Model metal/ceria and ceria/metal catalysts have been shown to be excellent systems for studying fundamental phenomena linked to the operation of technical catalysts. In the last fifteen years, many combinations of well-defined systems involving different kinds of metals and ceria have been prepared and characterized using the modern techniques of surface science. So far most of the catalytic studies have been centered on a few reactions: CO oxidation, the hydrogenation of CO2, and the production of hydrogen through the water-gas shift reaction and the reforming of methane or alcohols. Using model catalysts it has been possible to examine in detail correlations between the structural, electronic and catalytic properties of ceria-metal interfaces. In situ techniques (X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, X-ray absorption spectroscopy, infrared spectroscopy, scanning tunneling microscopy) have been combined to study the morphological changes under reaction conditions and investigate the evolution of active phases involved in the cleavage of C-O, C-H and C-C bonds. Several studies with model ceria catalysts have shown the importance of strong metal-support interactions. In general, a substantial body of knowledge has been acquired and concepts have been developed for a more rational approach to the design of novel technical catalysts containing ceria.


Background Self-monitoring of blood pressure (BP) appears to reduce BP in hypertension but important questions remain regarding effective implementation and which groups may benefit most. This individual patient data (IPD) meta-analysis was performed to better understand the effectiveness of BP self-monitoring to lower BP and control hypertension. Methods and findings Medline, Embase, and the Cochrane Library were searched for randomised trials comparing self-monitoring to no self-monitoring in hypertensive patients (June 2016). Two reviewers independently assessed articles for eligibility and the authors of eligible trials were approached requesting IPD. Of 2,846 articles in the initial search, 36 were eligible. IPD were provided from 25 trials, including 1 unpublished study. Data for the primary outcomes—change in mean clinic or ambulatory BP and proportion controlled below target at 12 months—were available from 15/19 possible studies (7,138/8,292 [86%] of randomised participants). Overall, self-monitoring was associated with reduced clinic systolic blood pressure (sBP) compared to usual care at 12 months (−3.2 mmHg, [95% CI −4.9, −1.6 mmHg]). However, this effect was strongly influenced by the intensity of co-intervention ranging from no effect with self-monitoring alone (−1.0 mmHg [−3.3, 1.2]), to a 6.1 mmHg (−9.0, −3.2) reduction when monitoring was combined with intensive support. Self-monitoring was most effective in those with fewer antihypertensive medications and higher baseline sBP up to 170 mmHg. No differences in efficacy were seen by sex or by most comorbidities. Ambulatory BP data at 12 months were available from 4 trials (1,478 patients), which assessed self-monitoring with little or no co-intervention. There was no association between self-monitoring and either lower clinic or ambulatory sBP in this group (clinic −0.2 mmHg [−2.2, 1.8]; ambulatory 1.1 mmHg [−0.3, 2.5]). Results for diastolic blood pressure (dBP) were similar. The main limitation of this work was that significant heterogeneity remained. This was at least in part due to different inclusion criteria, self-monitoring regimes, and target BPs in included studies. Conclusions Self-monitoring alone is not associated with lower BP or better control, but in conjunction with co-interventions (including systematic medication titration by doctors, pharmacists, or patients; education; or lifestyle counselling) leads to clinically significant BP reduction which persists for at least 12 months. The implementation of self-monitoring in hypertension should be accompanied by such co-interventions.


Sub-grid and small scale processes occur in various ecosystems and landscapes (e.g., periglacial ecosystems, peatlands and vegetation patterns). These local heterogeneities are often important or even fundamental to better understand general and large scale properties of the system, but they are either ignored or poorly parameterized in regional and global models. Because of their small scale, the underlying generating processes can be well explained and resolved only by local mechanistic models, which, on the other hand, fail to consider the regional or global influences of those features. A challenging problem is then how to deal with these interactions across different spatial scales, and how to improve our understanding of the role played by local soil heterogeneities in the climate system. This is of particular interest in the northern peatlands, because of the huge amount of carbon stored in these regions. Land-atmosphere greenhouse gas fluxes vary dramatically within these environments. Therefore, to correctly estimate the fluxes a description of the small scale soil variability is needed.
Applications of statistical physics methods could provide useful tools to upscale local features of the landscape, relating them to large-scale properties. To test this approach we considered a case study: the polygonal tundra.
Cryogenic polygons, consisting mainly of elevated dry rims and wet low centers, pattern the terrain of many
subartic regions and are generated by complex crack-and-growth processes. Methane, carbon dioxide and water
vapor fluxes vary largely within the environment, as an effect of the small scale processes that characterize the landscape. It is then essential to consider the local heterogeneous behavior of the system components, such as the water table level inside the polygon wet centers, or the depth at which frozen soil thaws.
We developed a stochastic model for this environment using Poisson-Voronoi diagrams, which are able to upscale
statistical large scale properties of the system taking into account the main processes within the single polygons.
We then compare the results with available recent field studies and demonstrate that the model captures the main statistical characteristics of the landscape and describes its dynamical behavior under climatic forcings (e.g., precipitation and evapotranspiration). In particular, we model and analyze water table dynamics, which directly influences greenhouse gas emissions and changes in the system. Hydraulic interconnectivities and large-scale drainage may also be investigated through percolation properties and thresholds in the Voronoi-Deleaunay graph.


Results are presented of export production, dissolved organic matter (DOM) and dissolved oxygen simulated by 12 global ocean models participating in the second phase of the Ocean Carbon‐cycle Model Intercomparison Project. A common, simple biogeochemical model is utilized in different coarse‐resolution ocean circulation models. The model mean (±1σ) downward flux of organic matter across 75 m depth is 17 ± 6 Pg C yr−1. Model means of globally averaged particle export, the fraction of total export in dissolved form, surface semilabile dissolved organic carbon (DOC), and seasonal net outgassing (SNO) of oxygen are in good agreement with observation‐based estimates, but particle export and surface DOC are too high in the tropics. There is a high sensitivity of the results to circulation, as evidenced by (1) the correlation of surface DOC and export with circulation metrics, including chlorofluorocarbon inventory and deep‐ocean radiocarbon, (2) very large intermodel differences in Southern Ocean export, and (3) greater export production, fraction of export as DOM, and SNO in models with explicit mixed layer physics. However, deep‐ocean oxygen, which varies widely among the models, is poorly correlated with other model indices. Cross‐model means of several biogeochemical metrics show better agreement with observation‐based estimates when restricted to those models that best simulate deep‐ocean radiocarbon. Overall, the results emphasize the importance of physical processes in marine biogeochemical modeling and suggest that the development of circulation models can be accelerated by evaluating them with marine biogeochemical metrics.


Abstract. The Bayesian framework of CO 2 flux inversions permits estimates of the retrieved flux uncertainties. Here, the reliability of these theoretical estimates is studied through a comparison against the misfits between the inverted fluxes and independent measurements of the CO 2 Net Ecosystem Exchange (NEE) made by the eddy covariance technique at local (few hectares) scale. Regional inversions at 0.5° resolution are applied for the western European domain where ~ 50 eddy covariance sites are operated. These inversions are conducted for the period 2002–2007. They use a mesoscale atmospheric transport model, a prior estimate of the NEE from a terrestrial ecosystem model and rely on the variational assimilation of in situ continuous measurements of CO 2 atmospheric mole fractions. Averaged over monthly periods and over the whole domain, the misfits are in good agreement with the theoretical uncertainties for prior and inverted NEE, and pass the chi-square test for the variance at the 30% and 5% significance levels respectively, despite the scale mismatch and the independence between the prior (respectively inverted) NEE and the flux measurements. The theoretical uncertainty reduction for the monthly NEE at the measurement sites is 53% while the inversion decreases the standard deviation of the misfits by 38%. These results build confidence in the NEE estimates at the European/monthly scales and in their theoretical uncertainty from the regional inverse modelling system. However, the uncertainties at the monthly (respectively annual) scale remain larger than the amplitude of the inter-annual variability of monthly (respectively annual) fluxes, so that this study does not engender confidence in the inter-annual variations. The uncertainties at the monthly scale are significantly smaller than the seasonal variations. The seasonal cycle of the inverted fluxes is thus reliable. In particular, the CO 2 sink period over the European continent likely ends later than represented by the prior ecosystem model.


Serotype-specific surveillance for invasive pneumococcal disease (IPD) is essential for assessing the impact of 10- and 13-valent pneumococcal conjugate vaccines (PCV10/13). The Pneumococcal Serotype Replacement and Distribution Estimation (PSERENADE) project aimed to evaluate the global evidence to estimate the impact of PCV10/13 by age, product, schedule, and syndrome. Here we systematically characterize and summarize the global landscape of routine serotype-specific IPD surveillance in PCV10/13-using countries and describe the subset that are included in PSERENADE. Of 138 countries using PCV10/13 as of 2018, we identified 109 with IPD surveillance systems, 76 of which met PSERENADE data collection eligibility criteria. PSERENADE received data from most (n = 63, 82.9%), yielding 240,639 post-PCV10/13 introduction IPD cases. Pediatric and adult surveillance was represented from all geographic regions but was limited from lower income and high-burden countries. In PSERENADE, 18 sites evaluated PCV10, 42 PCV13, and 17 both; 17 sites used a 3 + 0 schedule, 38 used 2 + 1, 13 used 3 + 1, and 9 used mixed schedules. With such a sizeable and generally representative dataset, PSERENADE will be able to conduct robust analyses to estimate PCV impact and inform policy at national and global levels regarding adult immunization, schedule, and product choice, including for higher valency PCVs on the horizon.


