In plain eloquence, the woman who married Oskar Schindler tells the true story of their life together, what they did to save the Jews in their factories, and what led to "Schindler's list." It soon became clear that her marriage would have both its passions and its betrayals. Yet Emilie stayed with Oskar through his growing involvement with the Nazis, working for counterintelligence with him. She first, then he later, came to realize the costs of the Nazi takeover and became witnesses to its terrors. Their inward allegiance changed even as they needed to maintain patriotic appearances and close affiliations with the Nazis in power. Through their work together at their two factories, saving the Jews became paramount for the Schindlers. Emilie nursed the Jewish factory workers when they fell ill, often saving their lives. She risked imprisonment or worse for her activities in the black market to feed them. Her stubbornness kept her fighting for food, even daring to ask a wealthy mill owner to give them grain to feed her starving workers. Where Light and Shadow Meet chronicles the Schindlers' flight after the war, the loss of almost all their possessions, and their eventual emigration to Argentina. There they settled on a farm, but barely scraped together an existence. Oskar returned to Germany, leaving Emilie to manage on her own. This is the story of one woman's daily acts of bravery during Hitler's reign and why it mattered. It is also the story of a marriage and of survival. Finally, it is the story of Emilie's strength in continuing on one day at a time.


The article investigates the history, doctrine, organisation and the annual ritual circle of the Terāpanth Śvetāmbara Jains. It analyses for the first time the relationship between a particular Jain monastic order and its lay following, together forming a 'four-fold' Jain sub-sect. Śvetāmbara Mendicants are organised in form of independent monastic orders. In aniconic Jain sects such as the Terāpanth the mendicants are the sole focus of the religious life of the laity. Image-veneration and temples which furnish an alternative organisational focus in the Mūrtipūjaka and Digambara traditions are rejected, as is the concept of religious property in general. The regional and supra-regional networks of Jain mendicants and laity are coordinated through the annual intinerary (vihāra) of the mendicants whose varying pattern is determined by the ācārya, the leader of the monastic order. At the annual assembly of the Terāpanth mendicants, the maryādā mahotsava, this is done in response to a process of competitive invitations by local Terāpanth lay communities. Based on both textual sources and fieldwork, the article describes in detail the strict Terāpanth distinction between religious (lokottara) and social (laukika) values, informing the vihāra and concepts and practices of gift-giving, compassion, merit and wellbeing which are quite distinct from competing Sthānakavāsī, Mūrtipūjaka and Digambara Jaina traditions. The case of the Terāpanth demonstrates that the theory of two levels of Jain values, 'liberation and wellbeing' defining an ambiguous intermediary 'socio-religious' realm, is not a universally accepted doctrine within the Jain tradition. The investigation of the relationship between religion and economics in the Terāpanth community further shows that socio-religious and economic status do not necessarily overlap. Social status can only be converted into economic credit in the context of monopoly markets.

The empirical findings are discussed with reference to the theory of communicative action providing an alternative analytical framework to both Neo-Kantian theories of value and Foucaultian theories of power currently dominating the academic discourse on contemporary Jainism.


Introducing heterogeneous households to a New Keynesian small open economy model amplifies the real income channel of exchange rates: the rise in import prices from a depreciation lowers households' real incomes, and leads them to cut back on spending. When the sum of import and export elasticities is one, this channel is offset by a larger Keynesian multiplier, heterogeneity is irrelevant, and expenditure switching drives the output response. With plausibly lower short-term elasticities, however, the real income channel dominates, and depreciation can be contractionary for output. This weakens monetary transmission and creates a dilemma for policymakers facing capital outflows. Delayed import price pass-through weakens the real income channel, while heterogeneous consumption baskets can strengthen it.


: Can international transitional administrations (ITAs) ever be morally justified, although they clearly constitute a form of foreign rule? The article addresses this question by relating it to the idea of a natural duty of justice. It thus can show that under certain conditions it is indeed morally justified to establish an ITA. At the same time, such an approach also highlights the limits of legitimate external interference, i.e. the distinction be-tween morally required help and unjustifiable paternalism. As shown in the last part of the article, this distinction is of particular relevance for the task of evaluating the current practice of international transitional administrations.


3D virtual humans and physical human-like robots can be used to interact with people in a remote location in order to increase the feeling of presence. In a telepresence setup, their behaviors are driven by real participants. We envision that in the absence of the real users, when they have to leave or they do not want to do a repetitive task, the control of the robots can be handed to an artificial intelligence component to sustain the ongoing interaction. At the point when human-mediated interaction is required again, control can be returned to the real users. One of the main challenges in telepresence research is the adaptation of 3D position and orientation of the remote participants to the actual physical environment to have appropriate eye contact and gesture awareness in a group conversation. In case the human behind the robot and/or virtual human leaves, multi-party interaction should be handed to an artificial intelligence component. In this paper, we discuss the challenges in autonomous multi-party interaction among virtual characters, human-like robots, and real participants, and describe a prototype system to study these challenges.


The practices of collaborating composers and performers have been receiving increasing attention within academic discourse. Such collaborations are often presented from two complementary perspectives: pre-compositional joint invention and post-compositional negotiations in the realisation of a score and its notation. This article attempts to bridge the gap between the two perspectives through a discussion on the emergence of 'voice' that pervades the artistic practice, and binds the pre- and post-compositional phases together. Two compositions by David Gorton, written in collaboration with guitar player Stefan Östersjö, will be examined: Forlorn Hope for 11-string alto guitar and optional live electronics and Austerity Measures I for 10-string guitar. Both pieces are the result of an extended pre-composition experimental phase, and both pieces attempt to recreate something of those experiments in the contexts of their performance, establishing the conditions for the emergence of a 'discursive voice' of both composer and performer.


Background For over a decade, the importance of zinc in the treatment of acute and persistent diarrhea has been recognized. In spite of recently published reviews, there remain several unanswered questions about the role of zinc supplementation in childhood diarrhea in the developing countries. Our study aimed to assess the therapeutic benefits of zinc supplementation in the treatment of acute or persistent diarrhea in children, and to examine the causes of any heterogeneity of response to zinc supplementation. Methods and Findings EMBASE®, MEDLINE ® and CINAHL® databases were searched for published reviews and meta-analyses on the use of zinc supplementation for the prevention and treatment of childhood diarrhea. Additional RCTs published following the meta-analyses were also sought. The reviews and published RCTs were qualitatively mapped followed by updated random-effects meta-analyses, subgroup meta-analyses and meta-regression to quantify and characterize the role of zinc supplementation with diarrhea-related outcomes. We found that although there was evidence to support the use of zinc to treat diarrhea in children, there was significant unexplained heterogeneity across the studies for the effect of zinc supplementation in reducing important diarrhea outcomes. Zinc supplementation reduced the mean duration of diarrhea by 19.7% but had no effect on stool frequency or stool output, and increased the risk of vomiting. Our subgroup meta-analyses and meta-regression showed that age, stunting, breast-feeding and baseline zinc levels could not explain the heterogeneity associated with differential reduction in the mean diarrheal duration. However, the baseline zinc levels may not be representative of the existing zinc deficiency state. Conclusions Understanding the predictors of zinc efficacy including the role of diarrheal disease etiology on the response to zinc would help to identify the populations most likely to benefit from supplementation. To improve the programmatic use of zinc, further evaluations of the zinc salts used, the dose, the frequency and duration of supplementation, and its acceptability are required. The significant heterogeneity of responses to zinc suggests the need to revisit the strategy of universal zinc supplementation in the treatment children with acute diarrhea in developing countries.


We describe how the pretraining algorithm for Deep Boltzmann Machines (DBMs) is related to the pretraining algorithm for Deep Belief Networks and we show that under certain conditions, the pretraining procedure improves the variational lower bound of a two-hidden-layer DBM. Based on this analysis, we develop a different method of pretraining DBMs that distributes the modelling work more evenly over the hidden layers. Our results on the MNIST and NORB datasets demonstrate that the new pretraining algorithm allows us to learn better generative models.


To enable the Hobby-Eberly Telescope Dark Energy Experiment, The University of Texas at Austin Center for Electromechanics and McDonald Observatory developed a precision tracker and control system – an 18,000 kg robot to position a 3,100 kg payload within 10 microns of a desired dynamic track. Performance requirements to meet science needs and safety requirements that emerged from detailed Failure Modes and Effects Analysis resulted in a system of 13 precision controlled actuators and 100 additional analog and digital devices (primarily sensors and safety limit switches). Due to this complexity, demanding accuracy requirements, and stringent safety requirements, two independent control systems were developed. First, a versatile and easily configurable centralized control system that links with modeling and simulation tools during the hardware and software design process was deemed essential for normal operation including motion control. A second, parallel, control system, the Hardware Fault Controller (HFC) provides independent monitoring and fault control through a dedicated microcontroller to force a safe, controlled shutdown of the entire system in the event a fault is detected. Motion controls were developed in a Matlab-Simulink simulation environment, and coupled with dSPACE controller hardware. The dSPACE real-time operating system collects sensor information; motor commands are transmitted over a PROFIBUS network to servo amplifiers and drive motor status is received over the same network. To interface the dSPACE controller directly to absolute Heidenhain sensors with EnDat 2.2 protocol, a custom communication board was developed. This paper covers details of operational control software, the HFC, algorithms, tuning, debugging, testing, and lessons learned.


