Amino acid transporter SLC38A9 contributes to the amino acid sensitivity of mTORC1 activation. The mechanistic target of rapamcyin complex 1 (mTORC1) regulates cell metabolism and growth in response to nutrients, growth factors, and cellular energy status. Amino acids inside the lysosome promote activation of mTORC1 at the lysosomal surface. Rebsamen et al. found that a human amino acid transporter, member 9 of the solute carrier family 38 (SLC38A9), cooperated with RAG GTPases and the Ragulator complex to activate mTORC1. In human cell lines, tagged SLC38A9 colocalized with late endosomal and lysosomal markers, and knocking down SLC38A9 reduced cell size, cell proliferation, and amino acid–induced mTORC1 activation. Endogenous SLC38A9 associated with all four RAG GTPases and all members of the Ragulator complex in several different human and mouse cell lines, whereas other SLC superfamily members did not. Mutations in three short motifs in the N-terminal tail of SLC38A9 abolished the interaction with RAG GTPases and Ragulator components. These motifs are conserved in SLC38A9 homologs from other vertebrates, but not in other members of the SLC38 family. SLC38A9 transported radiolabeled glutamine, arginine, and asparagine out of liposomes, with reduced activity compared to other amino acid transporters, suggesting that SLC38A9 may act primarily as an amino acid sensor. Binding of SLC38A9 to RAG GTPases depended on the nucleotide-binding ability of the RAG GTPases and was influenced by the presence of the nucleotide-sensing transmembrane region of SLC38A9, suggesting that binding of amino acids by SLC38A9 may constitute an allosteric switch that alters the nucleotide-binding properties, and therefore the activity, of RAG GTPases. Amino acid stimulation promotes mTORC1 signaling, and amino acid starvation inactivates mTORC1. In HEK293T cells overexpressing SLC38A9, mTORC1 activity persisted when the cells were starved for amino acids, resulting in reduced starvation-induced autophagy. The mTOR inhibitor Torin1 inhibited mTORC1 signaling in amino acid-starved SLC38A9-overexpressing cells, but the vacuolar H+–adenosine triphosphatase ATPase (v-ATPase) inhibitor concanamycin A did not. In contrast, concanamycin A inhibited mTORC1 activation in response to amino acid stimulation in cells not overexpressing SLC38A9. These findings suggest that v-ATPase and SLC38A9 cooperate to control mTORC1 activation at the lysosomal surface in response to the presence of amino acids. M. Rebsamen, L. Pochini, T. Stasyk, M. E. G. de Araújo, M. Galluccio, R. K. Kandasamy, B. Snijder, A. Fauster, E. L. Rudashevskaya, M. Bruckner, S. Scorzoni, P. A. Filipek, K. V. M. Huber, J. W. Bigenzahn, L. X. Heinz, C. Kraft, K. L. Bennett, C. Indiveri, L. A. Huber, G. Superti-Furga, SLC38A9 is a component of the lysosomal amino acid sensing machinery that controls mTORC1. Nature 519, 477–481 (2015). [PubMed]


Background The DECIDE Project – created by the GRADE Working Group and funded by the European Union – aims at developing and evaluating strategies to improve dissemination and uptake of evidence-based recommendations. Work Package I targets health care professionals and has developed an electronic multilayered guideline format that includes the top layer; consisting of the minimum set of information components deemed necessary for clinicians to act on a recommendation. The first phase of iterative refinements through stakeholder feedback and user testing is completed and we're now initiating the second phase consisting of surveys and randomised trials of alternative formats. Objectives To update participants on the DECIDE project (WP1) and gather feedback on current and alternative guideline formats. Target Group Guideline developers. Description The workshop will open with an introduction to the background and progress of the DECIDE project/WP1. Participants will be given a clinical scenario together with relevant examples of guidelines after which they're asked to provide anonymous information on attitudes and perceptions of trustworthy guidelines, the use of GRADE and current presentation formats. Following this they'll be given a systematic review on the same subject and asked to write a draft recommendation in the top layer format using a prototype online authoring tool tailored for the format. Participants will at the end of the session be asked to provide feedback on the novel format, specifically on relevance, comprehension, likability and feasibility of production. Feedback is collected using a multiple-choice survey with clickers in addition to a final discussion


Because safe transitions of care are critical to patient safety, it is important to prepare physician trainees to assist in patient transitions from the hospital. As part of a discharge skills workshop for medical students, a brief reflective exercise was used to understand student perceptions of discharge problems and encourage application of classroom learning. Written reflections completed before and after the workshop were analyzed qualitatively to identify barriers to discharge observed on clinical clerkships and evaluate how the discharge skills workshop influenced student understanding of safe discharges. Students also completed a quantitative evaluation of the workshop. Seventy‐eight of the 96 students (81%) at the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine who participated in the discharge skills workshop volunteered to submit their written reflections. Eighteen themes were identified within two domains (barriers to safe discharges and solutions to improve discharges). The most commonly cited barrier was the sense that the discharge was rushed or premature. Three of the barrier themes and six of the solution themes were related to the importance of communication and collaboration in safe discharges. Students reported that the reflective exercise personalized the learning experience (mean 3.27 ± 0.86 on a scale of 1 (not at all) to 4 (a lot)). Students observed barriers to safe discharges on their clerkships related to poor communication, insufficient time spent planning discharges, and lack of patient education. Brief reflection encouraged students to apply lessons learned in a didactic session to consider solutions for providing safer patient care.


BINSURGEON is a binary rewriting system that enhances stripped binary executables with repairs, defenses, and additional functionality. This involves making space-consuming changes to the program's control flow graph (CFG), recomputing instruction content, and relocating instructions, all while preserving functionality in the remainder of the program's control flow. BINSURGEON uses extendable rewrite templates that enable other systems to specify and parameterize program modifications, which allows BINSURGEON to be a fully-automatic component of a larger system. In this paper, we describe BINSURGEON in the context of the FUZZBOMB automated program analysis and repair system. We outline BIN Surgeon's general binary rewriting algorithm for modifying CFGs according to FUZZ Bomb's rewrite templates. We also review some of FUZZ Bomb's rewrite templates to demonstrate the diverse repair and defense strategies -- including stack protection, heap protection, CFI, pointer-checking, and more -- that are implemented by BINSURGEON to harden and repair vulnerable binaries.


The process of how contractors take account of risk when calculating their bids for construction work is investigated based on preliminary investigations and case studies in Ghana and UK. Ghana and UK were chosen, more or less arbitrarily, for the purpose of case studies, and to test the idea that there are systematic differences between the approaches in different places. Clear differences were found in the risk pricing approaches of contractors in the two countries. The difference appeared to emanate from the professional knowledge and competence of the bid team members, company policy, corporate accountability and the business environments in which the contractors operate. Both groups of contractors take account of risk in estimates. However, risk accountability was found to be higher on the agenda in the tender process of UK contractors, documented more systematically, and assessed and managed more rigorously with input from the whole bid team. Risk accountability takes place at three levels of the tender process and is dictated strongly by market forces and company circumstances.


