There are debates regarding actual infant and child immunization frame, both sides disputing the fundamental right of health. New and old, those diseases which are preventable through immunization have written history pages. Public voices have been heavily influenced by mass-media, and this attitude reflected in doubting vaccination. Actual trends for immunization in order to prevent rather than to treat is still under scientific debate. Vaccination coverage decreased significantly in Romania and in other countries. In this article, we try to list the most frequently invoked justifications that support the antivaccination attitude and to bring evidence from literature that many of these "arguments" are inaccurate. Old or new "myths" can be replaced with scientific pro-vaccine arguments.


Crashes at any particular transport network location consist of a chain of events arising from a multitude of potential causes and/or contributing factors whose nature is likely to reflect geometric characteristics of the road, spatial effects of the surrounding environment, and human behavioural factors. It is postulated that these potential contributing factors do not arise from the same underlying risk process, and thus should be explicitly modelled and understood. The state of the practice in road safety network management applies a safety performance function that represents a single risk process to explain crash variability across network sites. This study aims to elucidate the importance of differentiating among various underlying risk processes contributing to the observed crash count at any particular network location. To demonstrate the principle of this theoretical and corresponding methodological approach, the study explores engineering (e.g. segment length, speed limit) and unobserved spatial factors (e.g. climatic factors, presence of schools) as two explicit sources of crash contributing factors. A Bayesian Latent Class (BLC) analysis is used to explore these two sources and to incorporate prior information about their contribution to crash occurrence. The methodology is applied to the state controlled roads in Queensland, Australia and the results are compared with the traditional Negative Binomial (NB) model. A comparison of goodness of fit measures indicates that the model with a double risk process outperforms the single risk process NB model, and thus indicating the need for further research to capture all the three crash generation processes into the SPFs.


Event data-based object tracking is attracting attention increasingly. Unfortunately, the unusual data structure caused by the unique sensing mechanism poses great challenges in designing downstream algorithms. To tackle such challenges, existing methods usually re-organize raw event data (or event clouds) with the event frame/image representation to adapt to mature RGB data-based tracking paradigms, which compromises the high temporal resolution and sparse characteristics. By contrast, we advocate developing new designs/techniques tailored to the special data structure to realize object tracking. To this end, we make the first attempt to construct a new end-to-end learning-based paradigm that directly consumes event clouds. Specifically, to process a non-uniformly distributed large-scale event cloud efficiently, we propose a simple yet effective density-insensitive downsampling strategy to sample a subset called key-events. Then, we employ a graph-based network to embed the irregular spatio-temporal information of key-events into a high-dimensional feature space, and the resulting embeddings are utilized to predict their target likelihoods via semantic-driven Siamese-matching. Besides, we also propose motion-aware target likelihood prediction, which learns the motion flow to back-trace the potential initial positions of key-events and measures them with the previous proposal. Finally, we obtain the bounding box by adaptively fusing the two intermediate ones separately regressed from the weighted embeddings of key-events by the two types of predicted target likelihoods. Extensive experiments on both synthetic and real event datasets demonstrate the superiority of the proposed framework over state-of-the-art methods in terms of both the tracking accuracy and speed. The code is publicly available at https://github.com/ZHU-Zhiyu/Event-tracking


Radiotherapy is prescribed to more than 50% of cancer patients during their treatment schedule. Due to intrinsic factors, individual variation in response exists, which will result in side effects or toxicity in a number of patients. Therefore, development of an assay or biomarker for the prediction and assessment of radiosensitivity among cancer patients undergoing radiotherapy would be beneficial. Such an assay would limit toxicities and facilitate dose-escalation for those patients who require it. Assays for predicting intrinsic cellular radiosensitivity remains as the established G2 chromosomal radiosensitivity and most promising, γH2AX foci assay. They can be applied to blood samples from donors and are sensitive enough to detect individual radiosensitivity. Therefore, both assays were applied to normal control cohorts compared to 'radiosensitive' cells to assess their efficacy as potential predictive assays for the clinic. Different low doses and energies of Linac radiation was applied to cells to assess their impact on patient intrinsic radiosensitivity and the most radiosensitive dose was confirmed at 0.5Gy (6MV photon beam) Linac radiation in cells. In addition to this, intrinsic radiosensitivity which could be measured at initial diagnosis and treatment planning stages for patients was investigated. The assays were applied to patients sampled at various time-points throughout a course of their radiotherapy treatment. The time-points included pre-treatment, post hormone treatment, last day of radiotherapy and the 2 and 8 month follow ups. Both assays were capable of depicting a dose response and differences between treatment visits. The DNA damage based assays indicated that cell cycle regulation through the DNA damage response (DDR) activated by radiation was central to the underlying mechanistic response. Therefore, the molecular mechanisms of radiosensitivity were studied with an emphasis of genes related to the cell cycle and DDR. Furthermore, genetic targets that emerged from this work could potentially be biomarkers of radiosensitivity that could also be incorporated into the clinic. Following from the emergence of cell cycle and DDR genes, potential biomarkers for predicting radiosensitivity was analysed in a collaboration with Public Health England. This was done using the most sensitive genes which were found from bio dosimetry microarray studies carried out by the group (P21, PCNA, SESN1 and FDXR). Again this work was done on blood from healthy controls, prostate cancer patients and radiosensitive cells from Ataxia Telangiectasia donors. The genes in combination were able to depict a clear difference in the cohorts analysed in which expression was collectively highest in the healthy controls, less expression was observed in the Prostate cancer cohort and the least expression was observed in the radiosensitive cells from Ataxia Telangiectasia donors. Finally, investigation of the miRNA composition of exosomes in healthy cells and cells from Ataxia telangiectasia donors was done to identify novel…


A series of silica xerogels that support Rhodamine B as a template were synthesized using distinct sol-gel routes, namely, acid-catalyzed routes, a base-catalyzed route, acid-catalyzed with base-catalyzed (two steps) hydrolytic routes, and a FeCl3 -catalyzed nonhydrolytic route. The extraction methods (thermal, Soxhlet, water washing, and ultrasound) were also evaluated. The resulting xerogels were characterized through porosimetry using nitrogen adsorption/desorption. The samples were further analyzed through small-angle X-ray scattering, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, and SEM. The preparation route affected the materials' textural properties. Extraction was optimized using acid and two-step routes. The acid route from Rhodamine B to Rhodamine 6G generated the highest selectivity factor (2.5). The nonhydrolytic route produced the best imprinting factor. Competitive adsorption was also used, from which the approximate imprinting factor was 2. The cavity shape generated during the production of the imprinted silica dictates the adsorption behavior, not the magnitude of the surface area.


Dongting Lake, a large river-connected lake in the Yangtze River watershed, plays important roles in flood control, drought mitigation, and biodiversity conservation. Its ecosystem has recently been severely affected by upstream water resource development such as reservoir operations. In this study, an optimization model is developed for the operation of a multi-reservoir system, including the Three Gorges Reservoir (TGR) on the upper Yangtze River and 8 major reservoirs on the tributaries to Dongting Lake. The optimal target in pursuit of the ecological objective is to maximize the environmental water demand (EWD) satisfaction of the lake. A support vector regression-based model is used to predict the response of the lake level to reservoir operations. The optimization is carried out under different scenarios for both normal and dry conditions, and the results show that: ( i ) the existing operation policy could result in significant hydrologic alteration; ( ii ) in the normal condition, the proposed optimal joint operation policy could increase the general EWD satisfaction rate of Dongting Lake from 85.4% to 95.7%; and ( iii ) the improvement of EWD satisfaction in the normal condition is mainly affected by the TGR, while in the dry condition, the southern and western lake regions are more sensitive to the tributaries' reservoirs.


Blue shrimp (Litopenaeus stylirostris) known as "SS" (Super Shrimp) originated as wild larvae from Panama, and is currently in its 22 nd generation of domestication. They have undergone a systematic process of selection for enhancement of growth and fecundity, and in particular, for resistance improvement to the IHHN virus. The SS-blue shrimp are significantly more tolerant to low water temperatures than Penaeus monodon or Litopenaeus vannamei . This characteristic was effluent to the broodstock management of blue shrimp. The critical phase of larval rearing is on the interchange from zoea to mysis, but almost no mortality on the post larvae stadium.  It was observed during larvae rearing using modulation system indicated by the survival rate of nauplius to PL 5 was 29%, but PL 5 to PL 15 reached 97%.  Growth of larvae and post larvae in the modulation and non modulation systems were not significant different, but performance and uniformity of the seed in modulation system shown better.  Its avarage production in grow out pond was 9,000 kg/ha with final survival rate of 74.5-94.8%, and avarage daily growth (ADG) of 0.176 g. The ponds were stocked with SS-shrimp at densities of 33-38/m 2 .


The temporal overlap of 1.69–1.55 Ga westward growth of the Baltic Shield and voluminous, episodic, 1.65–1.50 Ga rapakivi magmatism in the Svecofennian domain to the east has long been recognized. New U-Pb data from southwest Sweden indicate that this westward growth occurred in at least three distinct stages involving convergent-margin magmatism (Gothian orogenesis) at 1.69–1.65, 1.62–1.58, and 1.56–1.55 Ga. This improved resolution along the margin reveals an interesting temporal correlation between these events and the intracratonic rapakivi magmatism. Each stage of convergent-margin magmatism was echoed by a phase of bimodal rapakivi magmatism at 1.65–1.62, 1.58–1.56, and 1.55–1.50 Ga. In addition to this temporal correlation, rapakivi suites form distinct north-trending arrays that are subparallel to, but 500–1500 km east of, the active margin. These temporal and spatial links suggest that recurring subduction along oceanward-stepping zones provided first-order control(s) on episodic mantle melting and consequent bimodal rapakivi magmatism in distal, inboard settings. At the very least, emerging constraints from Baltica do not support previous, purely anorogenic models for the 1.65–1.50 Ga rapakivi magmatism or models that singularly implicate lingering effects from the preceding Svecofennian orogeny.


