This note presents evidence of the following gender asymmetry: the job-finding effort of married men and women is affected by the income of their spouses in opposite directions. For women, spouse income influences job finding negatively, just as own wealth does: the more the man earns and the wealthier the woman is, the longer it takes for her to find a job. The contrary is the case for men, where spouse income affects job finding positively: the more the wife earns, the faster the husband finds a job. This is so despite the fact that greater own wealth also prolongs unemployment spells for men. These findings are hard to reconcile with the traditional economic model of the family.


Current trends in higher education learning and teaching focuses on the use of technology, integrated learning through 'blended learning' and writing for academic purposes. This introductory article initiates the debate around the context of South African higher education teaching and learning. It does so by contextualizing the South African scenario within the broader higher education framework and by pointing out some of the issues that are currently being grappled with in South African higher education institutions (HEIs). More importantly, it sets the scene for further engagement on these issues in future articles.


Schizophrenia is a chronic illness which has severe consequences for the lives of patients and their families. The costs associated with treating individuals with schizophrenia are considerable. This thesis examined the relationship between non-adherence to medication, patient-, environmental- and medication-related factors and the costs associated with health and social care services used and the wider societal costs in treating individuals with schizophrenia. Analysis was undertaken of data from the 1993-4 and 2000 Psychiatric Morbidity Surveys and the Quality of Life following Adherence Therapy for People Disabled by Schizophrenia and their Carers study.
An individual's level of education, having had a recent inpatient stay and alcohol abuse were found to be associated with a greater likelihood of non-adherence in individuals taking antipsychotics. These results were not observed in analyses of individuals taking antidepressants. Common factors associated with non-adherence across individuals taking antipsychotics and antidepressants included experiencing side-effects and severity of illness.
Community-based services were found to be used more by individuals with interruptions in their antipsychotic medication. In this group there may also be additional costs in hospitalisations and overall health and social care services attributable to non-adherence. Benefits to patients may be accrued by enabling health and social care professionals, particularly those working in the community, to encourage medication adherence in individuals with schizophrenia and to provide information on new interventions that are cost-effective in improving adherence.
National Institute of Clinical Excellence (NICE) guidelines for treating individuals with schizophrenia, revised in 2009, address some key findings in my analyses, such as emphasising the role of carers and family members in successful management of the illness, the potentially adverse impact that illicit drug use can have on therapeutic effects and issues around service provision to individuals from ethnic minorities.
Further analysis of data from long-term studies is required to determine the clinical, economic and personal consequences of non-adherence.


Demand Response Management (DRM) is a key component in the smart grid to effectively reduce power generation costs and user bills. However, it has been an open issue to address the DRM problem in a network of multiple utility companies and consumers where every entity is concerned about maximizing its own benefit. In this paper, we propose a Stackelberg game between utility companies and end-users to maximize the revenue of each utility company and the payoff of each user. We derive analytical results for the Stackelberg equilibrium of the game and prove that a unique solution exists. We develop a distributed algorithm which converges to the equilibrium with only local information available for both utility companies and end-users. Though DRM helps to facilitate the reliability of power supply, the smart grid can be succeptible to privacy and security issues because of communication links between the utility companies and the consumers. We study the impact of an attacker who can manipulate the price information from the utility companies. We also propose a scheme based on the concept of shared reserve power to improve the grid reliability and ensure its dependability.


Here we investigated whether microwaves (MWs) of Global System for Mobile Communication (GSM) induce changes in chromatin conformation in human lymphocytes. Effects of MWs were studied at different frequencies in the range of 895-915 MHz in experiments with lymphocytes from seven healthy persons. Exposure was performed in transverse electromagnetic transmission line cell (TEM-cell) using a GSM test-mobile phone. All standard modulations included 2 W output power in the pulses, specific absorbed rate (SAR) being 5.4 mW/kg. Changes in chromatin conformation, which are indicative of stress response and genotoxic effects, were measured by the method of anomalous viscosity time dependencies (AVTD). Heat shock and treatment with the genotoxic agent camptothecin, were used as positive controls. 30-min exposure to MWs at 900 and 905 MHz resulted in statistically significant condensation of chromatin in lymphocytes from 1 of 3 tested donors. This condensation was similar to effects of heat shock within the temperature window of 40/spl deg/C-44/spl deg/C. Analysis of pooled data from all donors showed statistically significant effect of 30-min exposure to MWs. Stronger effects of MWs was found following 1-h exposure. In replicated experiments, cells from four out of five donors responded to 905 MHz. Responses to 915 MHz were observed in cells from 1 out of 5 donors, p<0.002. Dependent on donor, condensation, 3 donors, or decondensation, 1 donor, of chromatin was found in response to 1-h exposure. Analysis of pooled data from all donors showed statistically significant effect of 1-h exposure to MWs. In cells from one donor, this effect was frequency-dependent (p<0.01). Effects of MWs correlated statistically significantly with effects of heat shock and initial state of chromatin before exposure. MWs at 895 and 915 MHz affected chromatin conformation in transformed lymphocytes. The conclusion-GSM microwaves under specific conditions of exposure affected human lymphocytes similar to stress response. The data suggested that the MW effects differ at various GSM frequencies and vary between donors.


BACKGROUND
Chronic heart failure is associated with induction of secondary inflammatory mediators, including prostanoids. The latter exert diverse functional and morphological effects on cardiac myocytes. Induction of cyclooxygenase (COX), the enzyme responsible for generating prostanoids, requires activation of nuclear factor-kappaB (NF-kappaB). The aim of the present study was to determine the expression of COX-2 and activation of NF-kappaB in the failing human heart.

METHODS AND RESULTS
Myocardial tissue from 27 patients with end-stage heart failure (various etiologies: ischemic heart disease, n=16; idiopathic dilated cardiomyopathy, n=10; and valvular heart disease, n=1), 2 septic patients, and 8 normal control subjects was immunostained with antisera to COX-2 and NF-kappaB. Western blotting was performed and showed high anti-COX-2 antibody specificity and the presence of COX-2 protein in the sample tissues. In situ hybridization and immunohistochemistry showed little or no expression of COX-2 and NF-kappaB in the control hearts. In contrast, there was abundant expression of COX-2 mRNA and protein in myocytes and inflammatory cells in areas of fibrotic scar compared with regions of normal morphology in all cases of heart failure, except the cases with sepsis, which showed an abundance of COX-2 throughout the myocardium. Sites of NF-kappaB activation were associated with those of COX-2 expression.

CONCLUSIONS
We demonstrate induction of COX-2 and activation of NF-kappaB in the myocardium of failing human hearts. Induction of both molecules appears to be associated with the presence of inflammation and scar formation.


In this paper, a distributed compressive sensing (CS) model is proposed to recover missing data samples along the temporal frequency domain for through-the-wall radar imaging (TWRI). Existing CS-based approaches recover the signal from each antenna independently, without considering the correlations among measurements. The proposed approach, on the other hand, exploits the structure or correlation in the signals received across the array aperture by using a hierarchical Bayesian model to learn a shared prior for the joint reconstruction of the high-resolution radar profiles. A backprojection method is then applied to form the radar image. Experimental results on real TWRI data show that the proposed approach produces better radar images using fewer measurements compared to existing CS-based TWRI methods.


Differential pulse-code modulation (DPCM) is an efficient digitization
technique for encoding speech signals. The two principal components of
a DPCM system are the quantizer and the predictor, either or both of
which can be adaptive. This thesis describes the investigation of
various differential pulse-code modulation systems. Initially, fixed,
i.e. time-invariant, predictors using long-term signal statistics of the
speech signal are examined. The performance of such a predictor in a
DPCM system having a fixed quantizer is studied. Then by replacing the
fixed predictor with one whose coefficients are calculated at fixed time
intervals, the performance of the encoder, in terms of signal to noise
ratio (SNR), is improved by 3-5 dB. A further improvement of 2–3 dB in
SNR is obtained when an adaptive quantizer is used in the DPCM system.
However, the block adaptive predictor requires the transmission of
prediction coefficients to the receiving end at the expense of an increase
in the channel band width. [Continues.]


Background The corpus callosum disconnection syndrome is characterised by left sided apraxia to command, left sided tactile and visual neglect for objects presented to the subjects left side, poor left auditory perception, right sided anosmia and the corpus callosum alien hand syndrome. It has been reported in several disorders of the corpus but there are very few case reports associated with hydrocephalus; a pubmed search has identified only one case. Case report We present a 47 year old right-handed van driver with a 5-year history of progressive difficulty distinguishing which of his hands was holding an object (tactile neglect) or which hand he was moving. He may drop an object from the hand he did not intend and this was predominantly with the left side. His left hand often moved involuntarily when he moved his right hand (diagnostic dyspraxia) but there was no evidence of mirror movements or intermanual conflict. There was no apraxia or prosopagnosia. He had no focal neurological deficits apart from slightly brisker reflexes in his right limbs. Magnetic resonance image of his brain (MRI) showed dilated lateral and third ventricles with thinning and displacement of the corpus callosum as well as aqueductal stenosis. He reported significant improvement but not complete resolution of his symptoms after endoscopic third ventriculostomy. Conclusion Our patient presented with features of dysfunction of the corpus callosum and who demonstrated typical characteristics of corpus callosum disconnection which improved after surgery. There was little in his presentation to suggest the diagnosis of obstructive hydrocephalus which was however prominent on imaging.


