate 1 min prior to regadenoson was 99 ± 19.2 (mean ± standard deviation (SD)) beats per minute. Peak heart rate was achieved at an average of 4 min post regadenoson administration with a mean heart rate of 122 ± 15 beats per minute. The average of the mean arterial pressure 1 min prior to regadenoson was 53.4 ± 5.2 mm Hg. Mean arterial pressure nadir was noted at 6 min post regadenoson with a value of 44.1 ± 6.3 mm Hg. Blood pressure support with phenylephrine was required in four of the eight (50%) of patients. No adverse respiratory events were noted. Only one of the eight (13%) patients had a perfusion defect but had preserved ventricular function and recovered without incident. Conclusions Use of regadenoson in pediatric patients requiring general anesthesia is safe and feasible.


The acquired protection of three groups of turbot that had survived enteromyxosis outbreaks was tested by challenging with E. scophthalmi in three different experiments. The relation of such a response with the kinetics and duration of antibody production (determined by an ELISA) was studied. The progression of the infection was evaluated by PCR. In experiments 1 and 2, in which turbot had cohabited with highly infected fish during outbreaks, parasite prevalence and mortality were very low or null, and there was a progressive and statistically significant increase in the mean antibody production up to 350 and 152 days post‐exposure respectively. By contrast, in experiment 3, fish (coming from non‐infected tanks during the initial outbreak), both infection prevalence and cumulative mortality reached 92.8%, and specific antibodies were detected only in two fish. The observed differences in mortality after challenge appear to be related to the production of specific antibodies and it is probably accompanied by a repertoire of mechanisms of innate immunity. The exploitation of the immune system through breeding selection programmes as a possible strategy to control the disease is discussed.


Abstract:  The nervous system takes part in skin homeostasis and interacts with skin cells. In in vitro organotypic skin models, these interactions are lost owing to the absence of nerve endings. We have developed an in vitro organotypic skin model based on a re‐innervated human skin explant using primary sensory neurons from the dorsal root ganglia of rats. After 10 days of co‐culture between skin explant and neurons, a dense network of nerve fibres was observed. The epidermis and dermis presented nerve fibres associated with cellular body from sensory neurons introduced in the co‐culture. Epidermal thickness, cell density and quality of re‐innervated skin explant were all higher when skin explants were re‐innervated by sensory neurons at 10 days of culture. Proliferation of epidermal cell was not modified, but the apoptosis was significantly diminished. Hence, this innovative model of co‐cultured skin explants and neurons allows better epidermal integrity and could be useful for studies concerning interactions between the skin and its peripheral nervous system.


PURPOSE
Because toxicities associated with chemotherapy and radiotherapy can adversely affect short- and long-term patient quality of life, can limit the dose and duration of treatment, and may be life-threatening, specific agents designed to ameliorate or eliminate certain chemotherapy and radiotherapy toxicities have been developed. Variability in interpretation of the available data pertaining to the efficacy of the three United States Food and Drug Administration-approved agents that have potential chemotherapy- and radiotherapy-protectant activity-dexrazoxane, mesna, and amifostine-and questions about the role of these protectant agents in cancer care led to concern about the appropriate use of these agents. The American Society of Clinical Oncology sought to establish evidence-based, clinical practice guidelines for the use of dexrazoxane, mesna, and amifostine in patients who are not enrolled on clinical treatment trials.

METHODS
A multidisciplinary Expert Panel reviewed the clinical data regarding the activity of dexrazoxane, mesna, and amifostine. A computerized literature search was performed using MEDLINE. In addition to reports collected by individual Panel members, all articles published in the English-speaking literature from June 1997 through December 1998 were collected for review by the Panel chairpersons, and appropriate articles were distributed to the entire Panel for review. Guidelines for use, levels of evidence, and grades of recommendation were reviewed and approved by the Panel. Outcomes considered in evaluating the benefit of a chemotherapy- or radiotherapy-protectant agent included amelioration of short- and long-term chemotherapy- or radiotherapy-related toxicities, risk of tumor protection by the agent, toxicity of the protectant agent itself, quality of life, and economic impact. To the extent that these data were available, the Panel placed the greatest value on lesser toxicity that did not carry a concomitant risk of tumor protection.

