Determination of auditory threshold was carried out under a response duration schedule of tone and/or light-dipper presentation. This schedule enabled an exact assessment of auditory sensitivity, since the direction and distance from rat to sound source were constant and the rat could thus acquire the conditioned behavior in a short time. The rat has to press the lever and hold it until a CS(tone and/or light) was presented. The animal could get water-reinforcement with release of the lever during the period of CS. The intensity of 3 KHz pure tone was reduced, from 110 dB (starting point), by 2 dB steps in each trial, until the subject made 3 non-response trials (i.e., no dipper approach within 0.7 sec after the tone onset) among 5 trials. The highest tone intensity among non-response trials was taken as the threshold. The auditory sensitivity of the rats with cotton-stuffed ears and the pierced eardrums decreased about 10 and 20 dB, respectively. The auditory sensitivity in rats was decreased by administration of streptomycin sulfate(SM), 300 mg/kg/day, i.m., in combination with ethacrynic acid(EA), 50 mg/kg/day, p.o., for forty days and in combination with EA, 100 mg/kg/day, p.o. for ten days. The auditory sensitivity was not influenced by administration of SM, 300 mg/kg/day, i.m., for forty days.


We report a subarcsecond penumbral transient brightening event with the high-spatial resolution observations from the 1.6 m New Solar Telescope (NST), Interface Region Imaging Spectrograph (IRIS), and the Solar Dynamics Observatory. The transient brightening, whose thermal energy is in the range of nanoflares, has signatures in the chromosphere, the transient region, and the corona. NST's Hα channel reveals the fine structure of the event with a width as narrow as 101 km (0.″14), which is much smaller than the width from the previous observation. The transient brightening lasts for about 3 minutes. It is associated with a redshift of about 17 km s−1, found in the Si iv 1402.77 Å line and exhibits an inward motion to the umbra with a speed of 87 km s−1. The small-scale energy released from the event has a multi-temperature component. Spectral analysis of the brightening region from IRIS shows that not only the transition region lines such as Si iv 1402.77 Å and C ii 1334.53 Å, but also the chromospheric Mg ii k 2796.35 Å line are significantly enhanced and broadened. In addition, the event can be found in all the extreme-ultraviolet passbands of the Atmospheric Imaging Assembly and the derived differential emission measure profile increases between 4 and 15 MK (or 6.6 ≤ log T ≤ 7.2) in the transient brightening phase. It is possible that the penumbral transient brightening event is caused by magnetic reconnection.


Abstract. Universal screening in elementary schools often includes administering curriculum-based measurement in reading (CBM-R); but in first grade, nonsense word fluency (NWF) and, to a lesser extent, word identification fluency (WIF) are used because of concerns that CBM-R is too difficult for emerging readers. This study used Kane's argument-based approach to validation as a framework to evaluate the interpretations and use of scores resulting from screening 257 first- and second-grade students. First, scores from three word lists (decodable WIF, high-frequency WIF, and whole-word NWF) were examined as indicators of reading achievement. Then, the use of these word list scores was evaluated regarding their ability to classify at-risk readers accurately and as supplements to CBM-R during the winter universal screening period. Participants were also concurrently administered a norm-referenced measure of early reading skills and global reading achievement. Results suggested that the word lists were good indicators of reading achievement and provided support for using CBM-R or a word list in conjunction with CBM-R to discriminate among at-risk readers. Findings have implications for the administration of universal screeners in first and second grade.


PURPOSE
This study was designed to evaluate strategies to overcome the resistance of anaplastic gliomas of the brain to external beam radiotherapy (ERT) plus carmustine (BCNU). Patients were > or = 15 years of age, had a histologic diagnosis of malignant glioma, and a Karnofsky performance status (KPS) > or = 60%.

METHODS AND MATERIALS
In Randomization 1, patients were assigned to receive either ERT alone (61.2 Gy) or ERT plus mitomycin C (Mito, IV 12.5 mg/m(2)) during the first and fourth week of ERT. After this treatment, patients went on to Randomization 2, where they were assigned to receive either BCNU (i.v. 200 mg/m(2)) given at 6-week intervals or 6-mercaptopurine (6- MP, 750 mg/m(2) IV daily for 3 days every six weeks), with BCNU given on the third day of the 6-MP treatment. Three hundred twenty-seven patients underwent Randomization 1. One hundred sixty-four received ERT alone, and 163 received ERT + Mito [average 52.7 years; 63% male; 69% glioblastoma multiforme (GBM); 66% had a resection; 56% KPS > or = 90%]. Step-wise analysis of survival from Randomization 1 or 2 indicates that survival was significantly diminished by: (a) age > or = 45 years (b) KPS < 90%; (c) GBM/gliosarcoma histology; (d) stereotactic biopsy as opposed to open biopsy or resection. Median survival from Randomization 1 in both arms (ERT + Mito) was 10.8 months. Median survival from Randomization 2 was 9.3 months for BCNU/6MP vs. 11.4 months for the BCNU group (p = 0.35). Carmustine/6-MP showed a possible survival benefit for histologies other than GBM/GS. Two hundred and thirty-three patients underwent Randomization 2. The proportion of patients in the ERT group who terminated study prior to Randomization 2 was significantly less in the ERT group than in the ERT + Mito group (20 vs. 37%, p < 0.001).

CONCLUSIONS
(a) The addition of Mito to ERT had no impact on survival; (b) patients treated with ERT + Mito were at greater risk of terminating therapy prior to Randomization 2; (c) there was not a significant survival benefit to the addition of 6-MP to BCNU.


Primary hemostasis and blood clotting is known to be influenced by the red blood cell volume fraction (hematocrit) in blood. Depressed or elevated levels of red blood cells can lead to vascular perfusion problems ranging from bleeding to thrombus formation. The early stage of hemostasis and thus blood clotting in all vessel sections from the arterial to the venous system involves the adhesion of platelets to von Willebrand factor. Here we present experimental and theoretical results showing that the adhesion probability of platelets to von Willebrand factor is strongly and nonlinearly dependent on hematocrit and flow rate. Interestingly, the actual binding forces are not markedly different, which suggest that the origin of such behavior is in the distribution of platelets. Using hydrodynamic simulations of a simple model, we explicitly show that the higher the hematocrit and the flow rate, the larger the amount of platelets residing close to the wall. Our simulation results, which are in excellent agreement with the experimental observations, explain why such phenomena occur. We believe that the nonhomogeneous red blood cell distribution as well as the shear dependent hydrodynamic interaction is key for the accumulation of platelets on the vessel wall. The work we present here is an important step forward from our earlier work on single molecules and extends into the collective cellular behavior of whole blood. It sheds new light on the correlation between hematocrit and the initial steps in hemostasis and thrombosis, and outlines advances for the treatment of vascular diseases associated with high levels of red blood cells. These results are not only highly relevant for the field of hemostasis and the physics of blood clotting but are also of powerful impact in applied science most obviously in drug delivery and colloidal science.


In this paper we propose a novel framework for fast exploitation of multi-view cues with applicability in different image processing problems. In order to bring our proposed framework into practice, an epipolar-constrained prior is presented, onto which a random search algorithm is proposed to find good matches among the different views of the same scene. This algorithm includes a generalization of the local coherency in 2D images for multi-view wide-baseline cases. Experimental results show that the geometrical constraint allows a faster initial convergence when finding good matches. We present some applications of the proposed framework on classical image processing problems.


Plasma spray forming ceramic components on a mandrel provides a way of net shape forming of difficult to machine materials. In addition, the structure of plasma sprayed ceramics contains fine porosity that improves strain accommodation as compared to sintered ceramics. However, plasma spray forming causes complex stress states in materials that may lead to cracking during spraying or during separation from the mandrel. Monitoring surface temperatures by infrared videography and controlling deposit surface temperature by directed cooling can be used to minimize thermal gradients and minimize part cracking. Control of thermal stresses is also necessary for proper separation of the sprayed part from the mandrel. Details of the plasma spray forming of yttrium oxide crucibles show how temperature monitoring, directed cooling, and robot manipulation are used to produce a crack free crucible.


Unravelling the genetic architecture underlying yield components and agronomic traits is important for enhancing crop productivity. Here, a recombinant inbred line (RIL) population, developed from ICC 4958 and DCP 92–3 cross, was used for constructing linkage map and QTL mapping analysis. The RIL population was genotyped using a high-throughput Axiom®CicerSNP array, which enabled the development of a high-density genetic map consisting of 3,818 SNP markers and spanning a distance of 1064.14 cM. Analysis of phenotyping data for yield, yield components and agronomic traits measured across three years together with genetic mapping data led to the identification of 10 major-effect QTLs and six minor-effect QTLs explaining up to 59.70% phenotypic variance. The major-effect QTLs identified for 100-seed weight, and plant height possessed key genes, such as C3HC4 RING finger protein, pentatricopeptide repeat (PPR) protein, sugar transporter, leucine zipper protein and NADH dehydrogenase, amongst others. The gene ontology studies highlighted the role of these genes in regulating seed weight and plant height in crop plants. The identified genomic regions for yield, yield components, and agronomic traits, and the closely linked markers will help advance genetics research and breeding programs in chickpea.


The numbers cannot be ignored: eighty million Millennials wielding $200 billion in buying power are entering their peak earning and spending years. Companies that think winning their business is a simple matter of creating a Twitter account and applying outdated notions of "cool" to their advertising are due for a rude awakening. Marketing to Millennials is both an enlightening look at this generation of consumers and a practical plan for earning their trust and loyalty. Based on original market research, the book reveals the eight attitudes shared by most Millennials, as well as the new rules for engaging them successfully. Millennials:

 Value social networking and aren't shy about sharing opinions

 Refuse to remain passive consumers—they expect to participate in product development and marketing

 Demand authenticity and transparency

 Are highly influential—swaying parents and peers

 Are not all alike—understanding key segments is invaluable

 Featuring expert interviews and profiles of brands doing Millennial marketing right, this eye-opening book is the key to persuading the customers who will determine the bottom line for decades to come.


