Fire is a major determinant of the global carbon (C) balance. While it is known that C is lost through organic matter combustion, the effect fire has on soil C biogeochemistry is unclear. Studies investigating the role of fire on C greenhouse gas production (CO2 and CH4) have been conducted in forested and grassland ecosystems, yet research in wetlands has been limited. With their high potential for C storage, wetland ecosystems are important in C cycling while simultaneously serving as the largest single CH4 source in the world. Wildfires typically consume a majority of the above-water biomass in wetland systems that result in direct C losses, but the subsequent implications for C processing are unknown. Thus, understanding C cycling in wetlands regularly maintained or influenced by fire is critical to meeting C sequestration management objectives. This study focused on a fire-adapted wetland ecosystem undergoing restoration from agricultural impacts within the Everglades National Park, Florida, USA. Within the site, the effects of prescribed fire on C cycling (organic C, extractable organic C, enzyme activity, CO2, and CH4 production) were monitored in a restored (high-phosphorus [P]) and reference (low-P) wetland at both high and low elevations. Because fire can affect both C and P forms and availability, the objective of this study was to investigate the short- (two-day) and long-term (one-year) effect of fire on C cycling in subtropical wetlands soils of varying soil nutrient concentrations. Initially (two days post fire), C cycling was stimulated in both soils. However, stimulation of CO2 and CH4 production was observed only at the reference (low-P) site. This result suggests that fire may have an adverse effect on C cycling in low-P soils, initially augmenting C greenhouse gas production. Minimal heat transfer coupled with constant microbial biomass suggests that nutrients may have been a regulating factor in this process. After one year, no fire effect was distinguishable on C parameters from reference sites, yet variable effects were observed in restored soils. This suggests that C cycling in reference sites may recover more quickly than restored sites. The ultimate consequences of fire on C cycling in these wetlands systems are dependent on time and are strongly influenced by pre-fire site conditions.


Modern neural networks are often augmented with an attention mechanism, which tells the network where to focus within the input. We propose in this paper a new framework for sparse and structured attention, building upon a smoothed max operator. We show that the gradient of this operator defines a mapping from real values to probabilities, suitable as an attention mechanism. Our framework includes softmax and a slight generalization of the recently-proposed sparsemax as special cases. However, we also show how our framework can incorporate modern structured penalties, resulting in more interpretable attention mechanisms, that focus on entire segments or groups of an input. We derive efficient algorithms to compute the forward and backward passes of our attention mechanisms, enabling their use in a neural network trained with backpropagation. To showcase their potential as a drop-in replacement for existing ones, we evaluate our attention mechanisms on three large-scale tasks: textual entailment, machine translation, and sentence summarization. Our attention mechanisms improve interpretability without sacrificing performance; notably, on textual entailment and summarization, we outperform the standard attention mechanisms based on softmax and sparsemax.


In this paper we study labor market transitions out of temporary jobs in Italy focussing on an interesting period of the Italian recent history: the one immediately following the last labor market reform aimed at flexibilizing and liberalizing the Italian labor market by a widespread use of temporary work arrangements in 2003, and immediately preceding the economic downturn starting in the second half of 2007. The data-set used is the 2004-2007 IT-SILC individual panel. We apply a discrete-time duration analysis and estimate a competing-risk model for assessing to which extent, and for whom, starting a temporary job after 2004 results within a 3-years span in a stepping stone to permanent employment rather than a dead end out of the labor market or in precarious jobs. We find that temporary contracts have a positive impact only on men's transitions to permanent employment. School leavers, workers in the South, as well as women, are instead rather penalized after a temporary job. They have an higher probability to remain trapped in temporary contracts than men and an higher probability of exiting the labour market. In particular, school leavers entering the labour market with a temporary contract experience relatively high exit-rates to non-employment just after the first year of the contract.


This project report details the process and findings of a project to improve research use in the third sector undertaken between July 2011 - July 2012, funded by the ESRC (RES-173-27-0231). The project involved undertaking an audit of research use prior to the project, undertaking a range of activities aimed at improving research use across the organisation and evaluating the impact of these different activities. Through the project focused on improving research use within one third sector organisation, Apex Scotland, it generated a number of findings and reflections likely to be of interest for those (particularly third sector organisations) seeking to improve their research use. The project also generated reflections likely to be of interest to academics looking to increase the impact of their research for third sector organisations. The project was funded through the ESRC's third-sector placement fellowship scheme and involved the principal investigator, Claire Lightowler, working with Apex Scotland for one day a week over the course of the year. In addition to this report other resources are available, including, a lessons learnt summary, case study, response by Apex to the findings.


Nurse performance is very important for a hospital. Nurse performance at Medan Mitra Sejati General Hospital is still low. The low performance of nurses in Mitra Sejati Hospital is related to the self-efficacy experienced by nurses. This study aimed to analyze the influence of self-efficacy on nurse performance. The study was analytic survey research with a cross-sectional design. The population was all nurses who served in Mitra Sejati Hospital Medan with a total of 168 people and a sample of 138 people. Data collected by primary and secondary data and analyzed by statistical tests of Multiple Logistic Regression with a confidence level of 95%. The results showed that the magnitude/level (p = 0.011), strength (p = 0.001) and generality/generalization (p = 0.017) affected the nurses performance in Mitra Sejati Hospital and which most influenced the nurse performance Mitra Sejati hospital was a strength dimension (OR=14,457). It is recommended for nursing services the need to provide an understanding to each nurse about the importance of self-efficacy experienced so that nursing services can be carried out to the maximum, superiors should provide an assessment of the performance of implementing nurses continuously and continuously, for the nursing nurses to be able to practice nursing by managing and coordinating nursing care by integrating the needs of clients, families, staff and policymakers and the participation of nurses in hospital committees can also be an effective solution in an approach to improve self-efficacy, one of which measures the self-efficacy experienced and nurses can reveal situations that can lead to self-efficacy.


This is the general information guide for the Curriculum and Instruction graduate courses here at McDaniel College. Please see the left-hand navigation bar for individual courses and further resources


Most in-situ resource utilisation (ISRU) techniques proposed to date are focussed on the extraction of consumables requiring minimal processing for the support of human missions to the Moon or Mars. Water in particular has been the beguiling jewel to which we have been drawn. We define this as shallow ISRU to illustrate that its extraction requires minimal processing. We are interested in deep ISRU - investing in the hard problem of extraction and processing of material that permits us to create physical infrastructure on the Moon. We submit that a new approach to space exploration beckons in which deep ISRU permits the robotic construction of an entire automated infrastructure on the Moon at low cost. By leveraging the enormous resources available of the Moon, the cost of human lunar missions can be reduced substantially. Our hypothesis is that following resource acquisition by bucket wheel, comminution and electrostatic/magnetic beneficiation, lunar regolith can be subjected to the FFC Cambridge process followed by 3D printing using either selective laser sintering or electron beam freeform fabrication. The FFC Cambridge process is an electrolytic technique that can extract near pure metals from their oxide and silicate forms. The two lunar minerals on which we have focussed are anorthite (common in the highland regions) and ilmenite (common in the maria regions). From these two minerals, an entire suite of metals can be extracted in alloy form, or if subjected to prior purification methods, in pure form - Al, Ca, Si from anorthite and Fe and Ti from ilmenite in alloy forms, or pure Al from alumina, pure Ti from rutile and pure Si from silica. The CaCl2 electrolyte is recycled requiring only Cl import from Earth in salt form to replenish small losses. Furthermore, the output of the FFC Cambridge process is powder (or wire) suitable as input for powder metallurgy and metal 3D printing by electron beam freeform fabrication and selective laser sintering. Essentially, only two processes - FFC Cambridge and metal 3D printing - converts beneficiated raw material into final products. These two methods offer unprecedented capabilities in deep ISRU.


Evidence suggests that the memory of a recently ingested meal limits subsequent intake. Given that ventral hippocampal (vHC) neurons are involved in memory and energy intake, the present experiment tested the hypothesis that vHC neurons contribute to the formation of a memory of a meal and inhibit energy intake during the postprandial period. We tested (1) whether pharmacological inactivation of vHC neurons during the period following a sucrose meal, when the memory of the meal would be undergoing consolidation, accelerates the onset of the next sucrose meal and increases intake and (2) whether sucrose intake increases vHC expression of the synaptic plasticity marker activity‐regulated cytoskeletal‐associated protein (Arc). Adult male Sprague‐Dawley rats were trained to consume a 32% sucrose solution daily at the same time and location. On the experimental day, the rats were given intra‐vHC infusions of the GABAA receptor agonist muscimol or vehicle after they finished their first sucrose meal. Compared to vehicle infusions, postmeal intra‐vHC muscimol infusions decreased the latency to the next sucrose meal, increased the amount of sucrose consumed during that meal, increased the total number of sucrose meals and the total amount of sucrose ingested. In addition, rats that consumed sucrose had higher levels of Arc expression in both vHC CA1 and CA3 subfields than cage control rats. Collectively, these findings are the first to show that vHC neurons inhibit energy intake during the postprandial period and support the hypothesis that vHC neurons form a memory of a meal and inhibit subsequent intake. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.