This paper examines interactions and feedbacks between categories of capital flows and economic growth in Turkey for the 1992:01-2009:08 period. Our empirical analysis is based on a new version of the causality test of John Geweke (1982, p. 77) and Yuzo Hosoya (1991, p. 88) in the frequency domain proposed recently by JA¶rg Breitung and Bertrand Candelon (2006, p. 132). In addition, using standard methods in spectral analysis, we decompose the total covariance between capital flows and growth across main frequency bands and capture lead/lag interactions between them. Some of our findings are as follows: Variance decompositions over frequency bands reveal that variations in individual capital flow categories are largely concentrated over high (seasonal) frequencies. The nature of the interaction/feedback between growth and capital flows varies significantly over frequency bands and subcategories of flows. Over business cycle frequencies, two out of four subcategories of inflows, short-term external borrowings and portfolio investments on government bonds, drive growth whereas the other two components, long-term borrowings and portfolio investments on shares, are driven by growth. Furthermore, for the post-2001 financial crisis period we found significant bidirectional causality between long-term external borrowings and growth whereas portfolio investments, bond flows and short-term external borrowings do not affect growth in the long run.


Background BRCA1 and BRCA2 (BRCA1/2) play important roles in the development of breast cancer, but information regarding BRCA1/2 mutations in Chinese females remains limited. The aim of this study was to investigate the prevalence and spectrum of BRCA1/2 mutations in China. Material/Methods In total, 595 breast cancer patients in China were screened with an amplicon-based panel for the detection of BRCA1/2 mutations in coding regions using next-generation sequencing (NGS) with a Personal Genome Machine. Every pathogenic mutation detected was confirmed by Sanger sequencing. The disease-causing potential of variants of uncertain significance (VUS) was predicted using PolyPhen-2, SIFT, PhyloP, and Grantham. Results The prevalence of BRCA1/2 mutations was 8.07% in the Chinese population. Forty-two pathogenic mutations were identified in 48 cases (17 BRCA1 cases and 31 BRCA2 cases), including 19 novel mutations. Nine VUS were predicted to be deleterious by PolyPhen-2 and SIFT and subsequently predicted by PhyloP and Grantham for the evolutionary conservation. Conclusions These results suggest that NGS is useful as a rapid, high-throughput, and cost-effective screening tool for the analysis of BRCA1/2 mutations. Based on this panel, we found that BRCA1/2 germline mutations in China exhibit distinct characteristics compared to those in Western populations.


-Haptic interfaces for medial simulation prove to be especially useful for training in minimally invasive procedures. In this research, a framework that consists of relevant representation of operator and environment dynamic of a tele-manipulated haptic system is implemented. The uncertainty model of the operator and environment models is considered as well to study the influence on the aspects of stability and performance. The framework of H ∞ loop shaping robust controller design is applied, then the stability and performance analysis is investigated. Parametric robust control design method is used as well for comparison. The v-gap metric is considered to develop an accurate measurement of uncertainty. Based on the obtained value of the v-gap an efficient procedure of robust control design is applied. The obtained values of v-gap were 0.1112 for the master and 9.755*10 -4 for the slave parts of the haptic system, which indicate improved robustness of stability and performance as compared with the obtained values from parametric robust controller design.


Cell and tissue pathology of both gill and digestive tissue has been the object of many research studies for the elucidation of contaminant-induced biological effects. In the present study, cellular pathological alterations were linked to subcellular sites of chemical accumulation in gills and digestive gland tissues. For this purpose, mussels (Mytilus edulis) were exposed to the organic contaminants aroclor 1254 (PCB), phenanthrene (PAH) or the metal lead (Pb). The localization of chemicals at the subcellular level was analysed by an antibody-based detection system and pathological changes were analysed in parallel in the same samples by transmission electron microscopy. After exposure to the different contaminants, cell organelles such as mitochondria and the endo-lysosomal system showed clear evidence of chemical-induced alterations. Large numbers of crystalloid inclusions were found in mitochondria and lysosomes after organic contaminant exposure. Immunocytochemical detection of the chemicals showed their accumulation inside of various cell organelles such as lysosomes, mitochondria, and nuclei. Additionally, chemicals were localized in association to membranes, cilia and microvilli of gill and digestive gland cells. Furthermore, the chitinous rod and mucous secretions of gill epithelia cells were positively labelled for contaminants. Localization of contaminants by immuno-detection in combination with pathological diagnosis gives insights into the cellular targets of chemical attack.


Ideally, searches for published articles to solve clinical problems should lead to the best evidence on a given topic quickly and at reasonable expense. This goal can be achieved with modern information skills, sources, and services. In this article, we describe and compare various means, from textbooks to computers, that provide access to information of potential value in addressing clinical problems as they arise. Using the problem of understanding and controlling the risk for the acquired immunodeficiency syndrome among personnel of a community hospital, we examined the following sources for their utility in locating journal literature: general and specialty medical texts, personal reprint collections, expert clinicians, recent journal issues, library textbook collections, the Index Medicus "Bibliography of Reviews" and subject index, and MEDLINE computer searching. For this problem, Index Medicus and MEDLINE were the best sources of up-to-date articles, but MEDLINE was three times as fast.


Award  Educational Toys not only make hearts happy. But it is also very have meaning in the development of children, because children have a great chance of acceptance to external stimuli in children. The purpose of this study was to determine the relationship Award Educational Toys with gross motor development in infants aged 1-5 years in the village of Babadan Patianrowo Nganjuk District of the Year 2017.  This research is an analytic study with this type of correlation studies. The population is all mothers and children aged 1-5 years in the village of Babadan, District Patianrowo, Nganjuk District, using the technique of random sampling sampling system in order to obtain a sample of 68 respondents. This research was conducted in the month of February 2017. The data was collected using a questionnaire and observation sheet. The independent variables are administration Educational Toys, while the dependent variable is gross motor development in young children 1-5 years old. Data were analyzed using Spearman Rank (Rho) statistical test with α = 0.05.The results showed that 47 respondents (69%) the provision Educational Toys. Meanwhile, gross motor development in infants aged 1-5 years 43 respondents (63%) in the corresponding category. The test results Spearman Rank correlation (Rho) with r = 0.818. Based on the level of interpretation of the correlation coefficient indicates that there is a relationship between the provision Educational Toys with gross motor development in infants aged 1-5 years in the village of Babadan Patianrowo Nganjuk District of the Year 2017 at very strong levels. Based on the results of the above research, the researchers concluded that the Giving Educational Toys Equipment greatly affect the development of gross motor in toddlers. Thus, it is suggested that the mother to give Educational  Toys and more to monitor the rough motor development of children according to the age stage.


Using a complementary spiral resonator mounted on the power plane, simultaneous switching noise and ground bouncing noise can be suppressed over a very wideband from 0.22 to 12.5 GHz under a noise suppression margin of -25 dB. Not only the suppression characteristic under 12.5 GHz is possible, but also over the higher frequency band, because the proposed structure operates like an RF choke. Therefore, the proposed structure can satisfy the 10% noise margin for the voltage swing ratio for both periodic and random clock signals. A size of 3.2 mm is necessary for the diameter of the resonator on the power plane, and is comparable to a clearance pad size with diameter of 3.0 mm in a ground plane. Hence, the small size helps to reduce the discontinuity of the return current path; therefore, signal integrity problems and the degrees of freedom for power plane design of an electromagnetic bandgap structure are enhanced. Moreover, the effects of inductance and capacitance in the spiral resonator are analyzed for modeling. As a result, the suppression bandwidth and resonance frequency are controlled by the arm length and gap of spiral resonator. In addition, by applying two different sizes of resonators, it is shown that a multiresonance effect is also obtained.


Abstract. An elevated particle number concentration (PNC) observed during nucleation events could play a significant contribution to the total particle load and therefore to the air pollution in the urban environments. Therefore, a field measurement study of PNC was commenced to investigate the temporal and spatial variations of PNC within the urban airshed of Brisbane, Australia. PNC was monitored at urban (QUT), roadside (WOO) and semi-urban (ROC) areas around the Brisbane region during 2009. During the morning traffic peak period, the highest relative fraction of PNC reached about 5% at QUT and WOO on weekdays. PNC peaks were observed around noon, which correlated with the highest solar radiation levels at all three stations, thus suggesting that high PNC levels were likely to be associated with new particle formation caused by photochemical reactions. Wind rose plots showed relatively higher PNC for the NE direction, which was associated with industrial pollution, accounting for 12%, 9% and 14% of overall PNC at QUT, WOO and ROC, respectively. Although there was no significant correlation between PNC at each station, the variation of PNC was well correlated among three stations during regional nucleation events. In addition, PNC at ROC was significantly influenced by upwind urban pollution during the nucleation burst events, with the average enrichment factor of 15.4. This study provides an insight into the influence of regional nucleation events on PNC in the Brisbane region and it the first study to quantify the effect of urban pollution on semi-urban PNC through the nucleation events.


A chlamydia‐secreted protein designated CPAF (chlamydial proteasome‐like activity factor) was shown previously to degrade host transcriptional factors (e.g. RFX5) required for major histocompatibility (MHC) gene activation. Although CPAF is encoded by a single open reading frame (ORF) in the chlamydial genome, two fragments designated CPAFn and CPAFc were the main products purified. The current study was designed to test whether cleavage of CPAF into CPAFn and CPAFc is a physiological process required for CPAF proteolytic activity. Pulse–chase experiments revealed that CPAF was initially synthesized in chlamydia‐infected cells as a 70 kDa full‐length protein and rapidly cleaved into CPAFn and c fragments. Full‐length CPAF expressed via a transgene in mammalian cells remained uncleaved and had no proteolytic activity, whereas CPAF expressed in Escherichia coli cells was processed and possessed RFX5 degradation activity. CPAF mutants deficient in processing even when expressed by E. coli failed to degrade RFX5. More importantly, the RFX5 degradation activity was partially restored when the mutant CPAF was artificially induced to undergo cleavage. These observations together have demonstrated that cleavage of CPAF is both necessary and sufficient for CPAF activity.


