On March 15, 2008, China's 11th National People's Congress passed the super ministry reform (SMR) motion proposed by the State Council and created five "super ministries," mostly combinations of two or more previous ministries or departments. The main purpose of this SMR was to avoid overlapping governmental responsibilities by combining departments with similar authority and closely related functions. One of the highlights was the elevation of the State Environmental Protection Administration (SEPA) to the Ministry of Environmental Protection (MEP), which we also refer to as the environmental super ministry reform. The reference to "super ministry" is short-hand for the creation of a "comprehensive responsibilities super administrative ministry framework". In order to promote comprehensive management and coordination, several departments are merged into a new entity, the "super ministry", based on their similar goals and responsibilities. By enlarging the ministry's responsibilities and authority, the reform essentially turns some inter-department tasks to intra-department issues, so one single department can cope with comprehensive problems from multiple perspectives, avoiding overlapping responsibilities and authority. Thus, administrative efficiency is increased and administrative costs are reduced. During this super ministry reform, MEP was upgraded and was the only department to retain its organizational structure and governmental responsibilities. This demonstrates the strong political will and commitment of China's central government to environmental protection. This article first introduces the background of the SMR, followed by a discussion of the motivations and positive impacts of the SMR in the environmental protection sector. The authors then analyze significant problems of the current environmental protection administrative framework, which the environmental super ministry reform can potentially solve but so far has not touched. Finally, the article presents recommendations on key issues for future development.


Studies of letter writing have tended to focus on the practices of literary writers, or members of elite strata of society, although notable studies of vernacular writing are developing (Sokoll, 2001). Edwardian postcard writing is a genre with a specific, distinct relation to letter writing, yet closely entwined with that practice. The word 'revolution' is often over-used but is surely appropriate to postcards in the decades of the end of the nineteenth and beginning of the twentieth centuries, when their multifunctionality vastly exceeded that of the holiday postcard of more recent times. Developed in Austria in 1869, the postcard was very quickly adopted across Europe by people across all social classes. In cities there were several deliveries a day, so that cards could be experienced as virtually synchronous. In 1896 The Times declared, "Now the postcard is the letter of the poor." In 1902 illustrations were introduced. Untrammelled by the etiquette and obligations of formal letter writing, people took to exchanging brief, rapid, multimodal messages with a verve not to be seen again until the digital revolution. In this paper I explore postcard writing from a Literacy Studies perspective (Barton & Hall, 2000; Barton, 2007). I combine textual and material analyses with an investigation of historical sources, including census records, to deepen sociocultural understandings (Gillen, 2013). I focus on a case study of one set of correspondence, between a typist whose transient homes revolved around the Caledonian Market cattle market, and a stoker in the Navy. Through exploring the correspondence of Ruby Ingrey and Arthur Waddelow I demonstrate the opportunities and limitations of taking a Literacy Studies approach to researching this multimodal epistolary genre. Barton, D. & Hall, N. (eds) (2000) Letter Writing as a Social Practice. Amsterdam: John Benjamins. Barton, D. (2007) Literacy: An Introduction to the Ecology of Written Language 2nd edn. Oxford: Blackwell. Gillen. J. (2013) Writing Edwardian Postcards. Journal of Sociolinguistics 17 (4) 488-521. Sokoll, T. (2001) Essex Pauper Letters 1731-1837. Oxford: Oxford University Press.


A forensic engineer is one who is concerned with the relationship and application of engineering facts to legal problems. He is an acknowledged expert who investigates construction-related failures and claims and subsequently determines causation and responsibility. A licensed professional engineer, he frequently will be called upon to mediate disputes, to assist in the resolution of controversies and may appear in court or in arbitration hearings as an expert witness. Above all, he maintains a posture of objectivity in any disputes in the absence of any conflict of interest.


OBJECTIVE: The objective of this research is to consider how the goals of the National HIV/AIDS Strategy (NHAS) will be effective in reducing HIV risk and/or HIV incidence. This research is aiming to identify what the most effective strategies are to target homeless HIV positive individuals, and to identify issues for future research. This research is significant to public health because of the potential impact of targeted measures to reduce the number of individuals unaware of their HIV positive status, thus reducing HIV transmission and improving the HIV epidemic in the United States. METHODS: The method used for this research was a literature review. The search terms used for the literature search were "homelessness," "HIV," and "housing." This search was limited to information and research in the United States, between the years of 1995-2012. RESULTS: From the articles included in the review, two main themes that emerged were prevention of behavioral risk factors for HIV in homeless populations, and the study of healthcare utilization as a determinant of HIV and housing status. It was found that the majority of participants who were homeless and either HIV positive or at high risk were men who experienced substance abuse issues and engaged in unprotected sex. Women also engaged in unprotected sex and substance abuse, but reported more survival sex than men. Homeless individuals were more likely to use the Emergency Department for healthcare needs, and that HIV care improved, and HIV risk decreased with housing services. DISCUSSION: Information from the literature indicated that housing status is associated with HIV risk behaviors and/or HIV positive status. Other contributing factors were case management and supportive services for mental health and substance abuse issues. There were also cost implications. Individuals who were housed versus homeless utilized emergency services much less, and took advantage of primary care and preventative services. CONCLUSION: Housing services improve overall health of homeless individuals, and greatly reduce HIV risk behaviors and incidence of HIV infection. Different housing strategies and cost-benefits should be considered for use in the NHAS to reduce the number of HIV positive homeless individuals.


Numerous studies have demonstrated multiple health benefits of being outside and exposure to natural environments. It is essential to accurately measure the amount of time individuals spend outdoors to assess the impact of exposure to outdoor time on health. SenseCam is a wearable camera that automatically captures images. The annotated images provide an objective criterion for determining amount of time spent outdoors. In this paper we explored the use of SenseCam and Global Positioning System (GPS) devices to calculate time spent outdoors. We used the annotated SenseCam images to investigate the optimal threshold from the GPS data to best differentiate outdoor and indoor time. We analyzed the signal strength data recorded by the GPS with a Receiver Operating Characteristic (ROC) curve as well as a three-category logistic regression model. The ROC curve resulted in 79.4% sensitivity for indoor time and 84.1% specificity for outdoor time with an area under the curve of 0.927.


In light of wide differences in economic outcomes in the world, this paper uses an evolutionary set of lenses to examine the clusters of Buenos Aires' automotive, Los Lagos' salmon, Penang's electronics and Qiaotou's buttons with an elucidating view towards evaluating the significance of institutional support in driving technological upgrading in firms. The purpose is to demonstrate if industrial and location specificities and industrial policy instruments matter in upgrading outcomes. The results show that transnational corporations drove automotive and electronics clusters in Buenos Aires and Penang respectively, while domestic firms dominated the origin of salmon and button clusters in Los Lagos and Qiaotou. Domestic organizations have been the prime drivers of upgrading in Los Lagos and Qiaotou. Whereas the meso organizations in Los Lagos adapt knowledge from frontier clusters abroad, they are the basis of knowledge generation in Qiaotou. Whatever the differences, the role of government through institutional change has been critical in stimulating upgrading, but the extent and nature of intervention in the four clusters were industry and location specific.


Stockholm University Library (SUB) has been tracking the University's open access (OA) publishing costs within the local accounting system since 2016. The objective is to gain an overview of the costs and to use this as a basis for decisions about how to proceed in order to support the transition to OA at Stockholm University. This article explains the reasons behind using the accounting system as the primary source of information and describes the workflow of tracking costs and how additional data are retrieved. Basic findings from the 2017 cost compilation are outlined, and the steps taken in 2018, with consequences for both the current workflow and the costs at SUB, are briefly discussed. A breakout session on this topic was presented at the UKSG Annual Conference in Glasgow in 2018.


This thesis is about the relationship between ethics and language in the work of the contemporary French philosopher Emmanuel Levinas. The approach taken is to place his work in the context of a current debate in philosophy about the limits of language and the end(s) of philosophy. In the first chapter it looks at the place and significance of the thinking of Hegel, Heidegger, Nietzsche, and Derrida in this debate, and locates Levinas' thinking within it by examining his reading of Descartes. The thesis then goes on to examine the major themes in Levinas' work and offers an interpretation of his claims for the `primacy' of the ethics which demonstrates their bearing on the traditional concern with the relationship between metaphysics and the other. The thesis makes special reference throughout to Jacques Derrida's first major essay on Levinas, `Violence and Metaphysics'. The thesis demonstrates the sense in which in Levinas `ethics' is the `enactment' of the philosophical concern with the other. It explores in detail the overlap between this concern with the other in philosophy and the relationship to the other person, in Levinas' thinking. This is undertaken, in this thesis, in the form of a detailed analysis of the relationship between the key notions of the face to face and the third party as is found in his first major work Totality and Infinity. The analysis is then extended to the later work Otherwise than Being or Beyond Essence. In this context, the thesis demonstrates how the beyond being is held to signify within philosophy, by inspiring philosophy with the thought of the other. The thesis as a whole considers how, in Levinas, the beyond being and the relation to the other are antecedent to their thematic representation in philosophy. It examines how the necessity of their representation is related, in Levinas, to a certain injustice vis a vis the other person.


