In recent years, the interest in polymer recycling has increased. However, in every reprocessing step the material undergoes shear stress and is affected by temperature and oxygen. The aim of this paper is to investigate the influence of multiple extrusion in the generation of functional groups, namely hydroperoxide, carbonyl, and transvinylene. Low density polyethylene was reprocessed three times in a single screw extruder. In each recycling step hot pressed films were prepared. These films were submitted to a heat treatment in an oven with air circulation and renovation to proceed with aging tests at different times and temperatures. The results obtained showed that all functional groups had their concentration increased with the increase in number of reprocessing, the aging time and temperature of the heat treatment. The factorial design was applied to verify the influence of these parameters. All the parameters had significant effects, since their regression coefficients had the same order of magnitude, with the most influential parameter being the aging temperature, followed by the aging time and number of extrusions. Most of the interactions were influential, indicating that the formation of functional groups depends upon their interaction, and not only on their isolated effects.


Metastases to central nervous system (CNS) are very common in nonsmall cell lung cancer (NSCLC) patients with epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR)-positive mutation. Brain is the most affected part of CNS where blood-brain barrier (BBB) presents a challenge to currently available chemotherapeutic agents as well as first- (erlotinib and gefitinib) and second (afatinib)-generation EGFR tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKIs) due to their poor penetrability. A rapid development of EGFR T790M secondary mutation is another cause of treatment failure, and patients tend to progress despite initial response to first- and second-generation EGFR TKIs. Moreover, conventional treatments with heavy dose of radiation have a number of side effects compared to benefits attained. Recently, third-generation EGFR TKIs have been developed with proven efficacy in various clinical setups against EGFR mutation-positive cases of brain metastases in NSCLC. One such agent, osimertinib, is available in India. It has not only better penetration ability to BBB compared to other EGFR TKIs but also has significantly increased potency for most prevalent EGFR T790M mutations. Furthermore, it is active in patients who progress upon first- and second-generation EGFR TKIs. The purpose of this review article is to present an updated clinical preview of EGFR TKIs over conventional treatment, mainly radiation therapy to consider them as "use first" agents against EGFR T790M mutation in the treatment of patients with advanced NSCLC.


In response to the ever increasing need for new anti- counterfeiting methods, a new integrated print-based authentication and security strategy is proposed for the protection of valuable documents and products, based on moire intensity profiles. This strategy combines the advantages of microstructure artistic screening for the halftoning of black-and-white or color images, the application of specially designed mathematical transformations on the microstructure, and the possibility of using non-standard color separation for printing the microstructured image with non-standard custom inks. Using our moire-based method, the overt (or covert) microstructured information from which the halftoned image is composed can be made clearly visible in the form of black-and-white of full-color moire intensity profiles with varying displacements, magnification rates and orientations, generating an attractive, dynamic visual effect which is very difficult to counterfeit.


Background: The affective response to self-selected and imposed exercise intensities of differing physical stimuli has been previously compared in adults and children. Purpose: The primary purpose of this investigation was to compare the affective response to self-selected (SS) and imposed (IMP) exercise of the same intensity in young, recreationally active adult males. The secondary purpose was to determine if a significant proportion of subjects self-selected exercise intensity above 50% of oxygen uptake reserve (VO2R). Methods: 32 males [mean(SD) age 22.3(2.2), VO2PEAK 3.38(0.59)] participated in the investigation. All subjects performed a load-incremented VO2PEAK test and a 20-min, SS exercise trial on a cycle ergometer. One week later, subjects performed the IMP exercise trial. Subjects in the experimental group (n=16) were unaware that the IMP intensity was the same as that previously self-selected. These subjects were told the intensity was "selected by the investigators." Control subjects (n=16) were aware that the intensity of the IMP trial was the same as the SS trial. The affective response measured using Feeling Scale ratings (FS-R) was obtained prior to, during, and following the SS and IMP trials. AFS-R values, calculated by subtracting FS-R estimated during the SS trial from that of the IMP trial at each time point, were analyzed using a mixed-model ANOVA. The proportion of subjects who self-selected intensities above 50% VO2R was tested using a chi-squared analysis. Results: The ANOVA revealed no significant main effects or interaction. The chi-squared analysis revealed that a significant (p<0.05) proportion of subjects (28 of 33) self-selected exercise intensities above 50% VO2R. Conclusions: In the current investigation, theTHE INDEPENDENT EFFECT OF SELF-SELECTED VERSUS IMPOSED EXERCISE INTENSITY ON AFFECTLuke Haile, Ph. D.University of Pittsburgh, 20105affective response to SS and IMP exercise intensities of the same physical stimuli was similar, although there was a considerable amount of inter-individual variability. However, it was found that most subjects self-selected exercise intensities above a level determined by the American College of Sports Medicine to elicit health-fitness benefits. The prescription of SS exercise may be appropriate for young, recreationally active adult males.


The book contains studies from how participants of an educational development programme offered at the University of Economics in Bratislava and Masaryk University in Brno have integrated acquired knowledge and skills with their pedagogic practice. The chapters are written as case studies of good practice or case studies of problematic issues encountered in the participants' teaching. Relying on the relevant literature, each case study describes one or two pedagogic concepts that informed the change that the participant introduced in their teaching. The chapters are grouped according to a teaching challenge faced by the author and form five clusters (with two or three chapters each). A commentary by an external expert (educationalist) accompanies each group of chapters to highlight its theoretical and practical implications. The book is thus framed by a theory-to-practice link that is so vital to good educational development.


Bahaa Abdelmegid's novellas Saint Theresa and Sleeping with Strangers feature a range of intertwined relations: sexual, commercial, as neighbours, and as colleagues between Jews, Christians and Muslims in Egyptian society since 1967. This paper explores the implications of Abdelmegid's portrayal of Egyptian society, in which he celebrates its internal diversity whilst simultaneously warning of the dangers and disruptions of 'too much' hybridity and of over-familiarity with the 'Other'. I argue that Abdelmegid's Egyptian masculine is fragile, brittle, and under threat from a dissolute West and an extremist and inauthentic Islam. Abdelmegid articulates a modern warning to this frail masculinity, as well as to a more stable and worldly-wise feminine, about the dangers of undisciplined relationships with both Western culture and religious fundamentalism, both of which stray away from a real Egypt he constructs.


Abstract: Molluscan taphonomic patterns below the sediment-water interface in three freshwater shallow lakes from the Southeastern Pampa Plain, Argentina (Nahuel Rucá, Las Mostazas, and Los Carpinchos), were analyzed in order to explore the taphonomic alteration suffered by mollusks with depth and determine if this taphonomic alteration varied locally within lakes or between them. Short cores (approximately 30 cm) from littoral environment as well as open water were sampled in each lake. Nine mollusk species were identified: Heleobia parchappii, H. australis, Biomphalaria peregrina, Uncancylus concentricus, Musculium argentinum, Drepanotrema kermatoides, Succinea meridionalis, Antillorbis nordestensis, and Pomacea canaliculata. The highest percentage of moisture, organic matter and carbonates as well as less alkaline pH were recorded at the top of the cores and in littoral environments, indicating less favorable conditions for preservation. Results suggest that the taphonomically active zone occupies the first 10 cm below the sediment-water interface.


In a short sale, an investor sells a share of stock he does not own and profits when the price of the stock declines. A peculiar feature of short sales is the apparent increase in the number of shares of stock beneficially held by investors over and above the actual number of shares issued by the corporation. It has previously been noted that this may create problems in the execution of proxy votes. In this paper we illustrate a related problem in the prosecution of claims of securites fraud. We examine this problem using the recent case of Computer Learning Centers, Inc., (CLC) in which the number of short sales was extremely large. Plaintiffs in the Computer Learning Centers case proposed a class including all those who purchased CLC common stock from April 30, 1997 to April 6, 1998. Defendants opposed certification of the class, focusing on the large number of short sales and the resulting difficulty in establishing which members of the class actually had standing to sue. The court denied the motion for class certification. Although the court gave plaintiffs leave to amend the class, the case was settled before a new class was identified.


Channel equalization has been extensively studied as a method of combating ISI and ICI for high speed MIMO data communication systems. This dissertation focuses on optimal channel equalization in the presence of non-white observation noises with unknown PSD but bounded power-norm. A worst-case approach to optimal design of channel equalizers leads to an equivalent optimal H∞ filtering problem for the MIMO communication systems. An explicit design algorithm is derived which not only achieves the zero-forcing (ZF) condition, but also minimizes the RMS error between the transmitted symbols and the received symbols. The second part of this dissertation investigates the design of optimal precoders which minimize the bit error rate (BER) subject to a fixed transmit-power constraint for the multiple antennas downlink communication channels under the perfect reconstruction (PR) condition. The closed form solutions are derived and an efficient design algorithm is proposed. The performance evaluations indicate that the optimal precoder design for multiple antennas communication systems proposed herein is an attractive/reasonable alternative to the existing precoder design techniques.


Wireless local area networks (WLANs) have traditionally been used to transport only data, but are now being used to carry voice traffic as well as provided new combined voice and data services. Voice over WLANs also offers more flexibility than wired networks (changes to a WLAN don't require changes to installed wiring) and greater capacity than wired networks. This book provides a solid overview of voice over WLANs/VoIP (voice over internet protocol) technology, including voice coding, packet loss, delay and "jitter," and "echo" control. It shows how to combine both WLAN and VoIP technology to create effective voice over WLAN systems. * Gives complete details on integrating voice and data services on WLANs, including wide area networks* Explores quality of service (QoS) and security issues* Step-by-step descriptions of how to plan and implement voice over WLAN networks


We show that the specific subcellular distribution of H- and Nras guanosine triphosphate–binding proteins is generated by a constitutive de/reacylation cycle that operates on palmitoylated proteins, driving their rapid exchange between the plasma membrane (PM) and the Golgi apparatus. Depalmitoylation redistributes farnesylated Ras in all membranes, followed by repalmitoylation and trapping of Ras at the Golgi, from where it is redirected to the PM via the secretory pathway. This continuous cycle prevents Ras from nonspecific residence on endomembranes, thereby maintaining the specific intracellular compartmentalization. The de/reacylation cycle also initiates Ras activation at the Golgi by transport of PM-localized Ras guanosine triphosphate. Different de/repalmitoylation kinetics account for isoform-specific activation responses to growth factors.