The aim of this book are two-fold: to evaluate the current progress of theoretical approaches to tourism marketing, and to show the ways to further develop the concept of tourism marketing for application within tourist destinations, and individual businesses and evaluate its potential impact on performance improvement. The structure is based upon the inclusion of an introduction and four main parts, namely IT marketing, destination competitiveness, image measurement, and consumer behaviour. There is a brief introduction for each part prior to the discussion of specific chapters just to make the readers familiar with their content. The editors believe that there is a need for information on how to better apply both traditional and contemporary marketing tools in order to be more competitive within the international arena. Metin Kozak serves as an Associate Professor of Marketing in the School of Tourism and Hotel Management, Mugla University, Turkey. Also, he is a visiting fellow in the Department of Marketing, University of Namur, Belgium. Following a successful career within the last five years (since the approval of PhD degree in 2000), Metin has received two awards to mark his achievements. In 2001, his PhD dissertation on benchmarking was nominated, by the EFQM- EU, among the best three PhD studies on TQM. In 2004, by a committee of the Turkish Tourism Investors Association, he was awarded the grand prize of the tourism researcher of the year 2003 in Turkey. He has published mainly in tourism journals and authored a book on Destination Benchmarking. His main research interests focus on consumer behavior, benchmarking, competitiveness, cross-cultural research, destination management and marketing, and European tourist markets. Luisa Andreu is Assistant Professor of Marketing in the Department of Marketing, University of Valencia, Spain. She obtained her Master's degree in Tourism from the International Centre for Tourism, Bournemouth University, UK, and a Ph.D. in Business Administration from the University of Valencia, Spain. She is a member of the Spanish Association of Scientifics in Tourism. She has published various articles in "Annals of Tourism Research", "Tourism Management", "European Journal of Marketing", "Journal of Travel and Tourism Marketing", among others. She has presented papers at several conferences organized by the European Marketing Academy, Academy of Marketing Science, CPTHL, and State of the Art: Tourism. She has also involved in numerous academic and industrial projects. Her research interests include consumer behavior and cross-cultural issues in service marketing.


The state action doctrine was born in an era of exceptional confidence in government, with governmental entities widely regarded as unbiased and conscientious defenders of the public interest. Over time, however, more cautious and skeptical theories of government began to gain sway. In particular, the school of thought known as public choice - which holds that governmental entities, like private firms, will act in their economic self-interest - began to influence both legal theory and competition policy. Indeed, a close examination of recent state action case law suggests that public choice thinking has driven a slow, but consistent, evolution of the doctrine toward less deference to state regulators and more careful assessment of the actual incentives that drive their decision-making. This evolution in thinking, however, has not been accompanied by the development of a systematic, analytical framework to guide the application of the state action doctrine in particular cases. Developing such a framework should therefore remain a top priority of leading antitrust policymakers, including those at the Federal Trade Commission.


ABSTRACT Traditionally, teacher professional learning is often seen as something that mainly takes place in organized, formalized settings. This article takes a broader starting point: the idea that it can be understood as the result of the teachers' confrontations and interactions with and within their professional contexts, and that context can thus serve as a source for learning. To gain a closer understanding of the nature of these contexts, we start with exploring these contexts from a theoretical point of view. We then look for evidence for the role of different contexts in teacher learning autobiographies and learner reports, produced by a diverse group of experienced teachers (n = 18), as part of their course work in a master's programme. The findings suggest that three contexts can be identified – a perso3nal practice domain, a social domain, and a theoretical domain – and that confrontations in each of these domains can take place planned as well as unplanned. The relevance of the study is that understanding the ways in which context can serve as a source for learning can contribute to the debate on how to stimulate teacher professional learning.


The First Prejudice: Religious Tolerance and Intolerance in Early America. Edited by Chris Beneke and Christopher S. Grenda. Early American Studies. (Philadelphia and Oxford, Eng.: University of Pennsylvania Press, c. 2011. Pp. vi, 401. $45.00, ISBN 978-0-8122-4270-6.) Creatively and thoughtfully connecting the two historiographical traditions that examine religious tolerance and intolerance in early America-church-state history and religious history--this edited volume's essays use the ideological and legal arguments favored by church-state historians and the emphasis on ecclesiastical identity and practice common in religious history. The result is a surprisingly cohesive collection of essays that, given their chronological and geographical breadth, demonstrate the cultural and judicial ubiquity of religious prejudice while highlighting often unexpected opportunities for religious toleration, coexistence, and exchange in early America. With the notable exception of Chris Beneke's provocative essay, which describes the Revolutionary era as the harbinger of expansive forms of religious liberty, the other essays in The First Prejudice: Religious Tolerance and Intolerance in Early America view religious intolerance as a mainstay of Anglo-American culture from the earliest days of English settlement through the early nineteenth century. Examining the ideological origins of colonial American religious prejudice, John Corrigan argues that the fate of the biblical Amalekites--the descendants of Esau whose persecution of the Hebrews during the exodus from Egypt earned them divine destruction--served as a template for the intolerant treatment of non-Christians in the New World, especially Native Americans. Demonstrating the legal application of religious ideology, Susan Juster's and Christopher Grasso's essays describe the prosecution of religious crimes. Juster shows that seventeenth- and early-eighteenth-century civil magistrates took blasphemy and Sabbath-breaking very seriously. And while Grasso's early-nineteenth-century courts did not inflict the same draconian punishments (tongue boring and the like), they nevertheless prosecuted deists, skeptics, and freethinkers for blasphemy. Supported by the courts, colonial American religious majorities frequently practiced religious intolerance. Joyce D. Goodfriend demonstrates that even the famously tolerant Netherlands produced a fanatically Calvinist colonial director-general, Petrus Stuyvesant, whose intolerant policies greatly limited Lutheran, Quaker, and Jewish religious expression. Similarly, Owen Stanwood demonstrates the intercolonial pervasiveness of a virulent anti-Catholic paranoia that was deeply rooted in British nationalism. Religious intolerance existed even in the City of Brotherly Love. As Andrew R. Murphy's discussion of the Keithian controversy demonstrates, even Quakers could silence their religious and political opponents. Yet, notwithstanding the ever-present colonial realities of religious intolerance, several essayists point to a modicum of religious toleration that led, in some cases, to unexpected cultural exchange. …


FOSSology is an open source license compliance software system and toolkit. As a toolkit you can run license, copyright and export control scans from the command line. As a system, a database and web UI are provided to provide a compliance workflow. The FOSSology project published a first software version in December 2007. Given this anniversary after ten years of license scanning, the article presents a look at the project: the motivation for building and using FOSSology, the history of the project and its status as of today. Because SPDX represents the de-facto standard for exchanging license and copyright information about software packages, an introduction about FOSSology's support for exporting and importing SPDX documents is presented.


With almost three decades of collective experiences globally, the U.S. is well positioned to lead the future P3 market and to do it better than ever. However, the prevailing capital structures of recent P3 projects exhibit a significant level of subsidy-like contributions from the federal and state governments. This is due in part to the perceived difficulty in securing long-term funding as a result of more stringent post-2007 liquidity and leverage standards for banks and insurance companies. This P3 climate in the U.S., however, has not mirrored the climate in the global investment community. The investor appetite for infrastructure is at an all-time high and infrastructure as an asset class is seen as the next fixed income. Despite the current hype, the inherent challenges to P3 financing and financial viability remain: in particular, the capital-intensive upfront construction-phase funding, the prolonged negative cash flow, and the post-construction restructuring. Due to these early phase risks, many banks charge high risk premiums or are staying away from greenfield projects with large construction commitments altogether. A public-private infrastructure cooperative or "I Co-op" is proposed in this paper to address these critical early phase funding risks for the P3 market in California. I Co-op's business model helps to eliminate the need for subsidies on P3 projects by converting them into market-driven P3 equity and debt capacity with returns for reinvestment. The model is also explicitly designed to mitigate key political risks underlying P3 projects. I Co-op is an independent infrastructure bank dedicated to financing P3 projects in California. Its ownership is founded on public-private partnership and its initial capitalization draws upon the State's non-capital contribution in the form of P3 participation guarantees, private capital contributions from local and global investors, and its own bank deposits. Through I Co-op, the State can effectively increase its debt capacity without jeopardizing its current debt limit and with no direct capital contributions. For global investors, I Co-op provides a new vehicle to access a portfolio of infrastructure assets, thereby offering them the opportunity to further diversify their risks. It is recommended that the State consider I Co-op as one of the solutions for actively promoting private sector participation as it strives to bring its infrastructure back up to the world-class level it enjoyed in the past.


A considerable body of research suggests that horizontal inequality between ethnic groups has major socioeconomic implications, in particular for peace and economic development. Much of this work focuses on horizontal inequality as an independent causal variable, rather than an outcome of various processes.In this paper we offer conceptual, theoretical, and empirical reasons for treating horizontal inequality as a dependent variable and challenging assumptions of fixity. We first consider explanations for variation drawing on the literature on horizontal inequality, as well as on ethnicity more broadly. We then explore how horizontal inequality can be measured using survey and census data and present analyses based on two datasets providing information on inequality in terms of educational attainment (HI-E) for the period 1960s–2000s.These data suggest both a general trend towards decline in HI-E over time and considerable regional variation. This paper serves also to introduce and frame the contributions to this special section, each of which speaks to horizontal inequality in a particular country and provides a focused look—using survey and census data—into patterns, trends, correlates, and implications of horizontal inequality at sub-national levels.