The precise mechanism by which heterotrimeric guanine nucleotide-binding protein (G protein)-coupled receptors translate a ligand-binding event that occurs in the extracellular part of the receptor in order to activate a G protein docked on the cytoplasmic portion of the receptor remains poorly understood. Lecat et al. used fluorescence resonance energy transfer (FRET) to monitor binding of neurokinin A tagged with the fluorophore Texas Red to the NK2 neurokinin receptors tagged with green fluorescent protein. They measured ligand binding and two biological effects of receptor activation--an increase in the concentration of intracellular free calcium and increased synthesis of cAMP (adenosine 3',5'-monophosphate). These measurements were made for both the wild-type receptor and a mutant receptor with two point mutations in the extracellular domain. These mutations were previously suggested to decrease the apparent affinity of neurokinin for the receptor, and it was thus suggested that the altered amino acids were critical for ligand binding. Lecat et al. report that although the wild-type receptor activates both calcium and cAMP signals, the mutant receptor can only enhance calcium signals. This result supports the hypothesis that the receptor has at least three states, an inactive one, an active one in which it stimulates calcium signals, and a second active state (which the mutant receptor cannot occupy) that enhances cAMP signals. The authors interpret their measurements and modeling to indicate that the mutations actually do not alter the affinity of the receptor for neurokinin, but rather inhibit the transitions of the receptor from the inactive to active states. The maximal FRET signal observed with the mutant receptor was less than that measured for the wild-type receptor, which may mean that the distance between the donor and acceptor fluorophores is greater when the receptor can no longer achieve the activated state in which it promotes synthesis of cAMP. S. Lecat, B. Bucher, Y. Mely, J.-L. Galzi, Mutations in the extracellular amino-terminal domain of the NK2 neurokinin receptor abolish cAMP signaling but preserve intracellular calcium responses. J. Biol. Chem. 277, 42034-42048 (2002). [Abstract] [Full Text]


The invasive Burmese python is a large constrictor snake that is now well established in south Florida. This invasive predator could have major detrimental impacts to native wildlife populations and is a perceived threat to human health and safety. Finding and removing this elusive predator in vast Everglades habitats of wet sawgrass prairies with interspersed hardwood hammocks poses many challenges for biologists and land managers in south Florida, and no single solution is likely to prevail. In ongoing research, we are exploring opportunities to improve detection of this cryptic species using such diverse approaches as environmental DNA, trained detector dogs, and thermal infrared imagery. In this paper we update the status of these efforts. Other research, using captive pythons in outdoor pens at our facility in Gainesville, has resulted in the development of a newly-patented live trap that is specific to large snakes. We are currently testing and evaluating techniques to complement this new trap design for effective python removal in concert with improved detection tools.


We present a new perspective on the Synthetic Control (SC) method as a weighted least squares regression estimator with time fixed effects and unit weights. This perspective suggests a generalization with two way (both unit and time) fixed effects, and both unit and time weights, which can be interpreted as a unit and time weighted version of the standard Difference In Differences (DID) estimator. We find that this new Synthetic Difference In Differences (SDID) estimator has attractive properties compared to the SC and DID estimators. Formally we show that our approach has double robustness properties: the SDID estimator is consistent under a wide variety of weighting schemes given a well-specified fixed effects model, and SDID is consistent with appropriately penalized SC weights when the basic fixed effects model is misspecified and instead the true data generating process involves a more general low-rank structure (e.g., a latent factor model). We also present results that justify standard inference based on weighted DID regression. Further generalizations include unit and time weighted factor models.


The ocean contains a variety of renewable energy resources, little of which has been exploited. Here, we review both tidal range and tidal stream energy, with a focus on the resource, feedbacks, and environmental interactions. The review covers a wide range of timescales of relevance to tidal energy, from fortnightly (spring-neap) and semi-diurnal variability, down to array, and device-scale turbulence. When simulating the regional tidal energy resource, and to assess environmental impacts, it is necessary to account for feedbacks between the tidal array and the resource itself. We critically review various methods for simulating energy extraction, from insights gained through theoretical studies of "tidal fences" in idealized channels, to realistic three-dimensional model studies with complex geometry and arrays of turbines represented by momentum sinks and additional turbulence due to the presence of rotors and support structures. We discuss how variability can be reduced by developing multiple (aggregated) sites with a consideration of the enhanced phase diversity offered by exploiting less energetic tidal currents. This leads to future research questions that have not yet been explored in depth at first-generation tidal sites in relatively shel-tered channels (e.g., the interaction of waves with currents). Such enhanced understanding of real sea conditions, including the effects of wind and waves, leads to our other identified primary future research direction—reduced uncertainties in turbulence predictions, including the development of realistic models that simulate the interaction between ambient turbulence and the turbulence resulting from multiple wakes, and changes to system-wide hydrodynamics, water quality, and sedimentation.


A celebrated result in social choice is May's Theorem (1952), providing the foundation for majority rule. May's crucial assumption of symmetry, often thought of as a procedural equity requirement, is violated by many choice procedures that grant voters identical roles. We show that a modification of May's symmetry assumption allows for a far richer set of rules that still treat voters equally, but have minimal winning coalitions comprising a vanishing fraction of the population. We conclude that procedural fairness can coexist with the empowerment of a small minority of individuals. Methodologically, we introduce techniques from discrete mathematics and illustrate their usefulness for the analysis of social choice questions.


Enterprises within the experience-based economy face big challenges when investing in IS applications for their products and services. Especially, organizations and services that offer different kinds of attractions and experiences have realized the emergent use of mobile technology. In this paper we explore in what way an IS (information systems) design can enhance experience-based activities conducted at a Swedish regional museum. The research presents an in-depth analysis of a case study along with requirements and design activities for a location-aware, auditory museum guide, primarily aimed for people with visual and language disabilities was developed. We argue that in order to keep in pace with the on-going growth of experience-based and IS design initiatives, enterprises and designer must consider its value for their businesses. Thus, we have developed a three-level strategy for valuing enhancements of a proposed IS application. The strategy proved to be particular fruitful for both designers and managers when assessing the potential of various enhancements to generate values for the different target groups.


By now it has been accepted that most of the small asteroids in the Solar System are granular aggregates kept together by gravitational and possibly, cohesive forces. These aggregates can form, deform and disrupt over millennia subjected to different internal and external factors that would ultimately determine how they evolve over time. Parameters such as porosity, cohesive and tensile strength, angles of friction, particle size distributions, stress states, heterogeneity and yield criteria among others, determine how these granular systems will react when subjected to different, changing, external factors. These external factors include solar photon momentum, gravitational tides, micro- and macro-impacts and are believed to have produced and shaped the current asteroid population. In our research we use a combination of Soil Mechanics theory, Soft-Sphere Discrete Element Method (SSDEM) Simulations and Orbital Mechanics in order to understand how simulated, homogeneous and heterogeneous, ellipsoidal and spherical gravitational aggregates, a crude but useful representation of an asteroid, evolve when rotated to the point of disruption. Then, we compare our results to the shapes of observed asteroids as well as to the disruption patterns of a few active asteroids. Our results lead us to believe that the different shapes of observed asteroids as well as their unique disruption patterns could give us clues about their internal structure, strength and geophysical properties in general.


Abstract—Geopolymer mortar is produced by alkaline activation of pozzolanic materials such as fly ground granulated blast-furnace slag (GGBFS) and fly ash (FA). Its unique reaction pathway facilitates rapid strength development in comparison with hydration of ordinary Portland cement (OPC). Geopolymer can be fabricated using various types and dosages of alkali-activator, which effectively gives a wider control over the performance of the final product. The present study investigates the effect of types of precursors and curing conditions on the fresh state and strength development characteristics of geopolymers, thereby comparatively exploring the effect of precursors from various sources of origin. The obtained result showed that the setting time and strength development of the specimens with the identical mix proportion but different precursors displayed significant variations.


At times a domain is sufficiently tractable that the situations arising within its bounds give rise to structured knowledge in the form of rules, principles, and guidelines. Even in such domains, however, the initial knowledge base usually consists of examples. For a decision maker, the formulation of effective behaviors depends on a judicious mix of principles as well as cases of deduction as well as induction. Learning and discovery are central features of creative problem wiving. To the extent that software can automatically detect known regularities in a knowledge base or through experience, it may be viewed as a learning system. And where the identified patterns were previously unknown to the user, the system may be regarded as engaging in discovery. A number of critical issues relating to creativity are discussed, as well as methodologies for their incorporation into software. The encapsulation of adaptive capabilities in software should elucidate the nature of human learning and creative behavior. In addition, the embodiment of such abilities in software will result in intelligent systems which can be used to enhance human decision making, or even automate certain tasks requiring creativity. For the sake of concreteness, much of the discussion is conducted in the context of creative problem solving in engineering design and control strategy.


A free-flowing stream can offer several ecosystem services. Fish are one of these, and are an important
resource for society, both as a food source and as a biological indicator of the water quality,
which gives knowledge of the overall health of the stream. The lotic environment in fresh water
streams is an important habitat for many fish species.
The standard way to catch fish in lotic environments is electrofishing, which in most cases is performed
by two persons wading in shallow, hard-bottom parts of the stream with clear water. If the
water is deeper an electrofishing boat may be used, but it may be hard to find launching spots for the
rather big boat, making it impossible to reach some parts of the river.
The Nordic multi-mesh Stream Survey Net (NSSN) is a gill net that is designed to catch fish in lotic
environments. The net follows the same idea as Norden nets, with varying mesh size in 12 panels.
It works in streaming and still standing waters with a depth of 0.5 meters or more and is deployed on
the bottom, parallel with the stream.
This study tries to evaluate the efficiency of the NSSN. The survey was performed in
Hedstrommen in Sweden during three weeks in July 2015 and was conducted in five sites. The fish
community was sampled with the novel Nordic multi-mesh Stream Survey Net. In all, 2,702 fish
were caught from 12 different species. To determine the efficiency of the net the CVM-value was
calculated for species richness, proportion of individuals and biomass in each location. The data was
also compiled to species accumulation curves and compared to data from electrofishing conducted in
the same locations.
The result in this study shows that the NSSN works well and can be used as a supplementary sampling
method when surveying a lotic environment with electrofishing.