HIV is a global public health threat and requires life-long, daily oral dosing to effectively treat. This pill burden often results in poor adherence to the medications. An injectable in situ forming implant with tuneable drug release kinetics would allow patients to replace some of their daily pills with a single infrequent injection. In this work, we investigate how the size of poly(N-isopropylacrylamide) (polyNIPAm) nanogels influences the long-acting release behaviour of the HIV drug lopinavir from an in situ forming implant. Four sizes of polyNIPAm nanogels were prepared with mean diameters of 65, 160, 310 and 450 nm as characterised by dynamic light scattering. These nanogels all displayed synergistic dual stimuli responsive behaviour by aggregating only upon heating above 31 °C at physiological ionic strength. Mixing the nanogels with solid drug nanoparticles (SDNs) of lopinavir and exposing this concentrated dispersion to physiological temperature and ionic strength resulted in the in situ formation of nanocomposite implants. Three different loadings of the SDNs (33, 50 and 66% w/w) with each of the nanogels were prepared. The drug release behaviour and stability of these nanocomposite implants were then assessed in vitro over 360 hours. All samples displayed a single phase of drug release and application of the Ritger-Peppas equation indicated Fickian diffusion. Nanocomposites with the lowest loading of SDNs (33%) showed a linear relationship between nanogel diameter and the dissolution constant. These results show an attractive method for tuning the release of lopinavir from in situ loading implants with high drug loadings.


The Northeast Coast of the United States faces the possible damaging effects of storm surge, waves, and wind due to Atlantic tropical and extratropical storms each year. Historically, there have been several significant storm events that produced substantial levels of damage to the region, most notably the Great Atlantic Hurricane of 1938, Hurricane Carol, Hurricane Bob, and most recently Hurricane Sandy (2012). The objective of this study was to develop an integrated modeling system that could be used as a forecasting tool to evaluate and communicate the risk coastal communities face from these aforementioned hazards. This system utilizes the ADvanced CIRCulation (ADCIRC) model for storm surge predictions and the Simulating WAves Nearshore (SWAN) model for the wave environment. The two models are tightly coupled, passing information to each other and computing over the same unstructured domain, allowing for the most accurate representation of the physical storm processes. The coupled SWAN+ADCIRC model was extensively validated for Rhode Island coastal waters, and has been set up to perform real-time forecast simulations. Modeled storm parameters are then passed to a coastal risk assessment tool. This tool is universally applicable, and generates spatial structural damage estimate maps on an individual structure basis for a specific study area. The required inputs are detailed information about the individual structures, inundation levels, and wave heights for the selected region. Additionally, an option for estimating wind damage to structures was incorporated. Once developed, the integrated coastal risk assessment system was tested and applied to Charlestown, a small vulnerable coastal town along the southern shore of Rhode Island. The developed system was tested for Hurricane Sandy and a synthetic 100-year storm. In both storm cases, a dune intact and dune eroded scenario were simulated. For the dune intact scenario the current dune profile present was used, while for the dune eroded case a 100-year storm dune eroded profile was used. The resulting damage maps for Charlestown clearly show that the dune eroded scenarios affected more structures, and increased the severity of the estimated damage. The system was also tested in forecast mode for two large Nor'Easters, Stella (March 2017) and Riley (March 2018). The results showed the coupled model performed well in forecast mode when compared to observations. Neither Nor'Easter produced damage to the study area, which was why the 100-year stormwas used as a hypothetical future storm. This coastal risk assessment system is unique because of its ability to provide real-time forecasting of structural damage to a region. Ideally, this system's estimated damage maps will be used by coastal zone and emergency managers to identify high risk areas in coastal communities, allowing for the determination of the best adaptation and mitigation strategies.


ABSTRACT A Management Procedure (MP) approach is proposed to assist in advising regarding the subdivision of the precautionary catch limit for krill among 15 small-scale management units (SSMUs) in the Scotia Sea to reduce the potential impact of fishing on land-breeding predators. The Spatial Multi-species Operating Model (SMOM) developed in Plaganyi and Butterworth (2006) is used as an operating model which simulates the "true" dynamics of the resource with tests across a wide range of scenarios for the underlying dynamics of the resource. Unlike static catch allocation options, the illustrative MPs developed here have a feedback structure, and hence are able to react and self-correct. It is important, as with the static allocation options, to ensure that the likely performances of these MPs in terms of low risk to predators within each SSMU are reasonably robust to the primary uncertainties about such dynamics. A MP module separate from the operating model contains the methods and rules that are used to subdivide the krill catch between SSMUs. Different MPs are then simulation tested with their performances being evaluated on the basis of a set of performance statistics which essentially compare the risks of reducing the abundances of predators (and krill) below certain levels, as well as the variability in future average krill catches per SSMU associated with each MP. The key assumption made here is that data will be regularly available in future to monitor the impact/s of different krill catch limits. For illustrative purposes, it is assumed that two main sources of data will be available for use in a MP: (1) indices of absolute or relative abundance, or performance of the various predators (i.e. the CEMP series), and (2) survey estimates of krill absolute or relative abundance per SSMU. The approach proposed is readily modified if, for example, no krill abundance indices are available. Given that "future" data are required as inputs to test a MP including feedback, these data are generated with random variation about their underlying values and assuming the same variance as estimated from the past data.


Body posture influences human and robots performance in manipulation tasks, as appropriate poses facilitate motion or force exertion along different axes. In robotics, manipulability ellipsoids arise as a powerful descriptor to analyze, control and design the robot dexterity as a function of the articulatory joint configuration. This descriptor can be designed according to different task requirements, such as tracking a desired position or apply a specific force. In this context, this paper presents a novel manipulability transfer framework, a method that allows robots to learn and reproduce manipulability ellipsoids from expert demonstrations. The proposed learning scheme is built on a tensor-based formulation of a Gaussian mixture model that takes into account that manipulability ellipsoids lie on the manifold of symmetric positive definite matrices. Learning is coupled with a geometry-aware tracking controller allowing robots to follow a desired profile of manipulability ellipsoids. Extensive evaluations in simulation with redundant manipulators, a robotic hand and humanoids agents, as well as an experiment with two real dual-arm systems validate the feasibility of the approach.


The renowned LuEsther T. Mertz Library of The New York Botanical Garden counts among its holdings many of the most beautiful and pioneering botanical and horticultural works ever created. More than eight centuries of knowledge, from the twelfth century to the present, are represented in the library's collection of over one million items. In this sumptuously illustrated volume, international experts introduce us to some of the library's most fascinating works-exceedingly rare books, stunning botanical artworks, handwritten manuscripts, Renaissance herbals, nursery catalogs, explorers' notebooks, and more. The contributors hold these treasures up for close inspection and offer surprising insights into their histories and importance. The diverse materials showcased in the volume reflect the creative efforts of eminent explorers, scientists, artists, publishers, and print makers. From the rare, illuminated pages of Pliny the Elder's Naturalis historia (1483), to the earliest book ever published on American insects (1797), to lovely etchings of the water gardens at Villa Pratolino in Florence (1600s), the Mertz Library holdings will inspire in readers a new appreciation for the extraordinary history of botany and its far-reaching connections to the worlds of science, books, art, and culture.


This book is an introduction to analytic number theory suitable for beginning graduate students. It covers everything one expects in a first course in this field, such as growth of arithmetic functions, existence of primes in arithmetic progressions, and the Prime Number Theorem. But it also covers more challenging topics that might be used in a second course, such as the Siegel-Walfisz theorem, functional equations of L-functions, and the explicit formula of von Mangoldt. For students with an interest in Diophantine analysis, there is a chapter on the Circle Method and Waring's Problem. Those with an interest in algebraic number theory may find the chapter on the analytic theory of number fields of interest, with proofs of the Dirichlet unit theorem, the analytic class number formula, the functional equation of the Dedekind zeta function, and the Prime Ideal Theorem. The exposition is both clear and precise, reflecting careful attention to the needs of the reader. The text includes extensive historical notes, which occur at the ends of the chapters. The exercises range from introductory problems and standard problems in analytic number theory to interesting original problems that will challenge the reader. The author has made an effort to provide clear explanations for the techniques of analysis used. No background in analysis beyond rigorous calculus and a first course in complex function theory is assumed.


Objective To systematically review interventional studies of the effects of alcohol consumption on 21 biological markers associated with risk of coronary heart disease in adults without known cardiovascular disease. Design Systematic review and meta-analysis. Data sources Medline (1950 to October 2009) and Embase (1980 to October 2009) without limits. Study selection Two reviewers independently selected studies that examined adults without known cardiovascular disease and that compared fasting levels of specific biological markers associated with coronary heart disease after alcohol use with those after a period of no alcohol use (controls). 4690 articles were screened for eligibility, the full texts of 124 studies reviewed, and 63 relevant articles selected. Results Of 63 eligible studies, 44 on 13 biomarkers were meta-analysed in fixed or random effects models. Quality was assessed by sensitivity analysis of studies grouped by design. Analyses were stratified by type of beverage (wine, beer, spirits). Alcohol significantly increased levels of high density lipoprotein cholesterol (pooled mean difference 0.094 mmol/L, 95% confidence interval 0.064 to 0.123), apolipoprotein A1 (0.101 g/L, 0.073 to 0.129), and adiponectin (0.56 mg/L, 0.39 to 0.72). Alcohol showed a dose-response relation with high density lipoprotein cholesterol (test for trend P=0.013). Alcohol decreased fibrinogen levels (−0.20 g/L, −0.29 to −0.11) but did not affect triglyceride levels. Results were similar for crossover and before and after studies, and across beverage types. Conclusions Favourable changes in several cardiovascular biomarkers (higher levels of high density lipoprotein cholesterol and adiponectin and lower levels of fibrinogen) provide indirect pathophysiological support for a protective effect of moderate alcohol use on coronary heart disease.