With the tremendous growth of mobile devices, e.g, smartphones, tablets and PDAs in recent years, users are looking for more advanced platforms in order to use their computational applications (e.g., processing and storage) in a faster and more convenient way. In addition, mobile devices are capable of using cloud-based applications and the use of such technology is growing in popularity. However, one major concern is how to efficiently access these cloud-based applications when using a resource-constraint mobile device. Essentially applications require a continuous Internet connection which is difficult to obtain in challenged environments that lack an infrastructure for communication (e.g., in sparse or rural areas) or areas with infrastructure (e.g., urban or high density areas) with restricted/full of interference access networks and even areas with high costs of Internet roaming. In these situations the use of mobile opportunistic networks may be extended to avail cloud-based applications to the user. In this thesis we explore the emergence of extending cloud-based applications with mobile opportunistic networks in challenged environments and observe how local user's social interactions and collaborations help to improve the overall message delivery performance in the network. With real-world trace-driven simulations, we compare and contrast the different user's behaviours in message forwarding, the impact of the various network loads (e.g., number of messages) along with the long-sized messages and the impact of different wireless networking technologies, in various opportunistic routing protocols in a challenged environment.


This paper uses a new database to establish two findings covering the first globalization boom before World War I, the second since World War II, and the autarkic interlude in between. First, there is strong evidence supporting a Tariff-Growth Paradox: protection was associated with fast growth before World War II, while it was associated with slow growth thereafter. Second, there is strong evidence supporting regional asymmetry: while the tariff-growth association was powerful and positive in the Core and rich New World before World War II, it was typically weak and negative in the poor Periphery. The paper offers explanations for the Paradox by controlling for a changing world economic environment. It shows how the oft-quoted Sachs-Warner results for 1970-1989 are significantly revised when one controls for trading partners' growth, trading partners' tariffs and the effective distance between them over the longer half-century 1950-1997. Falling partners' tariffs was the most important force accounting for the switch in sign on the tariff-growth connection after 1950. An increase in own tariffs after 1950 hurt growth, but it would not have hurt growth in a world where partners' tariffs were much higher, trading partners' growth much slower, and the world less closely connected by transportation. World environment matters. Leader-country reaction to big world events (like the Great Depression) matter. Followers take notice.


Among various low-angle tracking methods, the three-dimensional beamspace domain maximum likelihood (3-D BDML) estimation proposed by Zoltowski is a computationally attractive and optimal method that can be processed in the reduced beamspace domain. However, the estimation performance of 3-D BDML deteriorates in the presence of interference or an additional target, especially at low altitudes, because the dimension of the signal and noise exceeds the dimension provided by the three beams. This study proposes a new low-angle tracking method for two objects in a 3-D beamspace domain using a linearly constrained adaptive array. The increased signal dimension owing to the interference or the additional target is reduced in the beamspace domain by using the beamforming weight that is designed to remove the largest principal component in the covariance matrix. Numerical simulation results are provided to show the estimation performance of the proposed method.


In this work, an efficient method for the sequence-specific detection of DNA based on a morpholino-functionalized silicon chip platform has been proposed. Briefly, morpholino was first immobilized on the surface of a silicon chip using 3-aminopropyltriethoxysilane (APTES) as the silane coupling agent and 1,4-phenylenediisothiocyanate (PDITC) as the cross-linker and then hybridized with DNA in the ensuing step. The fluorescence label was introduced by strongly binding Rhodamine B, which contains a terminal carboxylic group, with DNA by means of phosphate–zirconium–carboxylate coordination reaction. X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) was used to characterize the silicon surface. Under optimal conditions, the morpholino-functionalized silicon chip presented a great linear relationship between the fluorescence intensity and the logarithm of target DNA concentrations in the range from 1 pM to 1 nM with a detection limit of 4.52 pM. Furthermore, fully complementary versus single-base mismatched, three-base mismatched and non-complementary DNA could be effectively identified. The chip showed excellent stability because it could be reused for another hybridization experiment after denaturing the morpholino–complementary DNA duplex. In addition, the chip rendered satisfactory analytical performance for the detection of DNA in serum samples, thus exhibiting practical significance. Morpholino-functionalized silicon chips display good sensitivity and selectivity for the detection of DNA and promising applications in single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs).


Cyclic dinucleotide–formulated cancer vaccine combined with PD-1 blockade can induce regression of tumors that do not express PD-L1 constitutively. Stimulator of interferon genes (STING) is a receptor found in various cell types and activates an immune response in response to cyclic dinucleotides. Fu et al. found that combining cyclic dinucleotides with a cellular cancer vaccine called STINGVAX was effective against multiple types of tumors in mouse models. Modifying the cyclic dinucleotides to strengthen their binding to human STING increased their antitumor activity. Treatment with STINGVAX caused cancer cells to increase the amount of PD-L1, a protein that suppresses the immune response. Inhibiting the PD-L1 pathway in mice treated with STINGVAX was very effective at killing even poorly immunogenic tumors. J. Fu, D. B. Kanne, M. Leong, L. H. Glickman, S. M. McWhirter, E. Lemmens, K. Mechette, J. J. Leong, P. Lauer, W. Liu, K. E. Sivick, Q. Zeng, K. C. Soares, L. Zheng, D. A. Portnoy, J. J. Woodward, D. M. Pardoll, T. W. Dubensky Jr., Y. Kim, STING agonist formulated cancer vaccines can cure established tumors resistant to PD-1 blockade. Sci. Transl. Med. 7, 283ra52 (2015). [Abstract]


ABSTRACT In this article, we review critical research on mobile and wearable health technologies focused on the promotion of 'healthy lifestyles'. We begin by discussing key governmental and policy interests which indicate a shift towards greater digital integration in health care. Subsequently, we review relevant research literature, which highlights concerns about inclusion, social justice, and ownership of mobile health data, which we argue, provoke a series of key sociological questions that are in need of additional investigation. We examine the expansion of what counts as health data, as a basis for advocating the need for greater research into this area. Finally, we consider how digital devices raise questions about the reconfiguration of relationships, behaviours, and concepts of individuality.


Importance Opioid addiction affects approximately 2.4 million Americans. Nearly 1 million individuals, including a growing subset of 21 000 minors, abuse heroin. Its annual cost within the United States amounts to $51 billion. Inhaled heroin use represents a global phenomenon and is approaching epidemic levels east of the Mississippi River as well as among urban youth. Chasing the dragon (CTD) by heating heroin and inhaling its fumes is particularly concerning, because this method of heroin usage has greater availability, greater ease of administration, and impressive intensity of subjective experience (high) compared with sniffing or snorting, although it also has a safer infectious profile compared with heroin injection. This is relevant owing to peculiar and often catastrophic brain complications. Following the American Medical Association Opioid Task Force mandate, we contribute a description of the pharmacology, pathophysiology, clinical spectrum, neuroimaging, and neuropathology of CTD leukoencephalopathy, as distinct from other heroin abuse modalities. Observations The unique spectrum of CTD-associated health outcomes includes an aggressive toxic leukoencephalopathy with pathognomonic neuropathologic features, along with sporadic instances of movement disorders and hydrocephalus. Clinical CTD severity is predominantly moderate at admission, frequently unmodified at discharge, and largely improved in the long term. Mild cases survive with minor sequelae, while moderate to severe presentations might deteriorate and progress to death. Other methods of heroin use may complicate with stroke, seizure, obstructive hydrocephalus, and (uncharacteristically) leukoencephalopathy. Conclusions and Relevance The distinct pharmacology of CTD correlates with its specific clinical and radiological features and prompts grave concern for potential morbidity and long-term disability costs. Proposed diagnostic criteria and standardized reporting would ameliorate the limitations of CTD literature and facilitate patient selection for a coenzyme Q10 therapeutic trial.


Purpose Curcumin is a nontoxic, chemopreventive agent possessing multifaceted functions. Our previous study showed that curcumin inhibits androgen receptor (AR) through modulation of Wnt/β-catenin signaling in LNCaP cells. Therefore, we investigated the in vivo effects of curcumin by using LNCaP xenografts. Materials and Methods LNCaP cells were subcutaneously inoculated in Balb/c nude mice. When the tumor volume reached greater than 100 mm3, either curcumin (500 mg/kg body weight) or vehicle was administered through oral gavage three times weekly for 4 weeks. The expression of AR and intermediate products of Wnt/β-catenin were assessed. Results Curcumin had an inhibitory effect on tumor growth during the early period, which was followed by a slow increase in growth over time. Tumor growth was delayed about 27% in the curcumin group. The mean prostate-specific antigen (PSA) doubling time in the curcumin group was approximately twice that in the untreated group. Curcumin significantly decreased AR expression at both the mRNA and protein level. The PSA levels tended to be reduced in the curcumin group. However, there were no significant changes in expression of Wnt/β-catenin pathway intermediates. Conclusions This study revealed that curcumin initially interferes with prostate cancer growth by inhibiting AR activity and possibly by reducing PSA expression. Further research is needed to investigate the plausible mechanism of the antiandrogenic action of curcumin.


Community-acquired pneumonia (CAP) is an important cause of morbidity and mortality in Malaysian pilgrims attending the Hajj every year. This study aimed to determine risk factors associated with CAP in Malaysians attending the Hajj. We conducted an unmatched case-control study at a Malaysian hospital in Mecca from September 2012 to January 2013, during the Hajj season. Individuals who met the definition of CAP were selected as cases. Controls were randomly selected among Malaysian pilgrims staying in the same accommodation as the cases, and followed up two weeks after returning to Malaysia. Information on risk factors was gathered using a structured questionnaire, and the strength of association was assessed using adjusted odds ratios (AOR) and 95% confidence intervals (CI) through a multiple logistic regression model. The study identified 108 cases and 673 unmatched controls.  Among cases, 57.4% were males and 98.1% were aged more than 50 years. CAP was significantly associated with drinking over three liters of water daily (AOR = 0.2, 95% CI = 0.9-0.4), taking multivitamins (AOR = 0.2, 95% CI = 0.9-0.5), age 60 years or more (AOR = 20.2, 95% CI = 10.6-38.3), asthma/chronic obstructive airway disease (AOR = 5.9, 95% CI = 2.4-14.7) and congestive cardiac failure (AOR = 5.4, 95% CI = 2.0-14.7). Determining potentially preventable risk factors for CAP could help to inform public health programs for future Hajj pilgrims and might potentially reduce the associated morbidity and mortality.


