ABSTRACT Objective: Evaluate clinical aspects associated with the presence of nocturnal enuresis (NE) in children with a diagnosis of overactive bladder (OAB). Material and Methods: A data base of 200 children who were evaluated by a structured questionnaire was analysed retrospectively . OAB was defined as the presence of urinary urgency (n=183 cases) and/or daytime urinary incontinence associated with holding maneuvers (n=168 cases). Inclusion criteria were a confirmed diagnosis of OAB, age 5-16 years, and no anatomical or neurological alterations of the urinary tract. Patients were divided into enuretics and non-enuretics. The two groups were compared with respect to sex, age, skin color, presence urinary infection, urgency, urge incontinence, non-urge incontinence, pollakiuria, urinary dysfunction, nocturia, holding maneuvers, number of episodes of enuresis and bowel alterations. In a univariate analysis, the chi-square test was used to compare proportions, with p-values <0.05 being considered significant. A multivariate analysis was conducted to identify independent predictive factors. Results: Enuresis was diagnosed in 141/200 children. The two groups were similar with respect to sex, age and skin color. No difference was found in relation to urinary infection, non-urge incontinence, urinary dysfunction, nocturia, encopresis or constipation. The two groups were significantly different with regard to some symptoms related to OAB such as urgency (p=0.001), urge incontinency (p=0.001) and holding maneuvers (p=0.033). Following multivariate analysis, only holding maneuvers (p=0.022) remained as an independent predictive factor. Conclusion: The only independent predictive factor for resolution of enuresis in children with OAB, as detected in the multivariate analysis, was holding maneuvers.


Background: Auxiliares de Medicina Simplificada (AMS) is a community health worker programme of the Venezuelan Ministry of Health launched in the 1960's. AMS remains the most permanent and direct presence of the Amazonas Health System in rural indigenous communities. Recent political and legal changes have occurred in the country in relation to health and indigenous people's rights thus affecting the role of the AMS. Aim: To examine the role of Auxiliaries in Primary Health Care among indigenous populations in Amazonas, their relationship with the regional health system and their potential contribution to the health of indigenous people in the light of the current legislation. Methods: A descriptive study was carried out using a qualitative approach and ethnographic methods including in depth interviews, participant observation in selected health posts in Amazonas state, and documentary analysis. Thematic analysis explored self-identification of Auxiliaries as health workers and as indigenous, the ideal and actual roles they play, and their relationship with the regional health system. Findings: Auxiliaries developed a strong biomedical professional identity mainly shaped by their curative tasks. Values attached to "The Manual" of the programme were highly illustrative of this identity and the influence of the health system. AMS also identified themselves as Indigenous of Amazonas, and their professional and ethnic identities were not mutually exclusive or conflicting. Promotion and Abstract prevention appeared in their normative discourse as very important but what they most valued were their curative tasks and access to and use of drugs. The study showed that AMS play an important intermediary role between traditional and biomedical medicine systems, and between the indigenous communities and the health system. This intermediary role has been neglected in the training process and in the guidelines. Support from the regional health system has decreased during the last decade and the political decentralisation process was identified as crucial to the weakening of the program and perhaps of the entire primary care level in Amazonas. Current reforms implemented nation-wide have altered the role of the indigenous AMS. Conclusion: In the current Venezuelan legal framework of health, health care and indigenous rights, the role and space that the AMS have as intermediaries between traditional medicine and biomedicine, and between the indigenous communities and the health system provide the greatest opportunities for improving the health of indigenous people in Amazonas. Recommendations: To integrate the AMS programme into the current PHC policies being implemented by up-dating the programme, extending the training course and redefining their role as health promoters in line with the constitutional rights to health for indigenous people.


We provide evidence that firms attempting IPOs condition offer terms and the decision whether to carry through with an offering on the experience of their primary market contemporaries. Moreover, while initial returns and IPO volume are positively correlated in the aggregate, the correlation is negative among contemporaneous offerings subject to a common valuation factor. Our findings are consistent with investment banks implicitly bundling offerings subject to a common valuation factor to achieve more equitable internalization of information production costs and thereby preventing coordination failures in primary equity markets.


Objectives In UK Microbiology laboratories there is widespread use of nucleic acid amplification tests (NAATs) which allow the simultaneous 'dual' detection of Neisseria gonorrhoeae and Chlamydia trachomatis, although the prevalence of gonorrhoea in most areas is low and this may lead to high numbers of false positive results. The aim of this study was to examine the evidence base for unselected testing for gonorrhoea in the community. Methods A literature search was performed to review the use of dual testing in low prevalence settings by searching PubMed for appropriate terms linked to gonorrhoea diagnosis up to 1 December 2013 but without restriction of publication date. All publications with a prevalence of <1% were defined as low prevalence and included in this review. Results The publication search found data in low prevalence settings from three sources; genitourinary medicine clinics, laboratories outside the UK and from the National Chlamydia Screening Programme. The evidence base to support widespread screening for gonorrhoea was found to be limited and of variable quality. Conclusions We were unable to find an evidence base to support widespread screening for gonorrhoea in the community. However, the increasing availability of dual NAATs may lead to more testing but this should be tempered by the public health need. Pilot studies and development of robust testing algorithms should be encouraged.


OBJECTIVE
To compare the strength of the sutured linea alba, in vitro, using 2 suture patterns.

ANIMALS
12 clinically normal llamas.

PROCEDURE
2 incisions in the linea alba of 12 llamas were closed with a simple continuous or inverted cruciate pattern, and tissue was harvested after 10 days. In 6 llamas the simple continuous line was intact; the inverted cruciate specimens contained 6 sutures. In 6 llamas, 1 knot was excised in the simple continuous pattern to simulate a failed line; the cruciate pattern contained 5 knots. Tissue sections were taken from cranial, between, and caudal to the linea alba incisions to compare fascial thickness. The sutured specimens were mounted in a mechanical testing system and tested to failure. A mixed-model ANOVA was used to evaluate the effects of suture pattern and incisional position on mechanical properties.

RESULTS
Significant differences were not found between suture patterns or between location for yield force, failure force, or yield strain, whereas failure strain was lower for the intact simple continuous pattern than the inverted cruciate pattern (P = 0.003). From histomorphometric analysis, the caudal tissue specimens were significantly thinner than the middle tissue specimen cranial to the umbilicus (P = 0.006).

CONCLUSION
There was no significant difference in monotonic breaking strength of the linea alba sutured with the simple continuous or inverted cruciate pattern.

CLINICAL RELEVANCE
These results justify the use of the simple continuous pattern over the cruciate pattern for ventral midline closure in llamas because of the ease of placement and speed.


Purpose

The purpose of this study is to examine whether and how the fundamental Islamic values of Arab Muslim business negotiators influence their views of the negotiation process and negotiation behavior.

Design/methodology/approach

The study is based on an interpretive qualitative approach. The data were obtained by semi-structured interviews. The participants were managers whose role entails negotiations as an essential component of their job.

Findings

For Arab Muslim negotiators, the use of knowledge is associated with a moral imperative of being truthful and using knowledge responsibly. The virtues of honesty, transparency, trust, integrity, fairness, peace, respect and concern for the counterpart's negotiation outcomes emerged as important considerations for Arab Muslim negotiators.

Research limitations/implications

All the research participants were from an Arab Islamic country. Empirical data obtained from non-Arab Islamic respondents can provide further insights into how religious beliefs shape negotiation behavior of Muslim negotiators.

Practical implications

The international negotiation practitioners involved in cross-cultural negotiations in the Arabian Gulf should consider their counterpart's behavioral patterns and expectations shaped by the Islamic faith. Appreciating what matters to an Arab Muslim negotiator will increase the probability of a positive negotiation experience and the likelihood of attaining negotiation goals.

Originality/value

The study contributes to the literature on innovative management practices by emphasizing the need to broaden the knowledge of a cultural perspective of management innovation. Innovative interventions in intercultural negotiations should include a consideration of the counterparts' religious beliefs in both intra- and inter-firm bargaining situations.


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We incorporate strategic complementarities into a multi-agent sequential choice model with observable actions and private information. In this framework agents are concerned with learning from predecessors, signalling to successors, and coordinating their actions with those of others. Coordination problems have hitherto been studied using static coordination games which do not allow for learning behavior. Social learning has been examined using games of sequential action under uncertainty, but in the absence of strategic complementarities (herding models). Our model captures the strategic behavior of static coordination games, the social learning aspect of herding models, and the signalling behavior missing from both of these classes of models in one unified framework. In sequential action problems with incomplete information, agents exhibit herd behavior if later decision makers assign too little importance to their private information, choosing instead to imitate their predecessors. In our setting we demonstrate that agents may exhibit either strong herd behavior (complete imitation) or weak herd behavior (overoptimism) and characterize the informational requirements for these distinct outcomes. We also characterize the informational requirements to ensure the possibility of coordination upon a risky but socially optimal action in a game with finite but unboundedly large numbers of players.


At times, the academy seems devoid of justice because it emphasizes the cultivation of knowledge often denied to marginalized individuals and communities. As black queer feminist scholars doing praxis-driven theorizing from separate fields on the subject of black queer families and communities, we employ research methods that resist the dynamics of power and privilege that exist within normative researcher-participant exchanges. In this essay, we explore and highlight the ethical, justice-oriented, and dialogical relationship between researcher-scholars and research participants. Through story and theory, we illustrate and argue that autoethnographies and narrative interviews can act as epistemological excavation tools for both researchers and participants, as they become sites of individual and collective consciousness. Our work resists capitalist models of research and instead promotes a justice-oriented and community-derived building of knowledge.