The interpretation of climatic records from deep ice cores requires detailed modelingof the ice-dynamical history around the drill site. This is necessary to determine theorigin and age of the ice and to be able to correctly assess risk factors for stratigraphicdistortions. Of particular importance are the stability of the flow and deformationalpatterns as can be obtained from time-dependent reconstructions of the strain andthermal history along individual particle paths ending up at the drill site. A highresolutionreconstruction of the ice flow is however known to be restricted within thetraditional shallow-ice approximation by the ratio between ice thickness and modelresolution and because certain assumptions break down near to such key regions asice divides. We focus on a 600 x 400 km area around the EPICA drill site and havetherefore nested a higher-order ice-flow model within a large-scale three-dimensionaltime-dependent ice sheet model of the Antarctic ice sheet. The local model includesall stress gradients in the force balance and makes use of the most recent ice-thicknessand accumulation data on a 2.5 km grid. All prognostic calculations take place withinthe large-scale model, which is implemented on a 20 km grid. The fine-scale modelreceives boundary conditions from the large-scale model at lateral boundaries througha transition zone to eliminate the effects of different spatial resolution, but the localmodel does not couple back to the 3-D model. The nested model is run through the last4 glacial cycles. The presentation will focus on the methodology of the model nestingand discuss various results relevant for the interpretation of the EDML ice-core record.


Autonomic cardiac neurons have a common origin in the neural crest but undergo distinct developmental differentiation as they mature toward their adult phenotype. Progenitor cells respond to repulsive cues during migration, followed by differentiation cues from paracrine sources that promote neurochemistry and differentiation. When autonomic axons start to innervate cardiac tissue, neurotrophic factors from vascular tissue are essential for maintenance of neurons before they reach their targets, upon which target-derived trophic factors take over final maturation, synaptic strength and postnatal survival. Although target-derived neurotrophins have a central role to play in development, alternative sources of neurotrophins may also modulate innervation. Both developing and adult sympathetic neurons express proNGF, and adult parasympathetic cardiac ganglion neurons also synthesize and release NGF. The physiological function of these "non-classical" cardiac sources of neurotrophins remains to be determined, especially in relation to autocrine/paracrine sustenance during development. Cardiac autonomic nerves are closely spatially associated in cardiac plexuses, ganglia and pacemaker regions and so are sensitive to release of neurotransmitter, neuropeptides and trophic factors from adjacent nerves. As such, in many cardiac pathologies, it is an imbalance within the two arms of the autonomic system that is critical for disease progression. Although this crosstalk between sympathetic and parasympathetic nerves has been well established for adult nerves, it is unclear whether a degree of paracrine regulation occurs across the autonomic limbs during development. Aberrant nerve remodeling is a common occurrence in many adult cardiovascular pathologies, and the mechanisms regulating outgrowth or denervation are disparate. However, autonomic neurons display considerable plasticity in this regard with neurotrophins and inflammatory cytokines having a central regulatory function, including in possible neurotransmitter changes. Certainly, neurotrophins and cytokines regulate transcriptional factors in adult autonomic neurons that have vital differentiation roles in development. Particularly for parasympathetic cardiac ganglion neurons, additional examinations of developmental regulatory mechanisms will potentially aid in understanding attenuated parasympathetic function in a number of conditions, including heart failure.


This article examines the primary motivations for the massive wave of bank mergers in the U.S. during the 1990s by analyzing the prices paid for target banks. The authors find that these prices reflect both general market and firm-specific characteristics. For example, the lifting of regulatory restrictions on geographic markets for bank mergers has a significant impact on the average price paid. Additionally, more profitable target banks tend to command a significantly higher market price.


In newborns and small mammals, cold-induced adaptive (or nonshivering) thermogenesis is produced primarily in brown adipose tissue (BAT). Heat production is stimulated by the sympathetic nervous system, but it has an absolute requirement for thyroid hormone. We used the thyroid hormone receptor-beta--selective (TR-beta--selective) ligand, GC-1, to determine by a pharmacological approach whether adaptive thermogenesis was TR isoform--specific. Hypothyroid mice were treated for 10 days with varying doses of T3 or GC-1. The level of uncoupling protein 1 (UCP1), the key thermogenic protein in BAT, was restored by either T3 or GC-1 treatment. However, whereas interscapular BAT in T3-treated mice showed a 3.0 degrees C elevation upon infusion of norepinephrine, indicating normal thermogenesis, the temperature did not increase (<0.5 degrees C) in GC-1--treated mice. When exposed to cold (4 degrees C), GC-1--treated mice also failed to maintain core body temperature and had reduced stimulation of BAT UCP1 mRNA, indicating impaired adrenergic responsiveness. Brown adipocytes isolated from hypothyroid mice replaced with T3, but not from those replaced with GC-1, had normal cAMP production in response to adrenergic stimulation in vitro. We conclude that two distinct thyroid-dependent pathways, stimulation of UCP1 and augmentation of adrenergic responsiveness, are mediated by different TR isoforms in the same tissue.


Current research on artificial consciousness is focused on
phenomenal consciousness and on functional consciousness.
We propose to shift the focus to self-consciousness in order
to open new areas of investigation. We use an existing
scenario where self-consciousness is considered as the result of an evolution of representations. Application of the scenario to the possible build up of a conscious robot also introduces questions relative to emotions in robots. Areas of investigation are proposed as a continuation of this approach.


ABSTRACT Aim: To date, sociodemographic data and therapeutic management have not been well explored in GBM patients (p) at Spanish level. The GEINO-10 study was designed to evaluate the clinical profile and therapeutic behaviors in p with intra-axial brain tumours (BT). GBM, the most common malignant adult tumour, is the most frequent in our database. Methods: Data on p with intra-axial BT were collected over years (2010-2013). Out of 397 p included, 67% had GBM. We aim to undertake an exploratory subanalysis of this poor prognostic group to describe the clinical and pathological characteristics as well as the therapeutic management of GBM in 28 Spanish institutions. Results: 265 p with GBM were enrolled. Median age: 61 years (19-83); male/female (%): 63/37; ECOG 0/1 (%): 23/48. 55% had comorbidity. 10% had history of previous cancer . Symptoms at diagnosis: 35% focal neurological deficit; 28% cognitive impairment; 19% epileptic seizures and 7% ataxia. Location (lobe): 32.5% frontal, 32% temporal, 15% parietal and 6% occipital. Treatment (Tx) received: 42% complete resection, 42% partial, 10% stereotactic biopsy and 6% open biopsy. 3% of p received neoadjuvant temozolomide (TMZ) ± bevacizumab (BV) into a clinical trial. 94% of p received radiotherapy (RT) (72% focal, 21% whole-brain and 6% hemi-brain) concomitant with TMZ. After the concomitant phase, 82% of p received active chemotherapy (CT) with a median of 5 cycles (1-14) and 97% of them with TMZ. Out of 188 p evaluable, a disease control rate was achieved in 70% and the median Progression Free Survival was 10.4 months (95%CI: 9-11.8). At progression, 41% of total p received Tx: 13% surgery, 8% RT and 95% CT (52% BV ± CPT11, 15.5% TMZ, 12% nitrosoureas, 4.5% dacomitinib and 9% other). Overall Survival achieved was 23.6 months (95%CI: 16-31.2). Conclusions: At diagnosis, almost all patients received RT + TMZ after surgery or biopsy. 41% were treated at progression, half of them with a BV regimen. The exceptionally good survival could reflect a selection of p with good PS. This information can be useful to homogenize and to optimize Tx and for future clinical trials in GBM. Disclosure: All authors have declared no conflicts of interest.


In the literature, there is also a lot of information and misconceptions about science, mathematics, evolution, the theory of evolution, and the science of evolution. However, there is no tidy and sufficient information about the definitions, and relationships between these concepts. These confusing reasons led me to do this research. Our information about the relationships between the concepts of science, mathematics, evolution science, creature, being and wisdom seems to have misconceptions and confusion. To clarify these, the definitions and relations of these concepts carefully studied from literature sources. Since the original definitions and relationships of these basic concepts were not made correctly, the concepts caused misunderstandings. Just as there are clear and accurate definitions of Cell, Cell Theory and Cell Science. The same logic carried out and used in concepts related to evolution science. Some concepts may have more than one correct definition. New original definitions and relationships of these concepts have been proposed to contribute to education. Math is the main face of science that expresses all the knowledge, events, facts, processes, creatures and relationships in science with symbols, writing, equations, sets and shapes. No branch of science can work without mathematics. If we accept science as a body, math is like its heart. However, mathematics can work alone without the need for other disciplines. Therefore, mathematics is like the heart of science and the common denominator of the sum of all other branches of science. Based on this logic, all branches of science except mathematics constitute the natural, cultural and life interface of science. The evolutionary interface of science expresses the real- life story of all the changes in science. What is the common denominator of the positions, definitions and relationships of mathematics, evolution and science? What are the relationships between the concepts of being and creature and science, mathematics, evolution science and wisdom? The answers to these questions has been the solution to our problem sentences.


