The Plio-Pleistocene hominin Paranthropus boisei had enormous, flat, thickly enameled cheek teeth, a robust cranium and mandible, and inferred massive, powerful chewing muscles. This specialized morphology, which earned P. boisei the nickname "Nutcracker Man", suggests that this hominin could have consumed very mechanically challenging foods. It has been recently argued, however, that specialized hominin morphology may indicate adaptations for the consumption of occasional fallback foods rather than preferred resources. Dental microwear offers a potential means by which to test this hypothesis in that it reflects actual use rather than genetic adaptation. High microwear surface texture complexity and anisotropy in extant primates can be associated with the consumption of exceptionally hard and tough foods respectively. Here we present the first quantitative analysis of dental microwear for P. boisei. Seven specimens examined preserved unobscured antemortem molar microwear. These all show relatively low complexity and anisotropy values. This suggests that none of the individuals consumed especially hard or tough foods in the days before they died. The apparent discrepancy between microwear and functional anatomy is consistent with the idea that P. boisei presents a hominin example of Liem's Paradox, wherein a highly derived morphology need not reflect a specialized diet.


Non-farm enterprises have generally been perceived as a silver bullet solution for rural unemployment. This article therefore provides some insights on their potential to resolve the youth unemployment challenge in rural Ghana. Non-farm enterprises in Ghana are heterogeneous in nature based on type of enterprise, range of activities and productivity. Evidence suggests that motivations for operating these enterprises are mixed. Some households operate them as a coping mechanism to deal with household or agricultural shocks, while others may also be operated as business entities with the potential to grow sustainably and offer employment to young people. In order to harness the full potential of non-farm enterprises to address the rural youth employment challenge, it is imperative for policymakers in Ghana to identify specific sub-sectors that lend themselves to growth and have the capacity to offer sustainable employment avenues, and to critically interrogate and examine the primary reason of their establishment.


Male Fischer 344 rats were subjected to regular forced exercise beginning at weaning and continued until sacrificed at ages ranging from 2 to 18 months. Littermates served as sedentary controls. At all ages examined, the exercised animals had greater heart and lower body weights. Actomyosin was isolated from the myocardium and the ATPase activity of the contractile protein preparation was measured. Only the sedentary animals exhibited an age-related loss in enzyme activity. The physically trained animals had substantially higher ATPase specific activity than the controls at all ages. This difference in ATPase specific activity may be the result of the synthesis of different isozymic forms of myosin or changes in the regulatory proteins of actomyosin (tropomyosin and troponin). It is suggested that lifelong regular exercise may alter the known biochemical changes in the heart muscle that relate to declining cardiac function.


We have isolated zebrafish nk2.2, a member of the Nk-2 family of homeobox genes. nk2.2 is expressed in a continuous narrow band of cells along a boundary zone demarcating the location at which two of the earliest nuclei in the brain differentiate. This band of cells is located within a few cell diameters of cells expressing the signalling molecule sonic hedgehog/vertebrate hedgehog-1 (shh/vhh-1). Injection of shh/vhh-1 RNA results in ectopic expression of nk2.2 and concomitant abnormalities in the forebrain and eyes. Moreover, cyclops mutant embryos, which initially lack neurectodermal expression of shh/vhh-1, show a concomitant lack of nk2.2 expression. Together, these results suggest a requirement of shh/vhh-1 protein for the spatial regulation of nk2.2 expression.


This paper proposes an efficient learning mechanism to build fuzzy rule-based systems through the construction of sparse least-squares support vector machines (LS-SVMs). In addition to the significantly reduced computational complexity in model training, the resultant LS-SVM-based fuzzy system is sparser while offers satisfactory generalization capability over unseen data. It is well known that the LS-SVMs have their computational advantage over conventional SVMs in the model training process; however, the model sparseness is lost, which is the main drawback of LS-SVMs. This is an open problem for the LS-SVMs. To tackle the nonsparseness issue, a new regression alternative to the Lagrangian solution for the LS-SVM is first presented. A novel efficient learning mechanism is then proposed in this paper to extract a sparse set of support vectors for generating fuzzy if-then rules. This novel mechanism works in a stepwise subset selection manner, including a forward expansion phase and a backward exclusion phase in each selection step. The implementation of the algorithm is computationally very efficient due to the introduction of a few key techniques to avoid the matrix inverse operations to accelerate the training process. The computational efficiency is also confirmed by detailed computational complexity analysis. As a result, the proposed approach is not only able to achieve the sparseness of the resultant LS-SVM-based fuzzy systems but significantly reduces the amount of computational effort in model training as well. Three experimental examples are presented to demonstrate the effectiveness and efficiency of the proposed learning mechanism and the sparseness of the obtained LS-SVM-based fuzzy systems, in comparison with other SVM-based learning techniques.


In recent years, sub-band speech recognition has been found useful in addressing the need for robustness in speech recognition, especially for the speech contaminated by band-limited noise. In sub-band speech recognition, the full band speech is divided into several frequency sub-bands, with the result of the recognition task given by the combination of the sub-band feature vectors or their likelihoods as generated by the corresponding sub-band recognizers. In this paper, we draw on the notion of discrete wavelet transform to divide the speech signal into sub-bands. We also make use of the robust features in sub-bands in order to obtain a higher sub-band speech recognition rate. In addition, we propose a likelihood weighting and fusion method based on the wavelet thresholding technique. The experimental results indicate that the proposed weighting methods for likelihood combination and classifiers fusion improve the sub-band speech recognition rate in noisy conditions.


Introduction: Human sleep and its role in memory consolidation have been investigated intensively (Born, 2012). It has been found that non-rapid eye movement (NREM) sleep plays a crucial role in hippocampus-dependent declarative memory consolidation (Diekelmann, 2009). In particular, slow waves (SW), which occur mainly during slow wave sleep (SWS), correlate strongly with episodic memory performance (Mander, 2013). While many psychiatric patients suffer from sleep disturbances and memory impairments beside their main symptoms, a possible relation of diminished SWS and memory deterioration has not been sufficiently investigated. In the current proof-of-concept study, we aimed to enhance SW during SWS by inducing weak direct currents with transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) to the temporal lobes (including the hippocampi) of healthy participants. Our hypothesis was that increasing the cortical excitability during SWS, sleep-dependent memory consolidation should benefit from tDCS as compared to a placebo condition.
Methods: A randomized, placebo-controlled double-blind crossover study design was conducted to apply bi-temporal anodal tDCS (experimental procedure, see Fig. 1). DC with 2 mA (current density 0.03 mA/cm2, electrode size 35cm2 each) was delivered during SWS. Before sleep, participants performed an episodic memory task (face-occupation associations). Memory performance was measured by the number of correctly remembered items (hits). To obtain a value for sleep-dependent memory consolidation, the number of hits at delayed retention were subtracted from the number of hits at baseline. This value was taken to calculate the difference between tDCS and placebo which resulted in the tDCS memory effect. To test if the memory performance was related to the amount of stimulated SW, a partial correlation of the tDCS memory effect coefficient and the amount of SWS during stimulation was computed, with fatigue scores and learning duration as control variables. To this end, a 22-channel EEG was recorded for online sleep-staging and to timely engage the stimulation during SWS. EEG data was preprocessed including ICA, re-referencing to average reference, automatic tDCS-artifact detection, and filtering (0.5-2.0 Hz). Moreover, the data was segmented into 10s epochs that corresponded to clean EEG at SWS after the first stimulation. Finally, SW peak-to-peak amplitudes (> 75 µV) were extracted for comparison between tDCS and placebo stimulation.
Results: Data of 13 participants (mean age 24, 21-32; 7 females, 6 males) was analyzed. The partial correlation between tDCS memory effect and amount of SWS stimulation showed a strong correlation of r = 0.89 and p < 0.01 (df = 5). The same analysis with the amount of SWS placebo stimulation did not reveal any effect (r = -0.22, df = 7, p = 0.56). Focusing on the electrophysiological tDCS effect, there was a moderate increase of SW amplitude in the tDCS compared to the placebo condition (Fig. 2; tDCS: M = 93.8, SD = 5.7; placebo: M = 90.4, SD = 6.9; T = 2.2, p < 0.05).
Discussion: This study indicates that it is possible to improve sleep-dependent memory consolidation by increasing cortical excitability using tDCS during SWS. Namely, the more SW were stimulated in participants, the better their episodic memory performance. This effect was independent from individual fatigue and learning strategies and was not observed in the placebo condition. Moreover, the increased SW amplitudes in the tDCS condition add electrophysiological evidence of the behavioral tDCS-effect which is in line with our expectations. Yet a few limitations have to be considered. The small sample size leads to a low certainty of the statistical effects. A general issue found in studies using tDCS is the low replication rate. Therefore, replication of the current results is needed in another cohort and also with patients before considering clinical application. Last, an fMRI study would reveal if tDCS increases hippocampal activation as targeted.
References:
Born, J., & Wilhelm, I. (2012), 'System consolidation of memory during sleep', Psychology Research, vol. 76, no. 2, pp. 192-203.
Diekelmann, S. et al. (2009), 'The whats and whens of sleep-dependent memory consolidation', Sleep Medicine Reviews, vol. 13, no. 5, pp. 309-321.
Mander, B. A. et al. (2013), 'Prefrontal atrophy, disrupted NREM slow waves and impaired hippocampal-dependent memory in aging', Nature Neuroscience, vol. 16, no. 3, pp. 357-364.


The sectarian paradigm places newly formed religious groups not sanctioned by the state into a category of sectarian ( jiaopai ). In imperial times such groups were treated as heterodox and banned officially. They nevertheless traditionally survived well in the margins of society, in provincial centers, or allied with newlyascendant social groups. This paper discusses Falun Gong in light of this paradigm. Falun Gong is compared with two other religious groups that to some extent also reflect the sectarian paradigm, Three in One and Yiguandao. The paper first introduces each group's history, then focuses on ideology as contained in doctrinal statements and writings. The sectarian model is found to be inadequate in analyzing newly arisen popular religions and trends in contemporary China. There are no apparent genetic links between many such groups, and ideas do not consistently overlap. The paper proposes an alternative model of new syncretic movements. This model looks beyond the adversarial stances implied by the sectarian rubric.