A Dissertation Submitted to the Department of Building Technology, College of Art and Built Environment in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Science, 2016.


I. INTRODUCTION II. DEFINING AND UNDERSTANDING THE SURROGACY PROCESS A. Defining Surrogacy B. Cost of Getting Pregnant III. SURROGATES NEED INSURANCE A. Surrogates Need Insurance to Cover the Cost Associated with Pregnancy and Delivery 1. Cost of an Uncomplicated Pregnancy and Delivery 2. Cost of Complicated Pregnancy and Delivery 3. Surrogate's Life Postpartum B. Mandating Equality: the Pregnancy Discrimination Act of 1978 and the Newborns' and Mothers' Health Protection Act of 1996 1. Pregnancy Discrimination Act 2. Newborns' and Mothers' Health Protection Act C. Existing Contract Remedies to Recover Associated Costs Are Insufficient 1. Filing Suit Against the Insurer D. Filing Suit Against the Intended Parents 1. International Surrogacy 2. Surrogacy in the States IV. SURROGACY IN OHIO A. Governing Ohio Case Law B. Governing Ohio Regulations C. Governing Ohio Statutes V. MODEL SURROGACY STATUTE A. The Procedural Process B. Evaluation of the Provisions VI. CONCLUSION I. INTRODUCTION Carrie Mathews of Windsor, Colorado, became a surrogate to provide another couple with the gift of child. (1) Mathews began her journey by contacting the National Adoption and Surrogacy Center, which introduced her to several families looking for a surrogate. (2) After reviewing various profiles, Mathews opted to become the surrogate mother for the Bakos, an Austrian couple in their fifties, who had been trying to have a child for twenty years. (3) Instantly, Mathews and the Bakos formed an adoring relationship. (4) Having already given birth to three children, Mathews had no reason to believe that serious complications would ensue during her pregnancy. (5) Prior to undergoing in vitro fertilization, Mathews and the Bakos signed a contract that outlined payment for different situations and complications that could arise during pregnancy. (6) Under this contract, Mathews would receive $25,000 to carry the child. (7) The Bakos would place $2,000 per month in an escrow account and Mathews would have access to the money upon giving birth. (8) In vitro fertilization was successful, and Mathews gave birth to twins. (9) Despite her belief that the surrogate pregnancy would go smoothly, she encountered significant complications. (10) Mathews became extremely sick, experienced severe swelling, developed preeclampsia (11) and HELLP syndrome. (12) After giving birth, Mathews experienced additional health problems and had to be rushed into an emergency operation to stop internal bleeding. (13) Mathews explained that "while I was in the operating room, I died and had to be resuscitated." (14) After giving birth, she remained hospitalized for twenty days. (15) In the meantime, the Bakos returned to Austria with their twins. (16) Mathews now owed more than $217,000 in medical expenses related to the birth of the Bakos' twins. (17) Mathews's story was so remarkable that an unaffiliated surrogate advocate commented on it in the media. (18) The program administrator for the Center for Surrogate Parenting (CSP) (19) explained that under CSP's policy, intended parents must enroll in an insurance program, and surrogate mothers must have medical insurance to cover the pregnancy related costs while she is the patient. (20) Although Mathews had insurance, her policy excluded maternity benefits for surrogate mothers. (21) Though CSP has stricter internal policies regarding insurance coverage to prevent situations like the one Mathews is facing, meeting the insurance requirement can be difficult. (22) Some insurance companies exclude coverage of surrogate mothers though the insurer may cover pregnancy services generally. (23) This practice occurs because, despite the valuable services that a surrogate provides to couples, surrogacy remains largely unregulated. (24) Therefore, it is important that parties diligently select an agency and execute a thorough surrogacy contract. …


In this work we describe the scenario of fully-immersive desktop VR, which serves the overall goal to seamlessly integrate with existing workflows and workplaces of data analysts and researchers, such that they can benefit from the gain in productivity when immersed in their data-spaces. Furthermore, we provide a literature review showing the status quo of techniques and methods available for realizing this scenario under the raised restrictions. Finally, we propose a concept of an analysis framework and the decisions made and the decisions still to be taken, to outline how the described scenario and the collected methods are feasible in a real use case.


OBJECTIVE--To review the importance of heart rate variability analysis in left ventricular dysfunction and heart failure and to assess the effects of drug treatment. In patients with left ventricular dysfunction or heart failure, a low heart rate variability is a strong predictor of a low probability of survival. Because drug treatment in these patients has rapidly changed over the past two decades, the effect of these drugs on heart rate variability needs special attention. DESIGN--A study of published reports to give an overview of heart rate variability in patients with left ventricular dysfunction or heart failure and how it is affected by drug treatment. RESULTS--Analysis of heart rate variability provides an easily obtained early marker for progression of disease. It seems to be more closely related to the degree of neurohumoral activation than to haemodynamic variables. Cardiovascular drugs may either stimulate or inhibit the degree of neurohumoral activation, and the effects of pharmacological intervention can be closely monitored with this method. CONCLUSIONS--The analysis of heart rate variability, including spectral analysis, is a novel non-invasive way to obtain potentially useful clinical information in patients with reduced left ventricular function. The effects of drug treatment on heart rate variability are in general consistent with their long-term effects in left ventricular dysfunction and heart failure.


Constructing and maintaining consistent neighbor tables and optimizing neighbor tables to improve routing locality are two important issues in p2p networks. In this paper, we address the problem of preserving consistency while optimizing neighbor tables for p2p networks with node dynamics. We present a general strategy: identify a consistent subnet as large as possible and only replace a neighbor with a closer one if both of them belong to the subnet. We realize the general strategy in the context of hypercube routing. First, we present a join protocol that enables the identification of a large consistent subnet with very low cost when new nodes join. Next, we define an optimization rule to constrain neighbor replacements to preserve consistency, and present a set of optimization heuristics to optimize neighbor tables with low cost. The join protocol is then integrated with a failure recovery protocol. By evaluating the protocols through simulation experiments, we found our protocols and optimization heuristics to be effective, efficient, and scalable to a large number of network nodes.


Ants can utilize a large var iety of food sources, and this ability contributes to their ecological and evolutionary success. Their broad dietary niche, however, in conjunction with their sociality, makes this group of animals notoriously difficult to study with respect to nutritional ecology. Natural-abundance-stable-isotope studies are a useful tool for assessing the trophic position of ants in food webs. In theory, they may also help to assess the relative contribution of food sources to their biomass, although such quantitative estimates have to be taken with caution. Consumers are typically enriched in 15 N and sometimes 13 C relative to their diet. The magnitude of enrichment may be influenced by feeding mode, diet quality and possibly nitrogen-recycling endosymbiotic bacteria. We provide an estimate of the enrichment of stable isotopes relative to a chemically defined diet for the ant Camponotus floridanus (BUCKLEY, 1866) and show that their endosymbiotic bacteria do not significantly alter the enrichment process. The average enrichment of C. floridanus pupae to their diet was 3.0‰ for 15 N and 1.1‰ for 13 C. Stable isotopes have also been used successfully for studying nutrient fluxes utilizing compounds enriched in either 15 N or 13 C as tracers. Such studies can help to elucidate nutrient fluxes, for example within an ant colony or between ants and other organisms such as plants. They may also clarify whether certain compounds can be metabolized by ants at all. Here we present an overview of topics and questions that can be addressed using stable-isotope methods. We discuss experimental design, sampling methods and potential pitfalls when applying stable-isotope techniques. We point out fields of research in ant biology that can be explored more extensively with stable-isotope analyses.


"For 30 years, U.S. food and nutrition scientists and policymakers concerned with food and nutrition have explored the possibility of making the human right to food (HRF) the moral and legal cornerstone of U.S. domestic and international initiatives in this area. The U.S. government has consistently opposed formal right-to-food legislation, labeling it as overly burdensome and inconsistent with constitutional law. In contrast, anti-hunger advocates have favored a rights-based framework as a way to hold government accountable for improving the nutritional situation of its poorest citizens and for saving lives and preventing malnutrition in developing countries. The U.S. government has continually expanded food and nutrition assistance at home and abroad, but not within a human rights framework. What might a human rights perspective add, and what are the continuing rationales of the opposition? Using as touchstones U.S. government and nongovernmental organization (NGO) testimonies from the 1976 Right to Food Resolution congressional debate and the 1996 World Food Summit, which featured U.S. opposition to HRF language, the U.S. government and NGO HRF positions are traced from 1976 to 2006. Qualitative analyses of historical policy position papers, testimonies, research reports, and the popular nutrition literature are used to evaluate how human rights and the HRF—as framing and rhetoric—have influenced nutrition policy, public and official understanding, and outreach. In this documentation process, we also integrate information from the wider "human rights" positions of the food-and-nutrition advocacy community, including Food First, Bread for the World, the Food Research and Action Center, the community food security movement, and charitable food assistance agencies, to demonstrate where these different advocacy agents, organizations, and agendas fit in this process of advancing a HRF sensibility." from Authors' Abstract


This paper seeks to examine the link between Knowledge Management (KM) and Quality Management (QM) with a particular focus on the role of a Quality Culture. The authors propose that as Knowledge Management reaches its maturity in terms of acceptance as an important part of doing business in the modern world, that quality will again become the mantra of successful companies. This time, however, quality will not only be defined in terms of the properties of the product and/or services that the organisation provides, but in a more holistic manner that is subject to rapid change and shifting customer preferences. This increasingly dynamic knowledge-driven environment will require companies to pay close adherence to quality in order to satisfy demand and stay ahead of the competition. A national survey of 1000 quality certified organisations in Australia was distributed with a 23% response rate. The survey asked questions pertaining to the organisations' use of Knowledge Management, their quality culture, as well as their quality performance measures. As a result of an analysis of the data, the authors suggest that, in order to survive in such a dynamic environment, organisations will have to embrace Knowledge Management as a fundamental component of delivery of a quality culture.


