Abstract Hoarding, the repetitive collection of excessive quantities of poorly useable items of little or no value with failure to discard these items over time, is characterized in DSM‐IV as a symptom of obsessive–compulsive disorder (OCD) and obsessive–compulsive personality disorder (OCPD) but has, until recently, received scant empirical investigation. We describe the demographics, phenomenology, associated psychopathology and family history in 15 subjects presenting with hoarding behavior. Fifteen subjects were recruited from an OCD clinic and newspaper advertisement and assessed with the comprehensive Structured Clinical Interview for DSM‐IV (SCID I and II), the Yale‐Brown Obsessive Compulsive Scale (Y‐BOCS), and a hoarding questionnaire (devised by the authors). The sample comprised 11 women and four men who hoarded a mean of seven item types, with a mean duration of 13.2 ± 3.9 years (range 2–15 years). Their mean age was 41.8 ± 14.3 years (range 20–65 years). The most common motive for hoarding was the fear of discarding items of practical value. Nine subjects met DSM‐IV criteria for OCD, 9 met criteria for OCPD, for symptoms and behaviors other than hoarding, while six subjects met criteria for a putative OCD spectrum disorder (Tourette's, body dysmorphic disorder, trichotillomania). Six subjects reported little or no control over their hoarding, but only one subject saw her symptoms as an 'illness' warranting treatment. Pathological hoarding is usually a covert and chronic behavior causing distress and/or impairment, and may be related to OCD and OCPD. Hoarding may meet the criterion for a compulsion in DSM‐IV, yet there is evidence to suggest that hoarding may manifest in a variety of other psychiatric conditions. While a range of pharmacologic and behavioral treatments have been tried, their effectiveness in managing hoarding behaviors requires additional research.


Irrigation water demand in the Great Plains region is lowering groundwater levels, reducing base flow and dewatering vulnerable streams. In western Kansas, groundwater has ceased to supply dependable baseflow to previously perennial streams. The change in baseflow has altered both the natural flow regime of streams and the level of in stream connectivity among pools at low flow. Previous studies have shown that changes occurring in streams have adverse impacts on freshwater ecosystem and fish species distribution. The objective of this study was to document stream flow regime changes for unregulated streams in four geographically distinct regions across Kansas using 60 or more years of daily discharge data. The analysis focused on spatial differences and temporal changes in hydrologic indices relevant to the lotic ecosystem for fourteen unregulated streams. Log Pearson III method was used for computing flow probabilities. The Mann-Kendall test in conjunction with Sen's slope estimator was used for trend analysis. Indicators of Hydrologic Alterations software was used to generate hydrologic indices. Results show a substantial difference in streamflow characteristics between western and eastern regions. Temporally variable indices include median, zero and 1 cfs flow, and timing of low flow. Most streams in western Kansas now have longer and more frequent dry periods. Moreover, the timing of these dry periods could adversely impact essential ecological services and functions. Results of this study are intended to guide decision makers, watershed stakeholders, and environmental conservation advocates in addressing problems and concerns related to stream and river management.


Background: Chronic kidney disease (CKD) has become a major public health problem worldwide. Due to the asymptomatic nature of CKD during earlier stages, patients tend to present late, missing opportunities for prevention. Aims: This study was conducted to determine the prevalence and assess the risk factors associated with CKD in patients admitted at Princes Marina Hospital. Settings and Design: Hospital inpatient setting. Subjects and Methods: A case-matched comparison study was done involving 86 cases and 86 matches by gender and age (± 5 years) from March 21, 2014, to May 31, 2014. Statistical Analysis Used: SPSS software version 20 (SPSS Inc. Chicago Illinois) was used for data entry, cleaning, and analysis. Frequency, percentage, mean, and standard deviation were used to describe the data. Chi-squared test and odds ratio (OR) with 95% confidence interval (CI) were employed to analyze the associations of categorical variables. Logistic regression analysis was done to control for possible confounding variables. A P < 0.05 was considered statistically significant. Results: In the study period, CKD prevalence was 74/550 (13.5%), and 23/99 (23.2%) of mortality occurred in patients with CKD. Over half of the 86 cases of CKD (53.5%) were not aware of their CKD status and were diagnosed during the index admission. Hypertension (HTN), diabetes mellitus, and HIV-positive status were significantly associated (P < 0.05) with CKD in the bivariate analysis, while HTN (adjusted OR [AOR] [95% CI]: 11.28 [4.56, 27.89]) and HIV-positive status (AOR [95% CI]: 8.68 [3.58, 20.99]) remained significant predictors of CKD in the multivariate analysis. CKD within the HIV-positive patients was significantly associated with duration of <3 years since HIV diagnosis and lower CD4 levels (P < 0.05). Conclusions: Significant admissions and mortality in medical wards are attributed to renal impairment. There is an urgent need to establish follow-up programs in high-risk populations (hypertensives, diabetes, and HIV) which aims to identify patients at early stages of CKD, and devise prevention mechanisms to reduce burden in terms of cost, morbidity, and mortality.


Previous research shows that clients of public defenders are not necessarily more likely to be convicted than those who hire private attorneys, but this work largely reflects cases adjudicated through plea bargains. Little attention has been devoted to how the context of a trial shapes outcomes across defendants with private and public defense counsel. In this paper, I outline how disparities in resources and differences in courtroom roles may put public defenders at a distinct disadvantage in cases adjudicated through trial, leading to higher rates of trial conviction among indigent defendants. Then, I explore this using data from an NCSC study of 314 felony jury trials in four urban jurisdictions. The data include both the jury's verdict as well as the judge's evaluation of the defendant's guilt, which permit comparison of jury verdicts with probable bench verdicts. I find that judges' evaluations of defendant guilt do not differ across type of counsel, but defendants who rely on public defenders about twice as likely to be convicted by the jury compared to those who hire private attorneys. And, among defendants who would have been convicted by the judge, those who have a private attorney are nearly 2.7 times as likely to be acquitted by the jury. These disparities are not explained by differences in case characteristics, amount of evidence presented at trial, and evaluations of attorney skill. I conclude by urging further research to examine the mechanisms through which indigent defendants may be disadvantaged in jury trials.


Adsorption–desorption processes of As in agricultural soils are of great importance because of the risk of entry of this contaminant into the food chain, As(V) being the main form of As in well‐aerated environments. This study presents the dynamics of the adsorption of As(V) in three agricultural soils (Xerochrept, Xerofluvent, and Xerorthent) with loamy sand, sandy clay loam, and clay textures, respectively. Initially obtained kinetic data showed a relatively rapid first adsorption stage reaching pseudoequilibrium within a few hours. The adsorption–desorption isotherms revealed the presence of an unrecoverable fraction of As linked to the soil, which was further supported by a strong hysteresis subsequently observed in the desorption process. The temperature showed a relatively small effect on the isotherm within 10 to 25°C, although a decrease in the fraction of sorbed As(V) was found at 40°C as expected for an exothermic process. Finally, the effects of other ions typically present in productive agricultural systems were evaluated by quantifying their effects on the As(V) adsorption isotherm. The presence of phosphates significantly decreased the adsorption of As, thus increasing its bioavailability, while nitrate had the opposite effect. The presence of chlorides and sulfates did not present similar significant effects. Values obtained from modeling the sorption experiments in this study can provide a basis for the use of solute transport simulation models. Further application of such models will allow the establishment of future production strategies in zones having elevated As content in irrigation water.


We derive the learning theory recently reported by Tishby, Levin, and Solla (TLS) directly from the principle of maximum entropy instead of statistical mechanics. The theory generally applies to any problem of modeling data. We analyze an elementary example for which we find the predictions consistent with intuition and conventional statistical results and we numerically examine the more realistic problem of training a competitive net to learn a one-dimensional probability density from samples. The TLS theory is useful for predicting average training behavior.


Functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) is a crucial technology for gaining insights into cognitive processes in humans. Data amassed from fMRI measurements result in volumetric data sets that vary over time. However, analysing such data presents a challenge due to the large degree of noise and person-to-person variation in how information is represented in the brain. To address this challenge, we present a novel topological approach that encodes each time point in an fMRI data set as a persistence diagram of topological features, i.e. high-dimensional voids present in the data. This representation naturally does not rely on voxel-by-voxel correspondence and is robust towards noise. We show that these time-varying persistence diagrams can be clustered to find meaningful groupings between participants, and that they are also useful in studying within-subject brain state trajectories of subjects performing a particular task. Here, we apply both clustering and trajectory analysis techniques to a group of participants watching the movie 'Partly Cloudy'. We observe significant differences in both brain state trajectories and overall topological activity between adults and children watching the same movie.


Abstract Introduction: Fetal cardiac tumors are anomalies, that occur rarely: from Nationwide Register of Fetal Cardiological Problems in Poland in years 2004-2016 amongst 8112 fetuses with cardiological problems, there were 85 fetuses with cardiac tumors, including 52 cases of multiple cardiac tumors (0,64%) and 33 of single anomalies (0,4%). Material: This analysis included 13 cases from single tertiary fetal cardiac center Lodz in years 1993-2017. Results: Ten out of 13 fetuses with single cardiac tumors (SFCT) had cardiomegaly: on average HA/CA was 0,49. The size of the tumor was different: the smallest one - 6 x 6 mm, the biggest 47 x 47 mm. The way of the delivery: in 10 cases there was CS and in 3 cases natural delivery. Birth weight was from 2000-3950 g (average 2989,2 g). Cardiosurgical resection of the tumor was performed on 4 newborns: at 2nd, 4th, 8th and 16th day of life (average 7,5 day). Four neonatal deaths were registered (31%): in 1st 2nd and 11th day (before surgery) and in the 28th day after the operation. Conclusions: Single fetal cardiac tumors (SFCT) can be diagnosed at 20 weeks of pregnancy, which allows to start echocardiographic monitoring, taking into consideration the potential risk of hemodynamic progression. SFCT can be the first sign of tuberous sclerosis complex in later prenatal or postnatal life. SFCT other than rhabdomyoma can be asymptomatic in newborn, but may require an early cardiosurgical resection.