3H-antagonists are known to bind to the alpha-2A adrenergic receptor with higher affinity in glycylglycine buffer than in Tris buffer. The purpose of this study was to examine the effect of buffers on the binding of antagonists to all four subtypes of the alpha-2 adrenergic receptor. Our approach was to examine the effects of glycylglycine, Tris, sodium phosphate (NaPO4) and potassium phosphate buffers on the binding of [3H]rauwolscine, [3H]RX821002, prazosin and oxymetazoline. We found that the affinities for the different subtypes varied with the buffer and the ligands used. Although the Bmax values varied somewhat with the buffers, they were similar for both radioligands for a specific subtype. The highest affinities and Bmax values for both radioligands were generally obtained with NaPO4 buffer. The affinities of antagonists in Tris buffer were always significantly lower than in either NaPO4 or glycylglycine buffer, and the affinities decreased as the concentration of Tris increased. In contrast, the affinity of norepinephrine for the alpha-2B subtype was higher in Tris than in NaPO4 buffer. The buffer effects did not appear to be dependent on the cell membrane composition. There appeared to be some species differences in the effects of buffers on the alpha-2C subtype. These results indicate that buffers affect the binding of antagonists to alpha-2 adrenergic receptors, that not all subtypes are altered in the same manner and that buffers alter the binding of different antagonists differently. It is generally recommended that NaPO4 buffer be used, and that Tris be avoided, when measuring the binding of antagonists to the alpha-2 adrenergic receptor.


The thesis is about household income taxation and consists of three essays.

Chapter 1 investigates the implications of the design of income tax schedules for the distribution of household income and work incentives from the cross-national perspective. Using microsimulation techniques, we evaluate the distributional effects of replacing existing graduated rate schedules in Western European countries with flat tax schemes. Our simulations show that in specific circumstances a revenue neutral flat tax reform can increase income equality and improve work incentives; in most cases, however, there is an equity-efficiency trade-off. We show that the specific flat tax design and the welfare state regime play a key role.

Chapter 2 estimates the determinants and extent of income tax compliance in a novel way, using income survey data linked with tax records at the individual level for Estonia. I model jointly two processes contributing to discrepancies in employment income between these data sources - tax evasion and (survey) measurement error. The results indicate a number of socio-demographic and labour market characteristics which are associated with non-compliance. Overall, about 12% of wages and salaries are underreported, which is very substantial for a major income source subject to third party reporting and tax withholding.

Chapter 3 follows on Chapter 2, extending the scope of analysis from employees to the self-employed. It uses the same data source but an alternative method by Pissarides and Weber (1989), where the scale of income underreporting is inferred from the comparison of income and expenditure patterns across different population groups. Results confirm substantial underreporting of earnings by private employees and indicate large underreporting by the self-employed on the basis of register income, while a much smaller scale of non-compliance is detected for the self-employed and no underreporting for private employees using survey incomes.


Context. The majority of studies on stressed 3D magnetic null points consider magnetic reconnection driven by an external perturbation, but the formation of a genuine current sheet equilibrium remains poorly understood. This problem has been considered more extensively in two dimensions, but lacks a generalization into 3D fields. Aims. 3D magnetic nulls are more complex than 2D nulls and the field can take a greater range of magnetic geometries local to the null. Here, we focus on one type and consider the dynamical non-resistive relaxation of 3D spiral nulls with initial spine-aligned current. We aim to provide a valid magnetohydrostatic equilibrium, and describe the electric current accumulations in various cases, involving a finite plasma pressure. Methods. A full MHD code was used, with the resistivity set to zero so that reconnection is not allowed, to run a series of experiments in which a perturbed spiral 3D null point was allowed to relax towards an equilibrium via real, viscous damping forces. Changes to the initial plasma pressure and other magnetic parameters were systematically investigated. Results. For the axisymmetric case, the evolution of the field and the plasma is such that it concentrates the current density into two cone-shaped regions along the spine, thus concentrating the twist of the magnetic field around the spine, leaving a radial configuration in the fan plane. The plasma pressure redistributes to maintain the current density accumulations. However, it is found that changes in the initial plasma pressure do not significantly modify the final state. In the cases where the initial magnetic field is not axisymmetric, an infinite-time singularity of current perpendicular to the fan is found at the location of the null.


Diflubenzuron (DFB, trade name dimilin ® 25 WP) is a chitin synthesis inhibitor widely used against forest insect pests in Algeria. Prior to implementation of these products as chemical agents for mosquito control, knowledge on their potential effects on non-target organisms and its behaviour in water are needed. Therefore, the present study was focused on DFB and aimed to use an HPLC procedure developed previously in order to obtain information on its degradation in freshwater and its bioconcentration in adult females of the fish Gambusia affinis (Cyprinodondiformes, Poeciliidae), which is one of the best candidates for biological control programs against mosquitoes. The adult females were exposed to dimilin ® (initial concentration 312 ng a.i./ml) for 28 days and residues analysis determined at different exposure times (0, 7, 14, 21 and 28 days). The concentration of DFB in freshwater decreased with exposure time while the amount of residues detected at the surface of the fish body increased progressively to reach a maximum at day 14 (162.7 ± 14.0 ng/fish) and declined thereafter during the exposure period. In addition, DFB incorporation into body increased with decreasing DFB concentration in water at each exposure time. The following average distribution was noted at the end of experiment (28 days): about 33% of the applied concentration was detected on the surface of fish body and was recovered by simple rinsing, and about 67% was found inside the fish body. A degradation in water and surface of fish occurred starting day 14 during the experimental period. Thus, about 40% of the initial concentration was degraded in freshwater after 28 days. The results are discussed to develop a better understanding of the degradation of dimilin in water and their potential effect on non-target organisms for its application for controlling mosquito.


Fibroblast growth factor (FGF-2) is a multifunctional growth factor that has pleiotropic effects in different tissues and organs. In particular, FGF-2 has a special role in angiogenesis, an important process in development, wound healing, cell survival, and differentiation. Therefore, incorporating biological agents like FGF-2 within therapeutic biomaterials is a potential strategy to create angiogenic bioactivity for the repair of damaged tissue caused by trauma or complications that arise from age and/or disease. However, the use of growth factors as therapeutic agents can be costly and does not always bring about efficient tissue repair due to rapid clearance from the targeted site. An alternative would be a stable supramolecular nanostructure with the capacity to activate the FGF-2 receptor that can also assemble into a scaffold deliverable to tissue. We report here on peptide amphiphiles that incorporate a peptide known to activate the FGF-2 receptor and peptide domains that drive its self-assembly into supramolecular nanoribbons. These FGF2-PA nanoribbons displayed the ability to increase the proliferation and migration of the human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs) in vitro to the same extent as the native FGF-2 protein at certain concentrations. We confirmed that this activity was specific to the FGFR1 signaling pathway by tracking the phosphorylation of downstream signaling effectors such ERK1/2 and pH3. These results indicated the specificity of FGF2-PA nanoribbons in activating the FGF-2 signaling pathway and its potential application as a supramolecular scaffold that can be used in vivo as an alternative to the encapsulation and delivery of the native FGF-2 protein.


Aims Inhibition of β-lactamase by clavulanate (Clav) sensitizes multi-and extensively drug-resistant Mycobacterium tuberculosis (Mtb) strains towards β-lactams such as amoxicillin (Amox). However, the underlying mechanism of how Mtb responds to Amox-Clav combination (Augmentin; AG) is not characterized. Results We integrated global expression profiling with the protein-protein interaction landscape and generated a genome-scale network of Mtb in response to AG. In addition to specific targets (e.g., peptidoglycan biosynthesis and β-lactamase), the response to AG was also centered on redox-balance, central carbon metabolism (CCM), and respiration in Mtb. We discovered that AG modulates superoxide levels, NADH/NAD+ balance and mycothiol redox potential (EMSH) of Mtb. Higher intra-mycobacterial EMSH potentiates mycobactericidal efficacy of AG, whereas lower EMSH induces tolerance. Further, Mtb responds to AG via a redox-sensitive transcription factor, WhiB4. MtbΔwhiB4 displayed higher expression of genes involved in β-lactam resistance along with those mediating respiration, CCM and redox balance. Moreimportantly, WhiB4 binds to the promoter regions and represses transcription of genes involved in β-lactamase expression in a redox-dependent manner. Lastly, while MtbΔwhiB4 maintained internal EMSH, exhibited greater β-lactamase activity and displayed AG-tolerance, overexpression of WhiB4 induced oxidative shift in EMSH and repressed β-lactamase activity to aggravate AG-mediated killing of drug-sensitive and –resistant strains of Mtb. Innovation and Conclusions This work demonstrate that efficacy of β-lactam\β-lactamase inhibitor combination can be attenuated by elevating mycobacterial antioxidant capabilities and potentiated by impairing redox buffering capacity of Mtb. The functional linkage between β-lactams, redox balance, and WhiB4 can be exploited to potentiate AG action against drug-resistant Mtb.


Improving knowledge, attitudes, delaying onset of sexual activity and decreasing high-risk of sexual behaviour of young people are central components in strategic planning for RH programming. This paper presents findings of an evaluation of a public multi-sectoral adolescent reproductive health and HIV prevention program in rural Kenya. Study design was a community-randomized controlled trial. Cross-sectional baseline and endline surveys were conducted to evaluate the impact of the interventions with regard to knowledge, attitude and practices. Results in intervention sites A and B as compared to the control site showed large impact on knowledge of sexual and reproductive health issues, a less significant impact regarding attitude, and a small but significant impact on sexual behaviour. The community-based intervention had a significant impact on knowledge and sexual behaviour. Adding a school-based intervention component didn't have a sustained improvement across board as anticipated. These findings underscore the need to strengthen capacities of public sector staff and enhance the robustness of strategy implementation.