In Australia, for eight months of each year Sydney's most popular beaches are laced with fishing nets. Stretching 150 metres (492 feet) across, and set within 500 metres (1,640 feet) of the shore, the nets are anchored off fifty-one beaches between Newcastle in the north and Wollongong in the south. The aim of the Shark Meshing (Bather Protection) Program NSW is to reduce the risk of dangerous encounters between sharks and people, and specifically to deter sharks from establishing territories (Department of Primary Industries NSW 2009, 2015). Program managers achieve such ends by devising and deploying tools and employing people to catch and kill sharks. By considering what happens when non-human animals are enlisted in territorialising practices of shore control, this chapter examin es and unsettles the interplay between multiple interpretations of territory and the political implications of those interpretations. The work traces the state of New South Wales' Shark Meshing (Bather Protection) Program to understand how territory is claimed, asserted, and confounded at the shore. Grasping the ways in which territory is made and remade at the shore is important conceptually, politically, and practically, as it sheds light on our understanding of territory. More specifically then, this work is also important because these practices have direct implications for the safety and well-being of people, and for the conservation of marine animals, species, and environments. Especially significant in this case is the question of how the Shark Meshing Program plays out for several species of shark that are at once formally recognised as threatened and as potentially threatening to humans. The shore is our point of departure: the line where the land meets the sea. The broader transitional zone the coast includes areas above and below the water line, a zone where terrestrial environments and processes influence marine ones, and vice versa (Woodroffe 2002). This liminal space is neither land nor sea; rather, it is a zone that merges two distinct geoand biophysical domains. At the shore the land's seeming solidity and stability meet the liquidity and constant motion of water: a marked shift in flux. The coast presents a continually changing land-/sea-scape, as tides advance and retreat, changing water depth and morphology. This place is also one where humans encounter a distinctly non-human world. Permanent human habitation is not possible, yet life thrives. These distinct qualities of the coast are fundamental to its contested use. By exploring territory beyond land, we also explore territory beyond the human. I argue that asserting, maintaining, and contesting territory are morethan-human projects. Nonhuman animals and materials play vital roles in co-producing territory. In this chapter a series of interrelated accounts of the Shark Meshing (Bather Protection) Program NSW illuminates the more-thanhuman project of producing territory beyond terra . In what follows, I examine four key agents that work outside or alongside governance institutions to make and remake territory at the coast, namely, the coast itself, sharks, bathing human bodies, and nets. But first, an account is needed of territory at the ocean's edge, and contemporary approaches to shark hazard management.


The concept of Sacred Space is among the most prominent and enduring aspects of religious expression. The main aim of this work is to examine the development of constructed cult loci from the late Iron Age to the late Roman period in southern Britain, focusing on the differential use of internal space. At the core of the study is an analysis of the use of space within certain constructed sacred sites. Contains 98 site 'databases', giving significant information and plans.


This study employs a coupled thermal-hydrological-mechanical model to investigate the permeability evolution and fault reactivation of a critically stressed fault in geothermal reservoir. The fracture permeability sensitivity analysis for permeabilities of the fault damage zone that hydro-mechanical processes have dominating control on permeability evolution and the associated timing of slip on the fault plane for high fracture permeability. The mode of thermal sweep in the reservoir is dominated by advection, as the high fracture permeability permitted higher velocity of fluid flow. For the condition of low fracture permeability, heat transfer process has pronounced control on permeability evolution and timing of slip due to heat conduction process. With reduction in fluid flow and hydromechanical effects, heat transfer in the reservoir is dominated by heat conduction, as the temperature difference between the fault zone and the country rock becomes negligible. For the intermediate fracture permeabilities, the induced thermal unloading due to conduction could prompt the onset of failure. Changing the locations of the injection well along the fault zone shows that shear failure on the fault/fracture plane occurs earlier for lower stress state and vice versa. The evolutions of production rate and power generation are also influenced by the stress state at the injection and production wells. The elevated pore pressures in the fault zone due to fluid injection causes distributed seismicity on the fault/fracture planes which all have moment magnitudes that are below 2.5. Cited as : Anyim, K., Gan, Q. Fault zone exploitation in geothermal reservoirs: Production optimization, permeability evolution and induced seismicity. Advances in Geo-Energy Research, 2020, 4(1): 1-12, doi: 10.26804/ager.2020.01.01.


Composite linear and quadratic systems produce three-wave coupling when stimulated by random-phase input sinusoids. Due to the non-linearity of the system the output frequencies are arithmetically related to the input. Using third order cumulant statistics and their associated bispectrum, techniques are devised based on phaseinsensitive matrix structures for detection and frequency estimation of coupling frequencies. The separation of the third order cumulant series into symmetric and skew-symmetric portions allows us to exploit their characteristic eigendecompositions for frequency estimation. After symmetrization, biphases can be easily extracted as coefficients of the cumulant sequence. Using a generalized eigenvector representation, we can relate symmetric and skew-symmetric bases by a subspace rotation algorithm. Biphases can be estimated directly from generalized eigenvalues of the matrix pencil formed by symmetric and skew-symmetric matrices. The dimensionality of our matrices can be reduced through the use of cumulant projections which yield a slice of the bispectrum. The Radon transform procedure is related to bispectral processing through an isotropic radial slice Volterra filter. The compact third order Kronecker product matrix formulation and algorithms for coupling frequency estimation can also be converted for use in biphase estimation. Simulations showing the performance of the above procedures are also presented for both synthetic and biomedical time series. These include the detection and estimation of specific frequencies exhibiting nonlinearities in electroencephalographic (EEG) data.


Gross, histological and immunocytochemical examinations carried out on maternal and fetal reproductive tissues from two pregnant giraffes at an estimated 8 and 13.5 months of gestation (term=15 months) revealed a typically ruminant macrocotyledonary placenta with binucleate trophoblast cells scattered sparsely in the placentome where they stained intensely with a prolactin antiserum. Binucleate cells were present in greater numbers in the intercotyledonary allantochorion where they did not stain for prolactin whereas the uninucleate trophoblast still did. A single large corpus luteum of pregnancy and several small luteinised follicles were present in the maternal ovaries while the fetal ovaries at 13.5 months gestation showed an assortment of enlarging antral follicles and partially and completely lutenised follicles, the granulosa and luteal cells of which stained positively for 3β-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase (3β-HSD), 17,20 lyase, prolactin, progesterone receptor and androgen receptor, but negatively for aromatase. The uninucleate trophoblast of the placentome and intercotyledonary allantochorion, the epithelium of the maternal endometrial glands, the seminiferous epithelium in the fetal testis at 8 months of gestation and the zonae fasciculata and reticularis of the fetal adrenal at 13.5 months also stained positively for 3β-HSD and negatively for aromatase. Endocrinologically, it appears that the giraffe placenta is more similar to that of the sheep than the cow with a placental lactogen as the likely driver of the considerable degree of luteinisation seen in both the maternal and the fetal ovaries.


Particle swarm optimization (PSO) is a swarm-based optimization technique capable of solving different categories of optimization problems. Nevertheless, PSO has a serious exploration issue that makes it a difficult choice for multi-objectives constrained optimization problems (MCOP). At the same time, Multi-Protocol Label Switched (MPLS) and its extended version Generalized MPLS, has become an emerging network technology for modern and diverse applications. Therefore, as per MPLS and Generalized MPLS MCOP needs, it is important to find the Pareto based optimal solutions that guarantee the optimal resource utilization without compromising the quality of services (QoS) within the networks. The paper proposes a novel version of PSO, which includes a modified version of the Elitist learning Strategy (ELS) in PSO that not only solves the existing exploration problem in PSO, but also produces optimal solutions with efficient convergence rates for different MPLS/ GMPLS network scales. The proposed approach has also been applied with two objective functions; the resource provisioning and the traffic load balancing costs. Our simulations and comparative study showed improved results of the proposed algorithm over the well-known optimization algorithms such as standard PSO, Adaptive PSO, Bat and Dolphin algorithm.