The magnitude and direction of synaptic plasticity can be determined by the precise timing of presynaptic and postsynaptic action potentials on a millisecond timescale. In vivo, however, neural activity has structure on longer timescales. Here we show that plasticity at the CA3–CA1 synapse depends strongly on parameters other than millisecond spike timing. As a result, the notion that a single spike-timing-dependent plasticity (STDP) rule alone can fully describe the mapping between neural activity and synapse strength is invalid. We have begun to explore the influence of additional behaviorally relevant activity parameters on STDP and found conditions under which underlying spike-timing-dependent rules for potentiation and depression can be separated from one another. Potentiation requires postsynaptic burst firing at 5 Hz or higher, a firing pattern that occurs during the theta rhythm. Potentiation is measurable after only tens of presynaptic-before-postsynaptic pairings. Depression requires hundreds of pairings but has less stringent long timescale requirements and broad timing dependence. By varying these parameters, we obtain STDP curves that are long-term potentiation only, bidirectional, or long-term depression only. This expanded description of the CA3–CA1 learning rule reconciles apparent contradictions between spike-timing-dependent plasticity and previous work at CA3–CA1 synapses.


The literature on training has pointed out that macroeconomic fluctuations can have a positive or a negative effect on training decisions. On the one hand, the opportunity cost to train is lower during downturns, and thus training should be counter-cyclical. On the other hand, a positive shock may be related to the adoption of new technologies and increased returns to skill, making training incidence pro-cyclical. The first contribution of this paper is to document, using the Canadian panel of Workplace and Employee Survey (WES), that (i) training moves counter-cyclically with aggregate output fluctuations (more training in downturns), while at the same time (ii) the relative position of sectoral output has a positive impact on training decisions (more training in sectors doing relatively better). This second fact is novel and unexplored. Overall, the results show that the firms' decisions to train are quite complex; in order to fully understand them, one needs to take into account not only the change in aggregates, but also the relative position of each sector in the economy. The second contribution of the paper is to illustrate the mechanisms at work by incorporating training decisions into a standard Mortensen-Pissarides model. In the standard model, production takes place if workers' productivity is above a reservation threshold. In our extension, this threshold gets expanded into a whole interval within which production takes place if workers are trained. The quantitative analysis from the calibrated model illustrates the counter-cyclical opportunity cost adjustment from aggregate shocks and the pro-cyclical adjustment coming from sectoral reallocation.


Over the last decades the EU Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) has been increasingly influenced by the WTO negotiations. The Mac-Sharry-Reform and the Mid Term Review (MTR) reform of the CAP for example improved the conformity between the EU agricultural policy and the liberalization requirements on the international level. Currently, it is again discussed within the Health Check how the EU direct payments will be adapted to meet the international and national requirements. This paper employs the Global Trade Analysis Project (GTAP) Model to quantify the global and national effects of the implementation of the current WTO negotiations and the adaptation of the EU direct payments. The impact of the change in the respective political instruments and the exemption of sensible products are calculated with the help of two policy scenarios and a decomposition and set in relation to each other. This procedure shows that the cut of agricultural tariffs is of considerable importance for almost all commodities in all countries and regions. In contrast, the adaptation of the EU direct payments is only of greater importance for the EU itself.


Fusarium head blight (FHB or scab) economically devastates barley production. FHB is predominantly caused by Fusarium graminearum and has resulted in major reductions in the quality of barley in the United States. The most common source of economic loss is through development of potent mycotoxins in the grain, the most prominent of which, in the United States, is deoxynivalenol (DON). DON levels can be managed through a variety of techniques. This study presents the estimate of the statistical relationship among DON contamination in barley, FHB incidence and severity, and a variety of disease management techniques. Data from 22 field studies and a survey of barley producers are used to estimate the relationship. Fungicide applications reduce DON in barley in general and via complementary interactions with the barley cultivar. Genetic FHB resistance in barley varieties is an important determinant of DON levels, as well as previous crop and factors related to time and location. Taking care to avoid rotations with FHB host crops immediately prior to barley is also important to reduce DON levels in barley. These become key inputs into barley producer decisions for evaluating the economic value of adopting FHB management techniques.


A marginal version of the enumeration Bayesian Cramér-Rao Bound (EBCRB) for jump Markov systems is proposed. It is shown that the proposed bound is at least as tight as EBCRB and the improvement stems from better handling of the nonlinearities. The new bound is illustrated to yield tighter results than BCRB and EBCRB on a benchmark example.


This study was undertaken with the aim to evaluate the effects of chitosan on the activation of defense related compounds to increase tolerance to Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. cubense Race 4 (FocR4) in susceptible banana seedlings var Berangan. In the in vitro studies, chitosan reduced the hyphal growth of FocR4 on Potato Dextrose Agar (PDA) medium and gave maximum inhibition of 76.36 % at 8 mg/ml. Inhibition of fungal growth was more efficient in Potato Dextrose Broth (PDB) where complete inhibition of mycelial growth of FocR4 was accomplished at all concentrations tested. Chitosan inhibited the sporulation of FocR4 by a maximum of 96.53 % at 8 mg/ml chitosan and 100% inhibition of spore germination was recorded at all concentrations tested. Chitosan was also found to induce morphological and cytological changes in FocR4 characterized by agglomeration of hyphae, abnormal shapes, and formation of vesicles or empty cells devoid of cytoplasm in the mycelia. Chitosan sprayed at concentrations of more than 0.3 mg/ml was found to cause damage to banana leaves. There was no significant
difference in photosynthesis parameters including photosynthetic rates, stomatal conductance and chlorophyll contents within four days after spraying with chitosan
at 0.3 mg/ml. However, chitosan was found to increase significantly the activities of peroxidase (PO), phenylalanine ammonia lyases (PAL), lignothioglycolic acid
(LTGA), chitinases and glucanase enzymes in banana roots. The occurrence of induced resistance enhanced tolerance of the seedlings to Fusarium wilt based on parameters such as delay in onset of foliar disease symptoms, lower in percentage of disease severity (DS), lower in percentage of disease incidence (DI), area under disease progress curve (AUDPC), and epidemic rate. Vegetative growth were
measured based on increased in plant height, number of leaves, diameter of pseudostem, root and shoot dry mass showing significant improvement only between treatments challenged by inoculation with FocR4 (T1 and T2). The growth of banana plants was not influenced by chitosan itself as a growth stimulator but it enhanced the growth in those infected with FocR4. The increase in PO, PAL, LTGA, chitinase and β-1,3-glucanase activity in seedlings treated with chitosan had been shown to be associated with plant defense through the decrease percentage of disease severity,disease incidence and area under disease progress curve. This indicated effective role by chitosan in controlling banana seedlings against wilt disease caused by FocR4. It showed promise as an inducer in the activation of host defense systems and increasing tolerance to FocR4 infection in susceptible banana var Berangan. Further
studies regarding application frequency and combination techniques are essential to more effective of control this disease.


Biological invasions are one of the major factors affecting ecosystems throughout the world. The Mediterranean Sea is one of the most dynamic marine ecosystems in the world and is subject to ongoing invasions of marine organisms. This book focuses on fish invasions of the Mediterranean and presents the latest research on this subject. This comprehensive book includes chapters written by experts on paleontology, climate change, zoogeography, genetics, parasitology, biological monitoring and conservation, as well as chapters devoted to regional and local issues of countries surrounding the Mediterranean, written by experts from those countries. The editors of this book, Dr. Daniel Golani and Brenda Appelbaum-Golani of the Hebrew University of Jerusalem, have conducted ichthyological research for over three decades and have published numerous books and articles on fish invasions and biodiversity.


Sir John Hicks is one of the highest-regarded contemporary economists, and it is fitting that the new series of Critical Assessments of Contemporary Economists should commence with his work. Awarded the Nobel Prize for Economics in 1972, Sir John Hicks' work is extremely wide-ranging, with the list of topics reading almost like an agenda for the whole of modern economics: general equilibrium theory, welfare economics, problems of index numbers, trade cycles, wages and many others. He may, however, be best known to present day economists for having introduced IS-LM curves, now a standard means of Keynesian analysis. A comprehensive, scholarly work, this four-volume set gives students of economics and economic thought immediate access to Sir John Hicks' contributions and shows how his work has been received and modified by others.