There is a need to assess the potential impacts of climate change on agriculture in order to plan appropriate adaptation measures. Farmers are already adapting to these changes to a certain degree. This article presents a case study of rainfed and farmer-managed irrigated agriculture in the Indrawati Basin, Nepal. It describes farmers' perceptions of climate change, an analysis of historical water availability, and future projections of temperature and precipitation. Adaptation strategies already being used by farmers are identified and new ones are recommended based on primary information collected from farmers and an in-depth analysis of the climate data.


ABSTRACT This paper explores the role of metaphors in the production of re-descriptions of the world within the framework of technological design processes. Drawing on a collaborative ethnography with the Economic Space Agency (ECSA), a start-up developing post-blockchain technology, this paper illustrates how metaphors mimic the toponymy of decentralized material infrastructures, while simultaneously pushing forward 'posthuman' values that are expected to become fixated through software. Through an analysis of a 'collection' of metaphors produced by ECSA, this paper sheds light on the work performed by specific vocabularies, within technological communities, in shaping a symbiotic relationship between futuristic politics and material culture.


The Cretaceous Chalk in Northern Europe and other similar fractured rock aquifers frequently have very thick unsaturated (vadose) zones which control both their hydraulic response to rainfall and the extent to which pollutants are delayed or attenuated before reaching groundwater. Understanding their hydraulic responses is a prerequisite for prediction of future trends in groundwater recharge and quality. Accurate characterization of these responses remain elusive because of difficulties in both obtaining in situ measurements and in devising appropriate conceptual models of flow processes in unsaturated fractured rock. In this study we addressed both issues by simultaneously monitoring soil water dynamics through continuously logged matric potential and moisture content and measuring discharge into a subsurface tunnel at up to 45 m depth within the unsaturated zone of Cretaceous Chalk in northern England. Winter drainage fluxes from the base of the soil zone were estimated using the HYDRUS code for one‐dimensional variably saturated media. Comparison of soil zone drainage representing the hydraulic input into the Chalk unsaturated zone with tunnel discharge provides insights into the flow dynamics of the unsaturated zone. The relative magnitudes of the soil drainage and deeper unsaturated zone discharge show that flow pathways converge resulting in increased flow focusing with depth in the unsaturated zone. The observed short lag times between the soil surface and the inflow sites in the subsurface tunnel suggest that contaminants from the surface could rapidly reach the water table through thick unsaturated zones within the Chalk.


Our literature uniformly describes American criminal law as the product of a great clash between utility and desert. In the mid-twentieth century, the literature explains, utilitarianism dominated in American criminal law, in the form of what is sometimes called penal modernism, which emphasized incapacitation and rehabilitation. Beginning in the 1970s, however, America witnessed a revolt against penal modernism, as retributivists demanded a criminal law that respected the central importance of blame. That account of American criminal law is repeated so often and so confidently that it may seem obviously true. Yet this article argues that it is wrong, in ways that have led to deep misconceptions about criminal law. The clash between retributivism and penal modernism is not in fact a clash between utility and desert, but a clash between two different understandings of the place of blame in criminal law. Penal modernists were the great advocates of individualization: they argued, not that blame has no place in criminal law, but that we must blame offenders not offenses. Correctly understood, penal modernist individualization represents a serious challenge to retributivist approaches, and offers the foundation for a different and healthier moral attitude toward the criminal law.


Along the development path, countries experience large transformations in their economic structure as productive resources move towards different economic activities. ''Modern economic growth'' is also associated with a self-sustained process of technical change which leads to the emergence of new products and sectors characterized by different scopes for productivity gains and demand growth. In this paper we study the interactions between structural change and technological progress from a long-term perspective. We first analyze the secular patterns of structural change across agriculture, manufacturing and services using historical data in the attempt to test some broad conjectures concerning sectoral reallocations at different stages of development (i.e. the so-called Petty-Clark law) and discuss the specific role of manufacturing as an engine of growth. Second, we provide an overview of the literature on sectoral innovation patterns as well as of recent evidence linking structural transformations and sector-specific technological opportunities to aggregate productivity growth. In the final part we present productivity decompositions using a sectoral innovation taxonomy to study the contribution of different groups of activities characterized by heterogeneous innovation patterns. Our results suggest that structural change towards knowledge-intensive activities provides a source of productivity growth in both developing and advanced countries. In turn, this points at the need for a more disaggregated analysis of structural change to capture the diversity in the rate and direction of technical progress across sectors.


America's "small wars," "imperial wars," or, as the Pentagon now terms them, "low-intensity conflicts," have played an essential but little-appreciated role in its growth as a world power. Beginning with Jefferson's expedition against the Barbary Pirates, Max Boot tells the exciting stories of our sometimes minor but often bloody landings in Samoa, the Philippines, China, Haiti, the Dominican Republic, Nicaragua, Mexico, Russia, and elsewhere. Along the way he sketches colorful portraits of little-known military heroes such as Stephen Decatur, "Fighting Fred" Funston, and Smedley Butler. From 1800 to the present day, such undeclared wars have made up the vast majority of our military engagements. Yet the military has often resisted preparing itself for small wars, preferring instead to train for big conflicts that seldom come. Boot re-examines the tragedy of Vietnam through a "small war" prism. He concludes with a devastating critique of the Powell Doctrine and a convincing argument that the armed forces must reorient themselves to better handle small-war missions, because such clashes are an inevitable result of America's far-flung imperial responsibilities.


In the year of 2016, there were more than 24 million Indonesian twitter users sharing news, events, as well as personal feelings and experiences on Twitter. This study seeks to validate a search protocol of health-related terms using real-time Twitter data which can later be used to understand if, and how, twitter can reveal information on the current health situation in Indonesia. In this validation study of mining protocols, we extracted geo-located conversations related to health and disease postings on Twitter using a set of pre-defined keywords, assessed the prevalence, frequency and timing of such content in these conversations, and validated how this search protocol was able to detect relevant disease tweets.
Groups of words and phrases relevant to disease symptoms and health outcomes were used in a protocol developed in the Indonesian language in order to extract relevant content from geo-tagged Twitter feeds. A supervised learning algorithm using Classification and Regression Trees was used to validate search protocols of disease and health hits comparing to those identified by a team of human experts. The experts categorized tweets as positive or negative in respect to health events. The model fit was evaluated based on prediction performance.
We observed 390 tweets from historical Twitter feeds and 1,145,649 tweets from Twitter stream feeds during the period July 26th to August 1st, 2016. Only twitter hits with health related keywords in the Indonesian language were obtained. The accuracy of predictions of mined hits versus expert validated hits using the CART algorithm showed good validity with AUC beyond 0.8.
Our study shows that monitoring of public sentiment on Twitter, combined with contextual knowledge about the disease, can detect health and disease tweets and potentially be used as a valuable real-time proxy for health events over space and time.