RESULTS AND CONCLUSION
Mesna: (1) Mesna, dosed as detailed in these guidelines, is recommended to decrease the incidence of standard-dose ifosfamide-associated urothelial toxicity. (2) There is insufficient evidence on which to base a guideline for the use of mesna to prevent urothelial toxicity with ifosfamide doses that exceed 2.5 g/m(2)/d. (3) Either mesna or forced saline diuresis is recommended to decrease the incidence of urothelial toxicity associated with high-dose cyclophosphamide use in the stem-cell transplantation setting. Dexrazoxane: (1) The use of dexrazoxane is not routinely recommended for patients with metastatic breast cancer who receive initial doxorubicin-based chemotherapy. (2) The use of dexrazoxane may be considered for patients with metastatic breast cancer who have received a cumulative dosage of 300 mg/m(2) or greater of doxorubicin in the metastatic setting and who may benefit from continued doxorubicin-containing therapy. (3) The use of dexrazoxane in the adjuvant setting is not recommended outside of a clinical trial. (4) The use of dexrazoxane can be considered in adult patients who have received more than 300 mg/m(2) of doxorubicin-based therapy for tumors other than breast cancer, although caution should be used in settings in which doxorubicin-based therapy has been shown to improve survival because of concerns of tumor protection by dexrazoxane. (5) There is insufficient evidence to make a guideline for the use of dexrazoxane in the treatment of pediatric malignancies, with epirubicin-based regimens, or with high-dose anthracycline-containing regimens. Similarly, there is insufficient evidence on which to base a guideline for the use of dexrazoxane in patients with cardiac risk factors or underlying cardiac disease. (6) Patients receiving dexrazoxane should continue to be monitored for cardiac toxicity. Amifostine: (1) Amifostine may be considered for the reduction of nephrotoxicity in patients receiving cisplatin-based chemoth


A preliminary inquiry, conducted on Martinique Island, sought to determine kite-surfers' sun-protection knowledge and behaviours. Results revealed good levels of knowledge and behaviours, but very frequent sunburns (74% had at least one sunburn during the last 6 months), with particularly severe sunburns exclusively among vacationers. These results argue for the double need to focus sunburn-prevention programs on vacationers and technically adapt sun-protection means to a tropical maritime environment.


SUMMARY Schistosome infections in humans are characterized by the development of chronic disease and high re-infection rates after treatment due to the slow development of immunity. It appears that anti-schistosome antibodies are at least partially mediating protective mechanisms. Efforts to develop a vaccine based on immunization with surface-exposed or secreted larval or worm proteins are ongoing. Schistosomes also express a large number of glycans as part of their glycoprotein and glycolipid repertoire, and antibody responses to those glycans are mounted by the infected host. This observation raises the question if glycans might also form novel vaccine targets for immune intervention in schistosomiasis. This review summarizes current knowledge of antibody responses and immunity in experimental and natural infections with Schistosoma, the expression profiles of schistosome glycans (the glycome), and antibody responses to individual antigenic glycan motifs. Future directions to study anti-glycan responses in schistosomiasis in more detail in order to address more precisely the possible role of glycans in antibody-mediated immunity are discussed.


A versatile palladium-catalyzed double carbonylation of aryl bromides has been developed. Using Pd(OAc)2/BuPAd2 as the catalyst system and DBU as the base, under relatively low CO pressure, various α-ketoamides were produced in good yields. In order to get insight into the reaction pathway, real time NMR studies were performed as well and a correlated reaction mechanism is been given.

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A theory for laser-assisted resonant x-ray Raman scattering (RXS) is presented. The conditions for nonlinearity due to strong x-ray fields but without a laser field are first investigated, followed by studies of the consqeunces for the RXS cross section of having a weak x-ray field but strong laser fields resonant with different levels involved in the x-ray scattering. These levels are either connected with excitations of the ground state, with excitations between core excited states, or between unoccupied final states. When the final states are discrete, the RXS line is split by the applied laser field; when they are continuous the laser field induces autoionizationlike resonances in the RXS spectrum.