OBJECTIVES: To achieve a coherent programme of topics for research in occupational health and safety, with well founded priorities and to relate them to perceived gaps and needs in The Netherlands. METHODS: In the first phase of the study 33 key informants were interviewed. In the second phase questionnaires were sent to 150 Dutch experts (including the key informants). Four groups were recruited, originating from: occupational health and safety services; scientific research institutes; governmental and other administrative bodies; and companies. Using the Delphi technique, the experts were asked to prioritize several topics, which were placed under different headings. In the third phase five workshops were organised to elaborate on the highly prioritized topics. RESULTS: The response rates were 86% for the first and 81% for the second questionnaire. In the second round consistency was reached and consensus proved to be satisfactory; so that the Delphi process was stopped. There were surprisingly few differences in opinion between the four groups. The most important heading was "design/implementation/evaluation of measures", in which the topic cost-benefit analysis of measures had the highest score. "Assessment of relations between exposure and effect" was the second most important heading. Under this heading, topics on work stress were generally judged to be more important than topics on safety and biological, chemical, and physical hazards. The headings "occupational rehabilitation/sociomedical guidance" and "occupational health care/occupational health services" had about the sam priority, closely following the heading "assessment of relations between exposure and effect". CONCLUSIONS: The general agreement on priorities should provide a sufficiently broad basis for decision makers to initiate a long term programme for occupational health research and development in The Netherlands.


Oral antibiotics are essential for the treatment of bacterial infections. A disadvantage of antibiotic therapy is gastrointestinal side effects caused in part by interfering with normal bacterial colonization of the gastrointestinal tract. However, other mechanisms could also be involved. We hypothesized that antibiotics might interfere with nutrient digestion. To test this hypothesis, we employed four tests: the biuret test (for protein digestion), the Lugol's iodine test (for polysaccharide digestion), the Benedict's test (for disaccharide digestion), and the litmus test (for lipid digestion). The in vitro effects of three different antibiotics (penicillin, tetracycline, and erythromycin) were assessed semi-quantitatively using these tests. We found that the antibiotics inhibited protein, polysaccharide, and disaccharide digestion, but not lipid digestion. Of the three antibiotics, erythromycin had the highest inhibitory effect. Interference with nutrient digestion could underlie, at least in part, the gastrointestinal side effects seen with antibiotics.


This is a highly practical book which introduces the whole range of grounded theory approaches. Unlike most existing books in this area, which are written from a particular philosophical standpoint, this text provides a comprehensive description of the strategies and techniques employed in this methodology.

Birks and Mills accessible and highly-readable text is driven by practical case examples throughout to help the reader get to grips with the process of doing grounded theory analysis for themselves. The book deploys a variety of educational activities to guide readers through both the principles and the application of grounded theory, making this an ideal starter text for those new to the approach.

This is an ideal first introduction to grounded theory for any student or researcher looking to use grounded theory approaches in their analysis for the first time.


CASE HISTORY: A 16-yr old female presented a lower back pain (LBP) with significant axial pain extending bilaterally to buttocks and anterolateral thighs. Past health history revealed laminectomy for removal of a benign tumor on L4/L5 at 8-yr old and structural scoliosis (e.g., C-curve). Computed tomographic (CT) scans of the lumbosacral spine conducted 10 years prior revealed: an abnormal articulation between the L5 transverse processes and the sacrum ala bilaterally with 5 regular lumbar vertebrae and a transitional vertebra (L6); there was no evidence of disc degeneration or spinal nor foraminal stenosis. Initial diagnosis revealed lumbosacral transitional vertebra (LSTV), however classification wasn't proposed due to patient of adolescent age. LBP was stated to be potentially due to a complicated case of Bertolotti's syndrome (BS). Conservative therapy was recommended and a follow-up post-pubertal changes to see if articulating surfaces fused with time and determine if disc above the LSTV incurred degeneration. PHYSICAL EXAM: Recent physical exam revealed no lack of strength bilaterally in lower extremities. The LBP intensity on a numeric rating scale was 7/10 and Oswestry score of 33 (moderate disability). LBP affected by prolonged sitting or standing and presenting tenderness. Provocative factors included forward flexion-based movement and restricted mobility in back extensionbased movement. DIFFERENTIAL DIAGNOSES: Disc degeneration or herniation; facet joint arthrosis; spinal canal or foraminal stenosis. TESTS & RESULTS: CT scan for comparison with initial diagnosis were ordered; complete lumbarization/sacralization with complete fusion with the neighboring sacral basis with no disc herniation or degeneration. FINAL DIAGNOSIS: CT scan revealed LSTV classification type III. DISCUSSION: LSTV are congenital spinal anomalies with variation of L5 in which enlarged/elongated transverse processes form a joint or fusion with sacrum or ilium. BS is stated to be the association of LSTV with LBP with change in biomechanical properties of the lumbar spine, however, the etiology of pain is unclear. The contact between bones at the pseudo-articulation has been debated as a source of pain which can be manifested as sacroiliac, hip, groin or imitating an L5 radicular pain. Infiltration with local steroids and anesthetics, along with positive imaging are useful diagnostic tool to study BS and pain generator—more specifically which patients have pain generator exclusively at the pseudo-articulation (complete relief of pain after the injection) and which patients have pain due to the irritation of L4 or L5 nerve root. In rare cases, patients with negative response to injections are candidates to more complex procedures such as resection of L5 transverse process and decompression with varied results. OUTCOME OF THE CASE: Patient received an interlaminar and a transforaminal epidural steroid injection with negative response. RETURN TO ACTIVITY AND FURTHER FOLLOW-UP: Despite the steroid injections, muscle relaxants and an aggressive physical therapy rehab regimen (core strengthening, stretching/flexibility, hydrotherapy, massage therapy) has been unsuccessful in pain mitigation. Resection of the abnormality has been proposed. Further research is warranted, given the pathophysiology of BS remains obscure and there being no consensus about the most appropriate therapy/management of disorder in each patient especially for younger populations.


By subsidizing the costs of civic participation, the use of the Internet use is believed to stimulate participation but there are fears that intensive Internet use causes withdrawal from public life. This paper investigates the connection between the way individuals participate online and offline in authoritarian, low‐income regimes, and the nature of eParticipation among citizens in authoritarian regimes such as Uganda. Based on personal interviews with 116 Internet users, the study found that common drivers of eParticipation, such as low cost, security and anonymity are hard to transplant into the offline world for citizens of authoritarian states such as Uganda. Perceived risks of retribution and intimidation for expressing a particular opinion or supporting a political cause mean that citizen‐to‐citizen participation is the predominant form but still at low levels, while citizen‐to‐government participation is negligible.


Introduction
Autophagy is a cellular process whereby elements within cytoplasm become engulfed within membrane vesicles and trafficked to fuse with lysosomes. This is a common cellular response to starvation, allowing non-essential cytoplasmic contents to be recycled in times of energy deprivation. However, autophagy also plays an important role in immunity and inflammation, where it promotes host defence and down-regulates inflammation. A specialised bacterial virulence mechanism, the type III secretion system (T3SS) in Pseudomonas aeruginosa (PA), an extracellular bacterium, is responsible for the activation of the inflammasome and IL-1β production, a key cytokine in host defence. The relationship between inflammasome activation and induction of autophagy is not clear.
Hypothesis and aims
The central hypothesis is that induction of autophagy occurs following PA infection and that this process will influence inflammasome activation in macrophages. Our aims were to determine the role of the T3SS in the induction of autophagy in macrophages following infection with PA, and to investigate the effects of autophagy on inflammasome activation and other pro-inflammatory pathways following infection with these bacteria.
Materials and methods
Primary mouse bone marrow macrophages BMDMs were infected with PA, in vitro. Induction of autophagy was determined using five different methods: - electron microscopy, immunostaining of the autophagocytic marker LC3, FACS, RT-PCR assays for autophagy genes, and post-translational conjugation of phosphatidylethanoloamine (PE) to LC3 using Western blot. Inflammasome activation was measured by secretion of active IL-1β and caspase-1 using ELISA and Western blot. Functional requirements of proteins were determined using knockout animals
or SiRNA mediated knockdown.
Result and Conclusions
PA induced autophagy that was not dependent on a functional T3SS but was dependent on TLR4 and the signaling molecule TRIF. PA infection also strongly induced activation of the inflammasome which was absolutely dependent on a functional T3SS. We found that inhibition of inflammasome activation increased autophagy, suggesting that the inflammasome normally inhibits this process. Further experiments showed that this inhibitory effect was due to the proteolytic action of caspase-1 on the signaling molecule TRIF. Using a construct of TRIF with a mutation in the proteolytic cleavage site, prevented caspase-1 cleavage and increased autophagy. TRIF is also involved in the production of interferon-β following infection. We also found that caspase-1 cleavage of TRIF down-regulated this pathway as well. Caspase-1 mediated inhibition of TRIF-mediated signaling is a novel pathway in the inflammatory response to infection. It is potentially amenable to therapeutic intervention. Recognition of a pathogen infection is a key function of the innate immune system that allows an appropriate defensive response to be initiated. One of the most important innate immune defences is provided by a multi-subunit cytoplasmic platform termed the inflammasome that results in production of the cytokine IL-1β.
The human pathogen Pseudomonas aeruginosa activates the inflammasome following infection in a process that is dependent on a specialized bacterial virulence apparatus, the type III secretory system (T3SS). Here, we report the novel finding that this infection results in mitochondrial damage and release of mitochondrial DNA into the cytoplasm. This initiates activation of an inflammasome based on the protein NLRC4. Autophagy induced during infection removes damaged mitochondria and acts to down-regulate NLRC4 activation following infection. Our results highlight a new pathway in innate immune activation following infection with a pathogenic bacterium that could be exploited to improve outcomes following infection.