Historically, grapevine (Vitis vinifera L.) leaf characterisation has been a driving force in the identification of cultivars. In this study, ampelometric (foliometric) analysis was done on leaf samples collected from hand-pruned, mechanically pruned and minimally pruned 'Sauvignon blanc' and 'Syrah' vines to estimate the impact of within-vineyard variability and a change in bud load on the stability of leaf properties. The results showed that within-vineyard variability of ampelometric characteristics was high within a cultivar, irrespective of bud load. In terms of the O.I.V. coding system, zero to four class differences were observed between minimum and maximum values of each characteristic. The value of variability of each characteristic was different between the three levels of bud load and the two cultivars. With respect to bud load, the number of shoots per vine had a significant effect on the characteristics of the leaf laminae. Single leaf area and lengths of veins changed significantly for both cultivars, irrespective of treatment, while angle between veins proved to be a stable characteristic. A large number of biometric data can be recorded on a single leaf; the data measured on several leaves, however, are not necessarily unique for a specific cultivar. The leaf characteristics analysed in this study can be divided into two groups according to the response to a change in bud load, i.e. stable (angles between the veins, depths of sinuses) and variable (length of the veins, length of the petiole, single leaf area). The variable characteristics are not recommended to be used in cultivar identification, unless the pruning method/bud load is known.


National identification ("ID") cards appear increasingly inevitable. National ID cards have the potential to be repressive and privacy-destroying, but it is also possible to design a system that captures more benefits than costs. Because the United States currently lacks a single, reliable credential, private businesses have trouble authenticating their customers and matching data among distributed databases. This Article argues that the desire for reliable ID creates a window of opportunity for the federal government to strike a bargain: offer private businesses the use of a reliable credential in the form of a national ID card, on the condition that they abide by a privacy standard set and owned by the United States. But the government must act quickly –– the Real ID Act of 2005, which sets up a national standard for the issuance of state driver's licenses, is poised to become effective in May 2008. This law does not provide for privacy protections, and once it goes into effect the opportunity to leverage such protections on a national ID card will be greatly reduced.


ABSTRACT This study examined the relationship between stock market index and selected macroeconomic variables during the post-financial liberalization (pre-financial crisis) and post-financial crisis in Thailand. In the empirical analysis, unit root, cointegration and Granger causality tests were performed. The post-financial liberalization results showed that the stock market index, the industrial production index, money supply, exchange rate, and world oil prices contained a unit root and were integrated of order one. Johansen cointegration test was then employed. The results showed at least one cointegrating or long-run relation between the stock market index and a set of macroeconomic variables. Money supply had a positive impact on the stock market index while the industrial production index, the exchange rate and oil prices had a negative impact. During the post-financial crisis, all variables were integrated at different orders. Cointegration existed between the stock market index and macroeconomic variables. In addition, the Granger causality test indicated money supply was the only variable positively affecting the stock market returns. INTRODUCTION The Stock Exchange of Thailand has been considered an emerging stock market since its inauguration in April 1975. The market capitalization of Thailand Stock Exchange is small while bond trading and other financial innovations have emerged in just the last few years. Like other emerging stock markets in Asia, liberalization in the Thai financial markets, both money and capital markets, reduced the regulation for foreign investors who were interested in investing in Thailand. The financial liberalization in 1992 included lifting capital control measures and allowing banks to lend and borrow more freely in both in- and off-shore transactions. In addition, the Thai government urged capital inflows in both portfolio and foreign direct investment. As a result, the volume of stock trading increased substantially in recent years. Equity instruments are a crucial source of funds for business firms. A continuous increase in private investment via issuing new stocks can be a conduit of GDP expansion and, thus, a high employment rate. Under the fixed exchange rate regime prior to the financial crisis in 1997, Thailand saw large capital inflows, especially in terms of portfolio investment. This nearly offset the huge current account deficits. Additionally, large capital inflows caused domestic financial institutions to lend a large number of loans to both firms and individual borrowers. The ratio between loans and deposits in the banking system was as high as 1.35 in mid-1990 compared to 0.75 in early 1990. Many analysts believed this was due to the overheating of the Thai economy. In late 1996, private investment accounted for more than 40 percent of the national income. Such phenomena showed that domestic borrowers relied more on foreign capital inflows than domestic savings. During this period, the domestic interest rate rose and caused a wide gap between domestic and foreign interest rates. This interest rate differential induced large capital inflows mostly in portfolio investment. The financial crisis in 1997 had a devastating impact on the Thai economy. A significant effect related to exchange rate risk under the floating exchange rate regime began in July 1 997. Other than real economic activity (e.g., real GDP or the industrial production index) that could affect an investment decision in common stocks, the risk generated from exchange rate fluctuations may also distort the portfolio investment decision. The main objective of this study was to investigate the effects of macroeconomic variables on stock market index/returns in Thailand during the post-financial liberalization prior to the financial crisis (January 1992- June 1997) and after the financial crisis (July 1997-December 2003). The stock market return represents the change in stock market index. …


We propose a novel model of stochastic choice: the single-crossing random utility model (SCRUM). This is a random utility model in which the collection of utility functions satisfies the single-crossing property. We offer a characterization of SCRUMs based on three easy-to-check properties: Positivity, Monotonicity and Centrality. The identified collection of utility functions and associated probabilities is basically unique. We establish a stochastic monotone comparative result for the case of SCRUMs and study several generalizations of SCRUMs.


Wheat leaf rust, stem rust, and stripe rust are major fungal diseases of wheat caused by Puccinia triticina, P. graminis f. sp. tritici, and P. striiformis f. sp. tritici, respectively. Development of wheat varieties with genetic resistance to pathogens is a common strategy to protect against significant yield loss. However, incorporating resistance is not always straightforward, and understanding the mechanisms responsible for triggering host resistance is key. Here, were characterized two different genetic mechanisms involved in the rust resistance defense response in wheat. Two spring wheat cultivars and their respective EMS mutants, which displayed enhanced resistance to leaf, stem, and/or stripe rust, were studied. The cultivar Canthatch possesses a stem rust resistance suppressor on chromosome 7DL. We characterized the spectrum of resistance of Canthatch and the mutant CTH-NS, confirming the specificity of this suppressor is stem rust-specific. The cultivar Alpowa mutant MNR220 displays broad-spectrum resistance to a number of wheat rust races at the seedling stage. We characterized the functional resistance of MNR220 to a race of leaf rust by sampling inoculated tissues at various time points and tracking the disease progress microscopically. The mutant MNR220 confers resistance at the pre-haustorial stage; formation of haustoria is delayed or inhibited in MNR220 relative to the wild type Alpowa.


Background: Vitamin D deficiency has been a worldwide health problem, and pregnant women were considered as ahigh risk group among whom the prevalence of vitamin D deficiency is increasing to be around 5-40% and to reach a rate of 10-56% in breastfed infants. Recent studies revealed the importance of vitamin D during pregnancy and correlated its level to several pregnancy and neonatal outcomes. Objectives: We aimed to assess the effect of low level of maternal vitamin D on the progress of labor affecting primary C-section rate, pregnancy outcomes (such as: risk of uterine atony and postpartum hemorrhage, pregnancy induced hypertension, preeclampsia and gestational diabetes) and neonatal outcomes (such as: low birth weight and preterm birth). Methods: A prospective cohort study was conducted in two university hospitals in Lebanon between September 2016 and January 2017. A questionnaire was used for collecting date after taking informed consent to participate in the study. Demographic data, calcium intake, vitamin D intake including the dose, obstetric history complicating the current or previous pregnancy, mode of delivery and finally maternal and neonatal outcomes were recorded. Blood samples were collected from all patients participating in the study for vitamin D level measurement. Patients were divided in two groups: the control group (vitamin D level>30ng/ml) and the deficient group (≤30ng/ml). Results: A total of 381 patients were included in this study. In total, 40.9% of the deficient group delivered by C-section for failure of induction, failure to progress or failure to descend; compared to 12.8% only of the control group (p value <0.0001). There was also a significant association between vitamin D deficiency and risk of uterine atony and postpartum hemorrhage (4.7% and 5.6%, respectively in the study group with low level of vitamin D compared to 0.7% and 1.3% in the control group with significant p value 0.033 and 0.040, respectively). Conclusion: Low maternal vitamin D level was associated with increased risk of primary C-section, uterine atony and postpartum hemorrhage.


Double taxation of corporate profits distorts the choice of business form, the debt and equity capitalization of companies, and the character and timing of profits distributions. To avoid these distortions, countries adopt so-called integrated corporate tax regimes. But countries almost always limit such regimes to domestic dividend--those paid by a corporation taxable in the country to a shareholder also taxable in the country. In contrast, countries generally deny double tax relief to cross-border dividends. Failure to extend relief to cross-border dividends distorts locational investment decisions. Although restricting double tax relief to domestic dividends does not violate international tax nondiscrimination rules, more stringent nondiscrimination rules govern member states of the European Union and U.S. states. Member states of those common markets may not constitutionally prefer domestic commerce over cross-border commerce. This constitutional nondiscrimination obligation limits the ability of EU and US states to confine double corporate tax relief to domestic dividends. This symposium paper establishes the basic framework for taxation of cross-border dividends, closely analyzes and compares constitutional challenges to states' failure to extend double tax relief to cross-border dividends in Europe and the United States, and identifies the principal policy considerations emerging from the nascent cross-border dividend jurisprudence in the European Court of Justice.