Delay budgeting is a process of determining upper bounds for net delays to guide timing-driven placement. The existing approaches deal de facto only with combinational circuits. However, incorporating retiming into delay budgeting introduces more freedom to optimize sequential circuits. In this paper, we propose an approach for budgeting sequential circuits. We propose a new linear programming formulation for timing-aware sequential budgeting, which guarantees that the clock period constraints are met. We demonstrate the usefulness of our approach in the context of field-programmable gate arrays placement flow. We have performed two experiments. The first experiment compares sequential budgeting with traditional budgeting and retiming. The results show that the new placement flow reduces budget violations by 16% and improves timing by 9%. In the second experiment, we demonstrate methods of interconnect length prediction that are useful to estimate delay and to decide net weighting in sequential budgeting. We compare net delay predictions using traditional delay budgeting, the Donath's method, and mutual contraction. The results from this experiment show that sequential budgeting, using the new net weighting and predicted delays, can improve circuit speeds on average by 12.29%, compared to traditional timing-driven placement. The new net weighting method also performs better than a uniform weighting method.


The screening for bioactive principles from several Chinese medicinal herbs showed that the essential oil of Cymbopogon distans aerial parts possessed strong repellency against the booklouse, Liposcelis bostrychophila , and the red flour beetle, Tribolium castaneum . A total of 36 components of the essential oil were identified by GC and GC-MS. trans-Geraniol (16.54%), (R)-citronellal (15.44%), (+)-citronellol (11.51%), and α-elemol (9.06%) were the main components of the essential oil followed by β-eudesmol (5.71%) and (+)-limonene (5.05%). From the essential oil, four monoterpenes were isolated by bioassay-guided fractionation. The compounds were identified as limonene, citronellol, citronellal, and trans-geraniol. Geraniol and citronellol were strongly repellent against the booklouse, L. bostrychophila, whereas citronellal and limonene exhibited weak repellency against the booklouse. Geraniol and citronellol exhibited comparable repellency against the booklouse relative to the positive control, DEET. Moreover, geraniol and citronellol exhibited stronger repellency against the red flour beetle than DEET, whereas the two other compounds showed the same level of repellency against the red flour beetle compared with DEET.


This paper looks at the construction cost and commercial management system comparisons in UK and China. Cost and commercial management processes and practices in different parts of the world vary significantly. UK-China cooperation agreements foster greater economic cooperation and professional mobility. Therefore, UK Cost and Commercial Management (CCM) Systems are mapped against Chinese Engineering Cost (EC) Systems to promote better understanding through this research. The research was conducted in three phases: detailed literature review of both systems, review of the professional bodies in both countries - Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors (RICS) and China Engineering Cost Association (CECA) and business comparisons through questionnaire survey and case studies. Main focus of the paper will be survey findings. In addition to that professional body comparison will also be presented briefly. Findings indicate that EC service profile looks significantly different from cost management profile of the UK firms. In terms of usage of tools and documents, both countries have some common as well as distinct set of tools and documents. Both the UK firms and Chinese firms agreed that internationalisation is challenging for construction business though internationalisation can increase profit margin. Further, BIM is identified as most relevant trend in both the countries while internationalism, e-business, green buildings and carbon estimating are considered to be less significant trends.


Innovation incubators are entities of the infrastructure network of support of small and medium-sized enterprises. At the stage of SMEs' maximum vulnerability, they improve the survival of innovative businesses through the range of services and facilities provided. They are designed to mitigate the problems faced by SMEs, which develop and implement innovations, ensuring sustainability and competitiveness. Along with promoting the entrepreneurial spirit, innovation incubators play an essential role in promoting knowledge and innovation transfer, introduction of the research results into economic circuit, creating links between businesses, universities, research institutions, etc., links between people, talents and resources. In this article, we will focus on innovation incubators, their role in the development of SMEs in the world and in the Republic of Moldova, making an accent in the creation and development of the country's first Innovation Incubator "Inovatorul".


The Periodic Event Scheduling Problem (PESP) is the standard mathematical tool for optimizing periodic timetabling problems in public transport. A solution to PESP consists of three parts: a periodic timetable, a periodic tension, and integer periodic offset values. While the space of periodic tension has received much attention in the past, we explore geometric properties of the other two components, establishing novel connections between periodic timetabling and discrete geometry. Firstly, we study the space of feasible periodic timetables, and decompose it into polytropes, i.e., polytopes that are convex both classically and in the sense of tropical geometry. We then study this decomposition and use it to outline a new heuristic for PESP, based on the tropical neighbourhood of the polytropes. Secondly, we recognize that the space of fractional cycle offsets is in fact a zonotope. We relate its zonotopal tilings back to the hyperrectangle of fractional periodic tensions and to the tropical neighbourhood of the periodic timetable space. To conclude we also use this new understanding to give tight lower bounds on the minimum width of an integral cycle basis.