Eclipsing binary star systems provide the most accurate method of measuring both the masses and radii of stars. Moreover, they enable testing tidal synchronization and circularization theories, as well as constraining models of stellar structure and dynamics. With the recent availability of large-scale multi-epoch photometric datasets we were able to study eclipsing binary stars en masse. In this thesis, we analyzed 185,445 light curves from ten TrES fields, and 218,699 light curves from the OGLE II bulge fields. In order to manage such large quantities of data, we developed a pipeline with which we systematically identified eclipsing binaries, solved for their geometric orientations, and then found their components' absolute properties. Following this analysis we assembled catalogs of eclipsing binaries with their models, computed statistical distributions of their properties, and located rare cases for further follow-up, including T-Cyg1-03378, which has unusual eclipse timing variations. Of particular importance are low-mass eclipsing binaries, which are rare yet critical for resolving the ongoing mass-radius discrepancy between theoretical models and observations. To this end, we have discovered over a dozen new low-mass eclipsing binary candidates and spectroscopically confirmed the masses of five of them. One of these confirmed candidates, T-Lyr1-17236, is especially interesting because of its long orbital period. We examined T-Lyr1-17236 in detail and found that it is consistent with the magnetic disruption hypothesis. Both the source code of our pipeline and the complete list of our candidates are freely available.


Heightened demand for larger and more accurate microclimate models for heat transfer, pollution accumulation, and wind level prediction has posed new challenges for researchers working in wind tunnels, as well as those employing computational fluid dynamics modeling. Namely, the problem is how to generate geometrically accurate and up to date models inexpensively and quickly without compromising potentially critical details. The problem is an important and growing one, as there is an increased tendency to use such models as the basis for planning permission and long-term policy decisions in urban areas. This review paper traces the recent evolution in the size and detail-level of microclimate models (both physical and numerical) and explains the difficulties of applying the existing technology traditionally adopted in virtual city model creation. Finally, the paper provides an overview of recent innovations in the geometric creation and population of microclimate models to overcome existing documented deficiencies in an absence of architectural detailing in the investigated models through use of aerial laser scanning data.


When President Dwight Eisenhower took office in January 1953, he was immediately faced with the challenges of the cold war. Throughout his two terms Eisenhower was forced to adapt to political changes within the Soviet Union, the advent of the hydrogen bomb, the development of ICBMs, and the dangers of radioactive fallout. Constantly facing new threats and fears in a rapidly changing technological world, Eisenhower often had to rethink certain security issues and make critical decisions. One tool which Eisenhower used to help him in his decision-making process was civilian committees. Historian Richard Immerman recently wrote, "Eisenhower unquestionably valued civilian input. But why he did so is less clear."1 This study explains why Eisenhower used civilian committees as part of his decisionmaking process in national security planning and why he stopped using them. There are three examples of civilian committees which highlight Eisenhower's decision-making process, his devotion to the 'Great Equation,' his strategic thinking, and his response to the rapid changes brought about by scientific and technological advances in weapon development and national security: the Solarium Exercise (1953), the Killian Committee (1955), and the Gaither Committee (1957).2. My thesis is that using civilian committees was an integral part of Eisenhower's decision-making process as long as he controlled the groups. They brought to the NSC deliberations a "fresh, frequently changing civilian point of view."3 They allowed the president and his national security staff to hear all sides of a debate. They served as educators and often recommended innovative solutions to national security problems. They served without being burdened by political or interservice rivalries. And Eisenhower used them deliberately. When the Gaither Committee did not operate within the rules Eisenhower had come to expect from these committees, he reevaluated the usefulness of such committees and decided against their use. The press leaks and campaigning by Gaither Committee members for the report made it difficult for Eisenhower to use the committee's report as he had intended. He lost control of the process, became suspicious of the service of civilians, and ultimately left office warning the public about the danger of public policy becoming "captive of the scientific-technological elite." 4. 1Immerman, review of The Gaither Committee, Eisenhower, and the Cold War, by David Snead, H-Net Reviews , November 2000, . 2The official name of the Killian Committee, chaired by James Killian, was the Technological Capabilities Panel. The official name of the Gaither Committee, chaired by Rowan Gaither, was The Security Resources Panel. 3Letter Lay to Coller, 7/25/55, EL, WHO OSANSA, NSC Series, Administrative Sub series, Box 4 "Consultants-NSC July 1954--Aug 1956] (4)." 4Eisenhower, "Farewell Address," Public Papers of the President, 1960--61.


Immune-mediated neuropathies cause inflammation of the peripheral nerve, with disruption of the axon, myelin sheath or both. In the acute setting, immune-mediated
neuropathy can lead to respiratory muscle weakness, in the group of Guillain-Barre syndrome (GBS). In the chronic setting, immune-mediated neuropathies, which can be sensorimotor (CIDP, MADSAM), sensory predominant (anti-MAG neuropathy, others) and purely motor (MMN), cause permanent and progressive disability and impairment in activities of daily living.
Anti-gangliosides antibodies have been detected with varying frequencies in the immune-mediated neuropathies, with the highest prevalence being anti-GQ1b antibodies in Miller-Fisher syndrome and anti-GM1 antibodies in MMN and AMAN (axonal variant of GBS). There is evidence that the inflammatory potential of these antibodies is reliant upon complement activation, and the resultant formation of the
MAC (membrane attack complex). In experimental models of anti-ganglioside mediated neuropathy, inhibition of the complement cascade results in the complete prevention of inflammatory damage, and preserved nerve function.
Multifocal motor neuropathy is a chronic, progressive purely motor neuropathy which causes weakness and wasting. IgM anti-GM1 antibodies are found in between 50 – 80% of affected cases. The only current treatment for MMN is high dose IVIg (intravenous immunoglobulin). The response rate to IVIg is around 80%, and cases who are antibody negative can also respond to this treatment. However, the effect is
temporary, and further doses are usually re-administered at around 4 weekly intervals. Since it is a human blood product which is pooled from donated blood products, it is in short supply and does carry some important side effects.
The main focus of this study was to test a novel therapy for immune-mediated neuropathy. The treatment tested was the first complement inhibitor licensed for human use, eculizumab. In this study it has been tested in the treatment of MMN, in patients who may also be receiving treatment with IVIg. The aim was to collect safety
information regarding the concurrent use of these biological products, and to test for any neutralising effect between them. Any beneficial effect of complement inhibition in MMN was investigated by various outcome measures, clinical, functional and electrophysiological.
The results of the clinical trial showed that eculizumab treatment was associated with a higher rate of adverse events, in patients who were or were not receiving IVIg. Most adverse events were mild to moderate in severity, none were unexpected, and more occurred during the induction phase of treatment than during the maintenance phase. The most common adverse event was headache, which 69% of patients experienced at any time. Two thirds of all headaches occurred in the induction phase. IVIg did lower the serum concentration of eculizumab, however eculizumab activity was not compromised. There were significant changes to subjective scores overall, and some objective
scores also displayed significant improvement. However repeated IVIg doses were still required by those who were regularly using it prior to the study, albeit perhaps at
slightly longer intervals. Electrophysiology showed small significant improvement in two parameters in keeping with improved nerve conduction. Overall it was felt that
complement inhibition was associated with some potential benefits in MMN however did not substitute the therapeutic mechanism of action of IVIg. Aspects of the study design meant that evidence of efficacy could not be concluded from this study, and further trials are necessary to elucidate this.
In addition, this thesis presents a laboratory-based study in which further information about the binding characteristics of the IgM GM1 antibody were sought using different methods than the standard ELISA technique. Using a combinatorial glycolipid microarray, MMN sera were screened against a large range of glycolipid pairs, to test
for novel epitopes in the 'antibody negative' MMN patients without anti-GM1 antibody.
It was found that in patients who did not have an antibody to GM1 or any other single ganglioside on ELISA or microarray, there was presence of an antibody to the
glycolipid pair, GM1:GalC. It was shown that the IgM GM1 antibody in MMN is also
inhibited from binding to GM1 in a solid phase and live membrane due to the local presence of GD1a. These findings lead to greater understanding of the pathogenesis
of MMN and possibility of a more sensitive diagnostic test.


This is the definitive cook's collection, with over 200 mouthwatering salad recipes from around the world. Over 800 colour photographs illustrate the recipes, with step-by-step pictures to guarantee perfect results every time, and a beautiful photograph of each finished dish. It includes all the international classics and favourites, such as Greek Salad, Waldorf Salad, Tricolour Salad, and Salad Nicoise. This fantastic book shows just how much more there is to a salad than a handful of lettuce leaves and a few tomatoes. Here there is a salad for every season and every occasion, from a simple, tangy Carrot and Orange Salad to the extravagant San Francisco Salad or Tuna Carpaccio. An invaluable introduction provides a visual encyclopedia of all the basic salad ingredients together with an expert text describing their culinary properties and uses and how to prepare them. From warm salads to fruit salads, from an appetizer or side salad to an extravagant main course for entertaining, this outstanding book will provide you with a single-stop kitchen handbook, ideas book and practical cookbook - it contains everything you need to create the perfect salad experience.


Multi-task learning is a powerful method for solving multiple correlated tasks simultaneously. However, it is often impossible to find one single solution to optimize all the tasks, since different tasks might conflict with each other. Recently, a novel method is proposed to find one single Pareto optimal solution with good trade-off among different tasks by casting multi-task learning as multiobjective optimization. In this paper, we generalize this idea and propose a novel Pareto multi-task learning algorithm (Pareto MTL) to find a set of well-distributed Pareto solutions which can represent different trade-offs among different tasks. The proposed algorithm first formulates a multi-task learning problem as a multiobjective optimization problem, and then decomposes the multiobjective optimization problem into a set of constrained subproblems with different trade-off preferences. By solving these subproblems in parallel, Pareto MTL can find a set of well-representative Pareto optimal solutions with different trade-off among all tasks. Practitioners can easily select their preferred solution from these Pareto solutions, or use different trade-off solutions for different situations. Experimental results confirm that the proposed algorithm can generate well-representative solutions and outperform some state-of-the-art algorithms on many multi-task learning applications.