This study designed to optimize the operating parameters of the Fenton process in removing acetic acid from food processing using Response Surface Methodology module in the Design of Expert for sustainable water reuse. Optimum operating conditions needed for the highest removal efficiency of 95.2% and 84.7% for color and chemical oxygen demand respectively were found to be at hydrogen peroxide concentration of 0.004 mol/L, ferrous iron concentration of 0.02 mol/L, initial pH of 3.45, and reaction time of 149.08 min for color. While, chemical oxygen demand had a maximum of around 84.7% removal efficiency that could be obtained at a hydrogen peroxide concentration of 0.014 mol/L, ferrous iron concentration of 0.051 mol/L, initial pH of 2.04, and reaction time of 144.58 min. The results showed that the Fenton process via Response Surface Methodology, at a certain level, may be used as a useful technology for preand post-treatment of wastewater from food processing for water scarcity as reclaimed water.


A phosphatidic acid combined with inositol found in biomembranes and a precursor to certain cellular signals. Sometimes referred to as inositide. It is a very important minor phospholipid in eukaryotes, involved in signal transduction processes. Contains myo inositol linked through the 1 hydroxyl group to phosphatidic acid. T he 4 phosphate (PIP) and 4, 5 bisphosphate derivatives PIP2) are formed and broken down in membranes by the action of specific kinases and phosphatases (futile cycles). Signal sensitive phospholipase C enzymes remove the inositol moiety, in particular from 1,4,5 trisphosphate (PIP2) as inositol 1,4,5 triphosphate (Ins P3: IP3). Both the diacyl glycerol and products act as second messengers. Qeios · Definition, February 7, 2020


Recent advancements in describing morphological development of perennial grasses have provided a useful index for identifying dates to harvest hay or graze pasture. The objective of this study was to determine the relationship between big bluestem (Andropogon gerardii Vitman) morphological developmental stage, days from 1 May, and accumulated growing degree days (GDD) and leaf/stem ratio, crude protein (CP), and neutral detergent fiber (NDF) in grazed and nongrazed swards. The grazing experiment was conducted in eastern Nebraska during 1997 and 1998. Six grazing treatments consisting of all combinations of two herbage allowances (22 or 66 kg of herbage dry matter per animal unit day) and three grazing dates (late May, early June, and mid-June) were randomly assigned to seven paddocks (900 m 2 ) in each of four blocks along with a nongrazed control treatment. Random samples consisting of 50 or more tillers were hand-clipped weekly at ground level in each paddock beginning in late May and ending in early August. Morphological developmental stage of the samples were determined, and a mean morphological stage based on shoot count [mean stage count (MSC)] was calculated. Samples were hand-separated to determine leaf/stem ratio and analyzed for CP and NDF. Regression analysis showed that good relationships were found between MSC (R 2 = 0.61-0.81), days from 1 May (R 2 = 0.45-0.76), and GDD (R 2 = 0.44-0.74) and leaf/stem ratio in nongrazed big bluestem and high herbage allowance swards. All three were adequate predictors of nutritive value and leafiness, but MSC may be more useful to researchers who want a more descriptive measure of plant morphological development, particularly when comparing cultivars or species.


In this paper hydrodynamic and kinetic approaches to model low-pressure capacitively coupled complex radio-frequency discharges are discussed and applied to discharges under micro-gravity. Complex plasmas contain dust grains with a large negative charge and are characterized by a strong coupling between the properties of the plasma and those of the dust grains. After a discussion of the physics and methods involved, examples are presented from modelling of experiments under micro-gravity in the PKE-Nefedov reactor on board the International Space Station. These discharges are simulated with a 2D cylindrically symmetric hydrodynamic model. Kinetic effects are studied with a 1D particle-in-cell plus Monte Carlo model in which capture and scattering by dust grains is included. Since experiments are often performed at low pressures, the electron energy distribution function is no longer determined by the local plasma properties. This has consequences for the charging of the dust. Results of simulations with this model are compared with the hydrodynamic results. In addition, we address the behaviour of the dust charge in decaying plasmas.


228 x 176 mm. A view showing a group, sitting in two rows in front of the verandah of Government House at Suva. All the men were Government 'Rokotui' (Roko = local officers in charge of a district, Tui = king or sovereign). All the men were high chiefs in their own right. 1-6 left to right, front row: 1. Not known; 2. Katonivere, Rokotui Machuata; 3. Not known, Rokotui Ra; 4. Ratu Epeli Nailatikau, Rokotui Tailevu (eldest son of Seru Cakobau); 5. Marica Toroka, Rokotui Lomaiviti; 6. Not known. 7-13 left to right, back row: 7. Not known; 8. Ratu Peni, Rokotui Naitasiri; 9. Not known; 10. Ratu Luke Nakulanikoro, Rokotui Nadroga; 11. Ratu Timoci, Rokotui Rewa (and, by Fijian title, Rokotui Dreketi); 12. Ratu Timoci Tavanavanua, Rokotui ? (son of Seru Cakobau); 13. Ro Matanitobua, Rokotui Namosi.


Survival studies were conducted on Legionella pneumophila cells that had been grown intracellulary in Acanthamoeba polyphaga and then exposed to polyhexamethylene biguanide (PHMB), benzisothiazolone (BIT), 5-chloro-N-methylisothiazolone (CMIT) and tetradecyltrimethyl ammonium bromide (TTAB). Susceptibilities were also determined for L.pneumophila grown under nutrient sufficient and iron-, nitrogen- and phosphate-depleted conditions, in a chemically defined medium. BIT was relatively ineffective against cells grown under iron-depletion; in contrast iron-depleted conditions increased the susceptibilities of cells to PHMB, TTAB and CMIT. Cells grown under phosphate-depletion showed a marked increase in sensitivity towards all the biocides. Conversely, the activities of all four biocides were greatly reduced against L.pneumophila grown in amoebae. To study the physiological basis for the increased resistance of intra-amoebal grown legionella, the surface properties of the cells were examined by studying outer membrane proteins (OMs), lipopolysaccharides and cellular fatty acids. Intra-amoebal grown legionella were found to differ in several respects compared to cells grown in vitro; they contained a novel 15-kDal OM protein and a monosaturated straight-chain fatty acid (18:19). These compounds were also found in abundant quantities in the host amoeba. Intra-amoebal grown legionella contained more LPS bands than did in vitro grown organisms and were less susceptible to protease K digestion. Cells grown under phosphate depletion were markedly sensitive to protease K digestion and contained lower levels of LPS. Immunoblot analysis of intra-amoebal grown legionella with anti-acanthamoebal serum revealed that both the surface of the bacteria and sarkosyl extracted OMs contained amoebal proteins. These findings suggest that the 15-kDal OM protein is likely to be of amoebal origin and binds tightly to the OM of the bacterium. It is proposed that disruption of amoebal membranes, as a result of intra-amoebal infection liberates macromolecules, including a 15-kDal polypeptide, a major constituent of the membrane, which associates closely with the surface of the legionellae. Thus L.pneumophila which have extraneous membrane material bound to their surface may respond differently to biocide inactivation, as these macromolecules may act as a penetration barrier to such agents. This phenomenon could contribute to the recalcitrance of legionellae in water systems.


The average age of the active nursing force in the United States is approaching 50 years (U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, 2010). Nurses are retiring at a rapid rate; 55% of respondents to one survey indicated a plan to retire in the next seven years (Sverdlik, 2012). Of the survey participants, 13% held an administrative or management position and 44% were aged 55 years or older (Sverdlik, 2012). The age demographic of active oncology nurses mirrors that of the national nursing force. Of the 33,323 active members of the Oncology Nursing Society who indicated an age range on their membership application, 15,735 (47%) self-identified as aged 50 years or older (see Figure 1). At a time when many are planning for retirement, their respective employers are scrambling to fill open positions. With no clear vision or plan in place, many healthcare organizations will struggle to meet the ongoing needs of communities they serve. The challenge is to develop programs that identify, develop, motivate, and transition younger nurses to available positions.


BACKGROUND
Cysteinyl leukotrienes (CYSLTR) are potent biological mediators in the pathophysiology of asthma for which two receptors have been characterized, CYSLTR1 and CYSLTR2. The leukotriene modifying agents currently used to control bronchoconstriction and inflammation in asthmatic patients are CYSLTR1-specific leukotriene receptor antagonists. In this report, we investigated a possible role for therapeutic modulation of CYSLTR2 in asthma by investigating genetic association with asthma and further characterization of the pharmacology of a coding polymorphism.

METHODS
The association of CYSLTR2 polymorphisms with asthma was assessed by transmission disequilibrium test in two family-based collections (359 families from Denmark and Minnesota, USA and 384 families from the Genetics of Asthma International Network).

RESULTS
A significant association of the coding polymorphism, 601A>G, with asthma was observed (P = 0.003). We replicated these findings in a collection of 384 families from the Genetics of Asthma International Network (P = 0.04). The G allele is significantly under-transmitted to asthmatics, indicating a possible role for this receptor in resistance to asthma. The potency of cysteinyl leukotrienes at the wild-type CYSLTR2 and the coding polymorphism 601A>G were assessed using a calcium mobilization assay. The potency of LTC4 and LTE4 was similar for both forms of the receptor and LTB4 was inactive, however, LTD4 was approximately five-fold less potent on 601A>G compared to wild-type CYSLTR2.