The Basin of the river Tocantins-Araguaia is the natural habitat of the Cichla piquiti species, however, currently it meets widely distributed in dams of the river Paraná especially in the Minas Gerais and São Paulo states. In these subject to flooding plain ecosystems, the trophic ecology of the communities of fish is influenced by some factors that can be modified by the dams, promoting great alterations in the biological interactions inside of environments. Therefore, the study of the alimentary specter of tucunaré Cichla piquiti, congregated to the knowledge gotten concerning the reproductive aspects of the population structure can contribute to evaluate the current condition of the species in the environment and, still, to provide information that can be used in the handling of other native species. The Cachoeira Dourada reservoir is located in the South America, central region of Brazil, whose geographic coordinates are 18°30' 11.47" S, 49°29' 18.78" and 18°34' 5.27" S, 49°19' 52.07". The collections had been carried through during 1 year, with aid of batteries of nets of wait which meshes that vary of 1,5 the 10,0 cm between adjacent us. Of the units they had been gotten total length, standard length, and all up weight. The stomachs had been weighed, fixed in formaldehyde 4% and the stomacal content was analyzed in stereo microscope, having written down itself it frequency of occurrence of the different item. The present work evidenced that it does not have natural predators and competitors in the environment and that the species have long reproductive period, with size of first maturation (L50) reduced in relation to other species of the sort. Successful establishments in environments with raised antropic influence, where the ecological relations had been reduced drastically, would have to cause modifications in the composition of all the local community. Nonetheless, in the reservoir made study, this appears to be a degree of slowing of the functions of this species with other native carnivorous fish, which could be supported by the wide variety, of foraging fish in the reservoir.


Barley yellow dwarf viruses (BYDVs) continue to cause losses in California cereal production. In some parts of the USA, native grasses have been implicated as reservoirs of BYDVs. This study examines the potential of native and irrigated pasture grasses as sources of BYDV inoculum in California. The effects of both natural and natural plus supplemented inoculum were examined in field trials over two growing seasons using a completely randomized design. Results were assessed by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) and verified with controlled greenhouse vector transmission trials. Thirty-seven of 56 species of coll-season grasses were infected by either PAV, MAV, or RPV isolates of the BYDVs. Of the BYDV-infected grasses, only 38% displayed symptoms typically seen in infected oat (Avena sativa L.) and barley Hordeum vulgare L.), while the others were asymptomatic. None of the plants from seven species of Leymus, nor plants from the majority of Elymus and Elytrigia species, had detectable BYDV infections, even though they supported aphid vector populations. A survey of common grasses from irrigated pastures showed that plants from 6 of 10 species were infected by either the PAV, MAV, or RPV isolates of BYDVs. The incidence of MAV, PAV, and RPV BYDVs were roughly equivalent for the cool-season grasses, but were highly skewed toward PAV in the irrigated pasture survey. Both cool-season and irrigated warm-season pasturegrasses have the potential to serve as BYDV reservoirs in California


Growing recognition of the central importance of fostering an in-depth understanding of natural selection has, surprisingly, failed to stimulate work on the development and rigorous evaluation of instruments that measure knowledge of it. We used three different methodological tools, the Conceptual Inventory of Natural Selection (CINS), a modified version of Bishop and Anderson's (Bishop and Anderson [1990] Journal of Research in Science Teaching 27: 415–427) open-response test that we call the Open Response Instrument (ORI), and an oral interview derived from both instruments, to measure biology majors' understanding of and alternative conceptions about natural selection. We explored how these instruments differentially inform science educators about the knowledge and alternative conceptions their students harbor. Overall, both the CINS and ORI provided excellent replacements for the time-consuming process of oral interviews and produced comparable measures of key concept diversity and, to a lesser extent, key concept frequency. In contrast, the ORI and CINS produced significantly different measures of both alternative conception diversity and frequency, with the ORI results completely concordant with oral interview results. Our study indicated that revisions of both the CINS and ORI are necessary because of numerous instrument items characterized by low discriminability, high and/or overlapping difficulty, and mismatches with the sample. While our results revealed that both instruments are valid and generally reliable measures of knowledge and alternative conceptions about natural selection, a test combining particular components of both instruments—a modified version of the CINS to test for key concepts, and a modified version of the ORI to assess student alternative conceptions—should be used until a more approprite instrument is developed and rigorously evaluated. © 2008 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Res Sci Teach 45: 1131–1160, 2008


