Background: Corticosteroids and mast–cell stabilizers are commonly used in treatment of vernal keratoconjunctivitis (V.K.C), but regarding the side – effects of the agents and poor response in severe cases, the aim of this study was to investigate the effect of low dose topical mitomycin- c 0.01% in the treatment of severe vernal keratoconjunctivitis. Methods: In a double blind randomized clinical trial, 40 patients with V.K.C were randomly assigned to two equal size groups. One group received topical 0.01% Mitomycin-C and another group received placebo. Complaints (tearing, itching, and mucosal discharge) and symptoms (papillae, Micropannus, hyper injection, corneal and limbus involvement) were assessed at the baseline and 2 weeks after treatment in two groups. Data were analyzed by statistical methods in SPSS.16. Result: 40 patients were studied including 31 male and 9 female with average of 14.7 ± 3.8 years in case group and 16.2 ± 8.4 in control group. The mean disease duration in case group was 3.5 ± 3.2 years and in control group was 15 ± 4.6. Comparing the severity of complaints and symptoms two weeks after treatment in two groups, there was a statistically significant difference in the tearing (p = 0.029) and the size of papillae (p = 0.006). There wasn't significant difference on other complaints and symptoms between two groups and no adverse effects of treatment with Mitomycin-C were observed. Conclusion: This study showed that use of topical mitomycin-C 0.01% along with usual routine drugs reduces the severity of tearing and the size of papillae and it may be considered as a conventional treatment on patients with severe V.K.C.


There are few objects in this world which has true spiritual value and that possesses its own soul. The motorcycle has inspired generations through their iconic and rebellious nature. We have created a new future from an old motorcycle in order to inspire people to reuse and repurpose what exists instead of falling into the hamster wheel of consumption.


ABSTRACT Campylobacter fetus can be divided into the subspecies C. fetus subsp. fetus and C. fetus subsp. venerealis. C. fetus subsp. fetus causes sporadic infections in humans and abortion in cattle and sheep and has been isolated from a variety of sites in different hosts. C. fetus subsp. venerealis is host restricted, being isolated mainly from the genital tracts of cattle, and is the causative agent of bovine genital campylobacteriosis. Despite differences in niche preference, microbiological subspecies differentiation has proven difficult. Different typing methods divided C. fetus isolates into different subgroups, depending on the methods used. The relative value of these methods can be assessed by the evolutionary relationship of isolates belonging to the genus; therefore, we developed a multilocus sequence typing (MLST) scheme for C. fetus. This scheme was applied to 140 C. fetus isolates previously typed by amplified fragment length polymorphism (AFLP) analysis. A total of 14 different sequence types (STs) were identified, and these exhibited low levels of inter-ST genetic diversity, with only 22 variable sites in 3,312 nucleotides. These MLST data indicate that C. fetus is genetically homogeneous compared to the homogeneity of other Campylobacter species. The two C. fetus subspecies were extremely closely related genetically, but ST-4 was associated only with C. fetus subsp. venerealis, which represents a "bovine" clone. The C. fetus subsp. fetus isolates studied were more diverse in terms of their STs, and the STs correlated with epidemiological relationships. Congruence was observed among C. fetus subspecies, sap type, and ST; therefore, MLST confirms that mammalian C. fetus is genetically stable, probably as result of the introduction of a single ancestral clone into a mammalian niche.


Classic hallucinogens share pharmacology as serotonin 5-HT2A, 5-HT2B, and 5-HT2C receptor agonists. Unique among most other Schedule 1 drugs, they are generally non-addictive and can be effective tools in the treatment of addiction. Mechanisms underlying these attributes are largely unknown. However, many preclinical studies show that 5-HT2C agonists counteract the addictive effects of drugs from several classes, suggesting this pharmacological property of classic hallucinogens may be significant. Drawing from a comprehensive analysis of preclinical behavior, neuroanatomy, and neurochemistry studies, this review builds rationale for this hypothesis, and also proposes a testable, neurobiological framework. 5-HT2C agonists work, in part, by modulating dopamine neuron activity in the ventral tegmental area—nucleus accumbens (NAc) reward pathway. We argue that activation of 5-HT2C receptors on NAc shell, GABAergic, medium spiny neurons inhibits potassium Kv1.x channels, thereby enhancing inhibitory activity via intrinsic mechanisms. Together with experiments that show that addictive drugs, such as cocaine, potentiate Kv1.x channels, thereby suppressing NAc shell GABAergic activity, this hypothesis provides a mechanism by which classic hallucinogen-mediated stimulation of 5-HT2C receptors could thwart addiction. It also provides a potential reason for the non-addictive nature of classic hallucinogens.


During more than half a century of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization's (NATO) existence, the attitudes of Soviet and Russian leaders to this alliance have been anything but indifferent. At its inception in 1949, no less than Joseph Stalin (regardless of what his intentions might have been) privately conveyed his interest in joining the club. His failed bid was followed by the flare-up of the Cold War (including venomous anti-NATO rhetoric in Moscow) and then by the Alliance expansion to include Greece and Turkey. In March 1954, a year after Stalin's death, the new Soviet leaders gave the idea another try. In their official response, Britain, France, and the United States dismissed the Soviet request for membership as "completely unreal." The following year saw the birth of the Warsaw Pact and the accession of West Germany to NATO.


Demarcation in human interaction is through two channels: one transmits explicit messages; the other transmits implicit messages about the speakers themselves knowingly or unknowingly. Both linguistics and technology have invested enormous effort in trying to understand the first (explicit) channel, but the second (implicit) is not as well understood. First, building an emotion detection system makes it possible to assess the extent to which theoretical proposals explain people's everyday competence in understanding emotion. Second, model building enforces coherence. It is true that emotions play an important role in the making of speech. The deduction of emotions from speech is of recent origin and it is the primary focus of this research paper.


The Bear family is all set to have a relaxing time at the shore-but that's before Papa Bear finds a treasure map! Now Papa Bear, Brother Bear and Sister Bear are diving into the task of finding the booty. Might it be silver, gold, glittering diamonds or rubies?


The purpose of this study was to investigate the effect of 10 weeks water exercise programme in the middle aged obese women with knee osteoarthritis. Subjects were 12 obese women with mean of 57 years of age, 156 cm height and 66.5 kg body weight. The water exercise programme consists of aquatic aerobic exercises with rating of perceived exertion 13-15 and 2 sets of 10 reps of aquatic resistance exercise. Body composition, muscular strength, muscular endurance, flexibility and balance were measured before and after the water exercise treatment. And also subjective pains before and after the treatment of water exercises were measured using Visual Analogue Scale. Data were processed using SPSS V.13.0 program to obtain mean and SD values of the measurements. Mean different measurement between the pre- and post-tests within the group was verified through paired t test. There were significant differences between pre and postwater exercise in body mass (65.9±7.4 kg vs 64.0±6.8 kg), body mass index (27±3 kg/m2 vs 26±3 kg/m2), % body fat (36.4% vs 35.4%) and body fat mass. The water exercise programme alleviated the subjective pain (6±2 vs 3±2) of obese patients who were suffering osteoarthritis of the knee by improving those patients' muscular strength (53±10 kg vs 57±2 kg), muscular endurance (6±6 reps vs 12±7 reps), flexibility (12±6 s vs 16±6 s) and balance (8.9±6.9 s vs 17.9±12.3 s). This also led to positive influences on the patients' daily life activities. In conclusion, water exercise programme would be effective in variation of physical ability, body composition and pain relief of obese patients who have osteoarthritis in the knee.


Pleural effusions are rare in the newborn. Still, being familiar with this condition is relevant given its association with a wide range of disorders. Only two large series of cases on this matter have been published, with no solid conclusions established. The aim of this study is to determine the etiology, management and prognosis of pleural effusions in a population of high-risk neonates. The authors performed a retrospective study in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit of "Hospital de Sao Joao", Porto (Portugal), between 1997 and 2014, of all newborns with the diagnosis of pleural effusion, chylothorax, hemothorax, empyema, fetal hydrops or leakage of total parenteral nutrition (TPN). Eighty-two newborns were included, 48 males and 34 females. Pleural effusions were congenital in 19 (23.2%) newborns and acquired in 63 (76.8%). Fetal hydrops was the most frequent cause (15 cases, 78.9%) of congenital effusions while postoperative after intrathoracic surgery was the most common cause (39 cases, 61.9%) of acquired effusions, followed by leakage of TPN (13 cases, 20.6%). Chylothorax was the most common type of effusion (41.5% of cases). Pleural effusions after intrathoracic surgery were mainly (64.1%) chylothoraces. Regarding use of octreotide for treatment of acquired chylous effusions, the comparative analysis showed no statistical differences between the group of alive newborns who received octreotide and the group who did not. Twenty-seven (32.9%) newborns died; the causes of death were related to underlying diseases and not to the pleural effusion. Clinical outcome is generally good, except in hydropic neonates. Blood albumin level appears to be predictive of prognosis and further investigation on its clinical significance should be encouraged.