In the last 5 years in France, we have observed that each new flood event exposes the weaknesses of the existing prevention system as well as the local weakness. Such events raise questions about the relevance and the effectiveness of the means of prevention. But these events also reveal resistance of the exposed territories, which shows that effective and adequate local strategies exist. There are various methods to evaluate the weakness, or vulnerability of an area, but since the last ten years the qualitative approach of vulnerability in flood risks became more important. Nevertheless, local authorities are often unable to evaluate the vulnerabilities of their territory. Local decision makers request tools for a better assessment of flooding vulnerability. Thus, many approaches of the weakness and the resistance of frequently flooded territories were developed on various scales. These approaches are often partial and contextual. There is a clear need for a support of the evaluation of vulnerability. However, there are obvious synergies between these different approaches, with regard to data retrieval and the establishment of adequate information systems taking into account the vulnerability of a specific territory. The paper develops a methodology aimed to organize into a software tool the choice of vulnerability indicators and the integration of the point of view of various stakeholders (economists, town planners, experts, political leaders, etc). This challenge is based on three simple statements: break down of the problems of vulnerability into homogeneous subsets and manage them; articulation of these subsets in a graphical interface allowing the presentation of interactions between the indicators of vulnerability and compare the opposed visions of vulnerability. The interface of the tool integrates various vulnerability indicators, which are organised in several categories, in order to allow a flexible and efficient vulnerability analysis. Correspondence to: B. Barroca (email@example.com)


Coarse blocks are a widespread ground cover in cold mountain areas. They have been recognized to exert a cooling influence on subsurface temperatures in comparison with other types of surface material and are employed in man- made structures for ground cooling and permafrost protection. The contrast in heat transfer between the atmosphere and the ground caused by thermally driven convection in winter and stable stratification of interstitial air during summer is usually invoked to explain this "thermal diode" effect. Based on measurements and model calculations, we propose an additional cooling mechanism, which is independent of convection, and solely functions based on the interplay of a winter snow cover and a layer of coarse blocks with low thermal conductivity. The thermal conductivity of a block layer with a porosity of 0.4 is reduced by about an order of magnitude compared to solid rock. We use a simple and purely conductive model experiment to demonstrate that low-conductivity layers reduce the temperature below the winter snow cover as well as mean annual ground temperatures by comparison with other ground materials. Coarse block layers reduce the warming effect of the snow cover and can result in cooling of blocky surfaces in comparison with surrounding areas in the order of one or several degrees. The characteristics of this mechanism correspond to existing measurements.


The objectives of this research were to study the characteristics of mango chips drying using a double plated solar collector. The materials used were sliced mangoes with the thickness of 3, 6, and 8 mm. The equipments used for this research were double plated solar collector, thermocouple, digital balance, thermometer, vacuum oven, and desiccators. The research parameters included the rate of heat energy absorbed by the double plated solar collector, the heat energy losses, the efficiency of the double plated solar collector and the moisture content of the chips. The results of this study suggested that the use of double plated solar collector could increase the temperature and the amount of heat energy, thus speed up the drying process of the mango chips. The energy needed to evaporate the moisture content in mango decreased in proportion to the increase in drying time. The difference in mango chips' thickness resulted in different decrease rate in water content until it reached a constant state. The efficiency of the double plated solar collector was 77.82%.


Background and Objective: Tubal sterilization is the most popular method of permanent female contraception, yet there is considerable debate concerning the influence of this procedure on the women's health and menstrual pattern. Methods: We randomized 1358 women to one of the five methods of tubal sterilization; unipolar electrocauterization, bipolar electrocauterization, minilaparatomy, Pomeroy method, Falope ring, and Hulka clips to evaluate the effect of each method on menstrual pattern.  Each woman was interviewed before sterilization and followed for 3 years.  850 women who did not undergo sterilization served as control group and were interviewed and followed.  248 women of study group and 503 cases of the control group did not fulfill the study criteria and were excluded. Results: Menstrual indices were significantly different between the control group and those women who were sterilized by unipolar, ring, and Pomery methods.  The amount of bleeding, was increased by 28.3% in unipolar group (p=0.001), 19.9% in ring group (p=0.001), and by 23.9% in Pomeroy group (p=0.0001).  Significant menstrual pain lasted for a maximum of 18 months was noted in unipolar coagulation group (p=0.0001). Conclusion: Sterilization methods which destroy the vascular communications along and immediately subjacent to the tube and that also disturb the countercurrent exchange of biologically active factors between the uterus and ovaries, are more likely to cause menstrual abnormalities.


The explosive growth of wireless communication market has led the development of low-cost, highly-integrated wireless communication systems. Even though most blocks in the front-end have successfully been integrated by using the CMOS technology, it is still a formidable challenge to integrate the entire front-end. Thus, the objective of this research is to demonstrate the feasibility of the integrated front-end by using improved circuit techniques as well as the improved process technologies. This dissertation proposes an improved control scheme to enhance the high-power handling capability of an antenna switch. As a part of this research, an antenna switch controller for a GaAs antenna switch was first developed to enhance the performances of the GaAs antenna switch by using the boosted control voltage. To enhance the efficiency of the front-end, efficiency improvement techniques for the antenna switch controller has also been studied. With the suggested efficiency improvement techniques, a fully-integrated antenna switch was implemented using the SOI technology, and exceeding performances over many commercial products for watt-level high-power applications have been successfully demonstrated. As an effort to improve the efficiency of a power amplifier, a linear envelope detector was also implemented, and the results show that the envelope detector is suitable for dynamic biasing of the power amplifier. The research presented in this dissertation, thus, provides a low-cost and high-performance solution for highly-integrated RF front-end used in various wireless communication systems.


Knowledge on metal release processes from stainless steel powder, which can be potentially inhaled at occupational settings, is essential within the framework of human health and environmental risk assessments. An in-depth knowledge concerning powder history, physical properties of particles (e.g. size, morphology, and active surface area) combined with their chemical properties (such as the chemical composition of the particles and their metal release behavior) is needed for better understanding of the interaction mechanisms between metal powders and humans. So far, limited in vitro and in vivo studies exist that assess the correlation between stainless steel surface properties, protein adsorption effects, and metal release processes. The aim of this study is to add information to fill this knowledge gap through in vitro investigations of protein-induced metal release (iron, nickel, chromium, and manganese) and induced surface changes of five differently sized and/or produced (water-atomized (WA) and gas-atomized (GA)) stainless steel powder particles (three austenitic: AISI 316L, 310B, and 304B; one martensitic: AISI 410L; and one ferritic: AISI 430L) after exposure up to one week into a phosphate buffer saline (PBS) solution of pH 7.2-7.4 containing either lysozyme (LYS) or bovine serum albumin (BSA). The results show that the outmost surface oxide composition of the powders strongly depends on the production method and particle size. Gas-atomized 316L powder particles (with spherical shapes) indicated a high relative manganese content in their surface oxide (more significant in the case of 316L particles sized <4µm), while no manganese compounds were detectable in the surface oxide of water-atomized powders (of irregular particle shapes). Although austenitic stainless steels should present non-magnetic properties, the investigation of magnetic properties indicated that differently sized gas-atomized 316L particles and water-atomized 304B were to some extent ferromagnetic suggesting the presence of ferrite. BSA induced a significant enrichment of chromium in the surface oxide of all investigated powders (especially for ferritic WA430L and austenitic WA316L), except in the case of 316L powders (<4µm) showing no significant change. Metal release studies illustrated that both proteins enhanced the amount of released metal, with a preferential iron release from water-atomized particles and manganese release from gas-atomized powders. BSA-containing medium induced the highest extent of metal release in comparison with other tested biological media (up to 35-fold increase in the case of ferritic 430L particles produced by water atomization). Comparison between the metal release behavior of particulate and massive stainless steel indicated a significantly higher extent of metal released from abraded stainless steel sheets compared with particles, which is most probably an effect of freshly abraded surfaces of the massive metal sheets, not true for the particles with aged surface oxides, along with the presence of higher relative chromium content in the surface oxide.


David R. Boyd's book entitled, The Environmental Rights Revolution: A Global Study of Constitutions, Human Rights, and the Environment, provides a comprehensive overview of nations that have incorporated the right to a healthy environment in their constitutions. Throughout his research, Boyd analyzes the effectiveness of environmental protection provisions in national constitutions and seeks to determine whether constitutional provisions guaranteeing the right to a healthy environment have measurable, positive effects on the environment. His wide-ranging compilation and analysis of environmental rights provisions in numerous countries is an important contribution to international human rights literature. Although Boyd explains that treating the right to a healthy environment as a fundamental human right is not a new idea, his broad research demonstrates that many national constitutions have, in fact, adopted enforceable environmental protection provisions, particularly the right to a healthy environment. Boyd's research provides concrete examples of how the constitutional right to a healthy environment, and national legislation guaranteeing that right, have had positive environmental consequences. He predicts that in the future these rights will continue to help combat the effects of global climate change and environmental degradation that permeate national borders to enable the world to achieve the goal of sustainable development.


52 Valparaiso University Law Review 19 (2017).Proponents of judicial elections and related campaign activities emphasize existing First Amendment jurisprudence as well as similarities linking publicly elected state judges and other publicly-elected state officials. Opponents focus on judicial campaign contributions' corrosive effects, including their potential to unduly influence judicial outcomes. Using a comprehensive data set of 2,345 business-related cases decided by state supreme courts across all fifty states between 2010–12, judicial election critics, including Professor Joanna Shepherd, emphasize the potential for bias and find that campaign contributions from business sources to state supreme court judicial candidates corresponded with candidates' pro-business votes as justices. While Shepherd's main findings generally replicate, additional (and alternative) analyses introduce new findings that raise complicating wrinkles for Shepherd's strong normative claims. Findings from this study illustrate that efforts to influence judicial outcomes are not the exclusive domain of business interests. That is, judicial campaign contributions from non- (and anti-) business interests increase the probability of justices' votes favoring non-business interests. As a result, critiques of judicial elections cannot properly rely exclusively on the influence of business interests. Moreover, that both business and non-business interests can successfully influence judicial outcomes through campaign contributions point in different (and possibly conflicting) normative directions. On the one hand, even if one agrees that the judicial branch qualitatively differs from the political and executive branches in terms of assessing campaign contributions' proper role, that the potential to influence judicial outcomes is available to any interest group (willing to invest campaign contributions) complicates popular critiques of judicial elections. On the other hand, the same empirical findings also plausibly strengthen critiques of judicial elections, especially for those who view the judicial domain differently than other political domains.


