Purpose: To compare the visual outcome of femtosecond laser-assisted anterior keratoplasty (FSALK) and microkeratome-assisted anterior lamellar keratoplasty (MALK) in anterior corneal dystrophy.  Methods: retrospective comparative chart review of 7 eyes that underwent FSALK and 7 eyes that underwent MALK. The primary outcome was the visual outcome of both procedures. The secondary outcome was the recurrence of the corneal dystrophies.Results: Mean follow-up time was 30±14(7-51) months for the FSALK group and 127±28(80-127) months for the MALK group. In the FSALK group the preoperative best spectacle-corrected visual acuity (BSCVA) improved from 20/63 to 20/25 at 36 months. In the MALK group there was 1 eye with documented BSCVA over 36 months follow-up; it improved from 20/160 preoperatively to 20/32 at 36 months. Uncorrected visual acuity (UCVA) at 36 months improved from 20/100 preoperatively to 20/63 in the FSALK group and from 20/200 preoperatively to 20/63 in the MALK group. Five eyes with Reis-Bucklers showed a clinical recurrence at a mean of 142±13(125-152) months. Two eyes with granular dystrophy showed a clinical recurrence at 23 and 80 months of follow-up. One eye in the MALK group had epithelial ingrowth. One eye in the FSALK group with compromised ocular surface due to 2 previous penetrating keratoplasty, suffered bacterial keratitis that ended up with corneal scarring. Conclusion: Both procedures improve visual outcome for anterior corneal dystrophy. FSALK has theoretical advantages over MALK; however, larger prospective studies are needed to prove this.


The Bering Sea is one of the most biologically productive regions in the marine system and plays a key role in regulating the flow of waters to the Arctic Ocean and into the subarctic North Pacific Ocean. Cores from IODP Expedition 323 to the Bering Sea provide the first opportunity to obtain reconstructions from the region that extend back to the Pliocene. Previous research at Bowers Ridge, south Bering Sea, has revealed stable levels of siliceous productivity over the onset of major Northern Hemisphere Glaciation (NHG) (c. 2.85-2.73 Ma). However, diatom silica isotope records of oxygen (δ18Odiatom) and silicon (δ30Sidiatom) presented here demonstrate that this interval was associated with a progressive increase in the supply of silicic acid to the region, superimposed on shift to a more dynamic environment characterized by colder temperatures and increased sea ice. This concluded at 2.58 Ma with a sharp increase in diatom productivity, further increases in photic zone nutrient availability and a permanent shift to colder sea surface conditions. These transitions are suggested to reflect a gradually more intense nutrient leakage from the subarctic northwest Pacific Ocean, with increases in productivity further aided by increased sea-ice and wind-driven mixing in the Bering Sea. In suggesting a linkage in biogeochemical cycling between the south Bering Sea and subarctic Northwest Pacific Ocean, mainly via the Kamchatka Strait, this work highlights the need to consider the inter-connectivity of these two systems when future reconstructions are carried out in the region.


Knowledge discovery methods often discover a large number of patterns. Although this can be considered of interest, it certainly presents considerable challenges too. Indeed, this set of patterns often contains lots of uninteresting patterns that risk overwhelming the data miner. In addition, a single interesting pattern can be discovered in a multitude of tiny variations that for all practical purposes are redundant. These issues are referred to as the pattern explosion problem. They lie at the basis of much recent research attempting to quantify interestingness and redundancy between patterns, with the purpose of filtering down a large pattern set to an interesting and compact subset. Many diverse approaches to interestingness and corresponding interestingness measures (IMs) have been proposed in the literature. Some of them, named objective IMs, define interestingness only based on objective criteria of the pattern and data at hand. Subjective IMs additionally depend on the user's prior knowledge about the dataset. Formalizing unexpectedness is probably the most common approach for defining subjective IMs, where a pattern is deemed unexpected if it contradicts the user's expectations about the dataset. Such subjective IMs based on unexpectedness form the focus of this paper. We categorize measures based on unexpectedness into two major subgroups, namely, syntactical and probabilistic approaches. Based on this distinction, we survey different methods for assessing the unexpectedness of patterns with a special focus on frequent itemsets, tiles, association rules, and classification rules. © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.


Evodia rutaecarpa is commonly used as an anti-inflammatory herbal remedy in traditional Chinese medicine. In this study, the ethanol extract of E. rutaecarpa (ER) and three major quinazoline alkaloids dehydroevodiamine (DeHE), evodiamine (Evo) and rutaecarpine (Rut), isolated from ER were employed to study their inhibitory effects against influenza A virus (H1N1)-induced chemokines production in A549 lung epithelial cells as well as on chemokines-evoked cell recruitment in HL-60-differentiated macrophages. The results showed that ER was a potent inhibitor of RANTES secretion by H1N1-inoculated A549 cells (IC50: 1.9 ± 0.4 μg ml−1). Three alkaloids, although to differing extents, all concentration dependent, inhibited H1N1-induced RANTES production with Evo consistently being the most potent among these active components. ER also moderately and significantly inhibited H1N1-stimulated MCP-1 production in A549 cells. This was mimicked by Evo and Rut, but not DeHE. In the macrophage recruitment assay, both RANTES and MCP-1 markedly evoked cell migration and this phenomenon was significantly suppressed by ER. Evo and Rut, but not DeHE, also had the ability to inhibit cell migration toward RANTES and MCP-1, respectively. In summary, three major alkaloids displayed different potentials for inhibiting chemokines secretion and subsequently cell migration, which could partially explain the activity of ER. As an effective agent to suppress H1N1-induced chemokines production and block chemokine-attracted leukocytes recruitment, E. rutaecarpa and its active components may be useful in influenza virus infection-related inflammatory disorders.


Forty five finished poultry feed samples , collected from different broilers, broiler breeders and layers farms were divided into two parts, for mycological and mycotoxins examination . In counting of molds , dilute plate technique was used, whereas feed parts were used for mycotoxin estimation, they were subjected to four standard kits of Aflatoxin, Ochratoxin, T-2 toxin and Fumonisins. Mold counts were around 10 5 cfu.g -1 sample. Fourteen mold genera were recovered. From the systematic point of view, 2 genera belonged to Zygomycetes (i.e. Mucor, Rhizopus ,), 1 genus belong to Ascomycetes (i.e. Eurotium ); the majority, within so-called mitotic fungi (formerly Deuteromycetes ), encompassed 11 genera (i.e. Acremonium, Alternaria, Aspergillus, Fusarium, Paecilomyces, Penicillium, Scopulariopsis,, Trichothecium, Ulocladium and Aerobasidium ). The most frequent fungi were those from the genus Aspergillus . The concentrations of the four analyzed mycotoxins in the poultry finished feeds, and the percentages of the recovered mycotoxins, revealed that aflatoxins was recovered in 91.1% of the examined samples, with a mean value of 179.1µg/kg. The same percentage was found with Ochratoxins, but with lower mean concentration of 159.4µg/kg. In the third order were Fumonisins mycotoxins were in the third order, and they were recovered in 51.1% of the tested samples with a mean value of 127µg/kg. In the fourth order was T-2 toxin, with a percentage of 2.2% and a value of 50.0µg/kg .


"A single-storey residence conceived for the architect's own use for both living and working facilities. The plan developes in a circular pattern. Bedrooms and services are organised around a central living area capped by a movable glass roof converting it into an open patio. The continuity and definition of spaces is obtained by the diverse treatment of levels, landscaping, and water pools forming a link between exterior and interior areas. Reinforced concrete columns and load-bearing masonry walls make up the main structure."


The early compositional identity of the significant, yet canonically ignored, Andre Jolivet (1905-74) may be represented by Mana, a Polynesian concept meaning 'life force'. Jolivet's emergent practice is viewed within a continuum of non-Western inspired output from Debussy to Messiaen, also connecting with the primitivism of Stravinsky and Varese. But while sharing a quest for spirituality and expressivity, Jolivet arguably moved ahead of Messiaen in reaping compositional benefits. His originality lay in his engagement with French philosophy (through d'Olivet, Fourier, Bergson, and Chardin) and in the anthropological seriousness with which he pursued his non-Western inquiries. Discussion of Jolivet's personal library and writings precede analyses of movements from Mana, especially 'La Princesse de Bali', which are in turn related to aspects of Polynesian and Balinese culture. In conclusion: Jolivet was a crucial member of La Jeune France who influenced Messiaen; his new French identity was forged partly through the 'foreign' and the 'old'; and his non-Western vision was universal, as a social ideal, and yet precise, revealing parallels and instinctive insights into the cultural milieu of Polynesia and Bali. Perhaps in this unsustainably materialistic twenty-first century, a stark reassessment of values may enable Jolivet's 'anti-materialist' voice to be better heard.


The purpose of this research is to test whether management compensation and auditor reputation motivate management perform earnings management, its effect on companies stock return. This research use companies size, sales growth and financial leverage as control variables. The research hypotheses were tested using ordinary least square regression.The sample of this research are companies listed in the Indonesia Stock Exchange from year 2011 to 2015. The amount of samples that fulfill the criterion are 134 companies. This research take 54 companies as other samples for process of comparing with criterion that the companies were equal size firm and same industries. The theory that based this research is agency theory and signaling theory. The independent variable of earnings management is proxied by accrual discretionary and calculated by Modified Jones Model.This research reveal indeed the management compensation and auditor reputation motivate companies management performed earnings management, and influence negatively toward earnings management. Furthermore, earnings management influence negatively toward companies stocks return.