Photochemical production and release of gas‐phase NOx (NO + NO2) from the natural snowpack at a remote site in northern Michigan were investigated during the Snow Nitrogen and Oxidants in Winter study in January 1999. Snow was collected in an open 34 L chamber, which was then sealed with a transparent Teflon cover and used as an outdoor flow and reaction chamber. Significant increases in NOx mixing ratio were observed in synthetic and ambient air pulled through the sunlit chamber. [NOx] enhancements were correlated to ultraviolet sunlight intensity, reaching ∼300 pptv under partially overcast midday, midwinter conditions. These findings are consistent with NOx production from photolysis of snowpack NO3−; the observed NOx release implies production of significant amounts of OH within the snow. Snowpack NO3− photolysis may therefore significantly alter boundary layer levels of both NOx and oxidized compounds over wide regions of the atmosphere.


Dust accumulation or soiling on solar panels' and collectors' surfaces has become a well-known problem, which severely reduces the performance of solar energy conversion systems. The soiling of the solar surfaces is a complex phenomenon influenced by various site-specific environmental and weather factors, and therefore should demonstrate seasonal and weather-dependent trends. Such information of natural PV soiling would be useful not only for modeling the economic impact of surface soiling but also for properly scheduling of cleaning, which is of interest to project developers and operators. The purpose of the study is to investigate the long-term seasonal patterns of airborne dust accumulation on PV modules and soiling-induced PV performance degradation in the desert environment of Qatar. PV performance, ambient dust concentration and meteorological data were collected over the study period of 2014-2017. Results revealed that PV performance due to soiling in terms of daily change in the cleanness index (ΔCI) varied with season, which was attributed to substantial variations in environmental conditions (i.e., rainfall, wind speed, humidity, temperature, airborne dust concentration). Averaged over the four years, the daily ΔCI was − 0.43 ± 1.0% per day for modules cleaned every sixth month, and − 0.46 ± 1.05% per day for modules cleaned every second month or about 14% per month. The annual pattern shows significant seasonal variation of daily ΔCI and cumulative CI during the study period. Daily ΔCI was found to be the most severe during November ( − 0.75%) and least during June ( − 0.19%). The months correspond to the rainy season (i.e., February to April) have moderate values of ΔCI ( − 0.34%). It was observed that average daily ΔCI by month was decreased with increasing PM10 concentration and humidity and increased with that of temperature and wind speed. The intense dust storm and rainy events taking place on specific days of the month are predominantly responsible for the large month-to-month variations of PV soiling. A yearly soiling trend was also determined that could help to reduce uncertainty in energy yield prediction. Monthly dust deposition on PV modules was also determined gravimetrically, which also showed month-to-month variation following the same trend of monthly PV performance loss. In addition to the environmental factors affecting dust accumulation on PV modules, particle size distribution and chemical properties of the monthly-collected dust were investigated and compared as well.


Abstract In (in)formal learning scenarios, individuals should develop epistemological beliefs (i.e., individual conceptions about the nature of knowledge and knowing) that are advantageous for understanding everyday science- and health-related information. To date, researchers measuring how to foster students' discipline-specific epistemological beliefs have often tested researcher-designed texts in short-term interventions. Applying this logic to audio-visual stimuli, television clips might also affect (e.g., change) the epistemological beliefs of students. To test this assumption, three different television stimuli on the subject of Alzheimer's disease with varying levels depicting the presented knowledge (as more advantageous, moderate, or less advantageous) were therefore selected by means of a content analysis, and their effects tested on a sample of 72 students using a pre-/post-test questionnaire. The results showed some partial support for the assumption that the epistemological beliefs of participants could become less advantageous when they are exposed to television clips depicting knowledge as moderate or less advantageous.


The instances of deterioration of armor stone at coastal structures on the Great Lakes result from numerous distinct causes, both intrinsic and extrinsic. However, the proof of specific causes or combinations of causes case by case remains somewhat elusive; problem stone having actually come from many different dolomite and limestone quarries and having been produced in many different ways. Rock characteristics presumed to account for some of the deterioration include the only moderate strength of some dolomite as well as rock-mass defects such as micropores, microcracks, stratification, and natural jointing, fully or partially healed. Most source quarries have been primarily geared to sustained production of aggregate or flux stone in large quantities. The incipent blast cracking incidental to producing crusher feed on a large scale is usually detrimental to durability of stone coproduced as armor. The most detrimental practice in the 1970's when the dike-construction program was still growing was the quarrying and placing of stone during cold periods. Dramatic cases of freezing and cracking of uncured stone were common.


Aerial photography indicates that sometime since the early 1970's, an emergent ridge of shell debris developed on a mudbank north of Calusa Key in Florida Bay. Coarse shell deposits on and within the Bay's shallow mudbanks are believed to be the product of transport during major storm events and subsequent winnowing. However, shell material from the ridge contains nuclear bomb 14C, supporting formation within the past 30 years and the last major hurricanes to influence Florida Bay were Donna and Betsy (1960 and 1965). Results from this study suggest that the Calusa ridge and other coarse shell deposits in Florida Bay can result from, 1) periodic seagrass mortality and wave-induced transport during frequent winter cold fronts and/or 2) mollusc blooms and subsequent burial. A survey of bottom types indicates that dense to intermediate beds of seagrass, mainly Thalassia testudinum (turtle grass), occur within the shallow basins of western Florida Bay and along the margins of Bay mudbanks. Wave measurements and modeling indicate that Thalassia along mudbank margins can reduce incoming wave energy by over 80%. Seagrass beds also host particularly dense populations of molluscs from periodic "blooms" and are believed to be the major source of coarse sediments in the Bay. Thus, if bank-edge seagrass dies, sediments, including shell debris, become exposed and subject to greatly increased wave energy. Modeling indicates that winds typical of winter cold fronts in South Florida can produce near-bottom velocities and shear stress at a grass-free bank edge which are sufficient to transport coarse carbonate grains. Shell layers found at depth in mudbank cores can also be explained by previous episodes of sediment accretion over mollusc-rich seagrass beds or grass bed mortality at the edge of a mudbank and shell transport during cold front passage. The latter implies that mortality of marginal seagrass beds has occurred throughout the history of Florida Bay and that the historical influence of hurricanes on sedimentation in the Bay may have been overestimated.


The use of information and communication technologies to improve environmental sustainability has become a new focus of the IS research in the last years. Different Green IS solutions in various areas already exist, that contribute to the environmental, economic or social performance of organizations. Although these solutions are more and more used within companies, the adoption rate of these solutions varies. This paper focuses on the reasons for these differences by using the Diffusion of Innovation theory as a basis for an exploratory study. In a first step Green IS solutions that are currently available on the market are identified. Based on these alternatives, a survey among Austrian enterprises to analyze how the perceived complexity of the solutions influences their diffusion was conducted. The respondents had to classify the complexity of the respective Green IS solution and specify the realization in their company. Results showed that Green IS solutions and measures that are seen as simple in their technical complexity are adopted more frequently.


Despite a growing interest in the sociology of the body, there has to date been a lack of scholarly work addressing the embodied aspects that form a central part of our understanding and experience of sport and movement cultures. Researching Embodied Sport explores the political, social and cultural significance of embodied approaches to the study of sport, physical activities and dance. It explains how embodied approaches fit with existing theory in studies of sport and movement cultures and makes a compelling case for incorporating an embodied approach into the study of sporting practices and experience.

The book adopts a multi-disciplinary lens, moving beyond the traditional dualism of body and mind, and incorporating the physical with the social and the psychological. It applies key theories that have shaped our thinking about the body and sport, and examines both the personal, subjective experience of sporting activities and those experiences involving engagement and contact with other people, in team sports for example. The book also explores the methodological implications of 'doing' embodied research, particularly in terms of qualitative approaches to sports research.

Written by a team of leading international sports researchers, and packed with vivid examples from sporting contexts as diverse as surfing, fell running, korfball and disability sport, Researching Embodied Sport is fascinating reading for any advanced student or researcher working in the sociology of sport, physical cultural studies, physical education, body studies or health studies.


OBJECTIVE
The purpose of this study was to assess the correlation between standardized uptake value (SUV) and apparent diffusion coefficient (ADC) of neoplastic lesions in the use of a simultaneous PET/MRI hybrid system.

SUBJECTS AND METHODS
Twenty-four patients with known primary malignancies underwent FDG PET/CT. They then underwent whole-body PET/MRI. Diffusion-weighted imaging was performed with free breathing and a single-shot spin-echo echo-planar imaging sequence with b values of 0, 350, and 750 s/mm(2). Regions of interest were manually drawn along the contours of neoplastic lesions larger than 1 cm, which were clearly identified on PET and diffusion-weighted images. Maximum SUV (SUVmax) on PET/MRI and PET/CT images, mean SUV (SUVmean), minimum ADC (ADCmin), and mean ADC (ADCmean) were recorded on PET/MR images for each FDG-avid neoplastic soft-tissue lesion with a maximum of three lesions per patient. Pearson correlation coefficient was used to asses the following relations: SUVmax versus ADCmin on PET/MR and PET/CT images, SUVmean versus ADCmean, and ratio of SUVmax to mean liver SUV (SUV ratio) versus ADCmin. A subanalysis of patients with progressive disease versus partial treatment response was performed with the ratio of SUVmax to ADCmin for the most metabolically active lesion.