This paper examines various concepts related to the topic of corporate risk appetite. It emphasises the need for consistency of definitions and coherence of terminology. Corporate risk appetite articulation is discussed as a corollary to strategy formulation and as an aid to corporate governance. The paper highlights the challenges that financial firms' boards have faced in expressing their risk appetite and in setting the approach to risk at board-level. The paper further stresses the need to assess risk holistically in risk appetite discussions. It introduces the Govindarajan-Andenaes model as a process template for systematically identifying and deploying risk appetite. The objective is to allow the risk appetite statement to be a practical tool that aids transparency in both risk-taking by firms and in the evaluation of their risk-based performance on an ongoing basis.


This paper addresses the contradictory results obtained by Segal (1997) and Spiller and Gely (1992) concerning the impact of institutional constraints on the U.S. Supreme Court's decision making. By adapting the Spiller and Gely maximum likelihood model to the Segal dataset, we find support for the hypothesis that the Court adjusts its decisions to presidential and congressional preferences. Data from 1947 to 1992 indicate that the average probability of the Court being constrained has been approximately one-third. Further, we show that the results obtained by Segal are the product of biases introduced by a misspecified econometric model. We also discuss how our estimation highlights the usefulness of Krehbiel's model of legislative decision making.


Drawing on a school ethnography and the voices of graduate students, this paper explores the concept of robust hope with reference to the ideal of social justice in education policy and practice. Although the arguments to support a commitment to social justice in education systems, schools and teacher education programs, are often well‐articulated, the pedagogical and political strategies to achieve such goals often remain elusive. If we are to reclaim the utopian imagination of socially just schools and egalitarian society we need to move beyond naive optimism to cultivate a notion of robust hope that is praxis‐oriented and fully cognisant of the complexities, tensions and difficulties associated with the task. "Getting real" in this sense requires the development of conceptual ideas to critique existing social arrangements, a vision of an emancipatory alternative, and a set of political strategies and resources to affect progressive change. Notwithstanding the difficulties of contesting market‐driven approaches to education, this study reveals that there are "resources of hope" in schools, educational institutions and the broader community to guide teachers and teacher educators in pursuing a goal of socially just schooling.


The relationship between child abuse and later mental health issues is complex and is most likely due to a combination of multiple factors. Past research has demonstrated the negative effects of different types of child abuse on mental health; however, multiple types of child abuse were rarely accounted for. There has also been a paucity of research exploring health service use by women survivors of child abuse and health practitioners' practices in identifying and responding to the needs of women survivors. The aim of this thesis was to investigate the relationship between child abuse and mental illness in women. In addition, the thesis aimed to examine the perceptions and practices of health professionals (specifically, general practitioners and mental health practitioners) in identifying and supporting women survivors. Two studies resulting in four manuscripts were conducted to meet these aims. Study One explored the perceptions of women survivors of child abuse. Manuscript one examined responses from 108 women survivors of child abuse who completed questions exploring five types of child abuse and current mental health. Results indicated that all women sampled experienced multiple types of child abuse, with 98% having experienced emotional abuse, 94% witnessed family violence and 92% experienced physical abuse. The majority reported at least mild levels of depression (63%), at least mild levels of anxiety (71%) and 46% reported probable diagnosis of post-traumatic stress disorder. After accounting for interactions between different types of child abuse, witnessing family violence, child neglect and child sexual abuse were significant predictors of depression severity, whilst child neglect and witnessing family violence were significant predictors of post-traumatic stress. Witnessing family violence moderated the effects of physical child abuse on depressive and post-traumatic stress symptoms, and emotional child abuse on post-traumatic stress symptoms. Manuscript two examined child abuse disclosures, health service use and women's thoughts on being asked about child abuse experiences by general practitioners in a subsample of 105 women survivors. Findings indicated that 52.8% of women disclosed their child abuse experiences to others including relatives and friends. In addition, 19% of women were asked about their child abuse history by a general practitioner while 5% of women disclosed to general practitioners without being asked. Of the women who were asked by their general practitioner about their child abuse history, 58% reported feeling hopeful or relieved and none reported feeling offended. A third of women surveyed also sought assistance from mental health practitioners, with 75% reporting that they were asked about child abuse experiences by a mental health practitioner. Study Two comprising manuscripts three and four explored the perceptions and current practices of various health practitioners with respect to screening and supporting women survivors of child abuse. Specifically, manuscript three examined the responses of 127 psychologists with main findings indicating that self-reported confidence and a belief in the importance of screening predicted actual screening behaviours. Manuscript four examined responses from 186 health practitioners, of which 67.9% were psychologists, 13.9% were general practitioners and 18.2% were other mental health practitioners. Results indicated that the majority of practitioners reported that they saw women survivors of child abuse with mental health issues on a daily or weekly basis (76%), 95.1% agreed or strongly agreed that child abuse is a health issue, and 95.2% indicated that child abuse is a problem for women in their practice. Twelve per cent of general practitioners, 78% of psychologists and 73.3% of other professionals agreed or strongly agreed that they routinely screen women for child abuse experiences. General practitioners were significantly less likely to routinely screen and reported lower levels of confidence and comfort in conducting screening compared to psychologists and other practitioners. The majority of practitioners saw it as psychologists' role to routinely screen; however, 57-82% of practitioners within each group reported they would benefit from further training in areas relating to asking about and supporting survivors.


Imitation learning allows agents to learn complex behaviors from demonstrations. However, learning a complex vision-based task may require an impractical number of demonstrations. Meta-imitation learning is a promising approach towards enabling agents to learn a new task from one or a few demonstrations by leveraging experience from learning similar tasks. In the presence of task ambiguity or unobserved dynamics, demonstrations alone may not provide enough information; an agent must also try the task to successfully infer a policy. In this work, we propose a method that can learn to learn from both demonstrations and trial-and-error experience with sparse reward feedback. In comparison to meta-imitation, this approach enables the agent to effectively and efficiently improve itself autonomously beyond the demonstration data. In comparison to meta-reinforcement learning, we can scale to substantially broader distributions of tasks, as the demonstration reduces the burden of exploration. Our experiments show that our method significantly outperforms prior approaches on a set of challenging, vision-based control tasks.


An orally available thioxanthone-based DNA intercalator and inhibitor of the DNA repair enzyme apurinic-apyrimidinic endonuclease 1 (APEX1 or APE1), with anti-schistosomal and potential antineoplastic activity. Lucanthone intercalates DNA and interferes with the activity of topoisomerases I and II during replication and transcription, thereby inhibiting the synthesis of macromolecules. In addition, this agent specifically inhibits the endonuclease activity of APE1, without affecting its redox activity, resulting in un-repaired DNA strand breaks which may induce apoptosis. Therefore, lucanthone may sensitize tumor cells to radiation and chemotherapy. Furthermore, lucanthone inhibits autophagy through the disruption of lysosomal function. The multifunctional nuclease APE1 is a key component for DNA repair; its expression is often correlated with tumor cell resistance to radio- and chemotherapy.


Since the second half of last century, traffic congestion on road network has become a predominant phenomenon due to the rapid increases in transport demand and number of vehicles. It starts to become clear until later that century traffic congestion cannot be solved single-handedly by expansions of road network. During peak hours, besides recurrent congestion caused by insatiable demand, non-recurrent congestion caused by incidents, adverse weather conditions and work zones, are becoming more problematic with their temporary disturbances causing traffic breakdowns. Developments and deployments of traffic control strategies come into effect to solve recurrent and non-recurrent congestions with a synthesis combining technologies, traffic theories, mathematics and kinematics. Although ITS control measures are relatively new, they transform into the backbones of a prevailing type of traffic management, Dynamic Traffic Management. When coordination and integration between DTM control measures is introduced as the advanced approach to restore the utilization of road network, great hope is placed on Coordinated Network Management to improve the effectiveness of traffic management. The Field Test Integrated Traffic Management Amsterdam aims at investigating the effect and the control concept of coordinated network wide traffic management for the implementation in 2013. The graduation project is to develop an assessment methodology framework for modelling and ex-ante evaluation of CNM. This methodology is applied to the kidney shaped network of southern Amsterdam region in order to perform ex-ante evaluation on realizing and testing dynamic coordinated network management. Evaluations and validations of the above modelling are presented to show the effect of individual DTM and coordinated DTM, also known as CNM, under recurrent and non-recurrent congestions. A test solution towards advanced deployment strategies and methodologies based on an incident-induced empirical case is contrived later using Matlab. Simulation results are also presented in order to assess this test solution and the effect of CNM under its coordination strategies and methodologies. Finally, findings, conclusions, recommendations and future directions are drawn to bring the thesis project to completion. Hopefully, this thesis work could be referred to for the future implementation of CNM in the PPA project and it could be informative to other CNM related researches.


A quantitative antiglobulin consumption technique was used to measure immunoglobulin G (IgG) present on human granulocytes. Granulocytes from 50 normal subjects had less than 20 X 10(-14) g IgG per cell. Patients with granulocytopenia due to bone-marrow failure, patients with IgG multiple myeloma, patients with splenomegaly, and patients with rheumatoid arthritis without granulocytopenia had granulocyte-bound IgG within the range of normal. Four patients with rheumatoid arthritis, splenomegaly, and severe granulocytopenia (Felty's syndrome) had granulocyte-bound IgG between 30 and 220 X 10(-14) g IgG per cell. One of these patients underwent splenectomy, after which his granulocyte-bound IgG fell to normal. Seven additional patients with Felty's syndrome who had previously undergone splenectomy had normal levels of granulocyte-bound IgG. Thus quantitation of granulocyte-bound IgG appears to be useful in defining patients with immunologically mediated granulocytopenia. Studies of patients with Felty's syndrome who have undergone splenectomy suggest that the spleen may produce this neutrophile-bound immunoglobulin.