Aerobic exercise is a common intervention for rehabilitation of motor, and more recently, cognitive function (Intlekofer and Cotman, 2013; Wood et al., 2012). While the underlying mechanisms are complex, BDNF may mediate much of the beneficial effects of exercise to these neurons (Ploughman et al., 2007; Griffin et al., 2011; Real et al., 2013). We studied the effects of aerobic exercise on retinal neurons undergoing degeneration. We exercised wild-type BALB/c mice on a treadmill (10 m/min for 1 h) for 5 d/week or placed control mice on static treadmills. After 2 weeks of exercise, mice were exposed to either toxic bright light (10,000 lux) for 4 h to induce photoreceptor degeneration or maintenance dim light (25 lux). Bright light caused 75% loss of both retinal function and photoreceptor numbers. However, exercised mice exposed to bright light had 2 times greater retinal function and photoreceptor nuclei than inactive mice exposed to bright light. In addition, exercise increased retinal BDNF protein levels by 20% compared with inactive mice. Systemic injections of a BDNF tropomyosin-receptor-kinase (TrkB) receptor antagonist reduced retinal function and photoreceptor nuclei counts in exercised mice to inactive levels, effectively blocking the protective effects seen with aerobic exercise. The data suggest that aerobic exercise is neuroprotective for retinal degeneration and that this effect is mediated by BDNF signaling.


In recent years, management gurus have urged businesses to adopt such strategies as just-in-time, lean manufacturing, offshoring, and frequent deliveries to retail outlets. But today, these much-touted strategies may be risky. Global financial turmoil, rising labor costs in developing countries, and huge volatility in the price of oil and other commodities can disrupt a company's entire supply chain and threaten its ability to compete. In Operations Rules, David Simchi-Levi identifies the crucial element in a company's success: the link between the value it provides its customers and its operations strategies. And he offers a set of scientifically and empirically based rules that management can follow to achieve a quantum leap in operations performance. Flexibility, says Simchi-Levi, is the single most important capability that allows firms to innovate in their operations and supply chain strategies. A small investment in flexibility can achieve almost all the benefits of full flexibility. And successful companies do not all pursue the same strategies. Amazon and Wal-Mart, for example, are direct competitors but each focuses on a different market channel and provides a unique customer value proposition--Amazon, large selection and reliable fulfillment; Wal-Mart, low prices--that directly aligns with its operations strategy. Simchi-Levi's rules--regarding such issues as channels, price, product characteristics, value-added service, procurement strategy, and information technology--transform operations and supply chain management from an undertaking based on gut feeling and anecdotes to a science.


This report presents the results of a literature review conducted to evaluate differences in seat belt use by race. A literature review was conducted to evaluate overall seat belt use, racial differences in seat belt use, overall child restraint use, racial differences in child restraint use, and information about seat belt and child restraint use specific to Iowa. A number of national studies and regional studies were found and are presented. Mixed results were found as to whether racial differences exist in both seat belt use and child restraint use. However, in the course of the literature review, several items that are of interest to safety in Iowa have emerged, although little data specific to Iowa was encountered. First, national seat belt use appears to be lower among African-Americans than for Caucasians or Hispanics. Second, national crash rates among Hispanics appear to be higher than those for Caucasians, particularly when population and lower vehicle miles traveled (VMT) are considered. One issue that should be considered throughout this literature review is that the Hispanic population may be higher than reported due to large numbers of undocumented persons who do not appear in population estimates, driver's license, or other databases.


Pain is a primal neurological and psychological function supporting self- preservation but prone to aberrant processing. Objective and subjective pain measures exist which are regarded as key outcomes with significant clinical indicators of change. The relationships between these measures warrant further exploration. The objective of this observational study was to explore potential correlation between objective and subjective pain measurements and gamma oscillation frequencies. Baseline characteristics were collected and brainwave activities were recorded via an EEG device for 37 undergraduate osteopathy students in a convenience sample. Pain pressure threshold was recorded via an algometer and participants were asked to complete a numeric rating scale (NRS) for pain. Multiple regression tests were analysed for correlation between the participant baseline variables (age, gender, anxiety levels, height and weight). High gamma oscillation, PPT and NRS were seen to have a significant correlation (p>0.05, r²=0.911 (95% Confidence Interval 0.83 - 0.96)). Exercises targeting modulation of gamma oscillations may play an important role in pain control. Whilst findings are significant, the generalisation of the results in this study is limited and further research into gamma oscillations in chronic pain populations is warranted.
Perspective: This article explores the relationship between pain measures and gamma oscillation frequencies. This relationship could potentially assist in pain control through directly targeting gamma waves through gaming activities.


In the existing literature, although there are many studies which empirically investigate the relationship among energy consumption, economic growth and carbon dioxide emission the number of studies which analyse the causality between health care expenditures and carbon dioxide emission is very low. However, as health care expenditures can affect carbon dioxide emission, the changes in carbon dioxide emission can lead to the significant changes in health care expenditures. The aim of this study is to empirically investigate the causality relationship among renewable energy consumption, health care expenditures and carbon dioxide emission in the European Union countries and Turkey. In the empirical analysis, panel Granger causality test which is developed by Dumitrescu and Hurlin (2012) is calculated by using a dataset covering the period between 2000 and 2014 for 27 European Union countries and Turkey. According to the results of the empirical analysis, it is found that there is not a causality relationship between health care expenditures-carbon dioxide emission and health care expenditures-renewable energy. However, the results show that there is a unidirectional causality between renewable energy and carbon dioxide emission and the direction of this causality is from carbon dioxide emission to renewable energy. The existence of this relationship between carbon dioxide emission and renewable energy indicates that the level of carbon dioxide emission is taken into account in renewable energy investments and the policies that aim to increase the usage of renewable energy. Since the dataset used in the empirical analysis covers a short period of time and this may lead to the non-causality results between health care expenditures-carbon dioxide emission and health care expenditures-renewable energy it is required to do new empirical analyses by using longer datasets in order to assess the relationship between these variables more accurately in the future.


Abstract. Recent advances in information technology have made geographic information system (GIS) a powerful and affordable tool for planning and decision making in various fields such as the public transportation. These technologies such as the social network (e.g. face-book, twitter), new technologies such as ubiquitous, mobile, Web 2.0, geo tagging and RFID can help to create better shapes and forms of the communication and geo-collaboration for public. By using these, user-generated content and spatial information can be easily and quickly produced and shared in a dynamic, interactive, multimedia and distributed environment. The concept of volunteered geographic information (VGI) has been introduced by the transaction from consultation to content interaction. VGI describes any type of content that has a geographic element and has been voluntarily collected. In other words, ordinary users; without a professional training, can participate in generating and using the spatial information. As a result, the gaps between the producers and users of GIS and spatial information, has been considerably reduced. Public transportation is one of the most important elements of the transportation system. Rapid growth of the cities has resulted in high increase of demand for the public transportation which created new challenges. Improvement of the desirability of public transportation can increase its efficiency, reduction of the environmental pollution (such as air and noise pollution), traffic problems, and fuel consumption. Hence, development of an urban public transportation system which is responsive to citizen's need and motivates them to use public transportation system is one of the most important objectives and issues that urban planners and designers are concerned about. One solution to achieve this, goal is to develop public transportation system by assistance from the system users. According to approach, users are considered as the valuable resources, because people who are in constant contact with the system can have detailed and updated information about the problems, solutions and they are affected by the related implemented policies. Thus user involvement is an essential part in public transport decision making process. Although GIS in transportation (GIS-T) has been used for data collection, spatial analysis, and spatial modeling, due to recent promotions, GIS-T is moving towards the use of capabilities of VGI to user-centric services. The main goals of this paper are two as follows: First is to survey and review the key concepts of the geo-collaboration, to introduce and present fields to utilizing the VGI in the public transportation system to improve the performance of that system. The Second goal is to propose a VGI-based public transport conceptual framework. in this paper in the first part capabilities of VGI is explored, and areas of public transport that can utilize the public involvement is assessed and classified. Then, by surveying the related works in this context, a classification based on the models of participation is provided. Finally, a VGI-based conceptual framework for organizing a public participation for performance measurement of urban public transport for Tehran city is proposed. Results of this paper show that utilizing VGI presents an efficient solution for public transport problems.


By studying evolution across geological time, paleontologists gain a perspective that sometimes complements and sometimes conflicts with views based solely on studies of extant species. The contributors to Causes of Evolution consider whether factors exerting major influences on evolution are biotic or abiotic, intrinsic or extrinsic. Causes of Evolution presents a broad sampling of paleontological research programs encompassing vertebrates, invertebrates, and vascular plants; empirical work and theoretical models; organisms ranging in age from Cambrian to Recent; and temporal scales from ecological time to hundreds of millions of years. The diverse array of research styles and opinions presented will acquaint scientists in related fields with the strengths and weaknesses of paleontology as an approach to evolutionary studies and will give evolutionary biologists of every stripe new bases for evaluating the scope and bias of their own work.


The delivery of essential ecosystem functions (primary productivity, maintenance of soil fertility, resistance to weed invasion etc.) may be compromised by global declines in biodiversity. There is still controversy about the description of, and mechanisms behind, Biodiversity-Ecosystem Function (BEF) relationships. The Diversity-Interactions model quantified BEF relationships in terms of all the pairwise interactions between the species in a community. The model gives the contribution of two species (i and j) to the functional response in a community as _ijPiPj, where _ij reflects the potential of the two species to contribute to the response and its actual contribution depends also on Pi and Pj, the initial relative abundance of the two species in the community. This model and variants fitted well to a wide range of functional responses (biomass production, respiration) from several, but not all, experiments that examined a wide range of organisms (plants, microorganisms) and levels of species richness (1 to 72 species). A modified version introduces a more complex effect of pairwise interaction. The properties of this more flexible model and its implications for BEF relationships are discussed, particularly in the context of grass-clover contributions to sward functions.