Scanner color management is one of the key techniques for color reproduction in information optics. A new scanner color management model is presented based on analyzing rendering principle of scanning objects. In this model, a standard color target is taken as experimental sample. Color blocks in color shade area are used to substitute complete color space to solve the difficulties in selecting experimental color blocks. Immune genetic algorithm is used to correct back-propagation neural network (BPNN) to speed up the convergence of the model. Experimental results show that the model can improve the accuracy of scanner color management.


Osteogenesis imperfecta (OI) is a heterogeneous group of genetic bone disorders that are characterised by decreased bone mass, increased bone fragility and susceptibility to fractures. The severe, perinatal lethal form (Type II) (OMIM 166210) is characterised by bone fragility, with perinatal fractures, severe bowing of long bones, undermineralisation, and death in the perinatal period owing to respiratory insufficiency. The overall prevalence of OI Type II is unknown. There are three subtypes of OI Type II (A, B and C) that are characterised by different radiological features, and may be caused by different genetic faults. Two fetuses with OI Type IIA are presented.


The Forschungszentrum Karlsruhe (FZK) and the Centre de Recherches en Physique des Plasmas (CRPP) are working on a joint development program to construct and test a 70 kA current lead using High Temperature Superconductors (HTS) for the Toroidal Field (TF) coil system of the International Thermonuclear Experimental Reactor, ITER-FEAT. This program follows the development program of an HTS current lead in the 20 kA range which was successfully completed in 2000. The HTS part of the current lead will be manufactured in industry whereas the construction of the heat exchanger and the final assembly will be done in the laboratory. The HTS current lead will be tested in the TOSKA facility of FZK which has the boundary conditions for the cryogenic and high current equipment. In this paper, the results of comparative studies on HTS current leads fabricated and tested by different laboratories and in industry will be summarized. The extrapolation of the present designs to 70 kA will be done using Bi-2223 tape material as a favored material.


This paper describes some of the differences between Windows Embedded Standard 7 (WES7) and Windows Embedded Standard 2009 (WES2009). WES7 is the next generation offering in Microsoft's family of embedded operating systems. Specifically, WES7 is the successor to WES2009, which in turn was the successor to Windows XP Embedded (XPe). The goal is to provide OEM developers with a detailed understanding of the differences between the two embedded products in regards to building and deploying a fully-functional Windows Embedded image on a target device. Specifically, this paper will highlight the major differences of the development tools, features, driver packages and the overall practical experience in building and deploying images.


Deforestation is one of the greatest global environmental and development challenges. As forests are cut down, vital long-term ecological, cultural and economic services are affected, including biodiversity and the climate. For communities in forested areas, the promised benefits often fail to materialise and they are left with loss of access to traditional lands and degraded natural environments. Widespread corruption in the forest sector is often thought to have contributed not only to deforestation, but to the injustices experienced by communities. Based on data collected in Indonesia in 2010-2011, this paper investigates the mechanisms by which corruption impacts upon the use of forests. Understanding these mechanisms is an important step towards building policies and programs that can contribute to more sustainable forest management and more just outcomes for communities. The paper will provide a description of elements of the system of corruption in Indonesia's forest sector. It will identify the links between corruption and the way decisions are made in the forest sector. The focus is on the system of collusion between government and companies and the mechanisms by which this collusion creates political dependency of decision makers on converting forests and supporting companies, at the expense of the interests of communities. Communities seeking environmental justice face considerable institutional barriers because of corruption. Understanding how corruption influences government decision-makers is important for efforts to promote more sustainable, just and representative decision making.


OBJECTIVE
To characterize findings in Shih Tzus with progressive superficial necrolytic dermatitis and degenerative vacuolar hepatopathy consistent with hepatocutaneous syndrome.

DESIGN
Retrospective case series.

ANIMALS
31 Shih Tzus.

PROCEDURES
Medical records were reviewed to obtain information on signalment, history, treatment, outcome, and results of clinicopathologic testing, abdominal ultrasonography, and histologic examination of skin and liver specimens. A pedigree analysis was performed.

RESULTS
There were 16 males and 15 females. Median age at the time of diagnosis was 8 years (range, 5 to 14 years). Common clinical signs included lethargy, inappetence, weight loss, and lameness. Twenty-five dogs had cutaneous lesions consistent with hepatocutaneous syndrome; the remaining 6 initially only had hepatic abnormalities, but 3 of the 6 subsequently developed cutaneous lesions. Common clinicopathologic abnormalities included microcytosis (15/24 [63%] dogs) and high serum alkaline phosphatase activity (24/24 [100%] dogs). Hepatic ultrasonographic findings included a hyperechoic or heteroechoic appearance to the parenchyma with innumerable hypoechoic nodules. Histologic hepatic lesions consisted of degenerative vacuolar (glycogen and lipid) hepatopathy associated with minimally fibrotic to nonfibrotic, noninflammatory, proliferative nodules. Pedigree analysis confirmed a common ancestry in 12 of 18 dogs. Median survival time was 3 months (range, 1 to 36 months).

CONCLUSIONS AND CLINICAL RELEVANCE
Results suggested that HCS may have a heritable component in Shih Tzus, although the condition may also be identified in Shih Tzus without affected relatives. Clinical, clinicopathologic, ultrasonographic, and histologic abnormalities in affected Shih Tzus were similar to those previously reported for dogs of other breeds with HCS.


The Heike monogatari (Tale of the Heike) is a warrior chronicle represented in a variety of formats: not just texts but narration, performing arts, and paintings, among others. This paper explores the elite reception of Heike paintings in the Edo period by connecting it closely to the reception of other formats. Studying the "Chishakuin group"—a canonical group of paintings for elites depicting two battles in the Heike monogatari—and analyzing in particular the pair of screens in the British Museum, I will bring to light some intended functions of a social, political, and ideological nature that the Edo warrior elite expected of these paintings: most centrally, to edify the audience and legitimize the Tokugawa rule. As will be shown, these functions relied closely on the similar ones expected of other formats of the Heike monogatari. In fact, I will argue that Heike paintings, as well as the tale itself, were targeted to and received by elite women, not just men. I will investigate an interesting case of appreciation of Heike picture scrolls in 1632 by Tōfukumon'in, a daughter of the second Tokugawa shogun Hidetada and the imperial consort of Emperor Go-Mizunoo. It will be made clear that political and ideological reasons stemming from her particular background and circumstances were behind Tōfukumon'in's practice of reading the Heike paintings.


Objective: Not only white blood cells but also platelets are being considered in inflammatory reactions from now on. Mean platelet volume (MPV) and neutrophil to lymphocyte ratio (NLR) have been shown to change in inflammatory diseases like myocardial infarction, stroke and implicated in psychiatric disorders nowadays. Our first aim is to investigate the relation of MPV and NLR with depression and secondly to assess if they change with the treatment of depression. Methods: Forty-nine patients diagnosed with major depressive disorder (MDD) and hospitalized in a university hospital psychiatry inpatient unit retrospectively included in the study. Control group consisted of 48 hospital workers with no known disease. Complete blood count, Hamilton Depression Rating Scale (HAM-D) and Clinical Global Impression-Severity Scale (CGI-S) scores at admission and at discharge were noted and compared for the patient group. Discussion: MPV of depressed patients was higher than controls. When we look at admission and discharge scores of clinical scales, decrement is statistically significant for both HAM-D and CGI-S. There was decline both in MPV and NLR which were both statistically significant. Conclusion: Decreasing MPV and NLR values with the treatment of depression confirm the involvement of inflammatory processes in the pathophysiology of depression. Öztürk A et al. / Arch Clin Psychiatry. 2019;46(1):9-13


Two experiments were conducted to determine time for full establishment of rhizoma perennial peanut (RPP) under irrigation. Experiment one (E1) and experiment two (E2) were conducted, respectively, at the Lajas and Fortuna Substations of the Agricultural Experiment Station of the University of Puerto Rico. At Lajas, rhizomes of accessions USDA-ARS no. 17033, 17050, 17052, 17097 (PI no. 276233, 262826, 262833, 262839, respectively) and cultivars Florigraze and Arbrook, planted at 0.76 and 1.5 m apart in rows, were compared for rate of establishment at 60,120, 180 and 240 days postplanting. At Fortuna, rhizomes of accessions 17033 and 17097, and cv. Florigraze were compared at 80,160, and 240 days postplanting. In E2, plots were subjected to the following weed control methods: (1) manual, (2) mowing, and (3) chemical. Time to full establishment in E1 increased from about six months to eight with an increase in planting distance from 0.76 to 1.5 m. Accessions 17033 and 17097 and cv. Florigraze showed a tendency for faster lateral spread prior to 120 days postplanting than the other RPPs. However, peanut genotypes achieved fufl cover at about the same time. The use of herbicide in E2 was the most effective method for promoting faster cover of RPP plants. Establishment of the stand was achieved prior to 240 days in plots receiving weed control treatments 1 and 3, whereas those receiving treatment 2 achieved only 62.5% cover. Compared to a tropical grass, RPP exhibits a slower pattern of lateral spread and requires a longer time for full establishment when planted under similar conditions. However, reducing planting distance and using herbicides to control weeds are management strategies that can reduce time for full establishment of the RPP stand.


e18060 Background: RWD denotes data accumulated via electronic health records as well as cutting edge technology paired with consumer mobile devices. Artificial intelligence (AI) incorporates the use of algorithms and machine learning (ML) software to analyze complex medical data, improving the knowledge of cancer journeys. PRO on 256 BC patients (pts) survey repliers, users of Belong.life, a worldwide social media application for cancer pts, are presented. Methods: From 11/2018 to 01/2019, 256 pts replied to a 37 questions' survey which included information regarding clinical and emotional S/E, FT and CM use. Results: 98 pts (38%) were < 50 years of age, 158 (62%) > 50 years. Most of the pts (163, 64%) were diagnosed within 2017-8. Most pts had Stage 1 (83 pts,32%) and 2 (94 pts,37%) and 71 pts (28%) had Stage 3-4. 154 (61%) had neo-adjuvant anthracyclines-based treatments, followed by a taxane (docetaxel/paclitaxel). 149 of 256 pts (58%) reported clinical S/E: nausea and vomiting in 77 pts (52%), fatigue in 63 pts (42%), hair loss in 42 pts (28%) and body pain and neuropathy in 13 pts each (8.8%). 90 pts (35%) described various emotional symptoms: depression in 32 pts (35.6%), anxiety 13 (14.4%), 'up and down' feelings in 20 pts (22 %). FT was experienced by 100/208 pts (48%). FT was most prevalent in ages 35-50 (51/85pts, 60%) than in 51-65 (41/100pts, 41%). Main reported causes in both groups were loss or absence from work (33% and 51%) and treatment copayments (40% and 21%). CM use was reported by 42/256 pts (16.4%). Most common CM were nutritional, multivitamins, supplements and CBD oil use. ML documented a strong relationship between BC recurrence in 55/256 pts (21.5%), FT in 25/55 pts (45.5%) and CM use in 9/25 pts (36%) vs no FT in 3/30 pts (10%). Conclusions: 256 BC users of the Belong application reported on clinical and emotional S/E, FT and CM use. The high incidence of emotional S/E stresses the need for individualized attention. FT was most prevalent in the younger age group (35-50yrs) due to work loss and treatment copayments. A significant relationship was determined by ML techniques on those patients experiencing BC recurrence, FT and CM use.