The study focuses on two World Heritage sites in KwaZulu-Natal (uKhahlambaDrakensberg
Park and the Greater St Lucia Wetlands Park). It sets out to critically
examine the social, economic and political aspects of natural heritage in the context of
sustainability and contestation. How these heritage landscapes are managed, and in
particular how decisions regarding its use and identity are taken, is the central issue under
investigation. In particular, this research examines the how an understanding of
stakeholder perceptions allows current management strategies to be assessed for their
effectiveness and relevance to the stakeholders in the regions and the development of
new management strategies which are relevant to stakeholder needs. In this regard, a
central concern is to identify and evaluate the degree of participation in resource
management, conservation and in direct ecotourism activities links to the heritage sites.
Stakeholders will vary in their ability to influence decision-makers and they are also
unlikely to gain or lose out equally from particular courses of action. These are all issues
which need full consideration in approaches to sustainable tourism management. This
study focused on the following stakeholders: neighbouring rural communities, tourists,
accommodation personnel and tour operators. Questionnaire surveys were administered
to each of the stakeholder groups identified above. Furthermore, participatory exercises
(venn diagrams, resource mapping and problem ranking exercises) were conducted with
focus groups. The study reveals heterogeneity within and between communities under
study in relation to socio-economic aspects and perceptions regarding the Parks and
levels of participation in activities linked to the Parks. In relation to heritage sites, the
questions of ownership, transparency and accountability are particularly important. The
study of ecotourism impacts and their management offers many opportunities to reflect
on the importance of sustainability. The impacts, as outlined by the findings of the study,
provides the opportunity for the implementation of biodiversity strategies linked to the
establishment of conservation priorities, mobilising and establishing partnerships,
identifying biodiversity threats and benefits, and providing incentives to conserve.


Field‐based instruments measuring chromophoric dissolved organic matter (CDOM) fluorescence are often used as a proxy for dissolved organic carbon concentrations in lakes and streams. CDOM fluorescence yield is, however, affected by water temperature at the time of measurement, a factor which varies on both diel and seasonal timescales. A temperature correction must therefore be applied to these data. We present data on temporal and site‐specific variability in temperature quenching of CDOM fluorescence for water from a humic lake and one of its main inflows in the west of Ireland. In addition, we present a temperature compensation equation and show that this equation is an improvement on methods previously proposed.


The United States in the World Economy offers the results of a conference organized by the National Bureau of Economics in 1987. The volume includes background papers prepared by nine academic economists, personal statements by individuals prominent in government and business, and summaries of the discussion that followed the presentations. Among the topics considered are foreign competition in Latin America and the Asian Pacific Rim, Third World debts, innovations in international financial markets, changing patterns of international investment, international capital flows, and international competition in goods, services, and agriculture. Prepared for a sophisticated but non-technical audience, these papers present complicated economic issues clearly, indicating the many ways in which the American economy influences and is influenced by economic events and conditions around the world.


For most animals, the ability to regulate intake of specific nutrients is vital to fitness. Recent studies have demonstrated nutrient regulation in nonhuman primates over periods of one observation day, though studies of humans indicate that such regulation extends to longer time frames. Little is known about longer-term regulation in nonhuman primates, however, due to the challenges of multiple-day focal follows. Here we present the first detailed study of nutrient intake across multiple days in a wild nonhuman primate. We conducted 30 consecutive all day follows on one female chacma baboon (Papio hamadryas ursinus) in the Cape Peninsula of South Africa. We documented dietary composition, compared the nutritional contribution of natural and human-derived foods to the diet, and quantified nutrient intake using the geometric framework of nutrition. Our focus on a single subject over consecutive days allowed us to examine daily dietary regulation within an individual over time. While the amounts varied daily, our subject maintained a strikingly consistent balance of protein to non-protein (fat and carbohydrate) energy across the month. Human-derived foods, while contributing a minority of the diet, were higher in fat and lower in fiber than naturally-derived foods. Our results demonstrate nutrient regulation on a daily basis in our subject, and demonstrate that she was able to maintain a diet with a constant proportional protein content despite wide variation in the composition of component foods. From a methodological perspective, the results of this study suggest that nutrient intake is best estimated over at least an entire day, with longer-term regulatory patterns (e.g., during development and reproduction) possibly requiring even longer sampling. From a management and conservation perspective, it is notable that nearly half the subject's daily energy intake derived from exotic foods, including those currently being eradicated from the study area for replacement by indigenous vegetation.


The population of hippocampal neurons actively coding space continually changes across days as mice repeatedly perform tasks. Many hippocampal place cells become inactive while other previously silent neurons become active, challenging the belief that stable behaviors and memory representations are supported by stable patterns of neural activity. Active cell replacement may disambiguate unique episodes that contain overlapping memory cues, and could contribute to reorganization of memory representations. How active cell replacement affects the evolution of representations of different behaviors within a single task is unknown. We trained mice to perform a Delayed Non-Match to Place (DNMP) task over multiple weeks, and performed calcium imaging in area CA1 of the dorsal hippocampus using head-mounted miniature microscopes. Cells active on the central stem of the maze "split" their calcium activity according to the animal's upcoming turn direction (left or right), the current task phase (study or test), or both task dimensions, even while spatial cues remained unchanged. We found that different splitter neuron populations were replaced at unequal rates, resulting in an increasing number of cells modulated by turn direction and a decreasing number of cells with combined modulation by both turn direction and task phase. Despite continual reorganization, the ensemble code stably segregated these task dimensions. These results show that hippocampal memories can heterogeneously reorganize even while behavior is unchanging. Significance statement Single photon calcium imaging using head-mounted miniature microscopes in freely moving animals, has enabled researchers to measure the long term stability of hippocampal pyramidal cells during repeated behaviors. Previous studies have demonstrated instability of neural circuit components including dendritic spines and axonal boutons. It is now known that single units in the neuronal population exhibiting behaviorally relevant activity eventually become inactive and that previously silent neurons can quickly acquire task-relevant activity. The function of such population dynamics is unknown. We show here that population dynamics differ for cells coding distinct task dimensions, suggesting such dynamics are part of a mechanism for latent memory reorganization. These results add to a growing body of work showing that maintenance of episodic memory is an ongoing and dynamic process.


Two RiverSondes were operated simultaneously in close proximity in order to provide a two-dimensional map of river surface velocity. The initial test was carried out at Threemile Slough in central California. The two radars were installed about 135 m apart on the same bank of the channel. Each radar used a 3-yagi antenna array and determined signal directions using direction finding. The slough is approximately 200 m wide, and each radar processed data out to about 300 m, with a range resolution of 15 m and an angular resolution of 1 degree. Overlapping radial vector data from the two radars were combined to produce total current vectors at a grid spacing of 10 m, with updates every 5 minutes. The river flow in the region, which has a maximum velocity of about 0.8 m/s, is tidally driven with flow reversals every 6 hours, and complex flow patterns were seen during flow reversal. The system performed well with minimal mutual interference. The ability to provide continuous, non-contact two-dimensional river surface flow measurements will be useful in several unique settings, such as studies of flow at river junctions where impacts to juvenile fish migration are significant. Additional field experiments are planned this year on the Sacramento River.


Educational institutions increasingly face the challenge of accommodating learners from a wide range of linguistic and cultural backgrounds in their classrooms. The training kit presents an innovative way of managing diversity in the classroom by combining plurilingual and pluricultural approaches with content-based instruction. The reader will discover how content-based and plurilingual activities can be linked to several subjects of the curriculum. The accompanying website presents sample activities which illustrate the approach outlined in the rationale. A primary school teacher will, for example, find an activity suitable for mathematics, sports and/or music and a secondary school teacher of civic, social and political education may be interested in testing out plurilingual comparative text work on the theme of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights.


We have previously shown that TPA activates HTLV-1 LTR in Jurkat T-cells by inducing the binding of Sp1-p53 complex to the Sp1 site residing within the Ets responsive region 1 (ERR-1) of the LTR and that this activation is inhibited by PKCalpha and PKCepsilon. However, in H9 T-cells TPA has been noted to activate the LTR in two consecutive stages. The first stage is activation is mediated by PKCetta and requires the three 21 bp TRE repeats. The second activation mode resembles that of Jurkat cells, except that it is inhibited by PKCdelta. The present study revealed that the first LTR activation in H9 cells resulted from PKCetta-induced elevation of non-phosphorylated c-Jun which bound to the AP-1 site residing within each TRE. In contrast, this TRE-dependent activation did not occur in Jurkat cells, since there was no elevation of non-phosphorylated c-Jun in these cells. However, we found that PKCalpha and PKCepsilon, in Jurkat cells, and PKCetta and PKCdelta, in H9 cells, increased the level of phosphorylated c-Jun that interacted with the Sp1-p53 complex. This interaction prevented the Sp1-p53 binding to ERR-1 and blocked, thereby, the ERR-1-mediated LTR activation. Therefore, this PKC-inhibited LTR activation started in both cell types after depletion of the relevant PKCs by their downregulation. In view of these variable activating mechanisms we assume that there might be additional undiscovered yet modes of HTLV-1 LTR activation which vary in different cell types. Moreover, in line with this presumption we speculate that in HTLV-1 carriers the LTR of the latent provirus may also be reactivated by different mechanisms that vary between its different host T-lymphocyte subclones. Since this reactivation may initiate the ATL process, understanding of these mechanisms is essential for establishing strategies to block the possibility of reactivating the latent virus as preventive means for ATL development in carriers.


By applying the equivalent scheme, the analysis of the. acoustics surface wave reflection from the interdigital transducer has been carried out. The explicit form of the coefficient of reflection was found, from which the following terms have been separated - the magnitude of the mechanical wave reflection due to variation of the acoustics impedance in the area of transducer, and magnitude of the wave regeneration by the electrically loaded transducer. The results of calculations has been presented for the coefficient of surface wave reflection from the simple transducer with single and double electrodes as a function of its electrical load. The experimental verification has been undertaken for transducers on LiNbO3.