In standard optical fibers with constant chromatic dispersion, modulational instability (MI) sidebands execute undesirable frequency shifts due to fiber losses. By means of a technique based on average-dispersion-decreasing dispersion-managed fibers, we achieve both complete suppression of the sideband frequency shifts and fine control of the MI frequencies, without any compromise in the MI power gain.


Among emerging studies of the global political economy and ecology of electronic waste (or e-waste), few directly explore the already complex waste trades and materialities in relation to the general political ecology of water, flood control, dredging, and neoliberal ecological restoration. Even fewer focus on how this political-ecological challenge is unfolding in a West African context where ocean-based e-waste trades have played a dominant role. This article engages this particular domain of blue economic critique by focusing on Ghana in general and what we shall call "blue political ecologies of e-waste" in particular. The article focuses on e-waste politics unfolding in and around the Korle Lagoon in Accra, Ghana. The Korle Lagoon is an urban marine space of intensive land use, toxic waste disposal, social life, and urban ecological restoration. Amidst heavy contamination, there are attempts to rehabilitate the lagoon through the Korle Lagoon Ecological Restoration Project, an ecological science and restoration project focused on the Lagoon and its river system in the metropolitan area of Accra. It showcases the neoliberal complexities of ecological restoration. Importantly, situated in a multi-use marine environment, the project also highlights, we argue, a political ecological moment that is both about things 'blue', like water quality concerns, but also about other things non-blue such as contestation over land and housing, 'green' international NGO intervention on e-waste risk mitigation, and desires for new urban ecologies. Drawing on ethnographic research conducted between 2015 and 2018, this article contributes to blue political-ecological research and critique in Africa by asking: how do e-waste politics leak into discussions of the blue economy along the Korle Lagoon in Ghana? What are the promises and prospects of a blue political ecology of e-waste in general, and in Africa in particular? Key Words : Political ecology, Ghana, e-waste, lagoon contamination, ecological restoration


One of the most powerful megatrends of our time is urbanization. Urban and peri-urban (UPU) farming is a common practice in many low-income countries because it increases the incomes of families that are often restrained by limited economic resources. However, there is a concern that the growing number of people and livestock living close together in UPU areas will increase the transmission of different zoonotic pathogens such as Brucella. Brucellosis is one of the most common and economically important zoonoses globally and Central Asia represents an area with high incidence among humans and livestock. This thesis aims to assess the occurrence of Brucella among livestock in an UPU area and to elucidate how farmers understand and respond to this zoonosis. The results of this thesis might contribute to raising awareness of how livestock in urban areas can constitute a public health risk if they are infected with Brucella or other zoonoses. The four studies included in this thesis were conducted among small-scale livestock farmers in the UPU region of Dushanbe, the capital of Tajikistan. Blood samples were collected from 904 dairy cows and 667 sheep and goats and analysed with enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). The Brucella seroprevalence was 4.1% among the dairy cows at the herd level and ranged between 1.0 and 15.6% among sheep and goats at the individual level in the four included districts. Furthermore, 564 cow milk samples were analysed for Brucella DNA by IS711-based real-time PCR and 13.7% were found to be positive. All seropositive cows were positive by PCR, but 11.8% of the seronegative cows were also positive by PCR. Further characterization of the Brucella DNA suggests that there is a reservoir of B. abortus in the cattle population and a spillover of B. melitensis from small ruminants to cattle. A knowledge, attitudes and practice study targeting 441 households revealed poor knowledge of brucellosis and several high-risk behaviours, such as consumption of unpasteurized dairy products and not wearing protective clothing when handling potentially infectious materials like aborted foetuses and discharges. Brucella is widespread among the livestock in the UPU area of Dushanbe and this might constitute a serious risk to public health and cause significant economic losses. The discrepancy between serology and PCR results suggests that implementing complementary diagnostic strategies to detect false serological negative individuals might be warranted in Brucella control programmes. Poor knowledge, several high-risk behaviours and a willingness to learn more provide the rationale for developing campaigns to raise awareness of brucellosis and its associated risks among farmers.


Abstract The contribution of rare taxa to bioassessments based on multispecies assemblages is the subject of continued debate. As a result, users of predictive models such as River InVertebrate Prediction and Classification System (RIVPACS) disagree on whether to exclude locally rare taxa from the O/E index, where O is the number of taxa observed in a sampled assemblage, and E is the number that would be expected if the site were in a minimally disturbed reference condition. We assessed how the bioassessment performance of O/E was affected by the exclusion of taxa with site-specific, model-predicted occurrence probabilities that did not exceed thresholds of PT = 0+, 0.1, 0.2, … , 0.7. We assessed O/E performance for each of 10 predictive models applied to a total of 5685 stream and lake samples from throughout the contiguous USA. For 5 of the 10 cases, the standard deviation (SD) of O/E across reference sites was reduced by at least 0.02 O/E units when locally rare and uncommon taxa were excluded (PT = 0.5) from O/E, as compared with all taxa being included (PT = 0+). These reductions in SD denote increases in precision of the O/E index. We also assessed the sensitivity of O/E, measured by the % of test sites (that is, sites independently assessed as not being in reference condition) that were declared to be outside the reference distribution of O/E scores. Five of our 10 cases showed increases in sensitivity of ≥10% at PT = 0.5 as compared with PT = 0+. All cases that did not show increases in sensitivity or precision also showed no decrease in either of these performance measures as PT increased. A comparison of observed occurrence frequencies of taxa at reference and test sites qualitatively explained the size of the O/E sensitivity response in all 10 cases. This result suggests that effects of rare-taxa exclusion are a direct consequence of these occurrence frequencies rather than of predictive-model structures. Thus, we predict that other assemblage-based bioassessment tools are likely to show improved sensitivity when rare taxa are excluded.


We are living in a time of unprecedented opportunity in global health. The past decade has seen bold health-related commitments from political leaders, such as the Millennium Development Goals and the 2005 pledge by heads of state and government to press toward universal access to HIV/AIDS treatment. Substantial new resources are flowing into the global health field. Between 2003 and 2005 alone, global spending on HIV/AIDS almost doubled, from US$4.2 to US$8.3 billion. Effective strategies have been developed to treat and prevent many of the greatest contributors to the global burden of disease. Investment in medical research by governments and donors like the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation brings the promise of a new generation of products that, within eight to ten years, may dramatically bolster the world's arsenal in the fight against disease. At the same time, broad public interest in the health and well-being of poor and marginalized people in the developing world has exploded. Bill Foege, former Director of the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, has referred to this current period as the "golden age of global health" that he predicts will last at least until 2025. [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] While all these developments are encouraging, there is an enormous gap between this growing political concern for global health and the actual health outcomes of vulnerable groups. The persistence of poor outcomes for so many in the face of huge new investments in global health is an ongoing tragedy. What is especially tragic is that, in many parts of the world, we are failing to intervene and save lives from conditions that could be prevented or remedied with existing--and often relatively simple--interventions. The World Health Organization (WHO) Commission on Macroeconomics and Health estimated that over eight million deaths per year could be averted with the effective delivery of proven health care services to affected populations. For these eight million souls, our inability to deliver costs them their lives. If we can find a way to export FedEx packages and cold Coca Cola to every corner of the world, surely we can find a way to dramatically improve our capacity to implement critical and often simple interventions. Universities--as laboratories for ideas and training grounds for tomorrow's leaders--can play a major role in bridging this "delivery gap." But what have they been doing to help? Are there groups of scholars who, working together, might develop new insights, models of delivery, training materials and most importantly, mentor the next cadre of global health leaders who will become masters in global health delivery? Unfortunately, universities have not given high priority to healthcare delivery for predictable reasons. The gritty business of delivering health interventions has not attracted great interest in academic circles despite its inherent complexity and importance to the health of people everywhere, including wealthy countries. More to the point, the governmental institutions that could support scholars working on problems of global health delivery are woefully underfunded. Now, as complex diseases that were once thought to be universally fatal in poor countries are beginning to be treated with an influx of significant new resources, our "failure to deliver" becomes even more problematic. In the case of drug resistant strains of tuberculosis that have been labeled "extensively drug-resistant tuberculosis" or "XDR-TB," both the moral imperative to treat those who are ill and enlightened self interest to protect citizens of developed countries has led to important gains in both financing and attention to the problem. In the realm of HIV treatment, we have swiftly moved from conventional wisdom that stated that treatment in resource-poor settings is not cost-effective or possible, to scaling up treatment for millions of HIV patients in low-and middle-income countries. …


Aim: The present study aimed to investigate the relationship between emotional intelligence (EI) and social competence with academic performance of Zabol high school students in Iran. Methodology: It is a descriptive-correlational study and its statistical population consists of 9,386 high school students of Zabol of which 351 subjects were selected using Cochran's sample size determination formula and multi-stage random sampling method. Data collection instruments included both Schutt's EI questionnaire and social competence questionnaire of Illinois University. The students' first semester GPA was used as the Academic Performance indicator as well. Results: The results of data analysis showed that EI and social competence of students have a significant positive relationship with their academic performance and is able to predict their academic performance. The correlation between all the components of EI and academic performance of students was significant as well. Conclusion: Students with high EI and social competence tended to be more pro social and performed better in school. This suggests that integrating lessons with socioemotional learning in schools might improve students' performance, decrease maladaptive behavior, and increase pro social behavior. Finally, only well-designed experiments and longitudinal studies at various levels (elementary, middle and high school) will show whether EI and social competence can be learned (and at what age) and whether teaching these skills will have lasting effects.