Rehabilitation is a key-initiative undertaken to overcome a prevailing problem in Malaysia that is the abandonment of housing projects during construction. However, rehabilitation is a complex process and involves various parties. The purpose of this paper is to identify critical risks during the rehabilitation process and to evaluate capabilities of main stakeholders in managing these risks. To achieve this objective, a questionnaire survey was used and targeted three groups, namely authorities, builders, and liquidators. The data were analyzed using Relative Importance Index (RII) and Chi-square to determine top ranking risks and risk categories. The results showed 18 risk variables and indicated Managerial Risk as the top risk category. The results also showed feeble risk management capabilities of the three groups. The findings of this paper attempt to fill a significant gap in the literature pertaining to this subject. The identification of the risks and capabilities pitfalls is expected to provide invaluable information to facilitate the rehabilitation process to complete the abandoned projects successfully.


Several manuscripts of Terence feature a cycle of miniatures depicting masked actors. The miniatures mark scene-headings and on this account have often been dismissed as merely decorative and irrelevant to the history of ancient theater. Nevertheless, the pictures project an illusion of theatricality so irresistible and lively, that it is hardly possible that the illustrated Terence does not reflect some sort of performance practice. This paper focuses on the code of gesture depicted in the miniatures and examines its relationship with late revivals of literary drama. I first discuss the iconographic and textual evidence pertaining to the date of the prototype of the miniatures; I then examine Quintilian's remarks on dramatic gesture in order to outline the code he associated with the stage. This outline serves as a comparandum for the typology of gestures depicted in the Parisian codex of Terence (B.N. 7899), which is based on an analysis of the set of hand positions used to illustrate the Andria. (A glossary decoding the gestures of the Andria and comparing them with both hand positions from Quintilian's catalogue and those known from earlier iconography is appended to the end of this paper.) The results of this comparison, along with some observations on the artist's technique, suggest an answer to the question of which (if any) performance practice the miniatures could reflect.


Gauss periods have been used successfully as a tool for constructing normal bases in finite fields. Starting from a primitive $r$th root of unity, one obtains under certain conditions a normal basis for $mathbb F_q^n$ over $ F_q$, where $r$ is a prime and $nk=r-1$ for some integer $k$. We generalize this construction by allowing arbitrary integers $r$ with $nk=\varphi(r)$, and find in many cases smaller values of $k$ than is possible with the previously known approach


Objective:It has been noted that stuttering is more prevalent in bilinguals than in monolinguals. The similarities of the languages involved have been mentioned to justify the difference between stuttering prevalence among bilingual and monolingual speakers. The aim of this study is to investigate the effect of language similarities on prevalence of stuttering among Kurdish-Farsi bilingual students. Method:In this cross- sectional descriptive analytic study, we examined all of Javanroud's schools' bilingual students. We used teacher referral method for the primary screening of speech disorders. Essential information about speech disorders, specifically stuttering, had been given to teachers before this primary step. The bilingual researcher then diagnosed stuttering students based on DSM-IV criteria through personal interview, text reading, and spontaneous speech in Kurdish and Farsi. Results:Among 11425 bilingual students of Javanroud's schools, 129 students were identified as stutterers. These findings indicated that overall prevalence of stuttering in this population is %1.13. Among elementary, guidance and high school students the prevalence of stuttering was %2.06, %0.87 and %0.5 respectively. Prevalence of stuttering among boys was %1.35 and %0.88 among girls. An overall male/ female ratio was 1.5/1. Prevalence of stuttering in elementary, guidance and high school differed significantly (p=0.000).Prevalence of stuttering in males was significantly higher than females (p=0.034). Conclusion:Prevalence of stuttering among Javanroud's bilingual students was higher than the universal accepted prevalence in monolinguals (1%) but lower than other studies in bilingual population. The similarities of Kurdish and Farsi languages play an important role in this and are discussed in the paper.


The paper investigates the applicability of the object-oriented technique to large and complex systems as exemplified by the operating system BS2000 which has been under constant development for a number of years. The proposed system architecture ensures the harmonious coexistence of procedural and object-oriented parts of the system. New domains, which are implemented using the object-oriented paradigm, can be smoothly embedded in the existing system. The parallel usage of different implementation languages is rendered economically viable. In our framework some representative parts of the system were redesigned and implemented in a prototype. The extensibility of the design was checked by including further parts into this scheme. The results are encouraging, so that the object-oriented technique will be used in the further development process. The proposed technique can also be applied to systems with a different structure, even a monolithic one. >


As cities face increasing pressure from densification trends, green roofs represent a valuable source of ecosystem services for residents of compact metropolises where available green space is scarce. However, to date little research has been conducted regarding the holistic benefits of green roofs at a citywide scale, with local policymakers lacking practical guidance to inform expansion of green roofs coverage. The study addresses this issue by developing a spatial multi-criteria screening tool applied in Barcelona, Spain to determine: 1) where green roofs should be prioritized in Barcelona based on expert elicited demand for a wide range of ecosystem services and 2) what type of design of potential green roofs would optimize the ecosystem service provision. As inputs to the model, fifteen spatial indicators were selected as proxies for ecosystem service deficits and demands (thermal regulation, runoff control, habitat and pollination, food production, recreation, and social cohesion) along with five decision alternatives for green roof design (extensive, semi-intensive, intensive, naturalized, and allotment). These indicators and alternatives were analyzed probabilistically and spatially, then weighted according to feedback from local experts. Results of the assessment indicate that there is high demand across Barcelona for the ecosystem services that green roofs potentially might provide, particularly in dense residential neighborhoods and the industrial south. Experts identified habitat, pollination and thermal regulation as the most needed ES with runoff control and food production as the least demanded. Naturalized roofs generated the highest potential ecosystem service provision levels for 87.5% of rooftop area, apart from smaller areas of central Barcelona where intensive rooftops were identified as the preferable green roof design. Overall, the spatial model developed in this study offers a flexible screening based on spatial multi-criteria decision Journal Pre-proof


In the last decade the healthcare monitoring systems have drawn considerable attentions of the researchers. The prime goal was to develop a reliable patient monitoring system so that the healthcare professionals can monitor their patients, who are either hospitalized or executing their normal daily life activities. In this work we present a mobile device based wireless healthcare monitoring system that can provide real time online information about physiological conditions of a patient. Our proposed system is designed to measure and monitor important physiological data of a patient in order to accurately describe the status of her/his health and fitness. In addition the proposed system is able to send alarming message about the patient's critical health data by text messages or by email reports. By using the information contained in the text or e-mail message the healthcare professional can provide necessary medical advising. The system mainly consists of sensors, the data acquisition unit, microcontroller (i.e., Arduino), and software (i.e., LabVIEW). The patient's temperature, heart beat rate, muscles, blood pressure, blood glucose level, and ECG data are monitored, displayed, and stored by our system. To ensure reliability and accuracy the proposed system has been field tested. The test results show that our system is able to measure the patient's physiological data with a very high accuracy.


Sequence capture and restriction site associated DNA sequencing (RAD-Seq) are two genomic enrichment strategies for applying next-generation sequencing technologies to systematics studies. At shallow timescales, such as within species, RAD-Seq has been widely adopted among researchers, although there has been little discussion of the potential limitations and benefits of RAD-Seq and sequence capture. We discuss a series of issues that may impact the utility of sequence capture and RAD-Seq data for shallow systematics in non-model species. We review prior studies that used both methods, and investigate differences between the methods by re-analyzing existing RAD-Seq and sequence capture data sets from a Neotropical bird (Xenops minutus). We suggest that the strengths of RAD-Seq data sets for shallow systematics are the wide dispersion of markers across the genome, the relative ease and cost of laboratory work, the deep coverage and read overlap at recovered loci, and the high overall information that results. Sequence capture's benefits include flexibility and repeatability in the genomic regions targeted, success using low-quality samples, more straightforward read orthology assessment, and higher per-locus information content. The utility of a method in systematics, however, rests not only on its performance within a study, but on the comparability of data sets and inferences with those of prior work. In RAD-Seq data sets, comparability is compromised by low overlap of orthologous markers across species and the sensitivity of genetic diversity in a data set to an interaction between the level of natural heterozygosity in the samples examined and the parameters used for orthology assessment. In contrast, sequence capture of conserved genomic regions permits interrogation of the same loci across divergent species, which is preferable for maintaining comparability among data sets and studies for the purpose of drawing general conclusions about the impact of historical processes across biotas. We argue that sequence capture should be given greater attention as a method of obtaining data for studies in shallow systematics and comparative phylogeography.


The present study presents contrastive analyses of task-oriented spoken and written discourse in terms of lexical diversity, lexical density, and word length. In an age-matched within-language comparison (Swedish), written discourse consistently scored higher on these measures. It is suggested that the same type of differences will hold for any language, because of the difference between speech and writing in processing constraints. The absolute scores, however, can vary substantially for reasons of language typology. An extended, cross-linguistic analysis (English, Hebrew, Icelandic, Swedish), focusing on word length, was made to substantiate that claim. Further, cross-age-group comparisons of lexical quanta indicated a dynamic interaction between speech and writing in development. Spoken discourse eventually comes to "learn" from the development of writing.