Peorian loess in southeastern Illinois and southwestern Indiana varied more in composition among the Wabash, Ohio, and Mississippi river source areas than did soils developed in the upper portion of the loess. Very low magnetic susceptibility was found in the gray, basal (Iowan or Morton) Peorian loess in the Wabash valley. Carbonate content was lower in Peorian loess of the Ohio valley than in that of the Wabash valley. Peorian loess was lower in clay and higher in silt content than Farmdale or Loveland loesses. Composition of the silt fraction, other than carbonates, did not vary greatly in Peorian loess of the three major source areas. Opal phytoliths and sponge spicules were present in all calcareous Peorian loess samples, and one unidentified microfossil was found in the Wabash valley loess. Illite was the dominant clay mineral in Peorian loess of the Ohio and Wabash valleys and expandable 2:1 minerals were dominant in Mississippi river loess. A high proportion of the expandable minerals in all samples was vermiculite. Chlorite and kaolinite were comparable in the Peorian loess of the three valleys. In comparison with the Peorian, the Farmdale loess had somewhat similar magnetic susceptibility, only secondary carbonates, and greater clay content. In the silt fraction, the Farmdale had lower Fe and Mn contents, less opal phytoliths, and similar sponge spicule content as the Peorian. The Farmdale was lower in illite, equal to or slightly higher in expandable clay minerals, and somewhat higher in chlorite and kaolinite contents than the Peorian. In comparison to the overlying Farmdale, the Loveland loess had strongly developed soils and less secondary carbonates. The silt fraction was lower in K₂O and CaO contents, and lacked sponge spicules. The Farmdale and Loveland appeared to have similar clay mineral composition. The Ohio valley loess was most weathered and the five Wabash valley loess soils were least weathered as indicated by CaO/ZrO₂ molar ratios of the A horizons. Alford and Sylvan soils, developed in Peorian loess of the Wabash, Ohio, and Mississippi valleys, appear to have no real differences in clay mineral composition in the B2 horizons, although illite may be higher than expandable clay minerals in the Ohio valley loess soils. A high proportion of the expandable clay minerals in all of the B2 horizons appeared to be vermiculite. The rather marked similarity of the clay of B2 horizons of the loess soils in contrast to the varied clay mineral composition of underlying loess, suggests that the surficial loess may have varied less than that deeper in the sections.


The area under investigation was the phenomenon of criminological behaviour occurring on Dublin Bus Routes. Research questions were based around: 1) what anti-social behaviour is occurring on buses, 2) when is this behaviour occurring, 3) who is perpetrating this behaviour and 4) how is anti-social behaviour on buses being tackled? Two problematic bus routes and one control route were selected based on geographic spread and the comparative ratio of criminal incidents involved (the 78A, 77 and the control case: 46A). A statistical analysis of existing information from Dublin Bus surrounding anti-social behaviour on these routes was conducted. The researcher then performed equivalent systematic observation over a period of three weeks on the proposed routes. This data was supplemented with four semi-structured interviews obtained from members of the Dublin Bus Zero-Tolerance Unit. The data garnered from the observation and the interviews was then cross-examined against the statistical analysis of existing data to see how comparable it was. The results showed a bias in the reporting of more serious crime with a lot of minor incidents never being recorded. The findings were used to inform academic recommendations for future research with regard to the nature of anti-social behaviour on buses and how it is policed. Practical solutions to effective management strategies in dealing with crime were also suggested.


Laboratory-based learning experiences are critically important to develop the cognitive and technical capabilities we expect to see in our future scientists and STEM professionals. Despite the key role this environment plays in learning science, many current activities fall short in terms of providing an experience which connects the 'doing' with the 'learning'. Laboratory practicals are expensive to resource (materials, staff time, laboratory space, etc), and therefore are typically constrained and assessment focused. In addition, these activities are often 'cookbook' or predetermined in their outcomes and students are typically not allowed to explore outside of the very narrow context of the prescribed activity. Given this current model of laboratory training, it is a concern that universities are producing graduates who may not have well developed technical or transferable skills to work effectively in a laboratory environment. The Kitchen Chemistry program aims to address this training deficit in undergraduate sciences. Kitchen Chemistry is a series of inquiry based co-curricular workshops for science, health science, and education students that aims to positively influence student learning, confidence and persistence in the sciences. The workshops differ from traditional laboratory environments because they are not assessment driven and are designed as a 'safe place to fail', where failure is an opportunity to learn. The curriculum for Kitchen Chemistry was developed in partnership with academics, student support services, technical staff, and students. Here we discuss the affordances and challenges to implementing this initiative, which is grounded in the provision of timely and relevant support for learning to develop technical proficiency for STEM undergraduates, in the co-curricular space.


Background— Plasma levels of coagulation factors VII (FVII), VIII (FVIII), and von Willebrand factor (vWF) influence risk of hemorrhage and thrombosis. We conducted genome-wide association studies to identify new loci associated with plasma levels. Methods and Results— The setting of the study included 5 community-based studies for discovery comprising 23 608 European-ancestry participants: Atherosclerosis Risk In Communities Study, Cardiovascular Health Study, British 1958 Birth Cohort, Framingham Heart Study, and Rotterdam Study. All subjects had genome-wide single-nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) scans and at least 1 phenotype measured: FVII activity/antigen, FVIII activity, and vWF antigen. Each study used its genotype data to impute to HapMap SNPs and independently conducted association analyses of hemostasis measures using an additive genetic model. Study findings were combined by meta-analysis. Replication was conducted in 7604 participants not in the discovery cohort. For FVII, 305 SNPs exceeded the genome-wide significance threshold of 5.0×10−8 and comprised 5 loci on 5 chromosomes: 2p23 (smallest P value 6.2×10−24), 4q25 (3.6×10−12), 11q12 (2.0×10−10), 13q34 (9.0×10−259), and 20q11.2 (5.7×10−37). Loci were within or near genes, including 4 new candidate genes and F7 (13q34). For vWF, 400 SNPs exceeded the threshold and marked 8 loci on 6 chromosomes: 6q24 (1.2×10−22), 8p21 (1.3×10−16), 9q34 (<5.0×10−324), 12p13 (1.7×10−32), 12q23 (7.3×10−10), 12q24.3 (3.8×10−11), 14q32 (2.3×10−10), and 19p13.2 (1.3×10−9). All loci were within genes, including 6 new candidate genes, as well as ABO (9q34) and VWF (12p13). For FVIII, 5 loci were identified and overlapped vWF findings. Nine of the 10 new findings were replicated. Conclusions— New genetic associations were discovered outside previously known biological pathways and may point to novel prevention and treatment targets of hemostasis disorders.


The First Amendment and its associational rights and freedoms are not tested by popular groups or causes. Only controversy can help establish the limits of constitutional rights. Fraternities and sororities ("fraternities") have certainly been controversial during their 236 years of existence.Colleges often regulate fraternities more strictly than any other organization. Fraternity members may be barred from wearing their letters or mentioning their affinity during certain times of the year. Recruitment of new members is generally permitted only at certain times and in certain ways. Fraternity members may be required to engage in philanthropy or maintain a specific grade point average, where unaffiliated students have no such requirement. And many colleges have banned entire fraternity systems, while encouraging substantially similar themed dormitory housing, or fraternity-like living arrangement controlled by the school. At some point these restrictions certainly must violate the associational freedoms in the First Amendment.Two recent Supreme Court cases suggest that there is a greater freedom of association for college fraternities than has been previously recognized by lower courts. This article discusses in great detail the history of fraternities and the freedom of association. The article discusses and critiques every relevant case and analyzes existing case law in light of Christian Legal Society and Citizens United. The article concludes by suggesting that these two Supreme Court cases may have opened a new path for fraternities to assert their associational freedoms under the First Amendment.


Resale price maintenance (RPM) is a channel pricing strategy that establishes the price below which a product cannot be resold. The Supreme Court's decision in Leegin Creative Leather Products, Inc. v. PSKS, Inc. (2007) overruled a nearly 100-year old rule against RPM agreements. Together with evolving changes in business, the decision has focused increased attention on this marketing practice and prompted calls for contemporary research on its use and effects. The authors organize historical understanding, review past empirical research, advance new perspectives and propositions for research, discuss marketing literature with potential to enhance future understanding of RPM, and offer an agenda for interested researchers.


The work described in this thesis concerns the application of radar altimetry, collected from the ERS-1 and TOPEX/POSEIDON missions, to precise satellite orbits computed at Aston University. The data is analysed in a long arc fashion to determine range biases, time tag biases, sea surface topographies and to assess the radial accuracy of the generated orbits through crossover analysis. A sea surface variability study is carried out for the North Sea using repeat altimeter profiles from ERS-1 and TOPEX/POSEIDON in order to verify two local U.K. models for ocean tide and storm surge effects. An on-side technique over the English Channel is performed to compute the ERS-1, TOPEX and POSEIDON altimeter range biases by using a combination of altimetry, precise orbits determined by short arc methods, tide gauge data, GPS measurements, geoid, ocean tide and storm surge models. The remaining part of the thesis presents some techniques for the short arc correction of long arc orbits. Validation of this model is achieved by way of comparison with actual SEASAT short arcs. Simulations are performed for the ERS-1 microwave tracking system, PRARE, using the range data to determine time dependent orbit corrections. Finally, a brief chapter is devoted to the recovery of errors in station coordinates by the use of multiple short arcs.