Should the state permit anonymous sperm donation? Should brother-sister incest between adults be made criminal? Should individuals over age 50 be allowed access to reproductive technologies? Should the state fund abstinence education? One common form of justification that is offered to answer these and a myriad of other reproductive policy questions is concern for the best interests of the children that will result (absent state intervention) from these forms of reproduction. This focus on the Best Interests of the Resulting Child ("BIRC") is, on the surface, quite understandable and stems from a transposition of a central organizing principle of family law justifying state intervention – the protection of the best interests of existing children – visible in areas such as adoption, child custody, and child removal. While, as I document, parallel reasoning is frequently offered (by legislatures, by courts, by commentators, by physicians) to justify state interventions that seek to influence whether, when, and with whom individuals reproduce, in this Article I show that such justifications are problematic and misleading. Drawing on insights from bioethics and the philosophy of identity relating to Derek Parfit's "Non-Identity Problem," I show why this form of justification, at least stated as such, is problematic both as a normative and constitutional matter: Unless the state's failure to intervene would foist upon the child a "life not worth living" any attempt to alter whether, when, or with whom an individual reproduces cannot be justified on the basis that harm will come to the resulting child, since but for that intervention the child would not exist. Nevertheless, I show that BIRC arguments are frequently relied upon by courts, legislatures, and scholars to justify these interventions. At a doctrinal level I also show that this reliance on BIRC justifications is in tension with the implicit recognition of the Non-Identity Problem by courts rejecting wrongful life torts. After demonstrating the unworkability of the BIRC argument as stated, I go on to consider three possible reformulations of the argument that would save it. The first would offer an expansive conception of the category of lives not worth living. The second would try and draw a distinction between what I call perfect and imperfect Non-Identity Problems and suggest BIRC reasoning is only problematic for the perfect cases. The third adapts a framework offered by philosophers for the wrongfulness of creating children with lives worth living that do not rely on BIRC-type reasoning by appealing to non-person-affecting principles and same-number substitutions. I explain why I find none of these approaches persuasive, including by discussing their disturbing implications as to enhancement and eugenics. I also briefly discuss how this analysis bears on the constitutionality of these interventions.Once BIRC justifications and its reformulations are shown to be problematic, it becomes apparent that either these forms of reproductive regulation are unjustified or quite different sorts of justifications must be relied on. I briefly plot three such theories, each of which depends on more controversial ideas, that the label of "best interests" obfuscates.


Adisintegrins andmetalloproteinases with thrombospondinmotifs (ADAMTS) familymembers have been reported dysregulated in various cancers. Through refining a loss of heterozygosity locus at 11q25 by array-CGH, we identified ADAMTS8 as a novel candidate tumor suppressor gene. Although ADAMTS8 downregulation has been reported in several tumors, its biologic function and underlying mechanism remain largely unknown. Here, we found that ADAMTS8 is broadly expressed in normal tissues but frequently downregulated or silenced by promoter methylation in common carcinoma cell lines, including nasopharyngeal, esophageal squamous cell, gastric, and colorectal carcinomas. Pharmacologic or genetic demethylation restored ADAMTS8 expression, indicating that promoter methylation mediates its silencing. Aberrant methylation of ADAMTS8 was also detected in several types of primary tumors but rarely in normal tissues. Further functional studies showed that restoring ADAMTS8 expression suppressed tumor cell clonogenicity through inducing apoptosis. ADAMTS8 as a secreted protease inhibited epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) signaling along with decreased levels of phosphorylated MEK and ERK. We further found that ADAMTS8 disrupted actin stress fiber organization and inhibited tumor cell motility. Thus, our data demonstrate that ADAMTS8 metalloprotease acts as a functional tumor suppressor through antagonizing EGFR–MEK–ERK signaling, in addition to its previously reported anti-angiogenesis function, and is frequently methylated in common tumors. Implications: This study uncovers the tumor suppressive function of ADAMTS8, one of the ADAMTS family members, and its frequent methylation in certain tumors could be developed as a potential biomarker.Mol Cancer Res; 12(2); 228–38. 2013 AACR.


Objectives: We are interested in the numerical simulation of the anastomotic region comprised between outflow canula of LVAD and the aorta. Segmentation, geometry reconstruction and grid generation from patient specific data remain an issue because of the variable quality of DICOM images, in particular CT-scan (e.g. metallic noise of the device, non-aortic contrast phase). We propose a general framework to overcome this problem and create suitable grids for numerical simulations. Methods: Preliminary treatment of images is performed by reducing the level window and enhancing the contrast of the greyscale image using contrast limited adaptive histogram equalization. A gradient anisotropic diffusion filter is applied to reduce the noise. Then, watershed segmentation algorithms and mathematical morphology filters allow reconstructing the patient geometry. This is done using the InsightToolKit library (www.itk.org). Finally the Vascular Modeling ToolKit (www.vmtk.org) and gmsh (www.geuz.org/gmsh) are used to create the meshes for the fluid (blood) and structure (arterial wall, outflow canula) and to a priori identify the boundary layers. The method is tested on five different patients with left ventricular assistance and who underwent a CT-scan exam. Results: This method produced good results in four patients. The anastomosis area is recovered and the generated grids are suitable for numerical simulations. In one patient the method failed to produce a good segmentation because of the small dimension of the aortic arch with respect to the image resolution. Conclusions: The described framework allows the use of data that could not be otherwise segmented by standard automatic segmentation tools. In particular the computational grids that have been generated are suitable for simulations that take into account fluid-structure interactions. Finally the presented method features a good reproducibility and fast application.


A simple 2-matching in a graph is a subgraph all of whose nodes have degree $1$ or $2$. A simple 2-matching is called $k$ -restricted if every connected component has $>k$ edges. We consider the problem of finding a $k$-restricted simple 2-matching with a maximum number of edges, which is a relaxation of the problem of finding a Hamilton cycle in a graph. Our main result is a min-max theorem for the maximum number of edges in a 1-restricted simple 2-matching. We prove this result constructively by presenting a polynomial time algorithm for finding a 1-restricted simple 2-matching with a maximum number of edges.


Abstract Background Cognitive deficits in depressed adults may reflect impaired decision-making. To investigate this possibility, we analyzed data from unmedicated adults with Major Depressive Disorder (MDD) and healthy controls as they performed a probabilistic reward task. The Hierarchical Drift Diffusion Model (HDDM) was used to quantify decision-making mechanisms recruited by the task, to determine if any such mechanism was disrupted by depression. Methods Data came from two samples (Study 1: 258 MDD, 36 controls; Study 2: 23 MDD, 25 controls). On each trial, participants indicated which of two similar stimuli was presented; correct identifications were rewarded. Quantile-probability plots and the HDDM quantified the impact of MDD on response times (RT), speed of evidence accumulation (drift rate), and the width of decision thresholds, among other parameters. Results RTs were more positively skewed in depressed v. healthy adults, and the HDDM revealed that drift rates were reduced—and decision thresholds were wider—in the MDD groups. This pattern suggests that depressed adults accumulated the evidence needed to make decisions more slowly than controls did. Conclusions Depressed adults responded slower than controls in both studies, and poorer performance led the MDD group to receive fewer rewards than controls in Study 1. These results did not reflect a sensorimotor deficit but were instead due to sluggish evidence accumulation. Thus, slowed decision-making—not slowed perception or response execution—caused the performance deficit in MDD. If these results generalize to other tasks, they may help explain the broad cognitive deficits seen in depression.


We present the first results of our search for new, extended planetary nebulae (PNe) based on careful, systematic, visual scrutiny of the imaging data from the Isaac Newton Telescope Photometric Hα Survey of the Northern Galactic plane (IPHAS). The newly uncovered PNe will help to improve the census of this important population of Galactic objects that serve as key windows into the late-stage evolution of low- to intermediate-mass stars. They will also facilitate study of the faint end of the ensemble Galactic PN luminosity function. The sensitivity and coverage of IPHAS allows PNe to be found in regions of greater extinction in the Galactic plane and/or those PNe in a more advanced evolutionary state and at larger distances compared to the general Galactic PN population. Using a set of newly revised optical diagnostic diagrams in combination with access to a powerful, new, multiwavelength imaging data base, we have identified 159 true, likely and possible PNe for this first catalogue release. The ability of IPHAS to unveil PNe at low Galactic latitudes and towards the Galactic Anticentre, compared to previous surveys, makes this survey an ideal tool to contribute to the improvement of our knowledge of the whole Galactic PN population.


The discovery of cosmic microwave background radiation—an inflection point in postwar cosmology—has not lacked chroniclers, but few have drawn deeply upon the available archival record. Many accounts emphasize the serendipitous manner in which the radiation was detected. This article redefines the relative contributions of luck, skill, and circumstance to the discovery by thickening the contexts in which it occurred. In its emphasis upon the material conditions of scientific enquiry, the development of technical expertise, and the permeability of disciplinary boundaries, the article situates the discovery in the sort of explanatory context more familiar from histories of Cold War nuclear and electronics research, where funds flowed freely across a broad front of institutions and subject fields, underwriting innovation and exchange, and incentivizing the instrumentalization of basic knowledge to address real world problems—in this case, microwave radio noise. It was not research to resolve the "big-bang"/"steady-state" controversy that pulled the radiation within range of detection, but a protean technoscientific program to improve signal-to-noise ratios. The accumulation of proficiency in microwave communications at Bell Laboratories, where the radiation was detected, was as significant to the breakthrough as the expertise in theoretical astrophysics available at Princeton, where the Bell Labs measurements were linked to the "big bang." Princeton physicists, led by Robert Dicke, had already embarked on their own independent effort to detect the radiation, but evidence suggests they may not have succeeded absent the instrumental contributions made by Bell Labs.


The study is concerned about employers' liability to protect the mental welfare of employees alongside their physical health. The need for protection is demonstrated in
several ways. Firstly, the introduction examines the statistical evidence of harassment in the workplace and its effect on its victims. Secondly, data was collected from nine participants who had taken their employer to court claiming that they had been bullied out of their jobs. These documents which were supplemented in some cases by personal statements, were analysed using the Glaser and Strauss Grounded Theory method tempered with Case Study method. Ethical issues coming to the fore during data collection supplied additional material for a chapter which eflects on problems researchers will encounter when working with vulnerable research participants.