Tuberculosis is a complex socio-economic problem that impedes human development. Tuberculosis exerts a toll of eight million new sufferers and two million deaths every year. Around one third of world population harbors Mycobacterium tuberculosis that is sensitive to rifampicin, isoniazid, pyrazinamide and ethambutol. As tuberculosis is contagious, it infects many others there by necessitating early diagnosis and treatment. A standard 6 months treatment regimen formulated by World Health Organization (WHO), in its operational point of view is a complex procedure leading to treatment failure and resurgence of drug resistant strains. To increase the patient compliance, in its recently revised Tuberculosis Treatment Guidelines for National Tuberculosis Programs, WHO encourages the use of Fixed Dose Combination (FDC) tablets, which assures ingestion of all the components of tuberculosis treatment regimen. However, the major quality issue associated with FDCs Is assuring the bioavailability of rifampicin. If not carefully manufactured, bioavailability of rifampicin is negatively affected which could directly lead to poor treatment outcome and may lead to drug resistance. In the light of above scenario, this review mainly focuses the potential advantages of FDC formulations with special emphasis on quality of FDC preparation to be used for tuberculosis control.


This investigation examined whether lead shot from duck shooting was acting as a source of lead in an alkaline wetland ecosystem typical of popular duck-shooting areas in Western Australia. A polluted urban wetland and a pristine wetland were also studied for comparison. Lake Wannamal receives an estimated 82 kg of lead shot per year from duck shooting and no lead from any other known source. Lake Monger was estimated to receive 138 kg of lead per year from road runoff, leachate from a sanitary landfill site, and lead from aerosols. Thomsons Lake has no known source of lead from human activities.

Lead concentrations in sediments did not differ significantly (P < 0.05) between Lake Wannamal and Thomsons Lake and apparently represent natural background levels. Lake Monger sediments were contaminated (mean: 192 ± 82 µg Pb g-1 dry weight); the main source appeared to be runoff from a nearby freeway.

Lead concentrations in Baumea articulata Blake, Typha orientalis Presl and Schoenoplectus validus Love were generally low; concentrations in the roots were higher than those in the leaves, suggesting that lead is poorly translocated. Lead concentrations in submerged macrophytes and in sediments were similar, which may be attributable to periphyton on the plants binding lead in seston resuspended by water turbulence.

The cyanobacterium Microcystis sp. accumulated lead to low concentrations, believed to be from soluble lead in the water column. Macroinvertebrates accumulated lead to low concentrations, but no evidence was found of biomagnification. Lead concentrations were only slightly higher in macroinvertebrates in Lake Monger than in macroinvertebrates in the other lakes, indicating that lead uptake was poor even in a contaminated lake.


Convolutional networks are the de-facto standard for analyzing spatio-temporal data such as images, videos, and 3D shapes. Whilst some of this data is naturally dense (e.g., photos), many other data sources are inherently sparse. Examples include 3D point clouds that were obtained using a LiDAR scanner or RGB-D camera. Standard "dense" implementations of convolutional networks are very inefficient when applied on such sparse data. We introduce new sparse convolutional operations that are designed to process spatially-sparse data more efficiently, and use them to develop spatially-sparse convolutional networks. We demonstrate the strong performance of the resulting models, called submanifold sparse convolutional networks (SS-CNs), on two tasks involving semantic segmentation of 3D point clouds. In particular, our models outperform all prior state-of-the-art on the test set of a recent semantic segmentation competition.


Dynamic systems that can undergo reversible processes are of great interest for the development of new materials, sensors, biolabels…. The talk will illustrate some of the recent results on soft structures based on metal complexes able to aggregate in fibers, gels and soft mechanochromic materials [1]. The use of platinum complexes as building block for luminescent reversible piezochromic and mechanochromic materials will be illustrated. The emission of the compounds can be tuned by an appropriate choice of the coordinated ligands as well as of their aggregation in different structures. The formation of soft assemblies allows the tuning of the emission color, by pressure and temperature leading to a new class of materials possessing reversible properties. Functional systems can also be created using inert or active nanocontainers such as microporous and mesoporous silica based nanoparticles. In particular examples using the crystalline allumino silicates, zeolite L, and mesoporous organosilicates will be discussed since these materials can act as nanocontainers and due to their biocompatibility used for biomedical applications. The different functionalization of their surface will be discussed, in particular with the aim to show that the particles can be decorated with different functional groups including biocompatible molecules and are able to perfom drug and DNA or RNA delivery inside the cell [2]. The delivery can be probed by a kinetic analyses after the nanoparticles internalization. In particular using confocal fluorescent microscopy it is possible to follow the release of each single component as well as the positioning of the nanocontainers in real time and space. Such achievement allows us to study the fate of the different units and their release time. Also it will be shown how the molecules entrapped in the ordered channels can become active components. The alignment of electroactive molecules inside the narrow channels of a zeolite L, resulted in the formation of molecular wires. The molecular wire length is tunable between 30 and 100 nm and electrical measurements on the 1D assemblies were performed. Finally an ultra-high (> 2000%) roomtemperature magnetoresistance was observed applying only a few mT [3].


The conventional legal analysis of technical standard setting derives primarily from antitrust law. But antitrust remedies, taken alone, may not be broad enough to address recent abuses of the standardization process. The principal example of this shortcoming is the well-known case of Rambus, Inc., which, over the course of several years, was alleged to have concealed relevant patent applications from a standards organization in which it participated and then successfully sued the entire DRAM industry for royalties after the standard was "locked-in." Remarkably, Rambus prevailed in its litigation campaign despite aggressive enforcement efforts by the Federal Trade Commission. Rambus's success stemmed, in part, from inherent limitations of the antitrust theories asserted against it to reach its opportunistic behavior.Another tool for redressing deceptive conduct in the context of standard setting is the equitable remedy of patent unenforceability, the use of which was recently affirmed by the Federal Circuit in Qualcomm v. Broadcom. The Qualcomm decision marks an important advance in the law surrounding standards-based patent hold-up by making available a remedy that is not constrained by the narrow requirements of antitrust law and which is effective toward both defendants in private litigation and the broader community of standards implementers. Though not yet universally acknowledged as such, the remedy of patent unenforceability, when coupled with affirmative theories of liability, may offer the most effective tool available to address patent hold-up in standard setting, both for private litigants and, potentially, for public enforcement agencies.


Eukaryotic cells comprise a set of organelles, surrounded by membranes with a unique composition, which is maintained by a complex synthesis and transport system. Cells also synthesize the proteins destined for secretion. Together, these processes are known as the secretory pathway or exocytosis. In addition, many molecules can be internalized by cells through a process called endocytosis. Chronic and acute alcohol (ethanol) exposure alters the secretion of different essential products, such as hormones, neurotransmitters and others in a variety of cells, including central nervous system cells. This effect could be due to a range of mechanisms, including alcohol-induced alterations in the different steps involved in intracellular transport, such as glycosylation and vesicular transport along cytoskeleton elements. Moreover, alcohol consumption during pregnancy disrupts developmental processes in the central nervous system. No single mechanism has proved sufficient to account for these effects, and multiple factors are likely involved. One such mechanism indicates that ethanol also perturbs protein trafficking. The purpose of this review is to summarize our understanding of how ethanol exposure alters the trafficking of proteins in different cell systems, especially in central nervous system cells (neurons and astrocytes) in adult and developing brains.


The growth of the Raman Stokes spectrum in single-mode optical fibers is studied in circumstances where there is a significant variation of loss with wavelength. It is shown that the dependence of pump and total Stokes power with fiber length can be calculated from only two equations when an effective Stokes loss is used. The effective Stokes loss is calculated both analytically and numerically for a linear increase of loss with wavelength. Good agreement is found for the two methods of computation.


Jacksonian America was a country in rapid transition, technologically, economically, geographically, sociologically and politically. Intensified sectional divisions, exponential increases in urbanization and immigration, the rise of factory production, and repeated cycles of economic boom and bust helped to fuel an anxious desire for political reform. For Jacksonian Democrats the answer to this popular yearning was the reconstruction of American democracy - including a broadened electorate, offices open to all and the elimination of monopoly and other special privileges. Government at the national level was to be kept small and returned to the people. But as is often the case, the institutionalization of democracy demands a corresponding increase in governmental capacities. Destroying the power of the Monster Bank gave new powers and capacities to the Treasury for the management of monetary policy and fiscal transfers. Offices open to all through the new system of rotation in office created the need for bureaucratic systems of control that replaced status-based restraints and personal loyalties. And the side-effects of technological development, in particular the human carnage that accompanied the rapid expansion of steamboat travel, prompted the creation of a recognizably modern system of health and safety regulation. The Democracy established by the Jacksonians both furthered the building of an American administrative state and solidified an emerging, 19th Century, model of American administration law. In that model administrative accountability was preeminently a matter of (1) political oversight and direction and (2) internal hierarchical control. Judicial control of administration featured a cramped vision of mandamus review that found administrative discretion, and therefore non-reviewability, almost anywhere thought by the responsible official was required. Yet, as individuals, officials remained personally responsible for damages whenever a jury determined that their actions were unauthorized pursuant to some standard common law tort or property action. Although administrative law structured in this fashion seems peculiar, indeed almost invisible, to the 21st Century legal imagination, it fit comfortably within Jacksonian democratic ideology. The Democracy did not envision the judiciary as having a mandate to protect errant officials from responsibility to their fellow citizens for compensation, or to interfere with the discretionary authority of an executive branch headed by a popularly-elected President. Internal hierarchical control of administration smacks of bureaucracy, but not when viewed as reinforcing the elected President's power to carry out the people's will. Bureaucracy, understood as hierarchical control of executive branches officials, and democracy, understood in presidentialist terms, were complements, not competitors. Then, as now, competition between the President and Congress for control of administration was mediated almost exclusively by institutional contestation, not by judicial adjudication. But for Jacksonian's, more than for us, this generally partisan struggle was the essence of the new democracy that they had fashioned, not a blemish on some non-partisan ideal of democratic deliberation.