Classical and quantum statistical mechanics are cast here in the language of projective geometry to provide a unified geometrical framework for statistical physics. After reviewing the Hilbert–space formulation of classical statistical thermodynamics, we show that the specification of a canonical polarity on the real projective space RPn induces a Riemannian metric on the state space of statistical mechanics. In the case of the canonical ensemble, equilibrium thermal states are determined by a Hamiltonian gradient flow with respect to this metric. This flow is characterized by the property that it induces a projective automorphism on the state manifold. The measurement problem for thermal systems is studied by the introduction of the concept of a random state. The general methodology is then extended to establish a new framework for the quantum–mechanical dynamics of equilibrium thermal states. In this case, the relevant phase space is the complex projective space CPn, here regarded as a real manifold γ endowed with the Fubini–Study metric and a compatible symplectic structure. A distinguishing feature of quantum thermal dynamics is the inherent multiplicity of thermal trajectories in the state space, associated with the non–uniqueness of the infinite–temperature state. We are then led to formulate a geometric characterization of the standard KMS relation often considered in the context of C* algebras. Finally, we develop a theory of the quantum microcanonical and canonical ensembles, based on the geometry of the quantum phase space γ. The example of a particle of quantum spin–1/2 particle in a heat bath is studied in detail.


Abstract Background and Objectives Hispanics are the most rapidly aging minority population in the United States. Our objective is to provide a summary of current knowledge regarding disability among Hispanics, and to propose an agenda for future research. Research Design and Methods A literature review was conducted to identify major areas of research. A life course perspective and the Hispanic Paradox were used as frameworks for the literature review and for identifying future areas of research. Results Four research areas were identified: (1) Ethnic disparities in disability; (2) Heterogeneity of the U.S. older Hispanic population; (3) Risk factors for disability; and (4) Disabled life expectancy. Older Hispanics are more likely than non-Hispanic whites to be disabled or to become disabled. Disability varied by country of origin, nativity, age of migration, and duration in the United States. Important risk factors for disability included chronic health conditions, depression, and cognitive impairment. Protective factors included positive affect and physical activity. Older Hispanics have longer life expectancy than non-Hispanic whites but spend a greater proportion of old age disabled. Future research should continue to monitor trends in disability as younger generations of Hispanics reach old age. Attention needs to be given to regional variation within the United States for disability prevalence, early-life risk factors, and factors that may contribute to variation in disabled life expectancy. There is also an urgent need for interventions that can effectively prevent or delay the onset of disability in older Hispanics. Discussion and Implications Considerable research has examined disability among older Hispanics, but continued research is needed. It is important that research findings be used to inform public policies that can address the burden of disability for older Hispanic populations.


The study of children's illustrated books is located within the broad histories of print culture, publishing, the book trade, and concepts of childhood. An interdisciplinary history, Picturing Canada provides a critical understanding of the changing geographical, historical, and cultural aspects of Canadian identity, as seen through the lens of children's publishing over two centuries. Gail Edwards and Judith Saltman illuminate the connection between children's publishing and Canadian nationalism, analyse the gendered history of children's librarianship, identify changes and continuities in narrative themes and artistic styles, and explore recent changes in the creation and consumption of children's illustrated books. Over 130 interviews with Canadian authors, illustrators, editors, librarians, booksellers, critics, and other contributors to Canadian children's book publishing, document the experiences of those who worked in the industry. An important and wholly original work, Picturing Canada is fundamental to our understanding of publishing history and the history of childhood itself in Canada.


'In the gloom it came along the branches towards me, its round, hypnotic eyes blazing, its spoon-like ears turning to and fro independently like radar dishes ...it was Lewis Carroll's Jabberwocky come to life ...one of the most incredible creatures I had ever been privileged to meet'. The fourth largest island in the world, Madagascar is home to woodlice the size of golf balls, moths the size of Regency fans and the Aye-Aye, a type of lemur held by local superstion to be an omen of death. But when Gerald Durrell visited the island, the destruction of the forests meant that the Aye-Aye and many other creatures were in danger of extinction. Told with his unique sense of humour and inimitable charm, Gerald Durrell's "The Aye Aye and I" is the final adventure from one Britain's best loved conservationists.


OBJECTIVE: To determine whether African American children with forearm fractures have decreased bone mineral density and an increased prevalence of vitamin D deficiency (serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D level ≤20 ng/mL) compared with fracture-free control patients. METHODS: This case-control study in African American children, aged 5 to 9 years, included case patients with forearm fracture and control patients without fracture. Evaluation included measurement of bone mineral density and serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D level. Univariable and multivariable analyses were used to test for associations between fracture status and 2 measures of bone health (bone mineral density and 25-hydroxyvitamin D level) while controlling for other potential confounders. RESULTS: The final sample included 76 case and 74 control patients. There were no significant differences between case and control patients in age, gender, parental education level, enrollment season, outdoor play time, height, or mean dietary calcium nutrient density. Cases were more likely than control patients to be overweight (49.3% vs 31.4%, P = .03). Compared with control patients, case patients had lower whole body z scores for bone mineral density (0.62 ± 0.96 vs 0.98 ± 1.09; adjusted odds ratio 0.38 [0.20–0.72]) and were more likely to be vitamin D deficient (47.1% vs 40.8%; adjusted odds ratio 3.46 [1.09–10.94]). CONCLUSIONS: These data support an association of lower bone mineral density and vitamin D deficiency with increased odds of forearm fracture among African American children. Because suboptimal childhood bone health also negatively impacts adult bone health, interventions to increase bone mineral density and correct vitamin D deficiency are indicated in this population to provide short-term and long-term benefits.


Engineering competition teams provide some students the opportunity to design authentic engineering artifacts, manage budgets and logistics, exercise engineering analysis and decision making, build an engineering artifact and develop and practice professional skills. In a research study examining the cultures, structure, composition, and processes of a variety of Student Experiential Learning Engineering Competition Teams (SELECT), we collected data from teams from multiple institutions and a variety of design competitions. The data from the teams consists of interviews of team members and advisors, team documents, and other public artifacts. This paper examines two SELECT teams from the same institution as representatives of other teams from their particular design competitions. We found differences between the teams in recruiting, team structure and organization, student leadership, faculty advisors, expectations for commitment, integration into academic structure (capstone), and focus on competition success. In spite of the differences in team organization and goals, both teams missed opportunities for students to acquire and practice important professional skills. Neither team provided opportunities for formal learning about leadership and management, nor experience and mentorship for working with a diverse group of peers (e.g. diversity from race, gender, socioeconomic status, or major discipline). The most egregious missed opportunity within these teams was, and is for many teams, the vast number of students who are excluded from participation by cultural and structural elements of the teams. This paper offers recommendations to advisors, departments, and engineering educators about the scaffolding necessary to offer more authentic learning opportunities and build teams that are more diverse.


Large-scale cooperation is a hallmark of our species and appears to be unique among primates. Yet the evolutionary mechanisms that drove the emergence of humanlike patterns of cooperation remain unclear. Studying the cognitive processes underlying cooperative behavior in apes, our closest living relatives, can help identify these mechanisms. Accordingly, we employed a novel test battery to assess the willingness of 40 chimpanzees to donate resources, instrumentally help others, and punish a culpable thief. We found that chimpanzees were faster to make prosocial than selfish choices and that more prosocial individuals made the fastest responses. Further, two measures of self-control did not predict variation in prosocial responding, and individual performance across cooperative tasks did not covary. These results show that chimpanzees and humans share key cognitive processes for cooperation, despite differences in the scope of their cooperative behaviors.


Recent wireless sensor networks (WSNs) are becoming increasingly complex with the growing network scale and the dynamic nature of wireless communications. Many measurement and diagnostic approaches depend on per-packet routing paths for accurate and fine-grained analysis of the complex network behaviors. In this paper, we propose iPath, a novel path inference approach to reconstructing the per-packet routing paths in dynamic and large-scale networks. The basic idea of iPath is to exploit high path similarity to iteratively infer long paths from short ones. iPath starts with an initial known set of paths and performs path inference iteratively. iPath includes a novel design of a lightweight hash function for verification of the inferred paths. In order to further improve the inference capability as well as the execution efficiency, iPath includes a fast bootstrapping algorithm to reconstruct the initial set of paths. We also implement iPath and evaluate its performance using traces from large-scale WSN deployments as well as extensive simulations. Results show that iPath achieves much higher reconstruction ratios under different network settings compared to other state-of-the-art approaches.


Building a web application that attracts and retains regular visitors is tricky enough, but creating a social application that encourages visitors to interact with one another requires careful planning. This book provides practical solutions to the tough questions you'll face when building an effective community site -- one that makes visitors feel like they've found a new home on the Web. If your company is ready to take part in the social web, this book will help you get started. Whether you're creating a new site from scratch or reworking an existing site, Building Social Web Applications helps you choose the tools appropriate for your audience so you can build an infrastructure that will promote interaction and help the community coalesce. You'll also learn about business models for various social web applications, with examples of member-driven, customer-service-driven, and contributor-driven sites. Determine who will be drawn to your site, why they'll stay, and who they'll interact with Create visual design that clearly communicates how your site works Build the software you need versus plugging in one-size-fits-all, off-the-shelf apps Manage the identities of your visitors and determine how to support their interaction Monitor demand from the community to guide your choice of new functions Plan the launch of your site and get the message out


The aim of this work has been to investigate the formation of films and to couple their properties with the bulk behaviour of the film forming components. The primary goal was to improve the biocompatibility of the films, as films are of great interest to the biomedical industry. The investigated films form spontaneous at an air-water interface and some are robust enough to be removed from the surface. The films are formed by mixed surfactants of the cationic CTAB and the zwitterionic SB3-14 together with the polymer PEI, in a short and long form. The film structures are investigated with varying CTAB:SB3-14 ratio. It was found replacing CTAB with SB3-14 reduced mesostructure in the films, however when PEI was used to form the films in its long form there was sufficient polymer network to kinetically trap mesostructure in the films. To increase biocompatibility, CTAB was replaced with calcium chloride to emulate the cationic charge and present opportunites for complex formation with the polymers. SB3-14 was still present as the surfactant to impart mesostructure with PEI as the polymer. Here it was found that mesostructure could be controlled with calcium chloride concentration due to its hygroscopic nature modulating the amount of water in the films and therefore the resulstant mesophases. Finally, anionic biopolymers were investigated with the spray coated films. Here it was found that they complexed with calcium chloride more fully than PEI and thus the competition between calcium chloride and SB3-14 for water resulted in more hydrated mesophases than when PEI was used as the film forming polymer. The bulk solutions and films were investigated mainly with small angle scattering and reflectivity techniques. It was found that as a progression to previous work in the research group that more biocompatible methods could be used to form structured films.