Many currently available therapeutic drugs act by modulating signaling through G protein (heterotrimeric GTP-binding protein)-coupled receptors. The G protein βγ subunit transmits signals from G protein-coupled receptors to target proteins, and many crystal structures of such complexes have been solved. Bonacci et al. (see the Perspective by Tesmer) used a computer program to predict which chemical compounds would bind to the interaction site on the βγ subunits and obtained potent small-molecule inhibitors of protein-protein interactions. Furthermore, these molecules showed specificity for disrupting signaling-specific downstream targets, which suggests that such reagents might be both effective and relatively free of side effects. T. M. Bonacci, J. L. Mathews, C. Yuan, D. M. Lehmann, S. Malik, D. Wu, J. L. Font, J. M. Bidlack, A. V. Smrcka, Differential targeting of Gβγ-subunit signaling with small molecules. Science 312, 443-446 (2006). [Abstract] [Full Text] J. J. G. Tesmer, Hitting the hot spots of cell signaling cascades. Science 312, 377-378 (2006). [Summary] [Full Text]


In the course of determining tumor profiles for wild-type and recombinant mouse polyoma viruses (MPyV's), we fortuitously discovered two types of necrotizing arterial disease in polyoma tumor-bearing C3H/BiDa mice. One type, designated BLAND, consisted of foci of necrosis unaccompanied by inflammatory reaction, in the muscular coat of aorta, pulmonary arterial trunk, and primary or occasionally secondary branches of these vessels. BLAND lesions contained MPyV capsid antigen VP1 as shown by immunocytochemistry, and appeared to be the result of viral cytolytic infection within artery walls. Lesions of the second type are designated PANoid in view of their resemblance to polyarteritis nodosa in humans. PANoid lesions had much the same distribution in the arterial tree as BLAND lesions and were also focal, but had the histologic properties of highly destructive acute inflammatory reactions. Specifically, there were dense infiltrations of polymorphonuclear leukocytes in any and often all coats of the arterial wall, acute fibrinoid necrosis, endothelial proliferations, intravascular thrombosis, and in one example, rupture of the intimal and medial coats with microaneurysm formation. In the acute phase, PANoid lesions exhibited attenuation, fragmentation, and loss of elastic laminae, and in the healing phase, intimal and medial fibrosis with varying degrees of lumenal occlusion. PANoid lesions gave negative immunocytochemical reactions for MPyV capsid antigen VP1, indicating either that the antigen was not present, or that it was masked in complexes with antibody and C3. BLAND lesions were found in 51% of 459 MPyV-infected mice, while PANoid lesions were found in 11%. There was no sex predilection for either type lesion, and practically all mice with lesions fell within ages 60-200 days. We suspect the PANoid lesions are examples of immune-complex arteritis related to persistent MPyV infection, but support for this hypothesis is presently tenuous, resting entirely on the coexistence of BLAND and PANoid lesions in MPyV-infected mice and the histological resemblance of PANoid lesions to naturally occurring and experimentally induced immune complex arteritis.


Some plants can tolerate and even detoxify soils contaminated with heavy metals. This detoxification ability may depend on what chemical forms of metals are taken up by plants and how the plants distribute the toxins in their tissues. This, in turn, may have an important impact on phytoremediation. We investigated the impact of arbuscular mycorrhizal (AM) fungus, Glomus intraradices, on the subcellular distribution and chemical forms of cadmium (Cd) in alfalfa (Medicago sativa L.) that were grown in Cd-added soils. The fungus significantly colonized alfalfa roots by day 25 after planting. Colonization of alfalfa by G. intraradices in soils contaminated with Cd ranged from 17% to 69% after 25–60 days and then decreased to 43%. The biomass of plant shoots with AM fungi showed significant 1.7-fold increases compared to no AM fungi addition under the treatment of 20 mg·kg−1 Cd. Concentrations of Cd in the shoots of alfalfa under 0.5, 5, and 20 mg·kg−1 Cd without AM fungal inoculation are 1.87, 2.92, and 2.38 times higher, respectively, than those of fungi-inoculated plants. Fungal inoculation increased Cd (37.2–80.5%) in the cell walls of roots and shoots and decreased in membranes after 80 days of incubation compared to untreated plants. The proportion of the inactive forms of Cd in roots was higher in fungi-treated plants than in controls. Furthermore, although fungi-treated plants had less overall Cd in subcellular fragments in shoots, they had more inactive Cd in shoots than did control plants. These results provide a basis for further research on plant-microbe symbioses in soils contaminated with heavy metals, which may potentially help us develop management regimes for phytoremediation.


Objective: To investigate the relationship of 2 health-related quality-of-life (QOL) item banks (Emotional Suppression and Caregiver Vigilance), developed for caregivers of service members/veterans with traumatic brain injury (TBI), to caregivers' positive and negative affect. Setting: Community. Participants: One hundred sixty-five caregivers of service members/veterans with TBI. Design: Retrospective database analysis. Main Measures: TBI-CareQOL Emotional Suppression; TBI-CareQOL Caregiver Vigilance; measures of negative (Patient-Reported Outcomes Measurement Information System [PROMIS] Depression, PROMIS Anger, TBI-CareQOL Caregiver-Specific Anxiety, National Institutes of Health Toolbox [NIHTB] Perceived Stress, GAD-7) and positive affect (Neuro-QOL Positive Affect and Well-being, NIHTB Self-efficacy, NIHTB General Life Satisfaction, Family Resilience Scale for Veterans, TBI-QOL Resilience). Results: When considered separately, linear regression showed that higher levels of Emotional Suppression and greater Caregiver Vigilance were individually associated with more negative affect and less positive affect. When considered together, the pattern of findings was generally consistent for both Emotional Suppression and Caregiver Vigilance with regard to negative affect and for Emotional Suppression with regard to positive affect. However, when considered together, Caregiver Vigilance was no longer related to positive affect. Conclusions: Caregivers with high emotional suppression and/or vigilance are more likely to show emotional distress and less likely to have positive affect than caregivers with lower levels of emotional suppression and vigilance. A combination of education and individual counseling targeting coping with negative emotions and TBI-related problems may be beneficial.


Internal migration has the potential not only to improve the livelihoods of individual migrants but is also increasingly gaining recognition for its role in contributing to the wider economic growth of many countries. Despite these positive aspects, restrictive state practices hindering internal migration continue to exist, to the detriment of internal migrants. Kyrgyzstan's population registration system demonstrates this. While the registration system has the potential to fulfil an effective budgetary and planning role for the government, in its current form it fails to do so and simultaneously restricts the rights of internal migrants.


Incentives are often discussed in the literature on the topic as a way to increase response rates. In this article, sample composition and item nonresponse are also considered. Using social exchange theory, the concept of social inequality is theoretically linked to the effect of incentives and is empirically tested using data from a recruitment experiment for an online survey in Austria. Since the participants of the Austrian micro-census were used as the selection framework, a detailed analysis of nonresponse is possible. Based on the four different incentives (a brochure, a €2 commemorative coin, a €5 commemorative coin and a €10 voucher), conclusions can be drawn about the different forms incentives take and the values they hold. The results underline the potential of incentives to increase response rates, but at the same time they reveal potential distortion problems.


This study reports the effect of an affect-focused intervention program, the Affect School, on stress, psychological symptoms, cognitive functioning and neural activity. Fifty employees in social service and education, with high levels of chronic stress, were randomly divided into a treatment (N=27) and control (N=23) group. Complete sets of data were available in 20 participants in the treatment group and 17 in the control group. The Perceived Stress Questionnaire assessed stress and the Symptom Check List-90 psychological symptoms before and after treatment. Episodic-memory functioning under focused and divided attention conditions was also assessed. Prior and after the Affect School, seven participants in the treatment group were studied with functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) during episodic memory processing. After the Affect School there was a reduction in stress and psychological symptoms for the treatment group but not in the control group. The controls showed a reduction in episodic memory functioning whereas the performance of the treatment group remained intact. The fMRI scanning indicated a qualitative change in the neural network subserving episodic memory. These preliminary results suggest that the Affect School is effective on individuals with high stress.


Although the success of pulmonary vein antrum isolation (PVAI) in eliminating atrial fibrillation (AF) has been proven, its impact on the left atrium (LA) remains uncertain. This thesis aimed to determine the impact of PVAI on LA size and function in patients with AF. The existing literature regarding the impact of catheter ablation of AF on the LA shows a great diversity. Several reasons may account for this diversity, including different imaging techniques and methods to assess LA size and function. Therefore, the first part of this thesis focused on comparing different methods to assess LA size and evaluating their accuracy in patients with AF. The first mentioned method, the LAD by echocardiography, is a rough measurement and only includes one dimension of the LA. Therefore, it should not be used as a representative for LA size. The Simpson's rule with either CT or MRI is considered to be the gold standard for LA size assessment, since it takes into account that the LA is an asymmetrical shape. It is the method of choice for LA volume assessment in research settings. However, for clinical practice this method may consume too much time and, therefore, alternative techniques exist that closely correlate to this gold standard and which are much easier to obtain. Although these techniques have shown to underestimate true LA size, they may have enough precision for LA size assessment in clinical routine. The second part of this thesis studied the clinical implications of the LA in patients with AF and mainly focused on the impact of PVAI on the LA size and function. Two main factors may be responsible for changes in LA size and function following PVAI: 1. remodeling, 2. ablation induced LA fibrosis. This thesis has shown that the LA is influenced by both remodeling as well as ablation induced fibrosis post-ablation. PVAI resulted in a reduction of maximal LA volume in all patients, indicating an effect of ablation induced fibrosis. Minimal LA volume only decreased in patients with a successful outcome, indicating an effect of reverse atrial remodeling. As a result, LA function post-ablation was preserved in patients with a successful outcome and decreased in patients with AF recurrence. These results are of clinical importance since the LA function determines, to a certain extent, the thrombo-embolic risk within a patient. Based on the abovementioned results, it may be defensible to discontinue the anticoagulation several months after ablation in patients free of AF recurrences, because they showed a preserved LA function post-ablation. However, one must be careful because only the effect of PVAI on the LA was examined and no other ablation techniques that involve extensive additional LA ablation were examined. In addition, no different anticoagulation strategies post-ablation were analyzed. Further studies are necessary to evaluate the effects of more extensive catheter ablation in the LA on LA function and thrombo-embolic risks.