RESULTS
Sixty-nine neoplastic lesions (52 nonosseous lesions, 17 bone metastatic lesions) were evaluated. The mean SUVmax from PET/MRI was 7.0 ± 6.0; SUVmean, 5.6 ± 4.6; mean ADCmin, 1.10 ± 0.58; and mean ADCmean, 1.48 ± 0.72. A significant inverse Pearson correlation coefficient was found between PET/MRI SUVmax and ADCmin (r = -0.21, p = 0.04), between SUVmean and ADCmean (r = -0.18, p = 0.07), and between SUV ratio and ADCmin (r = -0.27, p = 0.01). A similar inverse Pearson correlation coefficient was found between the PET/CT SUVmax and ADCmin. Twenty of 24 patients had previously undergone PET/CT; five patients had a partial treatment response, and six had progressive disease according to Response Evaluation Criteria in Solid Tumors 1.1. The ratio between SUVmax and ADCmin was higher among patients with progressive disease than those with a partial treatment response.

CONCLUSION
Simultaneous PET/MRI is a promising technology for the detection of neoplastic disease. There are inverse correlations between SUVmax and ADCmin and between SUV ratio and ADCmin. Correlation coefficients between SUVmax and ADCmin from PET/MRI were similar to values obtained with SUVmax from the same-day PET/CT. Given that both SUV and ADC are related to malignancy and that the correlation between the two biomarkers is relatively weak, SUV and ADC values may offer complementary information to aid in determination of prognosis and treatment response. The combined tumoral biomarker, ratio between SUVmax and ADCmin, may be useful for assessing progressive disease versus partial treatment response.


Abstract Despite our differences, there is much about the natural visual world that most observers perceive in common. Across adults, approximately 30% of the brain is activated in a consistent fashion while viewing naturalistic input. At what stage of development is this consistency of neural profile across individuals present? Here, we focused specifically on whether this mature profile is present in adolescence, a key developmental period that bridges childhood and adulthood, and in which new cognitive and social challenges are at play. We acquired fMRI data evoked by a movie shown twice to younger (9–14 years old) and older adolescents (15–19 years old) and to adults, and conducted three key analyses. First, we characterized the consistency of the neural response within individuals (across separate runs of the movie), then within individuals of the same age group, and, last, between age groups. The neural consistency within individuals was similar across age groups with reliable activation in largely overlapping but slightly different cortical regions. In contrast, somewhat differing regions exhibited higher within-age correlations in both groups of adolescents than in the adults. Last, across the whole cortex, we identified regions evincing different patterns of maturation across age. Together, these findings provide a fine-grained characterization of functional neural development in adolescence and uncover signatures of widespread change in cortical coherence that supports the emerging mature stereotypical responses to naturalistic stimuli. These results also offer a more nuanced account of development that obeys neither a rigid linear progression nor a large qualitative change over time.


The research reported in this paper is concerned with the problem of reasoning about properties of higher order functions involving state. It is motivated by the desire to identify what, if any, are the difficulties created purely by locality of state, independent of other properties such as side-effects, exceptional termination and nontermination due to recursion. We consider a simple language (equivalent to a fragment of Standard ML) of typed, higher order functions that can dynamically create fresh names. Names are created with local scope, can be tested for equality and can be passed around via function application, but that is all. We demonstrate that despite the simplicity of the language and its operational semantics, the observable properties of such functions can be very subtle. Two methods are introduced for analyzing Morris-style observational equivalence between expressions in the language. The first method introduces a notion of 'applicative' equivalence incorporating a syntactic version of O'Hearn and Tennent's relationally parametric functors and a version of representation independence for local names. This applicative equivalence is properly contained in the relation of observational equivalence, but coincides with it for first order expressions (and is decidable there). The second method develops a general, categorical framework for computationally adequate models of the language, based on Moggi's monadic approach to denotational semantics. We give examples of models, one of which is fully abstract for first order expressions. No fully abstract (concrete) model of the whole language is known. Supported by UK SERC grant GR/G53279 and CEC ESPRIT project CLICS-II Supported by UK SERC studentship 91307943 and CEC SCIENCE project PL910296


Mycofactocin (MFT) is a redox cofactor belonging to the family of ribosomally synthesized and post-translationally modified peptides (RiPPs) and is involved in alcohol metabolism of mycobacteria including Mycobacterium tuberculosis. A preliminary biosynthetic model had been established by bioinformatics and in vitro studies, while the structure of natural MFT and key biosynthetic steps remained elusive. Here, we report the discovery of glycosylated MFT by 13C-labeling metabolomics and establish a model of its biosynthesis in Mycolicibacterium smegmatis. Extensive structure elucidation including NMR revealed that MFT is decorated with up to nine β-1,4-linked glucose residues including 2-O-methylglucose. Dissection of biosynthetic genes demonstrated that the oligoglycosylation is catalyzed by the glycosyltransferase MftF. Furthermore, we confirm the redox cofactor function of glycosylated MFTs by activity-based metabolic profiling using the carveol dehydrogenase LimC and show that the MFT pool expands during cultivation on ethanol. Our results will guide future studies into the biochemical functions and physiological roles of MFT in bacteria.


The Clew Bay Complex of western Ireland contains a variety of rock types. These include schists possibly of Dalradian association, amphibolites and serpentinites of unknown age, cherts, volcanic rocks and graded gabbros of mid to upper Ordovician age and shales and sandstones of Silurian age. Intercalated within the cherts of the complex on Clare Island are chocolate-brown horizons of a porous rock, geochemically comparable to hydrothermal mid-ocean ridge metalliferous sediments (e.g. umbers). These cherts overlie volcanic rocks of MORB affinities with an island arc influence. The association exposed on Clare island of graded gabbros, MORB volcanic rocks, discontinuous carbonaceous horizons, cherts, umbers and deep water shales suggest the presence of a mid- to late Ordovician spreading centre now preserved as a dismembered ophiolite. The Clew Bay and Highland Border Complexes, both being parts of the Border Terrane, have many similarities including evidence of mid- to late Ordovician spreading, and it is suggested they formed in the same basin. However, they are dissimilar to both the South Mayo and Midland Valley Ordovician and Silurian rock associations, from which they are separated by a terrane boundary. The geochemical data and field associations do not indicate back-arc or intra-continental rifting. We suggest, therefore, that elements of older ocean crust became trapped inboard of a collided early Ordovician arc at re-entrants along the Laurentian margin. This trapped crust became the site of mid- to late Ordovician spreading. We also suggest that the site of this entrapment was to the northeast of the present positions of the Clew Bay and Highland Border Complexes and that they were emplaced into their present sites by end-Silurian transpression. This Laurentian margin morphology is compatible with that demonstrated for parts of the Newfoundland-Quebec sectors of the Appalachian sector of the orogen.


Information technology, particularly the Internet has the potential to radically change
the way business is conducted, offering a competitive edge and a gateway to the
global marketplace. The explosive growth and commercialisation of the Internet has
opened up a vast arena providing more opportunities for businesses, particularly
SMEs to sell their products and service to a global audience than they would have be
able to afford to reach using the traditional methods. There is tremendous potential for
SMEs to harness the power of the Internet to improve their productivity and sharpen
their competitive edge in both local and international markets. The Internet is viewed
as a means through which SMEs could extend their geographic reach at minimal cost
and to integrate and expand their business practices globally. Through such means it
is argued that small companies could compete effectively against larger firms as the
Internet is believed to be a great equaliser. The contribution of SMEs is extremely
important to the economy of many countries and their contribution cannot be over
emphasised. SMEs account for more than 50% of private sector employment in the
UK and are currently contributing most of the private sector employment growth.
This research reports on the empirical study of SMEs usage of the Internet. The
intention is to present evidence on the current status of Internet use among SMEs and
show the factors that influence their decision to adopt the Internet in business.
Although the Internet has experienced tremendous growth world wide, very little
empirical research has been conducted to examine this phenomenon in SMEs context.
Questions about what SMEs are using the Internet for and what is driving them to use
the technology in their business are still lacking. It is therefore of importance that
insight be gained into how SMEs are currently using the Internet and the factors that
influence their decision to adopt the Internet in business. In order to achieve these
objectives, the research uses a quantitative and qualitative approach in order to
provide an in-depth description of how SMEs currently use the Internet and the
factors that influence their decision to adopt it. A questionnaire was used to survey 400 SMEs in the UK and 92 usable response
(23%) were received. The survey result shows that communication, customer services,
information gathering, and advertising are the areas the Internet is used most in SMEs.
While the case study result shows that technological, organisational and
environmental factors influence SMEs' decision to adopt the Internet. These factors
are used to develop a theoretical model for conceptualising the organisational issues
around the adoption and use of the Internet--issues that have been largely missing
from contemporary discussions of Internet usage in SMEs. The study thus has
important implications for research and practice. Specifically, the theoretical model
and findings suggest that technological and organisational factors, rather than
environmental factors, play a significant role in Internet adoption. Similarly, the study
suggests that practitioners will be better able to adopt the Internet in business, if they
understand how these factors influence its adoption and usage. The limitations of the
study, the contributions of the research, the implications of the research findings and
future research are discussed.


This article reviews a particular aspect of the critique of the increasing focus on the brain and neuroscience; what has been termed by some, 'neuromania'. It engages with the growing literature produced in response to the 'first three years' movement: an alliance of child welfare advocates and politicians that draws on the authority of neuroscience to argue that social problems such as inequality, poverty, educational underachievement, violence and mental illness are best addressed through 'early intervention' programmes to protect or enhance emotional and cognitive aspects of children's brain development. The movement began in the United States in the early 1990s and has become increasingly vocal and influential since then, achieving international legitimacy in the United States, Canada, New Zealand, Australia, the UK and elsewhere. The movement, and the brain-based culture of expert-led parent training that has grown with it, has been criticised for claiming scientific authority whilst taking a cavalier approach to scientific method and evidence; for being overly deterministic about the early years of life; for focusing attention on individual parental failings rather than societal or structural problems, for adding to the expanding anxieties of parents and strengthening the intensification of parenting and, ultimately, for redefining the parent-child relationship in biologised, instrumental and dehumanised terms. © 2014 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.