Modern critical care medicine is based on flow of information. This information requires significant amount of interpretation to become clinically valuable. Despite the wealth of data in the modern Intensive Care Units (ICUs), intensivists often rely on fragmentary information. In an attempt to improve data trending utilization, application of financial analysis (FA) methods to vital sign data samples was examined. Two randomly chosen vital sign datasets of patients who spent at least 30 days in the ICU were retrospectively reviewed. Hourly vital sign data were retrieved and recorded for each patient. Variables tracked included systolic blood pressure for patient #1 and heart rate for patient #2. These variables were then entered into specialized FA software and subjected to computer-based processing. Trends in the recorded data were examined using (1) the stochastic oscillator (SO), (2) the moving average (MAV) convergence-divergence tool, (3) price envelope analysis and (4) MAV analysis. Both blood pressure and heart rate analyses demonstrated that vital sign data could be successfully trended using FA techniques. Not only was the vital sign data easy to read and interpret when formatted in financial-like fashion, but some trends that were not apparent on gross inspection of the numeric data were clearly demonstrated on FA. Much like with financial patterns, trends noted within vital sign data appeared to be more significant when more than one indicator identified them, utilizing the concept of a confirmatory variable. Vital sign data, much like financial data, were subject to trend reversals. Such reversals in vital sign data appeared to follow rules similar to those followed by financial vehicles and markets. This report demonstrates that vital sign data can be subjected to the same manipulations as financial market data. Furthermore, FA tools appear to provide the interpreter of the data with means to define, confirm, and possibly predict trends and trend reversals. The following core competencies are addressed in this article: Medical knowledge, Practice-based learning and improvement, Systems-based practice. Republished with permission from: Stawicki SP. Application of financial analysis techniques to vital sign data – A novel method of trend interpretation in the Intensive Care Unit. OPUS 12 Scientist 2007;1(1):14-16.


This study proposes an optically sensorized force-sensing tendon for minimally invasive surgical instruments. The tendon is composed of a high strength, polarization maintaining (PM) optical fiber with Bragg sensors (FBGs) that negate the cross-sensitivity of conventional FBGs. The PM-FBG fiber is locally reinforced with high stiffness Kevlar that enhances its load carrying capacity while enabling higher curvatures in tendon routing. The composite tendon has a mean diameter of ∼268 μm which preserves the form-factor of instruments within this scope. Importantly, the tendons can improve the functionality of such tools by enabling local force and tissue-resistance estimation. This paper explores the performance of these sensorized tendons in terms of strength, stability, response under dynamic load, friction, and sensitivity as a force measuring tool within an 18 Ga articulate Nitinol (NiTi) cannula (a proxy for potential applications). Results reaffirm the potential of a bi-modal sensing and actuation component within instruments for robotic surgery.


We measured the hydraulic conductivity (Lp) of the extracellular matrix (ECM) obtained after detaching bovine pulmonary microvascular endothelial (BPMVEC) and bovine pulmonary arterial endothelial cell (BPAEC) monolayers from the ECM at different days postseeding. From day 1 to day 5 in culture, the total Lp (i.e., of cell monolayer + ECM) decreased from basal values of 17.1 +/- 4.0 to 8.5 +/- 1.6 x 10(-6) cm.s-1.cmH2O-1 in BPAEC (P < 0.05) and 7.6 +/- 1.1 to 3.7 +/- 0.8 in BPMVEC (P < 0.05), respectively, and on day 5 the total Lp values were lower in BPMVEC than in BPAEC (P < 0.05). On the 5th day, ECM Lp was 55.0 +/- 8.3 in BPAEC and 10.7 +/- 0.9 cm.s-1.cmH2O-1 in BPMVEC (P < 0.05), indicating that the contribution of ECM to the total Lp was greater in BPMVEC than in BPAEC. Treatment of [3H]acetate-labeled ECM with Streptomyces hyaluronidase (HAse; 6 U/ml for 10 min) released sixfold greater radioactivity in BPMVEC compared with untreated BPMVEC controls; a similar treatment of BPAEC did not release detectable radioactivity indicative of a higher hyaluronan content in the BPMVEC ECM. HAse treatment reduced the differences in total Lp between BPMVEC and BPAEC at different days postseeding. Moreover, on the 5th day after seeding, the ECM Lp of BPMVEC increased to a greater extent after HAse treatment than the ECM of BPAEC. These data indicate that the hyaluronan component of the ECM is an important determinant of the endothelial liquid-exchange barrier.


Current IMO regulations require life rafts to be tow tested only in calm water. In real evacuation situations, life rafts are deployed in the prevailing environmental conditions, with wind and waves. Added wave resistance is small at low wave heights but increases nonlinearly with increased wave height. If life rafts are to be towed in moderate seas (up to 4 m significant wave height), tow force estimates based only on calm water tow resistance become less reliable. Tow patches, towline, towing craft etc. also need to be designed to withstand dynamic wave loading in addition to mean load. Therefore, mean tow force, tow force variation and maximum tow force are important. A full-scale 16-person, commercially available, SOLAS approved life raft was towed in the tank, in upwind, head seas with significant wave height of 0.5 m. The measured tow force showed that it could be treated as a linear system with wave amplitude, by demonstrating that tow force is mainly inertial and follows a Rayleigh distribution. Therefore, extreme-value statistics used for waves can be applied to developing equations for predicting tow force. A method is proposed to predict life raft tow force at different tow speeds and in various sea states, with waves and wind. The method involved using tank experiments to obtain tow force response for one sea state. The information can then be used to predict life raft tow force in wind and waves for different sea states. Three equations are proposed to demonstrate that a simple tank experiment could provide valuable information necessary to empirically estimate the mean tow force, tow force variation and maximum tow force for a specific life raft in different sea states. The equations are developed for upwind, head seas. These equations were extensively validated using tow force measured in the tank. They were partially validated with limited sea trial data, by towing the same 16-person life raft and a 42-person life raft in upwind, head seas with significant wave height of 1.3 m. The equations were able to predict maximum tow forces to within 15% of the measured.Copyright © 2007 by ASME


We are at a crossroads in the fields of both community development finance and public health. Persistent poverty in many of our nation's communities, along with increasing economic challenges faced by the working poor, are forcing a realization that traditional approaches to community development finance focused on affordable housing and business development are not sufficient to move and keep families out of poverty. Since the 1990s, Community Development Financial Institutions (CDFIs) and their partners have augmented traditional community development approaches with investments in human development (child care, education, and workforce development), family economic security (savings, insurance, and asset building), and "green" initiatives aimed at better positioning low-income residents to achieve health and financial security. Although the current economic crisis has interrupted and in some cases drastically reversed progress, innovation within the field continues to advance these trends.


In recent years, most of the urban centers in Nigeria are fast experiencing housing problems such as unaffordable housing and environmental challenges, all of which determine the nature of housing quality. This research centers on Iba Low Cost Housing Estate, Ojo and the Unity Low Cost Housing Estate Alimosho to carry out a comparative analysis of the residential quality. The research reveals the dilapidated state of the public estate infrastructures due to poor management, thus recommended constant upgrading of infrastructures in the estate and an establishment of local housing trust funds for the development of affordable housing to reduce the pressure on available ones.

 Key words: Housing, residential quality, low cost housing scheme, public and private estates.


The U.S. Supreme Court and some state courts have constitutionalized an increasingly rigid and broad vision of adversarial adjudication's requirements. Commentators often celebrate this adversarial revolution as expanding defendants' rights of confrontation, cross-examination, and self-representation. Yet the adversarial revolution also has created an arsenal of tactics to retraumatize victims of sexual assault and general violent crime. The courts and legislatures are in disarray about what to do to protect vulnerable victim-witnesses. This Article is about adversarial adjudication's casualties and how to reduce the risk of harm. The Article defends a subset of protective measures that avert further injury to victims while remaining sensitive to defendants' rights. The Article also challenges the rigid application of adversarial ideals historically forged for adjudicating crimes against the sovereign, such as seditious libel, to crimes of sex and violence involving victims. A distinction must be made between the core category of crimes against the state, where protections are at their zenith because the victim and prosecution are identical and powerful, and crimes outside this paradigm, where restrictions should be less rigid. Recognizing this important difference clears some of the murk and doubt that chills protective measures for victim-witnesses who have experienced traumatic injury.


ABSTRACT The sequence of the genome of "Candidatus Tremblaya princeps" strain PCVAL, the primary endosymbiont of the citrus mealybug Planococcus citri, has been determined. "Ca. Tremblaya princeps" presents an unusual nested endosymbiosis and harbors a gammaproteobacterial symbiont within its cytoplasm in all analyzed mealybugs. The genome sequence reveals that "Ca. Tremblaya princeps" cannot be considered an independent organism but that the consortium with its gammaproteobacterial symbiotic associate represents a new composite living being.


T cells from nonimmune responder strain 2 guinea pigs were primed in vitro to the copolymer GL in association with allogeneic, nonresponder strain 13 PEC. T cells that recognized GL in association with strain 13 Ia were separated from alloreactive T cells by cloning the population in soft agar following the priming in liquid culture. The existence of T cells of responder origin that recognize antigen in association with nonresponder macrophages is most consistent with clonal deletion models of Ir gene function.