Distributed computing systems are systems in which multiple processors run independently by communicating with each other. The design of distributed systems is difficult to achieve as the execution patterns of distributed system are typically more complex than those of non-distributed computing systems. The application of object-oriented techniques to the design of distributed systems has the potential to increase the power of modeling and computing. A formal methodology which includes a specification language, developed from an object perspective, for the development of distributed systems is presented.
The formal specification language, DOSL (Distributed Object-based Specification Language), represents the specification of distributed systems from an object perspective. DOSL has a hybrid format which combines the property-oriented approach and the model-oriented approach. In particular, it has strong features for message passing specification. The semantics of DOSL is defined formally by two operational semantics methods: transition systems and Petri nets.
In addition, a formal object-based methodology for the specification of distributed systems is given. The methodology presents a framework for using the DOSL specification language and includes an integrated formalized method for identification of objects, their operations and behaviors from multiple modeling formats. The implementation of the methodology is supported by assistance with a knowledge base.


We investigate the propagation of surface waves along a spatially dispersive graphene sheet, including substrate effects. The proposed analysis derives the admittances of an equivalent circuit of graphene able to handle spatial dispersion, using a nonlocal model of graphene conductivity. Similar to frequency-selective surfaces, the analytical admittances depend on the propagation constant of the waves traveling along the sheet. Dispersion relations for the supported TE and TM modes are then obtained by applying a transverse resonance equation. Application of the method demonstrates that spatial dispersion can dramatically affect the propagation of surface plasmons, notably modifying their mode confinement and increasing losses, even at frequencies where intraband transitions are the dominant contribution to graphene conductivity. These results show the need to correctly assess spatial dispersion effects in the development of plasmonic devices at the low THz band.


Abstract Bystander programs contribute to crime prevention by motivating people to intervene in violent situations. Social media allow addressing very specific target groups, and provide valuable information for program evaluation. This paper provides a conceptual framework for conducting benefit–cost analysis of bystander programs and puts a particular focus on the use of social media for program dissemination and data collection. The benefit–cost model treats publicly funded programs as investment projects and calculates the benefit–cost ratio. Program benefit arises from the damages avoided by preventing violent crime. We provide systematic instructions for estimating this benefit. The explained estimation techniques draw on social media data, machine-learning technology, randomized controlled trials and discrete choice experiments. In addition, we introduce a complementary approach with benefits calculated from the public attention generated by the program. To estimate the value of public attention, the approach uses the bid landscaping method, which originates from display advertising. The presented approaches offer the tools to implement a benefit–costs analysis in practice. The growing importance of social media for the dissemination of policy programs requires new evaluation methods. By providing two such methods, this paper contributes to evidence-based decision-making in a growing policy area.


CEA and Sofradir have been involved for 7 years in studies related to a large format detector development for science and astronomy applications. These studies are linked with ESA's Near Infrared Large Format Sensor Array roadmap which aims to develop a 2Kx2K large format low flux low noise device. The ALFA (Astronomical Large Focal plane Array) detector is currently at design, manufacturing and validation phase at CEA and Sofradir. This paper will present the very last achievements of the ALFA development with a specific focus on the readout integrated circuit design itself. Features and specification of the 2048x2048 15μm pitch with Source Follower Detector (SFD) input stage will be described. Apart from ESA development, European Commission is also contributing to the large detector development thanks to ASTEROID (AStronomical TEchnology EuROpean Infrared detector Development) program founded by REA (Research European Agency). ASTEROID main objectives are to develop very large raw materials (CdZnTe substrate, HgCdTe epilayer…) compatible with the manufacturing of very large detectors in volume keeping the same level of performance. Organization and status of this program will be presented where high synergy with 2K² ALFA detector are included.


Each year, approximately 230 million malaria cases and 400,00 malaria deaths are reported worldwide. Malaria is a life-threatening disease caused by Plasmodium parasites that are transmitted from one individual to another through the bites of infected female Anopheles mosquitoes. Malaria parasites replicate asexually in the human host, and, in each replication cycle, a portion of the asexual stages develops into sexual gametocytes that permit transmission. The proportion of infections that carries gametocytes and the infectivity of gametocytes are indicators of human-to-mosquito transmission potential. In P. falciparum, gametocytes appear 10–14 days after infection, whereas in P. vivax gametocytes appear simultaneously with asexual schizonts. Such difference in development not only increases the length of time that an individual is infectious, but also increases the likelihood of transmission before treatment. The conversion from asexual parasites to gametocytes is also highly variable between infections. Differences in age, host immune response, parasite genetic composition, density of red blood cells, presence of co-infecting parasite strains, and antimalarial drug use could affect gametocytes production. In P. vivax, the unique ability to produce hypnozoites, a dormant liver stage of the parasite, may allow gametocytes to be produced periodically from relapse and contribute to transmission. In this chapter, we will provide an overview of the biology of Plasmodium gametocytes, existing tools for gametocyte detection, and features of gametocyte genes. The biological insights and genetic findings are essential to developing better detection biomarkers and effective strategies to reduce transmission in malaria-endemic countries.


An important part of statistical data analysis is hypothesis testing. For example, we know the probability distribution of the characteristics corresponding to a certain disease, we have the values of the characteristics describing a patient, and we must make a conclusion whether this patient has this disease. Traditional hypothesis testing techniques are based on the assumption that we know the exact values of the characteristic(s) x describing a patient. In practice, the value x comes from measurements and is, thus, only known with uncertainty: x 6 x. In many practical situations, we only know the upper bound ¢ on the (absolute value of the) measurement error ¢x def = x i x. In such situation, after the measurement, the only information that we have about the (unknown) value x of this characteristic is that x belongs to the interval [x i ¢; x + ¢]. In this paper, we overview difierent approaches on how to test a hypothesis under such interval uncertainty. This overview is based on a general approach to decision making under interval uncertainty, approach developed by the 2007 Nobelist L. Hurwicz.


M&A can be motivated by many different things and it is not unnatural to believe that these motivations could be dependent on where we are in the M&A cycle. By extension if we believe that different motivations lead to different 'success' rates then there could be different success rates at different points in the cycle. This is the topic of this report.

First movers have historically been feted for their strategic motivations in pursuing M&A and the advantages gained from moving early, such as the availability of attractive targets. In contrast, late followers have been characterised as firms that exemplify irrational behaviour as they are compelled by competitive pressures to mimic the actions of their rivals without a logical rationale for the motivations underlying the M&A announcement.

We set out to test this simplistic view and in this report we tested the difference in performance between first movers and late followers using a sample of global M&A deals for two periods, Wave 1 (1990-2002) and Wave 2 (2003-2009).

We found considerable evidence that this simplistic view may not be correct, with our so called 'late followers' at least as successful as the 'first movers'.

Before we highlight some relevant practical findings for practitioners we will also show that there may be something different about the latest M&A wave. There are certain features of this second wave (notably the prevalence of cross-border M&A) that may make first mover advantage less prevalent. In addition, insight from literature in other fields may be casting those first movers in a less unreservedly flattering light, which should give managements pause in their attempts to be the first to acquire.

We conclude:
- It's not too late. If you find a compelling M&A opportunity but you feel others have invested in that area already, it's not necessarily a bad thing.
- Something's changed in the latest wave The M&A market is becoming more about new geographies and opportunities, deals where the more you know before you proceed, the better.
- M&A can and does add value Unavoidably, we looked at the data and saw a generally positive reaction to acquisitions, regardless of which end of the 'wave' we are at.

And perhaps, judging by the positive reception given by the market to both our first movers and late followers, we must conclude that you don't want to be caught in the middle.

In M&A, unlike nature, the early bird may not always get the worm!


The current study examines the potential associations between symptoms accompanying Posttraumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) and key lifestyle variables, including sleep components, nutrition, and general physical fitness. The purpose of this study is to determine if there are associations between the lifestyle variables of nutrition, sleep components, and physical fitness levels and PTSD-related symptomatology. Rather than relying on a dichotomous/categorical definition of PTSD as represented, for example, in the DSM-5,] this syndrome will be operationalized using relevant symptom constructs based on current dimensional models of psychopathology. The sample of 288 participants filled out a Consent Form, the MMPI-2-RF, the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index, a nutrition survey, a fitness survey, and demographic information. A canonical correlation analysis was conducted using the three lifestyle variables as predictors of the 4 posttraumatic stress dysfunction variables to evaluate the multivariate shared relationship between the two variables sets. The full model was statistically significant with a Wilk's ? of .741, F (12, 632.63) = 6.300, p < .000. After reviewing previous research and the findings of this study, it is speculated that the symptoms associated with PTSD have consequences on one's daily lifestyle health behaviors and/or that the way one lives in terms of their health can make posttraumatic stress worse or better depending on directionality. Therefore, by altering one's lifestyle behaviors to create habits consistent with healthy levels of sleep, fitness, and nutrition it is possible that the intensity and duration of PTSD symptoms can be reduced.