Analysis showed the importance of social support for victims and implicated the role the trade unions, the medical and legal professions plays in secondary victimisation for victims of workplace bullying. A review of existing legislation was conducted to determine if internal voluntary guidelines or new legislation would give best protection.

Employer-led bullying was identified as the form on which internal guidelines have no impact. Workplace bullying was always found to be morally wrong and the issue of what
is legally right but not morally right was discussed. The findings emerging from the analysis together with recommendation to place protection of harassment at work within Health and Safety policies was presented to opinion makers to gauge the level of interest in the investigator's recommendation that European Union Health and Safety officials should take the lead in advancing legislative change outlawing workplace harassment.


Background Incidence of Chronic Myeloid Leukemia (CML) is continuously increasing and expected to reach 100,000 patients every year by 2030. Though the discovery of Imatinib Mesylate (IM) has brought a paradigm shift in CML treatment, 20% patients show resistance to this tyrosine kinase inhibiter (TKI). Therefore, it is important to identify markers, which can predict the occurrence and prognosis of CML. Clinical Exome Sequencing, panel of more than 4800 genes, was performed in CML patients to identify prognostic and susceptibility markers in CML. Methods Enrolled CML patients (n=18) were segregated as IM responders (n=10) and IM failures (n=8) as per European Leukemia Net (ELN), 2013 guidelines. Healthy controls (n=5) were also enrolled. DNA from blood of subjects was subjected to Next Generation Sequencing. Rare mutations present in one patient group and absent in another group were considered as prognostic markers, whereas mutations present in more than 50% patients were considered as susceptibility markers. Result Mutations in genes associated with cancer related functions were found in different patient groups. Four variants: rs116201358, rs4014596, rs52897880 and rs2274329 in C8A, UNC93B1, APOH and CA6 genes, respectively, were present in IM responders; whereas rs4945 in MFGE8 was present in IM failures. Mutations in HLA-DRB1 (rs17878951), HLA-DRB5 (rs137863146), RPHN2 (rs193179333), CYP2F1 (rs116958555), KCNJ12 (rs76684759) and FUT3 (rs151218854) were present as susceptibility markers. Conclusion The potential genetic markers discovered in this study can help in predicting response to IM as frontline therapy. Susceptibility markers may also be used as panel for individuals prone to have CML.


It has long been argued in the history of economic thought that over investment through highly leveraged borrowing under elastic credit supply may generate large boom-bust business cycles. This paper rationalizes this idea in a dynamic general equilibrium model with infinitely lived rational agents. It shows that dynamic interactions between strong asset-accumulation motives (based on habit formation on the borrower side) and elastic credit supply (based on collateralized lending on the lender side) generate a multiplier-accelerator mechanism that can transform a one-time technological innovation into large and long-lasting boom-bust cycles. Such cycles share many features in common to investment bubbles observed in the history (such as the IT bubble in the 1990s and the 2000s housing bubble).


The Hessian matrix reconstruction method initially developed to extract the basis mode frequencies, vibrational coupling constants, and transition dipoles of the delocalized amide I, II, and III vibrations of polypeptides and proteins from quantum chemistry calculation results is used to obtain those properties of delocalized O-H stretch modes in liquid water. Considering the water symmetric and asymmetric O-H stretch modes as basis modes, we here develop theoretical models relating vibrational frequencies, transition dipoles, and coupling constants of basis modes to local water configuration and solvent electric potential. Molecular dynamics simulation was performed to generate an ensemble of water configurations that was in turn used to construct vibrational Hamiltonian matrices. Obtaining the eigenvalues and eigenvectors of the matrices and using the time-averaging approximation method, which was developed by the Skinner group, to calculating the vibrational spectra of coupled oscillator systems, we could numerically simulate the O-H stretch IR spectrum of liquid water. The asymmetric line shape and weak shoulder bands were quantitatively reproduced by the present computational procedure based on vibrational exciton model, where the polarization effects on basis mode transition dipoles and inter-mode coupling constants were found to be crucial in quantitatively simulating the vibrational spectra of hydrogen-bond networking liquid water.


This book emerges from the interest in enriching the body of knowledge about accident characteristics, examining health outcomes and proposing measures to overcome societal and economic consequences of accidents. Contributions from different disciplines compose a collection that provides answers to prominent questions from various perspectives. The three parts of the book offer a comprehensive overview of the new state-of-the-practice knowledge about accident characteristics, risk factors, consequences and safety interventions. Combining knowledge from both road and occupational safety, and extending through various disciplines such as engineering, economics, medicine, and statistics, this collection stimulates readers in looking for enhanced solutions to safety problems that are a major threat to human life and cost millions to our society. (Imprint: Nova).


The high transfer frequency of pheromone-inducible conjugative plasmids of Enterococcus faecalis in liquid culture is due in part to the formation of mating aggregates. These aggregates result from the interaction of two surface components, aggregation substance (AS), which is plasmid encoded, and the chromosomally encoded binding substance (BS). In the accompanying paper (S.-M. Kao, S. B. Olmsted, A. S. Viksnins, J.C. Gallo, G. M. Dunny, J. Bacteriol, 173:7650-7664, 1991), the sequence of the prgB gene encoding the AS molecule (Asc10) produced by pheromone-induced cells carrying plasmid pCF10 is presented. Here we report the results of genetic and immunological experiments which define the role of Asc10 in aggregation and plasmid transfer. These data indicate expression of AS on the surface of an E. faecalis cell and its binding to BS expressed on a second cell are required for the formation of a mating pair and the efficient transfer of pCF10 in liquid matings. However, the orientation of the receptors was not critical for transfer; ie., AS expressed on recipient cells could facilitate plasmid transfer via binding to BS on the donor. Our results suggest that additional (as yet unidentified) products are involved in forming the channel that ultimately serves to transfer the DNA, with AS-BS binding serving primarily to generate the initial attachment between cells. The putative prgC gene product, identified by DNA sequencing (data presented in the accompanying paper), could be involved in transfer events occurring subsequent to aggregation.


The research has been done for assessment of effects of different concentrations of Indole-3-Butyric Acid (IBA) on rhizogenesis of scions of C. Phlomidis in 2010.  The research has been done on Randomized Complete-blocks for five replications and three treatments with zero, 2000ppm and 3000pmm concentration. Different characters such as number of root of each scion, length of root, length of new branches, thickness of root, number of leaf, dried weight of root and dried weight of leaf have been evaluated in this experiment. The results revealed that there is not any significant difference between hormones treatments but there are significant differences with zero treatment. Therefore, treatments with zero concentration have the least rate at all assessment characters.  Between two hormones treatments the most number of root of each scion and the length of the highest branches in 2000pmm and the length of the highest root, average of length of root, number of leaf of each scion, dried weight of leaf in 3000pmm have been seen. Therefore, 2000ppm concentration of Indole-3-Butyric Acid is suggested as the most desirable concentration for rhizogenesis of scions of C. Phlomidis.


This thesis is a study of popular allegiance in five
midland counties during the English Civil War, 1642-
1646. It considers the relationship between allegiance
and popular religion and culture. It aims to provide a
regional case study of popular reactions to the war,
with particular reference to recent theories of
allegiance, which have emphasised the role played by
religion and culture.
Although the approach is broadly chronological,
religion and culture are discussed mainly in the first
half of the thesis, and popular allegiance in the
second.
Chapter One surveys popular religion and culture in
the region from c. 1603 to 1638. Chapter Two
characterises popular politics on the eve of the Civil
War. Chapter Three deals with popular religion and
culture in the late 1630s and during the war. In
particular, it considers whether or not distinct
cultural regions had evolved by this time, and the
nature and extent of popular puritanism and
'Anglicanism'.
Chapter Four provides a narrative of military
events in the region during the war, and discusses the
impact of the conflict on civilian communities. Chapter
Five describes the geographical pattern of allegiance,
through an analysis of military recruitment and
civilian reactions. Chapter Six considers what factors
may have motivated popular responses to the war.
It is argued that there was often a positive
response to the war, and that we must seek a multicausal
explanation of this phenomenon. In particular,
religio-cultural factors were a major influence. But it
is argued that religlo-cultural and societal factors
only partly explain the complex pattern of allegiance
that emerged. Emphasis is placed on the role of local,
contingent factors such as the distribution and
influence of propaganda, and the impact of plunder,
extortion and other products of a war which intruded
into most communities in the region.


Children with higher frustration reactivity are at elevated risk for developing externalizing problems. Prior research has also indicated that certain parenting factors (e.g., hostility, rejection), are associated with risk for child psychopathology while others (e.g., warmth, responsiveness), are associated with positive child outcomes. Responsiveness (i.e., prompt, appropriate response to children's bids/distress) is a feature of authoritative parenting that has been linked to the development of adaptive skills in children. The goal of the present study was to examine the effect of child frustration reactivity (FR) and parental responsiveness (PR) on risk for increase in externalizing symptoms (ES) in a longitudinal design. A sample of 106 boys and 137 girls was assessed at five years of age for ES, FR and PR. They were again assessed at ten years of age for ES. It was hypothesized that higher FR at age five would predict an increase in ES at age ten, and higher PR at age five would be associated a decrease ES at age ten. Further, it was hypothesized that PR would moderate the relation between FR and later ES such that higher PR would mitigate this relation for children higher in FR. As hypothesized, there was a significant main effect found between early PR and later ES. When early ES was included as a covariate there was also a significant main effect between early FR and later ES. Contrary to hypotheses, there was no moderation effect of PR found. However, exploratory analyses revealed a significant interaction effect of PR and FR predicting concurrent ES at age 5. Implications and future research directions are discussed.