Paul Smith has created one of the world's most successful fashion brands. In this richly illustrated book, including many never before published personal photographs, excerpts from interviews with Paul Smith recount his history and explain his approach to design. This talented creator finds inspiration everywhere and this alphabetical manual highlights the eclectic sources of inspiration behind his unforgettable designs. For instance; B is for Bowie, Smith explains how David Bowie's look and music influenced his design. Telling how he first went to see Bowie in concert in 1967, the year he met his wife, Smith shares his personal connection to the musician and links certain elements in his design s that are irreverent, innovative and androgynous to Bowie. The book reveals the unique way in which Paul Smith sees the world, suggesting how he has continually been able to anticipate and re-imagine the trends of popular culture, since opening his first boutique in 1970.


A recent influx in match-fixing occurrences has led to a loss of faith in sports governing bodies regarding the prevention of (and response to) match-fixing. Ultimately this had led to the current state of ambiguous regulation and discipline, and uncertainty both over how the rules should be implemented and how athletes and officials should be sanctioned. This paper analyses the recommendations posed by Rick Parry's "Report of the Sports Betting Integrity Panel 2002" and considers whether any of the conclusions of the 2002 report have been taken on board by the relevant bodies The paper also evaluates whether the absence of a national or global agency to govern match-fixing (for example like WADA - the World Anti-Doping Agency does within anti-doping) has compounded these difficulties, particularly in relation to understanding the policies and procedures surrounding this branch of corruption. The paper will finally conclude by evaluating whether match-fixing remains as prominent and as unregulated as ever or whether the issue can be excused by a lack of funding, priority or severity. Keywords: Corruption, Gambling, Betting, Integrity, Match-Fixing, Questionnaire, WADA, Parry Report


ABSTRACT Among the Sui people of rural southwestern China, descent-group loyalties are closely tied to linguistic features. In every village, long-term dialect contact occurs between local villagers and in-marrying women from different clans, yet most speakers maintain their original dialect features to a high degree. The present study conducts ethnographic interviews to more deeply understand why such behavior occurs. Most current, practice-based models of identity tend to emphasize dynamic, flexible, individualistic choices – an approach that suits variation on many levels in many societies. However, to understand the descent-group loyalties particular to indigenous, non-Western, clan-based cultures like Sui, a more tempered, culturally sensitive model is necessary. Speakers show a deep sense of stability, permanence, and collective loyalty to communities of descent, (re)produced through stable linguistic expressions: acts of loyalty. The study also highlights the use of indigenous minorities' own categories (place, toponyms, lineage) rather than non-indigenous categories. (Language and identity, place, dialect contact, clan, indigenous minority, acts of identity, acts of loyalty, community of practice, community of descent)


In this paper we introduce Latent Tree Language Model (LTLM), a novel approach to language modeling that encodes syntax and semantics of a given sentence as a tree of word roles.
The learning phase iteratively updates the trees by moving nodes according to Gibbs sampling. We introduce two algorithms to infer a tree for a given sentence. The first one is based on Gibbs sampling. It is fast, but does not guarantee to find the most probable tree. The second one is based on dynamic programming. It is slower, but guarantees to find the most probable tree. We provide comparison of both algorithms.
We combine LTLM with 4-gram Modified Kneser-Ney language model via linear interpolation. Our experiments with English and Czech corpora show significant perplexity reductions (up to 46% for English and 49% for Czech) compared with standalone 4-gram Modified Kneser-Ney language model.


In this work, we test the employment impact of distinct types of innovative investments using a representative sample of Spanish manufacturing firms over the period 2002-2013. Our GMM-SYS estimates generate various results, which are partially in contrast with the extant literature. Indeed, estimations carried out on the entire sample do not provide statistically significant evidence of the expected labour-friendly nature of innovation. More in detail, neither R&D nor investment in innovative machineries and equipment (the so-called embodied technological change, ETC) turn out to have any significant employment effect. However, the job-creation impact of R&D expenditures becomes highly significant when the focus is limited to the high-tech firms. On the other hand - and interestingly - ETC exhibits its labour-saving nature when SMEs are singled out.


A consistent management of the cultural eutrophication of lakes requires systematic analysis based on the joint and coordinated effort of a variety of disciplines. This notion led the Hungarian Academy of Sciences to the foundation of the Coordinating Council for the Environmental Research on Lake Balaton, as an answer to the growing concern about the slow deterioration of the water quality of the lake, one of the primary touristic resorts of Hungary. The same idea made IIASA's Resources and Environment Area adopt the problem of eutrophication of waterbodies as one of its study objects. Mutual contacts awoke mutual interest in each others work, and in April 1978 IIASA and the Coordinating Council signed an Agreement to establish cooperative links aimed at the further development of ecological models and their practical application in the case of Lake Balaton. For IIASA the existing data and research material promised to be an excellent basis for a case study that could help to realize the objectives of the REN Area Task on Models for Environmental Management and Control. For the Hungarian partner, the cooperation gave access to IIASA's international scientific network and the ready availability of IIASA's computer facilities was also highly appreciated.

From the outset of the collaboration, a principal concern of the partners was the collection of the relevant data. In performing this activity it appeared that a broadening of the spectrum of research covered by the Hungarian partner was desirable. A solution was found in the formation of a subcommittee of the Hungarian Bureau of Systems Analysis for the Environmental Research of the Balaton in January 1979. Apart from the representation of the Computer and Automation Institute (MTA SZTAKI) and the Biological Research Institute (MTA BKI) of the first initiator, the Hungarian Academy of Sciences (MTA), the official involvement of the National Water Authority (OVH) and its Research Institute for Water Resources Development (VITUKI) could be welcomed. Now, a rapid disclosure of the vital data followed soon after, thus enabling the setup of the IIASA computer data base, appended to this report in a graphical form. The realization of this data base, though not complete yet, is one of the first concrete achievements of the collaborative project.

The publication of this background report can perhaps be seen as the second major achievement of the cooperation. An overview and appraisal of relevant research and data material on Lake Balaton as presented in this report is of paramount importance for a comprehensive modeling effort, and it can only be said that it has been lacking for too long a time. The authors are aware of the fact that there may be different interpretations than their own, and they are, therefore, open to criticism that could improve the picture of the problem of the eutrophication of the Balaton.

The authors wish to express the hope that this report will be a stimulus for further ecological modeling research, in the interest of the international community, but even more so, in the interest of the actual protection of the "Hungarian Sea" itself.


Methods for quantitation of the major apoproteins of human serum very low density lipoprotein have been developed employing tetramethylurea, which delipidates the lipoprotein and selectively precipitates apolipoprotein B. Six soluble apoproteins are separated by electrophoresis in polyacrylamide gel. One of these is a previously unrecognized species of R-alanine (R4-alanine), more anionic than the R3-alanine polypeptide. Conditions of staining have been found which yield reproducibly linear chromogenic response with native lipoprotein and with each purified apoprotein. Recovery of protein in the seven species measured accounts for over 97% of the total in the very low density lipoprotein of normolipidemic individuals and in most samples from individuals with endogenous hyperlipemia. The mean content of apolipoprotein B in 43 samples from normolipidemic subjects was 36.9(+/-1.2 SEM)% of total protein, The distribution of the major soluble apoproteins as mean (+/-SEM) percentage of the soluble fraction was : R-serine, 5.3+/-o.5; arginine-rich, 20.6+/-1.0; R-glutamic, 10.6+/-0.4; R2-alanine, 28.3+/-0.7; R3-alanine, 26.9+/-0.5; and R4-alanine, 8.0+/-0.5. Distribution of the apoproteins was a function of particle diameter of very low density lipoprotein in fractions separated by gel permeation chromatography and by density gradient ultracentrifugation. In fractions below 700-800 A, apolipoprotein B comprised an increasing percentage of the total protein with decreasing particle diameter. Among the soluble proteins the percentage of the arginine-rich and R-serine polypeptides increased and that of the R-glutamic polypeptide declined progressively with decreasing particle size. Apoprotein distribution was similar in fractions of similar particle size from normolipidemic and hyperlipemic subjects with the exception that all fractions from the hyperlipemic subjects contained more R-serine and some, more arginine rich polypeptide. Even in the absence of chylomicrons, the distribution of soluble apoproteins in particles of diameters greater than 700-800 A was usually similar to that of the smallest particles. This suggests that the largest particles may include products of the partial catabolism of chylomicrons.


Letter from Charles Moore to an unidentified person discussing family matters and news. He also writes about the exemptions a person could have to get out of compulsory military service in the south: owning 600 cattle, owning 20 slaves, or being in the ministry. He mentions a Unionist friend who escaped service via the latter. He states that 42 men have been hanged for their Union sympathies.


Highly mobile marine megafauna species, while widely distributed and frequently threatened, often aggregate in distinct localized habitats. Implementation of local management initiatives within these hotspots is more achievable than developing effective conservation strategies that encompass their entire distributions. Such measures have the potential for disproportionate population-level benefits but rely on a detailed understanding of spatiotemporal habitat use. To that end, we examined the residency and small-scale habitat use of 51 whale sharks (Rhincodon typus) over 5 years at an aggregation site in Tanzania using passive acoustic telemetry. Whale sharks were highly resident within and across years, with a combined maximum residency index of 0.39. Although fewer sharks were detected from March to September, residency was high throughout the year. Ancillary photographic-identification data showed that individual residency persisted before and after tag attachment. Kernel utilization distributions (KUD) and movement networks both revealed the same spatiotemporal pattern of habitat use, with a small core habitat (50% KUD area for all sharks combined = 12.99 km2) that predictably changed on a seasonal basis. Activity spaces did not differ with time of day, sex, or size of the sharks, indicating a population-level pattern driven by prey availability. The small and predictable core habitat area at this site means that site-based management options to reduce shark injuries and mortality from boat strike and fishing gear entanglement can be spatially targeted for maximum effectiveness and compliance by human users.