, or hemolytic anemia, were apparent in any of these patients. We found using the Spearman rank correlation a strong correlation in the 46 patients between CK and aldolase (r = 0.69, p < 0.0001), AST (r = 0.79, p < 0.0001), and LDH (r = 0.66, p < 0.0001). These results indicate that, in agreement with Dr. Carter's statement, when evaluating patients for DM or PM, the initial blood test should be a CK measurement. However, the finding of a high aldolase level as the sole blood marker of muscle damage in PM with or without dermatological signs may not be anecdotal, since we observed this scenario in 4 patients (9.5%) with the disorder. Similarly, Vignos, et al found that 4 out of 20 patients with PM had normal CK. Of these 4 patients, 2 had elevated aldolase levels 6 . Further, the AST and LDH levels may also be normal in this setting, as observed in 3 of 4 patients in our series. We therefore fully agree with Carter, et al and Dr. Mercado's opinion that, in the appropriate clinical setting, normal levels of both CK and AST do not preclude active PM. In patients, particularly (but not only) those with malignancy, whose clinical picture strongly suggests PM, but who are found to have normal CK levels, it may be useful to control aldolase levels. However, whether aldolase may accurately serve to follow the efficacy of treatment in patients with PM and a normal CK level deserves further study.


ABSTRACT Several Cenozoic endocarp remains from the northern hemisphere have been described with strong affinities to either Menispermum L. or Sinomenium Diels, a monophyletic group of menispermous vines. It has been proposed that all of these fossil species are synonymous and should be included within Sinomenium. In order to evaluate this suggestion, we have studied the morphological variation ranges in the menispermous endocarps with geometric morphometrics, and then the ranges of the selected fossil endocarps is compared to the ranges of modern endocarps. The shape of each endocarp is described using eight landmarks and 17 semilandmarks, accounting for the outline and the positions of lateral ridge and foramen on the endocarps. Endocarp ornamentation is studied by statistical comparisons of the number of transverse ridges. It is concluded that the ranges of variation within the fossil genera, all morphologically related to horseshoe-shaped endocarps in Menispermaceae, are found not to be greater than that in the only extant species of Sinomenium, S. acutum (Thunb.) Render & Wilson. Sinomenium macrocarpum Liu & Jacques, 2010 differs from the other fossil species of Sinomenium by its higher number of transverse ridges. All other fossil species of Sinomenium, except S. macrocarpum, and Wardensheppeya Eyde, 1970 are synonymous. Menispermum? taylori Chandler, 1964 is transferred to Sinomenium. The fossil genus Palaeosinomenium Chandler, 1961 is confirmed through the obliquity of its endocarp, but all species are found to be synonymous. Menispermicarpum rariforme Chandler, 1961 is also included in Palaeosinomenium.


Anti-Zionism constitutes an important ideological building block of the Islamic Republic of Iran. This article provides insight into the mass communication of anti-Zionism in the English-language Iranian press in order to examine how this ideology is 'exported' to an international readership. The article presents the results of an empirical study of two leading English-language Iranian newspapers, The Tehran Times and Press TV. The study uses critical discourse analysis and draws upon tenets of Social Representations Theory from social psychology. The following themes are discussed: (i) resisting social representations of Israeli statehood; (ii) constructing threat: the Zionist regime as a terrorist entity; and (iii) responding to threat: anti-Zionism as a religious duty for the Muslim Ummah. As a 'mouthpiece' of Iran, these outlets adopt and encourage a fervently anti-Zionist stance by refusing to recognise the statehood and civilian population of Israel and by constructing the 'Zionist regime' as a terrorist threat which should be mitigated collectively by the Islamic Ummah. Implications are discussed.


This paper presents a algorithm to detect and accurately locate ellipse objects in digital images. The algorithm consists of two steps. First the edge pixels are extracted using Canny edge detection algorithm and then a noise removal process is run to remove the non-ellipse edge points. In the second step, Freeman Chain code is applied to detect ellipse from the digital images. The code is done in MATLAB R2010a.


Good building design can provide a myriad of benefits. There is ample evidence suggesting an association between design attributes and various outcomes for users and other stakeholders of built environments. Despite is importance, design quality is found to be overlooked in building projects in favour of other objectives such as time and cost. Recent initiatives have attempted to highlight the value of design quality, however, their focus have been mainly on post project completion and building evaluation. 'How' design quality - with its complex nature –is achieved during the projects has seen little empirical attempt. The research in this thesis, therefore, aimed to improve the understanding of design quality achievement in building projects by exploring the critical success factors (CSFs) and stakeholder attributes.

A multi-phase, mixed methods approach was developed to fulfil this aim. In the first phase, the theory and methods offered in 'project success' and 'stakeholder management' assisted in devising a developmental process to a) identify, validate and evaluate the CSFs, and to b) explore stakeholder attributes using three major analysis models. A preliminary interview study, then, explored the viewpoints of 11 architects on the topic and verified the research aim and directions. A matrix-based model was also used to map the bi-directionality between design quality and its stakeholders. The second phase, consisting of a qualitative study followed by a quantitative one, first identified 36 potential CSFs from the perspective of 10 experts and then validated 28 of them through a questionnaire survey of 129 individuals with architecture and client backgrounds. 'Brief', 'communications' and 'leadership' were revealed as the most important CSFs. Using principal Component Analysis to assess the interrelationships between the CSFs in 126 building projects extracted 7 components that could meaningfully represent the CSFs. Moreover, Regression Analysis was employed to establish the causal relationship between these components and the design quality success criteria of functionality, build quality and impact. It was found that the components collectively contribute to the achievement of design quality in real projects but differently to each of its success criteria. Also, by applying the second stakeholder model, it was found that clients and architects had the highest level of power, proximity and urgency with regard to design quality decisions while users and facility managers were low in these attributes. In phase 3, Social Network Analysis was used to model and visualise the stakeholder relationships with regard to design quality in a case project (third stakeholder model). 21 members of the stakeholder groups were approached and their involvement, influence and communication effectiveness were assessed.

Apart from the evolving understanding obtained through the above process, the research contributed by developing conceptual frameworks for a) design quality CSFs, b) design quality related stakeholder relationships, and c) success criteria of building projects. Moreover, for the first time, the dynamism of stakeholder communications in a construction project was visualised for different stages. Based on the knowledge emerged, the research also proposed a holistic evaluation of design quality achievement to enhance the current DQI tool.


This paper provides an overview of the hydrology and water use in the Zayandeh Rud basin based on the data available over the 11-year period 1988-1998. The inflows into Chadegan reservoir, the releases from the reservoir, and the extractions along the river for irrigation and other purposes are considered, and a rapid water balance of the basin is performed. Inflows to the Chadegan reservoir, which serves to collect and regulate the runoff from the upper catchment of the basin to better meet the downstream water requirements for irrigation, urban and industrial uses, follow a regular pattern with moderate variability. But the limited year-to-year carryover storage in the reservoir makes the basin vulnerable to prolonged periods of drought. Water releases from the Chadegan reservoir also show a predictable pattern, with the only deviations occurring during flood events. There is a high reliability of meeting the water requirements during periods of peak demand. But releases during the winter months, at the end of the irrigation season, are lower and more variable. This results in low discharges in the Zayandeh Rud and reduced water quality, especially in the lower reaches of the river. A simple water-balance approach was used to estimate the proportion of return flows in the basin. An average annual value of 30% was obtained, with the magnitude of return flows being particularly important in the lower reaches of the basin. But more investigation, especially including groundwater and water quality aspects, needs to be carried out before a definitive value can be advanced. Given the limited supply of fresh water in the Zayandeh Rud basin, further water resources development and water management improvements can only be envisaged if there is scope for real water savings in the basin. This can be assessed if a basin-wide approach, leading to a good understanding of water use (and reuse) at the farm, system and basin levels, is adopted.


The search for life on Mars is in part reliant on the understanding of Martian environments, both past and present, in terms of what life may inhabit these
environments, how this life may be preserved in the rock record, and how this rock record may be detected during future missions to Mars. In particular, the
upcoming European Space Agency mission 'ExoMars' has the primary aim to identify evidence of past or present life on Mars, and the work presented here is carried out within this context.
Volcanism is a geological process common to both Earth and Mars, and this work sought to conduct a multidisciplinary astrobiological study of terrestrial volcanic
and associated hydrothermal environments that exist geographically at high latitudes. Specifically, subglacial basaltic volcanic environments were explored in
terms of phylogenetic diversity, preservation of biosignatures, and habitability under Martian conditions. Additionally, these and other volcanic environments
were utilised in the development and testing of the Panoramic Camera – an instrument that will form an integral component of the ExoMars rover instrument suite.
Results presented within this thesis demonstrate that subglacially erupted lavas provide a habitat for a diverse bacterial community, and that when such a community is subject to present-day Martian analogue conditions, survivability is significantly enhanced when a simulated subglacial volcanic system (i.e. heat and ice) is present. However, the generation of bioalteration textures – a
biosignature common to glassy basaltic lavas – appears to be less common in subglacially-erupted lavas than their oceanic counterparts. Lastly, this work demonstrates the ability of the ExoMars PanCam in the detection of
astrobiological targets, and shows the importance of utilising Martian analogue terrains both for biological studies, and also for testing rover instrumentation in
preparation for upcoming missions.