The theory and philosophy of history (just like philosophy in general) has established a dogmatic dilemma regarding the issue of language and experience: either you have an immediate experience separated from language, or you have language without any experiential basis. In other words, either you have an immediate experience that is and must remain mute and ineffable, or you have language and linguistic conceptualization that precedes experience, provides the condition of possibility of it, and thus, in a certain sense, produces it. Either you join forces with the few and opt for such mute experiences, or you go with the flow of narrative philosophy of history and the impossibility of immediacy. Either way, you end up postulating a mutual hostility between the nonlinguistic and language, and, more important, you remain unable to account for new insights and change. Contrary to this and in relation to history, I am going to talk about something nonlinguistic—historical experience—and about how such historical experience could productively interact with language in giving birth to novel historical representations. I am going to suggest that, under a theory of expression, a more friendly relationship can be established between experience and language: a relationship in which they are not hostile to but rather desperately need each other. To explain the occurrence of new insights and historiographical change, I will talk about a process of expression as sense formation and meaning constitution in history, and condense the theory into a struckthrough "of," as the expression of historical experience.


The flagellar machinery is a highly complex organelle composed of a free rotating flagellum and a fixed stator that converts energy into movement. The assembly of the flagella and the stator requires interactions with the peptidoglycan layer through which the organelle has to pass for externalization. Lytic transglycosylases are peptidoglycan degrading enzymes that cleave the sugar backbone of peptidoglycan layer. We show that an endogenous lytic transglycosylase is required for full motility of Helicobacter pylori and colonization of the gastric mucosa. Deficiency of motility resulted from a paralysed phenotype implying an altered ability to generate flagellar rotation. Similarly, another Gram‐negative pathogen Salmonella typhimurium and the Gram‐positive pathogen Listeria monocytogenes required the activity of lytic transglycosylases, Slt or MltC, and a glucosaminidase (Auto), respectively, for full motility. Furthermore, we show that in absence of the appropriate lytic transglycosylase, the flagellar motor protein MotB from H. pylori does not localize properly to the bacterial pole. We present a new model involving the maturation of the surrounding peptidoglycan for the proper anchoring and functionality of the flagellar motor.


Objectives: The current objectives include the development of a global competency model applicable across a wide range of jobs, industries, and geographies for university graduates entering the workplace. Method: The competency model was developed utilizing a global panel of subject matter experts and a validation survey of over 25,000 students, faculty, staff, and employers across more than 30 countries. Results: The results showed substantial consistency for the importance and criticality ratings of the competencies, with Achieving Objectives, Analyzing and Solving Problems, Adapting to Change, Communicating Orally, Learning and Self-Development, Making Decisions, Planning and Organizing, and Working Well with Others as the highest-rated competencies across regions, roles, and industries. Conclusions: The most important competencies for students entering the workforce were consistent across different jobs, different industries, and different countries. The diversity and varied experience levels of the sample provide greater generalizability than most competency modeling projects that are often idiosyncratic to specific roles, industries, subjects, or levels. Implication for Theory and/or Practice: University faculty and staff can use the results of the validation study to develop curricula and programs that will be better able to foster important competencies to ensure that their students are better prepared to enter the workplace. Although some organizations emphasize leadership as important for all professional employees, Managing the Work of Others, Leading Others, and Influencing Others were consistently rated lower in importance by employers across all roles and regions and may not be appropriate as the primary focus of skill development for new graduates.


The XENON experiment searches for dark matter particles called WIMPs using liquid xenon (LXe) as the active target. The detector is a 3D position sensitive Time Projection Chamber optimized to simultaneously measure the ionization and scintillation produced by a recoil event of energy as low as 16 keV. The distinct ratio of the two signals for nuclear recoils arising from WIMPs and neutrons and for electron recoils from the dominant gamma-ray background determines its event-by-event discrimination. With 1 ton of LXe distributed in ten identical modules, the proposed XENON1T experiment will achieve a sensitivity more than a factor of thousand beyond current limits. A phased program will test a 10 kg detector (XENON10) followed by a 100 kg (XENON100) one as unit module for the XENON1T scale experiment. We review the progress of the XENON R & D phase before presenting the status of XENON10. The experiment will be based at the Gran Sasso Underground Laboratory and is expected to start data taking in early 2006.


In bacteria, extracellular peptides are not only a source of nutrients but also play important roles in cell-cell communication. The primary mode of uptake of these peptides in bacteria is via ATP Binding Cassette (ABC) transporters. The substrate-binding protein (SBP) of these transporters captures extracellular peptides and delivers them to membrane-bound components for transport. Bacterial peptide-binding SBPs that function in ABC transporters have evolved predominantly to function as generalists, recognising peptides of particular lengths but with low or no sequence specificity. However, within the peptide-specific SBPs are examples that appear to have evolved subsequently to recognise specific peptides.
Here we have provided the first biophysical evidence, using native electrospray mass spectrometry, for the binding of a specific peptide to an Escherichia coli SBP. This peptide is a cell wall component named murein tripeptide (Mtp, L-Ala--D-Glu-meso-Dap) and is transported by an ABC transporter containing the SBP MppA. We demonstrate that MppA recognises Mtp specifically and with high affinity (KD ~ 250 nM), as determined by protein fluorescence spectroscopy and isothermal titration calorimetry. The crystal structure of MppA in complex with Mtp has been solved in order to understand the structural basis of specific binding of Mtp to MppA. Comparison of the structure of MppA-Mtp with structures of general tripeptides bound to oligopeptide binding protein OppA, reveals close similarity in the protein chains which fold to form an enclosed interdomain pocket in which the respective peptides reside. The peptide ligands superimpose remarkably closely given the profound differences in their structure. Strikingly, the effect of the D-stereochemistry, which projects the side chain of residue 2 in Mtp in the direction of the main chain in a conventional tripeptide, is compensated by the side chain γ-linkage of the carboxylate of the D-Glu to the amino group of diaminopimelic acid. The resulting amide linkage mimicks the peptide bond between residues 2 and 3 of a conventional tripeptide. Specificity for Mtp is conferred by a series of ionic and polar residues of MppA which make charge-charge and dipole-charge interactions with the highly ionised peptide.
Analysis of multiple bacterial genomes revealed that mppA is often situated near a gene called mpaA which encodes a putative amidase enzyme which is thought to hydrolyze murein tripeptide. This genetic organization is conserved among -proteobacteria and suggests that mppA and mpaA function together and are a part of peptide catabolic pathway. The MpaA enzyme from E. coli was purified to homogeneity as a His-tagged form, and its kinetic properties and parameters were determined. MpaA was found to hydrolyze Mtp efficiently but it did not cleave murein tetrapeptide. Replacement of meso-Dap by L-Lys in the tripeptide resulted in much lower efficiency. Mass spectrometric analysis of purified MpaA suggested that it co-purifies with a zinc ion and exists as a dimer in solution. The first crystal structure of an MpaA protein from Vibrio harveyi was solved to 2.17A. The structural fold of V. harveyi MpaA was similar to eukaryotic carboxypeptidases. Analysis of the structure showed an obvious dimer interface between two monomers of MpaA and presence of a zinc ion in the active centre of each monomer consistent with the mass spectrometric data. The structure provides the basis for future modelling and mutational studies for extensive functional characterization of MpaA.


Regional politicians regard the cluster concept as a key factor for promoting regional economic performance. They refer to a comprehensive set of theoretical and empirical literature which provides the clusters' positive impact on regional development. Recent studies dealing with that topic underline the multi-dimensional character of industrial clusters. However, empirical studies about the existence of positive effects of industrial clusters are mostly based on case-study material. This procedure might be suitable for the description of individual cases. If one demands for a comprehensive identification - for example regional clusters in a national framework - this approach is not capable to produce comparable results. To solve this problem literature provides a widely oriented set of systematic approaches. Previous approaches mostly are limited to the identification of either the horizontal dimension, the spatial concentration of firms of one industrial branch or the vertical dimension, the spatial concentration of firms linked through input-output relations. Empirical cluster research should go along with theoretical progress - this in mind a multi-dimensional framework for cluster identification is needed. This background in mind, our paper contributes to the literature about systematic methodologies for industrial cluster identification. Our paper ties in with a methodological approach which has been undertaken by Titze et al. (2009) combining measures of industries' concentration and input-output-methods to identify clusters from a horizontal and vertical perspective. Extending this methodological framework using innovation interaction matrices we are capable to refer to the important role of regional knowledge networks, institutionalized through formal cooperation projects. We apply this extended framework to the federal state of Saxony in Germany and describe the regional allocation of industry clusters, different regional sources of knowledge and their degree of interaction. One interesting finding lies in the result that most local or regional innovation interactions for knowledge generation do not take place within the traditional boundaries of industrial clusters identified when using concentration measures only. Cross-sectoral cooperation, based on complementary knowledge is the major source of knowledge for industrial clusters. Although the cluster structures show a low degree of potential vertical interaction, no vertically isolated clusters exist in the Saxon cluster network.