Interaction analysis of GWAS can detect signal that would be ignored by single variant analysis, yet few robust interactions in humans have been detected. Recent work has highlighted interactions in the MHC region between known HLA risk haplotypes for various autoimmune diseases. To better understand the genetic interactions underlying celiac disease (CD), we have conducted exhaustive genome-wide scans for pairwise interactions in five independent CD case-control studies, using a rapid model-free approach to examine over 500 billion SNP pairs in total. We found 14 independent interaction signals within the MHC region that achieved stringent replication criteria across multiple studies and were independent of known CD risk HLA haplotypes. The strongest independent CD interaction signal corresponded to genes in the HLA class III region, in particular PRRC2A and GPANK1/C6orf47, which are known to contain variants for non-Hodgkin's lymphoma and early menopause, co-morbidities of celiac disease. Replicable evidence for statistical interaction outside the MHC was not observed. Both within and between European populations, we observed striking consistency of two-locus models and model distribution. Within the UK population, models of CD based on both interactions and additive single-SNP effects increased explained CD variance by approximately 1% over those of single SNPs. The interactions signal detected across the five cohorts indicates the presence of novel associations in the MHC region that cannot be detected using additive models. Our findings have implications for the determination of genetic architecture and, by extension, the use of human genetics for validation of therapeutic targets.


14/04/2018 @ 7:30pm - 9:30pm - Great Scott! Time-travelling magicians Morgan & West bring a magical extravaganza to a millennium near you! Not content with their lot as the nineteenth century's greatest magic duo, this prestidigitatory pair present a conjuring spectacular to the audiences of the modern day. No future is left unseen and no timeline left unaltered as these temporal tricksters burst into the twenty-first century with a show brimming over with baffling magic, unparalleled precognitive powers, and a totally genuine ability to travel through time! An unforgettable evening of magic, mystery, and the unexplainable.


The primary goal of this research is to explore the use of arrays of analog self-synchronized cells---the cellular neural network (CNN) paradigm---in the implementation of novel digital arithmetic architectures. In exploring this paradigm we also discover that the implementation of these CNN arrays produces very low system noise; that is, noise generated by the rapid switching of current through power supply die connections---so called di/dt noise. With the migration to sub 100 nanometer process technology, signal integrity is becoming a critical issue when integrating analog and digital components onto the same chip, and so the CNN architectural paradigm offers a potential solution to this problem. A typical example is the replacement of conventional digital circuitry adjacent to sensitive bio-sensors in a SoC Bio-Platform. The focus of this research is therefore to discover novel approaches to building low-noise digital arithmetic circuits using analog cellular neural networks, essentially implementing asynchronous digital logic but with the same circuit components as used in analog circuit design.
We address our exploration by first improving upon previous research into CNN binary arithmetic arrays. The second phase of our research introduces a logical extension of the binary arithmetic method to implement binary signed-digit (BSD) arithmetic. To this end, a new class of CNNs that has three stable states is introduced, and is used to implement arithmetic circuits that use binary inputs and outputs but internally uses the BSD number representation. Finally, we develop CNN arrays for a 2-dimensional number representation (the Double-base Number System - DBNS). A novel adder architecture is described in detail, that performs the addition as well as reducing the representation for further processing; the design incorporates an innovative self-programmable array. Extensive simulations have shown that our new architectures can reduce system noise by almost 70dB and crosstalk by more than 23dB over standard digital implementations.


In this paper we show lower bounds for a certain large class of algorithms solving the Graph Isomorphism problem, even on expander graph instances. Spielman [25] shows an algorithm for isomorphism of strongly regular expander graphs that runs in time exp(O(n^(1/3)) (this bound was recently improved to expf O(n^(1/5) [5]). It has since been an open question to remove the requirement that the graph be strongly regular. Recent algorithmic results show that for many problems the Lasserre hierarchy works surprisingly well when the underlying graph has expansion properties. Moreover, recent work of Atserias and Maneva [3] shows that k rounds of the Lasserre hierarchy is a generalization of the k-dimensional Weisfeiler-Lehman algorithm for Graph Isomorphism. These two facts combined make the Lasserre hierarchy a good candidate for solving graph isomorphism on expander graphs. Our main result rules out this promising direction by showing that even Omega(n) rounds of the Lasserre semidefinite program hierarchy fail to solve the Graph Isomorphism problem even on expander graphs.


In this paper we explore the allocation of regulatory responsibilities to market infrastructure institutions, administrative agencies and central government entities in the eight most influential jurisdictions for securities regulation in the world. After reviewing the academic literature on the role of self-regulatory organizations in the oversight of modern stock exchanges, we report the results of a survey of the allocation of regulatory powers in a sample of eight key jurisdictions. In that survey, we examine the allocation of such powers in three levels: rulemaking, monitoring of compliance with these rules, and enforcement of rules violations. Based on our findings, we categorize these jurisdictions in three distinct models of allocation of regulatory powers: a Government-led Model, that preserves significant authority for central government control over securities markets regulation albeit with a relatively limited enforcement apparatus (France, Germany, Japan); a Flexibility Model, that grants significant leeway to market participants in performing their regulatory obligations but relies on government agencies to set general policies and maintain some enforcement capacity (UK, Hong Kong, Australia); and a Cooperation Model that assigns a broad range of power to market participants in almost all aspects of securities regulation but also maintains strong and overlapping oversight of market activity through well-endowed governmental agencies with more robust enforcement traditions (US, Canada).


Black holes in general relativity have been long known to possess a limited number of charges known as hair. It has been recently known that this is also true in modified theories of gravity collectively known as Horndeski theories where a scalar field provides an additional degree of freedom other than the metric. We provide a more explicit proof for this no-hair theorem in a subclass of these theories where the derivatives of the shift-symmetric scalar field are coupled to the Einstein tensor. It is shown that a static, spherically symmetric, and asymptotically flat black hole cannot possess a nontrivial scalar field, and the resulting spacetime is the Schwarzschild solution.


The Leaf Area Index (LAI) was derived from the Normalised Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI) obtained from Advanced Very High Resolution Radiometer (AVHRR) data for the years 1982–2004. The NDVI-derived LAI showed a very good agreement (correlation coefficient r up to 0.96) with MODIS LAI. To address the relation between precipitation and LAI, linear correlation analysis between gridded precipitation and the NDVI-derived LAI was conducted for several land uses and each month of the year. Based on the regression coefficients, LAI could be simulated as a function of precipitation. During validation, the simulated LAI showed a very good agreement ( r ≥ 0.75) with the NDVI-derived LAI. The simulated dynamic LAI was thereafter implemented in a hydrological model. For comparison, a model run with a static LAI without any inter-annual variations was also conducted. During abnormally dry conditions, the dynamic LAI was lower than the static LAI and less transpiration was therefore simulated. It is shown that a dynamic LAI contributes to a more realistic simulation approach during individual weather events but also that in the long run the simulated transpiration is much more strongly influenced by inter-annual variations in weather than by the additional vegetation dynamics in a semi-arid region.