Recent scholarship draws an analogy between contract and statutory interpretation. In this article, Professor Movsesian explores and rejects that analogy. There are key differences between contracts and statutes, he argues; the intentionalism of contract law is inappropriate in the context of statutory interpretation. After critically examining the literature on the topic and demonstrating the operative distinctions between contracts and statutes, Professor Movsesian provides a useful illustration in the form of the famous case of Church of the Holy Trinity v. United States. Professor Movsesian shows how a comparison of contract and statutory interpretation sheds light on a number of interesting questions, including the character of third-party beneficiary contracts, the nature of political representation, the role of bicameralism and presentment in the legislative process, and the ongoing debate about the use of legislative history in determining the meaning of statutory language.


Analysis of the band structure of TiS3 single-layers suggests the possibility of changing their physical behaviour by injecting electron carriers. The anisotropy of the valence and conduction bands is explained in terms of their complex orbital composition. The nature of the Fermi surface and Lindhard response function for different doping concentrations is studied by means of first-principles DFT calculations. It is suggested that for electron doping levels x (number of electrons per unit cell)  ∼0.18–0.30e− the system could exhibit incommensurate charge or spin modulations which, however, would keep the metallic state whereas systems doped with smaller x would be 2D metals without any electronic instability. The effect of spin-orbit coupling in the band dispersion is analysed. The DFT effective masses are used to study the plasmon spectrum from an effective low energy model. We find that this material supports highly anisotropic plasmons, with opposite anisotropy for the electron and hole bands.


Catalytic processes and in particular heterogeneous catalysis are vital for todays industry. However, many industrial catalytic processes require high temperatures and pressures to work efficiently. This stands in contrast to biological catalysts, which function under ambient temperatures and atmospheric pressures and excel in catalytic activity and selectivity. We may learn something from nature by studying the size-dependent reactivity of small metal particles resembling the active centers of biological catalysts. The catalytic properties of such metal clusters grown on suitable substrates can be investigated by scanning tunneling microscopy. Single-molecule vibrational spectroscopy at low temperatures allows one to identify adsorption sites and measure adsorption energies of reaction intermediates. We have designed and mounted a variable-temperature scanning tunneling microscope dedicated to the study of reaction intermediates. Our beetle-type microscope is protected against external vibrations by a double-stage spring suspension system. It hangs inside two copper radiation shields, which are directly screwed onto a liquid He-flux cryostat. The microscope ramps for coarse approach are made of sapphire and reside on copper-beryllium balls. Direct electrical contacts to the sample for exact temperature reading exist. The microscope eigenresonances all lie beyond the critical frequency range of 1-10 kHz and rattling resonances are efficiently suppressed. The microscope has proved to work in air. Images of highly-oriented pyrolytic graphite in air were acquired, which showed that spectroscopic measurements are feasible. At the same time, during the microscope mounting period, several mechanical problems were identified and therefore suggestions for future improvements are made. With the goal of finding a suitable substrate for our future model catalysts, we investigated ultra-thin MgO layers on Mo(100) by low-energy diffraction and Auger electron spectroscopy. Defect-free thin oxide film with a superstructure can serve as templates for the growth of a regular array of small metal clusters. We report on the formation of a c(2 × 14) superstructure of 2.5 ± 0.4 ML of MgO on Mo(100)-(1 × 1)-O upon annealing at 1300 K. The observed structure is most probably induced by an interfacial reconstruction of the oxygen-covered Mo(100) surface since the annealed Mo(100)-(1 × 1)-O substrate exhibits a similar LEED pattern. This means that the reordering of the interface upon annealing is decisive for the oxide overlayer structure. To investigate the growth of small metal islands we studied the two systems Co/Pt(111) and Pt/Pt(111). 0.1 ML Co or Pt were evaporated onto Pt(111) at 50 K and the island size as a function of annealing temperature was imaged using a variable-temperature scanning tunneling microscope. For both systems we observe a stepwise increase of the mean island size, which can be well reproduced by kinetic Monte-Carlo simulations and mean-field nucleation theory calculations. This behaviour stands in contrast to the Ostwald ripening previously observed for Ag/Pt(111). It indicates that for Co/Pt(111) and Pt/Pt(111) the energy migration barriers of monomers, dimers and trimers must be significantly lower than the respective dissociation barriers. Finally, high-pressure scanning tunneling microscopy was used to study the adsorption of CO on Pt(111) at room temperature and in equilibrium with the gas phase. The coverage is found to vary continuously and over the whole range from 10-6—1 bar pressure-dependent moire patterns are observed. This stands in contrast to the CO/Pt(111) lattice gas structures found at low temperatures in the same coverage range. Nevertheless, a true pressure gap cannot be established since sufficient cooling of the sample leads to the formation of hexagonal CO overlayers similar to those at high pressure. We found that below 1.3. 10-2 mbar the moire superlattice is oriented along a 30° high symmetry direction of the substrate while near to 1 bar it becomes compatible with a (19-1/2 × 19-1/2) R23.4°-13CO commensurate structure.


A maverick in the history of photography, lshiuchi Miyako burst onto the photography scene in Tokyo in the mid-1970s, at a time when men dominated the field in Japan. Working prodigiously over the last forty years, she has created an impressive oeuvre and quietly influenced generations of photographers born in the postwar era. Recipient of the prestigious Hasselblad Award in 2014, lshiuchi ranks as one of the most significant photographers working in Japan today. Spurred by her contentious relationship with her hometown, Yokosuka - site of an important American naval base since 1945 - lshiuchi chose that city as her first serious photographic subject. Grainy, moody, and deeply personal, these early projects established her career. This choice of subject also defined the beginning of lshiuchi's extended exploration of American occupation and the shadows it cast over postwar Japan. lshiuchi has since addressed the theme of occupation both indirectly - through her photographs of scars, skin, and other markers of time on the human body - and, more explicitly, with her Images of garments and accessories once owned by victims of the atomic blast in Hiroshima. Essays featured in this volume reveal the past as the wellspring of lshiuchi's work and the present moment as her principal subject. Ishiuchi Miyako: Postwar Shadows - which includes a selection of more than 100 works - is published on the occasion of an exhibition by the same name, on view at the J. Paul Getty Museum at the Getty Center, Los Angeles, from October 5, 2015 to February 21, 2016.


Fungal Keratitis (FK) is the main corneal infection that is resistant to antifugi drugs. Exploring new agent will be important for the drug resistance and new infectious diseases. All-Trans-Retinoic Acid (ATRA), a bioactive derivative of vitamin A, is immunoregulatary and anti-inflammation agent by decreasing the expression of the pro-inflammatory cytokines and increasing the expression of antiinflammatory factors. The study was to investigate the potential role of ATRA to be a supplementary method for the therapy of FK. The aim of this study was to investigate the role of ATRA Nanostructured Lipid Carriers (NLC) in the zymosan induced cytokines (IL-17, ICAM-1, MIP-2, MCP-1 and Ip-10) by Corneal Fibroblasts (CFs) and to investigate the characters of ATRA-NCL. ATRA-NLC was prepared by the method of Emulsification process from scratch. ATRA-NCL concentration was calculated by High Performance Liquid Chromatography (HPLC) method. ATRA-NCL physical stability was observed. ATRA-NCL Cytotoxicity assay was performed by the detection of Lactate Dehydrogenase (LDH). The role of ATRA-NCL on the release of IL-17, ICAM-1, MIP-2, MCP-1, IP-10 induced by zymosan was examined by ELISA. The relative NF-KB-p65, P-ERK1, 2, P-IκBα cell signal pathway was assayed by immune blot analysis. The mean diameter of ATRA-NLC was 200 nm. ATRA-NCL physical stability study showed well at 4°C without precipitation and crystallization. The NLC particles were dispersed well under the scanning electron microscope (S-4800). Scanning electron microscope image of the ATRA particles were shown. ATRA-NCL showed no cytotoxic effect on KCs. ATRA-NCL inhibited zymosan-induced IL-17, ICAM-1, MIP-2, MCP-1, Ip-10 release by CKs. ATRA-NCL inhibited NF-KBp65, P-ERK, P-IκBα signalling pathways induced by zymosan in KCs. ATRA-NLC can inhibit the releasing of cytokines (IL-17, ICAM-1, MIP-2, MCP-1, Ip-10) induced by zymosan in CFs. It was supplementary selection for the therapy of fungal keratitis.


A DEM can be represented like an image, except that it contains a single channel of information of various shades of grey and can be compressed in a lossy or lossless manner by way of existing image compression protocols. Compression has the effect of reducing memory requirements and speed of transmission over digital links, while maintaining the integrity of data as required. In this context, this paper investigates the use of an alternative image pyramid approach for DEM lossless compression referred to as Pyramid Lossless Differential Coding (PLDC). The effect of the PLDC on floating-point elevation values for 16-bit DEMs of dissimilar terrain characteristics is investigated here. Tests demonstrate that the compression ratios and compression speed achieved with this approach can be comparable to, or better than, lossless proprietary JPEG variants and other image formats (i.e. PNG, TIFF).