Trauma is one of the main causes of death worldwide, accounting for 4.8 million deaths per
year. This death rate has led to trauma being classed as the top cause of death for males,
aged between fifteen and twenty-nine. More recently, however, the pattern of major
trauma is reported to be changing, with elderly cohorts and falls from less than 2 meters
emerging as the dominant presenting complaint. In addition to these deaths, directly caused
in the early phase following major trauma, a second peak of deaths resulting from the
complications including sepsis and multiple organ failure, occurs in the days and weeks
following the initial traumatic insult. These complications develop due to an imbalance between the pro-inflammatory and antiinflammatory
response to traumatic injury. This imbalance results in the counter
inflammatory response becoming dominant. This results in complications including sepsis
and multi-organ failure occurring due to the resultant immunosuppression. Thus, the ability
to monitor the pro- and anti-inflammatory responses through the measurement of
interleukin-6 and interleukin-10, may allow an early prediction of patient outcome and the
likelihood of developing complications. Blood samples and clinical data were taken on days 1, 3 and 5, with additional clinical data
taken on day 8, following admission. Patient blood serum was analysed for their interleukin-
6 and interleukin-10 concentrations, using cytometric bead arrays, in sequential samples,
over a five-day period following traumatic injury. The concentrations of interleukin-6 and interleukin-10 for these patients were then
compared to their clinical data and scoring systems. This evaluated the use of interleukin-6
or interleukin-10 as potential biomarkers for the early detection of complications and poor
clinical outcome following trauma. Metabolomic analysis was also conducted in parallel to
validate methodology and identify new molecules and pathways involved in the response to
trauma. Interleukin-10 concentration was further utilised to cluster liquid chromatography/mass
spectrometry metabolomic analysis to identify significant metabolites that are higher in
patients with elevated interleukin-10. Preliminary results show that both interleukin-6 and interleukin-10 differentiate between
good and poor outcome. Median interleukin-6 concentrations were found to be at their
peak in day 1 (54.28 pg/ml ± 214.48), decreasing in day 3 (29.43 pg/ml ± 300.19) and further
decreasing in day 5 (10.90 pg/ml ± 673.74). A similar pattern was observed following
analysis for interleukin-10 with the peak on day 1 (5.87 pg/ml ± 20.21), decreasing in day 3
(2.59 pg/ml ± 4.96) and decreasing further in day 5 (1.99 pg/ml ± 8.82). Furthermore, Day 1
interleukin-10 concentrations were used to cluster the metabolomic analysis. With this
grouping, a significant change in penicillin based antibiotic metabolites was observed in day
5 metabolomic analysis of trauma patient's serum samples, identifying day 1 interleukin-10
a predictive marker for the need for long term antibiotic usage. This study indicates that the balance between interleukin-6 and interleukin-10 has potential
predictive value for the early detection of complications following trauma and provide early
guidance towards optimal therapeutic intervention.


This paper investigates the effects of an external electric field on hole-burning processes. The photoprocess for hole burning involves the transformation of chlorin (dihydroporphyrin) into its phototautomer. Two-dimensional representations (voltage/frequency) of the transmittance and the change in optical density are illustrated for single and multiple hole burning. At 4.2 K a hole width of 25 kV/cm in electric field scanning range and of 3 GHz (0.1 cm−1) in optical frequency was achieved. The increase in the data storage capacity for optical memory devices offered by the electrical field parameter is discussed.


Population ageing is taking place in almost all areas of the world with Japan, Germany and Italy being the most ageing countries. Being a result of two simultaneous developments - the steady increase of life expectancy across Europe and falling fertility rates, demographic ageing is expected to become entrenched in many countries during the next half of the century with the number of people aged 60 years or over increasing more than twice and exceeding the number of children by 2050. Thus, the ageing population becomes a key challenge for society and an important social and economic responsibility. Furthermore, the ageing of the population has led and will lead to significant changes in the workforce, particularly demonstrated by the rise of employment rates amongst older workers (usually workers aged 55 years and over). As the need to keep older workers in the workforce has been referred to as an "emergency", various prevention measures ranging from changes in the legislation and social security systems to the introduction of tailored life-long learning programmes and flexible work models have been undertaken recently. As result, across Europe there has been a considerable increase of the employment rates of older workers (aged 55-64) over the last ten years from 38% to 47%. There is a wealth of examples about how employers can benefit from hiring and retaining older employees at work. Reforms in the pension and legislation systems have been made, and actions in terms of the development of age neutral recruitment and retention measures have been undertaken. Most arguments are around potential financial and social benefits as results of utilising older workers' experience and transferring their skills to younger employees within organisations. However, the task of retaining older workers in the workforce is a reflection of individual needs as well as societal ones. Research on older workers' motives to stay at work demonstrates that beyond financial needs people see their inclusion in the labour market as an important aspect of their personal identity and their social life. Older workers' successful involvement with the labour market could be related to their own overall well-being, which is reflected in the concept of 'successful ageing' taking into account age-related changes in work-related abilities and motives. Also, it is not just a question of keeping older workers in work: how can one also make the most of their contribution? The "Thriving at 55+" project addresses the question of how older workers experience their ageing in the workplace and focuses particularly on the features of work and work environment that both older workers and their employers consider important for older workers' well-being and performance. It investigates in-depth the personal and organisational strategies that are most effective in helping older workers to not just maintain, but also improve their well-being and performance at work and, therefore, ensure better and longer working lives.


We survey optimization problems that involve the cardinality of variable vectors in constraints or the objective function. We provide a unified viewpoint on the general problem classes and models, and give concrete examples from diverse application fields such as signal and image processing, portfolio selection, or machine learning. The paper discusses general-purpose modeling techniques and broadly applicable as well as problem-specific exact and heuristic solution approaches. While our perspective is that of mathematical optimization, a main goal of this work is to reach out to and build bridges between the different communities in which cardinality optimization problems are frequently encountered. In particular, we highlight that modern mixed-integer programming, which is often regarded as impractical due to commonly unsatisfactory behavior of black-box solvers applied to generic problem formulations, can in fact produce provably high-quality or even optimal solutions for cardinality optimization problems, even in large-scale real-world settings. Achieving such performance typically draws on the merits of problem-specific knowledge that may stem from different fields of application and, e.g., shed light on structural properties of a model or its solutions, or lead to the development of efficient heuristics; we also provide some illustrative examples.


Research into exercise and hydration is not new. Twenty-five years ago, White and Ford1 reported on the voluntary dehydration (hypohydration) during a competitive cycling road race; subjects' mean body mass losses were greater than 3%, and there were low rates of fluid ingestion despite fluid being freely available. It is notable that there was no relationship between fluid intake and finishing position. The BJSM published one of the first consensus statements on fluid replacement2 during and after exercise.

In the October issue of BJSM , Marino and colleagues3 challenge the common belief that (full) fluid replacement is necessary to maintain/improve high-intensity exercise performance in moderate and warm conditions. Their data show neuromuscular adjustments according to hydration status allowing the attainment of similar …


We present the Spreading Activation and Memory PLasticity Model (SAMPL), a computational model of how memory retrieval changes memories. SAMPL restructures memory networks as a function of spreading activation and plasticity. Memory networks are represented as graphs of items in which edge weights capture the strength of association between items. When an item is retrieved, activation spreads across nodes depending on edge weights and the strength of initial activation. A non-monotonic plasticity rule, in turn, updates edge weights following activation. SAMPL simulates human memory phenomena across a number of experiments including retrieval induced forgetting, context-based memory enhancement, and memory synchronization in conversational networks. Our results have implications for theorizing memory disorders such as PTSD and designing computationally assisted conversational therapy.


A total of 180 shallow groundwater samples in Manukan island's aquifer were collected for major and trace elements analysis in order to obtain a general understanding of the hydrogeochemistry in the study area. Groundwater and soil samples were collected in the low elevation area of the island to evaluate the general chemical composition of groundwater and soil, hydrogeochemical facies in the natural shallow aquifer as well as the mineralogy of the soil in the aquifer. A total of 10 boreholes were installed perpendicularly from the shoreline towards inland of the island. Different layer (a, A, E, Band C zone) of soil samples were collected from the soil core during coring process. For water samples analysis, in situ readings were recorded in the field. Chemical parameters such as chloride (Cl�, bicarbonate (HCO₃�), calcium (Ca2+), magnesium (Mg2+), sodium (Na+) and potassium (K+) were analysed in the laboratory. For mineralogy analysis, soil samples were pulverized and sieved prior to X-ray diffraction (XRD) and X-ray Florescence (XRF) analysis. Visual verification of these minerals were obtained from the images captured by scanning electron microscopy (SEM). Measurements of the soil's loss on ignition (L.O.I.) and total metals in the soil samples were also included in the results, respectively. The results indicate that the groundwater collected from the boreholes were moderately mineralized with EC ranged from 460 µS/cm to 3400 µS/cm. The previous indiscriminate pumping activities had led to seawater intrusion into the aquifer. This study shows that the groundwater were generally classified as Ca-HCO₃, CaCI2, NaHCO₃ and NaCI water type as illustrated in the Piper diagrams. This study also found that the PHREEQC calculations were in agreement with the soil geochemical composition data. The PHREEQC calculations for calcite, aragonite and dolomite solubility revealed positive values in the saturation indices (SI), indicating supersaturated state i.e. precipitation shall occur with respect to these minerals. The baseline geochemical results clearly revealed that the major chemical composition of the soil in the study area was mainly composed of quartz, calcite, aragonite as well as magnesium calcite. XRF analysis depicts a general trend where the soil chemical composition varies Significantly with depth and distance from shore. The composition of calcium oxides increases with depth. Conversely, silicon oxide showed a decreasing trend in composition with increasing depth which dominated by carbonates minerals. SEM images visually showed the presence of quartz, calcite and aragonite minerals in the soil samples and further supports the data obtained from XRD.


This paper reports the outcomes of a survey to investigate the level of cultural understanding and confidence for teachers working in culturally diverse classrooms. The survey was administered to teachers in primary and secondary schools in an Australian regional city. The aim of analysis was to determine the direction and strength of association of six demographic variables with measures of cultural awareness among teachers and confidence in supporting the learning of students. It found that teacher responses to working in culturally diverse classrooms varied according to levels of familiarity with the cultural groups concerned and with the level of schooling within which the teacher worked. The paper outlines the implications of these findings for the development of professional standards and for teacher education. It discusses how these findings contribute to further investigations into the extent to which teachers understand cultural diversity and their confidence as literacy instructors.