The use of natural and synthetic rubber for improving the properties of conventional asphalt materials has been investigated since the 1960s. Due to the additional complexity in understanding, designing, and producing rubber-modified binders and mixtures, high production cost, and in some cases conflicting reports regarding their performance, the development and use of these mixtures has been limited over the years. Recently, due to the provisions of the 1991 Intermodal Surface Transportation Efficiency Act (ISTEA) on the use of tire rubber in federally funded projects, several laboratory and field studies were undertaken. This paper describes the laboratory results of asphalt-rubber binder and mixtures characterization with materials used in New Jersay pavement projects. Specifically, the reaction curve (i.e., viscosity versus time) and the results of traditional binder tests are presented. The effects of oxidation and aging during binder and mixture preparation and laydown operations were also examined. The modified mixtures were designed according to Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) recommendations for dense-graded rubber-modified mixtures (wet process) and compared with conventional asphalt mixtures. While the overall objective of this investigation is the development of an improved mix design methodology, using the Strategic Highway Research Program (SHRP) recommendations for dynamic modulus testing, this paper presents the results from the initial evaluation of the mixtures. During this phase the possibility was considered of enhancing the traditional Marshall mix design with mixture behavior parameters since, first, a recent FHWA study concluded that the Marshall method provides saccessful designs for dense-graded rubber-modified mixtures, and, accond, many of the highway agencies are still using this method (and are expected to continue until the acquisition and full acceptance of the SHRP equipment in their routine operations). Thus, stiffness, toughness, and energy absorbed were evaluated for potential integration into the existing design methodology and are presented herein. The results from the tensile strength and resilient modulus evaluation are presented.


In order to foster greater technical competency and to improve confidence in the field, undergraduate students are offered a course known as the FERM, Forest and Environmental Resource Management. Teams of students from forestry and applied ecology degree programs work with faculty, staff, and an advisory board to implement sustainable resource management plans developed by students on the School Forest lands. The FERM program is designed to provide a variety of hands-on experiences in realistic field and management settings that incorporates research and conservation objectives. Specific activities include timber sale preparation and administration, wildlife and ecological surveys, road layout, tree planting, regeneration surveys, study plot layout and establishment, and permanent plot remeasurements. Assessment in the FERM emphasizes student outcomes achieved using group and individual instruction, guided inquiry, technical training, site visits, applied field exercises, and professional interaction. This promising program provides high-quality learning experiences for students but also presents significant challenges.


Objective. The paper examines knowledge of Romani grammatical categories among Roma children from Bulgaria and Slovakia between the ages of 3 and 6 years. Design. Roma children from Bulgaria and from Slovakia completed a psycholinguistic test in the Romani language. The test was developed for the first time in Europe to measure an individual's knowledge of the Romani language (comprehension and production). The newly developed test measured comprehension of categories such as wh questions, wh complements, passive verbs and possessiveness. Results and discussion. The children's knowledge is associated with two theories: the ecological theory of Ogbu (1978) and the integrative theory of child development (García Coll et al. 1996). Ogbu's theory stresses the importance of children's home culture in their development. According to the theory of García Coll and her collaborators, the family's home environment and SES are important predictors of language development.


Hypotension during spinal anaesthesia is because of the physiologic effects of central Neuraxial blockade, which is due to two major alterations in cardiovascular systems. First is blockade of sympathetic vasoconstrictor Fibers of the arterioles. Arteriolar dilatation results in a decrease in peripheral vascular resistance. The second is actual dilatation of peripheral veins and Venules with pooling of blood. This combined with paralysis of skeletal muscle and the loss of muscular milking action plus the interference with the thoracic respiratory pump decreases venous return. Sixty patients in the age group between 20 and 60 years belonging to ASA Grade-I and Grade-II posted for elective lower limb surgeries were grouped randomly into two groups(n=30). Randomization was done using simple sealed envelope technique. Based on outcome variables namely mean sensory and motor block time, significance detection of mean difference of 20 minutes, with 90% statistical power and 5% level of significance, the sample of 60 was adequate. There was a statistically significant changes in the pulse rate between two groups during first 60 minutes. Two patients in Group LD had bradycardia and no patients in Group LF. There is no statistically significant difference in systolic blood pressure between the groups. Two patients in Group L and Two patients in Group LD had hypotension. Two patients in Group L developed adverse effects (Bradycardia-2), and Four patients in Group LD (Hypotension –2, Bradycardia – 2). There was no statistically significant difference between the groups regarding adverse effects (p=0.671).


Stop this day and night with me and you shall possess the origin of all poems, You shall possess the good of the earth and sun, (there are millions of suns left,) You shall no longer take things at second or third hand, nor look through the eyes of the dead, nor feed on the spectres in books, You shall not look through my eyes either, nor take things from me, You shall listen to all sides and filter them from your self.l


A general formulation for the analysis of complex Bravais crystals using atomic energy functionals embedded within a finite element framework is presented. The method uses atomistic potentials to determine the constitutive response of the system. Unlike traditional finite element methods, the nonlinear elastic effects, the symmetries of the underlying crystal, and the possibility of uniform structural phase transformations are naturally included in this formulation. Explicit expressions for empirical energy functionals with separable two- and three-body potentials, and semiempirical tight-binding energy functionals with two-center integrals are presented. A simple application to silicon underscores the importance of including internal relaxation in a finite element treatment of a complex crystal. In a forthcoming companion paper, the method presented here is applied to the nanoindentation of silicon.


This article explores judicial references to what judges may or may not do, in their own words "in good conscience." It assesses the most common situations in which federal appellate judges use this term and it discusses the propriety of different uses and placements of those expressions of conscientious commitments that play into judicial decisionmaking. It distinguishes between expressions of primarily institutional conscience (that is, the commitment to certain institutional values, responsibilities, or limitations on what the judge may do) and expressions of primarily personal conscience (that is, the commitment to the individual values or beliefs of the judge who expresses the matter of conscience). Having explored these categories of expressions, and the muddy middle ground between them, the article discusses questions of the legitimacy of conscience as an input to judicial decisionmaking and as a matter for open expression.


The consumer's profile has changed, and in recent years, there has been a greater concern for the nutritional quality of meat, especially in relation to fat that compose it. The meat fat composition can contribute to the onset of cardiovascular disease. On the other hand, fat is an essential component in the human diet, as well as providing energy; it contains essential fatty acids (FAs) that must be present in food. The meat nutritional properties are largely related to its fat content and fatty acid composition. In addition, fat gives flavor to food, helps in the absorption of vitamins, and plays an important role in the immune response, for humans, and animals. The fat nutritional and sensory quality in meat that is determined by the fatty acid composition can affect the degree of fat saturation, the storage stability, and flavor. There are several factors that can influence the fatty acid composition, such as animals' species, breed, sex, and diet, causing various changes in carcass, as well as in tissues and chemical meat composition.


The contribution of the animal environments to the worsening of the global antimicrobial resistance framework is related to the use of antimicrobials in subtherapeutic doses and, for long periods, establishing ideal conditions for the circulation of resistance genes, which can be transmitted to pathogens adapted to the human microbiota. The study of the animal environment as conducive to the acceleration of resistance evolution is an emerging and critical area for understanding the development and dissemination of resistance genes among the circulating bacteria. The connection between people, animals, and the environment allows us to consider antimicrobial resistance in an approach within the "One Health" concept, which provides a global strategy for expanding collaboration and interdisciplinary communication. This chapter will highlight the emergence of colistin resistance, a great challenge in antimicrobial resistance field. Also, it will focus on some agents included in the priority list of superbugs of the World Health Organization (WHO) or correlated species already identified in veterinary medicine, such as the critical superbugs; priority level 1, Carbapenem-resistant Acinetobacter baumannii, Carbapenem-resistant Pseudomonas aeruginosa, and ESBL-producing Carbapenemic-resistant Enterobacteriaceae; and the high-priority, level 2, methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA).


In many federal political systems, responsibility for unemployment has a multi-tiered architecture, with competence for key elements such as unemployment insurance, social assistance, and the public employment service, dispersed across different orders of government. This CEPS Working Document tells the story of the long transformation of unemployment insurance into a federal responsibility in Canada, and seeks to identify lessons from Canada's experience that might help Europeans consider the potential of an EU-wide unemployment benefits scheme. Most European scholars look to the United States for transferable ideas; this author argues that Canada is a more salient comparator, given that it has similar institutional features to the EU, and has successfully managed a pan-Canadian unemployment insurance benefits scheme for over 75 years. Lessons for the EU from Canada include the place of a centrally managed unemployment insurance programme in a monetary union, and insights with respect to stabilisation, labour mobility, redistribution, social solidarity, legitimacy, and institutional moral hazard.


Fully autonomous vehicles, commonly referred to as self-driving vehicles, are an emerging technology that may hold tremendous mobility potential for individuals who are blind or visually impaired who have been previously disadvantaged by an inability to operate conventional motor vehicles. This study explores the opinions of 38 participants who are blind and low vision, through the use of focus group methodology, regarding this emerging self-driving vehicle technology. Participants were overwhelmingly optimistic about the potential for independence and mobility that self-driving vehicles may provide but were concerned that the needs of individuals with visual impairments were not being adequately considered in the development of the technology. Participants also raised questions about how the technology would satisfy their need for situational awareness, how the technology would enable blind or visually impaired operators to verify their arrival at their desired location and a host of issues related to parking, vehicle location and roadside assistance. Participants also expressed a preference for smartphone and speech input capabilities as a primary means of system interaction. These findings suggest that at a minimum more needs to be done to engage individuals with visual impairments in the development of self-driving vehicle technology and to increase awareness of manufacturer efforts.