This study was about finding out if Aboriginal men in Darwin perceive racism when they are using mainstream health services and if so, ascertaining if these perceptions affect their utilisation of mainstream health services. The main aim of the study was to generate literature that does not appear in existing literature. Although some of the existing literature does show that Aboriginal people do experience racism in mainstream health care, the literature does not reveal much detail. The intention of this study was to fill this gap in the literature through perspectives of Aboriginal men and through the researcher's daily observations of Aboriginal men using a mainstream health service. To gain this perspective the researcher wanted to be at a mainstream health service to see first-hand what participants discussed. To do this an ethnographic approach was used. The ethnographic component of the study was conducted in conjunction with semi-structured interviews with Aboriginal men and an extensive literature review. The outcomes of this were that Aboriginal men do perceive racism in mainstream health services and these perceptions affect the way they utilise mainstream health care providers. These affects impact on Aboriginal men's decision to use the health service, influences how long they are at the health service and when they leave, and also influences how they behave and interact with staff at the health service. The researcher believes this study and the outcomes it has produced will provide people involved in health care delivery in the Darwin area and involved in health research in the Darwin area with a valuable yet concealed insight into health care for Aboriginal men.


Granitoid-hosted gold deposits at Obuasi are located along the eastern margin of the Kumasi basin, about 5 km west of the Ashanti goldfields, and comprise the auriferous Nhyiaso, Ayankyerim, Yamensakrom, and Kunka plutons. These deposits represent a relatively new style of gold mineralization in the Ghanaian Birimian. The mineralization consists of quartz veins/stockworks and pervasive alteration zones within the granitoids in brittle structures. The ore mineral assemblage is mainly composed of pyrite and arsenopyrite, with minor chalcopyrite, sphalerite, and rutile. Hydrothermal alteration minerals are dominated by quartz, sericite (muscovite), sulphides (mainly pyrite, arsenopyrite) and carbonates. Gold is closely associated with the sulphides in both quartz veins and alteration zones. Chemical mass balance calculations show that major and trace element contents in alteration zones were probably buffered by the original granitoid composition.

Fluid inclusions in vein quartz are composed of aqueous H2O-CO2±NaCl and gaseous CO2-N2±CH4 types, with minor (<5%) aqueous H2O±NaCl types. The mineralizing fluids typically have salinities <6 wt.% NaCl equivalent with bulk densities in the range 0.65 to 0.95 g/cm3. The petrographic and microthermometric data suggest that the H2O- and CO2-rich fluid inclusions resulted from phase separation of an initial homogeneous fluid and were trapped at around 180 to 300–350°C and 1 to 3 kbar. Gaseous compositions of fluid inclusions, obtained from Raman spectroscopy, are dominated by CO2 (80 to 95 mol%), with significant amounts of N2 (2 to 20 mol%) and CH4 (0 to 10 mol%). Thermodynamic calculations show that the initial homogeneous H2O-CO2-rich fluid contains 50 to 80 mol% H2O at 300–350°C and 2 kbar. Oxygen fugacities ( ƒ O2) of fluids were estimated to be equal to QFM + 1.4–2.2 and coincide with the NNO buffer in the pyrite field, indicating relatively reduced conditions of fluids during ore formation. Gold deposition within the granitoids may be mainly induced by fluid immiscibility and sulphidization of host rocks during alteration. Based on the geological setting, ore geology and geochemistry, and fluid inclusion characteristics, it is suggested that the granitoid-hosted gold deposits at Obuasi are not intrusion-related, but were formed by metamorphic low-salinity H2O-CO2-N2±CH4 fluids related to the waning stages of the regional Birimian orogeny at about 2100 Ma. The host granitoids acted as favourable sites for fluid flow due to their brittle lithological characteristics.


Thermal management of aircraft heat loads is quickly becoming a limiting factor of vehicle performance and reliability. This paper details improvements in forced-convection cooled avionic module heat removal efficiency with the implementation of two-phase high thermal conductivity Vapour Chamber Heat Spreaders (VCHS). A bespoke test rig provides experimental thermal comparisons of an aluminium and embedded VCHS avionic heat exchanger. The experimental results validate a numerical thermal resistance network, which is utilised to simulate more representative avionic chassis geometries. The VCHS dramatically reduces thermal variation in circuit card and avionic heat exchanger exhaust temperatures. Increased isothermalisation of the heat exchanger greatly increases effective heat transfer area in comparison to a traditional aluminium chassis. The VCHS acts as a very effective thermal buffer between the avionic circuit cards and coolant airflow, allowing a more predictable avionic thermal behaviour irrespective of circuit card architecture. The improved heat rejection capability allows either a substantial increase in avionic growth capacity (increased power output for a fixed exhaust temperature) or a substantial reduction in mass flow rate (reduced demand on vehicle thermal management system). An avionic growth capacity of up to 58% is achieved with representative thermal loading conditions.


Retinal input plays an important role in the specification of topographically organized circuits and neuronal response properties, but the mechanism and timing of this effect is not known in most species. A system that shows dramatic dependence on retinal influences is the interhemispheric connection through the corpus callosum. Using ferrets, we analyzed the extent to which development of the visual callosal pattern depends on retinal influences, and explored the period during which these influences are required for normal pattern formation. We studied the mature callosal patterns in normal ferrets and in ferrets bilaterally enucleated (BE) at postnatal day 7 (P7) or P20. Callosal patterns were revealed in tangential sections from unfolded and flattened brains following multiple injections of horseradish peroxidase in the opposite hemisphere. We also estimated the effect of enucleation on the surface areas of striate and extrastriate visual cortex by using magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) data from intact brains. In BEP7 ferrets we found that the pattern of callosal connections was highly anomalous and the sizes of both striate and extrastriate visual cortex were significantly reduced. In contrast, enucleation at P20 had no significant effect on the callosal pattern, but it still caused a reduction in the size of striate and extrastriate visual cortex. Finally, retinal deafferentation had no significant effect on the number of visual callosal neurons. These results indicate that the critical period during which the eyes influence the development of callosal patterns, but not the size of visual cortex, ends by P20 in the ferret. J. Comp. Neurol. 520:914–932, 2012. © 2011 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.