Pharmacological studies of narcoleptic canines indicate that exaggerated pontine cholinergic transmission promotes cataplexy. As disruption of orexin (hypocretin) signaling is a primary defect in narcolepsy with cataplexy, we investigated whether markers of cholinergic synaptic transmission might be altered in mice constitutively lacking orexin receptors (double receptor knockout; DKO). mRNA for Choline acetyltransferase (ChAT), vesicular acetylcholine transporter (VAChT) and the high‐affinity choline transporter (CHT1) but not acetylcholinesterase (AChE) was significantly higher in samples from DKO than wild‐type (WT) mice. This was region‐specific; levels were elevated in samples from the laterodorsal tegmental nucleus (LDT) and the fifth motor nucleus (Mo5) but not in whole brainstem samples. Consistent with region‐specific changes, we were unable to detect significant differences in Western blots for ChAT and CHT1 in isolates from brainstem, thalamus and cortex or in ChAT enzymatic activity in the pons. However, using ChAT immunocytochemistry, we found that while the number of cholinergic neurons in the LDT and Mo5 were not different, the intensity of somatic ChAT immunostaining was significantly greater in the LDT, but not Mo5, from DKO than from WT mice. We also found that ChAT activity was significantly reduced in cortical samples from DKO compared with WT mice. Collectively, these findings suggest that the orexins can regulate neurotransmitter expression and that the constitutive absence of orexin signaling results in an up‐regulation of the machinery necessary for cholinergic neurotransmission in a mesopontine population of neurons that have been associated with both normal rapid eye movement sleep and cataplexy.


Synthetic long peptides (SLP) derived from cancer-associated antigens hold great promise as well-defined antigens for cancer immunotherapy. Clinical studies showed that SLP vaccines have functional potency when applied to pre-malignant stage patients, but need to be improved for use as a therapeutic intervention against tumours. So far, SLPs have been administered in Montanide ISA-51, a water-in-oil formulation with reported important drawbacks and induced local side effects. Therefore, there is an urgent need for replacement of Montanide by more potent and safe alternatives. In this thesis, the concept of cationic liposome-based formulations was introduced, as the backbone for improved delivery of SLPs for cancer therapeutic vaccination. The developed formulation's ability to induce efficient immune responses able to control tumour outgrowth in aggressive independent tumour models, makes cationic liposomes a very promising platform for SLP-based cancer immunotherapy. Their flexibility regarding the properties of loaded SLPs, their relative inexpensive production and the possibility to administer them via different delivery routes are all in favour for liposomal SLP-based cancer immunotherapy to become reality soon.


The reaction of cyclopentanone ( 1 ), elemental sulfur and either malononitrile or ethyl cyanoacetate gave the cyclopenta[ b ]thiophene derivatives 3a and 3b , respectively. The reaction of either 3a or 3b with either 2a or 2b afforded the cyclopenta[4,5]thieno[2,3-b]pyridine derivatives 5 and 6 , respectively. The reactivity of the latter products toward different reagents was studied to give pyrazole, pyridine, pyrimidine derivatives. The antitumor evaluation of the newly synthesized products against the three cancer cells namely breast adenocarcinoma (MCF-7), non-small cell lung cancer (NCI-H460) and VNS cancer (SF-268) showed that some of them have high inhibitory effect towards three cell lines which is higher than the standard. Moreover, the anti-leishmanial activity of the newly synthesized products was tested on Leishmania amastigotes showed that some compounds have high activity.


The beginning of the twenty-first century faces new challenges in the field of business ethics.  Totally new macro-ethical challenges have arisen and they have already inspired constant ethical reflection. Two major developments in the field of economics paved the way for this new interest in business ethics: the total dominance of the market driven economy and economic globalization. This article investigates the ethical challenges posed by this new environment from a Christian ethical perspective. Firstly norms are formulated flowing from the paradigm of Christian attitude as a manifestation of the attitude of Christ. These are love, stewardship, self-denial and obedience to God. These norms are then applied to the following modern-day issues in the field of business ethics: the challenge of globalization, respect for basic human rights, remuneration, the corporation as a moral model, the need for self-evaluation, political responsibility and environmental concern. In conclusion I attempt to define the role of Christians and Christian churches in transforming corporations into moral agents.


In an effort to eliminate apparent immediate hazards to subjects (45 CFR 46.108(3)(iii)) and the Stanford community, all in-person visits for non-essential human research activities must be postponed, while preserving critical activity on interventional treatment trials or critical clinical research. In light of this urgency around COVID-19, Stanford?s IRB is not requiring prior review of some protocol changes, e.g., implementing video/phone visits, mailing of study medications, or other changes designed to protect participant safety. Understanding that resources must be prioritized, please track these changes and file a modification in eProtocol [3] when your schedule allows. The IRB is available to assist you with these modifications.


Gender has been seen as an important factor in the distribution and utilization of productive resources worldwide. In the agricultural sector, gender differential could influence the sourcing and efficient utilization of factors of production, particularly in the livestock sub-sector of the economy. This study assessed the gender differentials in economic and technical efficiency of poultry eggs production in Lagos State, Nigeria. Multistage sampling technique was used to select respondent poultry farmers. The first and second stages were the purposive selection of five Local Government Areas (LGAs) reputed for poultry production and farm settlements in the state. The third stage involved a simple random sampling of 150 poultry farms consisting of 75 farms each managed by a male and a female Stochastic Frontier Analysis (SFA). The SFA revealed that for male management of poultry egg farms, labour input (p<0.01) and cost of medications (p<0.05) increased the poultry egg output. On the other hand, for female management, stock of birds (p<0.01), labour input (p<0.01) and feed cost (p<0.01) were the factors that increased poultry eggs output. The inefficiency model revealed that male farmers were more technically efficient (p<0.01) than female counterparts. Female managed poultry farms had less productivity (0.90) compared to males(1.22). However, 88.1% of male farms compared to 86.7% of female farms had economic efficiency ratios between 0.29 and 0.79. The study concluded that gender had impact on poultry farmers' efficiency in the study area. The study therefore recommended that training  should be organised for female managed farms while male managed farms should utilize less of cost intensive capital input. Keywords:  Agricultural resource, poultry production, sustainable livestock, Multistage sampling technique, Stochastic Frontier Analysis (SFA)


Delft University of Technology, Department of Sanitary Engineering, is researching the fundamentals of air-water flushing (AirFlush®) for membrane cleaning. The research is focused on two topics: velocities of water and air for optimal cleaning and the distribution of water and air over the cross sectional area of the module. In an earlier study the velocities of water and air to achieve an optimal cleaning for tubular membranes have been investigated. In this article the distribution of water and air over the cross sectional area of a 3''-membrane module will be discussed. Experiments have been performed and the fundamental processes that influence the distribution of air and water have been studied.


This article seeks to make an assessment of estimation uncertainty in a multi-rating class loan portfolio. Relationships are established between estimation uncertainty and parameters such as probability of default, intra- and inter-rating class correlation, degree of inhomogeneity, number of rating classes used, number of debtors and number of historical periods used for parameter estimations. In addition, by using an exemplary portfolio based on Moody's ratings, it becomes clear that estimation uncertainty does indeed have an effect on interest rates.


1. When the testis of Acheta domesticus is fixed in Flemming9s fluid and embedded in gelatine, Sudan black reveals scarcely any lipid in the externum of the acroblast. 2. It can be shown that the externum of the acroblast contains much lipid in a masked (bound) form. 3. Experiments were performed to find what substances were effective, after Flemming fixation, in unmasking the lipid of the externum and thus making it colourable by Sudan black. 4. The following substances were found to act as unmasking agents: ethanol, dioxane, phenol, resorcinol, hydroquinone, pyrogallol, tannic acid. 5. Under the conditions of the experiment, the most effective unmasking agents were 90% ethanol and 5% hydroquinone.


The purpose of this research was to investigate the complex relationship between reward systems and organisation culture. Concepts and theory from organisational culture literature as well as an initial grounded theory exercise were used to develop the theoretical framework that underpins this study. To avoid potential bias towards a managerial-only agenda and to deepen the cultural analysis, Martin's (2002) three perspectives of culture were used together with methodological principles drawn from Gregory (1983), Eisenhardt (1989) and the various cultural studies of Ogbonna (Ogbonna and Harris, 2002a, Ogbonna and Wilkinson, 2003).

The research design is interpretivist and inductive and, as such, is different in approach from many reward studies, which are primarily positivist. The aim was to collect in-depth rich data. They are derived from 4 UK case study organisations, with data collected from both employees at all levels and managers. The data are analysed manually using principles of grounded theory (Charmaz, 2006) to draw out categories and to aid theory development.

Deploying broadly cultural and sociological concepts and forms of analysis to study reward systems in the four organisations, the study reveals more nuanced interpretations in comparison with reward research purely from the employer or managerial viewpoints. Analysing sub-cultural and fragmentary cultural attributes it offers a contextualised picture of the connections between concepts that are usually thought of as distinctly different– internal and external equity, fairness, transparency, procedural and distributive justice.

The results of the study indicate that the relationship between reward and culture is subtle, intricate and overlapping. They suggest reward and culture are not separate variables whose association can be measured. Rather cultural values both fine tune (drawing on Swidler, 1986) employee reactions to reward practices and the experience of reward practices also reciprocally influences and reinforces cultural values - but only to a certain extent. The nature of the service or product of the organisation feeds into the shaping of values in relation to reward, but feeder or occupational cultures are more important than either the product/service or the
reward system.

This thesis contributes to the reward and culture literature by applying social science cultural concepts to the analysis of reward. It also develops a fine tuning model of culture and reward. It thereby extends the sociological and cultural strand of reward research that has been underdeveloped in recent decades.