Investors, employees, and societies are interested in human capital information. This information will assist investors to assess the effectiveness of human capital management to deliberate their investment capital allocation. The employees will also know the extent of their development and value in organizations. Despite the significant role of human capital in the success and survival of an organization, human capital information disclosure is still limited in annual reports. Thus, investors or other stakeholders have scarce information to distinguish between organizations that develop human capital and those that constrain human capital. The factors that explain the disclosure is still unknown. In light of stakeholder's theory, this study investigated the relationship between highly unionized companies and government-owned companies, which are factors that can pressure companies to disclose human capital information in annual reports. Companies from the banking and financial institution industries were selected as highly unionized companies, whereas companies from the real property industry were selected as poorly unionized companies based on the Malaysian Trade Union Congress (MTUC) dataset. Government ownership was also identified in these sample companies. A total of 192 annual reports gathered from 48 companies for the financial year from 2010 to 2014 were analyzed in terms of content. Control variables, such as age, size, profit, and leverage, were also associated in the relationship. This study determined that highly unionized companies (banks) and government ownership demonstrate significantly positive relationship with human capital information reporting in annual reports. For control variables, only the size of companies shows positive relationship with the disclosure. Therefore, the presence of stakeholders in companies (i.e., union membership and government) is considered a good predictor for reporting human capital information in annual reports.


How does the process of information transmission affect the cultural or linguistic products that emerge? This question is often studied experimentally and computationally via iterated learning, a procedure in which participants learn from previous participants in a chain. Iterated learning is a powerful tool because, when all participants share the same priors, the stationary distributions of the iterated learning chains reveal those priors. In many situations, however, it is unreasonable to assume that all participants share the same prior beliefs. We present four simulation studies and one experiment demonstrating that when the population of learners is heterogeneous, the behavior of an iterated learning chain can be unpredictable and is often systematically distorted by the learners with the most extreme biases. This results in group-level outcomes that reflect neither the behavior of any individuals within the population nor the overall population average. We discuss implications for the use of iterated learning as a methodological tool as well as for the processes that might have shaped cultural and linguistic evolution in the real world.


This research is the analytical study of fibers from banana trees in northern area. The study has been conducted on planted banana-species areas in 5 northern provinces. There are 9 studied banana species. The objectives of the studies are to utilize these mentioned banana species for product creation. It is also to find out the banana-fiber-extraction process for new materials used as guidelines to design new products which help generate extra revenue for farmers after harvest season. The result from the research indicates that the most appropriate species for the research is Musa acuminata Colla due to its strongest texture in term of thickness. The leftovers of banana (stalk and pseudo stem in dried form) after agricultural process have been extracted into straight fiber ropes. Then, they are processed into straight fiber ropes through hand-cutting by northern villagers. As for the 5 types of natural fibers. It is found that banana fibers mixed with hemp fibers at 50% proportion for each yields the highest pull force of 678.71 N. To sum up, the manufacturing production and creation is in a good level, by average value 4.17 and the product users' satisfactions is a good level, by average value 4.07. คําสําคัญ : เสนใย จากพืชตระกูลกลวยทางภาคเหนือ การสรางผลิตภัณฑ


For infant plaintiffs, personal injury litigation damage awards for loss of earning capacity are highly speculative. To quantify damages, courts rely on general population statistics and often consider the gender of the plaintiff. This article examines ways in which courts have discounted damages to minor female plaintiffs. The author notes that this discounting broadly occurs in two ways, through the use of gendered statistics and through the application of female specific contingencies. While the courts have justified gender specific damages on the basis that tort law aims to be corrective, the author argues that these practices are no more appropriate than reducing damage awards based on factors such as race or ethnicity. The author concludes that tort law is capable of evolution and it is time that the practice of gender based damages be retired.


Abstract Climatic changes could alter the frequency and magnitude of rainfall events and the distribution of rainfall with altitude, with important consequences for management of aquatic ecosystems, water resources and flood risk. This study investigates changes in observed rainfall amounts across a range of altitudes in the Lake District region, northwest England, and spatial and temporal changes to the orographic "rainshadow" effect. Between the 1970s and 1990s there have been marked changes to the seasonality of precipitation, such that winters have become wetter, and increasingly dominated by heavy precipitation events. The intensity of these events has increased most markedly at higherelevation sites. Such changes could hinder recovery of sensitive upland sites from acidification and increase the risk of downstream flooding. An inter-decadal weakening of the region's rainshadow suggests a greater proportion of winter precipitation crosses the high-elevation Lake District dome. This is linked to changes in the frequency and character of wet weather patterns.


To create architecture today is a nomic game. The rules of the game are paradoxical, players are continually changing their minds and every operational process ends up being self-referential (1). The basic democratic rights pertaining to the built environment are: the right to natural light, the right to visual perception and the right to water. Therefore, the job of an architect nowadays is to find a new balance between ecology and urban planning. Our aim as thinkers and operators should be to once again play an active role in environmental quality optimization by acknowledging the complexity of this process and searching for sustainable changes.
BUSarchitektur has been working on issues affecting our contemporary society since it was founded in 1986. BOA bureau fur offensive aleatorik has been developing cultural interactions since its establishment in 2003. Through their proposals both companies develop realistic utopias that help us to value and redefine our inherited legacy in a conscientious and committed way.
The new Campus WU project was launched in 2005 within the academic setting of the Vienna University of Economics and Business. The project will culminate in 2013 with the handing over of the finished university complex within its budgetary framework of EUR 500 million. It is the largest University of Economics in the European Union with a population of 25,000 students, teachers and administrative staff and is moving into a neighborhood with approximately 100,000 inhabitants. This is where future generations of, hopefully competent, economists will be trained. It is a strategic example of a star system, employed by the user, which seeks to obtain the necessary funding by awarding the projects to Zaha Hadid Architects, Hamburg - CRABstudio, London - Carme Pinos, Barcelona - NO.mad Madrid, Hitoshi Abe - Sendai as well as to the Masterplan winner, Vienna's BUSarchitektur.
The democratic organization of users, the power structures of the state, leading agencies' inspections, monitoring costs and budgets, branding inflicted on architecture, multiple regulations, contract award mechanisms, the historical burden of a privileged place, the social tensions associated with one of the established centers of prostitution, the dissatisfaction of the student population, etc. – these are some of the factors causing stakeholder interests to be in permanent unstable equilibrium.
As a result, the Masterplan authors' constant search for a holistic equilibrium continued throughout the entire project process and into the execution, with an unstable balance of power between users, residents, developers, politicians, experts and author design implementers. We will present the architect's roles in three micro-worlds, which seek to put forward the idea that a sustainable balance between the four quadrants (2) is not a pre-existing element of our work as architects and urban planners.
Ultimately, striking the balance between personal achievement, objectifiable technology, cultural interaction and social urges, means recognizing the importance of permanently changing our point of view and encourages us to take other factors into consideration. Every single detail should force us to recognize the many different ways a given intervention's micro-action can be interpreted and to proceed accordingly. However, our open-minded approach to searching for added-value, which must necessarily incorporate our actions, often leads us to adopt casual strategies for managing projects. The imbalance between the four quadrants is the starting state that compels us to set off interrelated chain reactions in an attempt to awaken the potential for coOpetition (3). This potential is present both in the direct actors and in the domino effect that will occur once we take control of the reality in which we act. CoOpeting public and private actors that acknowledge the simultaneous presence of both cooperation and competition when talking about quality of life and capital repayment. Competing cooperatively in order to successfully invent and develop alternative design mechanisms to those of globalization.
Intellectual curiosity as a journey to discover not-so-obvious game theory applications in architecture – this is our way to play an active role in our daily productive output. The game played is a game of society since it leads to the socialization of the individual in a virtual community and, as a consequence, to the development of a real community. The only way for Campus to have a future is if we activate the urban potential of the educational habitat.

MSc. Arch. Arq. Laura P. Spinadel
Masterplan and Executive Project Director for Campus WU in Vienna
BUSarchitektur & BOA buro fur offensive aleatorik, Vienna, 2015

1  Peter Suber 1990 The Paradox of Self-Amendment: A Study of Logic, Law, Omnipotence, and Change  ISBN-10: 0820412120  ISBN-13: 978-0820412122
2          Ken Wilber 2000 A Theory of Everything. An Integral Vision for Business, Politics, Science and Spirituality  ISBN 3-924195-79-X
3          Adam Brandenburger, Barry Nalebuff 1996 Co-Opetition : A Revolution Mindset That Combines Competition and Cooperation ISBN 0-385-47950-6


Executive Employment Law: Protecting Executives, Entrepreneurs and Employees provides practitioners and business executives with a working knowledge of executive employment-related negotiations and the laws governing executive employment. The book discusses strategies for negotiating employment contracts, separation (termination) agreements, non-compete agreements and founder's stock contracts. In the wake of the most recent financial crisis as well as the relatively recent corporate scandals, the country appears more concerned than ever before with executive compensation practices. It seems that every call in Washington for a new stimulus or bailout package is inextricably linked with a call for limits on executive compensation in one form or another. However, politicians rarely, if ever, focus on how executive's compensation got to where it is. The corporate lawyer who represents high ranking, and sometimes high profile, executives, requires a full understanding of the dynamics of executive compensation negotiations and the types of contracts executives enter into. The same can be said of in-house counsel responsible for advising their employer or compensation committee on executive hiring, retention or termination matters. There are myriad issues beyond the requirements of compensation reporting to consider, from negotiating the employment relationship to understanding compensation packages, to considering executive's mid-employment requests, to terminating the employment relationship, whether due to performance or merger.


This paper seeks to enhance our understanding of resilience processes, activities, and outcomes by examining initiatives to enhance resilience capacity that are designed and implemented by nongovernmental organizations (NGOs). The paper begins with a review of the evolution in thinking about the concept of resilience that has occurred over the past five years. This is followed by a review of the wide range of strategies and interventions employed by NGOs to build resilience capacity. The paper then presents several case studies that highlight NGO efforts to enhance resilience either by focusing on a specific vulnerable population and shock or by integrating, sequencing, and layering activities to support and protect core programming goals (for example, food and nutrition security, poverty reduction) while contributing overall to enhanced resilience capacity. Finally, the paper reviews measurement issues related to resilience, the challenges encountered by NGOs, and lessons learned. The paper concludes with a number of recommendations for improving NGO resilience programming.