The current growth literature has stalled over which measures to use in empirical studies, causing a fragmented theory base. This paper claims that there is a third issue that further curbs efforts in developing a better understanding of business growth. Based on a thorough literature review, a quantitative, and a qualitative study, we find that academic scholars and entrepreneurs do not talk about the same thing when they say "business growth." For practitioners, growth is a more complex phenomenon—with a strong emphasis on internal development—which differs from the simplified conceptualization of growth used in empirical studies.


The greater openness to the outside world exhibited today by rural, peasant and indigenous groups is particularly notable among the young people in those populations, whose behavioural patterns, referents and expectations differ from those of preceding generations. At the same time, living conditions in the farming sector have improved very little, and agricultural producers' self-images have worsened; both of these factors prompt young people to leave the sector. Today, only half the people born in rural areas in the 1960s still live there. Not enough attention has been devoted to this situation, which leads, among other things, to the types of problems associated with lack of preparation and difficulties of adaptation on the part of migrants. In those areas from which emigration is the heaviest, the ageing of the population is quite marked; this hampers any attempt to pursue a dynamic form of development and in some cases even leads to the dismantling of existing infrastructure and services (and, hence, an even greater loss of population);. Those young people who do wish to remain in rural areas have not received sufficient attention either. In order to utilize the potential they represent, this segment of the population needs to be taken into account by policy makers and has to be provided with channels for active participation in production activities and community affairs -not so that they may attain what their parents achieved, but rather so that they may take a substantive leap forward in terms of both their income and quality of life. It is also necessary to eliminate the many market imperfections existing in the rural sector and to enable each individual agricultural unit to approach its optimal production frontier.


We introduce a method for recovering the spatial and temporal alignment between two or more views of objects moving over a ground plane. Existing approaches either assume that the streams are globally synchronized, so that only solving the spatial alignment is needed, or that the temporal misalignment is small enough so that exhaustive search can be performed. In contrast, our approach can recover both the spatial and temporal alignment, regardless of their magnitude. We compute for each trajectory a number of interesting segments, and we use their description to form putative matches between trajectories. Each pair of corresponding interesting segments induces a temporal alignment, and defines an interval of common support across two views of an object that is used to recover the spatial alignment. Interesting segments and their descriptors are defined using algebraic projective invariants measured along the trajectories. Similarity between interesting segments is computed taking into account the statistics of such invariants. Candidate alignment parameters are verified by checking the consistency, in terms of the symmetric transfer error, of all the putative pairs of corresponding interesting segments. Experiments are conducted with two different sets of data, one with two views of an outdoor scene featuring moving people and cars, and one with four views of a laboratory sequence featuring moving radio-controlled cars.


Condensation heat transfer coefficients (HTCs) are rather low compared to thin film evaporation. Therefore, it can be a limiting factor for designing heat transfer equipment. In this work, heat transfer characteristics of water vapor condensation phenomena were experimentally studied on a vertically aligned smooth copper substrate for a range of pressures and temperatures for two different liquid wettability conditions. The heat transfer performance is dominated by the phase change process at the solid–vapor interface along with the liquid formation mechanism. Compared to heat transfer results measured at an untreated copper surface, heat transport is augmented with a thin layer of perfluoro-silane coating over the same substrate. In this work, the effect of saturation pressure on the condensation process at both surfaces has been investigated by analyzing heat transfer coefficients. The results obtained experimentally show an increase in contact angle (CA) with the surface coating. A heat transfer augmentation of about 26% over uncoated surfaces was obtained and surfaces did not show any degradation after 40 h of operation. Finally, current results are compared with heat transfer values reported in open literature.


Many of today's workers are at risk of having insufficient resources in retirement. The reason for this gloomy picture is a rapidly changing retirement landscape defined by a rising Social Security retirement age, a sharp decline in traditional pensions coupled with modest 401(k) balances, and longer life spans. Yet, in spite of these trends, Americans have not responded by saving more on their own. Outside of employer-sponsored pension plans, individuals save virtually nothing for retirement.


It has been too long that the question of the municipal solid waste management in developing cities has had the replication of Northern operating devices as the only valued answer. Countless failed projects and 'white elephants' have followed. Comprehending the solid waste handling in the South implies reconsidering the proper definition of garbage, through a social, economic and territorial lens. Where does the product end and where does trash begin? The answer to this question is far from being obvious. Garbage appears as a blurred object. Its nature is by no means immanent. It largely depends on local practices as well as on the existing management/recovery devices. This debatable issue is all the more relevant today, when urban solid waste management approaches in the developing world are being reformulated: dumping sites are banned, sanitary landfills are imposed, separate collection and recycling schemes are beginning to be implemented. Through our two case studies of one-million inhabitants from emerging countries - Coimbatore in India and Vitoria in Brazil - we show that the frontier between garbage and resource is fluctuating, if not untraceable. Appropriation conflicts arise. They do not only oppose (public or private) municipal service operators to actors from the informal sector (wastepickers, itinerant waste buyers, traders). Various huge industrial groups are also starting to target domestic recyclable waste as an alternative for raw materials, which costs are increasing ever more. Industrial ecology, livelihood issues and public service delivery unfold in urban areas. Our empirical elements lead us to refuse the dichotomy between trash and resource. We demonstrate that there exists an inextricable link between garbage landfilling and resource recovery/valorization. Our thesis is that the whole urban waste deposit should be seen as common pool resources, mobilizing E.Ostrom's concept in urban context in order to acquire a systemic understanding. This unseen approach happens to be particularly fecund in cities from emerging countries. Furthermore, it might well be a much more convenient analytical framework in order to tackle the solid waste issue in Southern countries, which represent the majority of today's urban world.


Precise equations of state (EOS) measurements of matter under extreme conditions driven by heavy ion beams require proper target configurations to create well defined states of the studied material. The aim of this work is to evaluate the potential of the SIS-18 heavy ion beam at GSI to produce samples of matter at high energy density suitable for accurate EOS measurements. First the basic principles of matter under extreme conditions driven by heavy ion beams are summarized. The influence of different cooling mechanisms is discussed resulting in an estimation of the effective heating time, which limits the maximum target temperature. This estimation is an improvement compared to previous works. The energy deposition of ion beams was studied experimentally to evaluate numerical tools which are needed for new target calculations. A time resolved two-dimensional schlieren technique was applied to provide a comprehensive test for hydrodynamic calculations. To interpret the experimental data and to link them to the results of a hydro simulation, a 3D ray-tracing modeling was developed. An overall agreement between computed and experimental schlieren images was found and it was shown that the schlieren diagnostics is capable to detect phase boundaries in the target. Discrepancies between experimental results and the hydro calculation could be connected to an insufficient equation of state that was used for the simulation. It was also demonstrated that for target materials with a high yield point a hydrodynamic description is not applicable for the current beam parameters. Under these circumstances the dominant energy diffusion mechanism is heat conduction. With the schlieren technique it was possible to follow a thermal wave propagating in a target and thus to determine the temperature in the heated zone. Irreversible changes in the target material provide a second, independent way to determine the temperature in the irradiated region. The obtained results show that the experimental conditions can be well controlled and that the numerical tools are sufficiently precise to develop advanced targets for EOS measurements. A common methods for EOS measurements are shock wave experiments, which demand planar shock wave geometry. That is usually not provided in an ion-beam driven shock. A novel target configuration is proposed to generate a planar shock front with a pressure exceeding the pressure in a bulk sample by several times. The beneficial property of heavy ions to heat extended volumes of matter with good uniformity can be fully utilized, when isochoric heating conditions are fulfilled. To suppress hydrodynamic motion during the ion beam irradiation, a dynamic confinement is proposed. This concept provides homogeneous target heating by a low-Z tamper, which allows to apply x-ray scattering diagnostics using the PHELIX laser at GSI. Isochoric heating of macroscopic samples of matter with heavy ion beams together with excellent diagnostics possibilities promises to become a fruitful approach to warm dense matter studies.


: Many farms use leguminous cover crops as a nutrient management strategy to reduce their need for nitrogen fertilizer. When they are e ff ective, leguminous cover crops are a valuable tool for sustainable nutrient management. However, the symbiotic partnership between legumes and nitrogen fixing rhizobia is vulnerable to several abiotic and biotic stressors that reduce nitrogen fixation e ffi ciency in real world contexts. Sometimes, despite inoculation with rhizobial strains, this symbiosis fails to form. Such failure was observed in a 14-acre winter cover crop trial in the Rio Grande Valley (RGV) of Texas when three legume species produced no signs of nodulation or nitrogen fixation. This study examined the role of nitrogen, phosphorus, moisture, micronutrients, and native microbial communities in the nodulation of cowpea ( Vigna unguiculata L. Walp) and assessed arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi as an intervention to improve nodulation. Results from two controlled studies confirm moisture and native microbial communities as major factors in nodulation success. Micronutrients showed mixed impacts on nodulation depending on plant stress conditions. Nitrogen and phosphorus deficiencies, however, were not likely causes, nor was mycorrhizal inoculation an e ff ective intervention to improve nodulation. Inoculation method also had a major impact on nodulation rates. Continued research on improved inoculation practices and other ways to maximize nitrogen fixation e ffi ciency will be required to increase successful on-farm implementation.