The damselfish genus Dascyllus (family Pomacentridae) is reviewed. The group contains the following nine species which are primarily inhabitants of tropical reefs: albisella (Hawaiian Islands), aruanus (widespread Indo-Pacific), carneus (Indian Ocean), marginatus (Red Sea), melanurus (Indo-Australian Archipelago), reticulatus (E. Indian Ocean and W. Pacific), strasburgi (Marquesas Islands), trimaculatus (widespread Indo-Pacific), and flavicaudus n.sp. (southeastern Oceania) which is described in detail and compared with its nearest relative, D. reticulatus. A brief diagnosis, illustration, and notes on the general biology of each species is provided. In addition, a key to the species of Dascyllus and tables of meristic and morphometric data are included.


A material flow analysis of the 2012 Swiss waste management system is presented, highlighting the material content available from waste. Half of municipal solid waste (MSW) is materially recycled and the other half thermally treated with energy recovery. A key component of an industrial ecosystem is increasing the resource efficiency through circulating materials. Recycling rates (RRs), an indicator for the circulating behavior of materials, are often used as measure for the degree of circularity of an economy. This study provides an in‐depth analysis of the recycling of paper, cardboard, aluminum, tinplate, glass, and polyethylene terephthalate (PET) from MSW in Switzerland by splitting the RRs into closed‐ and open‐loop collection rate (CR) and RRs. Whereas CR refers to collected material that enters the recycling process, RRs measure the available secondary resources produced from recycling processes. For PET, the closed‐loop CR of 45% and the open‐loop CR of 40% compare to an RR of 31% and 37%, respectively (including exports and recycling of polyethylene and metals from collection). Official collection rates for paper and cardboard are very high (97%), whereas CR of 74% and 89% and RR of 59% and 81% for paper and cardboard, respectively, were found in the present study (including export). For a majority of the separately collected materials investigated, the rates that are determined are substantially lower than those that are officially communicated. Furthermore, given that official rates often do not provide information on the availability of secondary materials, the improvement potential for increased resource recovery is hidden.


We are all designers. Designing is a part of life. It is the way we make and assemble the things we need for the way we like to live, or have to live. It is a way of organizing both the tangible and intangible structures of our lives, the structures which we form and which then in turn form us. In designing these structures we balance an inward knowledge of ourselves with an outward knowledge of the world. We learn to interact with the social and physical environment that surrounds us, to accommodate the needs of others within our purpose, and adapt our purpose to their needs. At the professional level, designing is an interdisciplinary process in which methods of scientific, technical and artistic investigation are combined with an understanding of human and functional needs to modify and affect almost any aspect of the environment.


F ollowing the escape of 8 Gambian giant pouched rats (Gambian rats) from an exotic pet breeder in 1999, Gambian ra ts became an established invasive species that persists in the wild on Grassy Key, Florida. Because of their large body size, the free/ranging Gambian rats pose a serious threat to native species and agricultural crops, especially if they find their way into mainland Florida. Initiated in 2005, the USDA Wildlife Services has been conducting an eradication and detection program in the Florida Keys. Today however, detecting, baiting, trapping, and removing the now sparse population of Gambian rats are proving difficult. Therefore, we conducted a laboratory trial with wild/captured Gambian rats from Grassy Kay to test 15 potential materials that could be used for attracting the remaining free/ranging population. We found that a conspecific scent (i.e., feces and urine) from other Gambian rats was the most attractive, but also peanut butter, anise, ginger, and fatty acid scent seemed to attract Gambian rats. In an additional study, we tested the efficacy of 6 commercially available rodenticide baits (all with different formulations of active ingredients) in multiple/choice food trials. We found that brodifacoum (second/generation anticoagulant) and zinc phosphide (acute rodenticide) formulated baits were highly effective. Using these various attractants and rodenticides could be useful for eliminating the sparse population of invading Gambian rats in the Florida Keys.


In recent scholarly debates on sharia by-laws in Indonesia, many observers have claimed that such local regulations are unconstitutional and/or unlawful, and have criticised the central government for not overturning them. According to these scholars and activists, the Indonesian government is aware of the legal problems surrounding sharia by-laws (or perda syari'ah), but does not want to take action due to political concerns. Despite the controversial nature of such claims, there have so far been surprisingly few in-depth scholarly discussions of the legal status of sharia by-laws. This article seeks to fill this gap in the academic literature by analysing the position of perda syari'ah in Indonesia's constitutional and legal framework. Our examination takes two main steps: first, we examine the mechanisms through which regional regulations may be challenged and ultimately invalidated; and, second, we apply these criteria for potential annulment to a selected number of perda syari'ah. Based on this analysis, we conclude that perda syari'ah are in a much stronger legal position than their opponents believe. Consequently, we suggest that legal obstacles are as relevant as political dynamics in explaining the remarkable resilience of sharia by-laws in contemporary Indonesia.


Firms strive to become industry leaders for a number of reasons including the market power that such a position endows upon them, the prestige relating to it as well as the increase in profits that it often results in. In this paper, we concentrate on the duration of survival of leaders and on the factors that influence it. To facilitate our investigation, we use duration analysis to estimate a survival function, both with and without time varying covariates. Our results indicate that, on average, in India, a firm maintains its leadership position for approximately five years (though this is significantly higher in the 'high concentration ratio industries'). Its survival fits a logistic distribution best, implying that the hazard of failure is nonlinearly related to time. On the one hand, the size of the firm itself, its previous experience in leading the industry and economies of scale in the industry all extend the duration of leadership. On the other hand, the larger the size of the firm's rivals and the larger its profits relative to the industry average, the shorter its duration of survival at the top.


Age and size at maturity are major life history traits, because they influence lifetime fecundity. They represent the outcome from complex interactions among environmental pressures (abiotic and biotic) and individual characteristics. They are also difficult to measure in natural populations and thus they are rarely appraised, especially in reptiles due to the elusive nature of juveniles. Using skeletochronology to circumvent these difficulties, this study aims to compare age structures, longevity, age-size relationships, growth curves, age and size at maturation and potential reproductive lifespan in three populations of the European whip snake (two Hierophis viridiflavus , one H. carbonarius ). We measured the body size and counted the skeletal growth marks on 132 specimens, accidentally killed or from museum collections (72 from NW France [Chize]; 28 from Tuscan Archipelago [Montecristo], Italy; 32 from S Italy [Calimera]). General patterns of age at maturity and longevity were consistent with previous studies based on recapture investigations. Strong differences among populations suggest local adaptation to contrasted environmental conditions. These results suggest that skeletochronology is a useful technique that can be applied opportunistically in snakes (e.g. using road-kills) in order to collect otherwise unavailable data that are essential to address fundamental questions regarding longevity, life-history traits and to perform population viability analyses.


Very high-resolution seismic facies, classified, mapped, and interpreted from 3.5 kHz echograms, reveal that turbidity-current, mass-transport, and bottom-current depositional processes have all contributed to the regional sediment distribution in the intraslope basin province of the northwest Gulf of Mexico. Piston cores from these deposits confirm the interpretations of the processes. Turbidity currents transport sands into the intraslope mini-basins via channels and canyons. A few turbidity-current pathways, such as Bryant Canyon, allow extensive volumes of terrigenous sediment to bypass through many mini-basins and be deposited beyond the Sigsbee Escarpment to form large submarine fans, such as Bryant Fan. Bryant Fan is a large mud-rich fan that extends hundreds of kilometers from the mouth of Bryant Canyon but has only one meandering channel on the modern seafloor that extends down the length of the fan. In contrast, the much smaller Rio Grande Submarine Fan is deposited on a plateau area of the continental slope. Prolonged 3.5 echo character and numerous small, unleveed channels suggest this is a sand-rich fan with a braided channel system. These two submarine fans appear to present unique architectural and growth patterns not previously described in the numerous fan descriptions of W.R. Normark or other workers. Thus, these two fans appear to represent two new types of fans, which may be related to the complex structures of the intraslope basin province. Mass-transport deposits (MTDs) are ubiquitous throughout the mini-basins. Extensive areas affected by MTDs also occur along the upper continental slope and at the base of the eastern portion of the Sigsbee Escarpment. Piston cores confirm that the majority of MTDs are debris flows, which are characterized by mud clasts of variable size, shape, and color. Most have a muddy matrix, but sandy debris flows also occur in a few mini-basins. Some cores show deformation, folds, and faults that indicate slump or slide deposits. The East Breaks Slide Complex is the largest MTD complex and extends downslope from the shelf edge for >100 km off central Texas. The western portion of the complex is slump and/or slide blocks and debris flows. In contrast, the proximal part of the eastern portion of the complex is characterized by a modern leveed turbidite channel system. However, extensive MTDs underlie the channel-levee deposits and occur at the seafloor on the distal part of the eastern portion of the complex. Three large regions of migrating sediment waves occur on the Sigsbee Abyssal Plain and eastern Bryant Fan and appear to have been formed by circulation of the Loop Current. Sediment waves also occur locally at the base of the Sigsbee Escarpment in conjunction with previously reported erosional furrows.