Physical modeling and detailed mapping of Hebes Chasma provide new insights into the crustal composition and origin of the Valles Marineris region of equatorial Mars. Hebes Chasma is a 315-km-long and 8-km-deep closed depression containing distinctive landforms that include diapirs and extensive allochthonous flows that end in pits. A central puzzle of Hebes Chasma is how and where 10 5 km 3 of missing material disappeared. Our physical models tested the hypothesis that the chasma formed by collapse and removal of material from below. Gravity-driven collapse in the models reproduced all the chasma9s main landforms as subsidence evolved from early sagging of the upper surface, to inward collapse and removal of material, to emergence of diapirs and low-gradient flows. The models and geologic evidence suggest that Hebes Mensa arched upward diapirically and raised deep stratigraphy almost level with the chasma rim. If the chasma indeed collapsed by subsurface drainage as occurred in the models, the upper 8–10 km of deposits at Hebes must have been solid to depths of ∼5 km but viscous at greater depths. The materials removed could not have consisted mainly of basalt flows; instead, they probably were a mixture of hydrated and nonhydrated salts, water ice, liquid water, and insoluble (likely basaltic) particles. The proportions of these constituents are unknown but constrained because the material drained from the subsiding chasma and apparently contributed to the outburst floods released down neighboring Echus Chasma and Kasei Valles.


Inflammatory mediators have the potential to impact a surprising range of diseases, including obesity and its associated metabolic syndrome. In this paper, we show that the proinflammatory cytokine IL-17 inhibits adipogenesis, moderates adipose tissue (AT) accumulation, and regulates glucose metabolism in mice. IL-17 deficiency enhances diet-induced obesity in mice and accelerates AT accumulation even in mice fed a low-fat diet. In addition to potential systemic effects, IL-17 is expressed locally in AT by leukocytes, predominantly by γδ T cells. IL-17 suppresses adipocyte differentiation from mouse-derived 3T3-L1 preadipocytes in vitro, and inhibits expression of genes encoding proadipogenic transcription factors, adipokines, and molecules involved in lipid and glucose metabolism. IL-17 also acts on differentiated adipocytes, impairing glucose uptake, and young IL-17–deficient mice show enhanced glucose tolerance and insulin sensitivity. Our findings implicate IL-17 as a negative regulator of adipogenesis and glucose metabolism in mice, and show that it delays the development of obesity.


Nanofibers of polylactide (PLA)/polyvinylpyrrolidone (PVP) blends loaded with titanium dioxide (TiO2) particles have been prepared by an electrospinning technique. TiO2 particles are formed by sol-gel mechanisms from titanium (IV) iso-propoxide (TTIP) precursor. Effect of TiO2 formation rate on properties of the fibers are examined by adding iso-propyl alcohol (iPOH) to slow down the TiO2 precipitation process. The use of iPOH produces fiber mats consisting of slightly bigger and smoother filaments, but smaller-sized embedded TiO2 particles. Both materials show a distinct UV absorption characteristic of TiO2 at λmax 300 nm, which can be applied in catalytic applications. Degradation behaviors of the materials in phosphate buffer solutions have also been investigated. The materials have high potential for use as epoxidation catalysts for conversion of vegetable oils to polymeric building blocks and plasticizers.


The first major steel-deck railway bridge in America, the 2110-ft single-track Kansas City Southern Railway bridge over the Arkansas River near Redland, Oklahoma, is a continuous box-girder structure having nine spans. Approximately 2400 tons of ASTM A588 (50-ksi yield) weathering steel, left unpainted, were used. The 24 individual box units, ranging in length from 42 ft to 117 ft and in weight from 44 tons, were shop-fabricated by welding. At the site, box units were bolted together in trains behind each abutment and rolled or launched across the spans, supported on sliding-type (skidway) units located at the abutments and piers. The two trains met and were spliced at the middle of the channel span. An extensive erection strength investigation was required because each girder panel had to pass across one or more skidway units and therefore had to be adequate to withstand the various combinations of moment, shear, and reaction that occurred. Web and flange erection strengthening and stiffening were found necessary. Pier and abutment stresses and stability were reviewed.


• Information generated from the use of air quality assessment tools can inform decisions on permitting of emissions, industrial siting, and land use; all can impact local air quality, which in turn can influence air pollution related health effects of a population. • The five tools discussed in this guide (highlighted with case examples) address different components of air quality: o Emissions inventories are databases of air pollution sources and their emissions, which allow for the monitoring of pollution releases to the air; emissions inventories can feed into other tools, such as dispersion models. o Dispersion modeling uses data on emissions, meteorology, and topography to provide estimates of ambient pollutant concentrations at specific receptor sites. o Source apportionment helps to identify important sources in an area by using information on ambient pollutant levels. o Mobile monitoring, in contrast to traditional fixed site monitoring, allows for a better understanding of pollutant concentrations and their sources, both temporally and, very importantly, spatially; Data collected by mobile monitoring projects can feed into models, such as land-use regression. o Land use regression uses a combination of local information to provide the best estimates of ambient pollution in a specific area. • Health impact assessment is an example of direct application of information generated by air quality assessment tools, to understand the air quality related health impacts of a population.


Identifying infectious disease outbreaks in their early stages is an important task, both for governments and international organizations working in the health sector. This study reviewed the notifiable disease reporting systems in Kenya with an aim of understanding their strengths and weaknesses. We evaluated the performance of the present notifiable disease reporting systems, assessed the preparedness of the disease notifiers for the task of reporting notifiable diseases, assessed the readiness of people who participate in disease reporting in the use of computers and mobile systems in disease surveillance, and we developed a mobile based disease surveillance prototype that can report and analyze notifiable disease data to recognize disease outbreaks early. The study targeted medical personnel who presently participate in the reporting and analysis of notifiable disease data in the Nairobi Metropolitan Region. Mobile systems are best to improve the disease reporting and analysis process because of their low cost, widespread use and minimum training required.


King George Island, located west of the Antarctic Peninsula, experiences regional temperature increase well above the mean global warming trend. In this study we present insight into sedimentary processes during warm and cold phases of the past two millennia to compare these to the recent conditions. The investigation is based on a 928 cm long gravity core plus boxcore from Maxwell Bay between Potter and Marian coves. It covers the past c. 1700 years BP. Sedimentation at the core site is largely controlled by sediments from tributary fjords that discharge into Maxwell Bay. The results show two clear-cut granulometric classes of sediments: Class 1 is finer with the principal mode at 16 µm; this class dominates the Medieval Warm Period. Class 2 is coarser with the principal mode at 36 µm; it dominates the Little Ice Age (LIA). Further analyses show that Class 1 sediments are likely a composite of Class 2-type sediments plus a possibly unimodal sediment with the principal mode around 16 µm (hence Class 1). This sediment has likely been transported in suspension as a result of increased meltwater production. As expected, colder climate phases were less affected by melting processes than the warmer ones. However, after the LIA sediments become finer but largely lack the meltwater signal. Until AD 2000 no shift from Class 2 to Class 1 sediments is visible which indicates that at least in terms of the associated sedimentary processes the present warming trend is different to those of the recent past.


The development of real-time innocuous blood diagnosis has been a long-standing goal in healthcare; an improved, miniature, all-in-one point-of-care testing (POCT) system with low cost and simplified operation is highly desired. Here, we present a one-touch-activated blood multidiagnostic system (OBMS) involving the synergistic integration of a hollow microneedle and paper-based sensor, providing a number of unique characteristics for simplifying the design of microsystems and enhancing user performance. In this OBMS, all functions of blood collection, serum separation, and detection were sequentially automated in one single device that only required one-touch activation by finger-power without additional operations. For the first time, we successfully demonstrated the operation of this system in vivo in glucose and cholesterol diagnosis, showing a great possibility for human clinical application and commercialization. Additionally, this novel system offers a new approach for the use of microneedles and paper sensors as promising intelligent elements in future real-time healthcare monitoring devices.


OBJECTIVES
To evaluate the efficacy of Eusol-C as a corneal storage medium on the survival of donor endothelium.

MATERIALS AND METHODS
Twenty-seven corneas not suitable for transplant were included in this study. All donor corneas were stored in Eusol-C at 4°C. Daily donor corneal endothelial cell counting was performed with an eye bank specular microscope. All corneas were discarded after the study process.

RESULTS
Mean donor age was 51.3 ± 18.8 years (range, 25-94 y). The mean duration between death and corneal excision was 9.5 ± 6.7 hours (range, 3-23 h). Mean endothelial cell density was 2195 ± 383 cells/mm² at the beginning of the preservation (range, 1361-2899 cells/mm²). Donor endothelial cell density was between 1500 to 2000 cells/mm² in 9 corneas, 2000 to 2500 in 11 corneas, 2500 to 3000 in 5, and higher than 3000 in 2 corneas at baseline. Mean endothelial cell density was found 1658 cells/mm² on the eighth day of storage, with a mean endothelial cell loss rate of 24.5%. Corneas stored 9 to 24 days in Eusol-C had a rate of endothelial cell damage of 3.1% per day.

CONCLUSIONS
Although our results revealed a higher endothelial cell loss than previous reports, overall performance of Eusol-C in preserving the donor endothelium may be satisfactory for clinical use.


Abstract. This paper details the SAGE (Stratospheric Aerosol and Gas Experiment) version 7.0 algorithm and how it is applied to SAGE II. Changes made between the previous (v6.2) and current (v7.0) versions are described and their impacts on the data products explained for both coincident event comparisons and time-series analysis. Users of the data will notice a general improvement in all of the SAGE II data products, which are now in better agreement with more modern data sets (e.g., SAGE III) and more robust for use with trend studies.