IMPORTANCE
Because exposure to violence, crime, and abuse has been shown to have serious consequences on child development, physicians and policymakers need to know the kinds of exposure that occur at various developmental stages.

OBJECTIVES
To provide updated estimates of and trends for childhood exposure to a broad range of violence, crime, and abuse victimizations.

DESIGN
The National Survey of Children's Exposure to Violence was based on a cross-sectional, US national telephone survey conducted in 2011.

SETTING
Interviews by telephone.

PARTICIPANTS
The experiences of 4503 children and youth aged 1 month to 17 years were assessed by interviews with caregivers and with youth in the case of those aged 10 to 17 years.

RESULTS
Two-fifths (41.2%) of children and youth experienced a physical assault in the last year, and 1 in 10 (10.1%) experienced an assault-related injury. Two percent experienced sexual assault or sexual abuse in the last year, but the rate was 10.7% for girls aged 14 to 17 years. More than 1 in 10 (13.7%) experienced maltreatment by a caregiver, including 3.7% who experienced physical abuse. Few significant changes could be detected in rates since an equivalent survey in 2008, but declines were documented in peer flashing, school bomb threats, juvenile sibling assault, and robbery and total property victimization.

CONCLUSIONS AND RELEVANCE
The variety and scope of children's exposure to violence, crime, and abuse suggest the need for better and more comprehensive tools in clinical and research settings for identifying these experiences and their effects.


Innovation Spaces in Asia provides insight into how and why Asia is poised to impact global innovation. Asia is undergoing rapid developments in markets, sources of technology and user preferences. A key characteristic of the book is the rich empirical understanding of the dynamic processes, involving the strategic decisions of firms and entrepreneurs with the broader socio-economic environment in terms of institutions, markets, knowledge and innovation systems. Innovation spaces are analyzed within Asian countries and firms, from Asia to the world, and from the world to Asian countries.


Assisted Reproductive Technology continues to advance and has already assisted thousands in childbearing. In 2012, the American Society for Reproductive Medicine announced that oocyte cryopreservation, or egg freezing, a form of Assisted Reproductive Technology, was no longer considered an experimental procedure. Egg freezing is growing significantly in popularity and, as a result, fertility clinics continue to prosper as more women seek their services. For many women, egg freezing gives them hope of motherhood beyond the typical childbearing age. For some, this procedure can preserve their fertility following invasive medical procedures that weaken their eggs' viability. In March 2018, two tank failures occurred in San Francisco and Cleveland. As a result, thousands of eggs thawed and some women lost any chance they had at having biological children. In response, some women have sought legal recourse for their loss. This Note explores how reproductive material has been classified in property law and the overall limitations of emotional distress damages for property loss. The Note also discusses how eggs are most likely to be categorized as property and, as a result, how negligence damages for property loss are likely to be limited to the fair market value of the lost eggs. Finally, this Note argues that emotional distress damages for lost frozen eggs should be available to women for this property loss.


Son of the Native Soil is a work whose quiet maturity glows in both subject and style. Here, love heals but the force of hate is very real. The hero, Lucas Achamba, by charisma and love undertakes to unite Dudum clan which politicking and egotism have split. His quick success stirs bitter rivalry and heartless cruelty that decide his fate. Nature is jumpy and even hysterical at this, and Ambanasom exposes it with fine evocative mastery. The style is refined and honeyed by sonal devices and visual tropes that half conceal subtle slashes at human foibles.


We consider the problem of near-optimal arm identification in the fixed confidence setting of the infinitely armed bandit problem when nothing is known about the arm reservoir distribution. We (1) introduce a PAC-like framework within which to derive and cast results; (2) derive a sample complexity lower bound for near-optimal arm identification; (3) propose an algorithm that identifies a nearly-optimal arm with high probability and derive an upper bound on its sample complexity which is within a log factor of our lower bound; and (4) discuss whether our log^2(1/delta) dependence is inescapable for "two-phase" (select arms first, identify the best later) algorithms in the infinite setting. This work permits the application of bandit models to a broader class of problems where fewer assumptions hold.


Background Recent efforts to reduce patient infection rates emphasise the importance of safety culture. However, little evidence exists linking measures of safety culture and infection rates, in part because of the difficulty of collecting both safety culture and infection data from a large number of nursing homes. Objective To examine the association between nursing home safety culture, measured with the Nursing Home Survey on Patient Safety Culture (NHSOPS), and catheter-associated urinary tract infection rates (CAUTI) using data from a recent national collaborative for preventing healthcare-associated infections in nursing homes. Methods In this prospective cohort study of nursing homes, facility staff completed the NHSOPS at intervention start and 11 months later. National Healthcare Safety Network-defined CAUTI rates were collected monthly for 1 year. Negative binomial models examined CAUTI rates as a function of both initial and time-varying facility-aggregated NHSOPS components, adjusted for facility characteristics. Results Staff from 196 participating nursing homes completed the NHSOPS and reported CAUTI rates monthly. Nursing homes saw a 52% reduction in CAUTI rates over the intervention period. Seven of 13 NHSOPS measures saw improvements, with the largest improvements for 'Management Support for Resident Safety' (3.7 percentage point increase in facility-level per cent positive response, on average) and 'Communication Openness' (2.5 percentage points). However, these increases were statistically insignificant, and multivariate models did not find significant association between CAUTI rates and initial or over-time NHSOPS domains. Conclusions This large national collaborative of nursing homes saw declining CAUTI rates as well as improvements in several NHSOPS domains. However, no association was found between initial or over-time NHSOPS scores and CAUTI rates.


The application of traditional thermal insulation materials requires thicker building envelopes in order to satisfy the requirements of the emerging zero energy and zero emission buildings. This work summarizes the steps from the state-of-theart thermal insulation materials and solutions, like vacuum insulation panels (VIP), gas-filled panels (GFP) and aerogels which all have various drawbacks, to our concepts and experimental investigations for making superinsulation materials (SIM) like e.g. nano insulation materials (NIM). Keywords—superinsulation, SIM, nano insulation material, NIM, thermal conductivity, building, concept, experimental


Atmospheric aerosol particles typically consist of inorganic salts and organic material. The inorganic com- pounds as well as their hygroscopic properties are well de- fined, but the effect of organic compounds on cloud droplet activation is still poorly characterized. The focus of the present study is the organic compounds that are surface ac- tive i.e. tend to concentrate on droplet surface and decrease the surface tension. Gibbsian surface thermodynamics was used to find out how partitioning between droplet surface and the bulk of the droplet affects the surface tension and the sur- factant bulk concentration in droplets large enough to act as cloud condensation nuclei. Sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS) was used together with sodium chloride to investigate the ef- fect of surfactant partitioning on the Raoult effect (solute ef- fect). While accounting for the surface to bulk partitioning is known to lead to lowered bulk surfactant concentration and thereby to increased surface tension compared to a case in which the partitioning is neglected, the present results show that the partitioning also alters the Raoult effect, and that the change is large enough to further increase the critical super- saturation and hence decrease cloud droplet activation. The fraction of surfactant partitioned to droplet surface increases with decreasing droplet size, which suggests that surfactants might enhance the activation of larger particles relatively more thus leading to less dense clouds. Cis-pinonic acid- ammonium sulfate aqueous solutions were studied in order to study the partitioning with compounds found in the atmo- sphere and to find out the combined effects of dissolution and partitioning behavior. The results show that the partitioning consideration presented in this paper alters the shape of the K¨ ohler curve when compared to calculations in which the partitioning is neglected either completely or in the Raoult effect. In addition, critical supersaturation was measured for SDS particles with dry radii of 25-60 nm using a static paral- lel plate Cloud Condensation Nucleus Counter. The experi- mentally determined critical supersaturations agree very well with theoretical calculations taking the surface to bulk parti- tioning fully into account and are much higher than those calculated neglecting the partitioning.