Remote sensing of sea surface temperature (SST) is widely used in climate science because it provides a quasi-synoptic coverage of the ocean. However, the use of these data for near-shore habitats is hindered by the proximity of the coast, therefore further investigation is needed. We compared remote-sensing SST from the MODIS sensor (aboard the Aqua satellite) to near-shore seawater temperature (ST) recorded in situ with data loggers at 5 locations in the western Mediterranean Sea. In situ ST data were collected at 5 m depth over a ~6 yr period and at depths below 5 m at 3 of the locations. We evaluated the suitability of MODIS to represent the temperature at shallow subtidal depths relative to different modes of variability. MODIS reproduced seasonal variability with high correlations (r > 0.98) and biases (0.59 ± 0.03°C) only slightly higher than the accuracy of the loggers (0.50°C). MODIS also captured interannual variability with no systematic biases. When evaluated for intra-seasonal temperature variability, MODIS showed limited biases (up to 0.79°C) with a tendency to overestimate the variability (between 4 and 64%) in both cold and warm seasons. Finally, MODIS over-/underestimated only the most extreme unseasonably cold/warm events (by 1.51 and -0.79°C, respectively). The observed limited differences between the 2 methods can be explained by the particular hydrodynamics of the area and by methodological constraints. Overall, MODIS SST data proved to be a reliable proxy for near-shore ST in the western Mediterranean Sea, and are thus considered suitable for studies requiring temperature reconstruction in shallow near-shore environments.


AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK) β subunits (β1 and β2) provide scaffolds for binding α and γ subunits and contain a carbohydrate-binding module important for regulating enzyme activity. We generated C57Bl/6 mice with germline deletion of AMPK β2 (β2 KO) and examined AMPK expression and activity, exercise capacity, metabolic control during muscle contractions, aminoimidazole carboxamide ribonucleotide (AICAR) sensitivity, and susceptibility to obesity-induced insulin resistance. We find that β2 KO mice are viable and breed normally. β2 KO mice had a reduction in skeletal muscle AMPK α1 and α2 expression despite up-regulation of the β1 isoform. Heart AMPK α2 expression was also reduced but this did not affect resting AMPK α1 or α2 activities. AMPK α1 and α2 activities were not changed in liver, fat, or hypothalamus. AICAR-stimulated glucose uptake but not fatty acid oxidation was impaired in β2 KO mice. During treadmill running β2 KO mice had reduced maximal and endurance exercise capacity, which was associated with lower muscle and heart AMPK activity and reduced levels of muscle and liver glycogen. Reductions in exercise capacity of β2 KO mice were not due to lower muscle mitochondrial content or defects in contraction-stimulated glucose uptake or fatty acid oxidation. When challenged with a high-fat diet β2 KO mice gained more weight and were more susceptible to the development of hyperinsulinemia and glucose intolerance. In summary these data show that deletion of AMPK β2 reduces AMPK activity in skeletal muscle resulting in impaired exercise capacity and the worsening of diet-induced obesity and glucose intolerance.


Burr and Erd\H{o}s conjectured that for each $k,\ell \in \mathbb Z^+$ such that $k \mathbb Z + \ell$ contains even integers, there exists $c_k(\ell)$ such that any graph of average degree at least $c_k(\ell)$ contains a cycle of length $\ell$ mod $k$. This conjecture was proved by Bollob\'{a}s, and many successive improvements of upper bounds on $c_k(\ell)$ appear in the literature. In this short note, for $1 \leq \ell \leq k$, we show that $c_k(\ell)$ is proportional to the largest average degree of a $C_{\ell}$-free graph on $k$ vertices, which determines $c_k(\ell)$ up to an absolute constant. In particular, using known results on Tur\'{a}n numbers for even cycles, we obtain $c_k(\ell) = O(\ell k^{2/\ell})$ for all even $\ell$, which is tight for $\ell \in \{4,6,10\}$. Since the complete bipartite graph $K_{\ell - 1,n - \ell + 1}$ has no cycle of length $2\ell$ mod $k$, it also shows $c_k(\ell) = \Theta(\ell)$ for $\ell = \Omega(\log k)$.


There is a gap in the practice of psychotherapy that becomes clearly evident to non-
Aboriginal psychologists who find themselves in the position of having to provide
treatment to Aboriginal clients who present with the symptoms of depression. This is of
particular importance given the increase in the incidence of depression both nationally and
internationally. The problem stems from the reality that there is very little available by way
of psychotherapeutic interventions that are culturally suitable in the treatment of
Aboriginal clients who present with the symptoms of a depressed mood. A description of
depression is given, and current psychotherapies outlined. At the same time, Aboriginal
voices that explain Aboriginal culture and the expression of mental health is recognised
and discussed. This study acknowledges these two culturally different systems: western
psychological knowledge which often reflects individualistic, materialistic and secular
philosophical underpinnings; and Australian Aboriginal knowledge which is mostly
grounded in a philosophy that is communal, spiritual and ecological.

This study aims to play a role in the continuation of the development of an
Aboriginal psychological intervention that may be implemented by non-Aboriginal
psychologists and that makes a contribution toward filling the present gap in
psychotherapy. To achieve this aim this study recognises that Aboriginal people around
Australia are the custodians of the knowledge relating to Aboriginal psychology and, as
such, provide the voices that express their own philosophy and culture. This study accepts
the invitation to learn from Aboriginal people and the site chosen to learn from is North
Queensland.

The limitations of western psychotherapy in non-western and multicultural settings
are illuminated and current literature confirms that philosophy and culture are determinants
not only of human behaviour but also of psychotherapy. Contemporary western
psychotherapies and their theoretical and philosophical underpinnings are revisited so that
expression may be given to the salience of the manner in which western philosophy and
culture permeates western psychotherapy. By doing this, the gaze then moves toward
considering the ways in which mainstream western psychotherapy has tried, in the past, to
develop culturally appropriate treatments by indigenising psychotherapy. It also
acknowledges the implications for the therapeutic relationship. Subsequently, good reason
is given for acknowledging that other cultures have always had their own forms of
psychotherapies. This opens the portals to learn and listen to Aboriginal articulations about
their worldviews and culture. By doing so, justification is given to the hypothesis of this
study that Aboriginal psychology is determined by its own philosophy and culture and this,
by definition, determines a culturally appropriate psychotherapy. This leads to the research
question which asks Aboriginal people what it is that they do to help someone who is
suffering from depression.

The data for this study was gathered over a two-year period (January 2002 –
December 2003) in North Queensland. Interviews were conducted with Aboriginal
Australians employed at an urban Community Controlled Health Service, Aboriginal
academics, Aboriginal people from a North Queensland urban community and elders from
that same North Queensland urban community. Because there are no Aboriginal
psychologists in North Queensland, an Aboriginal psychologist from another part of
Northern Australia was interviewed. On the advice of local Aboriginal consultants, a well regarded non-Indigenous psychiatrist who has worked for many years with Aboriginal
people in North Queensland was also interviewed. Indigenous research paradigms are
discussed and a qualitative research design is implemented. The author used a 'free
association' narrative and interview methodology and interpretive analysis to analyse the
transcripts. Justification is given with regard to how data was gathered for this study and
methodological issues are reviewed.

The findings indicate that there is an Aboriginal psychology. It is grounded in a
theory of connectedness and relatedness to all things. Through the voices of the research
participants, recognition is given to Aboriginal philosophical thought and cultural
worldviews. Aboriginal voices explain the importance of connectedness and relatedness to
all things in their ways of healing. These findings offer a theoretical underpinning for the
development of an Aboriginal psychotherapy that is available to non-Indigenous
psychologists who treat Aboriginal clients. Examples of ways of applying a
psychotherapeutic intervention within an Aboriginal paradigm are given.

Findings also indicate the importance of resolving the tensions arising from the
unconscious defence mechanisms brought to this encounter between Aboriginal
participants and the non-Aboriginal psychologist, all of whom are viewed as psychosocial
subjects. The concept of the 'contact zone' is applied to address these tensions within the
asymmetrical power in this relationship that stems from a shared history of colonisation
which places the non-Indigenous psychologist in the position of coloniser and the
Aboriginal participant in the position of the colonised.

Conclusions drawn from these findings support the need to transform both
psychotherapy and the non-Aboriginal psychologist. Firstly, it builds on the works in
progress, both here in Australia and overseas, in that it responds to the need to rewrite
psychotherapy so that it is both inclusive of, and reflective of, a framework that is
grounded in Aboriginal philosophy, history and culture; and secondly, it responds to the
need to retrain non-Aboriginal psychologists who are working with Aboriginal clients. In
responding to these needs, non-Aboriginal psychologists are provided with greater
confidence in making a contribution toward filling the present gap in psychotherapy. It
offers the non-Indigenous psychologist a culturally appropriate treatment for depression
with improved sensitivity, respect, confidence and efficacy when working with an
Aboriginal clientele.


BACKGROUND
No single clinical or biologic marker reliably predicts clinical outcomes in acute lung injury (ALI)/ARDS. We hypothesized that a combination of biologic and clinical markers would be superior to either biomarkers or clinical factors alone in predicting ALI/ARDS mortality and would provide insight into the pathogenesis of clinical ALI/ARDS.

METHODS
Eight biologic markers that reflect endothelial and epithelial injury, inflammation, and coagulation (von Willebrand factor antigen, surfactant protein D [SP-D]), tumor necrosis factor receptor-1, interleukin [IL]-6, IL-8, intercellular adhesion molecule-1, protein C, plasminogen activator inhibitor-1) were measured in baseline plasma from 549 patients in the ARDSNet trial of low vs high positive end-expiratory pressure. Mortality was modeled with multivariable logistic regression. Predictors were selected using backward elimination. Comparisons between candidate models were based on the receiver operating characteristics (ROC) and tests of integrated discrimination improvement.