Managing ebook Metadata in Academic Libraries: Taming the Tiger tackles the topic of ebooks in academic libraries, a trend that has been welcomed by students, faculty, researchers, and library staff. However, at the same time, the reality of acquiring ebooks, making them discoverable, and managing them presents library staff with many new challenges. Traditional methods of cataloging and managing library resources are no longer relevant where the purchasing of ebooks in packages and demand driven acquisitions are the predominant models for acquiring new content. Most academic libraries have a complex metadata environment wherein multiple systems draw upon the same metadata for different purposes. This complexity makes the need for standards-based interoperable metadata more important than ever. In addition to complexity, the nature of the metadata environment itself typically varies slightly from library to library making it difficult to recommend a single set of practices and procedures which would be relevant to, and effective in, all academic libraries. Considering all of these factors together, it is not surprising when academic libraries find it difficult to create and manage the metadata for their ebook collections. This book is written as a guide for metadata librarians, other technical services librarians, and ancillary library staff who manage ebook collections to help them understand the requirements for ebook metadata in their specific library context, to create a vision for ebook metadata management, and to develop a plan which addresses the relevant issues in metadata management at all stages of the lifecycle of ebooks in academic libraries from selection, to deselection or preservation. * Explores the reasons behind creating records for our resources and challenges libraries to think about what that means for their context* Discusses the complex nature of academic libraries and the electronic resources they require * Encourages librarians to find their own way to manage metadata


The oil and gas industry includes the processes of exploration, extraction, upgrading, separation,
refining, transporting and marketing oil products. After the separation process, water is removed to a
great extent, and only a small percentage is left in the crude oil. When marketing the products, the value
is essential, and therefore a representative sample has to be extracted to determine the quality. This
requires that the water is uniformly distributed throughout the batch when it is evaluated.
FMC Technologies requested a mixing system that would be able to achieve a homogeneous flow in a
pipeline, for a range of parameters. Because a laminar flow is the most challenging to mix, the
parameters which gives the lowest Reynolds number are chosen as a worst case scenario.
By literature studies, it is stated that a uniform mixture can be provided by multiple processes.
Mechanically agitated vessels, static- and power mixing have been analyzed. The static mixer is
evaluated based on the state of the art, and a power mixing system is designed for the worst case
parameters. Calculations are performed to be able to evaluate. It is found that mechanically agitated
vessels are not recommended for in-line mixing and therefore not evaluated further.
Pressure drop is expensive, and this is taken into account when discussing a conclusion. A static mixer
is recommended for Reynolds numbers below 2000 and a main pipe diameter below 0.4 m. No mixing
is required when the Reynolds number reaches a certain peak where the turbulence in the flow is of a
large extent and mixing will happened naturally. Otherwise, power mixing is the suggested method to
provide a homogeneous flow.


BACKGROUND
Alcoholics have alterations in endocrine and immune functions and increased susceptibility to stress-related disorders. A longitudinal analysis of chronic ethanol intake on homeostatic mechanisms is, however, incompletely characterized in primates.

METHODS
Plasma proteins (n = 60; Luminex) and hormones (adrenocorticotropic hormone [ACTH]; cortisol) were repeatedly measured in adult male cynomolgus monkeys (Macaca fascicularis, n = 10) during a 32-month experimental protocol at baseline, during induction of water and ethanol (4% w/v in water) self-administration, after 4 months, and after 12 months of 22-hour daily concurrent access to ethanol and water.

RESULTS
Significant changes were observed in ACTH, cortisol, and 45/60 plasma proteins: a majority (28/45) were suppressed as a function of ethanol self-administration, 8 proteins were elevated, and 9 showed biphasic changes. Cortisol and ACTH were greatest during induction, and correlations between these hormones and plasma proteins varied across the experiment. Pathway analyses implicated nuclear factor κ-light-chain-enhancer of activated B cells (NF-κB) and Janus kinase (JAK)/signal transducer and activator of transcription (STAT) as possible mediators of ethanol-induced effects on immune-related proteins in primates.

CONCLUSIONS
Chronic ethanol consumption in primates leads to an allostatic state of physiological compromise with respect to circulating immune- and stress-related proteins in NF-κB- and STAT/JAK-related pathways in correlation with altered endocrine activity.


Earnings Mobility Among Italian Low Paid Workers This paper uses Italian panel data to analyse transition probabilities at the bottom of the earnings distribution during the 1990s. The analytical framework is characterised by the ability to account for the endogeneity of initial conditions, educational attainment and earnings attrition, providing a model that encompasses those applied by previous research. Results show that the three selection mechanisms are endogenous for the estimation of low pay transitions. The data also reveal considerable state dependence, i.e. the experience of low pay is found to raise, per se, the probability of subsequent low pay episodes. Low pay persistence and entry rates are found to be larger among female employees, the low educated, manual workers in small firms and workers from the South relative to otherwise comparable individuals. JEL Classification: C23, C35, D31, J31


The optimal degree of decentralization depends on the importance of inter-state externalities of local policies. We show that inter-state externalities are determined by the spatial distribution of interest groups within the country. Interest groups who have multi-state scope internalize inter-state externalities to a larger extent than the lobbyists with interests within a single state. We use variation in the geographic boundaries of politically-powerful industrial interests to estimate the effect of inter-state externalities on firm performance. Using firm-level panel data from a peripheralized federation, Russia in 1996-2003, we show that, controlling for firm fixed effects, the performance of firms substantially improves with an increase in the number of neighboring regions under influence of multi-regional business groups compared to the number influenced by local business groups. Our findings have implications for the literatures on federalism and on international trade as trade restrictions are a common source of inter-state externalities.


The synthetic deoxydodecamer d(C-G-C-G- A-A-T-T-A-G-C-G) was analyzed by x-ray diffraction meth- ods, and the structure was refined to a residual error of R = 0.17 at 2.5-A resolution (2 ar data) with 83 water molecules located. The sequence crystallizes as a full turn of a B-DNA helix and contains 2 purine-purine (GA) base pairs and 10 Watson-Crick base pairs. The analysis shows conclusively that adenine is in the syn orientation with respect to the sugar moiety whereas guanine adopts the usual trans orientation. Nitrogen atoms of both bases are involved in hydrogen bonding with the N-1 of guanine 2.84 A from the N-7 of adenine and the N-6 of adenine within 2.74 A of the 0-6 of guanine. The C-1' C-1' separation is 10.7 A close to that for standard Watson-Crick base pairs. The incorporation of the purine purine base pairs at two steps in the dodecamer causes little perturbation of either the local or the global conformation of the double helix. Comparison of the structural features with those of the G-T wobble pair and the standard GC pair suggests a rationale for the differential enzymatic repair of the two types of base-pair mismatches.


We documented an indirect interaction between beavers (Castor canadensis) and leaf beetles (Chrysomela confluens), mediated by changing plant chemistry of their cottonwood hosts (Populus fremontii 3 P. angustifolia). Resprout growth arising from the stumps and roots of beaver-cut trees contained twice the level of defensive chemicals as normal juvenile growth. However, rather than being repelled by these defenses, leaf beetles were attracted to resprout growth, resulting in a strong positive association between beavers and beetles. Why? Cottonwoods contain phenolic glycosides, chemicals that are defensive against mammalian herbivores, but are sequestered and used by the beetles for their own defense. Experiments showed that beetles fed resprout growth were better defended against their predators than those fed nonresprout growth. There also may have been a nutritional benefit, because the conversion of the plant's defense, salicin and other phenolic glycosides, to salicylaldehyde releases glucose. Also, resprout growth contained more total nitrogen than did nonresprout growth. Transfer experiments showed that, in apparent response to these increased nutritional benefits, beetles fed resprout growth developed faster and weighed more at maturity. Although indirect interactions are much less studied than direct interactions, our work suggests that the indirect interactions resulting from beaver cutting of cottonwoods have important consequences for other organisms and could represent an important component of community structure. The habitat mosaics created by beaver herbivory increase arthropod biodiversity and may benefit other organisms such as birds and mammals. Furthermore, by stimulating the production of resprout growth, beavers may play an important role in the regeneration of a habitat type that is rapidly vanishing in the West.


The Pontid magmatic arc developed during the late Cretaceous and early Tertiary as a result of the northward subduction of Tethyan ocean- floor beneath "Pontian Land", due to the relative northwards movement of Anatolia. Two volcanic cycles, both basalt-andesite-dacite-rhyodacite sequences, can be distinguished in the northern Harsit river area. Basic members of the Upper Cretaceous Lower Volcanic Cycle include tholeiitic basalts and andesitic lavas. They are overlain by dacite lavas. Only the waning stage of this cycle, the rhyolites, tuffs and breccias, contain abundant pyroclastics. This stage is closely related to the mineralisation and constitutes the host-rock horizon. The host-rock and its associated mineralisation show spatial association with the regional fault pattern. The early Tertiary, Upper Volcanic Cycle shows evidence of explosive vulcanicity in the basalts of the Upper Basic Series. Dacites and rhyodacites are locally developed and again show spatial association with the faulting. Both the major and trace element chemistries of the two volcanic cycles Udemonstrate the clear separation into a lower tholeiitic and an upper calc-alkaline cycle. The rocks show similar chemistry to volcanics from island arcs in other areas. The origin of the tholeiitic magma is ascribed to melting of "dry" amphibolite formed by metamorphism of Tethyan oceanic crust during early subduction. Fractional crystallisation of this magma has led to the development of the Lower Volcanic Cycle. The calc-alkaline magma is thought to have formed during a later stage in the subduction process when melting of amphibolite was joined by melting of biotite or phlogopite. This produced a relatively "wet" magma which suppressed plagioclase fractionation until a late stage and prevented enrichment of iron in the residual melts. The volatiles produced in this process may have promoted some melting of Iherzolite overlying the subducted slab. A "high-level" fractional crystallisation of the calc-alkaline magma is thought to have yielded the Upper Volcanic Cycle. Massive, polymetallic mineralisation is associated with the final phase of the Lower Volcanic Cycle. The mineralisation is characterised by a sequence in which a quartz-pyrite and/or sphalerite and chalcopyrite stockwork ore is overlain by massive ore containing galena, sphalerite, chalcopyrite, barite and sulphosalts. This is, in turn, overlain by a horizon in which barite is dominant, succeeded by hematitic and/or manganiferous tuffs and sediments. The ore deposits, in their mode of occurrence, in their mineralogy and morphology bear close resemblance to the Kuroko deposits found in the Miocene, tholeiitic, felsic volcanic rocks of Japan. The lack of evidence for the derivation of ore fluids from igneous activity during the Tertiary era, and the unmineralised nature of the early differentiates of the Lower Volcanic Cycle restrict the mineralising episode to a short period of the felsic, Upper Cretaceous volcanism. The ore fluids responsible for the ore-bodies are thought to be the metal-rich fluids that separated during the final stage of fractionation and solidification of the tholeiitic silicate magma. The ascending magmatic ore solutions interacted with.-sea water. This process resulted in the exchange of Co, Ni, Se, Mg, Ca, Na and K, in a decrease in temperature and salinity, and in an increase in the oxidation state and pH relative to the initial composition of the magmatic fluids. Lithogeochemical analysis and wall-rock alteration patterns in the host-rock and hanging wall may be used in conjunction with detailed stratigraphical and structural analysis to provide directional vectors to determine the proximity of ore bodies.