While stream restorations are increasingly being adopted to mitigate sediment and nutrient inputs and to meet water quality regulatory targets, less information is available on the drivers behind the design, implementation, effectiveness, and cost of restorations. We address these issues for a $4.2 million stream restoration for legacy sediments implemented for a rural Piedmont stream in Maryland, USA. A total of 1668 m of stream was restored in three phases, which included the partial removal of legacy sediments, the grading of streambanks, floodplain creation, channel reshaping with meanders and pool-riffle forms, the raising of the stream bed, and the planting of riparian vegetation. The sediment, nitrogen, and phosphorus concentrations and fluxes were monitored before- and during the restoration phases. The sites selected for restoration had legacy sediments vulnerable to erosion and were on state-owned land. The restoration design was based on the need to maintain mature riparian trees and preserve existing sensitive wetland habitats. Water quality monitoring indicated that the sediment and nutrient fluxes increased during the restoration phase and were attributed to disturbance associated with construction activities and increased runoff. We also recommend that soil health needs to be included as an integral component to enhance the effectiveness and resilience of stream restorations.


GLQ: A Journal of Gay and Lesbian Studies, founded in 1993, offers an exemplary site for understanding the rise of queer theory, which, from the start, has struggled with the tension between institutionalization and radical resistance. By situating the emergence of this journal and queer theory in general within the AIDS crisis and the literary tradition of the elegy, this essay offers a reading of conventional academic practices as rituals of queer melancholia that comes to challenge the assumption of queer theory's secularity.


PURPOSE: The aim of this study was to determine trend-line patterns for efficiency in collegiate, competitive cyclists. METHODS: Subjects included 17male and 6 female (n=23) . Measures were the following: age (y), height (cm), weight (kg), maximal oxygen consumption (VO2max, mL*kg-1*min.-1), maximal heart rate (MHR, b*min.-1), blood lactate (BLa, mM) and maximal power (w). Subjects were fit, collegiate cyclists competing for Midwestern State University cycling team. Each subject performed a cycle ergometer test utilizing the Australian Institute of Sport (AIS) cycle ergometer protocol. Blood lactate was determined by removing 10μl each minute during the cycle ergometer test to volitional fatigue. Oxygen consumption (VO2, mL*kg-1*min.-1) per power output (watts) was calculated as metabolic efficiency (VO2*watts). Trend-line analysis was correlated with metabolic efficiency in response to VO2 per work at each stage . Statistical significance was set a priori at p < 0.05. Results: Mean (SD) demographic measures were the following: age (y) 22.8 (3.8); height (cm) 169.4 (16.9); weight (kg) 74.6 (5.20); Metabolic efficiency (VO2*watts) indicated a power curvilinear trend-line. Male data averaged across power output resulted in a mathematical power trend-line with a coefficient of determination of R2=.898. Female data averaged across power resulted in a power trend-line with a coefficient of determination of R2=.943. Conclusion: During the cycle ergometer test, cyclists exhibited an enhanced metabolic efficiency as work increased. However, trend-line analysis indicated a plateau as the subjects neared volitional fatigue.


Objective: To describe the reception of Visual Amharic in 3 schools for the Deaf in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. Design: Cued Speech enhances lip-reading by providing real-time visual representations of the phonemes of spoken English. This system was adapted to Amharic, the national language of Ethiopia, and taught in 3 weeklong workshops there. Results: Three weeklong workshops were provided with 6 months' intervals between. The first workshop had 39 attendees, the second had 57, and the third had 69 attendees. The first workshop's 39 attendees were24 Deaf students, 8 faculty, and 7 parents. The second workshop's 57 attendees were 12 Deaf students (2 new/10 returning), 44 faculty (37 new/7 returning), and 1 returning parent. The third workshop's attendees were 38 Deaf students and 31 teachers from 6 schools. Between the first and the second workshops 26 attendees (17 students, 7 faculty and 1 parent) reported on their use of Visual Amharic in a survey: All but 1 had used Visual Amharic since the workshop. Six students and 6 teachers had taught it to others. Conclusion: Cued Speech was adapted to Visual Amharic. Attendees were able to grasp its structure and begin it use after a weeklong introduction.


CONTEXT
Focal pulmonary lesions are commonly encountered in clinical practice, and positron emission tomography (PET) with the glucose analog 18-fluorodeoxyglucose (FDG) may be an accurate test for identifying malignant lesions.

OBJECTIVE
To estimate the diagnostic accuracy of FDG-PET for malignant focal pulmonary lesions.

DATA SOURCES
Studies published between January 1966 and September 2000 in the MEDLINE and CANCERLIT databases; reference lists of identified studies; abstracts from recent conference proceedings; and direct contact with investigators.

STUDY SELECTION
Studies that examined FDG-PET or FDG with a modified gamma camera in coincidence mode for diagnosis of focal pulmonary lesions; enrolled at least 10 participants with pulmonary nodules or masses, including at least 5 participants with malignant lesions; and presented sufficient data to permit calculation of sensitivity and specificity were included in the analysis.

DATA EXTRACTION
Two reviewers independently assessed study quality and abstracted data regarding prevalence of malignancy and sensitivity and specificity of the imaging test. Disagreements were resolved by discussion.

DATA SYNTHESIS
We used a meta-analytic method to construct summary receiver operating characteristic curves. Forty studies met inclusion criteria. Study methodological quality was fair. Sample sizes were small and blinding was often incomplete. For 1474 focal pulmonary lesions of any size, the maximum joint sensitivity and specificity (the upper left point on the receiver operating characteristic curve at which sensitivity and specificity are equal) of FDG-PET was 91.2% (95% confidence interval, 89.1%-92.9%). In current practice, FDG-PET operates at a point on the summary receiver operating characteristic curve that corresponds approximately to a sensitivity and specificity of 96.8% and 77.8%, respectively. There was no difference in diagnostic accuracy for pulmonary nodules compared with lesions of any size (P =.43), for semiquantitative methods of image interpretation compared with qualitative methods (P =.52), or for FDG-PET compared with FDG imaging with a modified gamma camera in coincidence mode (P =.19).

CONCLUSIONS
Positron emission tomography with 18-fluorodeoxyglucose is an accurate noninvasive imaging test for diagnosis of pulmonary nodules and larger mass lesions, although few data exist for nodules smaller than 1 cm in diameter. In current practice, FDG-PET has high sensitivity and intermediate specificity for malignancy.


The IWA Conference on Environmental Biotechnology: Advancement in Water and Wastewater Application in the Tropics, held in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia on 9-10 December 2003, was a peer-reviewed conference. It was specially organized for Malaysia and the Asia-Pacific region in collaboration between Universiti Teknologi Malaysia (UTM), the International Water Association (IWA), the Malaysia Water Association and the Malaysian Biotechnology Directorate. Papers presented in the conference covered current perspectives on the advancement of water and wastewater applications using environmental biotechnology, as well as methodologies, techniques, modelling, case studies, directions and other specific issues. The emphasis was also on its feasibility in developing countries. The conference also focussed on the biodegradation and bioconversion, health related microorganisms, microbial community structure and analysis, sludge reduction and material recovery, drinking water treatment and safety, nutrient removal and recovery, sensors, modelling and control, molecular techniques, integrated treatment concepts and biological nutrient removal for developing countries, particularly in the tropical region. Stock for this WEMS edition was damaged in transit to the IWA Publishing warehouse. A discount has therefore been applied to this title.


A cache memory (35) has a logical organisation in which its memory space is divided into sub-sections or partitions (P). This permits different data objects to be allocated to different partitions during the operation of the cache memory (35). Commands used by the cache memory (10) may contain an extra parameter which is used to identify the appropriate partition within the cache memory (35). The parameter is extracted from the command by a decoder (37) and is passed to a specific line of an equator set (38) which contains identifiers which determine the partition to be used. To minimise data collisions for a given partition size, a stride may be defined which expresses the separation of addresses and from which a mapping function can be selected which covers all addresses in the cache memory (35) in an efficient way.


This letter introduces a novel approach to rotation and scale invariant texture classification. The proposed approach is based on Gabor filters that have the capability to collapse the filter responses according to the scale and orientation of the textures. These characteristics are exploited to first calculate the homogeneous texture of images followed by the rearrangement of features as a two-dimensional matrix (scale and orientation), where scaling and rotation of images correspond to shifting in this matrix. The shift invariance property of discrete fourier transform is used to propose rotation and scale invariant image features. The performance of the proposed feature set is evaluated on Brodatz texture album. Experimental results demonstrate the superiority of the proposed descriptor as compared to other methods considered in this letter.


Given the fact that the pharmaceutical industry is a commonly studied sector in the context of innovation, the majority of innovation research is devoted to the developed markets known by high research and development (R&D) assets and intensive innovation. In contrast, in developing countries where R&D assets are very low, there is relatively little research to mention in the area of pharmaceutical sector innovation, characterized mainly by two principal elements which are the presence of foreign-owned firms and licensed manufacturing agreements between local firms and multinationals. With the scarcity of research in this field, this paper attempts to study the effect of these two elements on the firms' innovation tendencies. Other traditional factors that influence innovation, which are the age and the size of the firm, the R&D activities and the market structure, revealed in the literature review, will be included in the study in order to try to make this work more exhaustive. The study starts by examining innovation tendency in pharmaceutical firms located in developing countries before analyzing the effect of foreign-owned firms and licensed manufacturing agreements between local firms and multinationals on technological, organizational and marketing innovation. Based on the related work and on the theoretical framework developed, there is a probability that foreign-owned firms and licensed manufacturing agreements between local firms and multinationals have a negative influence on technological innovation. The opposite effect is possible in the case of organizational and marketing innovation. Keywords—Developing countries, foreign owned firms, innovation, licensed manufacturing agreements, pharmaceutical industry.