RESULTS
Clinical predictors (Acute Physiology And Chronic Health Evaluation III [APACHE III], organ failures, age, underlying cause, alveolar-arterial oxygen gradient, plateau pressure) predicted mortality with an area under the ROC curve (AUC) of 0.82; a combination of eight biomarkers and the clinical predictors had an AUC of 0.85. The best performing biomarkers were the neutrophil chemotactic factor, IL-8, and SP-D, a product of alveolar type 2 cells, supporting the concept that acute inflammation and alveolar epithelial injury are important pathogenetic pathways in human ALI/ARDS.

CONCLUSIONS
A combination of biomarkers and clinical predictors is superior to clinical predictors or biomarkers alone for predicting mortality in ALI/ARDS and may be useful for stratifying patients in clinical trials. From a pathogenesis perspective, the degree of acute inflammation and alveolar epithelial injury are highly associated with the outcome of human ALI/ARDS.


Managing data and computation is at the heart of datacenter computing. Manual management of data can lead to data loss, wasteful consumption of storage, and laborious bookkeeping. Lack of proper management of computation can result in lost opportunities to share common computations across multiple jobs or to compute results incrementally.

Nectar is a system designed to address the aforementioned problems. It automates and unifies the management of data and computation within a datacenter. In Nectar, data and computation are treated interchangeably by associating data with its computation. Derived datasets, which are the results of computations, are uniquely identified by the programs that produce them, and together with their programs, are automatically managed by a datacenter wide caching service. Any derived dataset can be transparently regenerated by reexecuting its program, and any computation can be transparently avoided by using previously cached results. This enables us to greatly improve datacenter management and resource utilization: obsolete or infrequently used derived datasets are automatically garbage collected, and shared common computations are computed only once and reused by others.

This paper describes the design and implementation of Nectar, and reports on our evaluation of the system using analytic studies of logs from several production clusters and an actual deployment on a 240-node cluster.


This paper studies the effect of discretizing the parametrization of a dictionary used for matching pursuit (MP) decompositions of signals. Our approach relies on viewing the continuously parametrized dictionary as an embedded manifold in the signal space on which the tools of differential (Riemannian) geometry can be applied. The main contribution of this paper is twofold. First, we prove that if a discrete dictionary reaches a minimal density criterion, then the corresponding discrete MP (dMP) is equivalent in terms of convergence to a weakened hypo- thetical continuous MP. Interestingly, the corresponding weakness factor depends on a density measure of the discrete dictionary. Second, we show that the insertion of a simple geometric gradient ascent optimization on the atom dMP selection maintains the previous comparison but with a weakness factor at least two times closer to unity than without optimization. Finally, we present numerical experiments confirming our theoretical predictions for decomposition of signals and images on regular discretizations of dictionary parametrizations.


Given a matrix of observed data, Principal Components Analysis (PCA) computes a small number of orthogonal directions that contain most of its variability. Provably accurate solutions for PCA have been in use for a long time. However, to the best of our knowledge, all existing theoretical guarantees for it assume that the data and the corrupting noise are mutually independent, or at least uncorrelated. This is valid in practice often, but not always. In this paper, we study the PCA problem in the setting where the data and noise can be correlated. Such noise is often also referred to as "data-dependent noise". We obtain a correctness result for the standard eigenvalue decomposition (EVD) based solution to PCA under simple assumptions on the data-noise correlation. We also develop and analyze a generalization of EVD, cluster-EVD, that improves upon EVD in certain regimes.


This paper discusses the application of digital human models (DHM) to examine computer generated forces necessary to move specific joysticks by using roof bolter virtual operators to predict the forces experienced on the operator's upper extremities. Using DHM and simulations of static movements, investigators analyzed predictions of joint moment and joint force effects on virtual operator's right wrist, elbow and shoulder and compared them to different body dimensions and work postures. This study exemplifies the ease of estimating upper extremity loads on equipment operators using virtual operators and computer models of equipment and work environment. As expected, comparing results of percentage of joint force and moment reduction using the electronic control and of the mechanical control showed that the electronic control had lower joint forces and joint moments over the mechanical control. The average predicted value of the joint moment on the wrist was 1.84 Nm, elbow 7.85 Nm and shoulder 14.55 Nm and of the joint force on the wrist was 5.06 N, elbow 4.56 N, and shoulder 3.67 N. Because the data illustrates low-level forces to move a joystick, inadvertent actuation of the control is addressed. Regardless of the findings, research is still needed on joysticks in real world situations such as an epidemiological assessment of equipment operators in the field before final recommendations and conclusions can be drawn.


This paper outlines the development and use of a policy model for multifunctional agriculture and rural development. The model is an important part of the EU research project, TOP-MARD (Towards a Policy Model for Multifunctional Agriculture and Rural Development).. It sets the discourse on multifunctional agriculture in the context of what OECD calls the 'New Rural Paradigm', and explores the ways in which both market and non-market 'functions' of agriculture and farm households link with economic development and quality of life in different rural territories, and how different kinds of policies influence these linkages. We develop a policy model based on an approach closer to ecological economics, adopting a systems analytic approach.We seek to capture both commodity and non-commodity relationships between farms, rural economies and quality of life. In this paper the model is applied to the Norwegian study area, Hordaland County, exploring how different policy scenarios might impact on agricultures different functions, rural economic development and quality of life.


In this Paper we evaluate the relative performance of linear, non-linear and time-varying models for about 500 macroeconomic variables for the countries in the Euro area, using a real-time forecasting methodology. It turns out that linear models work well for about 35% of the series under analysis, time-varying models for another 35% and non-linear models for the remaining 30% of the series. The gains in forecasting accuracy from the choice of the best model can be substantial, in particular for longer forecast horizons. These results emerge from a detailed disaggregated analysis, while they are hidden when an average loss function is used. To explore in more detail the issue of parameter instability, we then apply a battery of tests, detecting non-constancy in about 20-30% of the time series. For these variables the forecasting performance of the time-varying and non-linear models further improves, with larger gains for a larger fraction of the series. Finally, we evaluate whether non-linear models perform better for three key macroeconomic variables: industrial production, inflation and unemployment. It turns out that this is often the case. Hence, overall, our results indicate that there is a substantial amount of instability and non-linearity in the EMU, and suggest that it can be worth going beyond linear models for several EMU macroeconomic variables.


Industrial equipment operates under aggressive service conditions aiming at higher efficiencies. In order to attend these demanding operating conditions materials have been developed among which are the FeAl alloys. This work studied Fe-Al coatings developed in situ by the deposition of mixtures of powders by plasma transferred arc on AISI304 plates. The aim was to characterize the effect on the features of coatings of (a) 15 and 30 %wt Al in the deposited mixtures and (b) 18 % Cr and 8 % Ni both individually and together. Characterization included dilution and hardness measurements, microstructure analysis, and exposure at 650°C for 2 h in an air furnace. Abrasive sliding wear tests were used to classify the processed coatings. Coating hardness varied between 400 and 500 Hv0.3 and a columnar solidification structure developed in all coatings but on those processed with the Fe 30 wt% Al powder blend, which presented a dendritic structure. This microstructure evolved to a columnar structure following exposure to temperature. The complex powder mixtures containing FeAlCrNi resulted in a coating with a more stable response when exposed to 650°C and superior wear behavior, whereas coatings developed from the deposition of FeAl blends showed poorer stability and the highest normalized wear.


Radon is a radioactive noble gas that can be produced from the decay of radium and detected by special devices. In the air, radon compounds stick to the dust particles and other suspended particles and enter into the human body through breathing. Granite is suitable for covering the interior spaces of kitchens due to its beauty, hardness and high strength. On the other hand, radon emission and the increased risk of lung cancer due to the use of granite have created serious concerns. Therefore, in this study the radon emission rate by these stones has been investigated. Results obtained using CR-39 detector and PRASSI device show that the excessive use of granite in the kitchen without proper ventilation will increase residents' lung cancer rates.


Solid core photonic bandgap fibers (SC-PBGFs) consisting of an array of high index cylinders in a low index background and a low index defect core have been treated as a cylindrical analog of the planar anti-resonant reflecting optical waveguide (ARROW). We consider a limiting case of this model in which the cylinders in the SC-PBGF cladding are widely spaced apart, so that the SC-PBGF modal loss characteristics should resemble the antiresonant scattering properties of a single cylinder. We find that for glancing incidence, the single cylinder scattering resonances are Fano resonances, and these Fano resonances do in fact appear in the loss spectra of SC-PBGFs. We apply our analysis to enhance the core design of SC-PBGFs, specifically with an eye towards improving the mode confinement in the fundamental bandgap.


This is a report on a project partially funded by the Criminology Research Council. The original title of the research project, in the name of Jeffrey Colin Richards and Angus MacLachlan, was 'Identification of characteristics and patterns of male domestic partner abusers'. One hundred men identified as domestic partner abusers were recruited in regional Victoria, and assessed on a range of variables before participating in a men's behaviour change program. The 100 men were partitioned into two types based on heart rate responses when participating in an analogue domestic conflict situation, and three groups based on the additional measures of blood pressures and oxygen saturations. Type 1 men were more assaultive, verbally aggressive and held stronger sexist attitudes than Type 2 men. They were also more impulsive and more disinhibited and so resembled a sociopathic profile. Following participation in the men's behaviour change program, 30 of the men were reassessed, and 14 of these were again assessed at six months' follow up. Participation was associated with reductions in levels of anger, and apparent reductions in assaultiveness and indirect and verbal aggression; however the men already identified as exhibiting sociopathic like characteristics evidenced more cynical hostility and stronger sexist attitudes after participation in the program. Interviews with 14 women after their partners had participated in the program confirmed that participation produced variable results, and did not have universal beneficial effects. The report concludes that the men's behaviour change program was useful for many male domestic partner abusers, but that other options need also to be considered for men with the identified characteristics.