CONCLUSIONS
Since 601A>G alters the potency of LTD4 and this variant allele may be associated with resistance to asthma, it is possible that modulation of the CYSLTR2 may be useful in asthma pharmacotherapy.


Background: The inflammasome generates IL-1 family proteins, but its role in neutrophils is poorly understood. Results: Neutrophils store key inflammasome components in distinct intracellular compartments and release IL-1β and IL-18, but not IL-1α or IL-33. Conclusion: Neutrophils store inflammasome components in intracellular compartments. Significance: Targeting the inflammasome in neutrophils represents a future anti-inflammatory strategy. Neutrophils represent the major fraction of circulating immune cells and are rapidly recruited to sites of infection and inflammation. The inflammasome is a multiprotein complex that regulates the generation of IL-1 family proteins. The precise subcellular localization and functionality of the inflammasome in human neutrophils are poorly defined. Here we demonstrate that highly purified human neutrophils express key components of the NOD-like receptor family, pyrin domain containing 3 (NLRP3), and absent in melanoma 2 (AIM2) inflammasomes, particularly apoptosis-associated speck-like protein containing a CARD (ASC), AIM2, and caspase-1. Subcellular fractionation and microscopic analyses further showed that inflammasome components were localized in the cytoplasm and also noncanonically in secretory vesicle and tertiary granule compartments. Whereas IL-1β and IL-18 were expressed at the mRNA level and released as protein, highly purified neutrophils neither expressed nor released IL-1α at baseline or upon stimulation. Upon inflammasome activation, highly purified neutrophils released substantially lower levels of IL-1β protein compared with partially purified neutrophils. Serine proteases and caspases were differentially involved in IL-1β release, depending on the stimulus. Spontaneous activation of the NLRP3 inflammasome in neutrophils in vivo affected IL-1β, but not IL-18 release. In summary, these studies show that human neutrophils express key components of the inflammasome machinery in distinct intracellular compartments and release IL-1β and IL-18, but not IL-1α or IL-33 protein. Targeting the neutrophil inflammasome may represent a future therapeutic strategy to modulate neutrophilic inflammatory diseases, such as cystic fibrosis, rheumatoid arthritis, or sepsis.


Imaging the architecture of mountain roots is required to understand the support of topography and for kinematic reconstructions at convergent plate boundaries, but is still challenging with conventional seismic imaging approaches. Here we present a three-dimensional model of both compressional and shear velocities in the lithosphere beneath the western Pyrenees (southwest Europe), obtained by full waveform inversion of teleseismic P waves. This tomographic model reveals the subduction of the Iberian crust beneath the European plate, and the European serpentinized subcontinental mantle emplaced at shallow crustal levels beneath the Mauleon basin. The rift-inherited mantle wedge acted as an indenter during the Pyrenean convergence. These new results provide compelling evidence for the role of rift-inherited structures during mountain building in Alpine-type orogens.


Abstract Objective: To evaluate the excitatory and inhibitory amino acids in the cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) from cats with familial spontaneous epilepsy (FSEC). Animals: Thirteen epileptic cats (suspected homozygotes: Affected) and nine non-epileptic cats (suspected heterozygotes: Unaffected) from FSEC line, and six clinical healthy cats which were unrelated FSEC line (Healthy). Procedures: CSF samples were collected before and after vestibular stimulation, which induced generalized seizures only in the affected cats. Excitatory/inhibitory amino acids (aspartate, glutamate, serine, glycine taurine, and gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA)) levels in the CSF were analyzed by high performance liquid chromatography. In addition, CSF samples from five Affected cats in the interictal phase, four Unaffected cats, and three Healthy cats were used for metabolomics. Results: There was no difference in CSF glutamate concentrations between Affected and Healthy groups, while significantly lower glutamate concentrations were detected in the unaffected group. Following vestibular stimulation, glutamate concentrations were significantly elevated in the Unaffected and Healthy groups, but not in the Affected group. Moreover, the affected group exhibited the lower glutamine concentrations than the Healthy group. There was no difference in GABA concentrations between the groups, although some Affected cats showed elevated GABA. Conclusions and clinical relevance: In FSEC, an imbalance between excitatory and inhibitory neurotransmitters may not be the direct cause of epileptic seizures, while alterations in the glutamate-glutamine cycle may be a causative mechanism. These findings provide new insight into the pathogenesis of FSEC and familial mesial temporal lobe epilepsy in human and animals.


It is well established that the dynamics of mammalian populations vary in time, in relation to density and weather, and often in interaction with phenotypic differences (sex, age and social status). Habitat quality has recently been identified as another significant source of individual variability in vital rates of deer, including roe deer where spatial variations in fawn body mass were found to be only about a tenth of temporal variations. The approach used was to classify the habitat into blocks a priori, and to analyse variation in animal performance among the predefined areas. In a fine-grained approach, here we use data collected over 24 years on 1,235 roe deer fawns captured at known locations and the plant species composition sampled in 2001 at 578 sites in the Chiz forest to determine the spatial structure at a fine scale of both vegetation and winter body mass of fawns, and then to determine links between the two. Space and time played a nearly equal role in determining fawn body masses of both sexes, each accounting for about 20% of variance and without any interaction between them. The spatial distribution of fawn body mass was perennial over the 24 years considered and predicted values showed a 2 kg range according to location in the reserve, which is much greater than suggested in previous work and is enough to have strong effects on fawn survival. The spatial distribution and the range of predicted body masses were closely similar in males and females. The result of this study is therefore consistent with the view that the life history traits of roe deer are only weakly influenced by sexual selection. The occurrence of three plant species that are known to be important food items in spring/summer roe deer diets, hornbeam (Carpinus betulus), bluebell (Hyacinthoides sp.) and Star of Bethlehem (Ornithogalum sp.) was positively related to winter fawn body mass. The occurrence of species known to be avoided in spring/summer roe deer diets [e.g. butcher's broom (Ruscus aculeatus) and beech (Fagus sylvatica)], was negatively related to fawn body mass. We conclude that the spatial variation in the body mass of fawns in winter in this forest is as important as the temporal variation, and that the distribution of plant species that are actively selected during spring and summer is an important determinant of spatial variation in winter fawn body mass. The availability of these plants is therefore likely to be a key factor in the dynamics of roe deer populations.


We performed a transplant experiment in eutrophic Sau reservoir to assess the factors that control bacterial abundance, activity, growth rate, and community composition. Samples from the lacustrine and the riverine ends of the reservoir were incubated in dialysis bags placed in situ and transplanted to the other side of the reservoir and also incubated after 1 µm filtration to measure predator effects. The bags were sampled at 12‐h intervals to estimate bacterial abundance, whole community activity, activity structure (by flow cytometry), and phylogenetic composition (by in situ hybridization with group‐specific phylogenetic probes). Bacterial production was always regulated by nutrient supply, but abundance and activity were differently regulated at both sites. The riverine bacteria were limited by predator activity, whereas the lacustrine were regulated by a combination of predation and nutrient supply. Therefore, even in the same environment, different modes of control can act simultaneously. Bacterial activity structure was also regulated in the same way. Abundance of high DNA bacteria and cells hybridizing with the universal EUB338 probe were well correlated. In the lacustrine sample, bacterial community structure did not change significantly, whereas in the riverine sample, Α‐ and Δ‐Proteobacteria reduced their growth when transplanted, whereas Β‐Proteobacteria were stimulated by the presence of predators. Members of the Cytophaga/Flavobacterium phylum grew only when incubated in situ in the absence of predators. This different behavior in the different bacterial groups resulted in strong changes in bacterial assemblage composition, evident already after 24 h. The experiment demonstrates that, together with the effect of predators, nutrient supply affects bacterial community properties and that a complex regulation involving both types of control can occur in a single heterogeneous planktonic system.


The thermal diffusion behavior of dilute solutions of very long and thin, charged colloidal rods (fd-virus particles) is studied using a holographic grating technique. The Soret coefficient of the charged colloids is measured as a function of the Debye screening length, as well as the rod-concentration. The Soret coefficient of the fd-viruses increases monotonically with increasing Debye length, while there is a relatively weak dependence on the rod-concentration when the ionic strength is kept constant. An existing theory for thermal diffusion of charged spheres is extended to describe the thermal diffusion of long and thin charged rods, leading to an expression for the Soret coefficient in terms of the Debye length, the rod-core dimensions, and the surface charge density. The thermal diffusion coefficient of a charged colloidal rod is shown to be accurately represented, for arbitrary Debye lengths, by a superposition of spherical beads with the same diameter of the rod and the same surface charge density. The experimental Soret coefficients are compared with this and other theories, and are contrasted against the thermal diffusion behaviour of charged colloidal spheres.


We present our approach to automatically designing and implementing keyboard layouts on mobile devices for typing low-resource languages written in the Latin script. For many speakers, one of the barriers in accessing and creating text content on the web is the absence of input tools for their language. Ease in typing in these languages would lower technological barriers to online communication and collaboration, likely leading to the creation of more web content. Unfortunately, it can be time-consuming to develop layouts manually even for language communities that use a keyboard layout very similar to English; starting from scratch requires many configuration files to describe multiple possible behaviors for each key. With our approach, we only need a small amount of data in each language to generate keyboard layouts with very little human effort. This process can help serve speakers of low-resource languages in a scalable way, allowing us to develop input tools for more languages. Having input tools that reflect the linguistic diversity of the world will let as many people as possible use technology to learn, communicate, and express themselves in their own native languages.