ABSTRACT Aim: PD-L1, which can mediate cancer immune evasion, is broadly expressed in RCC. As RCC can respond to immune-based therapy, blocking PD-L1 represents a strategy to restore tumor-specific T-cell immunity. MPDL3280A, a human mAb containing an engineered Fc-domain, targets PD-L1 to prevent binding to its receptors PD-1 and B7.1 on activated T cells. Interim results showed that MPDL3280A had a manageable safety profile and clinical activity in advanced NSCLC, melanoma and mRCC pts. Here, we report long term follow up and correlative data for the RCC cohort. Methods: mRCC pts were enrolled in a Ph I expansion study. All pts who received MPDL3280A IV q3w at doses of 3-20 mg/kg were evaluable for safety. Pts were treated for ≤ 1 y. Response was assessed by RECIST v1.1. PD-L1 IHC was centrally assessed in tumor biopsies. Results: As of Jan 1, 2014, among 69 mRCC pts evaluable for safety, median age was 61 y and all were ECOG PS 0-1 (48% PS 1). 94% of pts had prior nephrectomy and 87% received prior systemic therapy, including cytokines (39%), VEGF-inhibition (64%) and mTOR inhibitors (26%). Pts received MPDL3280A for a median duration of 7.7 m (0.7-24.3 m). 80% of pts had a treatment-related AE; however, the frequency of G3 related events was 16%, including anemia, dehydration, fatigue and hypophosphatemia (3% each). No related G4 AEs or deaths occurred. Clinical activity was evaluated in 58 pts with clear cell histology dosed prior to Jul 1, 2013; 51 pts (88%) had an evaluable baseline PD-L1 IHC status. The ORR was 14% (8/58 PRs, 95% CI: 6, 25) and the median duration of response was 54 wks (2.7+ to 68.1+ wks). The 24-wk PFS rate was 53% (95% CI: 40, 66). An association was seen between PD-L1 intensity and response to MPDL3280A. Finally, antitumor activity that included immune-related responses was observed in non-clear cell histology pts (n = 10). Updated data including biomarkers will be presented. Conclusions: MPDL3280A was well tolerated, with no treatment-related deaths. Evidence of increased activity was observed in pts with elevated PD-L1. Durable responses and prolonged SD were observed in mRCC pts, warranting further study. Disclosure: D.F. McDermott: has participated in advisory boards for Genentech, BMS and Merck; M. Sznol: has consulted for Immune Design, Merus, Lion Biotechnologies, Kyowa-Kirin, Aztra-Zeneca-Medimmune, BMS, Amgen, Medimmune, Genentech, Symphogen, Nektar, and Anaeropharma; J. Soria: has received honoraria from Genentech and Roche; M.S. Gordon: has served in an advisory/consultant role and has received research funding from Roche/Genentech; O. Hamid: has been a speaker and consultant for Genentech, and research funding has been provided by Genentech; M. Fasso, Y. Wang, J. Bruey and G. Fine: is employed by Genentech. All other authors have declared no conflicts of interest.


Neural language models based on recurrent neural networks (RNNLM) have significantly improved the performance for text generation, yet the quality of generated text represented by Turing Test pass rate is still far from satisfying. Some researchers propose to use adversarial training or reinforcement learning to promote the quality, however, such methods usually introduce great challenges in the training and parameter tuning processes. Through our analysis, we find the problem of RNNLM comes from the usage of maximum likelihood estimation (MLE) as the objective function, which requires the generated distribution to precisely recover the true distribution. Such requirement favors high generation diversity which restricted the generation quality. This is not suitable when the overall quality is low, since high generation diversity usually indicates lot of errors rather than diverse good samples. In this paper, we propose to achieve differentiated distribution recovery, DDR for short. The key idea is to make the optimal generation probability proportional to the β-th power of the true probability, where β > 1. In this way, the generation quality can be greatly improved by sacrificing diversity from noises and rare patterns. Experiments on synthetic data and two public text datasets show that our DDR method achieves more flexible quality-diversity trade-off and higher Turing Test pass rate, as compared with baseline methods including RNNLM, SeqGAN and LeakGAN.


Artiklis analüüsitakse sotsiaalmeedia kirjandust (nt tviteratuuri, Facebooki kirjandust, Instagrami ja Tumblri luulet) kui digitaalse kirjanduse alaliiki. Kaardistatakse mõned mõisted ja lähenemised, mida sotsiaalmeedia kirjandust käsitledes on eri uurijate poolt varem kasutatud või mis on sedalaadi kirjanduse analüüsiks asjakohased. Lähemalt vaadeldakse kirjandust sotsiaalmeedias kirjanduse demokratiseerumise, amatöörsuse ja professionaalsuse, osaluskultuuri, autori ja lugeja interaktiivsuse, multimodaalsuse ja efemeersuse kontekstis ning lisaks püütakse määratleda sotsiaalmeedia kirjanduse funktsioone.

The concept of digital humanities has been intensively used only during the last fifteen years and, according to the broadest definition, it refers to the study of social, cultural and creative activities of the era of digital technologies. One of the digital humanities' research areas covers the relations between digital technologies and literature. This is a rapidly growing and changing field which, on the one hand, involves the application of the tools and methods of digital humanities in literary studies, (e.g., the quantitative analysis of literary works with the help of computer technology), on the other hand, it also includes digital cultural creativity – the description and analysis of digitally born works of literature (digital or electronic literature).
Of the research objects of digital humanities, mentioned above, the present article focusses on digital literature, paying special attention to its newest and most widely-spread subcategory – the social media literature.
The social media literature is connected with the development of the internet and the creation of the second-generation web design Web 2.0 in the late 20th and early 21st century. Web 2.0 forms the substratum for social media platforms, the largest and best-know of which are Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Tumblr, Snapchat, etc. Social media platforms are usually simple, easy-to-use and do not require special technical skills, the creation of content is made exceptionally convenient for the users.
Among other types of content, social media includes literary works created by its users. While the essence of such literature is derived from the fact that the user of Web 2.0 can create content, the architecture of each platform determines the type and form of literature which can be created on the platform. This is why we can categorise Twitterature, Facebook poetry and serial stories, Instagram poetry, Tumblr poetry, stories written on Wattpad, literary blogs, etc., as social media literature.
Social media literature has several characteristics of digital literature. Such literature is born-digital – born on social media platforms; these works are often multimodal, joining different media (adding images, sounds, videos to the texts), and often, these texts are also interactive (the readers can step in, comment on the works or even develop them further). Thus we can argue that social media literature really is a subcategory of digital literature.
This article also maps some theoretical concepts and approaches used earlier by different researchers, or which are relevant in the analysis of such type of literature. Social media literature has been examined in the context of democratisation, amateurism and professionalism, participatory culture, interactivity of the author and the reader, multimodality, and ephemerality of literature. Attempts have been made to define the functions of social media literature, such as self-expression, self-branding and self-help. These concepts form the framework for the examples analysed in this article, ranging from Facebook literature to Instagram and Tumblr poetry and to Twitterature.
Social media literature can be examined from the aspect of the democratisation of literature. On social media, each user can create literary content and take it to readers, the author does not depend on literary institutions (publishers, editors, etc.) in spreading their works. Unfortunately, the lack of institutional control on social media means that quality control is missing as well – everyone can become an author. Thus, the other aspect of the democratisation of literature is that in addition to high-quality works, social media is really flooded with amateurish literature.
The concept of participatory culture can also be related with social media literature. One of the important manifestations characterising social media literature is interactivity, the dynamics of the author-reader relationship – the participation of readers in commenting on the work, in expressing their opinion, or even in the creation of the work. Compared to the traditional literature, the relationship between the author and the reader has changed, it is more immediate and it may have an effect on the process of creation.
Multimodality is the term which characterises especially well the poetry written on Tumblr and Instagram. In the social media poetry, multimodality marks the joining together of different media, primarily the combining of texts with images, and sometimes adding sounds or a video. In addition to Tumblr and Instagram poetry, multimodality can be found in Facebook poetry or prose, in literary blogs, etc.
Ephemerality denotes here the fleetingness, dispersal and temporality instead of timelessness, characteristic to the digital world. Phenomena of digital culture have been seen as short-term, temporary and disappearing. Social media literature can also be characterised by ephemerality. The temporariness and disappearance of postings has intentionally been built into the social media environments, e.g., into Facebook, Twitter and Snapchat. The ephemerality of social media literature is, primarily, determined by technology and it is related to the structure and the principles of use of these environments.
Specifying the functions of social media literature, we can point out three different functions. First – creative self-expression, which is probably the decisive impulse for amateur authors, young authors, as well as for professional authors who use the social media platforms for spreading their literary works. Second – self-promotion and self-branding, as the greatest challenge facing the authors of social media literature is the finding of the readers. To be able to catch the readers' attention, the authors who write on social media need to create a strong author image and relentlessly work on self-promotion. Third – self-help can also be classified as a function of social media literature. For example, the short and reassuring forms of Instagram poetry, on the beautifully designed and coloured background and accompanied by soft music, offer positive emotions and have a therapeutic effect.
To sum it up, we should note that social media literature is located on the intersection of different fields of research, combining internet studies, literary studies, media studies and the studies of popular culture. Social media literature is a constantly developing field, responding to the development of technologies and the existing social media platforms, as well as to the appearance of new social media platforms. Therefore, it is important to follow the developments in social media literature to broaden our understanding of literature as a field of art, and to introduce to literary studies the new phenomena which can extend the boundaries of literature.


A large dam reducing the magnitude of flows regulates the Severn River, Australia. Environmental flows (EFs) are designed to increase the magnitude of flow and improve ecological outcomes such as reducing filamentous algal biomass and re-setting algal succession. The effectiveness of EF releases to alter benthic algal assemblages is poorly understood. We examined benthic algal biomass and assemblage structure at two cobble-dominated riffle sites downstream of Pindari Dam, before and after two EFs. Both EFs had discharges of ~11.6 m3 s–1 (velocity of ~0.9 m s–1). Neither EF reduced benthic algal biomass, and sometimes led to increases, with density of some filamentous algae increasing (Stigeoclonium and Leptolyngbya). An unregulated flow from a tributary between the two sites increased discharge to 25.2 m3 s–1 (velocity of ~1.2 m s–1), decreasing biomass and density of filamentous algae. The similarity in flow velocities between scouring and non-scouring events suggests that thresholds may exist and/or suspended sediments carried from unregulated tributaries may contribute to reduce algal biomass. Identifying velocities needed to reduce algal biomass are useful. Accordingly, EFs with flow velocities ~1.2 m s–1 may achieve this in river cobble-dominated riffle sections dominated by filamentous algae. Lower flow velocities of <0.9 m s–1 may result in no change or an increase in filamentous algae.