Jim Dator has specialized in understanding and developing "alternative futures". He periodically assesses the range of futures as seen by experts and futurists and by people in various settings where he serves as a futurist. These expert and popular images change over time, and some reflect that lack of thought about the future. But for three decades Dator has compressed the range of futures into four archetypes – continued growth, collapse/decline, conserver/disciplined society, and high tech transformation. As co-founder of the Institute for Alternative Futures and futures mentor to Clem Bezold, his approach has been significant in the origins and evolution of IAF's aspirational futures approach. Aspirational futures has organizations or communities generate several scenarios: a most likely, best intelligence future that usually parallels a continued growth image; a challenge scenario that considers significant responses to "what could go wrong"; and one or two visionary scenarios that identify future visionary conditions and alternative paths to get there.


States have begun legislating against cage egg production and dozens of major U.S. food retailers, restaurant chains, and foodservice providers—as well as hundreds of U.S. universities—are switching to cage-free eggs. Extensive scientific evidence strongly suggests this trend will improve food safety. All sixteen scientific studies published in the last five years comparing Salmonella contamination between caged and cage-free operations found that those confining hens in cages had higher rates of Salmonella, the leading cause of food poisoning related death in the United States. This has led prominent consumer advocacy organizations, such as the Center for Food Safety, to oppose the use of cages to confine egg-laying hens.


What is the impulse to transform literary narrative into cinematic discourse, and what are the factors that determine that transformation? In Filmmaking by the Book, Millicent Marcus considers the adaptive process as the sum total of a series of encounters: the institutional encounter between literary and film cultures, the semiotic encounter between two very different signifying systems, and the personal encounter between author and filmmaker-sometimes involving an overt Oedipal struggle for selfhood. Marcus explores that process by looking at key works by such major postwar Italian filmmakers as Visconti, De Sica, Pasolini, Fellini, and the Taviani brothers. Drawing on the methodologies of semiotics, psychoanalysis, feminism, and ideological criticism, she finds that cinematic imaginations typically employ literary texts self-consciously to resolve specific artistic problems. Each of the filmmakers studied here define their own authorial task in relation to that of the literary precursor, and insert "umbilical" scenes or "allegories of adaptation" to teach viewers how to read their cinematic rewriting of literary sources.


The control system of a commercial sprayer was modified for variable-rate control of 12 individual solenoid shut off valves spaced 0.5 m apart on a sprayer boom. The variable-rate control system consisted of pulse width modulation (PWM) solenoids, a by pass control valve, and nozzle control system interfaced to a computer. An algorithm was developed to vary application rate across the booms with computing the best possible combinations of pulse width at the optimal boom through the computer control program for nozzles. This algorithm compensates inaccuracy of applying desired application rate due to pressure fluctuations across the booms.


BACKGROUND
Human albumin solutions are used in a range of medical and surgical problems. Licensed indications are the emergency treatment of shock and other conditions where restoration of blood volume is urgent, burns, and hypoproteinaemia. Human albumin solutions are more expensive than other colloids and crystalloids.

OBJECTIVES
To quantify the effect on mortality of human albumin and plasma protein fraction (PPF) administration in the management of critically ill patients.

SEARCH STRATEGY
We searched the Cochrane Injuries Group trials register, Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials, MEDLINE, EMBASE and BIDS Index to Scientific and Technical Proceedings. Reference lists of trials and review articles were checked, and authors of identified trials were contacted. The search was last updated in August 2004.

SELECTION CRITERIA
Randomised controlled trials comparing albumin/PPF with no albumin/PPF, or with a crystalloid solution, in critically ill patients with hypovolaemia, burns or hypoalbuminaemia.

DATA COLLECTION AND ANALYSIS
We collected data on the participants, albumin solution used, mortality at the end of follow up, and quality of allocation concealment. Analysis was stratified according to patient type.

MAIN RESULTS
We found 32 trials meeting the inclusion criteria and reporting death as an outcome. There were 1632 deaths among 8452 trial participants. For hypovolaemia, the relative risk of death following albumin administration was 1.01 (95% confidence interval 0.92, 1.10). This estimate was heavily influenced by the results of the SAFE trial which contributed 91% of the information (based on the weights in the meta-analysis). For burns, the relative risk was 2.40 (1.11, 5.19) and for hypoalbuminaemia the relative risk was 1.38 (0.94, 2.03). There was no substantial heterogeneity between the trials in the various categories (chi-square = 21.86, df = 25, p =0.64). The pooled relative risk of death with albumin administration was 1.04 (0.95, 1.13).

REVIEWERS' CONCLUSIONS
For patients with hypovolaemia there is no evidence that albumin reduces mortality when compared with cheaper alternatives such as saline. There is no evidence that albumin reduces mortality in critically ill patients with burns and hypoalbuminaemia. The possibility that there may be highly selected populations of critically ill patients in which albumin may be indicated remains open to question. However, in view of the absence of evidence of a mortality benefit from albumin and the increased cost of albumin compared to alternatives such as saline, it would seem reasonable that albumin should only be used within the context of well concealed and adequately powered randomised controlled trial.


The infrared spectra of aqueous solutions of glycine, N-methylglycine (sarcosine), N,N-dimethylglycine, and N,N,N-trimethylglycine (betaine) in different states of ionization are reported. The spectra of the dipolar forms of the first three compounds are shown to consist of bands represented in the spectra of both the positively and negatively charged forms, together with certain bands peculiar only to the dipolar form. In the spectrum of dipolar betaine, which exhibits no negatively charged structure, certain of the bands are also demonstrable in the spectrum of the positively charged form. Aqueous solutions of the hydrochlorides of the four compounds exhibit a strong band at 7.94 or at 8 00 microns, which disappears and is replaced by a band appearing at 7.5 to 7.6 microns when aqueous solutions of the sodium salts are examined. Methyl substitution on the nitrogen is revealed by a band between 6 7 and 6 8 microns, which is absent in the unsubstituted compound, glycine.


Rapid Cycle Deliberate Practice (RCDP) is a novel simulation-based education model that is currently attracting interest, implementation, exploration and research in medical education. In RCDP, learners rapidly cycle between deliberate practice and directed feedback within the simulation scenario until mastery is achieved. The objective of this systematic review is to examine the literature and summarize the existing knowledge on RCDP in simulation-based medical education. Fifteen resources met inclusion criteria; they were diverse and heterogeneous, such that we did not perform a quantitative synthesis or meta-analysis but rather a narrative review on RCDP. All resources described RCDP in a similar manner. Common RCDP implementation strategies included: splitting simulation cases into segments, micro debriefing in the form of 'pause, debrief, rewind and try again' and providing progressively more challenging scenarios. Variable outcome measures were used by the studies including qualitative assessments, scoring tools, procedural assessment using checklists or video review, time to active skills and clinical reports. Results were limited and inconsistent. There is an absence of data on retention after RCDP teaching, on RCDP, with learners from specialties other than pediatrics, on RCDP for adult resuscitation scenarios and if RCDP teaching translates into practice change in the clinical realm. We have identified important avenues for future research on RCDP.


BACKGROUND
Delirium is a common disorder in hospitalised older people and established cases may have a poor outcome that is not readily improved by intervention. Prevention of cases through education of medical and nursing staff has not been fully studied.

OBJECTIVES
To test the hypothesis that an educational package for medical and nursing staff would both reduce the number of incident cases of delirium and increase recognition of cases of delirium within an acute medical admissions ward.

DESIGN
Single-blind case-control study.

SETTING
Two acute admissions wards in a busy inner-city teaching hospital.

SUBJECTS
250 acute admissions over the age of 70 years.

METHODS
An educational package for staff on one ward consisting of a 1 hour formal presentation and group discussion, written management guidelines and follow-up sessions. The follow-up sessions, which were based on one-to-one and group discussions, aimed at providing continuous support of staff through emphasising learning and testing knowledge. Diagnosis and management of some discharged delirium patients were also discussed to allow staff to learn from previous experience. The main outcome measures are point prevalence of delirium established by researchers, and recognition and case-note documentation of delirium by clinical staff.

RESULTS
The point prevalence of delirium was significantly reduced on the intervention compared to the control ward (9.8% versus 19.5%, P < 0.05) and clinical staff recognised significantly more delirium cases that had been detected by research staff on the ward where the educational package had been delivered.

CONCLUSION
A focused and inexpensive educational programme can decrease the prevalence of delirium among older inpatients.


Abstract This study examined whether positive suggestions applied without a hypnotic induction in the perioperative period reduces the need for red blood cell transfusions in patients who underwent total hip or knee arthroplasties with spinal anesthesia. No hypnotic assessment was performed. Ninety-five patients were randomly assigned to the suggestion group (n = 45) and to the control group (n = 50). Patients in the suggestion group received verbal suggestions before and audiotaped suggestions during the surgery for reducing blood loss, anxiety, postoperative pain, and fast recovery. Our study showed that using positive suggestions in the perioperative period significantly decreases the necessity for transfusion.


Aims. Our aim is to investigate the resistive relaxation of a magnetic loop that contains braided magnetic flux but no net current or helicity. The loop is subject to line-tied boundary conditions. We investigate the dynamical processes that occur during this relaxation, in particular the magnetic reconnection that occurs, and discuss the nature of the final equilibrium. Methods. The three-dimensional evolution of a braided magnetic field is followed in a series of resistive MHD simulations. Results. It is found that, following an instability within the loop, a myriad of thin current layers forms, via a cascade-like process. This cascade becomes more developed and continues for a longer period of time for higher magnetic Reynolds number. During the cascade, magnetic flux is reconnected multiple times, with the level of this "multiple reconnection" positively correlated with the magnetic Reynolds number. Eventually the system evolves into a state with no more small-scale current layers. This final state is found to approximate a non-linear force-free field consisting of two flux tubes of oppositely-signed twist embedded in a uniform background field.