Aim: This study aims to determinate Quality of life, from the perspective of nurses and Afghan Migrant children in Turkey.
Material and Methods: This study used method includes quantitative and qualitative nurses' diary. The research was conducted with Afghan children aged 14-18 (n=254) and 20 nurse practitioners. Socio-demographic questionnaire and Short Form Health Survey (SF-36) were utilized as a quantitative data. Qualitative data collected by nursing diary to explain the quality of life of migrant children.
Results: Socio-demographic data collected the study for 218 houses as 1.841 Afghans and study samples. SF-36 mean scores were 72.80±1.45 in the physical functioning, 71.80±1.27 social functioning, 78.46±2.36 in the physical problems, 82.28±2.13 in the emotional problems, 67.10±0.84 mental health, 56.34±0.97 in the energy and vitality, 70.62±1.39 in the bodily pain and 56.25±0.87 in the general perception of health. As a result of observing the selves and Afghans population, and reflecting on them by diaries, the nurse practitioners have raised plenty of concerns about their condition of life and faced with many cultural difficulties.
Conclusion: This study has provided evidence Afghan migrants have a low quality of life which was affected by cultural and social resources.


We discuss the mathematical modelling of cellular signal transduction, that is the mechanism of molecular signalling impinging on biological cells. We propose the first model taking into account for the active transport of molecules along microtubules [3]. The crossing of cellular membranes is modelled by the law of mass transfer through semipermeable membranes. The full cellular model results into a system of coupled semi-linear parabolic and hyperbolic PDEs in a multi-compartment setting whose analysis is quite challenging both from the analytical and numerical view point. We propose and analyse a generalisation of the Interior-Penalty Discontinuous Galerkin (IPDG) method for tackling the problem numerically [1, 2]. The IPDG method appears to be a natural candidate for the solution of mass trans- fer problems both due to its good stability properties in the discretisation of the purely advective equation modelling active transport of molecules along microtubules and due to the ease of discretisation of the membranes model. We shall present numerical results based on real data parameters confirming the experimental evidence that active transport can enhance the signalling mechanism [4]. Joint work with R. Natalini, E. H. Georgoulis, and M. Jensen. [1]  A. Cangiani, E. H. Georgoulis, and M. Jensen. Discontinuous Galerkin methods for convection-diffusion problems modelling mass transfer through semipermeable membranes. Proceedings of the Congress on Numerical Methods in Engineering, Coimbra, 2011. [2]  A. Cangiani, E. H. Georgoulis, and M. Jensen. Discontinuous Galerkin Methods for Mass Transfer through Semi-Permeable Membranes. SIAM J. on Numerical Analysis, 51(5):2911–2934, 2013. [3]  A. Cangiani, R. Natalini. A spatial model of cellular molecular trafficking including active transport along microtubules. Journal of Theoretical Biology, 267, 614–625, 2010. [4]  D. M. Roth, G. W. Moseley, D. Glover, C. W. Pouton, and D. A. Jans. A microtubule-facilitated nuclear import pathway for cancer regulatory proteins. Traffic, 8:673–686(14), June 2007.


The research was conducted to determine: (1) the value of the investment and appropriate management, (2) get the price of the room rental Convention Center and get a long time the most optimal cooperation with (3) investors Makassar City Convention Center construction using collaboration systems Build Operate Transfer (BOT). The results of this study were (1) Convention Center construction project requires investment of Rp 58.026 billion. Assuming a rate of 10% per year, it acquired the investment period of 13 years 9 months. Convention Center construction project is declared eligible to run. It can be seen from the value of NPV > 0 is Rp 4.490 billion, the value of IRR exceeds the expected interest rate is 11.58%, Break Even Point Convention Center rental business happened in year 8 over 2 months, precisely in 2021, ( 2) the optimal rental fee for each hour is Rp 6.5 million, (3) time of development cooperation with the investor Makassar Convention Center using a system of cooperation Build Operate Transfer (BOT). Based on a DPP, then the values obtained Discounted Payback Period (DPP) from businesses Convention Center is 13 years and 9 months faster than the 15-year investment period. Kata kunci: Convention Center, kelayakan, Build Operate Transfer