A six-step procedure based on three-dimensional (3-D) computational fluid dynamics codes and a coupled model of electrochemistry and oxide layer growth models was proposed to estimate local wall thinning due to flow-accelerated corrosion (FAC), and they were applied to evaluate wall-thinning rates, residual lifetimes of the pipes, and applicability of countermeasures against FAC. A verification and validation (V&V) evaluation based on a comparison of calculated and measured wall thinning confirmed that the wall-thinning rate could be predicted with an accuracy within a factor of 2 and that residual wall thicknesses after 1 year of operation could be estimated with an error of <20%. To mitigate one of the disadvantages of the 3-D FAC code, which is the large amount of computational time needed, and to evaluate FAC occurrence probability for entire plant systems, a one-dimensional (1-D) FAC code was developed by applying 1-D mass transfer coefficients and geometrical factors. High-FAC occurrence zones along entire cooling systems and the effects of countermeasures on mitigating the risks could be evaluated within a small amount of computer time. Prior to application of the easy-to-handle FAC code for plant analysis, its accuracy and applicability should be confirmed based on V&V processes. From comparison of maximum wall-thinning rates calculated with the 1-D FAC code, those calculated with the 3-D FAC code, and measured results for experimental loops and secondary piping of an actual pressurized water reactor plant, it was confirmed that the calculated wall-thinning rates agreed with the measured ones within a factor of 2.


Agencies possess enormous regulatory discretion. This discretion allows executive branch agencies in particular to insulate their decisions from presidential review by raising the costs of such review. They can do so, for example, through variations in policymaking form, cost-benefit analysis quality, timing strategies, and institutional coalition-building. This Article seeks to help shift the literature's focus on court-centered agency behavior to consider instead the role of the President under current executive orders. Specifically, the Article marshals public-choice insights to offer an analytic framework for what it calls agency self-insulation under presidential review, illustrates the phenomenon, and assesses some normative implications. The framework generates several empirically testable hypotheses regarding how presidential transitions and policy shifts will influence agency behavior. It also challenges the doctrinal focus on removal restrictions and highlights instead a more functional understanding of agency independence. Finally, these dynamics suggest a role for courts to help enforce separation of powers principles within the executive branch and also, along with Congress, to facilitate political monitoring by encouraging information from sources external to the presidential review process.


While beta thalassaemia is not a common disorder with an estimated 100 000 severely affected individuals worldwide, improved survival rates and increased global migration means an increased frequency of such patients being seen for various surgeries. The different aspects of this disorder have wide-ranging implications for anaesthesia. Thus, for safe anaesthetic care, the anaesthetist needs to have a good understanding of beta thalassaemia. Presented here is a case report of a 32-year-old gentleman with beta thalassaemia major presenting for elective laparoscopic cholecystectomy and splenectomy, followed by a discussion of the literature.


In order to clarify the physiological effects of Chlorella intake on subjects with high-risk factors for lifestyle-related diseases, we conducted Chlorella ingestion tests on 17 subjects with high-risk factors for lifestyle-related diseases and 17 healthy subjects over a 16-week period, including a 4-week post-observation period. We conducted blood biochemical tests and analyzed gene expression profile in whole blood cells in the peripheral blood before and after Chlorella intake. We confirmed that in both groups, Chlorella intake resulted in noticeable reductions in body fat percentage, serum total cholesterol, and fasting blood glucose levels. Through gene expression analysis, we found that gene expression profiles varied with Chlorella intake and identified many genes that exhibited behavior such that after the completion of the intake period, expression levels returned to pre-intake expression ones. Among these were genes related to signal transduction molecules, metabolic enzymes, receptors, transporters, and cytokines. A difference in expression level was found between the two groups at the start of the tests, and we were able to identify genes with noticeable variance in expression level resulting from Chlorella intake in the high-risk factor group. These included genes involved in fat metabolism and insulin signaling pathways, which suggests that these pathways could be physiologically affected by Chlorella intake. There were clear variations in the expression profiles of genes directly related to uptake of glucose resulting from Chlorella intake, indicating that the activation of insulin signaling pathways could be the reason for the hypoglycemic effects of Chlorella.


On the 11th of March 2011, a giant earthquake with a magnitude of 9.0 hit the east coast of northern Japan and triggered a tsunami which caused massive destruction in the Tōhoku region. This event and its nuclear aftermath led to severe psychological stress for the victims. How should one deal with this type of traumatic experience? What can be done to prevent or treat mental disorders like PTSD (Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder)?
Based on the concept of poetry therapy and its Japanese counterpart shiika ryōhō, this paper examines the possibility of dealing with and overcoming trauma by reading and writing literature. The case analysis of Asahigaoka, a district of Minamisanriku in Miyagi Prefecture, illustrates how these theories can be applied. About one month after the threefold catastrophe, survivors gathered together at the local community center to exchange their thoughts about the disaster. They not only talked to each other, but also chose senryū, a classical Japanese short poetic form that consists of seventeen morae, to express themselves.
This study shows that in the case of Asahigaoka, daily collective reading, presenting, and writing of senryū was not only a stabilizing factor in the everyday life of the people, but also helped them to open their hearts to others. This led them to talk about their feelings, which resulted in the opportunity to experience a special form of emotional healing.


Social and ecological challenges often elicit behavioural and physiological responses that are adaptive and subject to selection. The varying behavioural states and traits of animals are a direct output of the nervous system and underlying molecular substrates. Changes in gene expression in response to a variety of contexts such as mate choice, aggression and developmental experience can alter a number of cellular and neural pathways that lead to changes in behaviour. A common framework has emerged to understand the role of the transcriptome in animal behaviour. Behavioural plasticity describes both an individual's ability to modify behavioural states and correlated suites of behaviour in populations, which may constrain variance across contexts. By integrating the study of behavioural plasticity with genome scale, bioinformatics and candidate gene analyses, we are rapidly expanding our understanding of this kind of organismal flexibility, its relationship with the genome and its evolutionary implications.

Key Concepts

To understand animal behaviour fully, both the proximate (causation and ontogeny) and the ultimate (function and evolution) mechanisms of behaviour must be considered and integrated.
Utilising both forward and reverse genetics, candidate genes underlying a behaviour can be better identified and characterised.
The genome is plastic and flexible in response to social or environmental cues, which can lead to changes in behaviour.
Comparative transcriptomics across species can help identify and characterise conserved mechanisms of animal behaviour.
The relationship between behavioural evolution and the processes that generate structural variation in the genome is not well understood and needs to be considered.
The proposed framework will streamline future studies to uncover not only the genetic and neural mechanisms of complex animal behaviours but also its adaptive function and evolution.

Keywords:

behavioural plasticity;
genomics;
animal behaviour;
genes;
next-generation sequencing;
bioinformatics;
gene networks;
candidate genes


In the companion paper, it was established that a secretory form of immunoglobulin, sIg, is present at or near the cell surface. This unexpected occurrence of sIg was postulated to be due to the labelling of sIg which remains temporarily associated with the cell packaged in a vesicle which appears to bud from the plasma membrane at a single pole of the cell. The question that is addressed in this report is whether or not this polar accumulation of sIg represents a common pathway for the exit of this protein which is used by antibody-producing cells. This question is important since, in spite of the fact that the intracellular events associated with immunoglobulin synthesis (processing and movement between subcellular compartments) have been defined, very little data exists on how or where immunoglobulin finally leaves the plasma cell. This question was approached here by first demonstrating that the polar immunoglobulin secretory vesicles (ISV) are associated with several sIg-producing cells including other hybridomas, B-cell lines, and mitogen-activated spleen cells. The second approach was to characterize the ISV on the cell ultrastructurally and to establish that these vesicles are released from the cell carrying with them sIg. Isolated vesicles released from biosynthetically labeled Ig-producing cells were analyzed by SDS-PAGE in order to confirm the presence of sIg and to determine the number of other proteins associated with the ISV, their molecular weights, and the degree of disulfide crosslinking of the molecules comprising this structure. Finally, the kinetics of sIg release was established by a pulse chase protocol for biosynthetically labeled cells, and by monitoring the release of radioactive Ig from surface iodinated cells. As was predicted from our biochemical studies of the ISV, we observed a very slow phase of sIg release as well as a rapid release phase. Our studies have established that at least one of the pathways for the release of Ig from hybridomas, B-cell lines, and normal splenic B-cells is via a polar multivesiculated structure that we have termed ISV, and that the sIg can be released either as a free form of the protein or packaged within a satellite vesicle which may release the sIg later and perhaps at considerable distance from the cell that produced it.


In this paper, the potential of fully polarimetric L-band SAR data for detecting sea oil spills is investigated using polarimetric decompositions and texture analysis based on SVM classifier. First, power and magnitude measurements of HH and VV polarization modes and, Pauli, Freeman and Krogager decompositions are computed and applied in SVM classifier. Texture analysis is used for identification using SVM method. The texture features i.e. Mean, Variance, Contrast and Dissimilarity from them are then extracted. Experiments are conducted on full polarimetric SAR data acquired from PALSAR sensor of ALOS satellite on August 25, 2006. An accuracy assessment indicated overall accuracy of 78.92% and 96.46% for the power measurement of the VV polarization and the Krogager decomposition respectively in first step. But by use of texture analysis the results are improved to 96.44% and 96.65% quality for mean of power and magnitude measurements of HH and VV polarizations and the Krogager decomposition. Results show that the Krogager polarimetric decomposition method has the satisfying result for detection of sea oil spill on the sea surface and the texture analysis presents the good results.


The objective of this research is to construct a qualia service experience design model for new-style cultural creative hotels and to explore how new-style cultural creative hotels can establish the qualia service experience. It further analyzes the key factors of creating qualia experience for new-style cultural creative hotels, offering it as a reference for enterprises which expect to enhance their competitiveness using the qualia experience. This research has chosen the HOTELDAY+ Group – the biggest cultural creative design hotel chain store brand in Taiwan to conduct the qualitative case study. The outcomes of the research show that cultural creative hotels with the fusion of the qualia-element service experience design can establish the qualia service experience via six aspects, including conveying living concepts and styles, thematic service experience design and form of the style, design quality and display of the products. There is also the participation aspect in experiencing events and art creation events, design and beauty between the building and the space, as well as the characteristics and interaction of the service personnel. Since HOTELDAY+ features spatial style design, cultural experiences such as local and historical cultural sentiments, brand meaning and strategic positioning of the services, it has excelled brilliantly in the hotel's style conveyance, cultural experience, service experience design, combination of service experience providers and carriers. Thus, it is able to reach out and touch the travelers easily, making HOTELDAY+ to be favored and welcomed by travelers.