Summary Durvalumab is a programmed cell death ligand 1 inhibitor, which is now approved in Australia for use in non-small-cell lung and urothelial cancers. Autoimmune diabetes is a rare immune-related adverse effect associated with the use of immune checkpoint inhibitor therapy. It is now being increasingly described reflecting the wider use of immune checkpoint inhibitor therapy. We report the case of a 49-year-old female who presented with polyuria, polydipsia and weight loss, 3 months following the commencement of durvalumab. On admission, she was in severe diabetic ketoacidosis with venous glucose: 20.1 mmol/L, pH: 7.14, bicarbonate 11.2 mmol/L and serum beta hydroxybutyrate: >8.0 mmol/L. She had no personal or family history of diabetes or autoimmune disease. Her HbA1c was 7.8% and her glutamic acid decarboxylase (GAD) antibodies were mildly elevated at 2.2 mU/L (reference range: <2 mU/L) with negative zinc transporter 8 (ZnT8) and islet cell (ICA) antibodies. Her fasting C-peptide was low at 86 pmol/L (reference range: 200–1200) with a corresponding serum glucose of 21.9 mmol/L. She was promptly stabilised with an insulin infusion in intensive care and discharged on basal bolus insulin. Durvalumab was recommenced once her glycaemic control had stabilised. Thyroid function tests at the time of admission were within normal limits with negative thyroid autoantibodies. Four weeks post discharge, repeat thyroid function tests revealed hypothyroidism, with an elevated thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH) at 6.39 mIU/L (reference range: 0.40–4.80) and low free T4: 5.9 pmol/L (reference range: 8.0–16.0). These findings persisted with repeat testing despite an absence of clinical symptoms. Treatment with levothyroxine was commenced after excluding adrenal insufficiency (early morning cortisol: 339 nmol/L) and hypophysitis (normal pituitary on MRI). Learning points: Durvalumab use is rarely associated with fulminant autoimmune diabetes, presenting with severe DKA. Multiple endocrinopathies can co-exist with the use of a single immune checkpoint inhibitors; thus, patients should be regularly monitored. Regular blood glucose levels should be performed on routine pathology on all patients on immune checkpoint inhibitor. Clinician awareness of immunotherapy-related diabetes needs to increase in an attempt to detect hyperglycaemia early and prevent DKA.


Abstract Aphid predators are a systematically disparate group of arthropods united on the basis that they consume aphids as part of their diet. In Europe, this group includes Araneae, Opiliones, Heteroptera, chrysopids, Forficulina, syrphid larvae, carabids, staphylinids, cantharids and coccinellids. This functional group has no phylogenetic meaning but was created by ecologists as a way of understanding predation, particularly for conservation biological control. We investigated whether trait-based approaches could bring some cohesion and structure to this predator group. A taxonomic hierarchy-based null model was created from taxonomic distances in which a simple multiplicative relationship described the Linnaean hierarchies (species, genera, etc.) of fifty common aphid predators. Using the same fifty species, a functional groups model was developed using ten behavioural traits (e.g. polyphagy, dispersal, activity, etc.) to describe the way in which aphids were predated in the field. The interrelationships between species were then expressed as dissimilarities within each model and separately analysed using PROXSCAL, a multidimensional scaling (MDS) program. When ordinated using PROXSCAL and then statistically compared using Procrustes analysis, we found that only 17% of information was shared between the two configurations. Polyphagy across kingdoms (i.e. predatory behaviour across animal, plant and fungi kingdoms) and the ability to withstand starvation over days, weeks and months were particularly divisive within the functional groups model. Confirmatory MDS indicated poor prediction of aphid predation rates by the configurations derived from either model. The counterintuitive conclusion was that the inclusion of functional traits, pertinent to the way in which predators fed on aphids, did not lead to a large improvement in the prediction of predation rate when compared to the standard taxonomic approach.


My doctoral thesis uses Mahler's last two completed works, Das Lied von der Erde and the Ninth Symphony, in order to demonstrate that recent approaches to the analysis of late- Romantic music are still dependent on ideas which are themselves a product of Romantic ideology. Typically, the musical practice of the late-nineteenth century (and after) is characterised in terms of its subversive relationship with the music which preceded it, most notably music of the Classical period. To avoid falling in with this Romantic narrative of subversive mastery, the thesis carries out a close analytical reading of the music, but in the context of late-Romantic aesthetics. So, Mahler's actual practice in cadence formation is continually related to the aesthetics of the late-Romantic period as embodied in Mahler's own writings and reported comments. From the perspective of this late-Romantic aesthetic, a cadence which is considered subversive by Classical norms can be seen as normative, whilst equally, a cadence in a late-Romantic work which is normative from a Classical perspective, has a more complex relationship with the music which surrounds it. Romantic ideology is also apparent in a number of analyses of these works and these demonstrate that the perceived coherency of these works is based on aspects of Romantic ideology which are still embedded in twenty-first-century culture. Thus, I trace the influence of the Kantian and Schopenhauerian conceptions of the Sublime on responses to the end of Das Lied. By demonstrating that the organisation of the music at the close of this work does have a direct relationship with these concepts, this then shows why the openness of Das Lied's ending appears coherent. By contrast, the Ninth has no such simple relationship and this explains the difficulties which commentators often have with the ending of this work.


The aim of this paper was to investigate geographic patterns of tenebrionid (Coleoptera Tenebrionidae) endemicity on the Aegean Islands (Greece). These beetles are known to have an impressive non adaptive radiation on the Aegean Islands. Levels of endemism appeared poorly influenced by present geography or island shape, while past land configurations appeared to have a major role, as expected for flightless beetles, more affected by past vicariance events than by present dispersal. Extinction events observed in the study area exceeded largely those which a model based on the species-area relationship could predict even for a disproportionate amount of area (habitat) loss, possibly as a consequence of the particular relict condition of the Aegean fauna.


We present a total of 59 new data points of run-up of the 2004 Sumatra tsunami in the Comoros and Tanzania, surveyed in 2006 to 2008 by International Tsunami Survey Teams. Run-up along the northeastern coast of Grande Comore reached 6.9 m, surpassed only in the western Indian Ocean by the catastrophic values in Somalia (9 m). Tsunami inundation in Mayotte, and to a lesser extent Zanzibar, show considerable variations (from 1 to 4 m), attributed to the influence of the local structure of the reef surrounding these islands. By contrast, the unreefed islands of Anjouan and Moheli, and the mainland coast of Tanzania around Dar-es-Salaam, feature more consistent values in the 2 to 3 m range. The death toll in Tanzania is revised upwards to an estimate of at least 20. This new dataset complements the ones previously published for other western Indian Ocean shores, from Oman to South Africa.

We then use the MOST code to simulate the propagation on the high seas of both the 2004 tsunami, and of potential future tsunamis under scenarios of mega-earthquakes rupturing in the South Sumatra region; in particular, we consider the case of the great 1833 Mentawai earthquake, and of a probable future event releasing the strain accumulated on the 1833 rupture area but not released during the 2007 Bengkulu earthquake. While these studies are not carried to the full extent of run-up calculations at individual sites, they give a general estimate of expectable hazard, relative to 2004, under the relevant scenarios, at 19 offshore virtual gauges strategically located from Oman to South Africa. In general, the fragmentation of rupture expressed by the relatively moderate 2007 Bengkulu event leads to wave amplitudes smaller than in 2004 under the most probable future scenario, but at specific sites, including Port Elizabeth, unfavourable conditions such as a high tide could bring run-up to higher levels, with potential for serious destruction. Under the worst-case scenario of a rupture extending southeast of the 1833 fault zone, run-up greater than in 2004 could be expected at all sites south of the Comoros.


The determinants of the dramatic increase in the use of employee stock options in the 1990s and the subsequent decline in their popularity have been the subject of intense debate. Some have argued and found evidence to support that the discretion granted to firms to avoid recognizing the fair value of options as an expense led to their overuse for employee compensation. Others have argued and found evidence that the market "sees through" the accounting treatment for options and values firms as though options were expensed at fair value, regardless of financial statement treatment. We revisit this issue with the benefit of post-SFAS 123R data and the addition of controls for key economic and labor market factors that prior research has shown to influence option grants. Our analysis focuses on nonexecutive options, as such grants comprise almost 90% of employee option grants. We follow Carter et al. (2007) in measuring firm-level propensity to avoid expense recognition (financial reporting concerns). We do not find an association between financial reporting concerns and employee option grants after controlling for the relevant economic/labor market factors. Our analysis of change in option use over 1995-2007 shows that changes in option grants are associated with corresponding changes in economic determinants. Finally an examination of change in option use subsequent to the mandatory adoption of SFAS 123R shows that firms with a higher level of reporting concerns prior to adoption experienced a comparable reduction in options relative to firms with a lower level of reporting concerns. Overall, the results suggest that the role of accounting in influencing employee option grants has likely been overstated, and the dead-weight economic costs from overuse of options appear to be less than widely perceived.