Peptidoglycan recognition proteins (PGRPs) form a family of immune regulators that is conserved from insects to mammals. In the malaria vector mosquito Anophelescoluzzii, the peptidoglycan receptor PGRPLC activates the immune-deficiency (Imd) pathway limiting both the microbiota load and Plasmodium infection. Here, we carried out an RNA interference screen to examine the role of all 7 Anopheles PGRPs in infections with Plasmodium berghei and P. falciparum. We show that, in addition to PGRPLC, PGRPLA and PGRPS2/PGRPS3 also participate in antiparasitic defenses, and that PGRPLB promotes mosquito permissiveness to P. falciparum. We also demonstrate that following a mosquito blood feeding, which promotes growth of the gut microbiota, PGRPLA and PGRPLB positively and negatively regulate the activation of the Imd pathway, respectively. Our data demonstrate that PGRPs are important regulators of the mosquito epithelial immunity and vector competence.


Objectives Because standard immunosuppressive treatment for antineutrophil cytoplasm antibody-associated vasculitis (AAV) (granulomatosis with polyangiitis (Wegener's) (GPA) and microscopic polyangiitis (MPA)) has been associated with a significant risk of developing cancer, the cancer incidence of treated AAV patients was assessed. Methods This analysis concerned 535 patients with newly diagnosed AAV from 15 countries who had been enrolled between 1995 and 2002 in four European clinical trials. Over the period 2004–7, study participants' follow-up events were updated, including cancers diagnosed. Age, sex and area-standardised incidence ratios (SIR) and their 95% CI were calculated by linkage to five national cancer databases. Results During the 2650 person-years' observation period, 50 cancers were diagnosed in 46 patients. SIR (95% CI) were 1.58 (1.17 to 2.08) for cancers at all sites, 1.30 (0.90 to 1.80) for cancers at all sites excluding non-melanoma skin cancer (NMSC), 2.41 (0.66 to 6.17) for bladder cancer, 3.23 (0.39 to 11.65) for leukaemia, 1.11 (0.03 to 6.19) for lymphoma and 2.78 (1.56 to 4.59) for NMSC. Subgroup SIR for cancers at all sites were 1.92 (1.31 to 2.71) for GPA and 1.20 (0.71 to 1.89) for MPA. Conclusions Cancer rates for AAV patients treated with conventional immunosuppressive therapy exceeded those expected for the general population. This cancer excess was largely driven by an increased incidence of NMSC. The smaller cancer risk magnitude in this cohort, compared with previous studies, might reflect less extensive use of cyclophosphamide in current treatment protocols. Longer follow-up data are warranted to appraise the risk of developing cancers later during the course of AAV.


This article examines the experiences of Britain's military representatives in the former Habsburg Duchy of Teschen during the sometimes violent turbulence of 1919. It explores the background and selection of these men, their interactions with local politics and society, and the perceptions they formed. Evidence is drawn primarily from their official reports, family letters, and a book written soon afterwards. As external witnesses, their testimony offers a fresh perspective on ethnic conflict in the duchy and Allied attempts to broker a settlement.


The tontine, which is an interesting mixture of group annuity, group life insurance, and lottery, has a peculiar place in economic history. In the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries it played a major role in raising funds to finance public goods in Europe, but today it is rarely encountered outside of murder mysteries. This study provides a formal model of individual contribution decisions under a tontine mechanism. We analyze the performance of tontines and compare them to another popular fundraising scheme used today by both government and charitable fundraisers: lotteries. Our major theoretical results are that (i) the optimal tontine for agents with identical valuations of the public good consists of all agents receiving a fixed "prize" amount in the first period equal to a percentage of their total contribution, (ii) contribution levels in the optimal tontine are identical to those of risk-neutral agents in an equivalently valued single prize lottery, (iii) contribution levels for the optimal tontine are independent of risk-aversion, and thereby outperform lotteries when agents are risk-averse, (iv) if agents are sufficiently asymmetric in their valuation of the public good, equilibrium contribution levels are larger under tontines than any lottery. In particular, one can obtain full participation in the tontine mechanism compared to only partial participation in a lottery. These insights highlight that the tontine institution can be a useful tool for fundraisers in the future.


Abstract After the state socialist regime of Poland collapsed in 1989, the nation's total fertility rate plummeted from 2.1 to 1.27 by 2007. Simultaneously, Poland severely reduced social service provisions and restricted access to family planning. A three-month mixed-methods research study was conducted in 2007 in Gdansk to investigate Polish women's reproductive intentions and decision making. These data reveal that discriminatory practices by employers against pregnant women and women with small children are decisive in women's decisions to postpone or forego childbearing. The case of Poland demonstrates the urgent need to redress fundamental gendered discrimination in employment before work-family reconciliation policies can be effective. 1. Introduction: Eastern Europe and fertility decline In recent decades fertility has declined in most locations around the world, with the notable exception of sub-Saharan Africa. After the fall of state socialism in Eastern Europe in 1989, the region's Total Fertility Rate (TFR) began to decline rapidly and recently fell to one of the lowest levels in the world. Eastern European nations currently constitute the majority of what are termed "very low fertility countries," i.e., with TFR below 1.5. Eastern Europe is by no means politically, economically, or culturally heterogeneous and scholars have demonstrated the different permutations of socialism experienced in the region. Yet, the shared history of state socialism and similar global economic pressures to which these nations have been subjected result in many common post-1989 experiences that are significantly associated with fertility decline. As a capital-poor system, state socialism relied heavily on labor and created an inflexible employment structure that provided a great deal of job security with virtually no threat of unemployment. This was especially significant for women who were for the first time able to easily enter the job market, interrupt their work for childbearing, and return to the safety of their jobs with minimal or no loss of wages. Simultaneously, and consistent with the socialist gender equity rhetoric, the state greatly expanded women's access to education and reproductive rights (except in Romania), and established extensive state infant and childcare provisions. Food was relatively inexpensive and healthcare was free, although not always adequate. Consequently, gender relations were significantly reconfigured as women pursued careers, financial independence, and greater reproductive and sexual autonomy. The socialist state established itself as the "benevolent father" providing for the basic welfare of all (Verdery 1996:24). Women; however, were the major beneficiaries. Following the collapse of state socialism in 1989, Eastern European nations underwent profound economic transformations, shifting from the security provided by generous welfare states with guaranteed education and employment to the instability of free market economies marked by large scale deregulation. The policies which had been critical in encouraging women's entry into paid employment began to be rapidly dismantled. In particular, maternity leave and subsidies for childcare were substantially reduced, and efforts to privatize healthcare placed fees on many essential services. Employment was no longer guaranteed, unemployment soared and preferential hiring practices began to favor applicants with inside connections. Job opportunities became elusive and required greater dedication of time, making planning one's future more difficult. It is within this context that scholars began to describe demographic trends such as the postponement of childbearing and marriage, higher divorce rates, greater numbers of extra-marital births, and an increase in cohabitation (Caldwell and Schindlmayr 2003; Dey 2006; Fratczak 2004b; Sobotka et al. 2003; Sobotka 2004). In the past high female unemployment and employment structures that deterred women from working have been associated with higher fertility. …


Hamstring muscle strain-type injuries are common in sports that involve sprinting,1 acceleration, deceleration, rapid change in direction and jumping.2 ,3 Occurring in both recreational and professional sports, these injuries can result in substantial time lost from sport and commonly recur.4 ,5

In the Australian Football League (AFL), hamstring muscle strain-type injuries have displayed a high incidence rate, with a 10 year mean of 6.1 new injuries per club each year and a 23% average recurrence rate.6 A recurrence rate of 17% has been reported in elite soccer players7 with hamstring injuries also recorded as the most common injury accounting for 12% of all injuries and resulting in an average of four missed games per injury.8

The high incidence of hamstring muscle strain-type injuries and potential associated costs has resulted in a substantial amount of research into the factors related to such injuries. Two recent systematic reviews have been completed in an attempt to collate the evidence around risk factors for hamstring injuries.9 ,10 Both reviews identified hamstring muscle weakness and thigh muscle imbalance, muscle flexibility, previous hamstring injury, other previous injury and age as potential risk factors; however, these reviews concluded that single variables were inconsistently identified as associated factors. Both reviews provided a qualitative synthesis of the literature and included risk factor studies as well as intervention studies, where a potential risk factor was modified with a training programme. The inclusion of intervention studies may potentially complicate risk factor analyses, as such studies assume that the factor being modified is associated with the injury and that the factor can be modified by the treatment programme.