This paper evaluates the impact of the 2006 European Union anti-dumping (AD) action on Vietnamese footwear in three markets: imports to the EU, footwear producers in Vietnam, and the trade diversionary adjustment of Vietnamese firms in the US market. We find that the AD action reduced Vietnamese imports to the EU by as much as 65 per cent. Given that the EU makes up almost two-thirds of Vietnam's footwear exports and footwear is among the top four export industries for Vietnam, this reduction is economically significant. Consistent with predictions of our model, we find evidence of trade diversion by Vietnamese producers from the EU to the US market. Our difference-in-difference estimates of the AD actions on the value of Vietnamese footwear imports to the United States ranged from 69 to 71 per cent over the period 2004–07 and 69 to 72 per cent in terms of quantity. These results highlight the spillover effects of trade policy in third markets when firms adjust to trade barriers. Our results are robust to triple-difference specifications where we adjust for trend differences and a series of placebo specifications.


ABSTRACT Purpose: To quantify the peak post-pitch-entry physical responses of soccer substitutes while assessing contextual influences. Peak responses may be important performance indicators for substitutes introduced to provide a physical impact. Method: Thirty-three professional substitutes wore Microelectromechanical Systems during 44 matches (4 ± 3 observations·player−1). Post-pitch-entry relative peak values for total and high-speed (> 5.5 m·s−1) distances, average acceleration, and PlayerLoad™ were calculated using rolling averages over 60-s to 600-s. Linear mixed models assessed contextual influences (position, substitution timing, scoreline, and location). Results: Substitutes introduced during the final ~15 min of match-play covered less high-speed distance than first-half substitutes (~2.8–3.1 m·min−1) over 480-s to 600-s epochs, and less than 60:00–74:59 min substitutes (~1.7–1.8 m·min−1) during 540-s and 600-s epochs. Average acceleration during all except 180-s epochs was lower for 75:00+ min substitutes compared with first-half replacements (~0.27–0.43 m·s−2), and lower than 60:00–74:59 min substitutes during 60-s (~0.13 m·s−2). Substitutes introduced when their team was winning recorded greater distances over 120-s to 600-s (~6.2–7.7 m·min−1), and higher PlayerLoad™ values during 120-s, 180-s, 300-s, and 480-s epochs (~2.7–3.6 arbitrary units·min−1), compared with when scores were level at pitch-entry. Irrespective of substitution timing, substitute midfielders exceeded the total distance of substitute attackers (~5.9–16.2 m·min−1) for all except 360-s and 600-s epochs, and defenders (~13.3–26.7 m·min−1) during epochs < 300-s. Conclusions: This study provides benchmark data for practitioners tailoring training and recovery protocols, particularly "top-up" conditioning, to the competitive demands of soccer substitutes. Knowing how contextual factors influence substitutes' peak match-play responses may help managers/coaches assess the efficacy of substitution strategies.


T1-Mapping in Daily Cardiac Magnetic Resonance Imaging Practice: Combined Use of Native T1 and Extracellular Volume Quantification
Introduction: Dual T1-mapping allows for a comprehensive assessment of myocardial tissue by combining detection of edema in the native scan and quantification of extracellular volume (ECV) after administration of Gadolinium (Gd). Recent studies proved the diagnostic value of T1-mapping in different pathologies. The aim of this study was, to evaluate the practicability and robustness of T1-mapping in assessing common pathologies in daily cardiac magnetic resonance (CMR) practice.
Methods: From October 2012 to October 2013, we investigated 136 consecutive patients undergoing clinically indicated CMR examination by performing additional T1-mapping measurements. We used a Modified-Look-Locker-Inversion-Recovery (MOLLI) sequence with 3 inversion pulses and a 4-(1)-3-(1)-2 readout pattern. For extracellular volume calculation a second scan was performed 10min. after administration of 0.2mmol/kg body weight gadopentetate dimeglumine. Diagnosis was based on clinical information and standard CMRsequences comprising native T2-weighted dark-blood turbo spin echo (TSE) sequences, pre- and early post-Gd T1-weighted darkblood TSE sequences and Late Gadolinium Enhancement. The study population comprised a control group, patients with acute and chronic myocarditis, patients with acute and chronic infarction, patients with dilated and hypertrophic cardiomyopathy, patients with aortic stenosis and patients with amyloidosis or sarcoidosis.
Results: Native T1 showed a significant difference when compared with a control in acute myocarditis, acute myocardial infarction, hypertrophic and dilated cardiomyopathy, and amyloidosis. ECV showed significant differences to the control group in all cohorts of pathologies. Particularly high native T1 values were observed in acute myocarditis, acute myocardial infarction, hypertrophic cardiomyopathy and amyloidosis, a high ECV was found in acute and chronic myocarditis, acute and chronic myocardial infarction, sarcoidosis and amyloidosis.
Conclusion: Native T1-mapping and ECV correlated well with myocardial alterations in commonly diagnosed cardiac disorders. It proved reliable and robust in daily clinical practice and allows for a good differentiation between normal findings and common pathological CMR diagnoses. The combined use of native T1 and ECV quantification is a promising approach for comprehensive assessment of the myocardium and may improve diagnostic accuracy of CMR in myocardial disease.


The virulence loci play an essential role in tumor formation by Agrobacterium tumefaciens. This study focused on the virC locus, which affects the host range Agrobacterium species. virC mutants display an attenuated or avirulent phenotype on certain host plants, but remain fully virulent on other plant hosts. The nucleotide sequence revealed that the virC locus of pTiA6NC is an operon consisting of two open reading frames. These two open reading frames, designated virC1 and virC2, encode protein products of 25,713 and 22,710 daltons, respectively, which were visualized by polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis. Only two nucleotides separated the stop codon for virC1 from the start codon for virC2, indicating that these genes may be translationally coupled.


The energy output of the high‐level radioactive waste to be emplaced in the proposed geologic repository at Yucca Mountain, NV, will strongly affect the thermal–hydrological (TH) conditions in the near‐drift fractured rock. Heating of rock water to above‐boiling conditions will induce large water saturation changes and flux perturbations close to the waste emplacement tunnels (drifts) that will last several thousand years. Understanding these perturbations is important for the performance of the repository, because they could increase, for example, the amount of formation water seeping into the open drifts and contacting waste packages. Recent computational fluid dynamics analysis has demonstrated that the drifts will act as important conduits for gas flows driven by natural convection. As a result, vapor generated from boiling of formation water near elevated‐temperature sections of the drifts may effectively be transported to cooler end sections (where no waste is emplaced), where it would condense and subsequently drain into underlying rock units. Thus, natural convection processes have great potential for reducing the near‐drift moisture content in heated drift sections, which has positive ramifications for repository performance. To study these processes, we have developed a new simulation method that couples existing tools for simulating TH conditions in the fractured formation with modules that approximate natural convection and evaporation conditions in heated emplacement drifts. The new method is applied to evaluate the impact of in‐drift natural convection on the future TH conditions at Yucca Mountain in a three‐dimensional model domain comprising a representative emplacement drift and the surrounding fractured rock.


The Federal Reserve regulates U.S. commercial banks using a system of risk-based capital (RBC) regulations based on the Basel Accords. Unfortunately, the Fed's mis-rating of several assets such as mortgage-backed securities encouraged the build-up of these assets in the banking system and was a major contributing factor to the 2008 financial crisis. The Basel system of RBC regulation is a prime example of a Hayekian knowledge problem. The contextual, tacit, and subjective knowledge required to properly assess asset risk cannot be aggregated and utilized by regulators. An effective system of banking regulation must acknowledge man's limited knowledge and place greater value on individual decisions than on top-down planning.


The stimuli that most commonly trigger synesthesia — letters, numerals, musical notes and keys, and days of the week — share something else in common. All of them are social conventions. They were created by human beings, and they continue to exist because they have become the socially standard ways to read, count, play music, and reckon time, rather than because they exist in nature. Unlike conventions involving video formats, household voltages, or screw thread sizes, these are standard ways of thinking. We might call them cognitive conventions. I think it is very interesting and potentially quite useful to reflect on why this particular class of phenomena should give rise to synesthesia.My perspective, in short, is this: The alphanumeric, calendrical, and musical systems that commonly trigger synesthesia are each made up of a set of conventional units. Learning to distinguish and interpret these units is not a universal psychodevelopmental process, but rather a product of our cognitive socialization. Assigning color tags to these units reinforces their sometimes dubious distinctiveness. And common synesthesia is only one of many ways in which we use experientially primary contrasts like color to tag socially conventional categories.


Abstract Ammonium jarosite sediment is a by-product of hydrometallurgical process used to extract zinc metal, which, which contains heavy metal ions and raises severe environmental concerns The transformation of jarosite sediment into high-value-added sulfide products through simple processing is a cost-effective and efficient strategy to overcome environmental and waste management issues. Herein, the influence of sulfur on thermal decomposition of ammonium jarosite is investigated in reducing atmosphere. The results reveal that the presence of sulfur promoted the decomposition of ammonium jarosite and szomolnokite and iron oxide phases have been observed after being heat treated at 300 °C. Moreover, after heat treatment at 700 °C, the decomposition of jarosite/sulfur mixture resulted in the formation of pyrrhotite phase, which can be used as a raw material for sulfuric acid production. Lastly, the activation energy of pyrrhotite formation has been estimated by using KAS equation and found to be 216.2 kJ/mol in reducing atmosphere.