Abstract In empirical studies of friendship networks, participants are typically asked, in interviews or questionnaires, to identify some or all of their close friends, resulting in a directed network in which friendships can, and often do, run in only one direction between a pair of individuals. Here we analyze a large collection of such networks representing friendships among students at US high and junior-high schools and show that the pattern of unreciprocated friendships is far from random. In every network, without exception, we find that there exists a ranking of participants, from low to high, such that almost all unreciprocated friendships consist of a lower ranked individual claiming friendship with a higher ranked one. We present a maximum-likelihood method for deducing such rankings from observed network data and conjecture that the rankings produced reflect a measure of social status. We note in particular that reciprocated and unreciprocated friendships obey different statistics, suggesting different formation processes, and that rankings are correlated with other characteristics of the participants that are traditionally associated with status, such as age and overall popularity as measured by total number of friends.


Background: The respiratory quotient (RQ), defined as the ratio of carbon dioxide exhaled to oxygen uptake, reflects substrate utilization when energy is expended. Fat and alcohol have RQ values of approximately 0.7, compared with 1.0 for carbohydrate, and approximately 0.8 for protein. Here, the association between RQ and postmenopausal breast cancer risk is studied. Methods: Paired RQ measurements were obtained, separated by approximately 6 months, for women in the reliability subset of a Women's Health Initiative (WHI) Nutrition and Physical Activity Assessment Study. Linear regression of the average of the paired log RQ assessments on a corresponding log food quotient (FQ) average and other study subject characteristics, including age, body mass index, race, and education, yielded calibration equations for predicting RQ. Results: Calibration equations, using any of food frequency, food record, or dietary recall data, explained an appreciable fraction of measured log RQ variation, and these were used to compute calibrated RQ estimates throughout WHI cohorts. Calibrated RQ estimates using 4-day food record (4DFR) data related inversely (P = 0.004) to (invasive) breast cancer risk in the WHI Dietary Modification trial comparison group, and corresponding RQ estimates using food-frequency data related inversely (P = 0.002) to breast cancer incidence in this cohort combined with the larger WHI observational study. Conclusion: Although preliminary, these analyses suggest a substantially higher postmenopausal breast cancer risk among women having relatively low RQ. Impact: RQ elevation could provide a novel target for breast cancer risk reduction. Cancer Epidemiol Biomarkers Prev; 22(12); 2374–83. ©2013 AACR.


The aldo-keto reductase (AKR) superfamily encompasses more than 150 enzymes that catalyse the NADP(H)-dependent reduction of several endogenous and xenobiotic aldehydes and ketones. Human AKRs have been implicated in the development of diabetes, cancer chemotherapeutic drug resistance, tobacco carcinogenesis and other hormone-dependent cancers. As such, there is a growing need to understand the molecular basis for their involvement in disease progression and develop selective inhibitors that could be used as therapeutics. The research project presented in this thesis originates from the need to study the tertiary structures of new members of the AKR family and correlate their unique structural features to enzyme function. Three members of the AKR family, namely AKR1C1, AKR1C21 and AKR1B14 were investigated in this thesis. Human AKR1C1 enzyme regulates activity of progesterone receptors by catalysing the reductive inactivation of progesterone into 20α-hydroxyprogesterone. Aberrant AKR1C1 activity has been associated with several types of cancers, end ometriosis and obesity-related metabolic disorders. In section A of this thesis, we present a new class of salicylic acid based inhibitors of AKR1C1 identified from high throughput virtual screening of the NCI database. These compounds were developed further into potent and selective inhibitors of AKR1C1 using a structure - based drug design approach. Section B of this thesis is dedicated to structure- function analysis of mouse AKR1C21 which is the only enzyme known to exhibit 17α-reductase activity. The role of active site residues in dictating 17α- stereospecificity of this enzyme was investigated by determining the crystal structures of AKR1C21 and its mutants. The mode of binding of substrates and inhibitors in the active site of AKR1C21 was explored through molecular modelling and docking analysis. In section C, we present the first crystal structure of rat AKR1B14 which exhibits significant prostaglandin F2α synthase activity and reduces reactive products derived from lipid peroxidation and glycation with lower Km values than other members of the AKR1B subfamily. Residues involved in binding of coenzyme, bile-acid activator and aldose reductase inhibitors were investigated through molecular modelling and docking analysis. The overall aim of this study was to characterise the mode of binding of substrates and inhibitors within the active site of these enzymes in order to ascertain the role of active site residues in dictating substrate selectivity and inhibitor potency. The structural information obtained from solving the crystal structures of these enzymes was used for high throughput database screening to identify new ligands that could be developed into potent drug-like inhibitors with potential for therapeutic use through a structure based drug design process.


This book constitutes the thoroughly refereed workshop proceedings of the Second International Workshop on Medical Computer Vision, MCV 2012, held in Nice, France, October 2012 in conjunction with the 15th International Conference on Medical Image Computing and Computer Assisted Intervention, MICCAI 2012. The 24 papers have been selected out of 42 submissions. At MCV 2012, 12 papers were presented as a poster and 12 as a poster together with a plenary talk. The book also features four selected papers which were presented at the previous CVPR Medical Computer Vision workshop held in conjunction with the International Conference on Computer Vision and Pattern Recognition on June 21 2012 in Providence, Rhode Island, USA. The papers explore the use of modern computer vision technology in tasks such as automatic segmentation and registration, localization of anatomical features and detection of anomalies, as well as 3D reconstruction and biophysical model personalization


The report by Martin et al 1 describing the accuracy of resuscitation interventions by Advanced Paediatric Life Support instructors raises some interesting questions, not least for the writers of resuscitation guidelines.

The most obvious question is: Does it really matter that external chest compressions (ECCs) during cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) are performed slightly too fast, not deep enough or in the wrong ratio? From the perspective of the guideline writer, the answer is complex. For example, there is very good evidence that CPR performed by bystanders improves survival in infants and children, but there is no direct evidence in humans that strict compliance with the international recommendations on ECC rate, depth, duty cycle (the ratio between compression and relaxation) and relaxation force will achieve improved patient outcomes during resuscitation.2 Indeed, it would be impossible to design an ethical study to prove this. There is, however, evidence from laboratory animal studies, and some human observations, that inform best methods of optimising pressure and flow during ECC and it is a reasonable assumption that better perfusion should create the potential for improved outcomes.3 Hence, the guideline writer has the difficult task of translating such research evidence into a number or, as in this case,1 a small range of numbers for the interventions during ECC. If a resuscitation provider performs ECC outside these ranges, there will be no sudden failure of blood flow—it is likely the ratio of blood flow to, say, …


Despite growing interest in meat traceability systems, very little research has been done on consumer needs and perception of traceability. This gap is partly filled by the present study of consumer perception of meat traceability in Belgium, based on cross-sectional data collected in June 2001. Respondents are segmented, based on their subjective perception of meat quality, and differences in the perceived need for traceability systems between the various segments are investigated. Functional traceability attributes, such as organizational efficiency, chain monitoring and individual responsibility, are important to all consumers. Extensions with respect to process attributes, such as production methods, are less relevant to the general population, being only of interest to specific market segments, i.e. consumers with a more negative perception of meat quality and lower consumption levels. In conclusion, it is recommended that public policy focuses on the level of functional traceability attributes, whereas extensions with respect to process attributes are left to private initiatives, which focus on specific market segments.


This article investigates the ways in which Latvian sawmill workers understand the effects of global capitalism in postsocialist Latvia, here represented by the establishment of a Swedish industry in the forest-rich region of Talsi. Technology, organization, language, culture, as well as "masters", are imported specially from Sweden, and all are deemed necessary in order to make the plant competitive. The article is concluded with a discussion of how we shall understand this kind of colonization project with stability as an inbuilt goal in relation to a world economy that all the more builds on transitory relationships to places, as well as rapid movements across state borders. The article also problematizes the conceptualizations of postsocialist studies in relation to concepts such as postcolonialism, neocolonialism and neocapitalism.


Previous studies have shown that the immune-regulated cytokine gamma interferon (IFN-gamma) activates host cells to restrict intracellular growth of the bacterial pathogen Chlamydia trachomatis by induction of the tryptophan-catabolizing enzyme indoleamine 2,3-dioxygenase (IDO). Recently, subinhibitory levels of IFN-gamma were used to generate an in vitro persistent chlamydial infection characterized by large aberrant, noninfectious reticulate bodies from which infectious progeny could be recovered following the removal of IFN-gamma. Studies were done to determine if the mechanism functioning to induce chlamydiae to enter a persistent state in the presence of low levels of IFN-gamma was similar to that reported to inhibit chlamydial growth. Host cells treated with levels of IFN-gamma required to induce persistence were assessed for IDO activity by high-performance liquid chromatography analysis of tryptophan and its catabolic products. Substantial tryptophan catabolism was detected in acid-soluble cellular pools, indicating that the intracellular availability of this essential amino acid was limited under these conditions. In addition, a mutant cell line responsive to IFN-gamma but deficient in IDO activity was shown to support C. trachomatis growth, but aberrant organisms were not induced in response to IFN-gamma treatment. Analyses of infected cells cultured in medium with incremental levels of exogenous tryptophan indicated that persistent growth was induced by reducing the amount of this essential amino acid. These studies confirmed that nutrient deprivation by IDO-mediated tryptophan catabolism was the mechanism by which IFN-gamma mediates persistent growth of C. trachomatis.