The aim of the current review was to assemble all available knowledge and data to identify the intrinsic and extrinsic risk factors associated with …


In this report, three methodological approaches are applied to assess the size of the International Monetary Fund: benchmarking Fund resources against a number of relevant global economic and financial indicators; an extrapolation of past and current IMF programme characteristics; and a shock scenario analysis. Overall, while the results of the different approaches depend on the assumptions and the timeframe considered, the quantitative analysis indicates that a prudent approach would call for maintaining Fund total resources at their current levels. Yet, the quantitative analysis of the size of the Fund made in this report should be seen only as one element to assess the adequacy of Fund resources. It does not take into account qualitative considerations, such as the increased resilience of the global economy and the efforts made to strengthen regulation and supervision since the financial crisis, which should complement the quantitative analysis to complete the analytical basis for decision makers. Moreover, the final decision on the appropriate size of Fund resources will need to include political judgement. Therefore, this report does not provide recommendations on the appropriate level of IMF resources after the expiration of borrowed resources. JEL Classification: F3, F32, F38, F42, F65, G28


Discourse in the representation debate within cognitive science employs a problematic model of explanations, which needs to be challenged. What makes a good explanation, even on a philosophically realist interpretation, depends not only on the agreed facts regarding a phenomenon, but also intrinsically on the purposes of the theorist. While one might expect traditional cognitivists to be oblivious to these considerations, it is ironic that outspoken proponents of enactivism ignore them. It is also open for debate whether there is any objective fact of the matter regarding whether a given system makes use of representational content or not. Intentional systems theory is compatible with anti-realism regarding representations, as are philosophies of science such as constructive empiricism. I argue that, due to the diversity of the discipline, different theorists within cognitive science have legitimately different explanatory needs, and that this merits both nonrepresentational and representational explanati...


Abstract Auctions provide an efficient way of resolving one-to-many negotiations. This is particularly true for automated agents where delays and long communications carry negative externalities. A properly designed auction, tailored to the specific needs of the relevant multi-agent system, can significantly improve its performance. In this paper, we focus on the specific problem of service allocation among autonomous, automated agents, within the context of the ADEPT project, which concerns the BT (British Telecom) business process of providing a quote for designing a network for a customer. The main contributions of this paper are threefold: First, we show how an English auction can be modifed for services, which are multi-dimensional private value objects. Second, we show how, under certain conditions, auctions can be arranged by the service providing agents, in the cases where the service seeking agents fail to do so. We consider the incentives of all participants, and show how such an arrangement can be in their best interest. Finally, by examining our results for what is, essentially, an application of game-theory and mechanism design to an existing application, we draw some general conclusions on how such concepts can be operationalized in automated agents.


In the last several decades, animal agriculture has experienced a dramatic shift in production methods, from family farms to concentrated industrial operations, with societal consequences comparable to the Industrial Revolution of the nineteenth century. The new confinement operations raise significant moral questions regarding the humane treatment of animals subject to modern methods that emphasize economics over animal welfare. The success of the animal welfare movement, however, hinges on whether society will adopt regulations, based on moral considerations, that are directly opposed to its economic self-interest. The situation is remarkably similar to the plight of child laborers caught in the transformation of manufacturing methods during the Industrial Revolution. This article uses the history of child labor reform to construct a model for how society enacts protections for politically powerless groups, such as children and animals. Using the insights of new social movement theory, the article concludes that animal welfare reform will require a complex mixture of resources, including the difficult task of norm development. While the path to such reform is long, the child labor history shows that success is possible.


Of the many themes that classical Antiquity and early Christianity had in common, for all their profound diffrerences, none was more influential than their love of language. It was the Greek asnd Roman rhetorical theorists who called the attention of later generations to the importance of speech and language. Likewise, when the author of the Fourth Gospel needed a comprehensive metaphor to describe the eternal significance of Jesus Christ, he turned to speech, calling him the Logos, the Word And Reason Of God, through whom the universe was made and by whom it was upheld. What would happen when these two systems of interpreting persuasive language collided - and yet in some sense converged? To answer that question, this book examines three interpretations of the most universally acknowledged piece of rhetoric in the history of the west, the Sermon on The Mount, from the latin and Catholic tradition (St.Augustine), and the Reformation and Protestant tradition (Martin Luther). Each is acknowledged in his tradition as a prince of the pulpit. Togethor and yet seperately, they illuminate both the sermon and the speaker for anyone who still takes the challenge of the faith - and of language - seriously.


The author argues that interest in the psychology of investments has begun to intensify, even though associated issues are timeless. He suggests that the psychology of investments can be said to provide a rubric under which the apparently irrational behavior of both lay and professional investors are understood. He identifies a handful of trends creating urgency around the topic and briefly reviews them. Then, the authors offer three areas the investment community needs to monitor in the next several years for important insights about the psychology of investments: behavioral finance, marketing and sale of investments, and "lessons from the consulting room."


Currently, a need exists for agricultural education programs to begin introducing new curriculum which will help meet the current and future needs of the agricultural industry. In 2010, the University of Arkansas Agricultural and Extension Education Department received grant funding for the development of curriculum relating directly to visual communications technology and its role in agricultural communications. Curriculum was developed and teachers across the state were asked to participate in implementing the program. The primary purpose of this study was to evaluate the knowledge levels of students prior to being taught agricultural communications curriculum, after the curriculum was taught, and again after students participated in a day-long experiential learning activity utilizing the skills taught throughout the curriculum; students' perceptions were also assessed. Additionally, a content analysis was completed to assess the ability of students to apply skills learned in the curriculum. Eleven schools participated in the study. A significant difference was seen in test scores for each curriculum (photography, writing, and videography) unit. Overall, students had positive perceptions of the curriculum and the experiential learning activity. Also, the content analysis showed that students were able to apply skills taught via the curriculum and successfully conveyed stories and messages by producing short promotional videos about agriculture. The study found that the curriculum was successful in increasing student knowledge of visual communications as it relates to agricultural communications. This thesis is approved for recommendation to the Graduate Council.


Pneumocystosis is usually a disease of the lungs, but the number of cases of extrapulmonary pneumocystosis has greatly increased during the AIDS epidemic. Much remains unknown about the frequency and mechanisms of dissemination. In the present study, a systematic search for Pneumocystis carinii by PCR with primers specific for mitochondria1 rRNA was performed in the lung, liver, spleen and kidney of 12 immunosuppressed rats and two immunocompetent rats. The amplified products were analysed by Southern hybridisation with a digoxigenin-1 1-dUTP labeled probe. I-? carinii DNA was found in lungs in all 14 rats and in at least one organ other than lung in 11 immunosuppressed rats and the two control rats. We suggest that extrapulmonary dissemination may not be an exceptional phenomenon in the course of pneumocystosis, but rather part of the natural evolution of the disease.


The contributors reveal how public policy in the United States has weakened the institutions of civil society that play a critical role in forming and sustaining the qualities of mind and character crucial to democratic self-government. The authors show what can be done, consistent with the principles of a free society, to establish a healthier relationship between public policy and character.


Many different kinds of receptors can activate the proinflammatory transcriptional regulator NF-κB. NF-κB is maintained in an inactive state in the cytosol through its interaction with the protein IκB, and activation involves stimulation of the IκB kinase (IKK). In T and B cells, a signaling adaptor complex consisting of CARMA1 [caspase recruitment domain (CARD) 11], Bcl10, and MALT1 connects the receptor-induced activation of protein kinase C (PKC) to activation of IKK and NF-κB. Three groups report a similar signaling adaptor complex in the transmission of signals from G protein-coupled receptors (GPCRs) to NF-κB activation. NF-κB activation plays a pathophysiological role in many types of liver disease and appears to be mediated by the increased activity of angiotensin II (Ang II) at the type I Ang II receptor. McAllister-Lucas et al. show that the CARMA3 [caspase recruitment domain (CARD) 10], a scaffolding protein related to CARMA1, which is found in immune cells, is present in many tissues, including liver, along with Bcl10 and MALT1. Through the analysis of dominant-negative mutants, knockout mouse cells, and RNA interference studies, McAllister-Lucas et al. show that, similar to activation by immune receptors, Ang II stimulates NF-κB activation by signaling through a CARMA3-Bcl10-MALT1 complex. In each study, activation of NF-κB by tumor necrosis factor α, which acts through a different type of receptor, was unaffected. Two additional groups report that the GPCRs activated by lysophosphatidic acid (LPA) (Wang et al. and Klemm et al.) or endothelin-1 (Wang et al.) also signal through Bcl10 and MALT1 to activate NF-κB. Experiments with mouse embryo fibroblasts from mice deficient in Bcl10 (Wang et al. and Klemm et al.) or MALT1 (Klemm et al.) show that these two proteins were essential for the activation of NF-κB by LPA. From the combined studies, Bcl10 and MALT1 were not required for activation of various members of the mitogen-activated protein kinase family, including p38, JNK, and ERK, nor were they required for activation of the kinase Akt. Both groups showed that pharmacological studies suggested that PKC activation was required for GPCR-mediated NF-κB activation, whereas phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase activity was not. L. M. McAllister-Lucas, J. Ruland, K. Siu, X. Jin. S. Gu, D. S. L. Kim, P. Kuffa, D. Kohrt, T. W. Mak, G. Nuñez, P. C. Lucas, CARMA3/Bcl10/MALT1-dependent NF-κB activation mediates angiotensin II-responsive inflammatory signaling in nonimmune cells. Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. U.S.A. 104, 139-144 (2007). [Abstract] [Full Text] D. Wang, Y. You, P.-C. Lin, L. Xue, S. W. Morris, H. Zeng, R. Wen, X. Lin, Bcl10 plays a critical role in NF-κB activation induced by G protein-coupled receptors. Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. U.S.A. 104, 145-150 (2007). [Abstract] [Full Text] S. Klemm, S. Zimmermann, C. Peschel, T. W. Mak, J. Ruland, Bcl10 and Malt1 control lysophosphatidic acid-induced NF-κB activation and cytokine production. Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. U.S.A. 104, 134-138 (2007). [Abstract] [Full Text]


The authors start by observing that private equity, as an asset class, has a unique pattern of cash flows which makes it difficult to match an investor's asset allocation target with their actual investments in private equity: Commitments are typically drawn down over a number of years and distributions usually begin coming back before all the capital is called. This makes it difficult for investors to achieve their long-term asset allocation goal in this asset class. They then discuss an investment model that provides a more accurate projection of future private equity exposure based on a number of variables and industry standard cash flows. They show how to plan commitments to private equity based on that model, which was constructed using parameters judged conservative, but realistic for the current and anticipated market environment.