Background: Poor self-regulation during preschool and early school age years is associated with rapid weight gain. However, the association between self-regulatory capacities in infancy and weight status in early childhood has not been well studied. Objective: Examine prospective associations between infant self-regulation and body mass index (BMI) in early childhood. We hypothesized that infants exhibiting less optimal self-regulation would be at greater risk of obesity at 3–5 years of life. Methods: We used data from 5750 children in the Early Childhood Longitudinal StudyBirth Cohort (ECLS-B), excluding premature infants and infants small or large for gestational age. Our primary predictor was infant self-regulation measured at age 9 months by parent completion of the Infant Toddler Symptom Checklist (ITSC). We defined child obesity at preschool and kindergarten age (approximately 4 years and 5–6 years respectively) as a body mass index (BMI) ≥ 95 percentile for age and sex by US Centers for Disease Control growth charts. We created logistic regression models comparing risk of obesity at preschool and kindergarten age in infants with ITSC scores ≥ 6 to infants with scores < 6, controlling for covariates. vii Results: Twenty-one percent of children with ITSC scores ≥ 6 at 9 months were obese at preschool age compared to 16% of children with lower ITSC scores. At kindergarten age this difference decreased to 18% vs. 16% respectively. After adjusting for covariates, infants with ITSC scores ≥ 6 had 32% increased odds of being obese at preschool age (aOR 1.32; 95% CI: 1.03, 1.70) though this association decreased at kindergarten age (aOR 1.07; 95% CI: 0.79, 1.45). Conclusions: Poor infant self-regulation at 9 months is associated with an increased risk of obesity at preschool entry but not at kindergarten entry. Helping parents manage and respond to children's self-regulation difficulties prior to preschool age may serve as a focal point for future interventions.


Conversational agents assist traditional teaching-learning instruments in proposing new designs for knowledge creation and learning analysis, across organizational environments. Means of building common educative background in both industry and academic fields become of interest for ensuring educational effectiveness and consistency. Such a context requires transferable practices and becomes the basis for the Agile adoption into Higher Education, at both curriculum and operational levels. The current work proposes a model for delivering Agile Scrum training through an assistive web-based conversational service, where analytics are collected to provide an overview on learners' knowledge path. Besides its specific applicability into Software Engineering (SE) industry, the model is to assist the academic SE curriculum. A user-acceptance test has been carried out among 200 undergraduate students and patterns of interaction have been depicted for 2 conversational strategies.


New strategies for Prunus improvement, including germplasm and molecular marker development and improved propagation techniques, are described. In germplasm improvement, the introduction of genes from related Prunus species conferring several traits including self-compatibility, growth habit, drought resistance, and kernel quality are being pursued. Twin seeds (two embryos within the same seedcoat) have produced seedlings useful for genetic studies. Promising propagation methods include in-vitro techniques for the evaluation of plant material and in-vivo micrograft techniques that allow the early propagation of high-risk genotypes. In addition, the growth of seedlings in controlled environments, including the induction of an artificial rest period in cold chambers, provides a useful strategy for obtaining vigorously growing plants year round. Molecular markers have also become an essential tool in Prunus breeding studies. Different types of molecular markers, including isoenzymes, RFLPs, RAPDs, AFLPs and SSRs, have been employed for the genetic characterization of germplasm, the establishment of genetic relationships between cultivars and species, and the construction of genetic maps. Methodologies for the analysis of marker-assisted selection include the use of mapping populations segregating for desired characters and bulk segregant analysis.


Vesicovaginal fistula (VVF) is a childbirth-related disease that disturbs millions of women in developing societies, including Nigeria. In recent times, in its bid to influence VVF women's health-seeking behaviour, the government of Nigeria through the Federal Ministry of Health put into operation numerous intervention programmes (IVPs). Nonetheless, despite the government's preceding determination to eradicate VVF disease, the number of afflicted women who participated in IVPs is discouraging. Previous researches were not able to explore verbatim the perceived influence of most relevant IVPs in promoting health-seeking behaviour among VVF women in Nigeria. Therefore, this qualitative descriptive study's objective is to explore the perceptions of the study's participants regarding the most relevant IVPs that encourage VVF women to seek treatment in northwest Nigeria.This study used descriptive design and Nvivo qualitative research software v11. A total of nine participants were selected through a purposive sampling technique. The findings of this study indicated that a theme, sub-themes, and sub-sub themes emerged resulting from the data analysis. The primary study theme that emerged was IVPs, followed by two sub-themes, namely, rehabilitation and campaign. Also, three sub-sub themes emerged under rehabilitation, namely, surgical intervention, skills acquisition, and counselling. Also, two sub-sub themes emerged under the campaign. The finding of this study shows that the majority of the participants (RES I, II, V, VII, VIII, & IX) agree rehabilitation programmes are the most relevant IVPs that influenced health seeing-behaviour among VVF women in the northwest, Nigeria. As against the least participants (RES VI, IV & III) who perceived campaign programmes. Thus, this study recommends the enforcement of appropriate laws and policies concerning the utilisation of motherly and child health facilities; offenders should be sanctioned appropriately. Moreover, the study recommends that the federal, state, and local governments should increase funding in health sectors to improve the much-needed IVPs and other social services. Finally, the study recommends that politicians and health managers focus on improving the rehabilitation programme's components, such as free surgical operations, skills acquisition, and counselling.


Local economic development is a much used tool for the regeneration of urban areas. Although the designation and effectiveness of local economic development policies has been studied extensively in existing literature, the question as to whether these policies are aimed at the areas that are most in need of these policies remains relatively understudied. This question has been answered using the case of industrial sites in the Netherlands. This particular type of urban area in the Netherlands has experienced problems with rapid urban area decline and has therefore been targeted by various area-based regeneration initiatives for many years. The economic performance is the main justification for the designation of industrial sites that are in greater need of regeneration. However, another pertinent and unanswered question is: are the industrial sites targeted for regeneration really the ones that underperform economically? (Multinomial) logistic regression analysis is used to answer this question. Differences in economic performance, measured by the growth in employment figures, the number of companies and property values, between industrial sites that are targeted for regeneration in two different rounds of regeneration initiatives and non-targeted sites are studied. The analysis shows that the differences in economic performance are negligible between these groups. It indicates that other criteria, such as political and strategic decision making influence policymakers' decisions to target industrial sites for regeneration, thus making it at least doubtful that public money for the regeneration of industrial sites is being spent on what it is meant for.


The purpose of this study was to examine the relationships between movement behaviours (sleep duration, sedentary time, physical activity) and health indicators in a representative sample of children and youth using compositional analyses. Cross-sectional findings are based on 4169 children and youth (aged 6-17 years) from cycles 1 to 3 of the Canadian Health Measures Survey. Sedentary time (SB), light-intensity physical activity (LPA), and moderate- to vigorous-intensity physical activity (MVPA) were accelerometer-derived. Sleep duration was subjectively measured. Body mass index z scores, waist circumference, blood pressure, behavioural strengths and difficulties, and aerobic fitness were measured in the full sample. Triglycerides, high-density lipoprotein-cholesterol, C-reactive protein, and insulin were measured in a fasting subsample. The composition of movement behaviours was entered into linear regression models via an isometric log ratio transformation and was found to be associated with all health indicators (p < 0.01). Relative to other movement behaviours, time spent in SB or LPA was positively associated (p < 0.04) and time spent in MVPA or sleep was negatively associated (p < 0.02) with obesity risk markers. Similarly, LPA was positively associated (p < 0.005) and sleep was negatively associated (p < 0.03) with unfavourable behavioural strengths and difficulties scores and systolic blood pressure. Relative to other movement behaviours, time spent in SB was negatively associated (p < 0.001) and time spent in MVPA (p < 0.001) was positively associated with aerobic fitness. Likewise, MVPA was also negatively associated with several cardiometabolic risk markers (p < 0.008). Compositional data analyses provide novel insights into collective health implications of 24-h movement behaviours and can facilitate interesting avenues for future investigations.