Abstract The discrepant arrangement of the Carpathian nappes and syntectonic deposits of the Carpathian Foredeep reveals the oroclinal migration of the subduction direction of the platform margin during the Late Cenozoic. Formation of the nappes was induced by their detachment from disintegrated segments of the European Platform; the segments were shortened as a result of their vertical rotation in zones of compressional sutures. It finds expression in local occurrence of the backward vergence of folding against the generally forward vergence toward the Carpathian Foredeep. The precompressional configuration of sedimentation areas of particular nappes was reconstructed with application of the palinspastic method, on the basis of the hitherto undervalued model which emphasizes the influence of the subduction and differentiated morphology of the platform basement on the tectonic evolution of the fold and thrust belt. Superposition of the palaeogeographic representations and the present geometry of the orogen allows understanding of the impact of the magnitudes of tectonic displacements on the differentiation of the geological structure in the NE segment of the Carpathians. The differentiation has inspired different views of Polish and Ukrainian geologists on structural classification and evolution of the frontal thrusts.


An intellectual capacity of an organization's human resources can be seen from its employee's competency quality, organization's commitment, and assignment control. In an organization or a company, the employee's intellectual capital is very important because it will increase the employee's performance and can help the company to achieve its aims. The purpose of the research is to analyze intellectual capital's impacts on employee's performance at PT. ADV SEKURINDO . This research uses descriptive and verification methods with quantitative approach. The descriptive method is used to find out employee's intellectual capital and performance The verification method is used to find out the intellectual capital's impact on the employee's performance at PT. ADV SEKURINDO . This research is a census of 75 employees as the analysis' object. The technique of data collection is done by observing, documenting, questioning, and interviewing. The quantitative analysis is done using correlation, double regression, and determination, also testing the hypothesis using SPSS 13 For Windows. The result of the research shows that the intellectual capital is included in good category, but the employee's performance is in fair category. The result of the research shows that the intellectual capital simultaneously and partially gives significantly impacts (α = 0,05) on the employee's performance which results closeness relation level (0.677) and the impact's scale is 45.8 %, The employee's performance is determined by the intellectual capital, which consists of competency, organization's commitment, and assignment control. For the rest, 54.2%, is influenced by other factors. The superior impact on the employee's performance of the three factors is competency, but the inferior factor is commitment.       Keywords: Intellectual Capital's, Competency, Organization's Commitment,        Assignment Control and Employee's Performance.


The European Commission asked the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) to compile the outcomes of scientific advice already provided by EFSA with regard to the health effects of trans fats, in particular in the areas of nutrition and health claims, dietary reference values (DRVs) and food additives, and to inform the Commission on how such scientific advice relates to current goals and recommendations regarding the intake of trans fats to maintain health. The scientific advice provided by the EFSA Panel on Dietetic Products, Nutrition and Allergies in the areas of health claims made on food and DRVs and the scientific advice provided by the EFSA Panel on Food Additives and Nutrient Sources added to Food in the area of food additives, regarding the health effects of trans fatty acids (TFA) in mixed diets is consistent with the scientific basis underlying most recent DRVs, nutritional goals and recommendations, and dietary guidelines for trans fatty acids (TFA) set by other national and international bodies. Data from controlled intervention studies show that consumption of diets containing TFA has adverse effects on blood lipids that predict an increase in coronary heart disease (CHD) risk compared with the consumption of diets containing cis-monounsaturated fatty acids or cis-polyunsaturated fatty acids, and that the effect is dose-dependent. Prospective cohort studies showed a consistent association between higher intakes of TFA and increased risk of CHD. The consistency of the evidence from these two types of studies provides strong support for the conclusion that TFA intake has a dose-dependent linear effect that increases the risk of CHD as compared to the intake of other fatty acids in the diet. With few exceptions, latest national and international recommendations indicate that dietary intakes of TFA should be as low as possible. consistent between higher of TFA and is a difference between and TFA on the


Abstract The same stressor can evoke different emotions across individuals, and emo-tions can prompt certain coping responses. Responding to four videotaped interpersonal stressors, adolescents ( N = 230, X— age = 10 years) reported their sadness, fear and anger, and 12 coping strategies. After identifying emo-tion patterns using cluster analysis, associations with coping were examined. Intensity of emotion, and emotion and stressor type were associated with coping. Adolescents with intense emotions (i.e., highly sad, afraid, and angry) anticipated using more of most coping responses, whereas diffuse but mod-erate intensity emotion was associated with more active coping relative to other strategies. Anger was associated with less passive and more opposition coping. However, the expected coping clusters and patterns for fear and sad-ness were not found; no cluster of adolescents was intensely fearful or sad only. Support seeking and opposition were more common for peer-related stress, and active withdrawal was more common for parent-related stress.Downloaded from jea.sagepub.com


In the United States, the policy of localism – the legislative goal of fostering local community expression and competence to deliver local content – finds its home in the Telecommunications Act rather than either the Copyright Act or Trademark Act. Other nations have introduced values of localism into trade policy, content distribution rules, and international efforts to protect intangible cultural heritage and expressions of folklore. Jurisdictions in every continent are struggling to address the pressures of globalism through efforts to protect indigenous peoples' and minority communities' languages and culture. These efforts take many forms. Nations have introduced efforts to protect these interests into trade policy, content distribution rules, and the legal regimes of copyright and trademark. Some jurisdictions, for example, emphasize the need for historical preservation of particular culture and content. Other jurisdictions emphasize localism to promote domestic employment and economic growth. At the same time, however, other regulators are cloaking governmental censorship under the guise of protectionism. These efforts assume, arguendo, that some model of protectionism is necessary to assist these communities. Because there are many different types of intangible cultural heritage – local languages, tribal customs, religious traditions, folklore, styles of artworks, etc. – this assumption may be counterproductive. Particularly in our increasingly networked, global information community, assumptions of territorial protections must be reconsidered.This article reviews the underlying societal imperatives reflected in a policy of intangible cultural heritage and the intellectual property-like regimes being developed to protect these interests. It contrasts UNESCO efforts with more narrowly tailored efforts of WIPO and juxtaposes those approaches with the localism model developed under the FCC. While aspects of the WIPO protection efforts focusing on trademark-like and trade secret-like protections benefit the people and cultures these policies hope to serve, additional copyright-like protections will likely do more harm than good. Instead, global public policy will be far better served through emphasis on localism's attributes of developing human capital to improve the quality of content being produced and encouraging local communities to focus on the content of their own choosing.


: Algorithmic governance as a key concept in controversies around the emerging digital society highlights the idea that digital technologies produce social ordering in a specific way. Starting with the origins of the concept, this paper portrays different perspectives and objects of inquiry where algorithmic governance has gained prominence ranging from the public sector to labour management and ordering digital communication. Recurrent controversies across all sectors such as datafication and surveillance, bias, agency and transparency indicate that the concept of algorithmic governance allows to bring objects of inquiry and research fields that had not been related before into a joint conversation. Short case studies on predictive policy and automated content moderation show that algorithmic governance is multiple, contingent and contested. It takes different forms in different contexts and jurisdictions, and it is shaped by interests, power, and resistance.


Logos: even the word presented us with some initial problems. To Alan Paton its prime importance and impact were profoundly Christian, stemming presumably from those three or four passages of the Johannine canon in the New Testament; to me, while conceding possibly metaphysical dimensions, the word was a lower case word pertaining primarily to words of reason. In time, as we got to know each other and became less serious with each other, the word appeared to settle somewhere in the middle ground of 'literary discourse.' But it remained a serious word for him as long as I knew him: it always retained at least a hint of the upper case.


The Supreme Court held in New Jersey v. T.L.O. that school officials could search students without a warrant and with only reasonable suspicion, not probable cause, because of schools' need for discipline and the relationship between educators and students. That case belongs to a body of Fourth Amendment cases involving, in T.L.O.'s terms, "special needs, beyond the normal need for law enforcement." What Fourth Amendment standard, then, governs searches involving one of the roughly 20,000 school resource officers (SROs) in American schools? Most state courts to decide the issue ruled in the 1990s and 2000s that T.L.O. applied to SRO-involved searches, likening SROs to school officials and drawing a line between SROs and other police officers.
Reforms largely enacted in the 2010s, in contrast, draw a line between school officials and SROs, emphasizing that SROs are law enforcement officers, not school disciplinarians. Reflecting the consensus that law enforcement responses to school misbehavior harm children, these reforms limit SRO involvement to more serious crimes or immediate safety risks.
This Article explores how these recent reforms undermine earlier cases applying T.L.O. to SROs. These recent reforms place SROs on the law enforcement side of the "special needs" line. That conclusion also shows how searches conducted under policies requiring schools to turn over evidence of criminal activity to law enforcement transform the character of searches conducted by school officials into law enforcement searches. Finally, this Article will offer a doctrinal path to permitting warrantless school searches in narrower circumstances, thus letting authorities respond to risk of deadly weapons at schools while limiting the risk that reduced Fourth Amendment standards will contribute to the school-to-prison pipeline.


Following the outbreak in China, the Lombardy region of Italy has become one of the areas of highest incidence of severe acute respiratory syndrome Coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). As the outbreak grew to a pandemic, many centres worldwide raised the concern that immunocompromised patients may be at high risk of developing a severe respiratory disease called COVID-19. Unlike common viral agents (such as Adenovirus, Rhinovirus, Norovirus, Influenza, Respiratory Syncytial Virus), Coronaviruses have not shown to cause a more severe disease in immunosuppressed patients. For this family of viruses the host innate immune response appears the main driver of lung tissue damage during infection.