While the Visual Impairment and Intracranial Pressure (VIIP) syndrome observations have focused on ocular symptoms, spaceflight has been also associated with a number of other performance and neurologic signs, such as headaches, cognitive changes, vertigo, nausea, sleep/circadian disruption and mood alterations, which, albeit likely multifactorial, can also result from elevation of intracranial pressure (ICP). We therefore hypothesize that these various symptoms are caused by disturbances in the neurophysiology of the brain structures and are correlated with molecular markers in the cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) as indicators of neurophysiological changes. Exosomes are 30-200 nm microvesicles shed into all biofluids, including blood, urine, and CSF, carrying a highly rich source of intact protein and RNA cargo. Exosomes have been identified in human CSF, and their proteome and RNA pool is a potential new reservoir for biomarker discovery in neurological disorders. The purpose of this study is to investigate changes in brain gene expression via exosome analysis in patients suffering from ICP elevation of varied severity (idiopathic intracranial hypertension -IIH), a condition which shares some of the neuroophthalmological features of VIIP, as a first step toward obtaining evidence suggesting that cognitive function and ICP levels can be correlated with biomarkers in the CSF. Our preliminary work, reported last year, validated the exosomal technology applicable to CSF analysis and demonstrated that it was possible to obtain gene expression evidence of inflammation processes in traumatic brain injury patients. We are now recruiting patients with suspected IIH requiring lumbar puncture at Baylor College of Medicine. Both CSF (5 ml) and human plasma (10 ml) are being collected in order to compare the pattern of differentially expressed genes observed in CSF and in blood. Since blood is much more accessible than CSF, we would like to determine whether plasma biomarkers for elevated ICP can be identified. This may eventually lead to a blood test to diagnose intracranial hypertension.


Water utilities can prepare for water distribution hazards, such as the presence of contaminants in the pipe network and failure of physical components. In contamination events, the complex interactions among managers9 operational decisions, consumers9 water consumption choices, and the hydraulics and contaminant transport in the water distribution system may influence the contaminant plume so that a typical engineering model may not properly predict public health consequences. A complex adaptive system (CAS) approach couples engineering models of a water distribution system with agent-based models of consumers and public officials. Development of threat management strategies, which prescribe a set of actions to mitigate public health consequences, is enabled through a simulation–optimization framework that couples evolutionary algorithms with the CAS model. Evolution strategies and genetic algorithm-based approaches are developed and compared for an illustrative case study to identify a flushing strategy for opening hydrants to minimize the number of exposed consumers and maintain acceptable levels of service in the network.


Among several bat acoustic capabilities, it is reported that the error they show in discriminating the direction of a target in the elevation plane is within a few degrees. Many researchers have investigated bat echolocation and attempted to explain which features their accuracy relies on. Some works have pointed out the importance of beam patterns associated to the ears of the bats: indeed, ear shapes are very complex and different across species. This allows bats to significantly discriminate among the directions the echoes of their calls come from. Also, binaural cues for sound localization have been found to be determinant for some bat species. A method to estimate target orientation based on the beam patterns of the receivers and their binaural geometric relationship is developed for a sonar system emulating bats echolocation: a broadband signal is produced in the ultrasonic range and the echoes are collected by two receivers. The location of the target with respect to the bat is given by spherical coordinates including the distance from the bat and the orientation (defined by azimuth and elevation angles). While distance of the target from the sonar system is recovered through the time from the emission to the reception of the signal, the orientation is estimated from knowledge of the beam profiles of the receivers. The ratios between received and original signals' spectra are calculated for the left and the right receiver across frequencies after compensating for distance effects. Orientations ensuring attenuation values in the beam patterns closest to the ratios are selected. Among these, one orientation for the left receiver and one for the right, fulfilling appropriate mutual geometric relations given by the geometry of the situation, are selected, these two defining the direction of the signal echo. The beam patterns associated to the left and the right ear of the Phyllostomus discolor bat are used within a limited range of orientations. A model of the emission of the signal and its reception is simulated for a set of target orientations spanning the beam pattern domain. Additionally, several noise levels are considered. Estimates of directions of the echoes are performed and the error for each of them with respect to the true orientation is calculated. Most error values are comparable to those reported in the literature and associated to some bat species. The beam patterns have very irregular shapes over the set of orientations that change with the frequency range: indeed, the accuracy of the method in estimating the true orientation depends on the choice of the frequency range and on the area of orientations over which the beam pattern is defined. This approach makes it possible to investigate which acoustic features ensure good orientation estimates in order to explain why bats have such complex beam patterns filtering the echoes. As this method relies only on knowledge of the receivers' beam patterns and geometric relations based on the binaural configuration, it appears feasible that bats utilise this effect.


Laurence Sterne's lack of commitment to the tenets of sentimentality in A Sentimental Journey—present in his ability to mock and praise the individual capacity to feel, and more precisely, in his satirical reading of the "cult of sensibility," the new ideological imperative to have and to showcase deep, sentimental feelings—remains as one of the central challenges for readings of the novel. To explore Sterne's portrayal of sensibility in A Sentimental Journey, I turn to camp sensibility, and the discussions that followed Susan Sontag's "Notes on Camp." Sterne's novel could be read as camp, perhaps most notably in his blending of the high and the low, but my purpose here is to raise questions about our attachments to camp sensibility, and more specifically, our attachments to camp sensibility as a gay sensibility, via Sterne's representation of bourgeois subjectivity in the novel. Queer sensibilities provide marginalized people with a collective "essence"—a shared belief in a fundamental nature that separates and elevates members of the group. In a similar way, Yorick's sensibility—and the performance of sentiment in eighteenth-century fiction more broadly—provides a new measure for class, conduct, and identity. I argue that the slow shift from blood to conduct as an index of value ushered in not only an increased demand for self-discipline but also the injunction to examine one's feelings. Sensibility—a quality that signals a keen awareness of affect that demonstrates character—shows how power functions through feelings. Sterne's representation of the sensible man's submerged sexual desire demonstrates how the cult of sensibility both defined and restrained those aspiring to meet the demands of new definitions of respectability.


We study a problem in which policymakers need to screen self-selected individuals by unobserved heterogeneity in social welfare gains from a policy intervention. In our framework, the marginal treatment effects and marginal treatment responses arise as key statistics to characterize social welfare. We apply this framework to a randomized field experiment on electricity plan choice. Consumers were offered welfare-improving dynamic pricing with randomly assigned take-up incentives. We find that price-elastic consumers—who generate larger welfare gains—are more likely to self-select. Our counterfactual simulations quantify the optimal take-up incentives that exploit observed and unobserved heterogeneity in selection and welfare gains. (JEL C93, D12, L11, L94, L98)


The stories of Bumiputera entrepreneurs in the trading tiles industry are disagreeable and
unpleasant and sometimes dishearten enough, but still few of them emerges and succeeds
in the industry. We would like to increase the numbers of Bumiputera in the industry and
we would like to at least motivate them to open the business. As a leader in the tiles
industry, we would like to raise the benchmark further. We would also like to provide an
excellence in quality of service and the products that we sell,
The products that we want to sell are categorized depends on the design and the finishing
of the tiles. Generally, there are three types of ranging from fully-vitrified homogenous
glazed tiles, glazed ceramic wall and floor tiles and special decorative border tiles of
various shapes and sizes. The products that we might sell are locally produced such as
White Horse and Guocera as these two brands emerge as the main names in the
construction industry.
Middle class people, design company or someone related to the construction industry are
our main target market. They have the power to choose the design that they required and
most of them seek good quality tile products.
Our company will provider a varying tiles which suits with all the needs of the customers
according to the design, texture and the sizes. By selling a good quality products, we
would like to satisfy our customers so that they will not only know the quality tiles that
we sell, but we also would like to provide a good services to them.