Multiletter priming effects have been interpreted as evidence for the representation of separable multiletterunits in the visual word recognition system (Whiteley & Walker, 1994). The reported experiments examine whether the activation of such units is pre- or post-lexical. Experiments 2 and 3 employed priming in an alphabetic decision task in which subjects made a discrimination response to test stimuli which could be classed as either targets or foils. Targets were single letters, or consonant bigrams, present or absent in an immediately preceding word, or (Experiment 3 and 4) they were whole words semantically associated or not to a preceding word. Foils were single non-alphanumeric characters, a character plus a letter, or a word with one letter replaced by a character. Experiment 1 was a preliminary to determine the parameters of a sequential presentation manipulation. Experiment 2 compared conditions of simultaneous and sequential presentation where letters of prime words were presented together, or one at a time in rapid succession. With simultaneous presentation, responses to bigram targets were facilitated when these appeared in the prime word, while responses to individual constituent letters of those bigrams were not facilitated. Additionally, responses to primed bigram targets were faster than responses to primed single letter targets. The sequential presentation of prime words resulted in a qualitative change in the response pattern indicative of the disruption of multiletterunit activation. That changewas replicated in Experiment 3 where semantic priming confirmed that the prime words were being processed to a level of meaning. The observations challenge a post-lexical account of the multiletter priming effects. Finally, Experiment 4 addressed the question of whether bigram priming reflects the intentional use of prime information to predict following targets. Strategic interpretations are undermined and it is argued that multiletter units are activated automatically as part of normal visual word recognition.


Substantial advances in European road vehicle emissions have been achieved over the past three decades driven by strengthening revisions in emissions legislation and enabled by advances in fuel, vehicle engine and emissions control technologies. As both vehicle technology and emissions legislation in Europe continue to evolve, Concawe has conducted a study to examine the effects that fuels can have on emissions, in this case from commercial road vehicles. A bus certified to Euro VI emissions level and a delivery truck certified to Euro V emissions level have been tested on a chassis-dyno over the World Harmonized Vehicle Cycle (WHVC) and Transport for London Urban Inter-Peak (TfL UIP) test cycles with six fuels: an EN590-compliant B5 (petroleum diesel containing 5% biodiesel by volume), a bioderived paraffinic diesel, a 50:50 blend of the aforementioned fuels, a low-density petroleum-derived B5, a B30 and the same B30 additized with a high dose of cetane number improver (CNI). Results show reduced NOx reductant (AdBlue) consumption with paraffinic diesel in the Euro VI bus due to lower engine-out NOx emissions. More surprisingly, higher hydrocarbon emissions were observed with some low-density hydrocarbon fuels in the Euro V truck. Compared to B5, B30 with and without CNI did not affect tank-to-wheel (TTW) CO2, volumetric fuel consumption or NOx by statistically significant margins. When considered with the findings of a complementary light-duty study, it is apparent that low-density diesel fuels could offer overall benefits to both emissions affecting local air quality and to greenhouse gas emissions on a TTW basis. The addition of higher fatty acid methyl ester (FAME) levels to fuels can be used to increase renewable fuel contribution resulting in no penalty in NOx emissions from modern technology vehicles. Compatibility of these fuels with the existing vehicle fleet would require further specific consideration. Outside of fuel properties considerations, Euro VI aftertreatment systems can increase N2O emissions at the tailpipe through chemical reactions in the catalyst. This can translate into about 10% contribution of N2O emissions to the overall GHG emissions of the vehicle.


Grid has emerged recently as an integration infrastructure for the sharing and coordinated use of diverse resources in dynamic, distributed virtual organizations (VOs). A Data Grid is an architecture for the access, exchange, and sharing of data in the Grid environment. In this dissertation, role-based access control (RBAC) systems for heterogeneous data resources in Data Grid systems are proposed. The Open Grid Services Architecture - Data Access and Integration (OGSA-DAI) is a widely used framework for the integration of heterogeneous data resources in Grid systems.
However, in the OGSA-DAI system, access control causes substantial administration overhead for resource providers in VOs because each of them has to manage the authorization information for individual Grid users. Its identity-based access control mechanisms are severely inefficient and too complicated to manage because the direct mapping between users and privileges is transitory. To solve this problem, (1) the Community Authorization Service (CAS), provided by the Globus toolkit, and (2) the Shibboleth, an attribute authorization service, are used to support RBAC in the OGSA-DAI system. The Globus Toolkit is widely used software for building Grid systems.
Access control policies need to be specified and managed across multiple VOs. For this purpose, the Core and Hierarchical RBAC profile of the eXtensible Access Control Markup Language (XACML) is used; and for distributed administration of those policies, the Object, Metadata and Artifacts Registry (OMAR) is used. OMAR is based on the e-business eXtensible Markup Language (ebXML) registry specifications developed to achieve interoperable registries and repositories.
The RBAC systems allow quick and easy deployments, privacy protection, and the centralized and distributed management of privileges. They support scalable, interoperable and fine-grain access control services; dynamic delegation of rights; and user-role assignments. They also reduce the administration overheads for resource providers because they need to maintain only the mapping information from VO roles to local database roles. Resource providers maintain the ultimate authority over their resources. Moreover, unnecessary mapping and connections can be avoided by denying invalid requests at the VO level. Performance analysis shows that our RBAC systems add only a small overhead to the existing security infrastructure of OGSA-DAI.


The aim of this work is to investigate the effect of mixing ratio and pilot injection on spray and combustion characteristics of biodiesel fuel and compared with those of diesel fuel in a direct injection common-rail diesel engine. In order to study the influence factors of biodiesel fuel on the spray and combustion characteristics, the experiments were conducted at various mixing ratios and injection conditions of the biodiesel and engine operating conditions. The macroscopic and microscopic characteristics such as injection rate, split injection effect, spray tip penetration, droplet diameter, and axial velocity distribution of biodiesel fuel were compared with the results of conventional diesel fuel by using spray visualization system composed of Ar-ion laser, ICCD camera and phase Doppler particle analyzer (PDPA) system. The combustion and exhaust emission characteristics of biodiesel fuel were studies using common-rail diesel engine with four cylinders. For the biodiesel blended fuel, it was revealed that higher injection pressure is needed to achieve the same injection rate at the higher mixing ratio. The spray tip penetration of biodiesel fuel was much the same with those of diesel. The atomization characteristics of biodiesel were inferior to conventional diesel fuel due to high viscosity and surface tension. The peak combustion pressures of both fuels were increased with advanced injection timing and the combustion pressure of biodiesel fuel is higher than that of diesel fuel. As the pilot injection timing is advanced to the TDC, the dissimilarities of both fuels combustion pressure are reduced. It can be also founded that the pilot injection can enhance the deteriorated spray and combustion characteristics of biodiesel fuel caused by physical fuel properties.Copyright © 2007 by ASME


All-trans retinoic acid (ATRA) has been used as an antineoplastic because of its ability to promote proliferation, inhibition, and differentiation, primarily in leukemia; however, in other types of cancer, such as lung cancer, treatment with ATRA is restricted because not all the patients experience the same results. The ERK signaling pathway is dysregulated in cancer cells, including lung cancer, and this dysregulation promotes proliferation and cell invasion. In this study, we demonstrate that treatment with ATRA can activate the ERK signaling pathway by a transcription-independent mechanism through a signaling cascade that involves RARα and PI3K, promoting growth, survival, and migration in lung cancer cells. Until now, this mechanism was unknown in lung cancer cells. The inhibition of the ERK signaling pathway restores the beneficial effects of ATRA, reduces proliferation, increases apoptosis, and blocks the cell migration process in lung cancer cells. In conclusion, our results suggest that the combination of ATRA with ERK inhibitor in clinical trials for lung cancer is warranted.


Lipophilicity of compounds with therapeutic interest represents one of the most important physicochemical parameters in predicting and interpreting transport processes across biological barriers. This property is commonly measured as a drug | membrane partitioning by its distribution in a biphasic system, such as a water | oil system. The lipophilicity is a key parameter used in a variety of fields that may predict absorption and other transport properties of drugs in the human body. For a long time, the understanding of the lipophilicity of ionisable and ionic drugs was limited by the lack of reliable experimental methods to estimate the partition coefficients. Recently the introduction of cyclic voltammetry has filled this gap, opening new perspectives for its use in drug design transfer through a mimic of a biological membrane. The aim of this thesis was to develop new systems for the study of pH-lipophilicity profiles of neutral and ionisable compounds and to illustrate the various contributions of those in order to extend the applications for drug studies. The existing electrochemical methodology has revealed a number of limitations, which calls for further development of existing procedures. In particular, it has proved difficulty to investigate the partitioning of highly hydrophobic and hydrophilic compounds. Consequently, new systems with various phase ratios have been developed in order to extend the electrochemical measurements to medicinal chemistry. In the present work, two systems named "drop system" using a small aqueous phase and "liquid membrane system" using a small organic phase have been developed to study charge transfer reactions. The drop system is based on the simple deposition of an aqueous drop containing a redox couple onto the surface of a platinum electrode and immersed into an organic electrolyte solution. The electrode | water | oil interfaces are in "series". The voltammetric response depends on the coupling of the redox reactions on the solid electrode with the charge transfer reactions at the interface between two immiscible electrolyte solutions (ITIES), being either ion transfer (IT) or electron transfer (ET). This new drop system ensures a rapid equilibrium between the phases and has been used to study the lipophilic molecules. The liquid membrane system consists in a small organic phase either supported by a hydrophobic membrane or hold between two cellulose membranes placed between two aqueous phases, leading also to two interfaces in "series". The flowing of current across the liquid membrane is associated with two ion transfer reactions across the two polarised liquid | liquid interfaces in "series". This new methodology is described as a useful tool to study the transfer of highly hydrophilic ions, such as amino acids. Furthermore, a fundamental work on the miniaturization of liquid | liquid partition chromatography in a microchannel has been completed in order to offer a better understanding of the drug transport mechanisms. In the present work, a stationary liquid phase was immobilized in a microchannel using a porous polyvinylidene difluoride (PVDF) membrane. The final goal is to develop a high-throughput method for logP measurements in microchips based on partition chromatography. A computer simulation was performed using a finite element method. The model is validated by comparison of the simulated data with both analytical and experimental data. Finally, transfer reactions across an adsorbed phospholipid monolayer (constituent of biological membrane) at the water | DCE interface were studied by quasi-elastic light scattering (QELS). This technique consists in measuring the interfacial tension at different potential step. The transfer of hydrophilic cations, like amino acids was found to be facilitated by the formation of a complex between the cation or proton with the phospholipid, followed by desorption of the phospholipid monolayer from the interface. The method allows to understand the drug interaction with biological membranes within the transport process across them and to access to the different association constants in the organic phase. The work presented in this thesis demonstrates how the analytical electrochemistry at liquid | liquid interfaces can be extended to evaluate the fundamental thermodynamic parameters of various ionic compounds. The systems used herein are examples of new ways to study the lipophilicity of drugs with applications in drug screening pharmaceutical research and development.