Interactive audio-visual (AV) applications such as free viewpoint video (FVV) aim to enable unrestricted spatio-temporal navigation within multiple camera environments. Current virtual viewpoint view synthesis solutions for FVV are either purely image-based implying large information redundancy; or involve reconstructing complex 3D models of the scene. In this paper we present a new multiple image view synthesis algorithm that only requires camera parameters and disparity maps. The multi-view synthesis (MVS) approach can be used in any multi-camera environment and is scalable as virtual views can be created given 1 to N of the available video inputs, providing a means to gracefully handle scenarios where camera inputs decrease or increase over time. The algorithm identifies and selects only the best quality surface areas from available reference images, thereby reducing perceptual errors in virtual view reconstruction. Experimental results are presented and verified using both objective (PSNR) and subjective comparisons.


(JIUI PubIisIrId.) 40Cetllllllt. POIlpaId. HOUGHTON MIPFIJN COMPANY BOSTON NEW YORK CHICAGO AN IDEAL COURSE iN PHYSIOLOGY AND HYGIENE FOR' ELEMENTARY SCHOOLS THE WOODS HUTCHINSON HEALTH SERIES THE PIONEER BOYS OF THE bHIO; OR. CLEARING THE' WII;DER~ESS. }ly Harrison Adams. author of. ~'The .Pioneer Boys of the Grut Lakes,': etc. Illustrated and decorated by Charles Levingseon Bull..Bo.stOn: 'L. C. ',Page &: Co. 12mo. Decorated cloth. 331 pp. .Price. $1.25. This is another interesting -volume of .the Young Pioneer series by Mr. Adams. Camping out, adventttre'f with the Indians, canoeing, with the varieties of life and possibilities of adventure belonging.to .such situations. are all portrayed' in this volume. It will undoubtedl)' prove another popular book for boy" among the large' number already published by the same enterprising firm. •••••••


We review photonic and optoelectronic applications of carbon nanotube (CNT) and graphene to such as light emitting, nonlinear, photovoltaic, modulating, and transparently conducting devices. We also present our works on application to short-pulse fiber lasers.


Chromite is an important strategic mineral usually associated with other gangue minerals, mainly silicates. The selective flotation of chromite minerals of any chromite ore have some difficulties due to dissolved cations from gangue minerals. By this work, selective flotation of various chromite ores were studied to determine some of the features of flotation. Different chromite ores from South Africa were made flotation using the anionic collector, A825 (petroleum sulfonate), after conditioning with H2SO4 at low pH values in the range of 1 and 3. Chromite was separated as concentrate from the gangue successfully by using anionic collector at low pH values. Higher recovery ratios and higher separation index values were obtained at lower pH values. Longer conditioning time has positive effect on the recovery ratio of chromite in the concentrates and of silica in the tailings.


Problem Area/ Purpose The purpose of this research is to study how geographically scattered employees learn and create new knowledge with the help of wiki tool in distributed software development process. We aim to analyze how wiki supports four modes of knowledge conversion process model and how wiki helps in solving the complex problem in virtual organization learning. Research Methodology In this research qualitative interview study was used. We have conducted the interview with eight developers and experts in the company. Nonaka and Takeuchi (1995) knowledge conversion model was used while conducting the interview with developers. Similarly, in this research same knowledge conversion model was used for interpreting the answers that we got from the developers and experts. Findings/Conclusion Wiki as a knowledge management tool is possible for providing effective as well as efficient communication as per necessity of knowledge requirement in distributed software organization. The use of wiki in the organization for the virtual learning is really beneficial for knowledge creation, solving the complex problem and obtaining the useful effect on virtual team. Some drawbacks were also seen by the expert and developers in using wiki. Those drawbacks were all about genuineness, authenticity, accuracy, trustworthy and uniqueness of knowledge content. Research Limitation & Delimitations Due to geographically dispersed location of research sites, we faced difficulty to gather information related to company documents, reports and contextual information of organization. We conducted this research in the offices of Pakistan and office in USA. Outcomes The research that we have conducted showed that the developers in Software Company can share knowledge and also can learn through different modes of knowledge conversion model. This research also showed that developers are using the wiki tool for creating new knowledge as well as solving complex problem. This research helps in showing the benefit for other company and motivates the virtual organizations for implementing the use of wiki for different purposes.