This paper reviews the policy response to the 2007–09 financial crisis from the perspective of a senior Treasury official at the time. Government agencies faced severe constraints in addressing the crisis: lack of legal authority for potentially helpful financial stabilization measures, a Congress reluctant to grant such authority, and the need to act quickly in the midst of a market panic. Treasury officials recognized the dangers arising from mounting foreclosures and worked to facilitate limited mortgage modifications, but going further was politically unacceptable because public funds would have gone to some irresponsible borrowers. The suddenness of Bear Stearns' collapse in March 2008 made rescue necessary and led to preparation of emergency options should conditions worsen. The Treasury saw Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac's rescue that summer as necessary to calm markets, despite the moral hazard created. After Lehman Brothers failed in September, the Treasury genuinely intended to buy illiquid securities from troubled institutions but turned to capital injections as the crisis deepened.


Objective: We examined how probability of conviction affects the maximum plea sentence mock defendants will accept. Hypothesis: Relying on Prospect Theory (Kahneman & Tversky, 1979), we hypothesized that, relative to the expected value of trial, participants would need increasingly better sentences as conviction probability increased and would settle for sentences worse than the expected value of trial when probability was very low. Method: We manipulated conviction probability and potential trial sentence in a series of three between-subjects experiments, with Amazon Mechanical Turk participants assigned to the role of guilty defendants. Participants were majority White (75-82%) and non-Hispanic (92-94%); approximately half (45-51%) identified as female. Study 1 (N = 681) explored the effects of conviction probability (.05, .15, .50, .85, .90) and potential trial sentence (5, 20 years) on the maximum sentence accepted in exchange for a plea. Study 2 (N = 343; X¯age = 37.5) clarified results of Study 1 for the upper range of probabilities for two potential trial sentences (5, 10 years). Study 3 (N = 1,035; X¯age = 37.6) replicated the effects of probability (.05, .10, .15, .50, .85, .90) and potential trial sentence (5, 10 years). Results: Across all three studies, participants wanted increasingly better deals (relative to the expected value of trial) as conviction probability increased. For example, in Study 3, when probability of conviction was 0.90, plea sentences were, on average, 58% better than the expected value of trial; in contrast, when the probability was 0.05, sentences that were nearly 4 times the expected value of trial were acceptable. Conclusions: The most commonly used model of plea decision-making, Shadow of the Trial (SOT) (Mnookin & Kornhauser, 1979), assumes a direct and constant linear relationship between conviction probability and plea sentence. In contrast, our data suggest that the way conviction probability affects mock defendants' appraisals of plea offers may change across the probability spectrum. These results can facilitate development of a more comprehensive model of plea decision-making. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2021 APA, all rights reserved).


This paper makes three contributions to the existing literature. First, it provides descriptive evidence on gender differentials by education level in the US labor market over the last twenty years. Second, it uses the structural estimation of a search model of the labor market to identify and quantify the impact of employers' prejudice on labor market gender differentials. Third, it connects both the descriptive and the analytical findings to recent policy interventions in the US labor market and presents some policy experiments. The results show that prejudice may still have a role in explaining the evidence on gender differentials and there is at least one scenario where the possibility of the presence of prejudiced employers in the labor market has substantial effects. In particular, it is responsible for the reversal of the returns to schooling ranking in recent years and it may explain up to 44% of the gender wage gap of the top education group (Master and PhD) in 2005. Since prejudice is still important, policy interventions may be effective in attaining both efficiency and welfare gains. The paper is in favor of implementing an affirmative action policy because it is frequently able to close the gender gap without reducing overall welfare and because it is effective in targeting the group that should take center stage in the future debate about gender differentials: high-skilled, high-earners workers, who also have family responsibilities.


I. INTRODUCTION When First Amendment lawyers wax eloquent about freedom of speech, they almost invariably turn to New York Times v. Sullivan,(1) a decision that unquestionably qualifies as a First Amendment icon. Sullivan involved a defamation claim against the New York Times and several civil rights leaders for an advertisement printed in the Times that condemned the conduct of the Montgomery, Alabama police force.(2) When free speech devotees mention Sullivan, they almost invariably quote the following passage from Justice Brennan's opinion for the Court: [W]e consider this case against the background of a profound national commitment to the principle that debate on public issues should be uninhibited, robust, and wide-open.(3) The Sullivan case dealt primarily with a mass media entity, the New York Times,(4) and media organizations have been the most zealous guardians of Sullivan and its progeny--virtually every major United States Supreme Court defamation case has involved a media defendant. Discussions in the mass media, such as newspapers, television, radio, and magazines, may reflect a somewhat diverse array of perspectives, but most of these channels of communication are controlled by sizeable organizations.(5) Size often leads to expression of conventional viewpoints, not the "uninhibited, robust, and wide-open" debate celebrated in Sullivan.(6) The Internet has, in many ways, moved society closer to the ideal Justice Brennan set forth so eloquently in Sullivan. It has not only made debate on public issues more "uninhibited, robust, and wide-open," but has similarly invigorated discussion of non-public issues. By the same token, the Internet has empowered smaller entities and even individuals, enabling them to widely disseminate their messages and, indeed, reach audiences as broad as those of established media organizations.(7) For example, in April 2000, a wildly inaccurate summary of New York Mets Manager Bobby Valentine's comments to a group of students at the Wharton School was posted on the Internet by one of the students. The student, who adopted "Brad34" as his Internet name, had no journalistic training nor work experience for any news organization that would attempt to ensure the accuracy of his material. Brad34's concededly "inventive" summary of Valentine's remarks caused such controversy that the Mets General Manager flew to Pittsburgh to confront Valentine regarding his alleged statements. Sportswriter George Vecsey succinctly described the incident's denouement--"After four days, the Mets sorted out this foray into the wonderful world of the Web, where anybody with a mouse can be Matt Drudge."(8) A second example involved renowned fashion designer Tommy Hilfiger. Internet postings "reported" two appearances of the designer. During the first, an interview on CNN's Style With Elsa Klensch, Hilfiger allegedly asserted that Asians did not look good in his clothes. During the second interview, which reportedly took place on an episode of Oprah, Hilfiger allegedly made a similar comment regarding African Americans. Though the reports were widely disseminated and ultimately prompted a public denial by Hilfiger, it turned out that not only had Hilfiger not made the comments, but he had never appeared on either show.(9) The very "uninhibited, robust, and wide-open" nature of the Internet illustrated by the previous episodes, as well as others,(10) has provoked varied attempts to control speech on the Internet. Among such efforts is the promotion of filtering software,(11) for use not just by private individuals, but by public libraries as well.(12) The demand for filters mostly stems from concerns about sexually explicit material,(13) even though filters have been developed for other uses, such as blocking sites containing racially and ethnically derogatory speech.(14) The controversy swirling around the use of filtering software by public libraries raises issues that, as this Article will argue, have yet to be resolved satisfactorily. …


Trust in the workplace has been linked to higher levels of organizational performance and competitiveness. The imperative of variants of trust among a spectrum of institutional types, including colleges and universities, has been deemed to be considered essential for organizational effectiveness, stability and continuity. One variant, organizational trust, may be a particularly important factor during periods of exigency where exogenous forces may function to punctuate organizational equilibrium. This study focuses on organizational trust and associated variables (empowerment, resistance to change, support for innovation, interpersonal conflict, and demographics) as perceived by faculty in the work environment of Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs). HBCUs and their faculties have received minor attention in terms of research related to the focal variables in this study. The study depended on an existing database that included perceived responses of faculty at HBCUs to structured items included in survey measures. Selected variables included in the study model were considered. Some 3,070 faculty members working in 73 HBCUs throughout the United States provided the data included in this study. Secondary analyses revealed that higher levels of empowerment, higher levels of support for innovation, and lower levels of interpersonal conflict were associated with higher levels of organizational trust. The relationship between perceptions of empowerment and organizational trust, moreover, was influenced significantly by levels of resistance to change and support for innovation. Implementable strategies associated with study findings were commended for initiatives designed to strengthen organizational trust in the


The forest fire model in statistical physics represents a paradigm for systems close to but not completely at criticality. For large tree growth probabilities p we identify periodic attractors, where the tree density ρ oscillates between discrete values. For lower p this self-organized multistability persists with incrementing numbers of states. Even at low p the system remains quasiperiodic with a frequency ≈p on the way to chaos. In addition, the power-spectrum shows 1/f^{2} scaling (Brownian noise) at the low frequencies f, which turns into white noise for very long simulation times.


Irrelevant background speech impairs cognitive capabilities such as writing. Laboratory studies wherein participants were tested alone in sound attenuated rooms, showed that ordinary speech, even with relatively low intelligibility (Keus van de Poll, Ljung, Odelius, Sorqvist, 2014), is more distracting than meaningless speech (Sorqvist, Nostl, & Halin, 2012). Yet, so far research has paid little attention to the manifestation of these effects in classroom environments. The aim of the present study was to investigate the effects of irrelevant background speech on writing in a realistic classroom setting. The hypothesis was that irrelevant background speech would have distracting effects on text production, especially on writing fluency and typing errors. In an experimental within-subjects design, college students (in groups of 10-12 participants), sitting in a classroom, were asked to write short essays (5 minutes per essay) in the software program scriptlog. One essay was written in silence and one in the presence of background speech. As expected, background speech had a (slight) effect, although more participants are needed to increase the experimental power. Comparisons with previous studies on the effects of speech on writing are made and future directions are discussed.


OBJECTIVE
Budgetary constraints often limit practicing psychiatrists from conducting more thorough diagnostic evaluations. This study examined physicians' diagnosing and prescribing practices in the context of feedback from nurse-administered, structured clinical interviews of psychiatric patients in publicly funded outpatient mental health settings.

METHODS
A randomized controlled trial was conducted of newly enrolled adult psychiatric patients who made at least one return visit for care at two county-supported outpatient clinics. Within two weeks after their intake psychiatric evaluation, patients were randomly assigned to receive a nurse-administered Structured Clinical Interview for DSM-IV-Clinician Version (SCID) (N=158) or to a control condition (N=138). The attending psychiatrist was provided with the SCID results. Abstracts from clinical records were used to measure differences in physicians' rates of ordering additional diagnostic evaluations, changing diagnoses, and changing types and dosages of medications at three- and six-month follow-ups.