Chronic heart failure (CHF) affects approximately 5.7 million people in the United States. Increasing evidence from both clinical and experimental studies indicates that the sensitivity of arterial baroreflex is blunted in the CHF state, which is a predictive risk factor for sudden cardiac death. Normally, the arterial baroreflex regulates blood pressure and heart rate through sensing mechanical alteration of arterial vascular walls by baroreceptor terminals in the aortic arch and carotid sinus. There are aortic baroreceptor neurons in the nodose ganglion (NG), which serve as the main afferent component of the arterial baroreflex. Functional changes of baroreceptor neurons are involved in the arterial baroreflex dysfunction in CHF. In the CHF state, circulating angiotensin II (Ang II) and local Ang II concentration in the NG are elevated, and AT1R mRNA and protein are overexpressed in the NG. Additionally, Ang II-superoxide-NFκB signaling pathway regulates the neuronal excitability of aortic baroreceptors through influencing the expression and activation of Nav channels in aortic baroreceptors, and subsequently causes the impairment of the arterial baroreflex in CHF. These new findings provide a basis for potential pharmacological interventions for the improvement of the arterial baroreflex sensitivity in the CHF state. This review summarizes the mechanisms responsible for the arterial baroreflex dysfunction in CHF.


We consider estimation and tracking problems in sensor networks with constraints in the hierarchy of inference making, on the sharing of data and inter-sensor communications. We identify as a typical representative for such problems tracking of a process when the number and type of measurements are constrained. As the simplest representative of such problems, which still encompasses all the key issues involved, we analyze efficient sampling schemes for tracking an Ornstein-Uhlenbeck process. We consider sampling based on time, based on amplitude (event-triggered sampling) and optimal sampling (optimal stopping). We obtain the best sampling rule in each case as the solution to a constrained optimization problem. We compare the performances of the various sampling schemes and show that the event-triggered sampling performs close to optimal. Implications and extensions are discussed


Genetic control of yield under reproductive-stage drought stress was studied in a population of 436 random F 3 -derived lines from a cross between the upland rice (Oryza sativa L.) cultivars Vandana and Way Rarem. Screening was conducted under upland conditions at IRRI during the dry seasons of 2005 and 2006. Lines were evaluated in drought stress and nonstress trials in both years to identify QTL contributing to drought resistance. For QTL detection, a set of random lines and the highest and lowest-yielding lines under both stress and nonstress conditions were genotyped by 126 SSR markers. A QTL (qtl12.1) with a large effect on grain yield under stress was detected on Chromosome 12 in both years. The whole population was genotyped for additional markers on Chromosome 12, allowing QTL localization to a 10.2 cM region between SSR markers RM28048 and RM511. Under stress conditions, the locus also increased harvest index, biomass yield, and plant height while reducing the number of days to flowering. Under nonstress conditions, qtl12.1 did not significantly affect any trait. The additive effect of this QTL on grain yield under stress was 172 kg ha-1 per year over the 2 yr of testing, representing 47% of the average yield under stress and explaining 51% of the genetic variance. The yield-increasing allele was derived from the susceptible parent, Way Rarem, suggesting an epistatic effect. This is the first QTL reported in rice having a large and repeatable effect on grain yield under severe drought stress in the field.


Ozonation followed by a biological activated carbon (BAC) filter is a common process of advanced water purification. Ozone can generate formaldehyde (FA) as a harmful by-product, while the subsequent BAC filter is efficient at removing FA. FA adsorption is limited on activated carbon because of its hydrophilic property and low molecular weight. Thus, biological degradation by biofilms associated with the BAC is regarded as the primary treatment mechanism for FA. However, little is known about the microorganisms involved in the removal of FA. To identify specific microorganisms assimilating FA in a BAC filter, this study applied DNA stable isotope probing (DNA-SIP) combined with next-generation sequencing (NGS) technology. DNA-SIP with NGS clearly revealed that facultative methylotrophs affiliated within the specific taxonomic groups, such as Hyphomicrobium and Methylibium , were suspected to be the key players in FA removal.


Timber harvesting activities are unquestionably related with high risk of work accidents and health disorders. Such activities were not only burdened the workers with heavy physical workloads due to uneasy working environment, and massive work materials and tools, but also physiopsychologically burdened workers as they were imposed with both mechanical and acoustic vibrations (noise) produced by the chainsaw. However,  it is a common practice that most of the workers still ignored the importance of the use of noise reduction devices such as earmuff or ear plug.  This study was aimed to reveal the factual effects of noise on work concentration of the workers to provide a scientific basis in supporting efforts in improving workers' attitude.  The results confirmed that chainsaw might produce noise during operation.  Noise intensities received by both right and left ears were not significantly different, indicating that left-handed and normal workers received similar degree of noise in both side of ears. Further, results also showed that there was a significant difference on the perception and work concentration of chainsaw operators versus sedentary people to the noise.  These findings proved that hearing ability of chainsaw operators had declined due to frequent noise exposure. Keywords: timber harvesting, physio-psychological disorder, noise, chainsaw


Volleyball players are at high risk of overuse shoulder injuries, with spike biomechanics a perceived risk factor. This study compared spike kinematics between elite male volleyball players with and without a history of shoulder injuries. Height, mass, maximum jump height, passive shoulder rotation range of motion (ROM), and active trunk ROM were collected on elite players with (13) and without (11) shoulder injury history and were compared using independent samples t tests (P < .05). The average of spike kinematics at impact and range 0.1 s before and after impact during down-the-line and cross-court spike types were compared using linear mixed models in SPSS (P < .01). No differences were detected between the injured and uninjured groups. Thoracic rotation and shoulder abduction at impact and range of shoulder rotation velocity differed between spike types. The ability to tolerate the differing demands of the spike types could be used as return-to-play criteria for injured athletes.


Aims: The objective of this in vitro study was to find out the efficacy of Novamin in remineralizing enamel surface on which artificial caries lesion had been created. The changes were analyzed using Vickers Hardness Testing Machine and Scanning electron microscope (SEM). Settings and Design: A total of 40 primary teeth were selected and divided into two groups: Control group and SHY NM (Novamin). All the samples were subjected to ph cycle protocol and assessed using Vickers Hardness Testing Machine and Scanning electron microscope. Each demineralized sample was randomly divided into two groups: Gp I –Control group, Gp II – Novamin (SHY NM). After 10-day period of ph cycle, the obtained data was analyzed statistically. Statistical Analysis Used: Pre and post groups were compared by paired t test. The significance of mean difference between the groups was done by Tukey's post hoc test after ascertaining normality by Shapiro-Wilk (W) test and homogeneity of variance by Levene's test. A two-tailed P value less than 0.05 (P < 0.05) was considered statistically significant. All analyses were performed on SPSS software (Windows version 17.0). Results: Statistical analysis showed that bioactive glass (novamin) remineralizes artificially induced carious lesion in primary teeth. Conclusions: SHY NM (Novamin) exhibited superior remineralization potential.


This paper studies the costs and benefits of delegating decisions to superiorly informed agents relative to the use of rigid, non discretionary contracts. The main focus of the paper lies in the analysis of the costs of delegation, primarily agency costs, versus their benefits, primarily the flexibility of the action choice. We first determine and characterize the properties of the optimal flexible contract. We then show that the higher the agent's degree of risk aversion, the higher is the agency costs of delegation and the less profitable a flexible contract relative to a rigid one. When the parties to not have sharp probability beliefs, the agent's degree of imprecision aversion introduces another agency cost, which again reduces the relative profitability of flexible contracts. JEL Classification: D86, D82, D81.


Culture is the entirety of all values that might differ and regenerate with respect to the values societies retain. Changes occurring on the whole of current societal dynamics play a major role with respect to culture as well. In this age of internet and mobile technologies, culture also has been instrumentalized and digitalized. Digitalization of culture primarily results from the individuals' abstraction from real life and obtaining digital identities, and striving for reinforcement of their identities in that medium. Digital identities created by individuals in a virtual world generated a consequent imperialistic effect by affecting other individuals and the real life, which in turn led to serious changes regarding the concept of culture. In this regard, an individual's identity in real life has been transformed by the created digital identity and on a macro scale, the culture of real life is led by a commonly created digital culture.


In the months following Abraham Lincoln's election as President, North Carolinians debated whether their state should follow other southern states out of the Union. Some saw secession as a matter of honor; some saw it as dangerous; others believed the South was "committing suicide" but saw no other choice once the war began. In this chapter, we'll examine the debates over secession, the first shots of the war, and the reasons for North Carolina's eventual secession in May 1861.


The structure of psychoanalytic group therapy (PGT) entails an anamorphic relationship with that of the dream's transformative work. The dream and the group are two subjective and societal constants. The author emphasizes the links of figurabilty between primal scenality, dream scenality, adolescent scenality and psychodramatic scenality. He analyzes their involvement in the symbolic effectiveness of the PGT setting with adolescents, especially borderline adolescents.