The paper describes the automation and calibration of a hydraulic Rowe consolidation cell that tests 151-mm-diameter by 60-mm-high specimens. The associated measurement instrumentation for the cell and specimen preparation procedures are also described. The cell was used to perform a set of one-dimensional constant rate of strain (CRS) tests at two vertical strain rates, 0.1 and 1%/h. The nonlinear CRS theory of Wissa et al. (1971) is presented, including methods for interpreting test results at higher strain rates. The results from the Rowe cell tests conducted on resedimented Boston Blue Clay are compared to those from more conventional incremental loading (IL) oedometer tests (63.5-mm-diameter by 23-mm-high specimens). For both the 0,1%/h tests (in which negligible excess pore pressure was generated at the undrained specimen base) and the 1%/h tests, the compression curves compare well with the baseline IL oedometer test curves. Values of preconsolidation pressure, σ' p , averaged 94.0 kPa in the Rowe tests and 94.5 kPa in the IL oedometer tests. The compression ratios, CR = Δ∈ν/Δ log σ'ν, in the virgin compression range were slightly lower in the Rowe cell tests (average 0.156 versus an average CR = 0.173 in the IL oedometer tests), which may be due to different testing conditions (e.g., back pressure in the Rowe cell) or the larger Rowe cell specimen. The coefficient of consolidation and hydraulic conductivity values computed from the Rowe cell tests are essentially identical with regard to stress level to the IL oedometer tests. The automated Rowe cell data indicate that the device offers a reliable and potentially rapid method for determining consolidation parameters, including hydraulic conductivity.


The study of epigenetic has brought about a deeper understanding of developmental programming through a complex network of modifications involving the DNA. While the DNA sequence remains conservative throughout, the mechanism of epigenetic modification involves changes through histone modification, DNA methylation, and chromatin remodeling. The overall dynamic effect of epigenetic modification allows the gene expression to be altered leading to a diverse phenotypical expression; a functional change in the genome without affecting the DNA. The emergence of nutritional neuroepigenetic serves to bring into focus the impact of nutrition as an environmental agent in regulating gene expression patterns leading to phenotypical expression with profound neurological and cognitive implication in later life. This link is supported by evidence from animal models suggesting that epigenetic marks, which are formed following DNA methylation or histone modification, can induce changes leading to developmental diseases or persist into adulthood. The difficulty in understanding the intrinsic biomolecular correlation between 1) epigenetic modification, 2) nutritional imbalance, and 3) cognitive impairment in an animal based model provides a compelling question regarding the developmental origins of cognitive related diseases. There have been few animal model studies involving the molecular basis of neuroepigenetic dysfunction in the relation to overnutrition or under nutrition. The main criteria in this review will focus on the few animal based studies in nutrition based epigenetic reprogramming and its role in neuroepigenetic dysregulation and cognitive impairment.


Abstract This paper extends choice theory by allowing for the interaction between cognitive costs and imitative dynamics. The authors experimentally investigate the role of imitation when participants face a task which is costly in cognitive terms. In order to disentangle different choice dynamics, they devise a laboratory experiment with a novel experimental task in which they model the choice of different alternatives through high or low cognitive costs and feedback information provided to subjects. Their results provide evidence for imitative behavior driven by under-confidence about own skills and by the beliefs regarding others' performance. They also find a temporal pattern in the distribution of choices, both in the highcost and low-cost cognitive conditions, that may represent another cognitive shortcut.


OBJECTIVE
To assess the prevalence of health care utilization in Mexico by Texas border residents and to identify the main contributing factors to their cross-border utilization of health care services.

DATA AND METHODS
This study used primary data from a population-based telephone survey that was conducted in the whole Texas border area in 2008. The survey included responses from 1,405 adults. Multivariate logistic regression models were estimated to determine predictors of utilizing a wide range of health care services in Mexico.

PRINCIPAL FINDINGS
Forty-nine percent of the sample reported having ever purchased medications in Mexico, followed by 41 percent for dentist visits, 37.3 percent for doctor visits, and 6.7 percent for inpatient care. The most significant predictors of health care utilization in Mexico were lack of U.S. health insurance coverage, dissatisfaction with the quality of U.S. health care, and poor self-rated health status.

CONCLUSIONS
The high prevalence of use of health care services in Mexico by Texas border residents is suggestive of unmet needs in health care on the U.S. side of the border. Addressing these unmet needs calls for a binational approach to improve the affordability, accessibility, and quality of health care in the U.S.-Mexico border region.


Web personalization can achieve two business goals: increased advertising revenue and increased sales revenue. The realization of the two goals is related to two kinds of user behavior: item sampling and item selection. Prior research does not provide a model of attitude formation toward a personalization agent nor of how attitudes relate to these two behaviors. This limits our understanding of how web personalization can be managed to increase advertising revenues and/or sales revenues. To fill this gap, the current research develops and tests a theoretical model of user attitudes and behaviors toward a personalization agent. The model is based on an integration of two theories: the elaboration likelihood model (ELM) and consumer search theory (CST). In the integrated model, a user's attitude toward a personalization agent is influenced by both the number of items he/she has sampled so far (from CST) and the degree to which he/she cognitively processes each one (from ELM). In turn, attitude is modeled to influence both behaviors--that is, item selection and any further item sampling. We conducted a lab study and a field study to test six hypotheses. This research extends the theory on web personalization by providing a more complete picture of how sampling and processing of personalized recommendations influence a user's attitude and behavior toward the personalization agent. For online merchants, this research highlights the trade-off between item sampling and item selection and provides practical guidance on how to steer users toward the attitudes and behaviors that will realize their business goals.


This essay will examine some of Baxter's autobiographical prose to consider how he constructed images of himself by exploring his subjectivity through memory, symbol, dream and language. It will refer to early sketches and prose poems, such as 'Before Sunrise' (1942-43), to examine the moulding of his personality, social values and artistic orientation. Drawing on current theories of autobiography as a form of imaginative art, constructed through memory's selectedness and the artful manipulation of facts, it will examine Baxter's multiple, contradictory self images, including the monolithic 'exemplary' self that underpins his pronouncements on the role of the writer (e.g. as prophet, as 'a cell of good living in a corrupt society' (Weir, 4, p. 40).

The article's main focus will be on the autobiographical pieces, 'Beginnings' and 'Notes on the Education of a New Zealand Poet' (from Man on a Horse, 1967), and the semi-autobiographical, Horse: a novel (written in 1958-9, resumed in 1962 and published posthumously in 1985), with its overlapping discourses of life-writing, verse and fiction. The autobiographical component covers Baxter's life after he dropped out of university in January 1945 (Weir, 4, p. 23), and his painful struggle with sexual betrayal and alcoholism then, as documented in his letters to Noel Ginn, which is melodramatically rendered (literary echoes come from Dylan Thomas's Adventures in the Skin Trade (Weir, 4, p. 291)). His use of an anarchic alter ego in Horse, 'incorrigible, uneducable, unemployable', to represent this inner turbulence and social rebellion, will be examined with reference to his interest in Jungian psychotherapy. I will also identify in these autobiographical writings, symbols and images suggestive of unity and reconciliation for these also contributed to interpretations of his vocation in broadly social terms (e.g. his view of the artist as a 'natural delinquent' (Weir, 4, p. 41) as he registered the impact of his creative forces. This section of the article will develop the arguments of my earlier study, 'Archie, Millicent and James: The Baxter Autobiographies', published in the Journal of New Zealand Literature, 13 (1995).

It has been claimed that all of Baxter's poetry springs from the autobiographical urge to mythologise himself. With reference to his use of symbolism, mythology, narrative voice and other literary techniques the essay will assess the contribution that his autobiographical writing makes to the creation of his personal and poetic personae as he charted the psychological and emotional territory of the poems, his perceptions of society, the well-springs of creativity and the role of the poet.


Abstract A short history to the study of Russula in the Western United States is provided and for the first time an exhaustive list of all 49 taxa described from this part of the country has been compiled. As a start to a revision of these species, a first series of four holotypes (one from California and three from the Pacific Northwest) have here been studied microscopically, resulting in some very substantial changes concerning species concept and consequent systematic placement. Russula flava var. pacifica appears unrelated to the type variety. It is therefore excluded as member of Integroidinae, subgen. Polychromidia, and deserves probably to be upgraded to species level within subgen. Russula. The Californian R. paxilloides is lectotypified and is a good member of subgen. Russula, but is closer to sect. Persicinae than to the white-spored Vinaceae as previously suggested. Russula maxima, widely accepted as a species of subsect. Subcompactinae (subgen. Heterophyllidia), certainly does not belong there and has to be moved to subgen. Polychromidia. Finally, R. inconstans is here maintained as member of subg. Polychromidia.


The semantic structure of Yeats' "The Cat and the Moon" is embodied through a syntactic and sound structure which also goes through phases, phases which complement that semantic structure. The first phase consists of two four-line sentences, each weakly rhymed ABCB. The second phase continues with four-line rhyme groups, but the rhymes are strong. Syntactically, there is a strong alignment between rhyme groups and syntactic grouping in the first phase while there is no obvious alignment between sound and syntax in the second phase of the poem, which also contains two rhetorical questions. The poem's third phase synthesizes the stylistic features of the first two phases. It has the synchrony of rhyme and syntax that characterizes the first phase; but the rhymes are strong and the penultimate sentence of the poem is a rhetorical question — features of the second phase. The poem thus embodies, in both sound and sense, the cyclic interpenetration of opposites which is its meaning.