BUSINESS INTELLIGENCE: INTRODUCTION Overview. Intelligence Not Just Information. What Is Business Intelligence. Business Intelligence Heritage. Evolution of Business Intelligence. The Present. The Value of Business Intelligence. New Era of Enterprise Technology. Business Intelligence Applications. BUSINESS INTELLIGENCE: ESSENTIALS Facts, Data, Information, and Knowledge. BI Enabling Environment. Business Landscape. Changing Data Landscape. Data Quality. Business Intelligence Framework. Business Intelligence Platform. Data Architecture. BUSINESS INTELLIGENCE: STAGES Move Data. Extract, Transform, and Load (ETL). Data Warehouse. Data Marts. OLAP. Balanced Scorecard. Data Mining. Data Management. Data Usage. Enterprise Portal (EP). BUSINESS INTELLIGENCE: TYPES Multiplicity of BI Tools. Types of BI. Modern BI. Support for Personalization and Customization. Support for Wide Reach, High Throughput, and Access Across All Touch Points. The Enterprise BI. Information Workers. Reporting. IT Professionals. Critical BI for the Enterprise. BUSINESS INTELLIGENCE: SOLUTION AREAS BI Application Area. BI Applications. Market Analytics. Sales Reporting and Analytics. Sales Pipeline Reporting and Analysis. Channel Analysis. Competitor Analysis. Financial Reporting and Analysis. Compliance. HIPAA. Towards Enterprise BI. REAL-TIME BUSINESS INTELLIGENCE First Generation BI-Learning from The Past. A New Mindset-Information Now. Operational BI-A Business Imperative. Two to Tango-Business Performance Management and Real-Time Enterprise. Real-Time Initiatives. Different Flavors of RTE. Barriers to Real-Time Enterprise. TELECOMMUNICATIONS INDUSTRY: CHANGING LANDSCAPE 4 Cs of the Telecommunications Industry. Towards a Customer-Centric Business Model. At the Crossroads. The Customer Is King. Technology Can Help Telecommunications Companies. BI in the Telecommunications Industry. Strategy at Work. BI in Action. Disappointments from the Past. Barriers to BI. Overcoming Barriers. Customer Intelligence. Look Beyond the Organization. Role of Business Intelligence. Competitive Analysis. BUSINESS INTELLIGENCE: IMPACT Telecom Challenge. Performance Management. BI the Core of BPM. Understanding Business Performance Management. Designing and Implementing BPM. Three Waves of Performance Improvement. Impact of BI and BPM on the Telecommunications Industry. BUSINESS INTELLIGENCE: ISSUES AND CHALLENGES The BI Ghetto. Critical Challenges for Business Intelligence Success. BI Application Development Methodology. Creating a Cost-Effective Enterprise Friendly BI Solution. BUSINESS INTELLIGENCE: STRATEGY AND ROADMAP Planning a Business Intelligence Solution. CONCLUSIONS Usability Versus Feature Bloat. Enough Already about Metadata! Consulting. Licensing, Upgrades, and Maintenance. Resume Building.


This research uses board games as teaching material to develop students' decision-making ability and basic scientific literacy and to foster students' value for nature and social caring by working with socioscientific issues. The board game structure contains four perspective systems: ecological, economic, cultural, and political. In the game processing, students must handle, consider, and understand the different role players' positions and face different missions that involve socioeconomic and environmental conflicts. When making any decisions, students affect the follow-up game behaviors and develop tendencies. The board game instruction was field-tested with 38 high-school students from two different high schools. Students played the board game for a total of 200 minutes. Students' scientific conceptions concerning biodiversity (closed-ended) and perspectives on socioscientific issues (open-ended) were assessed before and after the board game lesson. The results showed that students in both high schools significantly increased their understanding of biodiversity concepts, with a high level of effect size (Cohen's d equal to 1.40 and 1.06, respectively, for the two schools). In the semistructured interviews, the interviewed students were able to reflect on the value of animals and provide various opinions about animal conservation and economic development.
Keywords: board game, decision making, descriptive research, game base learning, socioscientific issue.


Diffusion Magnetic Resonance Imaging provides images of unquestionable diagnostic value. It is commonly used in the assessment of stroke and in white matter fiber tracking, among other applications. The diffusion coefficient has been shown to depend on cell concentration, membrane permeability, and cell orientation in the case of white matter or muscle fiber tracking; yet a clear relation between diffusion measurements and known physiological parameters is not established. The aim of this paper is to review hypotheses and actual knowledge on diffusion signal origin to provide assistance in the interpretation of diffusion MR images. Focus will be set on brain images, as most common applications of diffusion MRI are found in neuroradiology. Diffusion signal does not come from two intra- or extracellular compartments, as was first assumed. Restriction of water displacement due to membranes, hindrance in the extracellular space, and tissue heterogeneity are important factors. Unanswered questions remain on how to deal with tissue heterogeneity, and how to retrieve parameters less troublesome to work with from biological and clinical points of view. Diffusion quantification should be done with care, as many variables can lead to variation in measurements.


The complex issues of conservation, politics, tourism management and ownership have emerged as critical issues within the World Heritage debate and specifically within heritage tourism research. Within this context, this paper focuses on issues of ownership and belonging and argues that there exists a link between the conceptual inconsistencies inherent in the World Heritage idea and the tensions between the national and the 'universal' evident at a number of World Heritage Sites. That is, heritage sites that are deemed to be of 'outstanding universal value' and are bestowed with the World Heritage accolade are consequently no longer expected to be perceived as symbols of particular national identities, but as heritage belonging to all humankind. This, of course, provokes a series of debates over the issues of ownership and belonging of such heritage, namely between the national and the 'universal' suggesting that it is possible to perceive World Heritage as synonymous with contested heritage. The paper explores these issues of ownership and focuses on the Acropolis, symbol of the World Heritage idea, as a case study utilising an exploratory semiotic analysis of the promotional material released by the Greek National Tourism Organisation over the last five years.