Significance Climate models are foundational to formulations of climate policy and must successfully reproduce key features of the climate system. The temporal spectrum of observed global surface temperature is one such critical benchmark. This spectrum is known to obey scaling laws connecting astronomical forcings, from orbital to annual scales. We provide evidence that the current hierarchy of climate models is capable of reproducing the increase in variance in global-mean temperature at low frequencies. We suggest that successful climate predictions at decadal-to-centennial horizons hinge critically on the accuracy of initial and boundary conditions, particularly for the deep ocean state. Climate records exhibit scaling behavior with large exponents, resulting in larger fluctuations at longer timescales. It is unclear whether climate models are capable of simulating these fluctuations, which draws into question their ability to simulate such variability in the coming decades and centuries. Using the latest simulations and data syntheses, we find agreement for spectra derived from observations and models on timescales ranging from interannual to multimillennial. Our results confirm the existence of a scaling break between orbital and annual peaks, occurring around millennial periodicities. That both simple and comprehensive ocean–atmosphere models can reproduce these features suggests that long-range persistence is a consequence of the oceanic integration of both gradual and abrupt climate forcings. This result implies that Holocene low-frequency variability is partly a consequence of the climate system's integrated memory of orbital forcing. We conclude that climate models appear to contain the essential physics to correctly simulate the spectral continuum of global-mean temperature; however, regional discrepancies remain unresolved. A critical element of successfully simulating suborbital climate variability involves, we hypothesize, initial conditions of the deep ocean state that are consistent with observations of the recent past.


Award Date 5-2010 Degree Type Thesis Degree Name Master of Arts in English Department English First Committee Member Joseph B. McCullough, Chair Second Committee Member Richard Harp Third Committee Member John H. Irsfeld Graduate Faculty Representative David Wrobel Number of Pages 108 Abstract To best represent a people of a specific spatial and historical context, literary texts must necessarily demonstrate a vested interest and familiarity of a region and its inhabitants' common experiences. In examining one particular aspect of regional naturalism in American literature, this study explores the basic tenets of Prairie Naturalism as defined by three major authors: Hamlin Garland, Willa Cather, and John Steinbeck. The short stories in Hamlin Garland's Main-Travelled Roads (1891) establish the foundation of Prairie Naturalism with meticulous attention to daily lives on the plains and with political strategies to improve the lives of the oppressed. Willa Cather's novels, O Pioneers! (1913) and My Ántonia (1918), again place national attention on the plains and provide representational balance with positive and negative aspects of prairie life. John Steinbeck's The Grapes of Wrath (1939) gives voice to an otherwise marginalized population in desperate need of conditional improvement. All three authors' works function first as truthful representations of prairie ecology, economy, and ethnography; they function second as deconstructive entities against images of the pastoral plains inhabited by noble yeomen. Disciplines Literature in English, North America Language English Repository Citation Munkres, Michelle Nicole, "From main-travelled roads to Route 66: Transitions in Prairie Naturalism" (2010). UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones. 468. https://digitalscholarship.unlv.edu/thesesdissertations/468  Download


The conventional wisdom that Africa is not reducing poverty is wrong. Using the methodology of Pinkovskiy and Sala-i-Martin (2009), we estimate income distributions, poverty rates, and inequality and welfare indices for African countries for the period 1970-2006. We show that: (1) African poverty is falling and is falling rapidly; (2) if present trends continue, the poverty Millennium Development Goal of halving the proportion of people with incomes less than one dollar a day will be achieved on time; (3) the growth spurt that began in 1995 decreased African income inequality instead of increasing it; (4) African poverty reduction is remarkably general: it cannot be explained by a large country, or even by a single set of countries possessing some beneficial geographical or historical characteristic. All classes of countries, including those with disadvantageous geography and history, experience reductions in poverty. In particular, poverty fell for both landlocked as well as coastal countries; for mineral-rich as well as mineral-poor countries; for countries with favorable or with unfavorable agriculture; for countries regardless of colonial origin; and for countries with below- or above-median slave exports per capita during the African slave trade.


In contrast to hand-crafted speech databases, which contain short out-of-context sentences in fairly unemphatic speech style, audio books contain rich prosody including intonation contours, pitch accents and phrasing patterns, which is a good pre-requisite for building a natural sounding synthetic voice. The following paper will give an overview of the steps that are involved in building a synthetic voice from audio book data. After an introduction to the theory of HMM-based speech synthesis, the properties of the speech database will be described in detail. It will be argued that it is necessary to model specific properties of the database, such as higher pitched speech or questions, to achieve a better quality synthetic voice. Furthermore, the acoustic modelling of these properties will be explained in detail. Finally, the synthetic voice is evaluated on the basis of an online listening test.


The purpose of this work is to analyze the negotiation agenda of the Free Trade Area of the Americas (FTAA), its participants? main interests and the main conflicts that might arise in the process. Hence, a revision of the core interests pursued by countries in each of the nine FTAA negotiating groups is made. Interests are classified into "defensive" and "offensive". The first, are those pursued by the status quo, generally associated with the protection of the domestic market, and the latter, respond to the objective of achieving free access to the markets of participating countries. Then, diverse factors characterizing the FTAA negotiation as a unique initiative, are examined, namely: (1) the ambitious negotiation agenda and the relatively short time for its accomplishment; (2) the high number of participating countries; (3) diversity in size and productive structure of participating countries; (4) the coincidence of FTAA negotiations, the Doha Round and trade agreements signed by a significant number of countries in the region; (5) the coexistence of the future hemispheric agreement with current trade and other agreements in the region; and (6) the USA political environment.


The realization of regional synergies in industrial areas with intensive minerals processing provides a significant avenue toward sustainable resource processing. This article provides an overview of past and current synergy developments in two of Australia's major heavy industrial regions, Kwinana (Western Australia) and Gladstone (Queensland), and includes a comparative review and assessment of the drivers, barriers, and trigger events for regional synergies initiatives in both areas. Kwinana and Gladstone compare favorably with well‐known international examples in terms of the current level and maturity of industry involvement and collaboration and the commitment to further explore regional resource synergies. Kwinana stands out with regard to the number, diversity, complexity, and maturity of existing synergies. Gladstone is remarkable with regard to unusually large geographic boundaries and high dominance of one industry sector. Many diverse regional synergy opportunities still appear to exist in both industrial regions (particularly in Kwinana), mostly in three broad areas: water, energy, and inorganic by‐product reuse. To enhance the further development of new regional synergies, the Centre for Sustainable Resource Processing (CSRP), a joint initiative of Australian minerals processing companies, research providers, and government agencies, has undertaken several collaborative projects. These include research to facilitate the process of identifying and evaluating potential synergy opportunities and assistance for the industries with feasibility studies and implementation of selected synergy projects in both regions. The article also reports on the progress to date from this CSRP research.


Ideals play a key role in a student teachers' identity work. They form targets to strive for and a mirror for reflection. In this paper, we examine Finnish mathematics student teachers' metaphors for the teacher's role (N= 188). We classified the metaphors according to a model that identified teachers as subject matter experts, didactical experts, and pedagogical experts, with the addition of another two categories, self-referential and contextual. For the exploration of emerging professional identities, we studied the self-referential metaphors, which formed the most common category in the data. We observed that every third metaphor described either student teachers' personalities or their incompleteness as teachers, or new beginnings or eras. Although these aspects were expected, they also inform us as teacher educators of the values and ideals that student teachers have in terms of teaching and being a teacher. The metaphors that mathematics student teachers produced illustrated their identity processes and their emerging identity as a mathematics teacher.


e-learning is a process of integrating Information and Communication Technology (ICT) into the learning system that can be used by users without the limitation of time and location. The e-learning framework application known as Learning Management System (LMS) is capable in managing the teaching and learning processes effectively. Lecturers use LMS for the intention of increasing and enhancing the teaching-learning environment for the students with the diversity of learning resources available on the internet sites.
The goal of this research is to develop an LMS that suits the ICT competency of lecturers and students in UPM. Meanwhile, the objectives of this research are to identify the lecturers' perception on the necessity in developing the LMS in order to inculcate the culture of e-learning as well as to assess its usage among lecturers and students. Hence a prototype LMS based on the Rapid Prototyping Design Model has been developed.
Lecturers' perceptions toward e-learning from the aspects of attitude, skills in technology as well as fields of expertise were examined to identify the lecturers' need to use the LMS prototype. The research found that lecturers are positive towards new changes that are happening especially in the campus ICT development. Overall, it was found that respondents have quite a high perception towards attitude (mean=4.03, sd=.76), technology skills (mean=4.19, sd=0.85) and field of expertise (mean=4.07, sd=0.93). The respondents perception is also positive mainly about the needs of LMS (mean=4.12, sd=0.80) and Learning Contents Management System (mean=4.11, sd=0.80) in their efforts toward e-learning accomplishment.
The LMS prototype adopting open source PERL as the programming language has been successfully developed in which it took into account the aspects of data flow, database design, process design, navigation and interface design. The web based application is used by the lecturers to organize the learning materials, whereby the student used it in order to access lecture notes; news updates of courses and to have online discussions. The interface design of the LMS prototype does not involve oversized graphic elements as it also has simple navigation to simplify the usage.
The research on LMS prototype among students found that students enrolled in the course BIP3501 preferred the lectures notes module (72%), followed by the info/news updates module (15%) and tutorial activities (10%). On the other hand, students who enrolled for the course PHY4202, were more interested in accessing the info/news updates (40%), beside lectures notes (36%) and forum (22%). The difference in the pattern of preference for a particular module was apparently due to the learning method adapted for the course PHY4202 is more of Student Centered Learning (SCL) method while the course BIP3501 is more of Teacher Centered Learning (TCL) oriented.
The lecturers' perception towards the LMS prototype showed that they are really positive and agreed with the interface design and navigation with the mean score value excess of 3.50 for each item given. Respondents agreed with the LMS interface design that is simple with clear-cut text presentation (mean=4.10, sd=0.77), unambiguous icons or graphics (mean=4.14, sd=0.64), instructions that are easy to follow (mean=4.10, sd=0.68) and able to explore the LMS easily (mean=4.10, sd=0.79). The research also found that more than 40 lecturers (53%) who implemented SCL method updated the lectures notes at least once a week.
The LMS prototype that has been developed fulfill the requirements of the users (mean=3.35, sd=0.93). For the purpose of organizing the learning resources through LMS, respondents also agreed that it is easy to upload (mean=3.69, sd=0.82) and to download (mean=3.70, sd=0.80) the teaching documents. In conclusion, respondents agreed that the LMS prototype which contains minimal modules is simple to be used (mean=4.04, sd=0.79) in accordance of the ICT competency of lecturers and students.