The aim of this paper is to reconsider the role that technological progress plays in bringing about growing economic inequality and "secular stagnation." The main part of this paper is a theoretical analysis of the impact that technological innovation has on income distribution. The author argues that standard assumptions related to the production function, though seemingly neutral, have far-reaching consequences for economic reasoning concerning income distribution. Wages and employment are not subject to precise solutions resulting from economic optimization reflecting the technical properties of the production process, but are a result of an interplay of social and political factors at any level of employment. Moreover, technological innovations are labor-economizing in nature and eliminate any grassroots competition due to advantages of scale. As a consequence, the share of labor income declines. The second step of the analysis concerns the consequences of evolving income patterns for aggregate spending. Along the lines of reasoning typical for Kalecki, the author argues that the declining share of labor income gives rise to stagnation and persistent unemployment. As a whole, the analysis helps explain the "secular stagnation" and persistent unemployment combined with high profits, a process that breeds confusion in contemporary economics. Finally, the author reconsiders possible corrective policy measures. Globalization shows to be a major obstacle to any action that an individual government might decide to undertake with respect to the problem at hand.


This paper reports on the operation assessment of an electrical power generation system based upon cross-flow water turbines. The specific power take-off system has been tested in real-world conditions in a variety of scenarios and the experimental results have confirmed previous modeling assessments. Dynamical proprieties have been precisely identified and stable system operation over the entire operating range has been achieved. Steady-state characterization in terms of power coefficient has also been done, allowing the assessment of power generation system global efficiency and enabling the building of more precise models to be used in further simulations and assessments for power grid integration. Maximum power point tracking and other specific operation regimes such as angular position synchronization have also been validated.


90: 000-000. abstract : This paper presents a new sedimentological and palaeogeographic interpretation of the Early to Middle(?) Triassic continental deposits in the Wleń Graben and the Krzeszów Brachysyncline (Sudetes, SW Poland). These two tectonic subunits, located in the peripheral segments of the North Sudetic and Intra-Sudetic synclinoriums, respectively, represent the crucial elements for deciphering the post-Variscan palaeogeographic evolution of the NE termination of the Bohemian Massif. Sedimentological studies and facies analysis show that the Early Triassic siliciclastic deposition in both areas was dominated by fluvial sedimentation of the typical Buntsandstein faci es within a gently sloping alluvial plain, locally followed by ephemeral lake environments in the late Early or Middle(?) Triassic. The lithofacies and the measured palaeocurrent directions indicate that the area was drained by braided streams flowing towards the northwest and north. Individual fluvial channels had depths not exceeding 1 m and widths of up to a few metres. Overbank deposits are poorly preserved due to the lateral shifting of channels. Based on available borehole data, an analysis of isopach maps was performed for the first time in the study areas. The study areas are presently separated by crystalline units devoid of sedimentary rocks, but the analysis indicate that they might have been in constant or periodical connection during the Triassic. It is concluded that the pres-ent-day extent of Triassic deposits is a result of the primary basin configuration combined with the Middle Triassic to Late Cretaceous erosion and post-Cretaceous tectonic uplift. The paper summarizes the present state of research on the continental Triassic preserved in the terminal parts of the North Sudetic and Intra-Sudetic synclinoriums, presents the first detailed sedimentological logs, and proposes new palaeogeographic interpretation. New findings include bioturbation structures, such as plant-root traces or tunnels formed by invertebrates and possible tetrapod footprints, which shed new light on the sedimentological interpretation of the continental Mesozoic deposits in the NE part of the Bohemian Massif.


Capillary physics was used to predict the size of solder bumps processed through a heated reflow cycle. Based on the density, surface tension, and volume of the solder material the effects of body forces are negligible compared to surface tension effects. For this case the predicted equilibrium shape of the molten solder is a truncated sphere, where the base of the sphere is defined by the bump input/output (I/O) pad on the integrated circuit (IC). Experiments using different size bumps on Si wafers were conducted to test the validity of the truncated sphere model. The experimental results matched the model to within 11% for the predicted height and 8% for the predicted radius. Using dimensionless variables for the solder volume, bump height, and bump radius allows these results for reflowed height and radius to each be plotted on a single curve and fitted with a single equation. These results can be used to design ICs, solder bumps, and solder bump assemblies in order to ensure that the attached IC can be underfilled reliably, and to ensure reliable products.


Chapter 1: Could the empires that ruled Eastern Europe for centuries and the formal institutions that they implemented have left an imprint on current formal and informal institutions of modern states? This paper sheds light on the legacy of the administrative system of the Ottoman Empire in contemporary states in the region. I investigate a causal mechanism that led to divergent paths of state building and rule of law, interpreted as attitudes toward corruption. The boundary between the Ottoman Empire and the Austro-Hungarian Empire was set in the Treaty of Karlowitz in 1699, contemporaneous with a fiscal shock and a crucial change in the Ottoman fiscal system. This is identified as the historical treatment effect. First, a theoretical model is constructed, focusing on effects of tax system change, which encouraged uncontrolled predatory behavior and spread of abuse and rent extraction in the Ottoman Empire. Using Geographic Information System methods and regression discontinuity analysis with household survey data I investigate persistence of different attitudes about bribery on both sides of the former border. Findings evidence higher willingness to bribe on the Ottoman hereditary lands. These findings are robust to controls.
Last, the persistent effect of weak institutions on growth
is estimated using household consumption and light intensity
data as proxies for development. -
Chapter 2: Reforms often occur in waves, seemingly cascading from country to country. We argue that such reform waves can be driven by informational spillovers: uncertainty about the outcome of reform is reduced by learning from the experience of similar countries. We motivate this hypothesis with a
simple theoretical model and then test it empirically. We find evidence of informational spillovers both with respect to both political and economic liberalization. While the previous literature has focused only on economic reform, we find that the spillovers are particularly important for political changes. -
Chapter 3: A wide literature identifies trust as an important prerequisite for well-functioning markets and overall economic performance.
A more recent body of research highlights history as a determinant of trust. Despite the level of attention the topic of trust has enjoyed, the literature highlights
important issues with the lack of detail in existing data, collected mostly at the country level. I aim to improve on the coarse resolution offered by existing data with the help of a methodological innovation. This study analyzes the impact of history on generalized trust, using data from an international peer-to-peer hospitality exchange network, CouchSurfing.org. The geographic focus is on Romania, the territory of which was formerly divided between the Habsburg
and Ottoman Empires. Previous studies reveal important
differences in generalized trust between Romanias previously-Ottoman, provinces of Wallachia and Moldavia,
and the formerly-Habsburg province of Transylvania, with
the former two lower in generalized trust than the latter. This study uses the local density of CouchSurfing.org membership as a proxy measure for generalized trust. Findings confirm that CouchSurfing membership is higher in Transylvania than elsewhere, thus providing evidence for the validity of using CouchSurfing membership as a proxy for general ized trust. Our approach, using spatial regression, yields a basis for extrapolating measures of generalized trust to areas where little survey data exists.

 - Chapter 4: Some aspects of financial reform positively affect economic growth. The size of credit to the private credit also positively affects economic growth. We argue that these effects might be stronger or weaker depending on countrys historical legacies and its influence on culture and attitudes towards authority, rule of law as well as the importance of financial intermediation. Therefore we test correlation between (indexes of) historical legacies and financial reform indicators (or/and the size of financial system) for a set of transition (emerging) economies that experienced centuries of (different) imperial rule.


Vessel stenosis is a major risk factor in cardiovascular diseases (CVD). To analyze the degree of vessel stenosis for supporting the treatment management, extraction of coronary artery area from Computed Tomographic Angiography (CTA) is regarded as a key procedure. However, manual segmentation by cardiologists may be a time-consuming task, and present a significant inter-observer variation. Although various computer-aided approaches have been developed to support segmentation of coronary arteries in CTA, the results remain unreliable due to complex attenuation appearance of plaques, which are the cause of the stenosis. To overcome the difficulties caused by attenuation ambiguity, in this paper, a 3D multi-channel U-Net architecture is proposed for fully automatic 3D coronary artery reconstruction from CTA. Other than using the original CTA image, the main idea of the proposed approach is to incorporate the vesselness map into the input of the U-Net, which serves as the reinforcing information to highlight the tubular structure of coronary arteries. The experimental results show that the proposed approach could achieve a Dice Similarity Coefficient (DSC) of 0.8 in comparison to around 0.6 attained by previous CNN approaches.