With the concept of Urban Agriculture (UA) growing in popularity, more cities and towns are exploring opportunities to enable the practice and transform neglected spaces into havens for produce. This chapter provides an insight into one such town, Todmorden and its Incredible Edible movement, located in the heart of England. This chapter adopts a qualitative approach to critically exploring the IET movement and to understand its impact on Todmorden. We engaged with key actors and the public in order to ascertain views towards the schemes, analysing the positives and negatives of the model. Findings revealed that the scheme has an overwhelmingly positive impact on the town, with social, environmental and economic benefits. Furthermore, it was made clear that IET is helping to create a more just food movement in Todmorden, particularly through its free for all philosophy. However, some negatives were also highlighted during the course of the research, predominately around maintenance issues and a lack of perceived inclusivity in parts. Overall, the scheme was highly valued and seen as a powerful method for growing the wider UA movement; recommendations centred on further replicating the model and helping local food to prosper in similar locations globally.


A detailed review of the semiempirical divide-and-conquer (D&C) method is given, including a new approach to subsetting, which involves dual buffer regions. Comparisons are drawn between this method and other semiempirical macromolecular schemes. D&C calculations are carried out using a basic 32 Mbyte memory workstation on a variety of peptide systems, including proteins containing up to 1960 atoms. Aspects of storage and SCF convergence are addressed, and parallelization of the D&C algorithm is discussed.


The global extent of macroalgal forests is declining, greatly affecting marine biodiversity at broad scales through the effects macroalgae have on ecosystem processes, habitat provision, and food web support. Networks of marine protected areas comprise one potential tool that may safeguard gene flow among macroalgal populations in the face of increasing population fragmentation caused by pollution, habitat modification, climate change, algal harvesting, trophic cascades, and other anthropogenic stressors. Optimal design of protected area networks requires knowledge of effective dispersal distances for a range of macroalgae. We conducted a global meta‐analysis based on data in the published literature to determine the generality of relation between genetic differentiation and geographic distance among macroalgal populations. We also examined whether spatial genetic variation differed significantly with respect to higher taxon, life history, and habitat characteristics. We found clear evidence of population isolation by distance across a multitude of macroalgal species. Genetic and geographic distance were positively correlated across 49 studies; a modal distance of 50–100 km maintained FST < 0.2. This relation was consistent for all algal divisions, life cycles, habitats, and molecular marker classes investigated. Incorporating knowledge of the spatial scales of gene flow into the design of marine protected area networks will help moderate anthropogenic increases in population isolation and inbreeding and contribute to the resilience of macroalgal forests.


This article utilizes the case of the Yad Vashem Holocaust Museum as an illustration for setting a themed environment at a highly unconventional tourist site whose main goal is to serve as an educational memorial for the Nazi genocide of the Jewish people. Despite the seeming incongruity between the concept and application of theming, as formulated by Walt Disney, and commemoration of the Jewish Holocaust victims, the analysis demonstrates the usefulness of theming in serving the institution's objectives while orchestrating memorable visitor experiences. Notwithstanding the criticism and concerns related to such theming, we suggest that the example of Yad Vashem illustrates how well-conducted theming holds great potential for museums in general and dark tourism sites in particular by reaching broad audiences and emotionally engaged visitors. Conclusions and implications derived from the case study as well as suggestions for future studies are discussed.


Primary fluid inclusion (FI) assemblages in ruby from marble at Mogok and fifteen other deposits from central and Southeast Asia were studied by microthermometry, Raman spectroscopy and crush-leach analysis. Microthermometry combined with Raman spectroscopy investigations of primary FT in Mogok rubies indicated the simultaneous trapping of carbonic FT in the system CO2-H2S (+/- COS +/- S-8) and multi-solid carbonic FI in the system Na-K-Ca-CO3-SO4-NO3-Cl-F +/-(CO2-H2S). The multiple solids are mainly mixtures of Na-Ca-Al carbonates such as shortite and dawsonite, sulphates, phosphates, nitrates, fluorides, and chlorides such as halite. They represent the trapped recrystallised residues of molten salts formed during the metamorphism of evaporite lenses (chlorides and sulphates) intercalated in the carbonate rocks. Raman spectroscopy of solids in FT from all Asian rubies hosted in marbles identified both (i) accidentally trapped minerals mainly calcite, dolomite and rutile, and (ii) daughter phases, i.e., native sulphur, diaspore and boehmite, and Na-K-Ca chlorides, anhydrite, dawsonite, shortite and fluorides. Crush-leach analysis of ruby crystals identified chloride as the dominant anion, but sulphate and nitrate are present at only slightly lower concentrations, whereas they are the dominant species in some Pakistani deposits. The Na-K-Ca-Li-CO3-SO4-NO3-Cl-F molten salt assemblages and the presence of nitrate and phosphate indicate the deposition of the original sediments in a coastal sabkha with ephemeral marine and continental water flooding. Input of V- and Cr-bearing argillite to the salty mudflats insured the formation of rubies in marble during Cenozoic metamorphism.


Eight complementation groups have been defined for recessive mutations conferring an increased mitotic intrachromosomal recombination phenotype (hpr genes) in Saccharomyces cerevisiae. Some of the mutations preferentially increase intrachromosomal gene conversion (hpr4, hpr5 and hpr8) between repeated sequences, some increase loss of a marker between duplicated genes (hpr1 and hpr6), and some increase both types of events (hpr2, hpr3 and hpr7). New alleles of the CDC2 and CDC17 genes were recovered among these mutants. The mutants were also characterized for sensitivity to DNA damaging agents and for mutator activity. Among the more interesting mutants are hpr5, which shows a biased gene conversion in a leu2-112::URA3::leu2-k duplication; and hpr1, which has a much weaker effect on interchromosomal mitotic recombination than on intrachromosomal mitotic recombination. These analyses suggest that gene conversion and reciprocal exchange can be separated mutationally. Further studies are required to show whether different recombination pathways or different outcomes of the same recombination pathway are controlled by the genes identified in this study.


Multiple phase capsules had been prepared in a single spray drying process. The main goal of the present study was to investigate whether the conversion of a portion of the modified starch (wall material used in spray drying) to resistant starch (RS) would offer added protection of encapsulated material. To achieve this, dry gallic acid (GA; a model water soluble phenol compound used in the present study) was initially dispersed in palm oil and stabilized with Polyglycerol Polyricinoleate (PGPR 4175) as an emulsifier. This dispersion was homogenized with a modified starch (MS, dextrose equivalent of 15) solution, that was previously treated with high pressure and increased temperature to achieve starch retrogradation, and then spray dried. It was possible to produce only small amounts of RS from modified starch, varying from 0.1 to 0.2% of total carbohydrate content. GA content in the lipid phase of the capsule was determined by lipid droplet size in the O/W emulsion (the feeding solution), as smaller droplets results in the significantly bigger surface area, and more intensive GA diffusion from O to W phase. Maltodextrin shell wall was able to prevent leaking of the melted palm oil form the capsule core to the surface during seating tests, preventing agglomeration of capsules. This could be very important for the storage/transportation of capsules in the uncontrolled temperature conditions.


In federated learning (FL), a number of distributed clients targeting the same task collaborate to train a single global model without sharing their data. The learning process typically starts from a randomly initialized or some pretrained model. In this paper, we aim at designing an initial model based on which an arbitrary group of clients can obtain a global model for its own purpose, within only a few rounds of FL. The key challenge here is that the downstream tasks for which the pretrained model will be used are generally unknown when the initial model is prepared. Our idea is to take a meta-learning approach to construct the initial model so that any group with a possibly unseen task can obtain a high-accuracy global model within only R rounds of FL. Our meta-learning itself could be done via federated learning among willing participants and is based on an episodic arrangement to mimic the R rounds of FL followed by inference in each episode. Extensive experimental results show that our method generalizes well for arbitrary groups of clients and provides large performance improvements given the same overall communication/computation resources, compared to other baselines relying on known pretraining methods.


The effect of Herbagreen mineral fertilizer on seed production of cucumber, melon and zucchini was evaluated. Three times treatment with the fertilizer at a dose of 0.04% at an interval of 14 days has a positive effect on seed yield in the studied cultures. Proven high effect was established in the indicator number of fruit per plant. There were no significant differences between treated and untreated (control) variants at the indicators: number of seeds per fruit, number of seeds per gram, weight of seeds per fruit (g), number of seeds per gram; absolute mass of seeds (g). Increasing the yield of the seed does not have any negative effect on the quality of the seeds. By the worked out regression equations the effect of application of Herbagreen could be foreseen.


There is growing evidence that the complexity of higher organisms does not correlate with the 'complexity' of the genome (the human genome contains fewer protein coding genes than corn, and many genes are preserved across species). Rather, complexity is associated with the complexity of the pathways and processes whereby the cell utilises the deoxyribonucleic acid molecule, and much else, in the process of phenotype formation. These processes include the activity of the epigenome, noncoding ribonucleic acids, alternative splicing and post-translational modifications. Not accidentally, all of these processes appear to be of particular importance for the human brain, the most complex organ in nature. Because these processes can be highly environmentally reactive, they are a key to understanding behavioural plasticity and highlight the importance of the developmental process in explaining behavioural outcomes.

Key Concepts:

Humans possess fewer protein-coding genes than maize (i.e. corn) and about the same number as a nematode.

There is now strong evidence that the complexity of higher organisms correlates with the relative amount of noncoding RNA rather than the number of protein-coding genes.

Epigenetic processes are key to every aspect of human development from cellular differentiation to learning and memory.

Epigenetic mechanisms provide an explanation on the molecular level as to how the pre- and postnatal environments can impact offspring's behaviour.

Alternative splicing is one mechanism that enables the human body to create over 100 000 proteins with a genome that contains only 20 000 protein coding genes.