We present an overview of the development of the SecurePhone mobile communication system in which multimodal biometric authentication gives access to the system's built-in e-signing facilities, enabling users to deal m-contracts using a mobile call in an easy yet secure and dependable way. Authentication uses an original combination of non-intrusive, psychologically neutral biometrics: the user reads a prompt into a camera and microphone, and signs on a touch screen. The state of the art techniques used for each biometric modality were initially developed using the benchmark databases BANCA (audio-visual) and BIOMET (signature). A suitable PDA was then selected and a multimodal database was recorded on the device itself. Several fusion techniques were tested for biometric evidence combination. Best performance achieved for voice, face, signature and fused modalities was 2.3, 17.3, 4.3 and 0.6% EER for BANCA/BIOMET and 3.2, 27.6, 8.0 and 0.8% EER for the PDA database.


An accurate description of sound propagation in a duct is important to obtain the sound power radiating from a source in both near and far fields. A technique has been developed and applied to decompose higher-order modes of sound emitted into a duct. Traditional experiments and theory based on two-sensor methods are limited to the plane-wave contribution to the sound field at low frequency. Due to the increase in independent measurements required, a computational method has been developed to simulate sensitivities of real measurements (e.g., noise) and optimize the set-up. An experimental rig has been constructed to decompose the first two modes using six independent measurements from surface, flush-mounted microphones. Experiments were initially performed using a loudspeaker as the source for validation. Subsequently, the sound emitted by a mixed-flow fan has been investigated and compared to measurements made in accordance with the internationally standardized in-duct fan measurement method. This method utilizes large anechoic terminations and a procedure involving averaging over measurements in space and time to account for the contribution from higher-order modes. The new method does not require either of these added complications and gives detail about the underlying modal content of the emitted sound.


We study the geophysical controls on the size of alluvial fans. Simple relationships between catchment characteristics, sediment yield, subsidence patterns and fan size are developed. As predicting fan size is essentially a conservation of mass problem, our analysis is general, applying to all types of fan landform. The importance of spatially variable subsidence rates has gone largely unrecognized in previous studies of modern fans. Here we stress that the distribution of subsidence rates in the depositional basin is a primary control on relative fan size. Both free coefficients in the oft-cited power-law correlation of fan area and catchment area can be shown to be set primarily by the tectonic setting, taken to include source area uplift rate and the subsidence distribution in the depositional basin. In the case of a steady-state landscape, relative fan size is shown to be independent of both climate and source lithology; only during times of significant departure from steady state can relative fan size be expected to vary with either climate or source lithology. Transients associated with (1) a sudden increase in rock uplift rate, (2) a sudden change in climate and (3) the unroofing of strata with greatly differing erodibilities may produce variation of relative fan areas with both climate and source lithology. Variation of relative fan size with climate or lithology, however, requires that catchment‐fan system response to perturbations away from steady state is sensitive to climate and lithology. Neither the strength of transient system responses nor their sensitivity to climate or lithology are known at present. Furthermore, internal feedbacks can significantly dampen any climatic or lithological effect. Thus theoretical considerations of the importance of climatic and lithological variables are inconclusive, but suggest that climatic and lithological effects are probably of secondary importance to tectonic effects. Field data from an unsteady landscape in Owens Valley, California, support and illustrate theoretical predictions regarding tectonic control of fan size. Field data from Owens Valley allow, but do not prove, a secondary dependence on source lithology. In addition, the Owens Valley field data indicate no relationship between relative fan size and climate. Headward catchment growth and enhanced sediment bypassing of fans during times of increased sediment yield (glacial) are put forward as plausible explanations.


The article argues that the construct of social capital offers South African public librarianship fresh vision - urgently needed if it is to fulfil its potential role in social inclusion. Social capital refers to the stocks of social trust, norms and networks that a community can draw on to solve common problems. A wide body of research in Southern Africa bears witness to its role in the success of development projects. Restrictive economic policies, coupled with new demands, have put pressure on public libraries and research points to a prevailing low morale among their staff, who, it is suggested, find themselves caught in the transition towards new models of service. Government's acceptance of social capital as a crucial tool in the developmental state and the news of its intervention to transform South African public libraries suggest the need to articulate the library as ''a place for all''. In reaction to neglect in the literature of social capital, internationally, librarians have documented their building of social capital through their education, information and community programmes. This work offers South African librarians a rich resource to draw on in their search for new direction and vision.


Bell & Howell Information and Learning Foreign text omitted ... In teaching NT Introduction, I am fond of saying that the authors of NT books would have had no inkling that their writings would become part of something called the New Testament or the Christian Bible, which did not reach exactly its present form until the fourth century. Matthew did not know that his Gospel would begin the NT, although he would be happy to discover that it does. It is well suited for that position and purpose. John did not know that his Gospel would stand in the NT alongside three other, Synoptic Gospels, and that it would be the fourth, presumably to be read after the others. Some exegetes believe that John was actually written with the others in view, but that premise creates as many problems of interpretation as it resolves.l However that may be, the presumption of a historical distance, and consequent difference of purpose, between the composition of the NT writings and their incorporation into a canon of scripture is representative of our discipline. The question When did the Gospels become scripture? is certainly not a new one. Understandably, it is ordinarily construed as a question about the formation of the canon, in this case particularly the four-Gospel canon. The latter question is important, interesting, and the subject of recent, relevant discussions. For example, in his 1996 S.N.T.S. presidential address Graham Stanton argued that the four-Gospel canon was formed sooner rather than later in the second century.2 More radically, David Trobisch has proposed that the entire NT as we know it was actually assembled, redacted, and published in the latter half of the second century.3 John Barton has argued that by that time the principal elements of the NT were already functioning as scripture, if not referred to as such.4 Needless to say, any discussion of canon or scripture stands on the shoulders of such contemporary figures as James Barr, Brevard S. Childs, and James A. Sanders, not to mention Bruce M. Metzger.s Their contributions and such proposals as I have just mentioned are significant as well as fascinating to me, but I want to pursue a somewhat different tack. For the purposes of our discussion I accept the distinction between canon and scripture (as set out, for example, by William A. Graham and now widely accepted).6 Obviously "canon" presumes "scripture," that is, the recognition of certain writings as possessing peculiar status or importance. "Scripture" means "texts that are revered as especially sacred and authoritative."7 "Canon" refers to the delimitation of such texts. Significantly, "canon" (...) is not used of sacred writings in the NT, but "scripture" (...) of course is. In most, but not all, cases, "scripture" clearly refers to what Christians call the Old Testament. The existence of scripture as well as canon implies the existence of a religious community that accords status and authority to certain texts. It goes without saying that the community in question believes that such status and authority actually belong to, adhere in, the text because of its subject matter, God in relation to human beings. The authors of the NT books refer to scripture, but we have assumeddo not think of themselves as writing scripture. We are accustomed to thinking of the Gospels as well as the Epistles as occasional documents generated in specific times and places to address issues of such times and places.a Of course, one generally acknowledges that the letters of the apostle Paul were the means of his apostolic presence among his churches, in which they would have been read aloud (1 Thess 5:27; Col 4:16; cf. 2 Cor 10:9-10). 2 Peter 3:15-16 suggests that they were regarded as scripture before there was a NT. The same may also be true of the Gospels, although that is more difficult to document. From Justin Martyr (First Apology 67) we learn that at least by mid-second century "the memoirs of the apostles" (i. …


In the present study, a chlorella-free control diet (C) and five experimental diets supplemented with 0.4~2.0% Chlorella were formulated. The gibel carp (Carassius auratus gibelio), one of the commercial fish in China, were fed with the designed diets for 60 days. At the end of trials, parameters of growth performance, blood and the digestive enzyme were analyzed. The results showed that the optimal dietary level of Chlorella as an additive in gibel carp diet was 0.8~1.2%. The growth performance including RGR, SGR, PER and PDR in 0.8 and 1.2% chlorella-adding group were significantly higher than that of control group (P<0.05). Meanwhile, some blood parameters including total protein, lysozyme in these two groups were also higher than in the control group. Furthermore, the chlorella could increase the digestive enzyme, e.g. amylase, lipase and protease in hepatopancreas and intestine. Our study confirmed that the Chlorella could be used as additive in gibel carp farming and the optimal adding level of Chlorella was 0.8%-1.2%, which could promote the growth performance, immune response and the activity of digestive enzyme.