In distributed systems, learning does not necessarily involve the participation of agents directly in the inductive process itself. Instead, many systems frequently employ multiple instances of induction separately. In this paper, we develop and evaluate a new approach for learning in distributed systems that tightly integrates processes of induction between agents, based on inductive logic programming techniques. The paper's main contribution is the integration of an epistemic approach to reasoning about knowledge with inverse entailment during induction. The new approach facilitates a systematic approach to the sharing of knowledge and invention of predicates only when required. We illustrate the approach using the well-known path planning problem and compare results empirically to (multiple instances of) single agent-based induction over varying distributions of data. Given a chosen path planning algorithm, our algorithm enables agents to combine their local knowledge in an effective way to avoid central control while significantly reducing communication costs.


The increasingly serious problem of substance abuse in the workplace is reviewed. There are new initiatives to deal with this major public health problem in the United States. The various drug-testing methodologies and procedures are outlined, and the value, accuracy, and impact of drug testing are discussed. The development of drug-testing programs sensitive to the medical, legal, and work-related issues raised by substance abuse in the workplace are reviewed. The concerns of industry regarding alcohol and drug abuse in the workplace relate to health and safety, accidents, absenteeism, and medical and insurance costs. Employers have rights and responsibilities in ensuring a safe work environment. Specific suggestions for employers concerned with the drug problem in industry are discussed.


To map changes in the time structure of blood pressure as a
function of age, we analyze 7-day/24-hour records obtained by
ambulatory blood pressure monitoring. From January 2000 to June
2011, 297 records were obtained (78 from women and 219 from
men). Subjects were 20 to 84 years of age. They resided in
Brno, Czech Republic, and were mostly clinically healthy at the
time of monitoring. All but 23 records covered a week. Data
from the 274 complete records were analyzed by least squares
spectrum in the frequency range from 1 cycle per week to 12
cycles per day. Population-mean cosinor spectra were obtained
to assess the infradian-to-circadian (frequencies of 1 to 7
cycles per week) and circadian-to-ultradian (frequencies
between 1 and 7 cycles per day) spectral domains. With
increasing age, the circadian amplitude of blood pressure was
reduced and the circadian acrophase of blood pressure was
advanced. There was also a transposition of the variance from
the circadian to both the infradian and ultradian domains.
These results are in keeping with a previous investigation of a
less homogeneous population. They provide further evidence for
the need to refine reference standards by accounting for
changes with age in circadian (and other) rhythm
characteristics.


Plasmonic nanostructures can be employed for performing photocatalytic reactions with visible-light illumination involving two different possible mechanisms, namely, the near-field enhancement and/or direct hot-electron transfer to the conduction band of an active catalyst. In this study, we demonstrate the significant contribution of a graphene interface layer present between plasmonic nanoparticles and active catalysts (Pd nanodots) in enhancing the photocatalytic efficiency of Pd nanodots through an accelerated electron transfer process. The well-defined Pd-nanodot-modified gold nanoparticles with or without a graphene interface layer were prepared using a wet-chemical synthetic method. The role of the graphene interface was investigated by performing wavelength-dependent reduction studies using potassium hexacyanoferrate (III) in the presence of Pd-nanodot-modified cysteamine-modified AuNPs (Pd-cys-AuNPs), Pd-nanodot-modified graphene oxide (GO)-coated AuNPs (Pd-GO-AuNPs), and Pd-nanodot-modified reduced GO (rGO)-coated AuNPs (Pd-rGO-AuNPs). The fastest rate for the reduction of Fe3+ to Fe2+ was obtained with Pd-rGO-AuNPs because of the fast electron transfer achieved in the presence of the reduced graphene oxide layer. The highest catalytic activity for the visible-light induced C-C coupling reaction was obtained with Pd-rGO-AuNPs, indicating the role of the graphene interface layer. These results indicate that the design and use of engineered interfaces are of importance to achieve enhanced catalytic activity with plasmonic hybrid nanomaterials.