On a summer's day in 1215 a beleaguered English monarch met a group of disgruntled barons in a meadow by the river Thames named Runnymede. Beset by foreign crisis and domestic rebellion, King John was fast running out of options. On 15 June he reluctantly agreed to fix his regal seal to a document that would change the world. A milestone in the development of constitutional politics and the rule of law, the 'Great Charter' established an Englishman's right to Habeas Corpus and set limits to the exercise of royal power. For the first time a group of subjects had forced an English king to agree to a document that limited his powers by law and protected their rights. Dan Jones's elegant and authoritative narrative of the making and legacy of Magna Carta is amplified by profiles of the barons who secured it and a full text of the charter in both Latin and English.


Fluorosis has been prevalent in the great East African Rift Valley (EARV) since before this region was given a name. In the Tanganyika days, Germans reported elevated fluoride concentrations in natural waters. In the 1930s, the clear relationship between high fluoride level and mottling of teeth was established. Since then, the global research community has engaged in the battle to provide fluoride-free drinking water, and the battle is not yet won for low-income communities. An applicable concept for fluoride-free drinking water in the EARV was recently presented, using the Kilimanjaro as a rainwater harvesting park. The Kilimanjaro concept implies that rainwater is harvested, stored on the Kilimanjaro mountains, gravity-transported to the point of use, eventually blended with natural water and treated for distribution. This article provides a roadmap for the implementation of the Kilimanjaro concept in Tanzania. Specifically, the current paper addresses the following: (i) presents updated nationwide information on fluoride contaminated areas, (ii) discusses the quality and quantity of rainwater, and current rainwater harvesting practices in Tanzania, (iii) highlights how low-cost water filters based on Fe0/biochar can be integrating into rainwater harvesting (RWH) systems to provide clean drinking water, and (iv) discusses the need for strict regulation of RWH practices to optimize water collection and storage, while simplifying the water treatment chain, and recommends strict analytical monitoring of water quality and public education to sustain public health in the EARV. In summary, it is demonstrated that, by combining rainwater harvesting and low-cots water treatment methods, the Kilimanjaro concept has the potential to provide clean drinking water, and overcome fluorosis on a long-term basis. However, a detailed design process is required to determine: (i) institutional roles, and community contributions and participation, (ii) optimal location and sizing of conveyance and storage facilities to avoid excessive pumping costs, and (iii) project funding mechanisms, including prospects for government subsidy. By drawing attention to the Kilimanjaro concept, the article calls for African engineers and scientists to take the lead in translating this concept into reality for the benefit of public health, while simultaneously increasing their self-confidence to address other developmental challenges pervasive in Africa.


During the optimisation of the synthesis conditions of non-hydrated potassium dawsonite, a compound which has been recently shown to be involved in the alkaline hydrolysis of calcium aluminate cement (CAC), a new closely related hydrated phase appearing below T = 25°C was detected by powder X-ray diffraction. To gain a more complete understanding of the crystal chemistry of CAC, this new phase was synthesised in pure form and its crystal structure solved from powder X-ray diffraction data. The crystal data are a = 8.3312(4), b = 11.2670(5), c = 5.661(2)A, Pna 2 1 (No. 33) and the resulting chemical formula is KAl(CO 3 )(OH) 2 .H 2 O with Z = 4. From the refined positions of the non-hydrogen atoms and from the balance of bond valences, the chemical nature of the O atoms could be univocally established [R wp = 0.132, R B = 0.056, Chi 2 = 1.15]. The unit cell of this hydrated compound contains two carboaluminate chains formed by the basic unit [Al 2 (OH) 4 (CO 3 ) 2 ] 2− propagating along the c axis and being stabilised by a complex H-bond network. The arrangement of these chains is similar to that found in dawsonite, so that the atomic positions of K + and Na + in both structures are also similar. As confirmed by the X-ray diffraction study of a one-year-old sample, hydrated potassium dawsonite slowly transforms into the non-hydrated form at room temperature. Due to the more favourable formation conditions, i.e. lower temperature and higher humidity, this hydrated phase could be eventually found in CAC pastes or mortars.


Literature has been a fundamental element of language course in the Malaysian context of English as Second Language (ESL). The introduction of the literature enhanced curriculum in the Malaysian ESL context has triggered much discussion to the significance of teaching and learning literature in English language syllabus in primary, secondary and tertiary educational institutions. However, there has not been much research done to investigate the effectiveness of the incorporation of literature learning in Malaysian higher educational institutions. Therefore, a survey is conducted amongst UiTM pre-service teachers who take literature as their minor in the attempts to investigate the perceptions of the effectiveness of literature courses to young adult learners. The focus of this research is on the perceptions of the effectiveness of literature towards students' language proficiency, personal development and the overall perception of the literature courses. This research also specifically finds out the least and most effective literature courses among all that the samples have learned. Using quantitative approach, the research design is a descriptive research and the data is obtained via questionnaires. The findings of the study show that students have positive perception in acknowledging the effectiveness of literature. Thus, the findings of the study provide useful insights that will help policy makers and educators in designing more appropriate literature courses in ESL programmes to become an effective educational tool for students' personal development.


IZA DP No. 15053 JANUARY 2022 Socially Optimal Crime and Punishment* This paper develops a dynamic life-cycle equilibrium model of crime with hetero-geneous agents and human capital accumulation. Agents decide at each point in time whether to commit crimes by comparing potential gains from crime to the expected cost of punishment (determined from the probability of apprehension, the utility cost of incarceration, and reduced future wages in the legal labor market). Public security policies are defined as pairs of a size of the police force and an average length of sentences. We propose an original micro-founded police production function linking the level of police expenditures to the probability of apprehension. The structural model, estimated using 2000s US data and causal parameters from the empirical literature, allows us to evaluate the global optimality of policies in a way that would not be possible with reduced form estimates or traditional partial equilibrium, static models of crime. Equilibrium effects can be particularly relevant when studying crime, given the interactions across individuals' decisions and policies. We also extend the model to include investments in schooling and explore the potential complementarities across public security and educational policies. JEL Classification: K42, I38


Background: Local anesthetics can cause vasoconstriction and disrupt neuronal impulses, reducing regional blood flow and increasing tissue oxygen consumption. This could alter regional oxygen supply and demand. Because microcirculation modifies during development and oxygen consumption kinetics differ between children and adults, we aimed to assess effects of ropivacaine Peripheral Nerve Block (PNB) on regional tissue saturation in children and young adults using Near-Infrared Spectroscopy (NIRS).
Methods: Following Institutional Review Board approval and informed consent, 20 patients undergoing PNB for various orthopedic surgeries were studied. NIRS sensors were placed on the operative limb, contralateral limb, and forehead. Tissue saturations (rSO2) were recorded at baseline and every 5 minutes for 60 minutes following ropivacaine PNB. Mean rSO2 was assessed with repeated measures ANOVA. Correlation of tissue rSO2 with cerebral oximetry was calculated and significance determined with student's t-test.
Results: In all patients, blocked limb rSO2 decreased significantly compared to control limb 20 minutes after injection and remained lower. Control limb rSO2 and cerebral oximetry did not change over time. Non-blocked limb rSO2 demonstrated weak but significant correlation with cerebral oximetry while blocked limb rSO2 showed no correlation. Mean change in blocked limb rSO2 from baseline was significantly negative compared to a net positive mean change in the non-blocked limb.
Conclusions: Decreased rSO2 following PNB suggests reduced local blood flow due to vasoconstriction, increased tissue oxygen consumption, or both. Changes in rSO2 provide an opportunity to develop NIRS as a non-invasive tool to identify successful PNB. Local anesthetic-induced decline in rSO2 could have implications in operative settings with ischemia or low-flow.


ABSTRACT Introduction: Analgesic drugs are often prescribed to patients with non-specific low back pain (NSLBP). Recommendations for non-invasive pharmacological management of NSLBP from recent clinical practice guidelines were compared with each other and with the best available evidence on drug efficacy. Areas covered: Recommendations concerning opioids, non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), paracetamol, antidepressants, anticonvulsants and muscle relaxants from national primary care guidelines published within the last 3 years were included in this review. For each pharmacological treatment, the most recent systematic review was included as the best available evidence on drug efficacy and common adverse effects were summarized. Expert opinion: Although differences exist between guidelines, publications are universally moving away from pharmacotherapy due to the limited efficacy and the risk of adverse effects. NSAIDs have replaced paracetamol as the first choice analgesics for NSLBP in many guidelines. Opioids are generally considered to be a last resort, but opioid prescriptions have been increasing over recent years. Upcoming guideline updates should explicitly shift their focus from pain to function and from pharmacotherapy to non-pharmacological treatments; patient education is important to make sure NSLBP patients accept these changes. To improve the quality of NSLBP care, the evidence-practice gap should be closed through guideline implementation strategies.