We present a novel reasoning calculus for the description logic SHOIQ+--a knowledge representation formalism with applications in areas such as the SemanticWeb. Unnecessary nondeterminism and the construction of large models are two primary sources of inefficiency in the tableau-based reasoning calculi used in state-of-the-art reasoners. In order to reduce nondeterminism, we base our calculus on hypertableau and hyperresolution calculi, which we extend with a blocking condition to ensure termination. In order to reduce the size of the constructed models, we introduce anywhere pairwise blocking. We also present an improved nominal introduction rule that ensures termination in the presence of nominals, inverse roles, and number restrictions--a combination of DL constructs that has proven notoriously difficult to handle. Our implementation shows significant performance improvements over state-of-the-art reasoners on several well-known ontologies.


We present a predictor for real Body-Area-Network (BAN) channels that is accurate for up to 2 seconds, even with a nominal channel coherence time of 500 ms. The predictor utilizes the partial-periodicity of measured BAN channels using the previous 4 seconds of channel gain values. We demonstrate use of this predictor for power control with open-access and private channel measurements. When used under a realistic setting for IEEE 802.15.6, with packet loss less than 10%, we show that the accurate channel predictor does not translate into substantial reduction in packet loss or power usage over a simple sample-and-hold method, even though it is a more accurate predictor than sample-and-hold.


NTRODUCTION Infrared thermal imaging (thermography) is a non-invasive method to measure skin temperature. The primary aim of this study was to examine the feasibility of thermography for the assessment of abdominal skin temperature in extremely low birthweight (ELBW) infants, with secondary aims to compare abdominal and thoracic skin temperature, and to explore potential relationships between abdominal skin temperature and necrotizing enterocolitis (NEC). METHODS We prospectively examined clinical, radiographic, and thermal imaging data in 13 ELBW infants (< 1000 gm and < 29 weeks gestation) during the first month of life. Thermal imaging was performed using an infrared camera, with skin temperature measured over abdomen and thorax. Abdominal skin temperature was compared to thoracic skin temperature, and these findings fur- ther examined in infants with radiographic evidence of NEC as well as those without NEC. RESULTS We found that thermal imaging in ELBW infants is feasible and can result in accurate measurements of skin temperature over anatomic regions. Overall, the mean abdominal skin tem- perature was lower than thoracic skin temperature (p<0.05 by paired Student's t-test), although this difference appears due to NEC in some infants. Infants with radiographic evidence of NEC had a lower mean abdominal skin temperature compared to infants without NEC (p<0.05 by paired Student's t-test). CONCLUSIONS In this study, we found that infrared thermal imaging is feasible in ELBW infants. Thermography may be helpful for the study of thermoregulation in ELBW infants and may provide new insight into the role of regional perfusion in NEC.


In this study, CuO thin films were deposited on glass substrates at a wide range of temperatures from 450oC to 550oC with steps of 25oC by chemical spray pyrolysis technique. Aiming to investigate the effect of annealing process, one of the resulting films was annealed at 450oC for 3 hours under ambient air. Based on X-ray diffraction, all the resulting films are monoclinic with two prominent peaks at ~36o and ~39o. The crystallite size of the CuO film deposited at 450oC was found to be the largest in comparison with the others. As the substrate temperature increased, a gradual change was observed for the CuO thin film surface morphology and in the case of annealed film, the grains and their boundaries became indistinguishable. The resistivity of the films was reduced by virtue of increasing the substrate temperature and also, both the mobility and carrier concentration of the annealed film were improved drastically after annealing. As expected, the CuO thin films absorption was considerable in the visible region and gradually declined after 800nm. The estimated band gap value of the CuO film deposited at 450oC were fairly close to the optimum band gap for solar applications.


Despite the relative 'youth' of the New Zealand film industry, its rapid growth since the revival period of the 1970s is demonstrated by an increasingly rich and diverse cinema. Acknowledgement and positive reception of the films nationally and internationally underscores the progress made by filmmakers and, as Duncan Petrie has argued in his work on the coming of age of New Zealand cinema, there is a much more "sophisticated understanding and appreciation of local cinema as a highly effective way of 'telling our stories' or 'projecting ourselves'". The notion that the films and the industry has reached maturation is also noted by Petrie and others, and indeed the productions coming out of New Zealand are constant testament to this. Such maturity also brings with it confidence to not only use and enhance established tropes and representations, but also to challenge and rework them to produce new or alternative visions.
Released in 2010, Taika Waititi's Boy responds to this context and is, consequently, a progressive coming of age story. In a discussion with Craig Hubert for Interview, Waititi describes how he rejected the first draft of his own script because it "was too much like other New Zealand films that had been made. It was kind of falling into a traditional New Zealand genre". The genre, he elaborated was "dark drama", which he aimed to avoid because it can be "unwatchable" and because he wanted to acknowledge his comedy background. Significantly, Waititi also expressed a desire to move away from the "certain type" of Maori character often seen on screen and instead embrace "the buffoons in our culture. Maori nerds or Maori dorks". Despite its humour, the film does have a serious story at its core that engages, in particular, with identity and masculinity. This paper will explore Waititi's approach to these representations in relation to the film's nostalgia for 1980s popular culture, the use of daydreams and fantasy sequences, and location, in order to establish Boy as an innovative and progressive contribution to New Zealand national cinema.


Hashing algorithm has been widely used to speed up image retrieval due to its compact binary code and fast distance calculation. The combination with deep learning boosts the performance of hashing by learning accurate representations and complicated hashing functions. So far, the most striking success in deep hashing have mostly involved discriminative models, which require labels. To apply deep hashing on datasets without labels, we propose a deep self-taught hashing algorithm (DSTH), which generates a set of pseudo labels by analyzing the data itself, and then learns the hash functions for novel data using discriminative deep models. Furthermore, we generalize DSTH to support both supervised and unsupervised cases by adaptively incorporating label information. We use two different deep learning framework to train the hash functions to deal with out-of-sample problem and reduce the time complexity without loss of accuracy. We have conducted extensive experiments to investigate different settings of DSTH, and compared it with state-of-the-art counterparts in six publicly available datasets. The experimental results show that DSTH outperforms the others in all datasets.


We determined the short- and long-term effects of a ketogenic diet (KD) or ketone salt (KS) supplementation on multi-organ oxidative stress and mitochondrial markers. For short-term feedings, 4 month-old male rats were provided isocaloric amounts of KD (n = 10), standard chow (SC) (n = 10) or SC + KS (~1.2 g/day, n = 10). For long-term feedings, 4 month-old male rats were provided KD (n = 8), SC (n = 7) or SC + KS (n = 7) for 8 months and rotarod tested every 2 months. Blood, brain (whole cortex), liver and gastrocnemius muscle were harvested from all rats for biochemical analyses. Additionally, mitochondria from the brain, muscle and liver tissue of long-term-fed rats were analyzed for mitochondrial quantity (maximal citrate synthase activity), quality (state 3 and 4 respiration) and reactive oxygen species (ROS) assays. Liver antioxidant capacity trended higher in short-term KD- and SC + KS-fed versus SC-fed rats, and short-term KD-fed rats exhibited significantly greater serum ketones compared to SC + KS-fed rats indicating that the diet (not KS supplementation) induced ketonemia. In long term-fed rats: (a) serum ketones were significantly greater in KD- versus SC- and SC + KS-fed rats; (b) liver antioxidant capacity and glutathione peroxidase protein was significantly greater in KD- versus SC-fed rats, respectively, while liver protein carbonyls were lowest in KD-fed rats; and (c) gastrocnemius mitochondrial ROS production was significantly greater in KD-fed rats versus other groups, and this paralleled lower mitochondrial glutathione levels. Additionally, the gastrocnemius pyruvate-malate mitochondrial respiratory control ratio was significantly impaired in long-term KD-fed rats, and gastrocnemius mitochondrial quantity was lowest in these animals. Rotarod performance was greatest in KD-fed rats versus all other groups at 2, 4 and 8 months, although there was a significant age-related decline in performance existed in KD-fed rats which was not evident in the other two groups. In conclusion, short- and long-term KD improves select markers of liver oxidative stress compared to SC feeding, although long-term KD feeding may negatively affect skeletal muscle mitochondrial physiology.


Improving global health and agricultural development have been identified as two of the most important objectives in fighting global poverty. However, the two approaches come at development from different perspectives and can actually undermine each other in practice. Successful management of the competing demands of health and agriculture through organizations and technologies is crucial to advancing sustainable development. The turn toward local procurement of agricultural products in the administration of global food aid is evidence of attempts to bring these approaches together at the global scale, but has not delivered the promised benefits at the local level. This article presents a case study of a small Kenyan community based organization (CBO), Community Action for Rural Development (CARD), as it has attempted to negotiate between nutrition and agricultural development in global and local networks. Specifically, the case study addresses CARD's experience with a small scale soya beans project as a part of a World Food Program (WFP) local procurement program and a transition toward developing a local soya bean project.


Using data derived from field work and published literature, this paper examines how some female sex workers in two cities in Metro Manila live their lives in a constraint-ridden social world. Analysis shows that sex workers have developed strategies and tactics to confront such pressures as social prejudices, local morality, family obligations, risks in sex work and health imperatives. The paper also calls attention to some areas to consider in designing sexual and reproductive health interventions for female sex workers.