In the present study, a method based on sulfuric acid dehydration of sugar was developed to synthesis a precursor material, which can yield B4C/ TiB2 composites at much lower temperatures compared to traditional carbothermal methods. The precursor material for pure B4C and B4C / TiB2 composites were heat treated at 1650oC under Ar and Ar+H2 atmosphere. Then the samples were characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD) and crystallized B4C and B4C / TiB2 composites can be obtained at 1650oC


Glaciers within the Amundsen Sea Embayment (ASE) are rapidly retreating and so contributing »10% of current global sea level rise, primarily through basal melting. Here the focus is atmospheric features that influence the mass balance of these glaciers and their representation in atmospheric models.
New radiosondes and surface-based observations show that global reanalysis products contain relatively large biases in the vicinity of Pine Island Glacier (PIG), e.g. near-surface temperatures 1.8 ±C (ERA-I) to 6.8 ±C (MERRA) lower than observed. The reanalyses all underestimate wind speed during orographically-forced strong wind events and struggle to reproduce low-level jets. These biases would contribute to errors in surface heat fluxes and thus the simulated supply of ocean heat leading to PIG melting.
Ten new ice cores show that there is no significant trend in accumulation on PIG between 1979 and 2013. RACMO2.3 and four global reanalysis products broadly reproduce the observed time series and the lack of any significant trend. The zonal pressure gradient between the Amundsen Sea and the Antarctic Peninsula is the main driver of variability in accumulation on PIG.
Finally, the meteorological conditions associated with high heat flux events within coastal polynyas in the ASE are investigated. In three case studies high resolution simulations produce turbulent heat fluxes that are 10-20% (up to 100 W mi2) larger than those in coarse resolution simulations. Representation of a hydraulic jump at the base of a slope is the key driver of the increased heat fluxes in a polynya close to PIG, with its presence leading to large differences in surface fluxes in the simulations.
Overall it is shown that moving towards using higher resolution atmospheric products will both reduce the magnitude of coastal biases near PIG in reanalysis products, and allow complex orographic flows, important to coastal polynya processes, to be more adequately resolved.


Longitudinal studies of cognition are preferred to cross-sectional stud- ies, since they offer a direct assessment of age-related cognitive change (within-person change). Statistical methods for analyzing age-related change are widely available. There are, however, a number of challenges accompanying such analyzes, including cohort differences, ceiling- and floor effects, and attrition. These difficulties challenge the analyst and puts stringent requirements on the statistical method being used.The objective of Paper I is to develop a classifying method to study discrepancies in age-related cognitive change. The method needs to take into account the complex issues accompanying studies of cognitive aging, and specifically work out issues related to attrition. In a second step, we aim to identify predictors explaining stability or decline in cognitive performance in relation to demographic, life-style, health-related, and genetic factors.In the second paper, which is a continuation of Paper I, we investigate brain characteristics, structural and functional, that differ between suc- cessful aging elderly and elderly with an average cognitive performance over 15-20 years.In Paper III we develop a Bayesian model to estimate the causal effect of living arrangement (living alone versus living with someone) on cog- nitive decline. The model must balance confounding variables between the two living arrangement groups as well as account for non-ignorable attrition. This is achieved by combining propensity score matching with a pattern mixture model for longitudinal data.In paper IV, the objective is to adapt and implement available impu- tation methods to longitudinal fMRI data, where some subjects are lost to follow-up. We apply these missing data methods to a real dataset, and evaluate these methods in a simulation study.


ABSTRACT This paper reviews the process of institutionalization in industrial design through an analysis of the Endüstriyel Tasarımcılar Meslek Kuruluşu [Industrial Designers Society of Turkey] (ETMK) since its establishment in 1988. From 1994 onwards, the ETMK has been the leading institution in promoting industrial design through the organization of design exhibitions, design awards and support of design competitions. Using the ETMK's documentation and insights from the author as the ETMK President, this paper analyses the policies and strategies adopted or generated by the industrial design community when organizing events and developing opinions on design-related issues brought by external stakeholders. The paper concludes by identifying the strategies and policies of the ETMK in its institutionalization process and suggesting new strategies for further developments in the near future.