We have designed the Extremely Luminous Quasar Survey (ELQS) to provide a highly complete census of unobscured UV-bright quasars during the cosmic noon, z = 2.8–5.0. Here we report the discovery of 70 new quasars in the ELQS South Galactic Cap (ELQS-S) quasar sample, doubling the number of known extremely luminous quasars in 4237.3 deg2 of the Sloan Digital Sky Survey footprint. These observations conclude the ELQS and we present the properties of the full ELQS quasar catalog, containing 407 quasars over 11,838.5 deg2. Our novel ELQS quasar selection strategy resulted in unprecedented completeness at the bright end and allowed us to discover 109 new quasars in total. This marks an increase of ∼36% (109/298) in the known population at these redshifts and magnitudes, while we further are able to retain a selection efficiency of ∼80%. On the basis of 166 quasars from the full ELQS quasar catalog, which adhere to the uniform criteria of the Two Micron All Sky Survey point source catalog, we measure the bright-end quasar luminosity function (QLF) and extend it one magnitude brighter than previous studies. Assuming a single power law with exponential density evolution for the functional form of the QLF, we retrieve the best-fit parameters from a maximum likelihood analysis. We find a steep bright-end slope of β ≈ −4.1, and we can constrain the bright-end slope to β ≤ −3.4 with 99% confidence. The density is well modeled by the exponential redshift evolution, resulting in a moderate decrease with redshift (γ ≈ −0.4).


Sound transmission through door and window sealing systems is one important contributor to vehicle interior noise. The noise generation mechanism involves the vibration of the seal due to the unsteady wall pressures associated with the turbulent flow over the vehicle. For bulb seals, sound transmission through the seal is governed by the resonance of the seal membranes and the air cavity within the bulb (the so-called mass-air-mass resonance). The objective of this study was to develop a finite element (FE) model to predict the sound transmission loss of elastomeric bulb seals. The model was then exercized to perform a parametric study of the influence of seveal seal design parameters. The results suggest that the sound transmission loss increases as the membrane thicknesses and/or the separation distance between the two seal walls are increased. The addition of additional internal "webs" was found to have adverse effects on the sound barrier performance.


Routing protocols are subject to attacks that can harm individual
users or network operations as a whole. This document provides a
description and a summary of generic threats that affect routing
protocols in general. This work describes threats, including threat
sources and capabilities, threat actions, and threat consequences, as
well as a breakdown of routing functions that might be attacked
separately. This memo provides information for the Internet community.


Embryonic development represents a sophisticated multistep process. Hereby, specification, patterning and differentiation of cells and tissue need to be extremely well regulated in a temporo-spatial manner. This is based on repression and activation of a vast number of cell-type specific genes, but only a small number of transcription factors seem to be responsible for their regulation.
The transcription factor network of Oct4, Sox2 and Nanog are thought to play an essential role in the maintenance of pluripotency and in timing the onset of differentiation. The importance of mouse Oct4 in the regulation of pluripotency is underscored by recent findings providing evidence that Oct4 is essential for reprogramming somatic cells. Nevertheless, little is known on the molecular function of this transcription factor during normogenesis. Given the extra uterine development of the embryos, the well-studied early development and the established manipulation methods like injection of RNA or DNA, Xenopus leavis offers an ideal model organism to study the role of Oct4 homologs in early development.
In Xenopus laevis three Oct4 paralogs – Oct25, Oct60 and Oct91 – are known, which are similar in size and have a high sequence homology compared to mammalian Oct4. There are strong evidences that Xenopus Oct proteins and mammalian Oct4 share similar functions.
To gain further insights into the function of Oct proteins I generated dominant activating- (VP16-Oct60), dominant repressing- (EnR-Oct60) and hormone inducible (GR-Oct60) transcription factor variants for all three Xenopus Oct proteins. Protein expression was verified in vitro as well as in vivo.
Oct60 shows a unique expression pattern among Xenopus Oct proteins: Oct60 is maternally transcribed and its RNA is detectable in mature oocytes. Expression is downregulated in the gastrula, when the expression of other Xenopus POU proteins begins. Therefore, it is one of the earliest genes to be expressed. I decided to concentrate first efforts on Oct60.
The transactivating functions of the Oct60 G.o.F. variants were tested in a luciferase assay on two different Oct4 reporter constructs in vivo. Oct60 and VP16-Oct60 acted as strong activators whereas EnR-Oct60 repressed both reporter constructs.
By overexpression of Oct60 and its G.o.F. variants, several phenotypes were observed that affected distinct parts of the body. Beside impaired head differentiation, observed by overexpression of VP16-Oct60 and Oct60, a strong hyperpigmentation was observed by injection of EnR-Oct60 and Oct60. Additionally, EnR-Oct60 injected embryos showed hyperpigmented outgrowths in the trunk region. All injected embryos possessed a shortened body axis that was specifically curved depending on the injected mRNA.
In situ hybridizations were performed to investigate the molecular mechanism of the observed phenotypic changes. Experiments revealed that all examined constructs promote neuroectodermal fate while repressing mesoderm formation.
These results indicate that Oct60 plays an important role in the induction and specification of germ layer formation. By cloning and testing these different G.o.F. variants I accomplished to obtain important tools for further dissecting the molecular function of Oct4 homologs in Xenopus embryos.


In applications to power transmission cables, a number of YBCO tapes would be assembled and wound spirally on a Cu former. The YBCO tapes and the Cu former would be connected in parallel and could be subjected to short-circuit fault currents 10 to 30 times the operating current. The fault currents would drive the YBCO tapes into the normal state and thus generate Joule heating for the duration of the fault. Therefore, in order to examine the stability and feasibility of YBCO power transmission cables, it is important to demonstrate the redistribution of the transport current and the electromagnetic coupling between the YBCO tapes and the Cu former during a short-circuit fault current. We constructed a 1 m long superconducting model cable and subjected it to an overcurrent with a peak of 31.5 kArms for a duration of 2.0 s, as established by JEC (Japanese Electrotechnical Committee), in a liquid nitrogen bath. We examined the redistribution of the transport current between the YBCO sample tapes and the Cu former by using Hall probes. In addition, we developed a novel computer code based on the finite element method and an equivalent circuit in order to clarify the characteristics of the redistribution of the transport current and the thermal behaviour within the cable. Finally, we designed a 10 m long cable that would reach the degradation temperature of the YBCO tape due to the fault currents.


Error Analysis (EA), as a diagnostic tool, contributes to language teaching and learning by answering some questions and proposing solutions regarding different aspects of language pedagogy. The present study conducted on 100 Iranian advanced EFL learners' written errors (50 male learners & 50 female learners), presents different classifications and subdivisions of error sources. Analysis of the sources of errors committed by the two groups of male and female learners shows that the errors mostly result from partial learning and imperfect mastery of the target language (intralingual) while transfer from mother tongue (interlingual) accounts for a small proportion of errors. It also reveals that although there are more errors in female learners' written productions, the hierarchy of different sources of errors in the two groups of male and female learners is the same.


Youth involvement in agriculture is beneficial to the economic growth of a nation as it will reduce unemployment and curb crime rate. One sector that has over the years been identified to have the needed capacity to provide employment opportunities to the youth is agriculture but most youth do not have interest in agriculture. Therefore, the study examined the determinants of youth participation in agribusiness in Akwa Ibom State, Nigeria. A total of two hundred and fifty (250) respondents were selected using a multistage sampling technique. The sampling technique used was descriptive and regression analysis. The major constraint identified were lack of initial capital, lack of land, high cost of agricultural inputs, lack of market for agricultural produce, low returns (profit), lack of agribusiness knowledge, poor incentive, lack of access to credit, lack of agricultural insurance, lack of facilities and lack of interest were the identified constraints. In determining what would drive youth into agribusiness, access to agricultural inputs, access to facilities/machineries, access to market for agricultural produce, high returns (profit), incentive, access to credit, availability of land and training on agribusiness were the statistically significant factors that determines the youth participation in agribusiness. The study therefore advised that vocational training should be made compulsory in schools where the young ones are exposed to agriculture as entrepreneur with incentives attached.


The paper describes the significance of gender issues in the discussion of the conditions of work during the first half of the twentienth century. Specifically, it discusses the changes in the conditions of gender-based participation in work and employment over the years. Issues such as wage differentials and gender bias in specific types of work are discussed in detail to give emphasis to the evolution of work and gender relations in the Philippines. The historical perspective is utilized by the author to provide an opportunity to look at work and gender as issues in the development of society's past. Utilizing historical demographic data, the article attempted to analyze the historical experience of Philippine society in the area of gender and work. Towards the end, the paper attempts to present an agenda for social historical research focusing on a more detailed analysis of gender and work in historical perspective.


The objective of this retrospective cohort study was to evaluate the effi cacy of selected Johne's-disease The objective of this retrospective cohort study was to evaluate the effi cacy of selected Johne's-disease control measures on a dairy farm. The Dairy Comp 305 archive fi les for 455 Holstein dairy cows born in 1996, control measures on a dairy farm. The Dairy Comp 305 archive fi les for 455 Holstein dairy cows born in 1996, 1997 and 1998 were used. The tested heifers were grouped into annual birth cohorts. Kinetic ELISA (KELA) 1997 and 1998 were used. The tested heifers were grouped into annual birth cohorts. Kinetic ELISA (KELA) results and fecal-culture results for solid- (HEYM) and liquid-media systems (ESP Culture System II) were results and fecal-culture results for solid- (HEYM) and liquid-media systems (ESP Culture System II) were described and compared between birth cohorts. Only one animal had a high KELA score. Nevertheless, the described and compared between birth cohorts. Only one animal had a high KELA score. Nevertheless, the fecal-culture results showed that there were animals shedding in the highest category even in test year 2001 in fecal-culture results showed that there were animals shedding in the highest category even in test year 2001 in all birth cohorts. The 1997 birth cohort showed a lower rate of fecal positive culture results compared to the all birth cohorts. The 1997 birth cohort showed a lower rate of fecal positive culture results compared to the 1996 and 1998 cohorts. Out of 455 cows in the study, 43 were culled because of Johne's disease clinical signs 1996 and 1998 cohorts. Out of 455 cows in the study, 43 were culled because of Johne's disease clinical signs or high fecal-culture results. This cause-specifi c cull risk was 20% (21/105 animals) in 1996, 12% (12/100 or high fecal-culture results. This cause-specifi c cull risk was 20% (21/105 animals) in 1996, 12% (12/100 animals) in 1997 and 10% (10/100 animals) in 1998. Survival analysis, where animals were classifi ed according animals) in 1997 and 10% (10/100 animals) in 1998. Survival analysis, where animals were classifi ed according to the KELA and fecal-culture results for all animals tested as heifers, showed that heifers with the highest to the KELA and fecal-culture results for all animals tested as heifers, showed that heifers with the highest KELA value and/or the highest fecal-culture results had the shortest survival time in the herd. Analysis of birth KELA value and/or the highest fecal-culture results had the shortest survival time in the herd. Analysis of birth cohorts led to an enhanced understanding of the response to the Johne's-control procedures. In this herd, early cohorts led to an enhanced understanding of the response to the Johne's-control procedures. In this herd, early shedding led to short herd-survival. shedding led to short herd-survival.