The knowledge of evaporation in the high mountain areas of the European Alps is still rather poor. It is generally regarded as a component of secondary importance in the water balance. The available mean areal evaporation data are based on conventional water balance estimations and suffer from inaccuracies in the determination of precipitation. This is also obvious from the rate of decrease in mean annual evaporation with altitude indicated by different authors; these values range from 71 mm to 356 mm pro 1,000 m of altitude. From heat balance studies on glaciers it is evident that evaporation/condensation as a process of high specific energy exchange can be a determinative factor in the shortterm variations of melt rates. The scale width of the daily latent heat fluxes reaches at magnitudes equal to or larger than those of net radiation and sensible heat flux.


Interelement effects are often experienced between the various constituents of metal alloys, when analyzed in spark or arc discharges. Investigating the effects due to varying composition of the analytical material in the discharge column, by time-resolved spectroscopy, to better explain interelement effects, precautions must be taken to safeguard against the effects of selective evaporization, which are not interelement effects in the true sense. Introducing fresh sample into the analytical gap for each discharge offers a means to overcome the effects of selective evaporization.


Euroscepticism prevalent in the Member states is also discovered among the candidate countries. Serbia is one of the biggest eurosceptic countries where public support for EU membership has radically dropped over the recent years. Although the process of joining the EU is not called into question by itself, the conditions of membership are not seen as legitimate among majority of citizens. In the light of these facts, the article examines factors, which explain the success of Europeanization. The article indicates that legitimacy of the EU, identification with EU's values and resonance between the normative approach of the EU and the domestic institutional design in candidate country are essential mechanisms of Europeanization. However, these conditions in Serbia are not dominant due to inconsistency of the EU's enlargement policy in Serbia. The changing nature of the EU's enlargement policy and new requirements have contributed to increasing scepticism among the Serbian public about the worthiness of the EU membership. Moreover, the EU's conditions contradict with Serbia's long-term political tradition and institutional practice. In this way, the EU faces with incompatibility of accession conditions and political culture in Serbia. For this reason conditionality is no longer a viable strategy that impacts the attitudes of Serbian society towards the EU. In order to increase the legitimacy of European integration process the EU should embrace and invest more in socialisation measures targeted at the public. DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.5755/j01.ppaa.12.3.5154


Here at last is the long awaited sequel to the international bestselling phenomenon, Freakonomics. Steven Levitt, the original rogue economist, and Stephen Dubner have been working hard, uncovering the hidden side of even more controversial subjects, from charity to terrorism and prostitution. And with their inimitable style and wit, they will take us on another even more gripping journey of discovery. "Superfreakonomics" will once again transform the way we look at the world.


The performance and success of the African nations in the 2012 London Olympic Games was considered to be poor and well below expectation, taking into account the number of African countries that participated in the Games and the size of their teams. Generally, the continent has recorded minimal success in the Olympics as a result of repeated poor performances evident in the small number of medals won, low positions on medal tables and the inability to achieve other performance objectives. This research explored the performance and success of African nations in the 2012 London Olympics in light of literature from both sports science and project management. It investigated the views of key stakeholders on the measurement criteria for success of these countries, their actual achievements in the Games and the issues and challenges that impeded their performance and success. The results derived from the research findings were used to propose a framework for improving the performance and success of African countries in the Olympics, with a view that the proposed framework could also be useful in the context of other major sporting tournaments.
The philosophical paradigm upon which this study was rooted is interpretivism. Owing to the inductive nature of the study, the researcher adopted a qualitative research design, which supported a cyclic collection and analysis of data. The method of data collection was primarily through interviews conducted with the participants who were NOC executives, athletes and coaches from the African countries.
The findings from this study indicated that, apart from socio-economic factors, the poor performance of African countries in Olympic Games is also linked to sport policy issues and an absence of key project management critical success factors (CSFs) in the development of elite sports in these countries. The contribution of this study to the body of knowledge is therefore evident in a) the provision of valuable insight into the performance of African countries in the 2012 London Olympic Games, with an identification of targets set and challenges faced b) the proposition of a framework which integrates project management CSFs with sport policies and procedures to improve the performance and success of African nations in the Olympics and c) the provision of theoretical benchmarks for subsequent studies in the area of sport performance and success, as well as recommendations to the industry on strategies for improving elite sports performance in major sporting tournaments.


Abstract As the discourse of traditionally marginalized voices becomes increasingly salient in rhetorical studies, standpoint theory—which emphasizes the epistemological importance of the perspectives of oppressed groups—could play a significant role in textual analysis. This essay first outlines the central tenets of standpoint theory and the debate they have generated. We then suggest how standpoint theory, with some significant modifications and expansions, may function as a productive methodology for rhetorical analysis. We demonstrate this potential contribution to our field through analyses of two nineteenth‐century texts: Jane Austen's Persuasion and Harriet Jacobs's Incidents in the Life of a Slave Girl.


The spatial variability of Chironomidae larvae assemblages was investigated at 6 near-pristine, temperate headwaters in Hungary. Sites were located within a relatively small mountain range but belong to two different catchment areas characterized by highly variable abiotic conditions. We hypothesised there would be differences in taxonomic composition but not in functional composition between different catchment areas and aimed to assess the primary influencing spatial factors structuring the taxonomic and functional compositions of chironomid assemblages. The spatial distribution of chironomid assemblages was examined 4 times during a 1 year period at microhabitat to catchment scales. At each site, streambed morphology, physicochemical attribute, riparian vegetation, microclimate and hydrology data were collected. Three main traits (saprobic preference, stream zonation preference, functional feeding groups) were used to characterize the functional composition of chironomid assemblages. Sharp differences were detected in taxonomic composition between the two sides of the mountain range within a relatively small spatial distance and moderate, but statistically significant differences in functional composition between catchments. The observed spatial changes in taxonomic and functional composition of midges accompanied changes in physicochemical characteristics, riparian vegetation, microclimate and altitude. Internal microhabitat heterogeneity also played a major role in structuring the taxonomic and the functional patterns of chironomid assemblages.


The 26 December 2006 Pingtung earthquake doublet (both about Mw 7.0) were the two largest events with magnitudes close to 7.0, following the 1999 Chi-Chi earthquake. The locations and focal mechanisms of the Pingtung earthquake sequence provide good opportunities for scientists to investigate plate movement and deep tectonic structure in southern offshore of Taiwan. However, precise hypocenters and source mechanisms of this sequence are not definite due to poor station azimuthal coverage and a lack of information from historical seismicity in this area. Here we use regional ground motion full waveform records to investigate source rupture processes and determine fault planes of the Pingtung earthquake doublet. The finite fault inversion result of the first event shows two large asperities occurred near the epicenter. The rupture mainly originated from the south then propagated northward on an eastern dipping fault plane. The second earthquake is a bilateral rupture along NW-SE direction having a large asperity close to the epicenter which released most of its seismic energy within the first 15 seconds. The slips of the two earthquakes show compensative patterns when mapped on the earth's surface. We show that the Pingtung earthquake doublet are large normal and strike-slip faulting which dips toward the east and west, respectively. The mechanisms determined from inversion results infer that the first event might relate to the bending of the South China Sea Plate during its subduction to the Philippine Sea Plate. The second event could happen at a pre-existing weak zone that was triggered by transferred stress after the first event.


Abstract Background Good patient adherence to antiretroviral (ART) medication determines effective HIV viral suppression, and thus reduces the risk of progression and transmission of HIV. With accurate methods to monitor treatment adherence, we could use simple triage to target adherence support interventions that could help in the community or at health centres in resource‐limited settings. Objectives To determine the accuracy of simple measures of ART adherence (including patient self‐report, tablet counts, pharmacy records, electronic monitoring, or composite methods) for detecting non‐suppressed viral load in people living with HIV and receiving ART treatment. Search methods The Cochrane Infectious Diseases Group Information Specialists searched CENTRAL, MEDLINE, Embase, LILACS, CINAHL, African‐Wide information, and Web of Science up to 22 April 2021. They also searched the World Health Organization (WHO) International Clinical Trials Registry Platform (ICTRP) and ClinicalTrials.gov for ongoing studies. No restrictions were placed on the language or date of publication when searching the electronic databases. Selection criteria We included studies of all designs that evaluated a simple measure of adherence (index test) such as self‐report, tablet counts, pharmacy records or secondary database analysis, or both, electronic monitoring or composite measures of any of those tests, in people living with HIV and receiving ART treatment. We used a viral load assay with a limit of detection ranging from 10 copies/mL to 400 copies/mL as the reference standard. We created 2 × 2 tables to calculate sensitivity and specificity. Data collection and analysis We screened studies, extracted data, and assessed risk of bias using QUADAS‐2 independently and in duplicate. We assessed the certainty of evidence using the GRADE method. The results of estimated sensitivity and specificity were presented using paired forest plots and tabulated summaries. We encountered a high level of variation among studies which precluded a meaningful meta‐analysis or comparison of adherence measures. We explored heterogeneity using pre‐defined subgroup analysis. Main results We included 51 studies involving children and adults with HIV, mostly living in low‐ and middle‐income settings, conducted between 2003 and 2021. Several studies assessed more than one index test, and the most common measure of adherence to ART was self‐report. ‐ Self‐report questionnaires (25 studies, 9211 participants; very low‐certainty): sensitivity ranged from 10% to 85% and specificity ranged from 10% to 99%. ‐ Self‐report using a visual analogue scale (VAS) (11 studies, 4235 participants; very low‐certainty): sensitivity ranged from 0% to 58% and specificity ranged from 55% to 100%. ‐ Tablet counts (12 studies, 3466 participants; very low‐certainty): sensitivity ranged from 0% to 100% and specificity ranged from 5% to 99%. ‐ Electronic monitoring devices (3 studies, 186 participants; very low‐certainty): sensitivity ranged from 60% to 88% and the specificity ranged from 27% to 67%. ‐ Pharmacy records or secondary databases (6 studies, 2254 participants; very low‐certainty): sensitivity ranged from 17% to 88% and the specificity ranged from 9% to 95%. ‐ Composite measures (9 studies, 1513 participants; very low‐certainty): sensitivity ranged from 10% to 100% and specificity ranged from 49% to 100%. Across all included studies, the ability of adherence measures to detect viral non‐suppression showed a large variation in both sensitivity and specificity that could not be explained by subgroup analysis. We assessed the overall certainty of the evidence as very low due to risk of bias, indirectness, inconsistency, and imprecision. The risk of bias and the applicability concerns for patient selection, index test, and reference standard domains were generally low or unclear due to unclear reporting. The main methodological issues identified were related to flow and timing due to high numbers of missing data. For all index tests, we assessed the certainty of the evidence as very low due to limitations in the design and conduct of the studies, applicability concerns and inconsistency of results. Authors' conclusions We encountered high variability for all index tests, and the overall certainty of evidence in all areas was very low. No measure consistently offered either a sufficiently high sensitivity or specificity to detect viral non‐suppression. These concerns limit their value in triaging patients for viral load monitoring or enhanced adherence support interventions.