ABSTRACT Objective: Diagnostic delay is one of the major problems for patients with predominantly antibody deficiencies (PAD) that can lead to anxiety and depression disorders, like in other chronic diseases. We aimed to detect the frequencies of anxiety and depression in PAD patients. The second aim was to determine the influence of diagnosis delay on the patients' anxiety and depression. Materials and Methods: In this prospective study, 40 patients and 50 healthy controls answered the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS). We compared the anxiety, depression, and the total scores of the patients and the healthy controls. We divided the patients into two groups as delayed and early diagnosed patients according to median diagnostic delay year and compared the HADS scores of the two groups. Results: The anxiety, depression and the total scores of PAD patients were significantly higher compared to the healthy controls; (p=0.001, p=0.001, p=0.001), respectively. The HADS scores were significantly higher in the delayed diagnosis patient group than the early diagnosed patient group (p=0.001, p=0.003, p=0.001), respectively. We also confirmed this positive relationship between delayed diagnosis and the HADS scores with Spearman's correlation analysis. Conclusion: We demonstrated that psychiatric disorders such as anxiety and depression are common in PAD patients, and delayed diagnosis strongly affects their anxiety and depression. Collaboration with psychologists and psychiatrists during the management of these patients may improve the quality of their life. Keywords: Predominantly antibody deficiencies, early diagnosis, anxiety, depression


Since James Scott introduced the concept of 'everyday resistance' in 1985, research has grown within partly overlapping fields. Existing studies utilize very different definitions, methodologies and understandings of 'everyday resistance', which makes a systematic development of the field difficult. In previous work, the authors have suggested a theoretical and definitional framework where everyday resistance is understood as a specific kind of resistance that is done routinely yet is not publicly articulated with political claims or formally organized. A more comprehensive and systematic exploration of this challenging phenomenon is possible through an analysis where: repertoires of everyday resistance are taken into account, together with relations between actors, as well as the spatialization and temporalization of resistance. These analytical dimensions are explained and motivated through illustrations from existing research. Finally, it is argued all four dimensions need to be studied in intersections.


The process of molten salt CO2 capture and electrochemical conversion provides us with a new way to close the present carbon cycle and mitigate global climate change by transforming the greenhouse gas CO2 into carbonaceous fuels or chemicals. In this paper, carbon spheres and carbon nanotubes that can be used as a societal resource to serve mankind are synthesized from CO2 in diverse electrolyte composites with inexpensive metallic electrodes. Carbon products, subsequent to electrolysis, are characterized by EDS, SEM, TEM, Raman, TGA, FTIR, BET and XRD to reveal the elemental composition and morphological and structural features. The results demonstrate that Li–Ca–Na and Li–Ca–K carbonate electrolytes favor carbon sphere formation rather than carbon nanotube formation, and in particular, K2CO3 shows enhanced interference with carbon nanotube growth. In contrast, Li–Ca–Ba and Li–Ba carbonate composites present an increase in the carbon nanotube fraction. Additionally, CNTs generated from Li–K, Li–Ba and Li–Ca–Ba present a different diameter. In this way, the CO2-derived carbon products of carbon spheres and carbon nanotubes could be alternatively synthesized through the appropriate regulation of the electrolyte composition.


This study explored the lived experiences of fertility treatment and care by South African women with infertility. A total of 21 women from different age and ethnic groups (age range = 26 to 41; whites = 53%, coloured = 47%) were interviewed for the study. The women responded to semi-structured interviews on their lived experiences of fertility treatment and care whilst undergoing treatment. The data were analysed using thematic analysis. Four main themes were identified in the study; including: lack of compassionate care from treatment care providers, the need for infertility clinics to integrate psychosocial support care, a need for continuing education for fertility staff, as well as financial support resourcing. Participants expressed a need for health care staff at fertility clinics to be more attentive to their emotional and psychological needs. In addition, participants perceived a need for psychosocial care as a result of the distressing nature of the treatment process. The women also felt that some health care staff lacked technical knowledge about the fertility treatments and this left them deprived of crucial information. The costly nature of fertility treatment presented as an added burden for participants. Overall, participants seemed to require a more individualised and patient centred form of fertility care.


Background: Roughly 130 patients are seen daily in the emergency centre (EC) at George Provincial Hospital (GPH), of whom one or two will have attempted suicide. GPH serves the population of Eden and Central Karoo Districts. Little is known about the circumstances surrounding these suicide attempts. We examined this pattern and formulated a protocol for managing these patients. Method: All patients attending the EC after attempting suicide between December 2010 and April 2011 were identified from the EC register. Thirty nine patients gave consent and completed a questionnaire. The data were analysed in Excel®. Additional information was obtained from five members of a focus group. Results: Patients who attempted suicide had often attempted suicide previously. They came from a community with high levels of longstanding financial and domestic stress, violence, dysfunctional family relationships, alcohol abuse and poor coping skills. Suicide attempts generally involved impulsively taking prescription medication following an argument with a family member. Patients felt abandoned or alone, were physically or mentally abused, were subjected to alcohol abuse, or had underlying anxiety or depression. Conclusion: Patients who attempt suicide and attend GPH EC come from a chronically stressed community with dysfunctional family patterns and alcohol abuse and lack coping skills. A psychological support team has introduced a suicide-attempt protocol in the EC offering patients an opportunity to deal with their distress and learn better coping skills.


This paper examines Nahua words found in both the Maya codices and the monumental texts. These words, spelled with syllabic signs, occur for the most part in contexts associated with foreign influence: Nahuatl deity names and words for "helmet," "tribute," and "heart." One word—"and then"—is a conjunction used frequently in discourse. Sound correspondences between these loan words and the Nahua sources suggest an Eastern Nahua dialect as the likely source during the Classic period. Thus, Mexican influence in the Maya area, frequently attributed directly to Teotihuacan, may in fact have come by way of Nahua-speakers settled in the Gulf region. The epigraphic evidence establishes that Nahua speakers were influential in Mesoamerica far earlier than previously believed.