How have we got into such a mess? How can people who have devoted the whole of their working lives to the principles of the NHS been so compliant, misled, or trampled on (depending on your perspective) in the bungled reorganisations triggered by the Health and Social Care Bill that is now before the upper chamber?

I have worked for the past 12 years as a general practitioner in Health Secretary Andrew Lansley's backyard, setting up a new general practice to serve the people arriving in the green field development of Cambourne (population 9000 and aiming for 11 000). The practice has championed holistic care with the autonomy of the patient, a right to information, and respect for the patient's expertise at the heart of the service.

I chaired the local medical committee, and until recently I was vice chair of our emerging primary care consortium as it morphed into a clinical commissioning group.

So I have to put up my hand and say that this mess is my fault. …


We introduce a coloring game on graphs, in which each vertex $v$ of a graph $G$ owns a stack of $\ell_v{-}1$ erasers. In each round of this game the first player Mr. Paint takes an unused color, and colors some of the uncolored vertices. He might color adjacent vertices with this color – something which is considered "incorrect". However, Mrs. Correct is positioned next to him, and corrects his incorrect coloring, i.e., she uses up some of the erasers – while stocks (stacks) last – to partially undo his assignment of the new color. If she has a winning strategy, i.e., she is able to enforce a correct and complete final graph coloring, then we say that $G$ is $\ell$-paintable . Our game provides an adequate game-theoretic approach to list coloring problems. The new concept is actually more general than the common setting with lists of available colors. It could have applications in time scheduling, when the available time slots are not known in advance. We give an example that shows that the two notions are not equivalent; $\ell$-paintability is stronger than $\ell$-list colorability . Nevertheless, many deep theorems about list colorability remain true in the context of paintability. We demonstrate this fact by proving strengthened versions of classical list coloring theorems. Among the obtained extensions are paintability versions of Thomassen's, Galvin's and Shannon's Theorems.


The choice of procurement method is vital to client satisfaction and success on construction projects. But the procurement method selected needs to be a best fit with clients' performance criteria in an increasing complexity of construction processes. Very often the procurement teams' selections are limited to a few familiar procurement methods with little in the way of rational selection for successful project delivery. The study examines whether the clients' performance criteria fits the success/performance of a project based on the procurement method selected. The study presents the findings of a pilot study, which prepared the ground for designing the main study questionnaire. An interview questionnaire used as the instrument in personal interviews of five client organizations who are registered members of the Real Estate Developers Association of Nigeria (REDAN) (a private client group) in order to determine their project performance criteria, their perceptions of different procurement methods and facts and figures from previously completed projects. The results of the survey reveal clients' project performance criteria and priorities when selecting procurement methods, the key procurement methods used in Nigeria, and the relationship between project performance and procurement methods. The paper will propose procurement methods that best fit clients' performance criteria in Nigeria.


The global food price crisis has worsened the food security situation for many developing countries especially those that are net food importers. In September 2012, the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) raised fears of a repeat of the 2007-2008 world food price crisis (as illustrated in Figure 1) that was characterized by sharp increases in the prices for cereals. High food prices are once again threatening to push millions of people into hunger around the world. The high costs of food imports exacerbated by the surging food prices, have put enormous strains on most developing countries, and have led to social unrest and political tensions.


We propose an empirical implementation of the consumption-investment problem using the martingale representation alternative to dynamic programming. Our method is based on the direct observation of state prices from options data. This greatly simplifies the investor's task of specifying the investment opportunity set and inherits the computational convenience of the martingale representation. Our method also makes explicit the economic trade-off between exploiting differences in state prices and probabilities, which generate variation in consumption, and the consumption smoothing induced by risk aversion. Using options-implied information, we find quantitatively different optimal consumption and portfolio policies than those implied by standard return dynamics.


Background Gastric cancer, the most common cancer in the world, is affected by some foods or food groups. We examined the relationship between dietary intake and stomach cancer risk in the Korean Multi-Center Cancer Cohort (KMCC). Methods The KMCC included 19 688 Korean men and women who were enrolled from 1993 to 2004. Of those subjects, 9724 completed a brief 14-food frequency questionnaire at baseline. Through record linkage with the Korean Central Cancer Registry and National Death Certificate databases, we documented 166 gastric cancer cases as of December 31, 2008. Cox proportional hazard models were used to estimate relative risks (RRs) and 95% CIs. Results Frequent intake of soybean/tofu was significantly associated with reduced risk of gastric cancer, after adjustment for age, sex, cigarette smoking, body mass index, alcohol consumption, and area of residence (P for trend = 0.036). We found a significant inverse association between soybean/tofu intake and gastric cancer risk among women (RR = 0.41, 95% CI: 0.22–0.78). Men with a high soybean/tofu intake had a lower risk of gastric cancer, but the reduction was not statistically significant (RR = 0.77, 95% CI: 0.52–1.13). There was no interaction between soybean/tofu intake and cigarette smoking in relation to gastric cancer risk (P for interaction = 0.268). Conclusions Frequent soybean/tofu intake was associated with lower risk of gastric cancer.


In order to reduce the security risk of a commercial aircraft, passengers are not allowed to take certain items in their carry-on baggage. For this reason, human operators are trained to detect prohibited items using a manually controlled baggage screening process. The inspection process, however, is highly complex as hazardous items are very difficult to detect when placed in close packed bags, superimposed by other objects, and/or rotated showing an unrecognizable profile. In this paper, we review certain advances achieved by our research group in this field. Our methodology is based on multiple view analysis, because it can be a powerful tool for examining complex objects in cases in which uncertainty can lead to misinterpretation. In our approach, multiple views (taken from fixed points of view, or using an active vision approach in which the best views are automated selected) are analyzed in the detection of regular objects. In order to illustrate the effectiveness of the proposed method, experimental results on recognizing guns, razor blades, pins, clips and springs in baggage inspection are presented achieving around 90% accuracy. We believe that it would be possible to design an automated aid in a target detection task using the proposed algorithm.


Animal diseases, foodborne pathogens and foodborne diseases have enormous impacts upon the health and livelihoods of producers and consumers in developing and in-transition countries. Unfortunately, the capacity for effective surveillance of infectious disease threats is often limited in these countries, leading to chronic under-reporting. This further contributes towards underestimating the effects of these diseases and an inability to implement effective control measures. However, innovative communications and diagnostic tools, as well as new analytical approaches and close cooperation within and between the animal and human health sectors, can be used to improve the coverage, quality and speed of reporting, as well as to generate more comprehensive estimates of the disease burden. These approaches can help to tackle endemic diseases and build essential surveillance capacities to address changing disease threats in the future.


The electronic coupling element for electron transfer is studied in three ruthenium-porphyrin dimers. The dimers are models for compounds that have been previously studied experimentally and allow investigation of orientation effects and linkage effects and comparison of axial ligand effects on the electronic coupling. The geometries used in this study were obtained from B3LYP geometry optimizations in a DZ basis, and the coupling element was calculated as half the energy splitting between pairs of symmetry-related orbitals using Hartree–Fock, B3LYP Kohn–Sham, or INDO orbitals. The results suggest that all three methods give qualitatively similar values of the coupling at a given geometry and that the coupling involving the highest occupied molecular orbital can be changed markedly by changes in orientation or by changes in ligation external to the main pathways for coupling. Following discussion of the results we suggest directions in which future methodological developments will be critical in furthering our ability to understand and predict electron transport.


Calpain, a calcium-dependent protease, has been implicated in neuronal responses to various stimuli, and Shimizu et al. provide evidence that calpain contributes to certain types of learning and memory. Shimizu et al. (see commentary by Bolshakov) found that suprachiasmatic nucleus circadian oscillatory protein (SCOP) was abundant in the hippocampus of mice and rats. Overexpression of SCOP in cultured hippocampal neurons decreased the expression of an adenosine 3′,5′-monophosphate (cAMP) response element (CRE)-regulated reporter gene stimulated by brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF), whereas knockdown of the endogenous protein using RNA interference enhanced reporter gene expression in the presence or absence of BDNF. CRE-mediated gene expression is downstream of activation of mitogen-activated protein kinases (MAPKs) and contributes to synaptic changes involved in learning and memory. SCOP was previously reported to inhibit K-Ras by sequestering the nucleotide-free form, thereby inhibiting MAPK activation. The authors found that SCOP abundance was decreased in cultured hippocampal neurons stimulated with BDNF, the glutamate receptor agonist NMDA, or KCl. Assays for SCOP cleavage in cell-free extracts in the presence of various protease pharmacological inhibitors indicated that calpains, not caspase 3 or the proteasome, cleaved SCOP and that SCOP cleavage required calcium. In cultured hippocampal neurons, calpain inhibition blocked SCOP degradation and decreased the phosphorylation (and activation) of the MAPK ERK-2 stimulated by BDNF. In mice, memory for new objects was associated with a decrease in the abundance of SCOP (in whole hippocampal extracts). Mice overexpressing SCOP using an inducible promoter showed decreased memory for new objects 24 hours after object training but no deficiency in short-term memory. Consistent with a role for calpain in memory, administration of a calpain inhibitor into the hippocampus blocked new object memory after 24 hours but had no effect on short-term memory measured after 8 minutes. K. Shimizu, T. Phan, I. M. Mansuy, D. R. Storm, Proteolytic degradation of SCOP in the hippocampus contributes to activation of MAP kinase and memory. Cell 128, 1219-1229 (2007). [Online Journal] V. Y. Bolshakov, SCOPing out proteases in long-term memory. Cell 128, 1029-1030 (2007). [Online Journal]


Optical control planes such as automatically switched optical networks or generalized multiprotocol label switching (GMPLS) have been viewed as one key enabling technology for future broadband communication networks for their capabilities of dynamic provisioning of flexible and effective services. To support end-to-end service delivery in optical networks, one of the most challenging issues for the optical control plane to address is how to design traffic engineering (TE) under a heterogeneous interdomain scenario. We propose a dynamic TE scheme for interdomain multilayer optical networks that supports setting up paths transparently for both intradomain and interdomain requests. The proposed scheme also disseminates through advertisement precomputed cost tables pertaining to traffic quality of service requirements, which can help optimize the utilization of both all-optical and optical-electrical-optical resources during the TE process throughout the network. We studied the TE scheme in networks with either instantaneous status update or with periodical status update. Our simulation results show that in both cases the proposed TE scheme outperforms existing TE solutions by setting up intradomain and interdomain paths integrally using the cost tables. Furthermore, we find that optimal network status update interval should vary with traffic load.