This paper examines the effect of changes in immigrant eligibility for Supplemental Security Income in 1996 on the employment and retirement behaviors of foreign-born elderly persons. I find that denial of SSI was associated with a 5 percentage point (15 percent) increase in the employment of non-citizen elderly men and a 5.6 percentage point (11 percent) decrease in their retirement rate. The estimated effects were higher for recent arrivals, a group most likely to be affected by the policy change. Further, while recent arrivals were more likely to increase part-time work, the earlier arrivals responded to the policy by increasing full-time employment. I find no consistent evidence that denial of SSI affected the employment of elderly immigrant women, but some evidence that it raised their retirement rate, specifically among those who immigrated in recent years.


Purpose PaxtoolsR package enables access to pathway data represented in the BioPAX format and made available through the Pathway Commons webservice for users of the R language. Features include the extraction, merging, and validation of pathway data represented in the BioPAX format. This package also provides novel pathway datasets and advanced querying features for R users through the Pathway Commons webservice allowing users to query, extract, and retrieve data and integrate this data with local BioPAX datasets. Availability The PaxtoolsR package is compatible with R 3.1.1 on Windows, Mac OS X, and Linux using Bioconductor 3.0 and is available through the Bioconductor R package repository along with source code and a tutorial vignette describing common tasks, such as data visualization and gene set enrichment analysis. Source code and documentation are at http://bioconductor.org/packages/release/bioc/html/paxtoolsr.html. This plugin is free, open-source and licensed under the GNU Lesser General Public License (LGPL) v3.0. Contact firstname.lastname@example.com


Learn to use open source software to automate the processing of scanned and digital documents to save time, save money, and improve accuracy Learn the benefits of intelligent document capture and how to implement document capture using Ephesoft Capture relevant information from your documents, even if they vary widely in format and appearance Leverage the power of open source software to implement a cost effective solution for document capture A practical guide providing examples for optimizing document capture for your business In Detail Ephesoft is an open source document capture solution. Everyone talks about the paperless work place but the reality is that paper still exists and will continue to be part of your business. Capturing the document's content using Ephesoft can minimize the time your company spends reviewing and processing physical documents. "Intelligent Document Capture with Ephesoft" teaches you about document capture in general and implementation of document capture using Ephesoft. Start by learning about document capture, the history of document capture, and intelligent document capture. Progress to a tour of Ephesoft's key features, including operator and administrator interfaces and then learn to configure Ephesoft to process your business's specific document types and extract content from those documents. Finally, learn advanced customization techniques that make Ephesoft accommodate your unique business needs. "Intelligent Document Capture with Ephesoft" will teach you to optimize the processing of your physical document, saving your company time and money. What will you learn from this book Discover the benefits of using intelligent document capture in your work place. Learn to capture, classify, and separate any type of document. Extract important information from your documents Transfer the documents into your content management system Customize Ephesoft to meet your unique business requirements Automate data entry with OCR Learn to automate business processes that depend on documents in paper, fax or email attachment format Convert your paper archive to electronic records efficiently Implement distributed capture for mailroom automation Identify documents and group them without the use of barcodes or separator sheets. Approach Written in easy to follow manner, this book is a complete guide to Document capture with Ephesoft. Who this book is written for This book is intended for information technology professionals interested in installing and configuring Ephesoft for their organization, but it is a valuable resource for anyone interested in learning about document capture in general.


An atypical protein kinase C promotes growth of basal cell carcinoma cells by stimulating activation of the transcription factor GLI1. Signaling through the Hedgehog (Hh) pathway promotes growth in various types of cancers, including basal cell carcinoma (BCC). Hh-dependent cancers often develop resistance to inhibitors of the transmembrane protein and Hh signal transducer Smoothened (SMO), so it is important to identify additional potential targets for inhibiting Hh signaling. Atwood et al. report that atypical protein kinase C ι/λ (aPKC-ι/λ) coimmunoprecipitated with the scaffold protein missing-in-metastasis (MIM), which promotes activation of Hh-responsive genes by the GLI transcription factors. aPKC-ι/λ is encoded by the protein kinase C iota (Prkci) gene, and treating mouse ASZ001 BCC cells with a short hairpin RNA targeting prkci transcripts or with a peptide inhibitor of aPKC-ι/λ kinase activity inhibited cell proliferation and reduced Hh signaling as measured by transcription of a Hh-responsive target gene. Analysis of the expression of Hh target genes indicated that aPKC-ι/λ was not required for Hh signaling but was necessary for maximal Hh signaling. The abundance of aPKC-ι/λ and phosphorylated (activated) aPKC-ι/λ was increased in primary human BCC cells, including those from tumors resistant to SMO inhibition, compared with normal keratinocytes. Hh signaling stimulated expression of Prkci, and chromatin immunoprecipitation assays indicated that overexpressed GLI1 bound to the Prkci promoter, suggesting that aPKC-ι/λ and GLI1, which is both a mediator and target of Hh signaling, may constitute a positive feedback loop. Experiments with the peptide inhibitor of aPKC-ι/λ and the SMO inhibitor cyclopamine in ASZ001 cells suggested that aPKC-ι/λ enhanced GLI activity, and aPKC-ι/λ phosphorylated GLI1 in vitro. Endogenous GLI1 immunoprecipitated from ASZ001 cells was phosphorylated on serine and threonine residues in the zinc finger domain, and this phosphorylation was reduced in cells treated with the peptide inhibitor of aPKC-ι/λ. Experiments with mutant forms of GLI1 in electrophoretic mobility shift assays indicated that aPKC-ι/λ–mediated phosphorylation of GLI1 increased GLI1's DNA binding affinity. Topically treating human BCC tumors allografted into mice with the aPKC-ι/λ peptide inhibitor reduced tumor size and resulted in decreased Gli1 expression and increased apoptosis of tumor cells. The aPKC-ι/λ peptide inhibitor also inhibited growth of tumors that were resistant to SMO inhibition. Thus, aPKC-ι/λ is a potential target for developing therapies to treat Hh-dependent and SMO inhibitor–resistant cancers. S. X. Atwood, M. Li, A. Lee, J. Y. Tang, A. E. Oro, GLI activation by atypical protein kinase C ι/λ regulates the growth of basal cell carcinomas. Nature 494, 484–488 (2013). [PubMed]


Anaerobic ammonium-oxidizing (anammox) bacteria derive their energy for growth from the conversion of ammonium and nitrite into dinitrogen gas. The bacteria are the latest addition to the biogeochemical nitrogen cycle. The slowly growing micro-organisms that belong to the Planctomycetes are characterized by a compartmentalized cell architecture featuring a central cell organelle, the 'anammoxosome'. Membrane systems surrounding the different cellular compartments are composed of unique 'ladderane' lipid molecules. Although the metabolism has not been completely resolved, nitrogen formation seems to involve the intermediary formation of hydrazine, a most reactive and toxic compound. Anammox bacteria have been detected in many oxygen-limited freshwater and marine ecosystems investigated. In the marine environment, over 50% of the nitrogen gas released is made by anammox bacteria. Application of the anammox process offers an attractive alternative to current wastewater treatment systems for the removal of fixed nitrogen.

Key concepts

Ammonium is converted under anaerobic conditions into dinitrogen gas by a newly discovered and specialized group of micro-organisms, the anammox bacteria.

Anammox bacteria are chemolithoautotrophic organisms that gain their energy for growth from the conversion of the inorganic substrates ammonium and nitrite. Cell carbon is derived from carbon dioxide.

Anammox bacteria are characterised by a unique cell plan featuring a central cell organelle, the anammoxosome.

The lipids from anammox bacteria are composed of highly unusual 'ladderane' molecules.

The conversion of ammonium and nitrite into dinitrogen gas proceeds through the intermediary formation of the toxic and highly reactive hydrazine.

Anammox bacteria synthesize adenosine triphosphate (ATP) by an electrochemical proton gradient most likely established across the anammoxosome membrane.

In nature approximately 50% of the dinitrogen gas released into the atmosphere is made by anammox bacteria.

Anammox bacteria offer an economically attractive and environmentally friendly alternative to current wastewater treatment processes for the removal of fixed nitrogen.

Keywords:

anammox;
anammoxosome;
ladderane lipids;
hydrazine


Quantum computing, communications, sensing, and simulations are radically transformative technologies, with great potential to impact industries and economies. Worldwide, national governments, industries, and universities are moving to create a new class of workforce—the Quantum Engineers. Demand for such engineers is predicted to be in the tens of thousands within a five-year timescale, far exceeding the rate at which the world's universities can produce Ph.D. graduates in the discipline. How best to train this next generation of engineers is currently a matter of debate. Quantum mechanics—long a pillar of traditional physics undergraduate degrees—must now be merged with traditional engineering offerings. This article discusses the history, development, and the first year of operation of the world's first undergraduate degree in quantum engineering to be grown out of an engineering curriculum. The main purpose of this article is to inform the wider discussion, now being held by many institutions worldwide, on how best to formally educate the Quantum Engineer.


Incorporating prior knowledge of a particular task into the architecture of a learning algorithm can greatly improve generalization performance. We study here a case where we know that the function to be learned is non-decreasing in two of its arguments and convex in one of them. For this purpose we propose a class of functions similar to multi-layer neural networks but (1) that has those properties, (2) is a universal approximator of continuous functions with these and other properties. We apply this new class of functions to the task of modeling the price of call options. Experiments show improvements on regressing the price of call options using the new types of function classes that incorporate the a priori constraints.