RESULTS
Physicians treating patients who received SCIDs, compared with control patients, were more likely to order evaluative procedures, update and change diagnosis (consistent with SCID results), and change prescription medication type and were less likely to increase patients' medication dosages.

CONCLUSION
Nurse-administered structured clinical interviews are feasible and effectively help psychiatrists in publicly supported mental health clinics reach more accurate diagnoses for newly enrolled patients.


This article proceeds in the structuralist tradition, which Professor Charles Black describes as "the method of inference from the structure and relationships created by the Constitution." The article takes a structural approach to the Establishment Clause: it reexamines the theoretical foundations of disestablishment, and infers a constitutional structure designed to create a dialectical relationship between political institutions and social institutions. The structural thesis requires that our political institutions safeguard individual liberty of conscience by bracketing all religious questions. The antithesis ensures the existence of free and independent social organizations dedicated to building public virtue. The article then applies the structural model to two modern Establishment controversies: the funding of faith-based charities, and religious speech in public schools. The first application concludes that aid to religious charities violates the constitutional structure by injecting political motives and restrictions into the life of important social institutions. The second application concludes that public schools are actually social institutions that public aid has transformed into political institutions. While, theoretically, schools should not receive state funding, this article makes the (somewhat) less radical suggestion that we simply allow them to act as free and independent social institutions: that is, allow them to present whatever moral or religious messages they choose.


One of the more remarkable public relations successes of the past two decades can be seen in the way neoliberals, and other supporters of an unfettered market economy, have portrayed their school reform efforts as in the interest of people otherwise excluded from the economy and the political process. A widely viewed film like Waiting for Superman , with its vilification of educators and public schools, suggests that only through the expansion of competition and privatization can the children of black and Latino working-class families be given learning opportunities that will allow them to participate in the American Dream. Thirty years ago, it was progressive educators and policymakers who stood by this constituency, arguing that schools were not fulfilling their social responsibility in providing an equitable education for all children. Now such educators and policymakers are portrayed as the defenders of a status quo that has failed to meet the needs of lower-income and non-white students.… Pauline Lipman's 2011 volume, The New Political Economy of Urban Education: Neoliberalism, Race, and the Right to the City , with its careful, on-the-ground examination of recent school reform efforts in Chicago, provides a comprehensive and illuminating analysis of how this has happened along with ways to circumvent policy initiatives that are eroding the integrity of an educational system that for a century-and-a-half has been a defining feature of U.S. life and democracy. This article can also be found at the Monthly Review website , where most recent articles are published in full. Click here to purchase a PDF version of this article at the Monthly Review website.


Heavy-metal contamination of sediments within river systems is a major environmental problem around the world. Deposited as a by-product of metal mining, contaminated sediments are persistent and widespread, frequently affecting large areas of floodplains, which makes precise assessments of contamination levels and patterns difficult. This paper describes findings from a new, generic, catchment sediment model called TRACER, which uses historical mining records to accurately predict present-day and future levels and patterns of contamination. This model provides detailed views of the extent of contami- nation and demonstrates how contaminated sediments form into ''hot spots,'' which in turn become secondary sources of pollution. The exceptional longevity of the contamina- tion is also revealed; .70% of the deposited contaminants remain within the river system for .200 yr after mine closure. Simulations of the impact of future climate changes in northern England show that increased flood magnitudes are likely to decrease surface contamination through dilution by cleaner sediment from hillslopes unaffected by mining activity.


This paper investigates three-phase, component-wise real and reactive distribution locational marginal pricing (DLMP). Through the use of case studies, mixtures of positive and negative, as well as real and reactive, DLMP components are explored in detail. A modified three-phase unbalanced 69-node PG & E system is used to demonstrate the validity of the three-phase real and reactive DLMP model. Results emphasize the importance of three-phase pricing schemes and reactive power pricing. The results also indicate the DLMP mechanism can potentially assist in balancing power across phases. DLMP can serve as an economic price signal to efficiently operate the system while minimizing losses, voltage violations, congestion, and imbalances across all phases.


Objective: To examine the occurrence, benefits, and preferences for peer assisted learning (PAL) in medical and allied health clinical education, and to identify areas in athletic training which need further research. Data Sources: Using relevant term s, five databases were searched for the period 1980-2006 regarding literature on the use of PAL in medical and allied health education programs. Data Synthesis: We reviewed over 40 articles on the use of PAL in nursing, physical therapy, occupational therapy, medicine, athletic training, and higher education. It is apparent that PAL is a commonly used educational strategy that offers mutual benefits to participating students. Conclusions/Recommendations: Research is warranted regarding the preferences for and occurrence and benefits of planned and unplanned PAL from the perspective of program administrators, clinical instructors, and students. These m ultiple perspectives will allow for a more compl ete understanding of PAL in athletic training clinical education, laying the groundwork for future studies comparing student learning outcomes in ATEPs with planned PAL to those with unplanned PAL.


CCNLab is a benchmark for evaluating computational cognitive neuroscience models on empirical data. As a starting point, its focus is classical conditioning, which studies how animals predict reward and punishment in the environment. CCNLab includes a collection of simulations of seminal experiments expressed under a common API, as wells as tools for visualizing and comparing simulated data with empirical data. CCNLab is broad, incorporating representative experiments from different categories of phenomena; flexible, allowing the straightforward addition of new experiments; and easy-to-use, so researchers can focus on developing better models. We envision CCNLab as a testbed for unifying computational theories of learning in the brain. We also hope that it can broadly accelerate neuroscience research and facilitate interaction between the fields of neuroscience, psychology, and artificial intelligence.


The authors explore the priorities for American physical education in the 21st century and reconsider the role of physical education teacher education. Purpose: This chapter will discuss the potential intersection of kinesiology, physical education, and public health with the assumption that their selective integration has the potential to stimulate the development of innovative pedagogical practices and new program designs. Method: A narrative summary of published works was used to support the rationale for reciprocal selective integration to increase the impact of physical education, kinesiology, and public health efforts to enhance health and well-being. Results: The practices and programs should be specialized and pedagogically focused to advance integrative, community-based approaches designed to achieve the national physical education standards and improve health and well-being. These new approaches are timely and essential in schools and communities, especially those where children and families experience adversity. Discussion/Conclusion: There are many ways in which selective integration can transpire. A redesign of physical education teacher education is warranted and timely.


Ring oscillators (ROs) are popular due to their small area, modest power, wide tuning range, and ease of scaling with process technology. However, their use in many applications is limited due to poor phase noise and jitter performance. Thermal noise and flicker noise contribute jitter that decreases inversely with oscillation frequency. This paper describes a frequency-boost technique to reduce jitter in ROs. We boost the internal oscillation frequency and introduce a frequency divider following the oscillator to maintain the desired output frequency. This approach offers reduced jitter as well as the opportunity to trade off output jitter with power for dynamic performance management. The oscillator has 32 operating modes, corresponding to different values for the ring size and frequency division. In a 0.5-μm CMOS process, the highest oscillation frequency achieved is 25 MHz with a root-mean-square period jitter of 54 ps and a power consumption of 817 μW at 5 V supply. A jitter model for current-starved oscillators was derived and verified by measurement; a direct relationship between oscillation frequency and jitter was derived and measured. Compared with other oscillators, this design achieves the highest performance in terms of jitter per unit interval and figure-of-merit. The performance is expected to improve in more advanced technologies. The results are summarized to offer design guidance based on the frequency-boost technique.


Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) is a common, chronic disorder that leads to decreased health-related quality of life and work productivity.Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) is a gastrointestinal (GI) disorder characterized by altered bowel habits in association with abdominal discomfort or abdominal pain, diarrhea, constipation or a combination of both diarrhea and constipation, mucus discharge along with stools and changes in the form (appearance) of stools in the absence of detectable structural and biochemical abnormalities. Stress and emotions can strongly affect the colon. If you are feeling mentally or emotionally tense, angry or overwhelmed this can trigger colon spasms in people with IBS. These strong muscle contractions can result from mental stress because the nerves that control the normal rhythmic contractions of the colon are connected to the brain some suggestions for stress reduction are to get an adequate amount of sleep, meditation and yoga. The pathophysiology of IBS is not clear. Many theories have been put forward, but the exact cause of IBS is still uncertain. The complexity and diversity of IBS presentation makes treatment difficult. Although there are reviews and guidelines for treating IBS, they focus on the efficacy of medications for IBS symptoms there for the homoeopathic medicine is more effective in IBS if patient is treated with the individual medicine for individual patient.


OBJECTIVE
To investigate the polymorphisms in the promoter region of the B lymphocyte stimulator (BLyS) gene as markers of response to rituximab (RTX) in rheumatoid arthritis (RA).

METHODS
The study was first conducted in 152 Italian RA patients and then replicated in an additional 117 RA patients (73 Italian, 44 British). The European League Against Rheumatism response criteria were used to evaluate the response rate at months 4 and 6 after the first cycle of RTX, by means of the Disease Activity Score in 28 joints using the erythrocyte sedimentation rate; patients were classified according to the best response shown between months 4 and 6. BLyS promoter polymorphisms were analyzed by polymerase chain reaction followed by the analysis of the restriction fragments, BLyS promoter haplotypes were analyzed using the expectation-maximization algorithm, and BLyS serum levels were analyzed using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. Odds ratios (ORs) were calculated with 95% confidence intervals (95% CIs).