The chapter: This chapter in the 'Work-based Learning Student Handbook' concerns Work Based projects. WB projects are often unique in that they reflect specific learning opportunities in an individual learner's career within a work setting which frames the organisational constraints of the project. Such projects capture learning that is highly context specific and which may make a significant contribution to a whole organisation, but the evidence base is often unconventional, drawing upon professional and practice guidelines and policies. Undertaking a WB project as part of an academic award provides another perspective based on research and academic rigour, thus amalgamating two approaches.
So, in what ways are WB projects different from traditional Higher Education dissertations and how are they unique? What makes a successful WB project? How do learners and organisations benefit from such projects? Are there special considerations for the project supervisor when supporting WB learners doing projects?
This chapter considers aspects of WBL projects from the perspective of the learner. Drawing on examples it will explore a range of WB project approaches and identify considerations that arise in these projects. This includes ethical issues, the role of the worker researcher and some of the tensions around the concept of 'research' at work.

The book: This book will help work-based students to successfully navigate academia. It is a hands-on guide for learners, helping them to get the most out of their university experience. Real-life case studies and useful activities are embedded throughout, illuminating the routes to university qualifications based on workplace activity.


Sovereignty and the sovereign state are often seen as anachronisms; Globalization and Sovereignty challenges this view. Jean L. Cohen analyzes the new sovereignty regime emergent since the 1990s evidenced by the discourses and practice of human rights, humanitarian intervention, transformative occupation, and the UN targeted sanctions regime that blacklists alleged terrorists. Presenting a systematic theory of sovereignty and its transformation in international law and politics, Cohen argues for the continued importance of sovereign equality. She offers a theory of a dualistic world order comprised of an international society of states, and a global political community in which human rights and global governance institutions affect the law, policies, and political culture of sovereign states. She advocates the constitutionalization of these institutions, within the framework of constitutional pluralism. This book will appeal to students of international political theory and law, political scientists, sociologists, legal historians, and theorists of constitutionalism.


The modern science of industrial organization grew out of a debate among lawyers and economists in the waning years of the nineteenth century. For Americans, the emergent business "trust" provoked a dialogue about how the law should respond. Many of the formal theories of industrial organization, such as the ruinous competition doctrine, the potential competition doctrine, and the post-classical concern about vertical integration, were actually borrowed from the law. Anglo-American and European economists disputed the proper domain of theory and description in economic analysis. The British approach was exemplified Alfred and Mary Paley Marshall's Economics of Industry, published in 1881, which discussed such phenomena as economies of scale, multiplant economies, and plant specialization with scant mention of a single particular industry. Alfred Marshall took an even more theoretical approach to industrial organization in his 1890 Principles of Economics. By contrast, German economics of the same period was dominated by the historical school, which had survived a bitter methodological debate between the German and Austrian schools of political economy. The Austrians urged a theoretical model similar to English neoclassical price theory, while the Germans advocated a more empirical case-study approach. The historical method received a boost in the United States in 1876 when a prominent railroad regulator, Charles Francis Adams, Jr., endorsed it and criticized British political economy for its naivete about business firm behavior. In the 1870s and 1880s many American students who would become the prominent economists of the next generation selected German rather than English universities for their graduate education. Among these students were F.W. Taussig, Frank Fetter, John Bates Clark, Richard T. Ely, Simon Patten, and Edwin R. A. Seligman. Although the founders of the American Economic Association (AEA), formed in 1885, were careful to qualify their enthusiasm for the German historical methodology, part of the AEA's agenda was to include more case-study analysis. The historical method was later critiqued by a rising group of positivist economists, particularly at the University of Chicago. The positivists tried to add rigor to their discipline by identifying economic science with the ability to predict. Frank Knight argued in The Limitations of Scientific Method in Economics that detailed historical inquiries add little to the ability to predict firm behavior. But the most famous expression of the new classicism in industrial organization theory was Ronald Coase's essay on The Nature of the Firm.


This Article develops an analytic framework for understanding the role of uncertainty in regulatory design. It begins by differentiating between three types of uncertainty: legal uncertainty, factual uncertainty, and uncertainty about the application of law to fact. This framework highlights the pervasiveness of factual uncertainty and law-fact uncertainty in daily affairs. Viewed through this framework, legal uncertainty is less problematic than it is typically thought to be.The Article then focuses on legal uncertainty, examining it from two perspectives: the relationship between rules and standards, and the relationship between simplicity and complexity. It suggests that there are fundamental limits on the amount of certainty in any regulatory system. These include limits of internal consistency, limits created by the pressure for justice in the individual case, and limits created by the tendency of additional complexity — past a certain point — to decrease, rather than increase, the certainty of legal requirements.Before concluding, the Article sets out four propositions about the relationship between legal uncertainty and regulatory design. First, pockets of legal uncertainty are often a desirable characteristic of regulatory systems. Second, in any particular regulatory field, large swings over time between high levels of certainty and uncertainty are likely to be less desirable than a consistent, moderate level of legal uncertainty. Third, arguments for legal certainty are rarely distributionally neutral and are often window dressing for what are fundamentally distributional arguments. Fourth, uncertainty about the content of future legal requirements is qualitatively different from uncertainty about the application of existing legal requirements. It is beyond the scope of this Article to explore these propositions in detail. However, the ability to identify them suggests the value of having a solid analytic framework for understanding the role of uncertainty in regulatory design.


Aberrant DNA methylation affects carcinogenesis of colorectal cancer. Folate metabolizing enzymes may influence the bioavailability of methyl groups, whereas DNA and histone methyltransferases are involved in epigenetic regulation of gene expression. We studied associations of genetic variants of folate metabolizing enzymes (MTHFR, MTR, and MTRR), DNA methyltransferase DNMT3b, and histone methyltransferases (EHMT1, EHMT2, and PRDM2), with colorectal cancers, with or without the CpG island methylator phenotype (CIMP), MLH1 hypermethylation, or microsatellite instability. Incidence rate ratios were calculated in case-cohort analyses, with common homozygotes as reference, among 659 cases and 1,736 subcohort members of the Netherlands Cohort Study on diet and cancer (n = 120,852). Men with the MTHFR 677TT genotype were at decreased colorectal cancer risk (incidence rate ratio, 0.49; P = 0.01), but the T allele was associated with increased risk in women (incidence rate ratio, 1.39; P = 0.02). The MTR 2756GG genotype was associated with increased colorectal cancer risk (incidence rate ratio, 1.58; P = 0.04), and inverse associations were observed among women carrying DNMT3b C→T (rs406193; incidence rate ratio, 0.72; P = 0.04) or EHMT2 G→A (rs535586; incidence rate ratio, 0.76; P = 0.05) polymorphisms. Although significantly correlated (P < 0.001), only 41.5% and 33.3% of CIMP tumors harbored MLH1 hypermethylation or microsatellite instability, respectively. We observed inverse associations between MTR A2756G and CIMP among men (incidence rate ratio, 0.58; P = 0.04), and between MTRR A66G and MLH1 hypermethylation among women (incidence rate ratio, 0.55; P = 0.02). In conclusion, MTHFR, MTR, DNMT3b, and EHMT2 polymorphisms are associated with colorectal cancer, and rare variants of MTR and MTRR may reduce promoter hypermethylation. The incomplete overlap between CIMP, MLH1 hypermethylation, and microsatellite instability indicates that these related "methylation phenotypes" may not be similar and should be investigated separately. (Cancer Epidemiol Biomarkers Prev 2009;18(11):3086–96)


The functional role of the T cell (Tv) which can replicate vesicular stomatitis virus (VSV) on activation by the antigen was investigated in antibody response in vitro. By the inoculation of VSV into the culture, marked augmentation of antibody response to sheep erythrocytes (SRBC) was observed in the culture of spleen cells taken more than 3 days after the immunization with SRBC, suggesting that the VSV-susceptible suppressor cells were included in these spleen cells and the activity was eliminated by the effect of VSV. Development of two distinct types of suppressor T cells was revealed in the spleen of mice after the priming with SRBC. First, nylon wool nonadherent (NAd) suppressor T cells found in the spleen cells taken 3 days after immunization, and second, nylon wool adherent (Ad) suppressor T cells found in the spleen cells taken approximately 1 wk after immunization. The activity of nylon Ad suppressor T cells was completely abolished by VSV- preinfection, whereas that of nylon NAd suppressor T cells was unaffected. It was also shown that the helper T-cell activity was not influenced by VSV-preinfection. These results provided direct evidence that nylon Ad suppressor T cell but not nylon NAd suppressor T cell nor helper T cell can actually replicate VSV after antigenic stimulation. Thus it was strongly suggested that Tv represents the nylon Ad suppressor T cells.