Introduction: Health literacy is the capacity to obtain, process and understand basic health information and also the health care services required to make informed-care health related decisions. Low health literacy has a negative impact on care and treatment of chronic diseases such as diabetes, although this disease may require lifelong care. The aim of this study was to determine the relationship between health literacy and self-care in patients in Bastak with type 2 diabetes. Materials and Methods: This study was a cross-sectional study, conducted in 2015 on 265 patients with type 2 diabetes. Data collection was conducted using the Iranian adult Health Literacy (HELIA) questionnaire and the Summary of Diabetes Self-Care Activities (SDSCA). Results: The results of this study show that 51.7 percent of patients had low levels of health literacy. The average score of self-care one week before study was 53.78±15.67. In the present study, significant relationships were found for health literacy with self-care and two of its domains, including physical activity and diet. Conclusion: Diabetic patients need more knowledge and a proper attitude to control their disease successfully with appropriate self-care. More attention to the issue of health literacy in health promotion programs is highly recommended.


Background Previous studies of major depressive disorder (MDD) have focused on abnormalities in the prefrontal cortex and medial temporal regions. There has been little investigation in MDD of midbrain and subcortical regions central to reward/aversion function, such as the ventral tegmental area/substantia nigra (VTA/SN), and medial forebrain bundle (MFB). Methodology/Principal Findings We investigated the microstructural integrity of this circuitry using diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) in 22 MDD subjects and compared them with 22 matched healthy control subjects. Fractional anisotropy (FA) values were increased in the right VT and reduced in dorsolateral prefrontal white matter in MDD subjects. Follow-up analysis suggested two distinct subgroups of MDD patients, which exhibited non-overlapping abnormalities in reward/aversion circuitry. The MDD subgroup with abnormal FA values in VT exhibited significantly greater trait anxiety than the subgroup with normal FA values in VT, but the subgroups did not differ in levels of anhedonia, sadness, or overall depression severity. Conclusions/Significance These findings suggest that MDD may be associated with abnormal microstructure in brain reward/aversion regions, and that there may be at least two subtypes of microstructural abnormalities which each impact core symptoms of depression.


Breast cancer is a major public health challenge. It affects a very large numbers of women across the globe. Although improvements in its management have dramatically transformed its prognosis at diagnosis, breast cancer remains associated with an increased long-term risk of death, persisting even decades after diagnosis. A comprehensive understanding of this underlying pattern of death from breast cancer in the long-term is currently lacking but increasingly important as the number of long-term survivors rises. The reliability of the cause of death is of particular interest in this context. In this thesis, I use data from the Geneva Cancer Registry to first, determine the best methodology for examining long-term net survival, and second, to evaluate its determinants. Two data settings are available for the estimation of net survival: the cause-specific setting, where the cause of death is required, and the relative-survival setting, where it is not. I first evaluated the accuracy of routinely collected cause of death information and the impact of inaccuracies upon survival estimates. I observed small but non-negligible advantages in using a reviewed cause of death when estimating survival. I then compared the cause-specific to the relative survival setting for the estimation of long-term net survival and demonstrated that the relative-survival setting was less sensitive to violations of the assumptions both for breast cancer patients as well as for patients diagnosed with cancer at three other localisations. I further investigated the long-term effects of key prognostic factors and treatment for women with breast cancer in the relative survival setting using an appropriate strategy for model selection. Although I demonstrated insightful non-linear and time-dependent effects for some prognostic variables, the analyses were limited by issues of convergence and misspecification of the model. High quality population-based data and additional statistical tools are required to understand with greater certainty the determinants of breast cancer long-term excess mortality.


Productivity at the macro level is a complex concept but also arguably the most appropriate measure of economic welfare. Currently, there is limited research available on the various approaches that can be used to measure it and especially on the relative accuracy of said approaches. This thesis has two main objectives: firstly, to detail some of the most common productivity measurement approaches and assess their accuracy under a number of conditions and secondly, to present an up-to-date application of productivity measurement and provide some guidance on selecting between sometimes conflicting productivity estimates. With regards to the first objective, the thesis provides a discussion on the issues specific to macro-level productivity measurement and on the strengths and weaknesses of the three main types of approaches available, namely index-number approaches (represented by Growth Accounting), non-parametric distance functions (DEA-based Malmquist indices) and parametric production functions (COLS- and SFA-based Malmquist indices). The accuracy of these approaches is assessed through simulation analysis, which provided some interesting findings. Probably the most important were that deterministic approaches are quite accurate even when the data is moderately noisy, that no approaches were accurate when noise was more extensive, that functional form misspecification has a severe negative effect in the accuracy of the parametric approaches and finally that increased volatility in inputs and prices from one period to the next adversely affects all approaches examined. The application was based on the EU KLEMS (2008) dataset and revealed that the different approaches do in fact result in different productivity change estimates, at least for some of the countries assessed. To assist researchers in selecting between conflicting estimates, a new, three step selection framework is proposed, based on findings of simulation analyses and established diagnostics/indicators. An application of this framework is also provided, based on the EU KLEMS dataset.


Background The safety and effectiveness of the fully repositionable LOTUS valve system as compared with the balloon‐expandable Edwards SAPIEN 3 prosthesis for the treatment of aortic stenosis has not been evaluated to date. Methods and Results All patients undergoing transcatheter aortic valve implantation with the Edwards SAPIEN 3 or the LOTUS valve system were included into the Swiss Transcatheter Aortic Valve Implantation Registry. An adjusted analysis was performed to compare the early clinical safety outcome according to the Valve Academic Research Consortium‐2 definition. Between February 2014 and September 2015, 140 and 815 patients were treated with the LOTUS and the Edwards SAPIEN 3 valve, respectively. There was no difference in crude and adjusted analyses of the early safety outcome between patients treated with LOTUS (14.3%) and those treated with Edwards SAPIEN 3 (14.6%) (crude hazard ratio, 0.97; 95% CI, 0.61–1.56 [P=0.915]; adjusted hazard ratio, 1.03; 95% CI, 0.64–1.67 [P=0.909]). More than mild aortic regurgitation was <2% for both devices. A total of 34.3% of patients treated with LOTUS and 14.1% of patients treated with Edwards SAPIEN 3 required a permanent pacemaker (HR, 2.76; 95% CI, 1.97–3.87 [P<0.001]). Conclusions The repositionable LOTUS valve system and the balloon‐expandable Edwards SAPIEN 3 prosthesis appeared comparable in regard to the Valve Academic Research Consortium‐2 early safety outcome, and the rates of more than mild aortic regurgitation were exceedingly low for both devices. The need for new permanent pacemaker implantation was more frequent among patients treated with the LOTUS valve.


Analytic properties of the angular spectrum amplitude of the field scattered from a finite object with a continuous scattering potential are established, and some of its consequences are discussed. In particular, it is shown that the scattered field must contain both homogeneous and evanescent waves, unless it vanishes everywhere outside the scattering volume.


From the first century BCE to the thirteenth century, Kashmir was a thriving center of Buddhist culture and art. The rise of Islamic peoples led to the destruction of all temples constructed there during the Buddhist era. Yet in the remote Himalayas of Ladakh and other neighboring locations, a few of these archaeological and artistic treasures are exquisitely preserved and are reproduced here for the first time. This volume takes readers on a journey through these remote sites, focusing especially on the amazing temple complex of Mangyu. The chapels, shrines, and dazzling murals presented here not only reveal much about late Mahayana Buddhism in India-its art, culture, and history-but also help fill a gap in our knowledge of the development of early Tibetan Vajrayana Buddhism.


The ever-increasing growth in urban population exerts pressure on limited facilities in most developing cities and towns especially in sectors of water supplies and sanitation. A study of the provision and use of public conveniences in the City Center of Nairobi in 1991 noted that most of the public toilets in the City center of Nairobi were constructed before I963.Thereafter; only five public toilets were constructed to commemorate the silver jubilee celebrations in 1998 and the ten year Nyayo era celebrations that coincided. The population of Nairobi in 1963 was estimated to be about 267,000 whereas the current population is estimated to be 2.4 million according to the Central Bureau of Statistics. Despite the continued population increase, the Nairobi City Council has not constructed more public toilets to meet the demand of the increased population, as it should have done. An extensive market survey done in the year 2001pointed out that the demand for the services of public toilets is extremely high. That can be seen in the increased usage of the facilities in the last one-year when the Nairobi City Council and the Nairobi Central District Business Association rehabilitated most of the public toilets in the Central Business District. This study focuses on the Sustainable management of public toilets within the Central Business District. The study hopes to come up with an alternative preferred management to serve Central Business District. On the whole, the project would have positive impacts. Of greatest importance is the potential improvement in public health through improved sanitation if the sustainable management of public toilets is executed.


New Testament perspectives on divorce New Testament perspectives on divorce practices in the first century Mediterranean world is first of all undertaken. Against this socio-historical framework the New Testament "divorce" texts are then analysed. Pronouncements on divorce in the Synoptic Gospels and the Pauline corpus, being our main sources of information in this regard, are respectively investigated in terms of their communicative functions within their textual and cultural contexts. A short summary of the New Testament views with regards to marriage and divorce, and the intercultural relevance thereof, concludes the essay.