This research was performed to assess the oil deterioration during deep fat frying. It
was also conducted to compare and correlate oil quality parameters namely, total
polar compound (TPC), free fatty acids (FFA), peroxide value (PV), P-Anisidine
value (p-AV), specific extinction (E1%lcm233, 269nm), iodine value (IV), flavor,
color, viscosity, with changes in the heating profile of melting point, and investigate
changes in the properties of oils with different kinds of food during deep-fat frying
of chicken, banana and sweet potato. The frying oil consisted of five types of
commercial oils, namely, canola, corn, soybean, sunflower and palm olein. These
oils were used to fry, banana, sweet potato and chicken at 185 ± 5°C for 6 hr per day
for sixe days until the total time of 30 hours with an interval time of 20 min. One and
half kilograms of each oil sample to be tasted and 100g of each fried product was
used for the frying. The frying time was set for 7 minute for banana and sweet potato
and 1 5 minute for chicken. Each day, fresh oil was added to replenish the oil used.
Oils used were withdrawn on the following day and before starti ng the next frying cycle and was kept in the freezer at -20˚C. The oils were analyzed for PV, N, p-AV,
FFA, E1%lcm233, 269nm, TPC, color, viscosity, flavor (by zNose) and thermal
behavior (melting point by DSC).
In this study, DSC was used to monitor the deterioration of frying oils during deep
fat frying based on qualitative investigation of the thermal behavior (melting point). The
investigation began with the successful comparison of the DSC thermal curves of
five different vegetable oils. The heating thermogram for the oils showed varying
degree of changes especially in the last melting peak position during the course of
frying. The heating thermogram showed that there is one major peak and two small
shoulders peaks and used the offset of last melting peak; ("the last order peak of the
DSC heating thermogram was used to represent the changes in melting point"). Flavor
analysis is typically performed by a qualitative analysis of zNose chromatogram. A
novel approach using a surface acoustic wave (SAW) sensing based electronic nose for
favor analysis was used in this study for detecting the losing of volatile compound in
vegetables oils. A statistical correlation was carried out on the DSC heating
thermogram with standard chemical and physical methods. Significant linear
relationship was found between melting point, TPC, N, E1%1cm233 , 269nm and
viscosity. The DSC heating thermogram showed excellent correlation (P<0.05) with
the standard chemical analysis.The finding of this study reveals that palm olein showed significantly (P<0.05)
lower in all measured parameters than the other oils used. The extent of oil
deterioration was best reflected in the changes in percent TPC, N, E1%cm at 233nm


What is it in chocolate that makes us feel good when we eat it? What's the molecule that turns men on? What's the secret of Coca-Cola? In this fascinating book, John Emsley takes us on a guided tour through a rogue's gallery of molecules, some harmful some pleasant, showing how they affect our lives. There are eight galleries in all, full of individual portraits on molecules that are to be found on a daily basis in the home, the environment, and in our bodies-from caffeine to teflon, nicotine to zinc. Find out how Mozart met his death, how Hitler could have saved the Third Reich from defeat, and many more interesting snippets in this highly entertaining, and often surprising book. 'A broad audience, regardless of whether it has a background in chemistry, will enjoy browsing and reading it.' Nature 'a fine example of popular science writing at its best. It is educational, interesting, may prove inspirational and therefore deserves to find a very wide readership.' THES 'highly readable and entertaining' New Scientist


The anomalously wet winter of 2010 had a very important impact on the Portuguese hydrological system. Owing to the detrimental effects of reduced precipitation in Portugal on the environmental and socio-economic systems, the 2010 winter was predominantly beneficial by revers- ing the accumulated precipitation deficits during the previous hydrological years. The recorded anomalously high precipitation amounts have contributed to an overall increase in river runoffs and dam recharges in the 4 major river basins. In synoptic terms, the winter 2010 was characterised by an anomalously strong westerly flow component over the North Atlantic that triggered high precipita- tion amounts. A dynamically coherent enhancement in the frequencies of mid-latitude cyclones close to Portugal, also accompanied by significant increases in the occurrence of cyclonic, south and south- westerly circulation weather types, are noteworthy. Furthermore, the prevalence of the strong nega- tive phase of the North Atlantic Oscillation (NAO) also emphasises the main dynamical features of the 2010 winter. A comparison of the hydrological and atmospheric conditions between the 2010 winter and the previous 2 anomalously wet winters (1996 and 2001) was also carried out to isolate not only their similarities, but also their contrasting conditions, highlighting the limitations of estimating winter precipitation amounts in Portugal using solely the NAO phase as a predictor.


Here we present the first measurements of 3D acceleration and turn rate obtained from a bird in wide-ranging free flight. These data on body kinematics are accompanied by simultaneous onboard video sequences of the head and tail kinematics, and by video of the bird taken from the ground. The bird, a Steppe eagle Aquila nipalensis, carried a miniature inertial measurement unit outputting data on body orientation, acceleration and rate of turn, together with a data logger and two wireless video cameras pointing forward over the head and aft over the tail. The complete instrumentation package and harness weighed <0.25kg, which is <10% of the bird's body mass. Measurements were made in soaring flight over coastal clis under windy conditions (up to 32 knots). We describe the body kinematics during two sequences of maneuver involving a banked turn, a wing-tuck maneuver, a sharply banked pull-up maneuver, and a sharp gust response. The total load experienced during these maneuvers ranged from 0 to 2.5g. Turn rates were typically ±60 s 1 in any axis, but were often much higher. We use the onboard video to identify tail and head kinematics, and use these to analyze the role of head and tail movements in flight control. The angle and spread of the tail is continually adjusted in soaring flight, with tail bank angle changing changing through up to 30 in just a few seconds of flight. The fast response times of the tail relative to the motions of the body may indicate a role in active gust response. Head movements are used to stabilize gaze during deliberate turns, in a manner analogous to the nystagmic eye movements of humans. Implications of these results for the design of small autonomous air vehicles are briefly discussed.


Analogical reasoning has been a principal focus of various waves of AI research. Analogy is particularly challenging for machines because it requires relational structures to be represented such that they can be flexibly applied across diverse domains of experience. Here, we study how analogical reasoning can be induced in neural networks that learn to perceive and reason about raw visual data. We find that the critical factor for inducing such a capacity is not an elaborate architecture, but rather, careful attention to the choice of data and the manner in which it is presented to the model. The most robust capacity for analogical reasoning is induced when networks learn analogies by contrasting abstract relational structures in their input domains, a training method that uses only the input data to force models to learn about important abstract features. Using this technique we demonstrate capacities for complex, visual and symbolic analogy making and generalisation in even the simplest neural network architectures.


Need to take your Adobe After Effects skills to the next level? Learn After Effects the fast, efficient way! This Visual QuickPro Guide uses illustrations and in-depth explanations. You'll be a master in time! ·i¾ i¾ i¾ Takes a visual, task-based approach to teaching After Effects, using pictures to guide you through the software and show you what to do. ·i¾ i¾ i¾ Works like a reference book-you look up what you need and then get straight to work. ·i¾ i¾ i¾ Concise, straightforward steps and explanations offer the fastest way to learn tasks and concepts. ·i¾ i¾ i¾ Affordably priced, because buying a computer book shouldn't be an investment in itself. Through step-by-step instructions, enhanced by tips, sidebars, and plenty of visual aids, veteran video editor Antony Bolante shows you how to effectively and efficiently import and manage footage, view and edit layers, apply effects, animate type, and more. You'll learn about key features with real-world examples of how and when features should be used, including what's new in After Effects 7.0: motion tracker, powerful animation and keyframing controls, high quality keying and matte tools, network rendering, expert effects, nondestructive vector painting, and more!


The creation and development of new protocols in computer networks is not an easy task. Accessibility to the source code of the devices and permission of the network administrators are necessary in order to carry out tests of new protocols. Besides, network administrators do not allow experimenting on their networks because they are afraid of possible tests that can deteriorate their service. Software-Defined Networks (SDN) appear to be the solution to these problems. SDN separates the control and forwarding planes of a network switch or router, allows a centralized management of the devices, and thus easies complex tasks that involve all the nodes of a network, such as load balancing or traffic engineering. One of the classical problems in networking is how to obtain the traffic matrix (TM) of the network. The TM represents the demand from the network users, and is a key parameter for any activity related to network planning, dimensioning, and operation. In legacy IP networks TMs are not easy to obtain. The estimation of the TM involves gathering simultaneously traffic measurements and routing information, and correlating them in a meaningful way. The main contribution of this thesis is the development of a distributed architecture that takes advantage of the SDN architecture for obtaining the TM in a distributed manner. In our approach every switch is responsible of calculating a fraction of the traffic matrix: the flows that ingress the network through this specific node. In this manner, the overhead due to packet flooding and CPU usage at the SDN controller is avoided. We extended OpenFlow protocol with new messages, and modified the firmware of the devices and the code of the controller in order to handle them. We implemented and evaluated the approach in a testbed with low-end devices (low-cost Linux-powered routers with OpenFlow capabilities), obtaining good results. The traffic matrix can be measured without delays even with a large amount of traffic. We analysed the new OpenFlow messages and noticed that some improvement can be done for avoiding even more unnecessary CPU usage at the controller.