With the advent of democracy in South Africa, religious education became a contested topic in the education sector. Contestation stemmed from the desire to embrace religious plurality rather than Christian National Education (CNE) that dominated the curriculum pre-1994. This contestation initiated the reconceptualisation of religion in curriculum-making. Together with other scholars, Roux, a scholar-activist, has played a seminal role in conceptualising religion in the curriculum as religion in education (RiE) and more recently, religion and education (RaE). In disrupting the boundaries of religion, she has also made human rights the departure point for engagement with RaE. The concomitant blurring of the boundaries between religion education (RE) and human rights education (HRE), has made it necessary to explore the complexities of the foundations of human rights. In response, this article uses Roux's work to extend the argument by exploring the possibilities of human rights literacy (HRLit) in curriculum-making for HRE. To conclude, this conception of HRLit is considered juxtaposed to Roux's most recent scholarship, which interrogates gender as a specific position within HRE. In engaging with this scholarship, this article takes a critical HRLit perspective so as to embrace Roux's work through an alternative theoretical lens. Keywords : curriculum-making, religion education, human rights education, human rights literacy, gender


Background and Aim: The hierarchical and bureaucratic form of governmental administration is changing into a new type of flexible and market-based public management called Enterpreneurial Management Revolution. According to Stevenson, entrepreneurial management comprises a number of opportunity-based management activities for the maintenance of organizations in order to have their contribution in social value creation. This research study aims to study the organizational performance of medical sciences universities of Tehran based on Stevenson Model. Materials and Methods: This research is a field study in which a structured questionnaire containing 22 main questions on the Likert Scale was distributed among the staff members of medical sciences universities in Tehran. The validity of the questionnaire was confirmed by experts and its reliability was estimated using TestRetest Method. The Cronbach alpha coefficient was found to be 0.95. The data collection device was given to 379 staff members, of whom 325 filled it out. The data were completely recorded and then analyzed by SPSS software version 18. Results: The results of the study show that regarding entrepreneurial management approach, medical universities are at an average level. According to the present research and all related studies, this is the case in all other governmental organizations. Conclusion: The results of the study indicate that organizational restructuring, decentralization, and continuous improvement in processes are the milestones of entrepreneurial revolution strategies in medical universities and all other public organizations.


There is extensive focus on the practical performance of ecotourism in respect of environmentally invasive activities and the satisfaction of ecotourists in South Africa. Therefore, the purpose of the study was to evaluate the impact of quality management practices on service quality in the accommodation sector serving ecotourism destinations in KwaZulu-Natal. The study was conducted at 58 hotels within a 50 kilometre proximity to ecotourism development regions of KwaZulu-Natal province. Two separate self-administered questionnaires were designed for the hotel managers and for their guests. A quantitative approach and a census of 58 managers were conducted and the guest response of 587 was obtained using convenience sampling. The results revealed that there are mismatches in guests' actual experience on the variables of interest for customer service quality and the importance they attach to each variable. The experience-importance findings show that most guests rated their experiences above the importance they attach to those experiences. Little attention has been paid to hotel service quality research pertaining specifically to quality-related performance. This study fills this gap by identifying congruent hotel service quality attributes and relating these to management performance by analysing the importance of these attributes for hotel-guests seeking experiences of the natural environment. The results of the study offer measures for ecotourism service quality enhancement for the ecotourists experience at the hotels and a starting point for hotel managers to optimise the service quality growth and development while protecting the resources on which they are based. Quality function deployment has emerged as a significant tool to guide hotel managers in ecotourism destinations to attain planned levels of guest service quality and formulate a well-informed and systematic framework that will advance strategies for service quality enhancement.


Effective spatial classification of freshwater biodiversity remains a worldwide conservation challenge. The isolating nature of catchment boundaries over evolutionary timescales makes them potentially important in defining natural units for biodiversity management. We sought to clarify biogeographical relationships amongst drainages within Australia's biodiverse mid-eastern coastal region (Fitzroy, Burnett, and Mary Catchments) where freshwater communities face considerable urban pressure, using a locally endemic riverine specialist, the white-throated snapping turtle, Elseya albagula. Mitochondrial and nuclear microsatellite data sets were employed to investigate past and present influences on population connectivity and to identify units for management. Populations within catchments were largely well connected genetically. However, the Fitzroy Catchment contained a distinct genetic lineage, deeply divergent from a second lineage present across the Burnett and Mary Catchments. The two lineages can be considered evolutionarily significant units that reflect historical isolation of the Fitzroy and recent coalescence of the Burnett-Mary Catchments during lowered Pleistocene sea levels. Congruence with geological evidence and patterns reported for fish and macroinvertebrates supports a shared biogeographical history of a diverse regional biota. This work highlights the need for better spatial classification of freshwater biodiversity at local as well as regional scales, including recognition of potentially cryptic diversity amongst individual river drainages.


I. PREFACE I would like to begin with two caveats. First, this critique is not intended to be an exhaustive analysis of the Bush Administration's entire environmental record. Rather, the purpose is to illustrate, through selected examples, how this administration abuses science, law, and democratic processes to make bad public policy. Second, I make no claim to objectivity here. My view is that this administration has compiled the worst environmental record of any administration in history. To the extent others see it differently, so be it. II. INTRODUCTION From day one, the Bush Administration has set about the task of systematically and unilaterally dismantling over thirty years of environmental and natural resources law. It started with the "Card Memo" (1) and the Anything But Clinton ("ABC") rule, which first quarantined and then quietly put to sleep, scores of regulations issued by the previous administration--everything from arsenic in drinking water, to fuel efficiency standards, to snowmobiles in Yellowstone National Park. (2) Since then, the anti-Clinton reaction has grown into a full-fledged ideological crusade to deregulate polluters, privatize public resources, limit public participation, manipulate science, and abdicate federal responsibility for tackling national and global environmental problems. In over thirty years of practicing environmental law, I have not seen anything like this. Not even the historic battles with the likes of Interior Secretary James Watt and EPA Administrator Anne Burford Gorsuch in the Reagan Administration can compare. The current administration is far more clever, disciplined, and deceptive in what it says and does than its predecessors. It has also been more effective, due to a Republican-controlled Congress, an enfeebled Democratic Party, a distracted public, and an ambivalent media. Because of this environment, there has not been an open debate on the future of environmental policy. Rather, the Bush Administration has been able to make sweeping environmental changes through a stealth campaign, masquerading under sly euphemisms like "Healthy Forests," "Clear Skies," "No Net Loss," "Stewardship Contracts," and "Sound Science." While the American public has been preoccupied with the issues of jobs, health care, and the "War on Terrorism," the Bush Administration has enjoyed a rare window of opportunity to roll back environmental policies and regulations. These changes were made possible because there was no coherent opposition party in Congress and little public knowledge about what these changes actually meant for the protection of public health and the environment. Some of the more egregious actions have been blocked in federal court, but litigation takes time, and there is a limit to the number of cases environmentalists and concerned states can handle. Meanwhile, the administration seeks to imprint its conservative ideology on the courts through its controversial judicial nominations and "recess appointments" to put people on the bench who have been rejected in the Judiciary Committee and Senate confirmation process. (3) Admittedly, there have been some positive steps taken. For instance, there has been support for the environmental provisions of the Farm Bill, (4) and there have been stiff fines in a few high profile enforcement cases. (5) There has also been partial funding for the Land and Water Conservation Fund, opposition to "regulatory takings" claims in the Supreme Court (most notably Tahoe Sierra (6)) and the adoption of rules cracking down on non-highway, diesel emissions. (7) Some of these accomplishments are no doubt due to political realities; environmental issues still matter to many voters. Nevertheless, some credit is due to the Bush Administration, regardless of the suspected motivation. Unfortunately, Bush's few trees of environmental redemption are covered by a forest of bad policy. Even a cursory review of the record reveals the pattern of an administration looking to change environmental law by fiat, collusion, and deception. …


This article analyzes the 205 death-eligible murders leading to homicide convictions in Connecticut from 1973-2007 to determine if discriminatory and arbitrary factors influenced capital outcomes. A regression analysis controlling for an array of legitimate factors relevant to the crime, defendant, and victim provides overwhelming evidence that minority defendants who kill white victims are capitally charged at substantially higher rates than minority defendants who kill minorities, that geography influences both capital charging and sentencing decisions (with the location of a crime in Waterbury being the single most potent influence on which death-eligible cases will lead to a sentence of death), and that the Connecticut death penalty system has not limited its application to the worst of the worst death-eligible defendants. The work of an expert hired by the State of Connecticut provided emphatic, independent confirmation of these three findings, and found that women who commit death-eligible crimes are less likely than men to be sentenced to death. There is also strong and statistically significant evidence that minority defendants who kill whites are more likely to end up with capital sentences than comparable cases with white defendants. Regression estimates of the effect of both race and geography on death sentencing reveal the disparities can be glaring. Considering the most common type of death-eligible murder - a multiple victim homicide - a white on white murder of average egregiousness outside Waterbury has a .57 percent chance of being sentenced to death, while a minority committing the identical crime on white victims in Waterbury would face a 91.2 percent likelihood. In other words, the minority defendant in Waterbury would be 160 times more likely to get a sustained death sentence than the comparable white defendant in the rest of the state.Among the nine Connecticut defendants to receive sustained death sentences over the study period, only Michael Ross comports with the dictates that "within the category of capital crimes, the death penalty must be reserved for 'the worst of the worst.'" For the eight defendants on death row (after the 2005 execution of Ross), the median number of equally or more egregious death-eligible cases that did not receive death sentences is between 35 and 46 (depending on the egregiousness measure). In light of the prospective abolition of the Connecticut death penalty in April 2012, which eliminated the deterrence rationale for the death penalty, Atkins v. Virginia teaches that unless the Connecticut death penalty regime "measurably contributes to [the goal of retribution], it is nothing more than the purposeless and needless imposition of pain and suffering, and hence an unconstitutional punishment." Apart from Ross, the evidence suggests that the eight others residing on death row were not measurably more culpable than the many who were not capitally sentenced.Moreover, Connecticut imposed sustained death sentences at a rate of 4.4 percent (9 of 205). This rate of death sentencing is among the lowest in the nation and more than two-thirds lower than the 15 percent pre-Furman Georgia rate that was deemed constitutionally problematic in that "freakishly rare" sentences of death are likely to be arbitrary.