In the Ionian Sea, one of the most seismically active regions in the Mediterranean, subduction is commonly associated with uplift of coastal mountains, enhanced erosion, and seismic activity along the Calabrian Arc and Hellenic Arc, thus potentially resulting in repetitive mass failures. Some of the turbidites observed in the deep basins are thick and prominent on seismic records because of the acoustic transparency of their upper structureless mud layer. Our high-resolution study of the most recent of these megabeds, the homogenite Augias turbidite (HAT), provides key proxies to identify pelagic sediments deposited following the catastrophic causative event. Radiometric dating in an area >150,000 km2 indicates that the different Mediterranean so-called homogenite deposits are in fact synchronous and were deposited during a single basin-wide event within the time window A.D. 364–415. Unlike interpretations that relate this turbidite to different triggering events, including the Santorini caldera collapse, the turbidite can be traced back to a large tsunami sourced from the A.D. 365 Crete megathrust earthquake. Correlation of the single-event HAT over a wide area of the Mediterranean, from the northern Ionian Sea to the Mediterranean Ridge and the anoxic Tyro Basin south of Crete, suggests that the A.D. 365 Crete earthquake and tsunami must have produced devastating effects, including widespread massive sediment remobilization in the eastern Mediterranean Sea.


Caring for patients in an acute medical ward occurs in a complex and dynamic environment. Prioritisation of goals and activities represents one element of effective planning and delivery of care. The importance of priority setting has been highlighted in the nursing literature for over twenty-five years; however, there would appear to be no systematic study of this key skill. This thesis explores priority setting within a novice/expert framework, using a mixed methods approach. In addition to using simulation it investigates real-time priority setting within actual clinical practice. Study one used simulation in four groups with a range of nursing experience. This included one group of non-nurses for comparison. Participants were asked to prioritise twelve care activities presented in a simulated case-load. Analysis demonstrated that the simulation evoked priority setting behaviour, and differences in priority setting were seen. Study two combined the simulated case-load with think-aloud method. Semistructured interview completed the data collection. Findings were consistent with Benner's novice/expert framework, suggesting that prioritisation is determined by two main characteristics, the views, values and perceptions of the nurse, and key skills, knowledge and experience. Study three used think-aloud method to examine priority setting in clinical practice, comparing junior student nurses with senior staff nurses. This was supplemented by observation and semi-structured interview. Findings from this study identified differences in cognitive processes, and priority setting strategies. Developing critical thinking skills, expert role modelling, and the use of an active apprenticeship model may facilitate skill acquisition. This thesis highlights the complexity of priority setting in caring for patients in an acute medical ward. It explores the development of this skill in learner nurses, and demonstrated a range of methods for studying decision-making in both simulated and clinical settings. Caring for patients: setting priorities An Exploration of the Process of Prioritising Care in Nursing


The Rome Statute nowhere defines the term "complementarity, " but the plain text of Article 1 compels the conclusion that the International Criminal Court was intended to supplement the foundation of domestic punishment for violations of international norms rather than supplant domestic prosecutions. The practice of complementarity may well be the fulcrum supporting the Court's long term legitimacy; and this principle is all the more important because it is designed to provide intellectual leverage to move non-States Party towards treaty accession. The Rome Statute curtails sovereign authority by displacing domestic trials only in exceptional circumstances, and it includes detailed procedural guidance designed to balance sovereign enforcement against unreasonable extensions of ICC prosecutorial power. In theory, complementarity is an impartial, reliable, and de-politicized process for identifying the cases of international concern, and hence supranational jurisdiction. The early practice of the ICC, however, indicates that the model of a healthy and cooperative synergy between the court and domestic states is in danger of being replaced by a model of Professor of the Practice of Law, Vanderbilt University Law School. http://law.vanderbilt.edu/newton. The errors, omissions, and oversights of this Article are solely attributable to the author, who gratefully acknowledges the assistance of the participants in the Santa Clara Symposium. 8 SANTA CLARA JOURNAL OF INTERNATIONAL LAW 1 (2010) competition. If complementarity becomes the vehicle for overriding the discretion of domestic officials and displacing their authority based on the preferences of the ICC Prosecutor of Pre-Trial Chambers, the original function of the complementarity principle will have been eviscerated. This Article summarizes the negotiation history of the admissibility regime and assesses its implementation in the early years of the Court. The Article concludes with the caution that the jurisprudence and practice of the ICC should not evolve to the point that domestic prosecutors make charging decisions in the faint hope that the ICC will accept the form of the charges or unduly abrogate prosecutorial discretion. An ICC that routinely overrides the good faith reasoning of domestic officials would inevitably face a crisis of confidence and cooperation. The Complementarity Conundrum: Are We Watching Evolution or Evisceration?


For the great Roman orator and statesman Cicero, the good life' was at once a life of contentment and one of moral virtue and the two were inescapably intertwined. This volume brings together a wide range of his reflections upon the importance of moral integrity in the search for happiness. In essays that are articulate, meditative and inspirational, Cicero presents his views upon the significance of friendship and duty to state and family, and outlines a clear system of practical ethics that is at once simple and universal. These works offer a timeless reflection upon the human condition, and a fascinating insight into the mind of one of the greatest thinkers of Ancient Rome.


The relatively sudden boom in shale gas production in the United States using hydraulic fracturing has provoked increasingly intense political conflict. The debate over fracking and shale gas production has become polarized very quickly, in part because of the size of the economic and environmental stakes. This polarized debate fits a familiar template in American environmental law, pitting "cool analysis" against "moral outrage." Opponents of fracking have generally framed their arguments in moral or ethical terms, while systematic research is beginning to build a more careful and nuanced understanding of the risks associated with shale gas production (though the record is far from complete). All of which makes the question of how to produce shale gas "responsibly" – corporate social responsibility being the focus of this symposium – very difficult to answer. This essay argues that: (i) because shale gas production entails difficult to measure and unevenly distributed costs and benefits, there is no clear responsible (read: ethically preferable) set of limitations that we ought to impose on shale gas production; and (ii) moral outrage is obscuring (or influencing perceptions of) empirical facts in the shale gas policy debate. More specifically, well-established behavioral heuristics – particularly, confirmation biases and the cultural cognition of risk – are impeding the development of a common understanding of the empirical facts necessary to guide policymaking. Recognizing this, policymakers must resist political pressures and work that much harder to ground their decisions in empirically-demonstrated facts – namely, those produced by sources that are less susceptible to these heuristics and biases. Thus, information generated by rigorous, empirical analyses performed by academic or government sources ought to be credited over anecdotes or studies associated with industry or NGOs that have staked out a clear pro or con position in the fracking debate. Indeed, responsible fracking decisions ought to consider all of the consequences of permitting, regulating or banning shale gas production, including the relative risks of shale gas production compared with the relevant energy alternatives.


Fanconi anaemia is a rare autosomal recessive disorder (birth incidence of 1 per 350000), characterized by chromosome instability that presents with a variety of congenital anomalies, progressive cytopenia, and susceptibility to the development of several malignancies. The study included cases that were diagnosed and treated at a tertiary care centre over a period of five years. The laboratory investigations including hemogram, peripheral smear, bone marrow aspirate and biopsy were correlated with the clinical, radiological and cytogenetic findings wherever available. A total of six cases of pancytopenia were confirmed to be Fanconi anaemia based on clinical, bone marrow and cytogenetic correlation (in two cases). Of the six cases studied, there were two pairs of siblings affected. The median age of diagnosis was six years of age. Of the six patients, three were males and three females. Bone marrow aspiration was done in all six cases and reported as hypoplastic marrow. Cytogenetic study was done in 2 of the cases which showed chromosomal breakage. Four out of the six had skeletal abnormalities. Three had organ abnormality with one having patent ductus arteriosis at birth, second case had multicystic dysplasia of bilateral kidneys and the third case had bilateral pelvic kidney. In the study, the patients presented with clinical features and haematological abnormalities suggestive of Fanconi anaemia with cytogenetic confirmation in 2 cases. Bone marrow failure resulted in death for four out of six patients.


Allergy is a widespread, often severe health problem. In vivo or in vitro identification of new allergenic proteins (natural or bioengineered) is time- and resource-consuming, and in vivo testing can be dangerous. Thus, allergenicity prediction through computation ( in silico ) was proposed to narrow down the number of potential allergens to be tested with traditional methods. In 2001, the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) and the World Health Organization (WHO) officially defined guidelines for in silico allergenicity prediction, based on amino acid sequence similarity to known allergens; these guidelines, however, have been criticized because of frequent false positives. In the present work, the BLAST (Basic Local Alignment Search Tool) software was used to compare known and potential allergens, and select only statistically significant homologies (i.e. homologies whose E value, calculated by BLAST, was < 1); FAO/WHO rules were then applied to these homologies. With this method, correct recognition of all known allergens, with only 10 false positives (1.26% of all predicted allergens) was achieved when using an upper limit of 0.1 for E values; complete suppression of wrong predictions, while maintaining 100% sensitivity, was obtained with little modifications of the minimum requirements contained in the FAO/WHO guidelines.