In order to replace hazardous molten lead baths in the heat treatment of carbon steel wire with environmentally friendly fluidized bed furnaces a better understanding is needed of their heat transfer rates. There has been considerable work done in examining heat transfer rates to large cylinders immersed in fluidized beds, and some on wire sized ones as well, but all previous studies have been conducted on static cylinders. In order to gain a deeper understanding of heat transfer rates to a moving wire immersed in a fluidized bed furnace an apparatus has been constructed to move a wire through a fluidized bed. The heat transfer rates were calculated using the difference in inlet and outlet temperatures, wire speed and the bed temperature. As predicted, correlations for static wire were found to under-predict heat transfer rates at higher wire speeds, so a new correlation was developed by modifying an existing one.


Localised blast loads give rise to high gradients of overpressure detrimental to structural elements as beams and plates. This article presents an analytical study on the dynamic plastic response of beams made of a ductile metallic material due to close-in pulse pressure loading. The close-in pressure load is characterised by a spatially varying function constant over a central region and exponentially decaying beyond it. The temporal pulse shape is assumed to take different forms. The exact static plastic collapse load was obtained for the characteristic load using the framework of plastic limit analysis, whereby the analysis was then extended to the dynamic case by considering the appropriate yield surface and inclusion of inertia forces. The yield surfaces considered were representative of pure bending, the interactions between the bending moment and transverse shear, and bending moment and membrane force, each corresponding to a special case depending on the geometry of the beam. A time-dependent, kinematically admissible velocity profile was assumed to treat the dynamic formulations in interaction of each phenomenon. A study on the strain-rate sensitivity was also presented, and existence of a critical pressure triggering the apparition of travelling plastic hinges was hence highlighted. For blast loads of high magnitude, the expressions for normalised deflection were furnished in terms of the impulsive velocity. The analytical models were validated by performing a parametric study on the two-dimensional representative of the beam model in commercial finite element software ABAQUS 6.14. The numerical results show a good correlation with the analytical results in each case.


Abstract Decay or rise of the water table from a disturbed (mound or trough) position to a quiescent flat state is studied by a linear potential theory that does not rely on the Dupuit-Forchheimer vertical averaging but is a solution to the full Laplace equation. We consider an unconfined aquifer of high (infinite) thickness disturbed by a linear or point hydrodynamic dipole and assemblies of dipoles, which generate two- and three-dimensional seepage. Hydrologically, the dipoles mimic a channel (or circular-recharge basin), which generates the mound. The dipole ascends (descends) and the corresponding free surface, on which the isobaricity and kinematic conditions hold, slumps. A solvability condition, which stipulates no singularities in the seepage domain, is explicitly presented. The mound signal is defined as the time peak of the water table at any piezometer located away from the original recharge area. The flow net and isotachs prove the Bouwer caveat that the Dupuit-Forchheimer theory is specious if applied to high-thickness aquifers accommodating mounds originating from short infiltration events. The analytical value of the water table peak and the time of its arrival are compared with piezometric observations in recharge experiments conducted in a coastal aquifer of the United Arab Emirates, where the hydraulic conductivity is assessed from hydrographs. The inversely determined hydraulic conductivity fits well with those found from infiltration double-ring experiments and MODFLOW simulation.


"To them, I said, the truth would be literally nothing but the shadows of the images." - Plato, The Republic Shadow art is a unique form of sculptural art where the 2D shadows cast by a 3D sculpture are essential for the artistic effect. We introduce computational tools for the creation of shadow art and propose a design process where the user can directly specify the desired shadows by providing a set of binary images and corresponding projection information. Since multiple shadow images often contradict each other, we present a geometric optimization that computes a 3D shadow volume whose shadows best approximate the provided input images. Our analysis shows that this optimization is essential for obtaining physically realizable 3D sculptures. The resulting shadow volume can then be modified with a set of interactive editing tools that automatically respect the often intricate shadow constraints. We demonstrate the potential of our system with a number of complex 3D shadow art sculptures that go beyond what is seen in contemporary art pieces.


Bell Helicopter is always preparing beautiful surprises for us, so this year has not been outdone and has revealed its vision of its future aircraft model FCX-001, a true vertical elevator, ment to can climb to high altitudes in a record time, with an enviable dynamics and maneuverability. The first appearance of the new model FCX-001 took place at Heli Expo 2017 in Dallas, Texas, where the new concept of the aircraft was presented in this highly stylized form. The aircraft appeared in the Bell stand, both in the form of a large-scale layout and in the virtual reality by using immersive helmets, the two-engine ship incorporating some of the new technologies currently under development at Bell and it is very likely to mature in the near future. At first glance, you are astonished at a cockpit that is totally devoid of physical controls, as if the ship were to run alone, fully automated. Notable elements in the design of the FCX-001 include a fan-driven anti-torque system, hybrid propulsion system, main rotor blade tips, extensive use of fuselage glass, winged doors and the use of augmented reality in the cockpit to control the aircraft. On the very roomy cabin ceiling of the aircraft, configured for only eight passengers in the Heli-Expo model, but able to adapt up to 12 passengers, Bell introduced a "drop-down" control module to allow personalization maximum and increased passenger comfort. The concept is provided with various modules that provide passengers with the ability to adjust their own things, such as cabin light intensity, interior temperature, or infotainment system. When looking closely at the new FCX-001 concept, starting with the back of the aircraft, it does not have a tail rotor (which is essential and notable for Bell's new model). In order to achieve the anti-torque instead, a new multi-rotor system is needed in the hood. It gives the aircraft the ability to push in both directions and also has vector control of the traction, also allowing it to give up a horizontal stabilizer. The anti-torque system is acted by an electric motor as part of a hybridized propulsion system. At the top of the aircraft, the main rotor blades (morphing) have an attractive design. At the same time, technology aims to allow the tip of each blade to move between the different flight regimes, just like a "swing wing" on an airplane to maximize efficiency and performance and reduce noise. The actual airframe of the aircraft is also very different from what Bell used in the past. In terms of ladder, the FCX-001 is slightly larger than a Bell 412 both in terms of its length and width, its new lines and its use of massive glass exhibiting some production challenges that rely on the new composite structures, today so widely used in the aviation and aerospace industries.


We describe here an incomplete postcranial skeleton associated with a complete skull and
jaws of the phytosaur Angistorhinus grandis Mehl from the Otischalkian (late Carnian) Colorado City
Formation of the Chinle Group in Howard County, Texas. The skeleton consists of two cervical vertebrae and parts of others, complete sacrum and pelvis, 12 ribs, 30 gastralia, an incomplete fibula, fragments of other long bones, and 32 scutes. Particularly interesting features include: (1) the thin neural spines of the sacral vertebrae; (2) the ilia of Angistorhinus do not appear to differ significantly from that of Rutiodon (= "Machaeroprosopusfl), casting doubt on the taxonomic use of differences in phytosaur ilia; and (3) Angistorhinus apparently possesses dermal armor that is unique among phytosaurs in having few pits, most of them small, on the dorsal surface of the primary scutes.


The rare stable carbon isotope, 13 C, has been used previously to partition CO 2 fluxes into land and ocean components. Net ocean and land fluxes impose distinctive and predictable fractionation patterns upon the stable isotope ratio, making it an excellent tool for distinguishing between them. Historically, isotope constrained inverse methods for calculating CO 2 surface fluxes—the 'double deconvolution'—have disagreed with bottom-up ocean flux estimates. In this study, we use the double deconvolution framework, but add, as a constraint, independent estimates of time histories of ocean fluxes to the atmospheric observations of CO 2 and 13 CO 2 . We calculate timeseries of net land flux, total disequilibrium flux and terrestrial disequilibrium flux from 1991 to 2008 that are consistent with bottom-up net ocean fluxes. We investigate possible drivers of interannual variability in terrestrial disequilibrium flux, including terrestrial discrimination, and test the sensitivity of our results to those mechanisms. We find that C 3 plant discrimination and shifts in the global composition of C 3 and C 4 vegetation are likely drivers of interannual variability in terrestrial disequilibrium flux, while contributions from heterotrophic respiration and disturbance anomalies are also possible. DOI: 10.1111/j.1600-0889.2010.00481.x


The 2008 global financial crisis profoundly changed the role of central banks in the economy. First, central banks engaged in strong expansionary monetary policy, using new unconventional tools to boost economic activity. Second, they were key to containing financial instability, which led them to implement new macroprudential policies to foster future financial stability. The debate about whether these policies have been effective is still ongoing, and often neglects two other crucial issues: What has been the impact of these policies on income and wealth distribution? Does inequality of income and wealth affect whether central bank policies reach their targets? This note highlights research on these two questions presented during a CEP IMF workshop on "Monetary Policy, Macroprudential Regulation and Inequality" and puts them into perspective with other recent theoretical and empirical results. Evidence shows that monetary policy and macroprudential regulation are not neutral in terms of income and wealth distribution. Conventional and unconventional expansive monetary policy both appear to decrease income inequality, mainly through their impact on the labor market, and to increase wealth inequality. Theoretically, macroprudential regulation could also affect inequality, but empirical studies exploring this hypothesis are scarce. Income and wealth distribution also influences the transmission of monetary policy impulses to the aggregate economy. To design effective monetary policy, it is crucial to assess whether the current income and wealth structures in a country accentuate or dampen monetary impulses, and to what extent they do so. Moreover, theoretical and empirical evidence points to an effect of inequality on financial stability. A thorough understanding of this impact is key to shaping optimal monetary policy and macroprudential regulation.