Status asthmaticus (SA) is a sudden respiratory failure characterized by an acute bronchospasm with a severe inflammation, requiring in some cases mechanical ventilation (MV). Initial postmortem studies emphasized the presence of eosinophils in the bronchial wall and of mucus plugs filling the bronchi. More recently a prominent neutrophil influx was observed in patients with fatal or near fatal asthma. The aim of our study was to evaluate characteristics of bronchial inflammation in terms of cellular influx, mediators, cytokines and chemokines. Ten patients with SA were compared with 11 patients with chronic asthma, 4 without preexisting pulmonary disease requiring MV and 8 healthy subjects. Bronchial lavages in SA were indicated to remove bronchial plugs in case of atelectasia and/or refractory SA. The main findings in patients with SA were a massive influx of neutrophils (81.5 ± 4.5%) with a dramatic increase of neutrophil elastase. Although more limited than the neutrophil influx, eosinophils were present and associated with high levels of eosinophil cationic protein (ECP), which suggested that a part of the eosinophils were activated and degranulated. In parallel to the neutrophil and eosinophil influx, we observed elevated amounts of proinflammatory (IL-1β, IL-5, IL-6, TNFα) and anti-inflammatory (IL-10, IL-1 receptor antagonist, soluble TNF receptors) cytokines with a balance in favor of a net proinflammatory activity. Chemokines were also present in large quantities with a predominance of MCP-1, MIP-α and RANTES with a significant correlation between MCP-1, RANTES, IL-5 and both eosinophil and ECP values. In addition an acute 10- to 160-fold increase of 92-kD gelatinase (MMP9) was detected in bronchial lavage fluid from patients with SA associated with a free metallogelatinolytic activity, suggesting an imbalance in the local production of proteases and antiproteases. Therefore, our results indicate that the bronchi in SA are the site of an intense production of pro- and anti-inflammatory cytokines and chemokines that are implicated in the influx of eosinophils and neutrophils. The inflammatory pattern in SA clearly differs from the usual profile observed in chronic asthma.


We document the widespread existence of antisocial punishment, that is, the sanctioning of people who behave prosocially. Our evidence comes from public goods experiments that we conducted in 16 comparable participant pools around the world. However, there is a huge cross-societal variation. Some participant pools punished the high contributors as much as they punished the low contributors, whereas in others people only punished low contributors. In some participant pools, antisocial punishment was strong enough to remove the cooperation-enhancing effect of punishment. We also show that weak norms of civic cooperation and the weakness of the rule of law in a country are significant predictors of antisocial punishment. Our results show that punishment opportunities are socially beneficial only if complemented by strong social norms of cooperation.


A recent experience with my schola painfully reminded me once again that singers can teach directors important truths. After spending the day producing a brilliant explanation of modes, I proudly showed it to a schola member, who handed it back after the first sentence and said, "I have absolutely no idea what you're talking about. And I don't see any way in which this will improve our singing." Ouch! After I got past being insulted, I recognized that she had a point. To wit, my rabid interest in chant may not be shared with the same intensity by those who want to sing with me. If you read Sacred Music, chances are good that you are or want to be a church music fanatic. You've been bitten by the chant bug at a colloquium or workshop. Now you're starting a "garage schola" with a couple of friends or perhaps you're helping to help start up the music for a new extraordinary form Mass or you've gotten a shot at the 7 a.m. Sunday Mass that has no music. Excited and entranced, you cruise the internet for chant recordings and videos and enjoy puzzling out rhythms and arcane notation. And now you're going to share all you know and bring this music to life in your own place on the planet with a group of singers. While you need not curb your enthusiasm, take a moment to consider your schola. Many people who want to sing chant don't want to join the cult of episemas, dominants of plagal modes, the history of the Merovingian empire, and the restoration of chant in late nineteenth-century France. They want to sing, thank you very much, and they're interested in knowing what will help them sing better right now--and not a great deal more. Your singers would rather sing a mode than listen to you talk about one. FIND OUT WHERE THEY ARE In Alexander Technique (a method of movement training popular with musicians and actors), there is an expression: "Begin where you are--not where you wish you were." With singers, your motto should be "Begin where they are--not where I am." In order to do that, you need to know where they are right now. Make no assumptions about musical background, sight-reading skills, knowledge of Latin, ability to hold a part, vocal range, and quality of voice. Obviously, if the schola in question is an auditioned ensemble, these questions were answered in the audition process. However, many scholas are open to all comers. In this case, insist on an individual "vocal placement meeting" with each singer. Reassure them that these are not auditions, but your opportunity to find the best place for their voices. You will find that many singers have limited skills or are very rusty, not having sung since the high school choir thirty years ago. Their Latin may have been laid to rest with the Caesar's Gallic Wars. However, if they can match pitch and have a reasonably pleasant vocal tone, you can find a place for them in the schola. AT THE VERY BEGINNING Now they are standing in front of you with binders or their new copies of the Parish Book of chant and it's time to sing. It's essential for you to arrive at this moment with some initial decisions on language and notation. First of all, choose a single ecclesiastical Latin pronunciation guide and make sure every singer has a copy in his or her binder (or use the one in the PBC). That will save quibbling about German vs. Italian pronunciation systems, a time-waster. Do likewise with a listing of neumes and remember that knowing the names of each neume is not a prerequisite to singing the music. Introduce one a week and play an occasional game of "Spot the Salicus" with a new pencil as a prize. Your singers have taken time from their busy lives to work with you and a little levity can give them a breather before a difficult new piece. Solfege will help you and your schola move through music more quickly and with greater assurance. Again, give them digestible bits of solfege that relate directly to a chant being rehearsed. …


Over the past decade, marine/maritime spatial planning (MSP) has matured from a concept to a practical approach in advancing sustainable development and management of marine space [1]. However, MSP still remains a relatively novel and complex process which involves various disciplines, procedures and engagement with multiple interests within differing governance arrangements and legal settings at different spatial scales in a dynamic system. MSP, therefore, requires marine planning practitioners and their institutions to be adequately equipped to address all of these and emerging challenges. Europe has invested in capacity building for MSP over the years with the adoption of the MSP Directive [2] being the main driver for implementation in some Member States alongside those where MSP had already been initiated. This paper provides an overview of experience, practical challenges, and lessons learnt from capacity building initiatives to do with education and training courses, establishing a national planning body, and cross-border projects, mainly from Europe. The paper broadly considers the skills, training and knowledge required for the MSP process. It stresses the importance of developing capacity at all levels, prioritising resources for capacity building and ensuring effective partnerships between the different actors and institutions. Finally, recommendations, potential next steps and priorities are suggested for furthering MSP capacity building.


Political parties use policy radicalism as a means of attaining electoral success. Differentiation from other parties and ideological renewal after a period of incumbency or prolonged opposition are valid reasons for policy innovation, but excessive radicalization has a number of detrimental effects, including mismanaging voter expectations. This article analyzes a number of examples of policy radicalization under the French Fifth Republic. It starts from concepts taken from policy mood and spatial competition models, and examines how French political parties of both Left and Right have overreached in their ideological stances, and thereby exacerbated political disenchantment among the French public. The article concludes by looking at the notion that mainstream politicians may not be acting in their own best interests when they radicalize the political agenda by misreading electoral competitive cues.


Although prostate cancer (PCa) is the second leading cause of cancer death among men worldwide, not all men diagnosed with PCa will die from the disease. A critical challenge, therefore, is to distinguish indolent PCa from more advanced forms to guide appropriate treatment decisions. We used Enhanced Reduced Representation Bisulfite Sequencing, a genome-wide high-coverage single-base resolution DNA methylation method to profile seven localized PCa samples, seven matched benign prostate tissues, and six aggressive castration-resistant prostate cancer (CRPC) samples. We integrated these data with RNA-seq and whole-genome DNA-seq data to comprehensively characterize the PCa methylome, detect changes associated with disease progression, and identify novel candidate prognostic biomarkers. Our analyses revealed the correlation of cytosine guanine dinucleotide island (CGI)-specific hypermethylation with disease severity and association of certain breakpoints (deletion, tandem duplications, and interchromosomal translocations) with DNA methylation. Furthermore, integrative analysis of methylation and single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) uncovered widespread allele-specific methylation (ASM) for the first time in PCa. We found that most DNA methylation changes occurred in the context of ASM, suggesting that variations in tumor epigenetic landscape of individuals are partly mediated by genetic differences, which may affect PCa disease progression. We further selected a panel of 13 CGIs demonstrating increased DNA methylation with disease progression and validated this panel in an independent cohort of 20 benign prostate tissues, 16 PCa, and 8 aggressive CRPCs. These results warrant clinical evaluation in larger cohorts to help distinguish indolent PCa from advanced disease.


Abstract. Observations of lifted temperature minimum (LTM) profiles in the nocturnal boundary layer were first reported in 1932. It was defined by the existence of a temperature minimum some centimetres above the ground. During the following decades, several research studies analysed this phenomenon verifying its existence and postulating different hypotheses about its origin. The aim of this work is to study the existence and characteristics of LTM during the evening transition by using observations obtained during the Boundary Layer Late Afternoon and Sunset Turbulence (BLLAST) campaign. Data obtained from two masts instrumented with thermocouples and wind sensors at different heights close to the ground and a mast with radiometers are used to study the role of mechanical turbulence and radiation in LTM development. The study shows that LTM can be detected under calm conditions during the day–night transition, several hours earlier than reported in previous work. These conditions are fulfilled under weak synoptic forcing when the local flow shifts associated with a mountain–plain circulation in relatively complex orography. Under these special conditions, turbulence becomes a crucial parameter in determining the ideal conditions for observing LTM. Additionally, LTM observed profiles are also related to a change in the atmospheric radiative characteristics under calm conditions.