This thesis is concerned with the application of direct integration methods, particularly Dynamic Relaxation, to the nonlinear formfinding and analysis of pretensioned networks supported by compression arches. The development and application of such methods is reviewed in Chapter 2. The automated control of Dynamic Relaxation is considered in I Chapter 3. and a modified kinetic damping procedure shown to be an efficient and simple alternative to viscous nodal damping that does not require prior determination of a damping constant. It is shown that Dynamic Relaxation may be interpreted as a dynamic implementation of a first order gradient method. A modification of Buchholdt's implementation of the Scaled Conjugate Gradient method to permit arbitrary ýcable strains is presented in Chapter 4. The efficiency of this method and Dynamic Relaxation is compared in Chapter 5 for a generalised test problem having variable design parameters. Dynamic Relaxation is shown to be more efficient in all cases. In Chapter 6 Dynamic Relaxation is applied to the non-linear analysis of plane and space frames. 'The effects of finite displacements, bowing and axial force on the moment-curvature relations are included in the analysis. The method presented is compared successfully with published solutions to planar and spatial problems exhibiting snap-through buckling and subsequent post-buckling response. The development of numerical methods for formfinding isreviewed at the, start of Chapter 7. The suitability of kinetic damping for controlling Dynamic Relaxation formfinding is demonstrated and the generation of moment-free compression arches illustrated. In Chapter 8 the cable and spatial flexural elements are combined for unified Dynamic Relaxation of the -complete structure. This method, with full non-linear idealisation of the boundary structure, has demonstrated convergence at least twice as rapidly as the Scaled Conjugate Gradient method with linear boundary response. Dynamic Relaxation has been shown to be a simple and efficient analysis technique, retaining a clear physical analogy that facilitates the enderstanding, implementation and execution of non-linear response investigations. For the particular problem of pretensioned networks supported by compression arches it is a straightforward procedure to investigate the stabilising effect of the tension network on the boundary structure, thus enabling the use of lighter, more economic, compression members.


Hollow nanostructures, owing to their unique structural features, have attracted tremendous attention in electrochemical energy storage and conversion. Herein, we develop a facile and controllable, but rational and effective, method to prepare a highly active hollow nitrogen-doped carbon nanoshell (termed as HNS-800) oxygen reduction electrocatalyst. The hollow nano-shelled catalyst was synthesized by using 9,11,20,22-tetraaza-tetrapyridopentacene (tatpp) as the building block and coated with silica nano-spheres as the template, followed by carbonization at 800 °C and finally chemical etching. The average thickness of the nanoshell is ∼10 nm and about three times improvement in the specific surface area (from 253 to 647 m2 g−1) was obtained owing to the formation of the nanoshell structure. Compared with the traditional solid nanorod structure prepared without the controlled template (termed as NR-800), the newly formed hollow nanoshell structure contributed to the huge promotion of ORR in both alkaline and acidic media. The as-obtained HNS-800 exhibited very efficient activity with a high kinetic current density (Jk) of 18.02 mA cm−2 at 0.8 V vs. RHE and a small Tafel slope of 69 mV dec−1. In particular, the half-wave potential of HNS-800 (0.87 V vs. RHE) was higher by 25 mV than that of the benchmark Pt/C in 0.1 M KOH. Unlike the commercial Pt/C electrode, the HNS-800 electrocatalyst was almost free from the methanol crossover effect and showed a better stability.


This research is the case of study at PT. Millennium Penata Futures Branch of Malang by the title "Evaluation of Intern Controlling System on Foreign Exchange Investation at PT. Millenium Penata Futures Branch of Malang". The aim of this research is to know what the procedure investation foreign exchange in the company was shown good controlling and giving input about applying intern controlling system which effective and efficient at PT. Millennium Penata Futures Branch of Malang. Analize method used in this reseach based from the elements of intern controlling system like organization structure analize, authority system and record-keeping procedure analize, healthy practice analize, and efficiency employees analize The result of analysis show that in controlling system on foreign exchange investation still there are weakness. It caused there are no divison of internal audit yet and while administratively more incline to claim formed good documentation. Based on the conclusion above, the researcher may suggested that need are formed a unit organization separated and independence have duty to checked and observing effectivity of intern controlling elements.


The giant willow aphid, was first found in New Zealand in 2013 and is now established throughout the country. An orchardist in the Tasman district reported infestation of his commercial block of young 'Envy' apple trees after harvest in May 2016, adjacent to two large willow trees heavily infested with giant willow aphid. Regular observations commenced soon after to determine seasonal activity, apple tree infestation, timing and impact and any alternative host plants or possible natural enemies. Key observations since are that the giant willow aphids appear in late September on willow shoots near the base of the tree reaching low numbers before disappearing again in late November. At this time, a ladybird species (Adalia bipunctata), where observed in the willows and on other plants nearby. In late December the aphids reappeared on the willows and numbers built to a peak in late February and remained on the willows until leaf fall. The aphids were not seen on the apple trees in any signi cant numbers until February when infestation and feeding continued until late autumn. After two seasons of infestation, the apple trees closest to the infested willows are now visibly 'sick' with yellowing leaves, stunted growth, reduced fruit production and branches blackened with sooty mould.


This is a modern-day adventure story featuring Paulo's supernatural encounter with angels - who appear as warrior women and travel through the Mojave desert on their motorbikes. Haunted by a devastating curse, Paulo is instructed by his mysterious spiritual master to embark upon a journey - to find and speak to his guardian angel in an attempt to confront and overcome his dark past. The Valkyries is a compelling account of this forty day quest into the searing heat of the Mojave Desert, where Paulo and his wife, Chris, encounter the Valkyries - warrior women who travel the desert on motorcycles, spreading the word of angels. This exotic spiritual odyssey is a rare combination of truth, myth, imagination and inspiration. Ultimately it is a story about being able to forgive our past and believe in our future.


The pathophysiology of levodopa-induced dyskinesias in Parkinson's disease is incompletely understood. This study was designed to investigate in Parkinson's patients, whether time-related changes in striatal dopamine transporter availability are associated to the appearance of dyskinesias. 15 Parkinson's patients had dopamine transporter-specific SPECT imaging with 123I-FP-CIT twice: at baseline (when they were drug naïve) and at follow-up (6.31 ± 2.29 years from baseline), and were followed up clinically every six months. At the end of the study, patients were divided in two groups according to whether they had developed dyskinesias or not. Semiquantification of 123I-FP-CIT data was performed using the occipital cortex as the reference region. Specific binding ratios were calculated for the putamen and the caudate. During the clinical follow-up, all Parkinson's patients were treated pharmaceutically. 8 patients developed dyskinesias, while 7 remained nondyskinetic. At baseline, the two groups had similar 123I-FP-CIT specific binding ratio values for the putamen and the caudate (p > 0.05). Also, between-group differences in age, disease duration, and Hoehn & Yahr scores were not statistically significant. Overtime, the putaminal 123I-FP-CIT specific binding ratio values in the dyskinetic group decreased significantly (p < 0.01). The nondyskinetic patients had smaller reductions (p < 0.05) during the same period of time. At follow-up, the dyskinetic patients had significantly higher Hoehn & Yahr scores (p < 0.01) and were taking higher levodopa equivalent doses (p < 0.001), as compared to the nondyskinetic patients. The development of Parkinson's dyskinesias is related to a faster progression rate, as reflected by marked putaminal dopamine transporter decreases.


The Lower Permian Cardillo quarry is located near Arroyo del Agua, in the Chama Basin in north-central New
Mexico. The quarry is stratigraphically high in the El Cobre Canyon Formation of the Cutler Group, which is Wolfcampian in
age. During excavations in 1979, 1980 and 2002-2004, the remains of the labyrinthodont amphibian Eryops, the diadectamorph
Diadectes, a captorhinid reptile, a varanopseid pelycosaur, and the pelycosaurs Sphenacodon and Ophiacodon were recovered
from the Cardillo quarry. Taphonomic analysis reveals that this locality is an attritional fossil assemblage. The bones lie within
a series of three distinct, pedogenically modified conglomerates that also include calcrete nodules, chert, quartzite and other
siliceous pebbles. The skeletal material is mostly disarticulated, though two partially articulated pelycosaur skeletons were
recovered from overbank sediments above the uppermost conglomerate. Isolated skeletal elements and bone fragments are in
various stages of weathering and abrasion. The assemblage was not hydraulically sorted because all three Voorhies groups are
well represented. The Cardillo quarry assemblage was formed by a series of crevasse splays that incorporated bones, bone fragments
and basement clasts (siliceous pebbles). Thus, it is a classic example of a time-averaged vertebrate fossil assemblage.


Sexual size dimorphism (SSD) is the evolutionary result of selection operating differently on the body sizes of males and females. Anolis lizard species of the Greater Antilles have been classified into ecomorph classes, largely on the basis of their structural habitat (perch height and diameter). We show that the major ecomorph classes differ in degree of SSD. At least two SSD classes are supported: high SSD (trunk-crown, trunk-ground) and low SSD (trunk, crown-giant, grass-bush, twig). Differences cannot be attributed to an allometric increase of SSD with body size or to a phylogenetic effect. A third explanation, that selective pressures on male and/or female body size vary among habitat types, is examined by evaluating expectations from the major relevant kinds of selective pressures. Although no one kind of selective pressure produces expectations consistent with all of the information, competition with respect to structural habitat and sexual selection pressures are more likely possibilities than competition with respect to prey size or optimal feeding pressures. The existence of habitat-specific sexual dimorphism suggests that adaptation of Anolis species to their environment is more complex than previously appreciated.