The parasitic weed Striga affects maize on an estimated 20 million ha in Africa, making it a major cause of maize yield reduction from near world average of 4.2 t/ha few decades ago to the present 1.5 t/ha. The objectives of this study were to examine the combining ability of 20 inbred lines and identify single crosses which can be used to develop other hybrids resistant to Striga hermonthica (Del.) Benth. Fourteen female lines were mated using North Carolina Design II with all six males. The resulting 84 F1s along with six commercial checks were evaluated in four separate trials for two rainy seasons during 2010. The trials were conducted on station under both artificial Striga infestation and Striga free environments using standard procedures at the Kibos and Alupe sites, both in the Kenya's Lake Victoria Basin. Data were recorded on Striga counts, Striga damage rating (SDR), grain yield and other agronomic traits. General combining ability (GCA) and specific combining ability (SCA) effects were computed using SAS. The new F1 hybrids outperformed the commercial checks in grain yield and reaction to Striga. Single crosses JI-30-3/TESTR 151, JI-30-18/TESTR 151, CML206//56/44-6-3-7-1/TESTR 149 and JI-30-18/TESTR 156 gave the highest yield while single cross JI10-28-#/TESTR 136 gave the lowest yield. The ratio of GCA: SCA mean squares exhibited a predominance of additive gene effects in the inheritance of Striga resistance traits as opposed to dominance gene effects. Inbred lines with good GCA for yield and Striga resistance traits were identified as TESTR 151, TESTR 156 and OSU231//56/44-6-4-17-3. The high GCA inbred lines and the superior single crosses will provide a basis for future use perse and also development of three-way and double cross hybrids to be grown in Striga prone areas of the Lake Victoria Basin in eastern Africa.

 Key words: Maize, Striga hermonthica, general combining ability (GCA), specific combining ability (SCA), host plant resistance, sub-Saharan Africa.


The deep scattering layers (DSL) in the central equatorial Pacific form an important prey resource in a relatively oligotrophic habitat. In March of 2006, we used a calibrated 38-kHz SIMRAD EK60 scientific sonar to assess the spatial distribution of the deep scattering layer relative to broad-scale oceanographic features and fine-scale physical and biological measurements. We conducted a single continuous transect from approximately 10� St o 20� N at 170� W while measuring acoustic backscatter, current velocity and direction, temperature, salinity, oxygen, and fluorescence with depth, coincident with marine mammal occurrence. These data were combined with remotely sensed sea surface height, chlorophyll, and sea surface temperature data to examine patterns in DSL distribution. To analyze DSL density with depth, acoustic backscatter was binned into surface (<200 m), mid (200‐550 m) and deep (550‐1000 m) layers. Backscatter was highly correlated with chlorophyll-a and low sea surface height anomalies and was greatest near the equator. We found high diel variability in DSL depth and scattering intensity between the mid and surface layers as well as a shallowing of the deep layer moving northward across the equator. Marine mammal sightings consisted primarily of odontocetes with their distribution coincident with higher acoustic densities of their forage base. Shifts in DSL distribution and scattering intensity are an important component towards understanding the behavior and distribution of highly migratory predator species.


IEEE 802.11 wireless access points (APs) act as the central communication hub inside homes, connecting all networked devices to the Internet. Home users run a variety of network applications with diverse Quality-of-Service requirements (QoS) through their APs. However, wireless APs are often the bottleneck in residential networks as broadband connection speeds keep increasing. Because of the lack of QoS support and complicated configuration procedures in most off-the-shelf APs, users can experience QoS degradation with their wireless networks, especially when multiple applications are running concurrently. This dissertation presents CATNAP, Classification And Treatment iN an AP, to provide better QoS support for various applications over residential wireless networks, especially timely delivery for real-time applications and high throughput for download-based applications. CATNAP consists of three major components: supporting functions, classifiers, and treatment modules. The supporting functions collect necessary flow level statistics and feed it into the CATNAP classifiers. Then, the CATNAP classifiers categorize flows along three-dimensions: response-based/non-response-based, interactive/non-interactive, and greedy/non-greedy. Each CATNAP traffic category can be directly mapped to one of the following treatments: push/delay, limited advertised window size/drop, and reserve bandwidth. Based on the classification results, the CATNAP treatment module automatically applies the treatment policy to provide better QoS support. CATNAP is implemented with the NS network simulator, and evaluated against DropTail and Strict Priority Queue (SPQ) under various network and traffic conditions. In most simulation cases, CATNAP provides better QoS supports than DropTail: it lowers queuing delay for multimedia applications such as VoIP, games and video, fairly treats FTP flows with various round trip times, and is even functional when misbehaving UDP traffic is present. Unlike current QoS methods, CATNAP is a plug-and-play solution, automatically classifying and treating flows without any user configuration, or any modification to end hosts or applications.


The Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences is an equal opportunity/affirmative action employer authorized to provide research, educational information and other services only to individuals and institutions that function without regard to race, color, sex, age, handicap, or national origin. For information on obtaining other extension publications, contact your county Cooperative Extension Service office. Florida Cooperative Extension Service / Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences / University of Florida / Christine Taylor Stephens, Dean December 1993


Heparin is an excellent inhibitor of P- and L-selectin binding to the carbohydrate determinant, sialyl Lewisx. As a consequence of its anti-selectin activity, heparin attenuates metastasis and inflammation. Here we show that fucosylated chondroitin sulfate (FucCS), a polysaccharide isolated from sea cucumber composed of a chondroitin sulfate backbone substituted at the 3-position of the β-d-glucuronic acid residues with 2,4-disulfated α-l-fucopyranosyl branches, is a potent inhibitor of P- and L-selectin binding to immobilized sialyl Lewisx and LS180 carcinoma cell attachment to immobilized P- and L-selectins. Inhibition occurs in a concentration-dependent manner. Furthermore, FucCS was 4–8-fold more potent than heparin in the inhibition of the P- and L-selectin-sialyl Lewisx interactions. No inhibition of E-selectin was observed. FucCS also inhibited lung colonization by adenocarcinoma MC-38 cells in an experimental metastasis model in mice, as well as neutrophil recruitment in two models of inflammation (thioglycollate-induced peritonitis and lipopolysaccharide-induced lung inflammation). Inhibition occurred at a dose that produces no significant change in plasma activated partial thromboplastin time. Removal of the sulfated fucose branches on the FucCS abolished the inhibitory effect in vitro and in vivo. Overall, the results suggest that invertebrate FucCS may be a potential alternative to heparin for blocking metastasis and inflammatory reactions without the undesirable side effects of anticoagulant heparin.


A gene therapy agent containing an attenuated, replication-competent, genetically engineered mutant form of the Herpes simplex virus 1 (HSV-1) strain KOS with potential antineoplastic activity. Upon infusion into the hepatic artery, oncolytic HSV-1 rRp450 replicates in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) cells and exerts direct cytotoxic effects eventually disrupting cancer cell membranes and liberating progeny virions thereby infecting adjacent tumor cells. In addition, rRp450 expresses the cytochrome P450 transgene that activates oxazaphosphorines, such as cyclophosphamide (CPA). Therefore, CPA can become activated in the presence of rRp450 and exert its antineoplastic effect. rRp450 is deleted for the HSV-1 gene UL39, encoding the viral ribonucleotide reductase large subunit infected cell protein 6 (ICP6), thereby disrupting the activity of viral ribonucleotide reductase and resulting in the inhibition of nucleotide metabolism and viral DNA synthesis in nondividing cells but not in dividing cells. UL39 is replaced by the rat CYP2B1 gene, encoding a cytochrome P450 enzyme that activates oxazaphosphorines. rRp450 also expresses viral thymidine kinase, which activates the cancer prodrug ganciclovir.


Miss GILLIAN COFFEY and Professor C. 'W. M. WILSON (Trinity College, Dublin) write: In a recenit leader (6 July, p. 5) you slated that ithe mean consumption of aspirin compounds in the population amounts to eight or 10 aspirin tablets per month as estimated in two different surveys. The results from two separate surveys carried out in Liverpool in 19641 and in Duiblin in 1974 confirm these estimates.... After 10 years the results indicate gat both males and females are talking aspirin less frequently.... The tendency to less frequent consumption appears to be compensated for by the fact that both sexes now tend to take more aspirins on each oocasion.... Consumption of more aspirin on each oocasion would produce higher blood salicylate levels. In consequence a greater incidence of druginduced side effects and undesirable clinical consequences is appearng....