RESULTS
The TTTT BLyS promoter haplotype appeared to be significantly associated with response to RTX only in the subset of seropositive patients (those positive for rheumatoid factor and/or anti-cyclic citrullinated peptide). The replication study confirmed that this association was limited to seropositive RA patients in whom treatment with anti-tumor necrosis factor (anti-TNF) agents had previously failed. In the whole series of seropositive patients in whom anti-TNF agents had previously failed, patients carrying the TTTT BLyS promoter haplotype were more prevalent in good responders (18 of 43 [41.9%]) than in moderate responders (20 of 83 [24.1%]) or in nonresponders (1 of 21 [4.8%]) (for good responders versus nonresponders, OR 14.4 [95% CI 1.77-117.39], P=0.0028). Furthermore, multivariate analysis selected the TTTT BLyS promoter haplotype as an independent marker of good response to RTX (for good responders versus nonresponders, OR 16.2 [95% CI 1.7-152.5], P=0.01; for good responders versus moderate responders and nonresponders combined, OR 3.1 [95% CI 1.2-7.8], P=0.02). The relationship between BLyS polymorphisms and BLyS serum levels remained unclear.

CONCLUSION
BLyS promoter genotyping may be suitable for identifying seropositive RA patients who may have a good response to RTX after anti-TNF agents have failed.


This work deals with electronic states and infrared spectra for benzamide and di-chlorine benzamide molecules from density functional theory calculations. The calculations are carried out using B3LYP/6-31G level of theory. The results showed the lowest unoccupied molecular orbital in all molecules are greater than the higher occupied molecular orbital, these structures need high energy to donating an electron. Para di-chlorine benzamide molecule has the lowest energy gap. The vibrational modes of the molecule have been increased with increasing of bonds with new peaks in low range of frequency were appear due to presence of amin subgroups in the molecule.


Project-based learning (PjBL - to distinguish from problem-based learning - PBL) has become a recurrent practice in K-12 classroom environments. As PjBL has become prominent in K-12 classrooms, it has also surfaced in post-secondary institutions.  The purpose of this paper is to examine the research that has studied a variety of science, technology, engineering and mathematic subjects using PjBL in post-secondary classrooms. Eleven articles (including qualitative, quantitative and mixed methods) were included.  The format includes: an introduction and background (which defines PjBL and STEM), research methods, quality appraisal used, results, and a discussion, future research and a conclusion.  Two tables and two figures are included. In this paper, theoretical backgrounds and key terms were identified, followed by a literature review discussing four themes: content knowledge, interdisciplinary skills, collaboration and skill development for future education and careers.  Results suggested that there is a positive connection between content knowledge learning and PjBL in collaborative settings.  Additionally, some negative perceptions arose regarding teamwork situations.  Interdisciplinary skills were achieved, but quite limited in post-secondary classrooms.  PjBL and STEM were perceived to be important for future education and careers.  Future research needs to be completed and institutional curriculum changes informed by the results of this research need to occur to further explore interdisciplinary courses and the use of PjBL.


In recent years, the shootings of unarmed African American men and boys by individuals with real or purported police authority have garnered significant public attention. Moreover, studies about these incidents have revealed stark contrasts in perspectives between African Americans and White Americans concerning jury decisions not to charge or not to convict the shooters, and the role that race may have played in these cases. Recent polls reveal that African Americans express significantly greater dissatisfaction with these jury decisions and often share the belief that race has played a role. While it is not possible to know the extent to which race actually impacted recent jury decisions, this article explains how matters of race can find their way into jurors' assessments of cases involving shootings of unarmed African American males. This essay focuses on what we now know about the role of stories in jury decision-making, and the opportunities that stories afford for jurors' pre-existing attitudes and beliefs, including their biases and prejudices, to factor into their evaluations of cases. Ultimately, this essay argues that the quality of justice and public perceptions would be improved if courts reconsider how they address bias and prejudice in the courtroom. It encourages courts to acknowledge the role that jurors' perspectives play in decision-making, and employ practices that raise jurors' awareness of their own biases and encourage the selection of jurors who bring diverse perspectives.


OBJECTIVE
The purpose of this study was to investigate the remineralization activation of the application of three fissure sealants (FSs), alone or with gaseous ozone (GO), on non-cavitated initial caries and evaluate the clinical success of FS.

STUDY DESIGN
Sixty children who had DIAGNOdent scores between 10-30 on bilateral symmetric mandibular first permanent molars were included in study. In a split-mouth design, teeth were assigned to experimental (with GO) and control (without GO) groups. GO was applied to teeth on one side and then the same brand of randomly selected FSs was applied to the teeth on both sides. Children were divided into 3 groups based on type of FS (Group 1: Aegis {Bosworth Co, North Hamlin Avenue Skokie, Illinois, USA}, Group 2: Fuji Triage {GC, Tokyo, Japan}, Group 3: Helioseal {Ivoclar Vivadent, Liechtenstein, Germany}). All FSs were then examined for retention rates at 1, 3, 6, 9, and 12 months; at the end of 12 months, all FSs were removed with an air-abrasion device and DIAGNOdent scores noted to compare with the initial values.

RESULTS
The application of GO with either Fuji Triage or Aegis FS was effective on remineralization (p<0.05); however, the application of Helioseal FSs was not effective (p>0.05). The 1(st) and 12(th) months' full retention rates of Fuji Triage FSs was a significant difference (p<0.05) from other FSs (Aegis and Helioseal) (p>0.05).

CONCLUSIONS
GO+Aegis FS showed the highest remineralization; and, at the end of 12 months, its clinical success was higher than other FSs.


The linear contextual bandit literature is mostly focused on the design of efficient learning algorithms for a given representation. However, a contextual bandit problem may admit multiple linear representations, each one with different characteristics that directly impact the regret of the learning algorithm. In particular, recent works showed that there exist"good"representations for which constant problem-dependent regret can be achieved. In this paper, we first provide a systematic analysis of the different definitions of"good"representations proposed in the literature. We then propose a novel selection algorithm able to adapt to the best representation in a set of $M$ candidates. We show that the regret is indeed never worse than the regret obtained by running LinUCB on the best representation (up to a $\ln M$ factor). As a result, our algorithm achieves constant regret whenever a"good"representation is available in the set. Furthermore, we show that the algorithm may still achieve constant regret by implicitly constructing a"good"representation, even when none of the initial representations is"good". Finally, we empirically validate our theoretical findings in a number of standard contextual bandit problems.


Many point indices have been developed to describe the El Nino/Southern Oscillation but the Multivariate ENSO Index (MEI) is considered the most representative since it links different meteorological parameters measured over the tropical Pacific. The monthly values of the positive feature of MEI (interval: 1950-2008) have been ranked as a catalogue of El Nino events according to a semi-quantitative strength index ranging from 1 to 6. Such a catalogue is shown to be scale invariant in respect both to strength index and to times of occurrence, suggesting that the ocean-atmosphere interaction phenomenon at the basis of El Nino belongs to the class of dynamical processes which are in a self-organized critical state.


Cachexia is characterised by a progressive weight loss due to depletion of both skeletal muscle and adipose tissue. The loss of adipose tissue is due to the production of a tumour-derived lipid mobilising factor (LMF), which has been shown to directly induce lipolysis in isolated epididymal murine white adipocytes. The administration of LMF to a non-tumour bearing mice produced a rapid weight loss, with a specific reduction in carcass lipid with also some redistribution of lipid with the accumulation of lipid in the liver. There was also up-regulation of uncoupling protein-1 and -2 mRNA and protein expression in brown adipose tissue, suggesting that an adaptive process occurs due to increased energy mobilisation. There was also up-regulation of UCP-2 in the livers of LMF treated mice, suggesting a protective mechanism to the build up of lipid in the livers, which would produce free radical by-products. LMF was also shown to stimulate cyclic AMP production in CHO-K1 cells transfected with human -3 adrenergic receptors and inhibited by the -β3 antagonist SR59230A. LMF binding was also inhibited by SR59230A in isolated receptors. This suggests that LMF mediates its effects through a β3 adrenergic receptor. There were also changes in glucose and fatty acid uptake in LMF treated mice, which suggests metabolic changes are occurring. The study suggests that a tumour derived lipolytic factor acts through the 3 adrenoceptor producing effects on lipid mobilisation, energy expenditure and glucose metabolism.


Diarmaid MacCulloch's epic, acclaimed history "A History of Christianity: The First Three Thousand Years" follows the story of Christianity around the globe, from ancient Palestine to contemporary China. How did an obscure personality cult come to be the world's biggest religion, with a third of humanity its followers? This book, now the most comprehensive and up to date single volume work in English, describes not only the main facts, ideas and personalities of Christian history, its organization and spirituality, but how it has changed politics, sex, and human society. Taking in wars, empires, reformers, apostles, sects, churches and crusaders, Diarmaid MacCulloch shows how Christianity has brought humanity to the most terrible acts of cruelty - and inspired its most sublime accomplishments. "A stunning tour de force". (Simon Sebag Montefiore, "Sunday Telegraph" Books of the Year). "A landmark in its field, astonishing in its range, compulsively readable, full of insight...It will have few, if any, rivals in the English language". (Rowan Williams, Archbishop of Canterbury, "Guardian"). "A prodigious, thrilling, masterclass of a history book". (John Cornwell, "Financial Times"). "Essential reading for those enthralled by Christianity and for those enraged by it". (Melvyn Bragg, "Observer", Books of the Year). "Magnificent ...a sumptuous portrait, alive with detail and generous in judgement". (Richard Holloway, "The Times"). Diarmaid MacCulloch is Professor of the History of the Church at Oxford University. His "Thomas Cranmer" won the Whitbread Biography Prize, the James Tait Black Prize and the Duff Cooper Prize. He is the author most recently of "Reformation: Europe's House Divided 1490-1700", which won the Wolfson Prize for History and the British Academy Prize.