Currents across thin insulators are commonly taken as single electrons moving across classically forbidden regions; this independent particle picture is well-known to describe most tunneling phenomena. Examining quantum transport from a different perspective, i.e., by explicit treatment of electron-electron interactions, we evaluate different single particle approximations with specific application to tunneling in metal-molecule-metal junctions. We find maximizing the overlap of a Slater determinant composed of single-particle states to the many-body current-carrying state is more important than energy minimization for defining single-particle approximations in a system with open boundary conditions. Thus the most suitable single particle effective potential is not one commonly in use by electronic structure methods, such as the Hartree-Fock or Kohn-Sham approximations.


A new method is able to circumvent the bias to which one commercial DNA extraction method falls prey with regard to the lysing of certain types of microbial cells, resulting in a truncated spectrum of microbial diversity. By prefacing the protocol with glass-bead-beating agitation (mechanically lysing a much more encompassing array of cell types and spores), the resulting microbial diversity detection is greatly enhanced. In preliminary studies, a commercially available automated DNA extraction method is effective at delivering total DNA yield, but only the non-hardy members of the bacterial bisque were represented in clone libraries, suggesting that this method was ineffective at lysing the hardier cell types. To circumvent such a bias in cells, yet another extraction method was devised. In this technique, samples are first subjected to a stringent bead-beating step, and then are processed via standard protocols. Prior to being loaded into extraction vials, samples are placed in micro-centrifuge bead tubes containing 50 micro-L of commercially produced lysis solution. After inverting several times, tubes are agitated at maximum speed for two minutes. Following agitation, tubes are centrifuged at 10,000 x g for one minute. At this time, the aqueous volumes are removed from the bead tubes and are loaded into extraction vials to be further processed via extraction regime. The new method couples two independent methodologies in such as way as to yield the highest concentration of PCR-amplifiable DNA with consistent and reproducible results and with the most accurate and encompassing report of species richness.


Calmodulin (CaM) isolated from freshwater mussel gill has been shown to be present in fractions derived solely from epithelial cells of whole gill tissue. This CaM has been used to activate bovine brain phosphodiesterase (PDE) and the dose dependence of trifluoperazine-dihydrochloride (TFP)-mediated inhibition of activation has been investigated. The dose-response curve yields an apparent K1 of 20 μM and suggests that at low concentration (up to 40 μM) TFP inhibits PDE activity in the presence of Ca2+, not by direct action on the enzyme, but by a shunt that negates the effect of mussel gill CaM.

To determine whether CaM is physiologically significant for ciliary activity in the mussel gill, the effect of TFP upon the Ca2+-dependent ciliary arrest response of the lateral (L) cells of the gill has been examined. Detergent-treated permeabilized epithelial L cell models are scored for ciliary activity after transfer to reactivation solutions that vary in their free Ca2+ and TFP content. At 10−5 M free Ca2+ (pCa 5), maximum recovery from arrest is observed for TFP concentrations in the range of 25 to 30 μM. TFP-mediated recovery from arrest is never complete, suggesting that in the presence of sufficient Ca2+ the drug irreversibly damages a certain fraction of axonemes. At pCa 7 the cilia reactivate and 25–30.


Variations and spatial distributions of bright and dark material on dwarf planet Ceres play a key role in understanding the processes that have led to its present surface composition. We define limits for "bright" and "dark" material in order to distinguish them consistently, based on the reflectance of the average surface using Dawn Framing Camera data. A systematic classification of four types of bright material is presented based on their spectral properties, composition, spatial distribution, and association with specific geomorphological features. We found obvious correlations of reflectance with spectral shape (slopes) and age; however, this is not unique throughout the bright spots. Although impact features show generally more extreme reflectance variations, several areas can only be understood in terms of inhomogeneous distribution of composition as inferred from Dawn Visible and Infrared Spectrometer data. Additional material with anomalous composition and spectral properties are rare. The identification of the composition and origin of the dark, particularly the darkest material, remains to be explored. The spectral properties and the morphology of the dark sites suggest an endogenic origin, but it is not clear whether they are more or less primitive surficial exposures or excavated subsurface but localized material. The reflectance, spectral properties, inferred composition, and geologic context collectively suggest that the bright and dark material tends to gradually change toward the average surface over time. This could be because of multiple processes, i.e., impact gardening/space weathering, and lateral mixing, including thermal and aqueous alteration, accompanied by changes in composition and physical properties such as grain size, surface temperature, and porosity (compaction).


Minimally invasive techniques have revolutionized operative surgery. Computer aided surgery and robotic surgical systems strive to improve further on currently available minimally invasive surgery and open new horizons. Only several centers are currently using surgical robots and publishing data. In gastrointestinal surgery, robotic surgery is applied to a wide range of procedures, but is still in its infancy. Cholecystectomy, Nissen fundoplication and Heller myotomy are among the most frequently performed operations. The ZEUS (Computer Motion, Goleta, CA) and the da Vinci (Intuitive Surgical, Mountain View, CA) surgical systems are today the most advanced robotic systems used in gastrointestinal surgery. Most studies reported that robotic gastrointestinal surgery is feasible and safe, provides improved dexterity, better visualization, reduced fatigue and high levels of precision when compared to conventional laparoscopic surgery. Its main drawbacks are the absence of force feedback and extremely high costs. At this moment there are no reports to clearly demonstrate the superiority of robotics over conventional laparoscopic surgery. Further research and more prospective randomized trials are needed to better define the optimal application of this new technology in gastrointestinal surgery.


Changes in ocean circulation have been proposed as a trigger mechanism for the large coupled climate and carbon cycle perturbations at the Paleocene-Eocene Thermal Maximum (PETM, ca. 55 Ma). An abrupt warming of oceanic intermediate waters could have initiated the thermal destabilization of sediment-hosted methane gas hydrates and potentially triggered sediment slumps and slides. In an ensemble of fully coupled atmosphere-ocean general circulation model (AOGCM) simulations of the late Paleocene and early Eocene, we identify such a circulation-driven enhanced intermediate-water warming. Critically, we find an approximate twofold amplification of Atlantic intermediate-water warming when CO2 levels are doubled from 2x to 4x preindustrial CO2 compared to when they are doubled from 1x to 2x. This warming is largely focused on the equatorial and South Atlantic and is driven by a significant reduction in deep-water formation from the Southern Ocean. This scenario is consistent with altered PETM circulation patterns inferred from benthic carbon isotope data and the intensity of deep-sea carbonate dissolution in the South Atlantic. The linkage between intermediate-water warming and gas hydrate destabilization could provide an important feedback in the establishment of peak PETM warmth.


This article examines aspects of the socio-cultural institutions and practices in the context of traditional Mbaise society and culture. The process of evolution and growth of Mbaise society was predicated on a number of institutions and practices which had sociocultural, political, economic and religious implications. Appreciating the fact that social development is a vast area in socio-cultural history, the paper concentrated on the family structure, marriage institutions, religious beliefs and practices. Traditional Mbaise society was endowed with these great institutions and others which Christianity sought to wipe out, though without success. The impact of Christianity and other western influences notwithstanding, the paper argues that these institutions generated ideas, values, and norms which crystallized into the Mbaise identity and cosmology. Against the backdrop of the popular opinion held by the western writers to the effect that pre-colonial African societies were not part of world history and civilization (and hence incapable of initiating change), we argue further that this negative and bias narrative about pre-colonial African societies is now very anachronistic and no longer worthy of intellectual attention by scholars of both African and European persuasions.


Elemental abundances (including Ir), carbon and oxygen ratios in carbonates, mineral content, and thin sections have been measured in samples collected across the conodont-defined Ordovician/Silurian (O/S) boundary exposed on Anticosti Island, Quebec. The Ir concentrations ranged from 5 to a maximum at the boundary of 58 parts per trillion (ppt). However, there is no evidence, on the basis of these Ir results, for the association of a large-body-Earth impact with the O/S extinction, because the Ir concentrations, like those of most other trace elements, are simply proportional to the clay (Al) content in the carbonate sequence. The /sup 13/C//sup 12/C and /sup 18/O//sup 16/O ratios decrease abruptly at the boundary, then just as abruptly increase to a long period of higher than preboundary ratios. These patterns are probably related to the salinity in the seaway, which was shallowing up to boundary time and then deepened and developed patch-reefs. Fresh-water input from rivers would have been most influential during the shallow-water conditions. 32 references, 4 figures.


This review provides an overview on various phenomena, hypothesized causes, and modeling approaches that describe "dynamic nonequilibrium" (DNE) of water flow in soils. Dynamic nonequilibrium is characterized from observations on the macroscale by an apparent flow‐rate dependence of hydraulic properties or by local nonequilibrium between water content and pressure head under monotonic imbibition or drainage histories, i.e., not affected by traditional hysteresis. The literature indicates that key processes causing DNE are pore‐scale phenomena such as relaxation of air–water‐interface distributions, limited air‐phase permeability, dynamic contact angles, and time‐dependent wettability changes. Furthermore, entrapment of water and pore water blockage, air‐entry effects, and temperature effects might be involved. These processes act at different pressure head regions and on different time scales, which makes effective modeling of the combined phenomena challenging. On larger scales, heterogeneity of soil properties can contribute to DNE observations. We conclude that there is an urgent need for precision measurements that are designed to quantify dynamic effects.


Human bone in archaeological context is the product of natural processes and cultural patterns; the deposits can seal several things: the vital aspects of one skeleton, the intentions that led to the burial, and natural and accidental processes. This in turn becomes part of the history of these remains and the way they are arranged, their environmental changes and rituals can all influence the recovery procedure. The synchronic and diachronic bio-cultural environments involve new requirements and present further limitations. Taking the geographical framework of the southwestern Iberian Peninsula, the author addresses the methodological issues involved in the recovery of archaeological skeletal remains: cremation and inhumation, primary and secondary burials, individual and collective deposits.