Extending the forecasting time is a critical demand for real applications, such as extreme weather early warning and long-term energy consumption planning. This paper studies the long-term forecasting problem of time series. Prior Transformer-based models adopt various self-attention mechanisms to discover the long-range dependencies. However, intricate temporal patterns of the long-term future prohibit the model from finding reliable dependencies. Also, Transformers have to adopt the sparse versions of point-wise self-attentions for long series efficiency, resulting in the information utilization bottleneck. Going beyond Transformers, we design Autoformer as a novel decomposition architecture with an Auto-Correlation mechanism. We break with the pre-processing convention of series decomposition and renovate it as a basic inner block of deep models. This design empowers Autoformer with progressive decomposition capacities for complex time series. Further, inspired by the stochastic process theory, we design the Auto-Correlation mechanism based on the series periodicity, which conducts the dependencies discovery and representation aggregation at the sub-series level. Auto-Correlation outperforms self-attention in both efficiency and accuracy. In long-term forecasting, Autoformer yields state-of-the-art accuracy, with a 38% relative improvement on six benchmarks, covering five practical applications: energy, traffic, economics, weather and disease. Code is available at this repository: \url{https://github.com/thuml/Autoformer}.


The purpose of this investigation was to compare and validate the performance of the SIERRA Monte Carlo simulation routines for the analysis of the scatter to primary ratio (SPR) in the mammography setting. Two Monte Carlo simulation methods were addressed, the direct method was a straightforward and geometrically accurate simulation procedure, and the convolution method uses idealized geometry (monoenergetic, normally incident delta function input to the scattering medium) to produce scatter point spread functions (PSFs). The PSFs were weighted by the x-ray spectrum of interest and convolved with the field of view to estimate SPR values. The SPR results of both Monte Carlo procedures were extensively compared to five published sources, including Monte-Carlo-derived and physically measured SPR assessments. The direct method demonstrated an overall agreement with the literature of 3.7% accuracy (N=5), and the convolution method demonstrated an average of 7.1% accuracy (N=14). The comparisons were made over a range of parameters which included field of view, phantom thickness, x-ray energy, and phantom composition. Limitations of the beam stop method were also discussed. The results suggest that the SIERRA Monte Carlo routines produce accurate SPR calculations and may be useful for a more comprehensive study of scatter in mammography.


In 1895 twenty-six-year-old Bridget Cleary disappeared from her house in rural Tipperary. At first, some said that the fairies had taken her into their stronghold in a nearby hill, from where she would emerge, riding a white horse. But then her badly burned body was found in a shallow grave. Her husband, father, aunt and four cousins were arrested and charged, while newspapers in nearby Clonmel, and then in Dublin, Cork, London and further afield attempted to make sense of what had happened. In this lurid and fascinating episode, set in the last decade of the nineteenth century, we witness the collision of town and country, of storytelling and science, of old and new. The torture and burning of Bridget Cleary caused a sensation in 1895 which continues to reverberate more than a hundred years later. Winner of the Irish Times Prize for Non-Fiction.


Background Thought disorder and visual-perceptual deficits have been well documented, but their relationships with clinical symptoms and cognitive function remain unclear. Cognitive-perceptual deficits may underscore clinical symptoms in schizophrenia patients. Aim This study aimed to explore how thought disorder and form perception are related with clinical symptoms and cognitive dysfunction in first-episode schizophrenia. Setting Forty-two patients with a first-episode of schizophrenia, schizophreniform or schizoaffective disorder were recruited from community clinics and state hospitals in the Cape Town area. Methods Patients were assessed at baseline with the Rorschach Perceptual Thinking Index (PTI), the Positive and Negative Syndrome Scale (PANSS) and the MATRICS Cognitive Consensus Battery (MCCB). Spearman correlational analyses were conducted to investigate relationships between PTI scores, PANSS factor analysis-derived domain scores and MCCB composite and subscale scores. Multiple regression models explored these relationships further. Results Unexpectedly, poor form perception (X- %) was inversely correlated with the severity of PANSS positive symptoms (r = -0.42, p = 0.02). Good form perception (XA%) correlated significantly with speed of processing (r = 0.59, p < 0.01), working memory (r = 0.48, p < 0.01) and visual learning (r = 0.55, p < 0.01). PTI measures of thought disorder did not correlate significantly with PANSS symptom scores or cognitive performance. Conclusions Form perception is associated with positive symptoms and impairment in executive function during acute psychosis. These findings suggest that there may be clinical value in including sensory-perceptual processing tasks in cognitive remediation and social cognitive training programmes for schizophrenia patients.


This paper focuses on managerial decision making under risk and uncertainty. Since no one, so far, has studied managersrisk attitudes in parallel with their actual behavior when handling risky prospects the area still remains relatively murky. Interviews have been done with 12 managers in the Swedish forest industry concerning how they define risk, how they handle risk, how they make risky decisions, and how the organizational context affects the decision-making process. Problems that have been identified in this study are the lack of information and precise objective data, that risk and probability estimations made by the managers are often based on inadequate information and intuition, that no formal analysis is carried out, that no computer based decision tools are used in the decision making processes, and therefore most decisions are based on intuition and gut feeling.


Introduction Viral disease spread by contaminated commonly touched surfaces is a global concern. Silicon nitride, an industrial ceramic that is also used as an implant in spine surgery, has known antibacterial activity. The mechanism of antibacterial action relates to the hydrolytic release of surface disinfectants. It is hypothesized that silicon nitride can also inactivate the coronavirus SARS-CoV-2. Methods SARS-CoV-2 virions were exposed to 15 wt.% aqueous suspensions of silicon nitride, aluminum nitride, and copper particles. The virus was titrated by the TCD50 method using VeroE6/TMPRSS2 cells, while viral RNA was evaluated by real-time RT-PCR. Immunostaining and Raman spectroscopy were used as additional probes to investigate the cellular responses to virions exposed to the respective materials. Results All three tested materials showed >99% viral inactivation at one and ten minutes of exposure. Degradation of viral RNA was also observed with all materials. Immunofluorescence testing showed that silicon nitride-treated virus failed to infect VeroE6/TMPRSS2 cells without damaging them. In contrast, the copper-treated virus suspension severely damaged the cells due to copper ion toxicity. Raman spectroscopy indicated differential biochemical cellular changes due to infection and metal toxicity for two of the three materials tested. Conclusions Silicon nitride successfully inactivated the SARS-CoV-2 in this study. The mechanism of action was the hydrolysis-mediated surface release of nitrogen-containing disinfectants. Both aluminum nitride and copper were also effective in the inactivation of the virus. However, while the former compound affected the cells, the latter compound had a cytopathic effect. Further studies are needed to validate these findings and investigate whether silicon nitride can be incorporated into personal protective equipment and commonly touched surfaces, as a strategy to discourage viral persistence and disease spread.


The proportion of human genetic variation due to differences between populations is modest, and individuals from different populations can be genetically more similar than individuals from the same population. Yet sufficient genetic data can permit accurate classification of individuals into populations. Both findings can be obtained from the same data set, using the same number of polymorphic loci. This article explains why. Our analysis focuses on the frequency, ω, with which a pair of random individuals from two different populations is genetically more similar than a pair of individuals randomly selected from any single population. We compare ω to the error rates of several classification methods, using data sets that vary in number of loci, average allele frequency, populations sampled, and polymorphism ascertainment strategy. We demonstrate that classification methods achieve higher discriminatory power than ω because of their use of aggregate properties of populations. The number of loci analyzed is the most critical variable: with 100 polymorphisms, accurate classification is possible, but ω remains sizable, even when using populations as distinct as sub-Saharan Africans and Europeans. Phenotypes controlled by a dozen or fewer loci can therefore be expected to show substantial overlap between human populations. This provides empirical justification for caution when using population labels in biomedical settings, with broad implications for personalized medicine, pharmacogenetics, and the meaning of race.


This thesis is concerned with the design and synthesis of a novel, injectable proteoglycan analogue for tissue repair. This is of particular relevance to the restoration of disc height to a degraded nucleus pulposus of the intervertebral disc. The focus is on the use of sulfonate monomers as proteoglycan analogues, in particular sodium 2-acrylamido-2-methylpropane sulfonic acid and the potassium salt of 3-sulfopropyl acrylate. For most biomedical applications, synthetic hydrogels need to show dimensional stability to changes in pH, osmolarity, and temperature. This is readily achieved by neutral structures however ionic sulfonate containing hydrogels are responsive to environmental change which renders them difficult to manage in most tissue replacement applications. In this case osmotic responsiveness rather than stability is desirable. Therefore sulfonate based materials possess advantageous properties. This is a result of the sulfonate becoming an ideal surrogate for the sulfate group present within the structure of natural proteoglycans. This thesis reports polymerisation studies based on the production of a redox initiated copolymer system capable of polymerising in situ within a timescale of circa. 5-7 minutes. The rheological properties, osmotic drive, and residual monomer content of successful compositions is analysed. Properties are adapted to mimic those of the target natural tissue. The adaptation of the material for use as an injectable intra-ocular lens, with hyaluronic acid as an interpenetrate is reported. The synthesis of a radiopaque macromer to allow visibility of the repair system once in situ is investigated and discussed. The results presented in this thesis describe a suitable proteoglycan tissue analogue which is injectable, biomimetic, osmotically responsive and mechanically stable in its desired application.