Each gene in the human genome is not 'encoded' for the production of a single protein.

Isoforms can have very different and even antithetical physiological effects.

Alternative splicing patterns are modulated in response to external stimuli, such as depolarisation of neurons, activation of signal transduction cascades and stress.

Post-translational modification supplements alternative splicing as a means of creating protein diversity with a limited number of protein coding genes.

DNA is not the sole biological agent of inheritance.

Keywords:

epigenetics;
methylation;
histone modification;
micro RNAs;
alternative splicing;
post-translational modifications;
maternal effects;
phenotypic plasticity;
perinatal environment;
genomic imprinting


For tasks that require robot-environment interaction, stiffness control is important to ensure stable contact motion and collision safety. The variable stiffness approach has been used to address this type of control. We propose a hybrid variable stiffness actuator (HVSA), which is a variable stiffness unit design. The proposed HVSA is composed of a hybrid control module based on an adjustable moment-arm mechanism, and a drive module with two motors. By controlling the relative motion of gears in the hybrid control module, position and stiffness of a joint can be simultaneously controlled. The HVSA provides a wide range of joint stiffness due to the nonlinearity provided by the adjustable moment arm. Furthermore, the rigid mode, which behaves as a conventional stiff joint, can be implemented to improve positioning accuracy when a robot handles a heavy object. In this paper, the mechanical design features and related analysis are explained. We show that the HVSA can provide a wide range of stiffness and rapid responses according to changes in the stiffness of a joint under varying loads by experiments. The effectiveness of the rigid mode is verified by some experiments on position tracking under high-load conditions.


Location selection decisions are irreversible for any type of enterprise. Making the right choice is vital. In this work, at the beginning, criteria for location selection in retail sector are determined. Then because of the dependency among criteria we choose ANP method as multi-criteria decision aid. The data are ambiguous and the nature of the problem is dynamic, hence fuzzy ANP is preferred. As the measurement technique of the financial criterion, we used the fuzzy real option value that calculates the risky side of the problem. Fuzzy trinomial lattice method without any future competitor is offered as the solution procedure for fuzzy real option value through its impact on efficiency and accuracy.


Neural tube defects are common and serious birth defects in which the brain and/or spinal cord are exposed outside the body. Supplementation of foods with folic acid, an essential vitamin, is linked to a lower risk of neural tube defects; however, the mechanisms by which folic acid influence neural tube defect risk are unclear. Our research seeks to identify the basic cellular roles of known folic acid metabolism genes during morphogenesis using the roundworm Caenorhabditis elegans (C. elegans) as a simple model system. Here, we used live imaging to characterize defects in embryonic development when mel-32 is depleted. mel-32 is an essential folic acid metabolism gene in C. elegans and a homolog to the mammalian enzyme serine hydroxymethyltransferase (Shmt). Disruption of mel-32 resulted in a doubling or tripling of cell cycle lengths and a lack of directed cell movement during embryogenesis. However, the order of cell divisions, as determined by lineage analysis, is unchanged compared to wild type embryos. These results suggest that mel-32/Shmt is required for normal cell cycle lengths in C. elegans.


The right to legally own and control property is vital to the ability of an individual to receive credit. Women in developing countries often lack property rights and are therefore at a disadvantage when applying for loans. In addition, even where women have been granted equal or near-equal rights as men, there is often a disconnect between what is codified as law and what occurs in practice. Therefore, I seek to examine how women's property rights, both as codified and in enforcement, affect outreach activities of Microfinance Institutions (MFIs) serving women. I initially hypothesized that in MFIs targeting women, the breadth of outreach to women would be positively affected by both the legal strength and enforcement of women's property rights. Results of a Heckman selection model and a Seemingly Unrelated Regression model both contradict that initial hypothesis, instead showing that MFIs give a far greater portion of their loan funds to women clients in countries with more discriminatory women's property rights, and that enforcement of property rights does not show any significant effect on the ability of MFIs to reach women borrowers.


Context: Flexibility is an important aspect of physical performance and when deficient can result in an increased opportunity for injury. Cupping therapy is an ancient technique that has recently seen a growth in popularity in Western Orthopedic medicine as a soft tissue mobilization technique. Most cupping therapy research explores the use of cupping therapy for treating headache, herpes zoster, asthma, cough, and other non-orthopedic pathologies. Cupping therapy has had positive results on an injured population for increasing flexibility. Objective: To identify if cupping therapy applied passively for 10 minutes results in an increase in flexibility, and to identify if there is a placebo effect with the sham cupping treatment. Design: Double-blinded randomized repeated measures trial. Setting: laboratory. Participants: 40 semi-active participants were recruited (age: 23.52 ± 3.50 years, height: 171.89 ± 9.23 cm, mass: 72.864 ± 14.90 kg) with hamstring range of motion less than 80 degrees. Exclusion criteria included previous cupping therapy experience, allergies to adhesive, any lower extremity injury in the past 6 months, previous cupping experience and cupping therapy contraindications: pregnancy, sunburn, rash, contusions. Methods: Participants reported to the Sports Injury Research Clinic on three occasions, on the first occasion participants completed informed consent and questionnaire, followed by the secondary investigator performing the pre-treatment measurement, then the primary investigator sham, the participant post treatment, 10 minutes of laying relaxed. Participants returned on two other occasions with at least one week in between to perform the other treatment conditions. Main Outcome Measurements: Hamstring range of motion to measure flexibility, measured three times, pre-treatment, post-treatment, and 10 minutes post-treatment. An active straight leg raise was performed 4 times for each measurement with the average of the last 2 was taken as the measurement. A 3x3x2 ANOVA in SPSS was utilized for data analysis. Results: There was no statistically significant difference between cupping and control conditions (p=0.004). Cupping had a significantly higher range of motion at pre-treatment (p=0.032), post-treatment (p=0.017), and 10-minutes (p=0.006). There was no significant difference in the interaction between Condition, Time, and Sex (p=0.263). There was no significant interaction between Condition and Sex (p=0.230), Time and Condition (p=0.443), and Time and Sex (p=0.064). Conclusion: Cupping therapy applied to a healthy individual for 10 minutes does not create an increase in hamstring flexibility. Word Count: 410 words


This paper provides a comprehensive and cohesive analysis of the likely effects of a Continental Free Trade Agreement (CFTA) in six African countries. Our analysis considers four incremental liberalisation scenarios. The first scenario consist in the elimination of tariffs for agricultural goods. In the second scenario we add the elimination of tariffs on manufactured goods. The third scenario adds a fifty percent reduction in NTMs. Our last scenario considers also a thirty percent reduction in transaction costs associated with time. This last scenario helps to illustrate the important role complementary policies may play in the integration process. We find that the trade, growth and welfare gains for each African country as a consequence of the implementation of a CFTA would depend on the modalities of trade liberalisation. We also find that the CFTA would lead to asymmetric changes in trade patterns among African countries and within countries across sectors. Finally, we find that the short-run impacts of CFTA are generally very small while the long-run impacts are instead positive. However, there is heterogeneity in the welfare effects in a given country and across countries.


Abstract Effective management and conservation of migratory bird populations require knowledge and incorporation of their movement patterns and space use throughout the annual cycle. To investigate the little‐known migratory patterns of two grassland bird species, we deployed 180 light‐level geolocators on Grasshopper Sparrows (Ammodramus savannarum) and 29 Argos‐GPS tags on Eastern Meadowlarks (Sturnella magna) at Konza Prairie, Kansas, USA, and six US Department of Defense (DoD) installations distributed across the species' breeding ranges. We analyzed location data from 34 light‐level geolocators and five Argos‐GPS tags attached for 1 year to Grasshopper Sparrows and Eastern Meadowlarks, respectively. Grasshopper Sparrows were present on the breeding grounds from mid‐April through early October, substantially longer than previously estimated, and migrated on average ~2,500 km over ~30 days. Grasshopper Sparrows exhibited strong migratory connectivity only at a continental scale. The North American Great Lakes region likely serves as a migratory divide for Midwest and East Coast Grasshopper Sparrows; Midwest populations (Kansas, Wisconsin, and North Dakota; n = 13) largely wintered in Texas or Mexico, whereas East Coast populations (Maryland and Massachusetts, n = 20) wintered in the northern Caribbean or Florida. Our data from Eastern Meadowlarks provided evidence for a diversity of stationary and short‐ and long‐distance migration strategies. By providing the most extensive examination of the nonbreeding movement ecology for these two North American grassland bird species to date, we refine information gaps and provide key insight for their management and conservation.


The classic way of land cultivation means the use of inorganic fertilizers that are salts that dissolve rapidly in a short time and improve soil fertility. This process negatively affects soil salinity and the life of microorganisms. The use of biochar as a soil conditioner is a promising solution. The aim of the work is to enrich the properties of less fertile soils and to enhance the growth of the model plant Zea mays (corn) by biochar application. We used four different soil types commonly spread in the Czech Republic – regosol, chernozem, cambisol and fluvisol representing a broad range of organic matter content. Also, we applied two different EBC (The European Biochar Certificate) certified biochars for use in agriculture. Corn seeds were germinated and cultivated for 3 months in repeated plant life cycles. Soils and biochar samples were characterized before and after cultivation by TGA, EA, BET, SEM, extraction of organic matter. The effect of biochar application was observed continuously through the measurement of plant height, the number of leaves and cobs. After the finalization of cultivation experiments, the dry mass of individual plants was measured, and root image analysis of every plant was performed. Fluvisol and cambisol have much higher organic matter content than regosol and chernozem. The application of biochar had the most significant impact on regosol regardless of the application dose; these results are in good agreement with the root image analysis. Furthermore, plants in soils treated with biochar had more corn cobs. The analysis on biochar samples showed the continual leaching of both organic and inorganic molecules from biochar to surrounding soil, which is crucial for its possible use as a soil conditioner and confirms the long-timescale positive effect on soil properties.