I reluctantly revisited a paper I wrote 2 years ago, and realized that my reluctance may have had a lot to do with the fact that the problems I explored in the earlier paper were not only still a part of my life, but have in some ways worsened. My relationship with my father was almost the same as it had been, and until very recently my avoidance tendencies had spiraled into dangerous levels of alcohol abuse. I decided to rethink this paper attempting to incorporate a basic sense of psychoanalytic theory gained since the time it was written, in an effort to utilize C. Wright Mills' sociological imagination to better understand the intersection of self and society by reevaluating my relationship with my father. In a broader sense I hope to point out the importance of the individual in macro-social change that starts on the micro-social level but begins with the potential for individual change that is afforded by the pursuit of self-knowledge.


The many and varied sexual health promotion campaigns of recent years have sought to establish safe sex as the main protective mechanism for stemming the spread of sexually transmitted infections. However, the meaning of 'safe' sex remains unclear. Sexual health promotion literature almost entirely constructs safety through a biomedical lens: minimising the risk of bodily fluid exchange and establishing physical barriers between partners. However, this viewpoint may be insufficient when considering the emotionally charged arena of sexual behaviour which is, by its very nature, social. What meaning is ascribed to sexual safety and how is it made sense of or rationalised at the level of the individual? Twenty-two in-depth interviews were carried out with men who have sex with men, men who have sex with women, women who have sex with men, and women who have sex with women aged 18–30. These sought to gain an insight into their understanding of safe sex and their experiences of safe or unsafe sex. Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis was employed to help understand how these individuals made sense of safety. Analysis painted a picture of safe sex that is far more complex than the simple avoidance of infection. The typical biomedical safety rationale was frequently intertwined with lay rationales concerning 'emotional safety' or 'psychological safety'. When establishing a safe sexual relationship it was clearly evident that the risk of contracting a sexually transmitted infection was not always the primary concern and, for many individuals, feeling safe with their partner held far greater importance.


An initial investigation into the potential environmental impacts of CO2 sequestration in unmineable coal seams has been conducted, focusing on changes in the produced water during enhanced coalbed methane (ECBM) production, using a CO2 injection process (CO2-ECBM). A high volatile bituminous coal, Pittsburgh No. 8, was reacted with synthetic produced water and gaseous carbon dioxide at 40C and 50 bar to evaluate the potential for mobilisation of toxic metals during CO2-ECBM/sequestration. Microscopic and X-ray diffraction analysis of the post-reaction coal samples clearly show evidence of chemical reaction and chemical analysis of the synthetic produced water shows substantial changes in composition. These results suggest that changes to the produced water chemistry and the potential for mobilising toxic trace elements from coal beds are important factors to be considered when evaluating deep, unmineable coal seams for CO2 sequestration.


Call traces can provide detailed insight into the operation of distributed embedded systems. Developers inspect traces to understand and debug systems using manual and automatic techniques such as data mining. Correlation of traces between nodes provides a network level view of system. These traces are typically gathered by logging a globally unique identifier for each called function. Unfortunately, this naive call trace gathering technique results in excessive consumption of the limited memory, bandwidth, and energy resources available in wireless sensor networks. This paper proposes three new call trace gathering techniques that are designed specifically for the computing platforms with extreme resource constraints. The first technique uses local name spaces and caller side logging to significantly reduce the bit size of function identifiers. The second technique reconstructs call traces from a log of the runtime control flow decisions made by a program. The third technique performs a novel reduction over a program's control flow graph to limit logging to control flow nodes effecting runtime call decisions. Our work automates the insertion of logging statements into source code for all the techniques described above. Our experimental results show promising outlook where two of the techniques reduced the size of the log to less than 15% of traces produced by traditional methods. These savings make the new call trace capturing techniques attractive additions to the toolbox employed by developers and users of wireless sensor networks.


Systems that support mobile agents are increasingly being used on the global Internet. Security concerns dealing with the protection of the execution environment from malicious agents are extensively being tackled. We concentrate on the reverse problem, namely how a mobile agent can be protected from malicious behaviour of the execution environment, which is largely ignored. We will identify the problem of trust as the major issue in this context and describe a trusted and tamper-proof hardware that can be used to divide this problem among several principals, each of which has to be trusted with a special task. We show that the presented approach can be used to mitigate an important problem in the design of open systems.


The methodology for selection of an ancient grapevine variety conducted by PORVID (Portuguese Association for Grapevine Diversity) and the Portuguese Network for Grapevine Selection, focuses on quantitative genetic tools resulting in an integrated strategy that comprises two types of selected material – clonal and polyclonal – both carrying high genetic and economic gains for relevant agronomic and oenological traits. This work focused on the clonal selection methodology, particularly on the model for communication with users of selected materials (grape growers and winemakers). The approach is innovative, since detailed information of the whole experimental process leading to certified clones is provided, including predicted genetic gains for several traits and information about the clone's environmental stability (G × E interaction). This last analysis, combined with the utilisation of several certified clones (approximately 7), contributes to a better adaptation to environmental changes.


In this project, the design of a fixation for engine top cover is done. This fixation is the union between a car engine and its top cover. Normally, an engine top cover has four connection points where the fixations that are the subject of this project appear.
In the first main part of the project, an introduction to de subject is done, explaining the environment of an engine top cover and presenting the solution of the Autoneum Company where this project has been performed. The main parts of an engine top cover such as the different materials and processes. Also, a benchmark and an internet study has been done to discover the different solutions in the market and to find the best path to guide this project.
Secondly, 11 different solutions have been designed and proposed as candidates to be developed as the final solutions. Each of them are presented in an understandable sketch and defined in a morphological box to ease the posterior evaluation of all them. Then an evaluation of all the candidates is presented recording the subjective but controlled opinion of the project manager and the project assistant.
Then, once the final candidate has been selected, the performance of some tests help to evaluate the feasibility of the welded surface between the engine top cover and the fixation. The precise evaluation of the final candidate in terms of vibration and strength will be evaluated on the first prototypes. This tasks will stay apart of the project as once the candidate is selected, an external company is going to perfection the design and evaluate the performance due to the lack of experience of the company in this subject makes this part of the project expensive and inefficient.


This study analyzes a routing and scheduling problem of cabotage oil ships motivated by the actual operation of an oil company along the Brazilian coast. Maritime transportation costs from offshore platforms to coastal terminals are an important issue in the search for operational excellence in the oil industry, and the prospects for growth in oil exploration in Brazil have made operations more demanding for agile and effective decision support systems (DSS). This paper presents an optimization approach to deal with this problem consisting of a mixed integer linear (MIP) programming model and an MIP heuristic known as relax and fix. The problem is formulated as a pickup and delivery vessel routing with time windows and heterogeneous fleet which minimizes the costs of fuel consumption of ships and freight contracts. In addition to the usual routing constraints, it also considers specific restrictions of oil maritime transportation problems. Numerical experiments with this approach are presented for a set of real data of the company, confirming that the optimization method is able to find good solutions for moderate-size problem instances.


When one hears the words "archaeology" or "archaeologist," often what comes to mind is an image of a romantic figure: Indiana Jones exploring exotic places in search of treasure and adventure. Indeed, novels, movies, and many popular accounts of archaeological discoveries have made this concept widespread. Tales of abandoned cities, ruined temples, primeval monuments, or mysterious ancient tombs tend to kindle the urge for adventure, exploration, or treasure hunting that seems to lie beneath the surface of even the most timid and conventional individuals. Today, however, archaeologists seek knowledge rather than objects that are intrinsically valuable. Their ultimate goal is to sweep aside the mists in which time has enveloped the past, helping us to understand vanished peoples and cultures. In Uncovering the Past, William H. Stiebing, Jr. offers an absorbing nontechnical history of archaeology, tracing the study of ancient material culture from its beginnings in the Renaissance through its development into the sophisticated modern discipline we know today. The first study to focus on archaeology as a discipline, Stiebing has organized this concise history into the four stages of archaeological development. The first two stages (1450-1860 and 1860-1925), known as the "heroic age," focus on the exploits of colorful, dynamic excavators who have made their mark on history and our imaginations. We read accounts of Giovanni Belzoni and the removal of the seven-ton colossus of Ramesses II, which was dragged by wooden platform and transported by boat from Egypt to London; we witness the cleryman John Peters's skirmish with Arab tribesmen, who surrounded his excavation site and finally pillaged and burned his camp; and Heinrich Schliemann's quest to prove the authenticity of Homer's Iliad by searching for ancient Troy along the Turkish coast. And we watch as archaeology comes of age as an academic discipline, employing stratigraphical excavation techniques, typographical sequence dating, and stratigraphically based pottery chronology-laying the foundation for universal archaeological activity. The third phase (1925-1960) marked the era of "Modern Archaeology," a time when, using the now generally accepted stratigraphical method of excavation, scholars were able to synthesize data to define individual cultures and trace their development through time. This period saw a greater use of scientific instruments and procedures to locate, date, and interpret remains, such as aerial photography, metal detectors, and most importantly, carbon-14 dating and tree-ring chronology. Lastly, Stiebing discusses the fourth phase of development (1960-present) which introduced a greater desire and need for a more complete understanding of ancient cultures, including their ecology, and attempts to explain why certain cultural phenomena occurred. He goes on to examine the greater emphasis on a cultural evolutionary approach, coupled with technological advances in robotics and computers over the last decade and a half and their commonplace role in modern archaeology. With over eighty photographs, illustrations, and maps, this vivid history is an outstanding introduction to the intruguing field of archaeology, chronicling the development of this former pastime of dilettantes into a rigorous science.