Given the importance of standing dead trees to numerous forest ecosystem attributes/ processes such as fuel loadings and wildlife habitat, the Forest Inventory and Analysis (FIA) Program of the Forest Service, U.S. Department of Agriculture, initiated a consistent nationwide inventory of standing dead trees in 1999. As the first cycle of annual standing dead tree inventories nears full national implementation, the goal of this study was to conduct one of the first empirical assessments of the Nation's standing dead tree resources. Results indicate that there are a substantial number of standing dead trees in forests across the United States, exceeding 10 billion nationwide and consisting of mostly small-sized trees (< 30 cm d.b.h.). Forests in the Rocky Mountains and Pacific Northwest have some of the largest mean biomass of standing dead trees per unit of forest land (+3 Mg/ha), whereas Plains States had the least. The species composition of standing dead trees is quite diverse with over 130 species having more than 1 million Mg each nationwide, but is dominated by western tree species (e.g., Douglas-fir, +200 million Mg). Given the emerging role of standing dead trees in biomass/bioenergy economies and carbon cycling, continued monitoring of this resource is highly warranted.


In many situations of family dysfunction stemming from poverty, the interests of parents are in conflict with the interests of their offspring. This presents a dilemma for liberals. We want to mitigate the harsh consequences and suffering that conditions we deem unjust have caused some adults, especially adults of minority race. But we are also concerned about the welfare of children born into impoverished and troubled communities. The predominant liberal response to this dilemma has been to sidestep it by ignoring or denying the conflict and to then take positions aimed at protecting parents' interests, without giving serious attention to the impact on children. The result is a set of liberal polies that effectively imprison black children in dysfunctional families and communities and so ensure that they fall into the inter-generational cycle of poverty, addiction, and criminality.Epitomizing this phenomenon is the fast-growing phenomenon of states' placing newborn children, predominantly of minority race, into prison to live for months or years with their incarcerated mothers. Advocates for incarcerated women, not advocates for children, have promoted prison nurseries, and they have done so with no research support for any hope of positive child welfare outcomes. Conservative legislators and prison officials agree to experiment with such programs when convinced they will reduce recidivism among female convicts, a supposition that also lacks empirical support. Remarkably, states have placed babies in prisons without anyone undertaking an analysis of the constitutionality of doing so.This Article presents a compelling child welfare case against prison nurseries, based on rigorous examination of the available empirical evidence, and it presents the first published analysis of how constitutional and statutory rules governing incarceration and civil commitment apply to housing of children in prisons. It shows that prison nursery programs harm the great majority of children who begin life in them, and it argues that placing infants in prison violates their Fourteenth Amendment substantive and procedural due process rights as well as federal and state legislation prohibiting placement of minors in adult prisons. This Article further challenges liberal family policy more generally. Its final Part describes other policy contexts in which liberal advocacy and scholarship relating to persons who are poor or of minority race consistently favors the interests of adults in this population over the interests of children. It offers a diagnosis of why this occurs, and it explains why this is both morally untenable and ultimately self-defeating for liberals committed to racial equality and social justice. The Article's broader thesis is that liberals bear a large share of the responsibility for perpetuation of blacks' subordination.


This study argues that the impetus to reconceptualize security in the Caribbean region has not been as obvious and decisive as it has been in other regions of the international global system. The Caribbean security approach remains delimited by the traditional security paradigm and has not made the same transition in security thinking. Consequently, it seeks to answer questions such as: Does the Caribbean possess the necessary conditions to adopt a human security approach to regional security? Could the Caribbean experience successful security re-orientation? Can human security emerge as a new regionalism in the Caribbean region? In an attempt to provide an answer to these questions, the role, function and impact of security initiatives in the Caribbean region are examined in an attempt to ascertain to what extent they represent a shift in security thinking, more specifically, how they address the traditional and citizen security issues and to understand this in the context of human security and new regionalism.


Eliza Hamilton Dunlop (1796–1880) arrived in Sydney in 1838 and became almost immediately notorious for her poem "The Aboriginal Mother," written in response to the infamous Myall Creek massacre. She published more poetry in colonial newspapers during her lifetime, but for the century following her death her work was largely neglected. In recent years, however, critical interest in Dunlop has increased, in Australia and internationally and in a range of fields, including literary studies; settler, postcolonial and imperial studies; and Indigenous studies. This stimulating collection of essays by leading scholars considers Dunlop's work from a range of perspectives and includes a new selection of her poetry.


OBJECTIVE
To perform a comprehensive assessment of maternal mortality in Argentina, the ultimate purpose being to strengthen the surveillance system and reorient reproductive health policies to prevent maternal deaths.

METHODS
Our multicentre population-based study combining qualitative and quantitative methodologies included a descriptive analysis of under-registration and distribution of causes of death, a case-control study to identify risk factors in health-care delivery and verbal autopsies to analyse social determinants associated with maternal deaths.

FINDINGS
A total of 121 maternal deaths occurred during 2002. The most common causes were abortion complications (27.4%), haemorrhage (22.1%), infection/sepsis (9.5%), hypertensive disorders (8.4%) and other causes (32.6%). Under-registration was 9.5% for maternal deaths (n = 95) and 15.4% for late maternal deaths (n = 26). The probability of dying was 10 times greater in the absence of essential obstetric care, active emergency care and qualified staff, and doubled with every 10-year increase in age. Other contributing factors included delays in recognizing "alarm signals"; reluctance in seeking care owing to desire to hide an induced abortion; delays in receiving timely treatment due to misdiagnosis or lack of supplies; and delays in referral/transportation in rural areas.

CONCLUSION
A combination of methodologies is required to improve research on and understanding of maternal mortality via the systematic collection of health surveillance data. There is an urgent need for a comprehensive intervention to address public health and human rights issues in maternal mortality, and our results contribute to the consensus-building necessary to improve the existing surveillance system and prevention strategies.


Abstract Using new data on citations to university patents and scientific publications, we study how geography affects university knowledge spillovers. Citations to patents decline sharply with distance and are strongly constrained by state borders. The effect of distance on citations to scientific publications is less sharp, and the state border effect on publications is significant only for lower-quality public universities. We show that the state border effect is heterogeneous and strongly influenced by university and state characteristics and policies. It is larger for universities that are public and that have strong local development policies, and in states with strong noncompete labor laws, greater reliance on in-state educated scientists, and lower rates of interstate scientific labor mobility. We confirm the impact of noncompete statutes by studying a policy reform in Michigan.


A time-modulated and time-averaged two-dimensional (2D) profile of the net excitation rate of Ar(3p5) and Ar+(4p4D7/2) was observed in capacitively coupled plasma (CCP) in Ar as a function of the driving frequency (1–100 MHz) through the use of 2D-t optical emission spectroscopy (OES). A significant improvement in the detection efficiency was achieved for the time-resolved OES. Results are presented for the basic characteristics of 2D and 2D-t profiles of the net excitation rate in Ar from 1 to 100 MHz at 1.0 Torr. For comparison, 2D profiles in CCP between high frequency (13.56 MHz) and very high frequency (100 MHz) at 0.1 Torr and 25 mTorr under the same power dissipation are discussed. The advantages of VHF operation are described and discussed based on the radial uniformity and high density in CCP at low pressure. The appearance of a local emission peak at the edge of the rf electrode is observed in CCP, which is caused by changes in the sustaining mechanism due to increases in the driving frequency.


Lamins are intermediate filament proteins that make up the nuclear lamina, a matrix underlying the nuclear membrane in all metazoan cells that is important for nuclear form and function. Vertebrate A-type lamins are expressed in differentiating cells, while B-type lamins are expressed ubiquitously. Drosophila has two lamin genes that are expressed in A- and B-type patterns, and it is assumed that similarly expressed lamins perform similar functions. However, Drosophila and vertebrate lamins are not orthologous, and their expression patterns evolved independently. It is therefore of interest to examine the effects of mutations in lamin genes. Mutations in the mammalian lamin A/C gene cause a range of diseases, collectively called laminopathies, that include muscular dystrophies and premature aging disorders. We compared the sequences of lamin genes from different species, and we have characterized larval and adult phenotypes in Drosophila bearing mutations in the lam gene that is expressed in the B-type pattern. Larvae move less and show subtle muscle defects, and surviving lam adults are flightless and walk like aged wild-type flies, suggesting that lam phenotypes might result from neuromuscular defects, premature aging, or both. The resemblance of Drosophila lam phenotypes to human laminopathies suggests that some lamin functions may be performed by differently expressed genes in flies and mammals. Such still-unknown functions thus would not be dependent on lamin gene expression pattern, suggesting the presence of other lamin functions that are expression dependent. Our results illustrate a complex interplay between lamin gene expression and function through evolution.