ABSTRACT.By examining the experience of an innovative and ambitious initiative in the evolution of the interfaith movement in Australia, this article analyses three contested themes: (1) how to connect religion more closely with culture, thereby placing interfaith relations within the context of intercultural awareness; (2) how to develop a regional initiative which, informed by Australia's urban history and sociology, would complement and dovetail with pre-existing interfaith and intercultural activities; and, (3) how to translate the general principles of dialogue into the operational environments of local communities. By analyzing the insertion of dialogue into the modalities of "everyday" life, this article illuminates how a multidimensional approach to interfaith dialogue can resonate with the cultural-political specificities of a major metropolitan concentration.Keywords: Australia, dialogue, intercultural, interfaith, multiculturalism, regional networksAt the launch of a government commissioned report on religion, culture and security, one of its authors triumphantly exclaimed that "God was not dead!" - at least in Australia.1 This proclamation encapsulates the sense of opportunity felt by many religiously inclined scholars whose discourse had been sidelined for decades by an essentially secularist public discourse. Whether this resurgence of religion was explicable in terms of the decline of ideological conflicts in the post-Cold War period or as an identity based reaction to post modernity, one thing is clear: religion was back on the agenda.1. IntroductionAustralia prides itself on being a peaceful, open, multicultural and multifaith society. There is much to support this view, not least the relatively successful immigration program of the post- War period (Castles, 1992). Yet there is also evidence of unhealthy levels of racism, intolerance and xenophobia in the hysteria directed towards Asian migrants as exemplified in the Hanson phenomenon of the late 1990s, the recent treatment of asylumseekers, the high incidence of threats against Muslim individuals, schools and mosques, and the growing number of attacks against Indian students (Poynting, et. al., 2004; Neumann, 2004; Berman and Paradies, 2010; SEEWR, 2009).As an antidote to the "politics of fear" and an investment in social cohesion, Australia has during the last decade experienced an increase of interfaith dialogical activities. Government funded programs, interfaith and multifaith councils and networks, in conjunction with community and municipality initiated projects, have contributed a good deal of impetus to interfaith and intercultural dialogical activity. However, despite their proliferation, dialogue initiatives in Australia - as elsewhere - are confronted with a daunting challenge: how to ensure the relevant effectiveness, sustainability and interconnectedness of these initiatives. This tension is perhaps most clearly evident at local and regional levels which represent a microcosm of Australian society.2By focusing on a particular initiative - the first of its kind in Australia - the establishment of a Northern Interfaith and Intercultural Network (NIIN) in Melbourne's ethnic and religiously diverse northern suburbs, this article examines the extent to which the principles of dialogue have informed government and community responses to cultural and religious polarization, and whether or not an approach based on these principles can be effectively applied to local discourse and practice. By seeking to test the practical application of theories and methods that have been expressed at a relatively high level of abstraction, the article tackles the central question: how can dialogical principles be given practical relevance in the development of interfaith relations in a specific multicultural setting? Furthermore, how might these be made the subject of constructive communication and refinement in the regional context? …


Here we present a 42 parameter panel to characterize myeloid immune cell subsets and T lymphocyte activation status in cryopreserved and barcoded single cell suspensions obtained from brain, spleen, and bone marrow of an orthotopic immunocompetent glioblastoma mouse model in a C57BL/6 background (Table 1). This panel is designed for mass cytometry by time of flight (CyTOF) and combines 34 antibodies against diverse cell surface and intracellular targets together with cisplatin for live/dead discrimination, iridium for cell identification, and six cellular barcodes (1) to enable simultaneous multiplexed acquisition of up to 20 samples (Table 2). The panel is designed for a comprehensive evaluation of the immune system in different organs during murine in vivo studies in the field of glioblastoma immunology, but could also be applied to other disease models in the central nervous system (CNS) with possible systemic involvement, such as brain metastasis arising from other types of cancer, experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis (EAE), or neurodegenerative disease models. Marker selection was partly based on a combination of previously reported panels studying CNS immune infiltrates (2–7). The selected set of markers captures T lymphocytes (CD8+, CD4+, and regulatory T lymphocytes), dendritic cells (DC), monocytes, macrophages, microglia, tumor cells (when GFP positive), and granulocytes, and contains a set of antibodies to detect cell activation, migratory capacity and immune checkpoints (Table 2). The panel has been optimized with respect to marker selection, antibody clone usage, antibodymetal pairing, and antibody concentration, and has room for additional markers by filling in a number of free channels as listed in Table 2.


Conventional density functional theory DFT fails for materials with strongly correlated electrons, such as late transition metal oxides. Large errors in the intra-atomic Coulomb and exchange interactions are the source of this failure. The DFT+U method has provided a means, through empirical parameters, to correct these errors. Here, we present a systematic ab initio approach in evaluating the intra-atomic Coulomb and exchange terms, U and J, respectively, in order to make the DFT+U method a fully first-principles technique. The method is based on a relationship between these terms and the Coulomb and exchange integrals evaluated in the basis of unrestricted Hartree-Fock molecular orbitals that represent localized states of the extended system. We used this ab initio scheme to evaluate U and J for chromia Cr2O3 . The resulting values are somewhat higher than those determined earlier either empirically or in constrained DFT calculations but have the advantage of originating from an ab initio theory containing exact exchange. Subsequent DFT+U calculations on chromia using the ab initio derived U and J yield properties consistent with experiment, unlike conventional DFT. Overall, the technique developed and tested in this work holds promise in enabling accurate and fully predictive DFT+U calculations of strongly correlated electron materials.


It is widely recognized in catalysis, fuel cell and battery chemistry, bioand geochemical processes, and a host of additional functional materials areas that unique properties and characteristics are governed by intricate structural-chemical relationships. Uncovering the identity and role of locally ordered motifs, including those of surface species and interfaces, remains a challenge because experimental tools to observe materials at atomic length-scales, in relevant operating conditions, or within sufficiently fine time scales are limited. We present our efforts to apply and extend neutron total scattering and related probes towards capturing the interplay of crystal chemistry and functionality in nanoand nanostructured materials. Examples include: (1) exploration of internal dipole-dipole ordering in ferroelectric nanocrystals, demonstrating the enhancing effects of cubic particle shape and polar surface termination; (2) investigation of layered manganese oxide structures, where interlayer water molecules, hydrogen bonding, and the nature of vacancies/intercalants strongly impact catalytically and electrochemically active variants; and (3) demonstrated abilities to probe the structure and dynamics of gas-solid interfaces in catalytic materials, where the signatures of interfacial species are enhanced through neutron isotope contrast techniques. These examples improve understanding of technologically and geologically significant materials and highlight a broader theme of our research aimed at extracting crystal structure models from experimental data with the detail needed to guide and validate modern nanoscale theories, and design new and improved functional materials. Current challenges and future opportunities in this arena will be discussed.


Paroxysmal gluten-sensitive dyskinesia (previously termed canine epileptoid cramping syndrome) is a condition of Border terriers in which the leading manifestation is neurological. The authors describe a case they believe to represent the first report of a Border terrier with a combination of neurological signs, atopy, positive serological results for anti-transglutaminase 2 (TG2 IgA) and anti-gliadin (AGA IgG) antibodies, and signs suggestive of gastrointestinal disease with pathological changes in the gastrointestinal tract—seemingly responsive to a gluten-free diet. As such, the authors suggest that gluten sensitivity in Border terriers may manifest as a multisystem disease in a similar manner to that seen in human beings.


The development of the tourism sector ought to be supported by the competent Human Resources (SDM). Human resources of tourism that include human resources apparatus, industrial human resources, and the tourism community until now still facing difficulties of competency gaps and capability certification. Concerning this issue, there will be conducted a research of human resource competency development policy in tourism sector of bureaucratic reformation era. The goal of this research is to explain the development of human resource competencies in the tourism sector of bureaucratic reformation era. This research utilizes literature study method, and secondary data acquisition techniques and qualitative descriptive analysis techniques, conducted in 2017. The results showed that the development of human resource competence apparatus realized by assembling information positions and competence standards positions are still largely in the stage of the process. In the meantime, the development of industrial and community competence of human resources is carried out with capability certification in quest of obtaining optimal target achievement. Human resource personnel in both the ministry of tourism, and the provincial as well as regency/municipal tourism agencies have the right to develop managerial, technical, and social cultural competencies through education and training, seminars, courses and upgrading of at least 20 hours of lessons per year to develop competencies in order to improve performance of human resources of tourism.


This is a book that will be of great service to practitioners involved in developing, implementing, and maintaining hearing conservation programs. -- Canadian Hearing Report According to the National Institutes of Occupational Safety and Health, approximately 30 million employees are exposed to dangerous noise levels at work and an additional nine million workers are at risk for hearing loss from other ototoxins such as metals and solvents. Millions of children and young adults are also at risk for noise-induced hearing loss in non-occupational settings. Hearing Conservation: In Occupational, Recreational, Education, and Home Settings is the most current text to cover all major topics related to noise-induced hearing loss, including the military, construction, manufacturing, mining, transportation, the music industry, the home environment, education settings, and recreational arenas. From the underlying principles of hearing loss to audiometric testing procedures to assessment of hearing conservation programs, this book is packed with information for audiologists and other members of the interdisciplinary team who provide hearing conservation services for at-risk groups. Special Features: * Many examples of audiometric data, that enhance understanding of all types of hearing impairment, test procedures, and standard threshold shift calculations * Protocols for comprehensive audiological, tinnitus, and auditory processing evaluations * Clinical pathways and follow-up action steps when a standard threshold shift is confirmed, including decisions about worker compensation in occupational settings * Assessment of the effectiveness of a wide range of hearing conservation programs and correction of deficiencies, along with training, educational, and motivational techniques * The most current information about hearing protection and enhancement devices, related regulations, selection and fitting, and training workers in how to use them for optimal results Comprehensive in scope, easily accessible, and useful to both clinicians and investigators,Hearing Conservation: In Occupational, Recreational, Education, and Home Settings is essential for audiologists, occupational hearing conservationists, otolaryngologists, internists, occupational nurses, noise control engineers, and any other practitioner who plays a role in developing, implementing, and maintaining hearing conservation measures. It is also an excellent text for graduate level audiology courses in hearing conservation.


Today, over 90% of teenagers are online. When it comes to social media, 50% of all teenagers log on at least once a day, with 22% logging on more than 10 times a day. We, like our parents and their parents before them, are worried about the effect that technology is having on the development of our kids. The author discussed the five rules for teaching teens to live with technology responsibly.