Sex hormone-binding globulin (SHBG) is a glycoprotein responsible for the transport and biologic availability of sex steroid hormones, primarily testosterone and estradiol. SHBG has been associated with chronic diseases including type 2 diabetes (T2D) and with hormone-sensitive cancers such as breast and prostate cancer. We performed a genome-wide association study (GWAS) meta-analysis of 21,791 individuals from 10 epidemiologic studies and validated these findings in 7,046 individuals in an additional six studies. We identified twelve genomic regions (SNPs) associated with circulating SHBG concentrations. Loci near the identified SNPs included SHBG (rs12150660, 17p13.1, p = 1.8×10−106), PRMT6 (rs17496332, 1p13.3, p = 1.4×10−11), GCKR (rs780093, 2p23.3, p = 2.2×10−16), ZBTB10 (rs440837, 8q21.13, p = 3.4×10−09), JMJD1C (rs7910927, 10q21.3, p = 6.1×10−35), SLCO1B1 (rs4149056, 12p12.1, p = 1.9×10−08), NR2F2 (rs8023580, 15q26.2, p = 8.3×10−12), ZNF652 (rs2411984, 17q21.32, p = 3.5×10−14), TDGF3 (rs1573036, Xq22.3, p = 4.1×10−14), LHCGR (rs10454142, 2p16.3, p = 1.3×10−07), BAIAP2L1 (rs3779195, 7q21.3, p = 2.7×10−08), and UGT2B15 (rs293428, 4q13.2, p = 5.5×10−06). These genes encompass multiple biologic pathways, including hepatic function, lipid metabolism, carbohydrate metabolism and T2D, androgen and estrogen receptor function, epigenetic effects, and the biology of sex steroid hormone-responsive cancers including breast and prostate cancer. We found evidence of sex-differentiated genetic influences on SHBG. In a sex-specific GWAS, the loci 4q13.2-UGT2B15 was significant in men only (men p = 2.5×10−08, women p = 0.66, heterogeneity p = 0.003). Additionally, three loci showed strong sex-differentiated effects: 17p13.1-SHBG and Xq22.3-TDGF3 were stronger in men, whereas 8q21.12-ZBTB10 was stronger in women. Conditional analyses identified additional signals at the SHBG gene that together almost double the proportion of variance explained at the locus. Using an independent study of 1,129 individuals, all SNPs identified in the overall or sex-differentiated or conditional analyses explained ∼15.6% and ∼8.4% of the genetic variation of SHBG concentrations in men and women, respectively. The evidence for sex-differentiated effects and allelic heterogeneity highlight the importance of considering these features when estimating complex trait variance.


We assess the quantitative impact of firing costs on aggregate total factor productivity (TFP) in a dynamic general-equilibrium framework where the distribution of establishment-level productivity is not invariant to the policy. Firing costs not only generate static factor misallocation, but also a worsening of the productivity distribution contributing to large aggregate TFP losses. Firing costs equivalent to 5 year's wages imply a drop in TFP of more than 20 percent. Factor misallocation accounts for 20 percent of the productivity loss, a relatively small drop in TFP, whereas the remaining 80 percent arises from the endogenous change in the productivity distribution.


While most historical studies position Western birth control campaigns as arising out of the women's movement, this article suggests they were primarily eugenic, rather than feminist, even if many of the leading figures were women. Birth control gained support largely through its representation as a tool for (white) racial progress and population control, rather than as an issue of women's rights. Indeed, in the interwar years birth control and eugenics were so intertwined as to be synonymous. The article explores the Malthusian writings of Annie Besant; the remarkably similarly ways that Marie Stopes and Margaret Sanger promoted birth control as a eugenic tool; the support for birth control within both British and American eugenics organisations; and finally Australia's largest eugenic organisation, the Racial Hygiene Association, which founded the country's first birth control clinic in 1933 and later reinvented itself as the Family Planning Association. Recovering these links allows us to see how birth control was fundamentally linked to broader, transnational discussions of race and reproduction, and of how sex should be harnessed for racial purposes.


Medical ultrasound is widely used technique for diagnosing internal organs. As common artifacts, shadows often appear in ultrasound images. Detecting such shadows is curious because they prevent accurate diagnosis. In this paper, we propose a novel shadow detection method based on auto-encoding structure. It once separates an input image into a shadow image and a content image using two decoders and combines them to reconstruct the input. To lead the network into separating the input, we inject synthetic shadows into the input and make the network to predict them as the shadow image. Since we know the rough shape of shadows as basic domain knowledge, we can generate plausible shadows. These processes are achieved by using only unlabeled data. Experiments on ultrasound images for fetal heart diagnosis shows the effectiveness of the method.


The review presents current data on the prevalence of diabetes in the cohort of patients undergoing coronary artery bypass grafting. The relevance of active approach to the identification of diabetes and prediabetes in patients with coronary artery disease (CAD) before coronary revascularization is reviewed. Recent information about the negative impact of diabetes on the prognosis of myocardial revascularization is reported as well as the main mechanisms responsible to the development of adverse outcomes of interventions in these patients. Target perioperative values of glycemia recommended by the leading associations of the study of diabetes have been compared. Beneficial potential of other carbohydrate metabolism markers (glycated hemoglobin, fructosamine, 1,5-anhydroglucitol) in patients with diabetes mellitus (DM) in terms of their impact on cardiovascular prognosis, including coronary intervention. The results of studies comparing different management strategies for these patients are reviewed. The significance of carbohydrate metabolism compensation during myocardial revascularization is reported; thus, a too stringent glycemic control has no benefits neither for percutaneous nor for open coronary intervention. Recent trials suggest the groups of antidiabetic drugs and evidence of their impact on the cardiovascular system. The importance of comprehensive monitoring of major risk factors in diabetic patients with coronary intervention has been proved.


Multi‐temporal compositing of SPOT‐4 VEGETATION imagery over tropical regions was tested to produce spatially coherent monthly composite images with reduced cloud contamination, for the year 2000. Monthly composite images generated from daily images (S1 product, 1‐km) encompassing different land cover types of the state of Mato Grosso, Brazil, were evaluated in terms of cloud contamination and spatial consistency. A new multi‐temporal compositing algorithm was tested which uses different criteria for vegetated and non‐vegetated or sparsely vegetated land cover types. Furthermore, a principal components transformation that rescales the noise in the image—Maximum Noise Fraction (MNF)—was applied to a multi‐temporal dataset of monthly composite images and tested as a method of additional signal‐to‐noise ratio improvement. The back‐transformed dataset using the first 12 MNF eigenimages yielded an accurate reconstruction of monthly composite images from the dry season (May to September) and enhanced spatial coherence from wet season images (October to April), as evaluated by the Moran's I index of spatial autocorrelation. This approach is useful for land cover change studies in the tropics, where it is difficult to obtain cloud‐free optical remote sensing imagery. In Mato Grosso, wet season composite images are important for monitoring agricultural crop cycles.


Study and work operations are being transformed with the uses of technologies and are consequently becoming global. This paper outlines lessons learned based on the international study tour that Australian Bachelor of Information Systems students undertook. This research identifies that for the study tour to be successful, students need to gain skills that global citizens require. For example, students will need to gain an understanding of local cultures, local customs and habits. Furthermore, students would also need to gain an understanding of how a field of their future career expertise operates in the host country, how study and business are conducted internationally, which tools and technologies are currently being utilized on a global scale, what trends drive future developments world-wide and how business negotiations and collaborations are being undertaken across borders. Furthermore, this research provides a guide to educators who are planning, guiding and running study tours as it outlines the requirements of having a pre-tour preparatory session, carefully planned and executed tour itineraries and post-tour sessions during which students can reflect on their experiences and lessons learned so that they can apply them to future international business visits and ventures. Keywords—Global education, international experiences, international study tours, students as global citizens, student centered education.


This Special Issue devoted to 'The legal regulation of nanotechnologies' draws together contributions from some of the leading commentators in their respective fields. The Special Issue canvasses some of the most pressing philosophical, ethical and regulatory questions currently being debated around the world in relation to nanotechnologies and more specifically nanomaterials. At this relatively early stage of development, there is considerable scientific uncertainty, for example, about the potential human health and safety risks of some 'free' nanomaterials and their use. In addition to the potential risks associated with various products themselves, a number of commentators have also raised concerns about the potential occupational and environmental risks associated with the manufacture and disposal of certain classes of nano-based products. Looking beyond the scientific safety questions, commentators have also expressed concern about the potential reaction of consumers to the technology and the market realities therefore. Indeed, it is not a given that consumers will readily accept the use of nanomaterials in, for example, foods, even if they offer a 'superior' alternative to their conventional counterpart. Regulation has a significant impact on the development and trajectory of new technologies. Depending on its scope, applicability and interpretation it will affect research and development, types of products produced, commercialisation and finally consumption of the technology (and its products). This Special issue incorporates fourteen papers covering various aspects and issues pertaining to the theme across a number of jurisdictions.


Experience suggests that there is variability in the knowledge of medical and nursing staff with regard to informed consent. This includes the type of information given to patients to enable them to make an informed decision in the consent process, as suggested by Rose et al (2005). The purpose of this study is to explore the nature, indication and processes of informed consent in patients receiving ECT. The study used quantitative and qualitative methods including a questionnaire survey of ECT nurses in Scotland. The sample consisted of ECT consultants and ECT nurses at 24 ECT sites in Scotland and a user representative who also has knowledge of ECT. This ascertained their interpretation of their role in the consent process. The survey findings helped to inform the design of the modified Delphi study phase (Jones and Hunter 1995) of the project. This established the knowledge base required for patients to be considered fully informed to consent to ECT. Questionnaire data were analysed using SPSS (version 15.0 for Windows) and the knowledge base was synthesized utilizing a modified version of the Delphi consensus process. The benefit of the study is that a tool has been developed which can be administered by staff to confirm that the knowledge required for informed consent has been obtained in patients consenting to ECT. Practice can also be developed through increased awareness of informed consent so that each ECT treatment is administered in the context of fully informed consent.