The receptor for advanced glycation endproducts (RAGE) is a 35-kDa polypeptide of the immunogloblin superfamily that has been implicated as a mediator of both acute and chronic vascular inflammation. RAGE has also recently been implicated in the pathology of pulmonary hypertension (PH): a rare, progressive disease of the small pulmonary arteries characterised by pulmonary vascular remodelling, thrombosis, vasoconstriction and increased pulmonary vascular resistance. A ligand for RAGE, the calcium binding protein MTS1/S100A4, is expressed in occlusive vascular lesions of patients with advanced PH. MTS1/S100A4 is upregulated and secreted by pulmonary arterial smooth muscle cells (PASMCs) in vitro on activation of the 5HT1b receptor and 5HT transporter (5HTT). Additionally, the proliferative effect of 5HT on these cells, which is mediated by 5HT1b and 5HTT, may be inhibited by antagonism of RAGE or reduced bioavailability of MTS1/S100A4. These data suggest that MTS1/S100A4, through its action at RAGE, is a key mediator of 5HT-induced hPASMC proliferation.
 Transgenic mice overexpressing MTS1/S100A4 are observed to develop obliterative pulmonary vascular disease and possess increased right ventricular pressure at baseline and after hypoxia when compared to wildtype mice (WT). These increases occur in the absence of an increase in pulmonary vascular remodelling suggesting that MTS1/S100A4 overexpression is associated with some other structural or functional change in the pulmonary circulation.
 We sought to further our understanding of the role of RAGE in pulmonary hypertension through treatment with a small molecule inhibitor of monocyte chemoattractant protein 1(MCP-1), a marker of downstream of RAGE rage activation; through further characterisation of the MTS1/S100A4 mouse in a chronic hypoxic model of PAH; and through treatment with soluble RAGE (sRAGE) to reduce RAGE ligand bioavailability in vivo. In each case systolic right ventricular pressure (sRVP), right ventricular hypertrophy (RVH) and pulmonary vascular remodelling were measured in normoxic conditions or after a two week chronic hypoxia challenge to induce PH. These in vivo experiments were supplemented with functional studies in isolated intrapulmonary arteries to assess vascular reactivity and vascular elastance as well as studies of pulmonary fibroblast proliferation in vitro.
 Treatment with the MCP-1 synthesis inhibitor Bindarit produced no detectable effects upon the pulmonary response of mice to chronic hypoxia, though this study may have been hampered by difficulties with the methylcellulose vehicle. MCP-1 produced no degree of proliferation in pulmonary fibroblasts and neither augmented nor inhibited proliferation induced by 5HT.
 We found little evidence for the exacerbation of PH in MTS1/S100A4 mice in normoxia, hypoxia or after 4 weeks of normoxic recovery. Mean RVP was elevated above that in WT mice exposed to hypoxia. However, MTS1/S100A4 mice appeared protected against hypoxia-induced vascular remodelling and decreases in vascular elastance. No other significant differences in sRVP, RVH or remodelling were observed between strains. Vessels isolated from MTS1/S100A4 mice tended towards an enhanced contractile response to 5HT in normoxia compared with vessels in WT mice but were also more sensitive to the nitric oxide donor SNP. These differences in vasoreactivity were largely abolished by exposure to hypoxia. Treatment with soluble RAGE (sRAGE) to reduce RAGE ligand bioavailability produced a significant reduction in sRVP after hypoxia in comparison to vehicle-dosed mice -possibly associated with the prevention of a hypoxia-induced decrease in proximal vascular elastance. However, no benefit upon the development of remodelling or the extent of RVH was observed. Vessels isolated from mice treated with sRAGE and challenged with hypoxia showed a marked increase in contractility. Further work demonstrated that sRAGE produces a small, slowly developing contraction in isolated vessels and that the maximal force of contraction to 5HT was markedly augmented in the presence of sRAGE. Finally, treatment with sRAGE did not inhibit fibroblast proliferation in vitro as induced by 5HT but was observed to cause a small degree of proliferation alone and to augment hypoxia-induced proliferation.
 In summary, we have reported a number of seemingly contradictory findings associated with RAGE in pulmonary hypertension. Treatment with sRAGE produced a beneficial reduction in hypoxia-induced PH associated with protection against decreased proximal vascular elastance but produced no change in hypoxia-induced RVH or remodelling as well as greatly increasing vascular contractility. MTS1/S100A4 mice show some evidence of deleterious changes to the pulmonary circulation, but these may be offset by beneficial compensatory mechanisms such as increased sensitivity to nitric oxide and protection against vascular remodelling.
 MTS1/S100A4 stimulates smooth muscle cell proliferation suggesting that it may involved pulmonary vascular remodelling. However, inhibition of RAGE was observed to enhance fibroblast proliferation in response to hypoxia here. Fibroblasts are important regulators of SMC proliferation in vivo. These findings therefore suggest a more complicated relationship between RAGE, its ligands and the remodelling process. Since both MTS1/S100A4 overexpression and sRAGE treatment in vivo produced findings which are difficult to reconcile using the currently employed techniques, it is clear that furthering our understanding of RAGE will require study with greater focus upon the interaction of different cell types in the pulmonary vasculature and the manner in which the disturbance of this may lead to alterations in the physical and physiological properties of the pulmonary circulation.


Significant work has been done by the International Center for Aggregate Research (ICAR) to identify the effects of the anisotropic nature of compacted base courses on the stress, strain, and permanent deformation characteristics of pavement foundations. As continuation to this effort, current paper presents a mechanistic approach for determination of the variation of pore water pressure under a moving wheel load. This paper also presents a methodology as to evaluate the effect of pore water pressure on the anisotropic response of aggregate layers. Sixty-two aggregate systems were tested with varying fine contents and water contents. The aggregate blends were molded according to AASHTO T-180 and tested using state of the art equipment called the Rapid Triaxial Tester (RaTT) at three saturation levels to capture the moisture susceptibility of the aggregate systems. Variable Dynamic Confining Pressure (VDCP) stress paths were in turn used to determine the anisotropic material properties for each aggregate system. This approach shows that the external pressure applied on the surface of the pavement results in a reduction of the initial negative pore water pressure. The change in pore water pressure induced by traffic load for high fines content specimens at elevated saturation levels results in positive pore water pressure which is synonymous with more critical conditions for plastic deformation. Further analysis on the results shows the agreement between the proposed approach and the principle of change in pore water pressure presented by Henkel. Mohr-Coulomb yield function was employed as a performance indicator in this study. The stress sensitive and anisotropic material model showed that the hardening component of the stiffness in vertical direction at the centerline of the load and at the top of the aggregate base layer is approximately 20% smaller when the influence of pore water pressure is considered in the formulations.


This paper addresses Test Application Time (TAT) reduction for core-based 3D Stacked ICs (SICs). Applying traditional test scheduling methods used for non-stacked chip testing where the same test schedule is applied both at wafer test and at final test to SICs, leads to unnecessarily high TAT. This is because the final test of 3D-SICs includes the testing of all the stacked chips. A key challenge in 3D-SIC testing is to reduce TAT by co-optimizing the wafer test and the final test while meeting power constraints. We consider a system of chips with cores equipped with dedicated Built-In-Self-Test (BIST)-engines and propose a test scheduling approach to reduce TAT while meeting the power constraints. Depending on the test schedule, the control lines that are required for BIST can be shared among several BIST engines. This is taken into account in the test scheduling approach and experiments show significant savings in TAT.


If the emission from ultraluminous X-ray sources (ULX) is anisotropic, the luminosities can be less than the Eddington Luminosity for a 15 Mu black hole (2x1039 erg/s), weakening the need for intermediate mass black holes. We can test the isotropy condition because a fraction of the X-ray emission is absorbed by cold material, and much of this absorbed power will be reemitted isotropically by dust grains at infrared wavelengths. The ratio of the infrared luminosity to the absorbed X-ray luminosity is a measure of the anisotropy of the X-ray emission. We do not detect infrared emission from the ULX in NGC 1313 (X-2) using observations obtained with the IRAC and MIPS instruments on the Spitzer Observatory. For the ULX from Holmberg IX, IR emission is detected in two IRAC bands (3.6 μm, 4.5 μm) but not with MIPS. The detection and limits to the infrared power are well below the value expected if the X-ray emission is isotropic. Our model for the conversion of absorbed X-ray photons to dust reemission implies that the opening angle of the X-ray emission is less than 30 degrees (half-angle, two-sided jet), implying that the intrinsic X-ray luminosity is sub-Eddington.


Using the principal-agent- supervisor paradigm, this paper examines the occurrence of collusion in a setting where the principal has no information about the supervisor and the agent does not necessarily know the supervisor's preferences. We formally prove the occurrence of collusion is more likely when the agent has information about the supervisor. This result suggests that corruption, which is likely to emerge in long term reciprocal relationships between public officials and potential bribery, may be reduced by the means of staff rotation. Evidence from an experimental study supports this proposition


ABSTRACT Introduction: The discontinuation rate with phosphodiesterase type 5 inhibitors (PDE5i) remains very high. Recently, a new PDE5ì, avanafil, has become available worldwide. Areas covered: All placebo-controlled randomized clinical trials (RCTs) on the effect of avanafil in patients with ED were reviewed and meta-analyzed. So far, 5 different RCTs on avanafil have been published, including 1379 and 605 patients in active and placebo groups, respectively. Avanafil was up to 3-fold superior to placebo in determining successful sexual intercourse. Although head-to-head comparative studies are still lacking, re-analyses of available data, showed that avanafil had comparable efficacy, but lower incidence of drug-related side effects, compared to first-generation PDE5is. Expert opinion: Avanafil specific and peculiar pharmacological profile, addresses several problems that have been documented with first-generation PDE5is. Avanafil should theoretically guarantee a low dropout incidence by ensuring a natural profile of action and a low incidence of side effects. Longer studies and head-to-heard trials are advisable to clarify these issues.


In reaction to news about wealthy U.S. individuals hiding assets in non-U.S. bank accounts, the Obama administration has proposed statutes that would make non-qualified intermediary (NQI) status more unattractive for non-U.S. banks. The proposals appear to push non-U.S. banks into qualified intermediary (QI) agreements with the IRS, and under accompanying proposals QIs would undertake expanded responsibilities to automatically provide information about U.S. clients to the IRS. But models other than the QI system could also serve the enforcement goal of international automatic information exchange. Fortunately, the proposals also would permit Treasury and the IRS to craft administrative exceptions to adverse NQI rules. Officials could use this discretion to support the development of effective automatic information exchange agreements and systems whether or not they followed the QI template.