Preface Acknowledgements PART 1.UNDERSTANDING BASIC, APPLIED, AND EVALUATION RESEARCH 1.1 Defining the Characteristics of Basic, Applied, and Evaluation Research 1.2 The Orientation and Commitment of The Basic Researcher 1.3 The Orientation and Commitment of the Applied Researcher 1.4 The Orientation And Commitment Of The Evaluation Researcher 1.5 General Readings on Basic, Applied and Evaluation Research PART 2: BASIC RESEARCH DESIGN 2.1 Basic Guide For The Design Of A Social Research Proposal 2.2 Formulating A Research Problem 2.3 Evaluating Research Studies 2.4 Elements of Research Design 2.5 Choosing a Research Design 2.6 How Science Is Built Importance of Conceptual Definition and Theory Formulation - G. J. DiRenzo Assumptions Underlying the Application of the Scientific Method - G. Sjoberg, & R. Nett Dilemmas of the Researcher and the Distinctiveness of Behavioral Science - A. Kaplan 2.7 The Impact Of Sociological Theory On Empirical Research Empirical Generalizations in Sociology - R. K. Merton 2.8 Bridging The Gap Between The Languages Of Theory And Research Causal Inferences in Non-Experimental Research - H. M. Blalock, Jr. 2.9 Criteria for Judging the Usefulness of an Hypotheses Methods in Social Research - W. J. Goode, & P. K. Hatt 2.10 Science: Simultaneously Observational, Experimental, and Historical Science: Observational, Experimental, Historical - R. Siever 2.11 Guides for Design, Model Building, and Large-Scale Research Some Observations on Study Design - S. A. Stouffer 2.12 The Role Of Models In Research Design 2.13 General Considerations Of Research Design 2.14 Factors Jeopardizing Internal And External Validity Of Research Designs Experimental and Quasi-Experimental Designs for Research - D. T. Campbell, & J. C. Stanley 2.15 Sampling 2.16 A Selected Bibliography On Basic Research and Research Design Part 3. APPLIED AND EVALUATION RESEARCH 3.1 A Rationale for Applied Sociology as it Relates to Policy-Making 3.2 Applied Research Design 3.3 Fitting An Applied Research Design To A Problem 3.4 The Mood Of The Academic Researcher Engaged In Applied Research 3.5 The Application of Successful Applied Research through Policy Analysis Policy Analysis - R. Haskins 3.6 Bibliography On Applied Sociology, Knowledge Utilization, And Policy-Making 3.7 Evaluation Research As A Process 3.8 Ethical Practices in Research PART 4. QUALITATIVE RESEARCH - J. Cresswell, & R. C. Maiette 4.1 Introduction 4.2 Systematic Inquiry Approaches 4.3 A Conceptual Overview of Five Inquiry Approaches 4.4 Narrative Research 4.5 Phenomenology 4.6 Grounded Theory Research 4.7 An Ethnography 4.8 The Case Study 4.9 Qualitative Data Analysis Software 4.10 Conclusion 4.11 References 4.12 Qualitative Research Methodology: A New Perspective The New Frontier in Qualitative Research Methodology - E. W. Eisner 4.13 Further Resources for Qualitative Researchers PART V GUIDES TO METHODS AND TECHNIQUES OF COLLECTING DATA IN LIBRARY, FIELD, AND LABORATORY SETTINGS: SOCIAL SCIENCE DATA LIBRARIES AND RESEARCH CENTERS 5.1 Outline Guide To Situses, Principal Methods, And Techniques Of The Social Science Researcher 5.2 A Review of Print and Online Social Science Research Resources 5.3 United States Bureau of the Census and other Federal Sources of Information 5.4 FedStats 5.5 Data Mining through Federal Resources 5.6 General Databases of Bibliographic Material 5.7 Using Search Engines 5.8 Microfiche as an Archival Medium 5.9 Online Computer Library Center 5.10 Documentary Resources Available In The Library 5.11 Guides For Selection And Construction Of Questionnaires 5.12 Techniques For Increasing Response Rates 5.13 Guides For Selection And Use Of Personal Interviews As Utilized In Field Research 5.14 Description of And Instructions For Preparation Of A Telephone Interview Survey 5.15 A Comparison Of Telephone Surveys With Personal Interviews 5.16 Choosing Among The Mail Questionnaire, Personal Interview, And Telephone Survey 5.17 The Panel Technique As A Research Instrument 5.18 Guides For The Selection And Construction Of Social Scales And Indices 5.19 Guide To Databases Of Collected Data For The Social Science Researcher 5.20 Social Science Data Archives in the United States 5.21 Directories Of Social Research Centers 5.22 Important Research Associations And Institutes Affiliated With The International Sociological Association 5.23 A Bibliography Of Methods Guides 5.24 A Comment on the Internet PART 6 GUIDE TO STATISTICAL ANALYSIS OF SOCIAL SCIENCE DATA 6.1 Questioning Science The Impertinent Questioner:The Scientist's Guide to the Statistician's Mind - W. Lurie 6.2 Four Levels Of Measurement And The Statistics Appropriate To Each Level 6.3 The Meaning and Use of Statistical Significance The Concept of Statistical Significance Testing - B. Thompson 6.4 Summary Of Common Measures Of Association and Group Differences 6.5 An Overview of Measures of Association 6.6 An Overview of Tests of the Difference Between Means 6.7 Causation And Multivariate Analysis: From Univariate And Bivariate Problems to Multivariate Analysis of Social Behavior 6.8 An Overview of Other Statistical Techniques and Examples of Their Application 6.9 Using The Computer In Social Science Research 6.10 Software Applications for the Computer 6.11 A Guide To Computer Periodicals And Other Publications 6.12 A Bibliography Of Statistical Methods 6.13 Contents Of Sociological Methodology 1994 Through 2000 PART 7 ASSESSING SOCIAL VARIABLES: SCALES AND INDEXES 7.1 General Assessment Sources 7.2 Scales Assessing Social Status 7.3 Scales Assessing Group Structure and Dynamics 7.4 Social Indicators 7.5 National Economic Indicators 7.6 Measures of Organizational Structure 7.7 Community 7.8 Social Participation 7.9 Leadership in the Work Organization 7.10 Morale and Job Satisfaction 7.11 Scales of Attitudes, Values, and Norms 7.12 Family and Marriage 7.13 Personality Measurements 7.14 Citations, Focus, and Purpose of Studies Reported in the Past Five Years in the American Journal of Sociology, The American Sociological Review, and Social Psychology Quarterly 7.15 Measures of Personality and Social Psychological Attitudes 7.16 The Buros Institute and the Buros Mental Measurements Yearbook 7.17 How Researchers Create Their Own Scales: An Activity of Last Resort PART 8 RESEARCH PROPOSAL, FUNDING, BUDGETING, REPORTING, AND CAREER PLANNING 8.1 The Research Grant Proposal 8.2 Research Funding 8.3 Major Sources of Funding Information 8.4 Common Reasons for Rejection of Grant Proposals 8.5 Further Readings on Grantsmanship and Proposal Writing Grantsmanship 8.6 The National Science Foundation (NSF) 8.7 National Institutes of Health (NIH) 8.8 Department of Health and Human Services 8.9 National Institute of Justice 8.10 Federal Government Agencies and Private Organizations Offering Fellowships and Grants 8.11 Sources of Information for Other Fellowships and Grant Opportunities 8.12 Estimating Research Costs 8.13 Research Reporting 8.14 A Guide to Publications 8.15 Where Prestigious Sociologists Publish and Why 8.16 Getting Published 8.17 Professional Memberships and Organizations 8.18 Planning for a Career in the Social Sciences Index About the Editors


Disasters cause considerable damage around the world every year. The built environment is significantly affected by disasters. Whilst the built environment is expected to withstand such occurrences, the construction industry is expected to play a pivotal role in reconstruction of damaged property and infrastructure. Such responses call for technological and managerial innovation. Therefore it is important that construction professionals receive continuous skill development to respond to disaster situations in order to build a disaster resilient built environment. Due to the complexities involved in and due to peculiar nature of disaster situations, lifelong learning is considered as an appropriate way of ensuring continuous education to the various stakeholders of disaster management. The paper reports preliminary findings from a European Commission funded research project aimed at modernising the higher education institutes to support lifelong learning in the built environment. The paper reports the key findings from the literature review and case study on disaster management, emphasising the role of lifelong learning in disaster management education. Empirical data collected as part of the workshop suggest that providing disaster management education as a degree programme is ineffective due to the complexity and multi-disciplinary nature of the subject. Further, the lack of involvement with the industry and the lack of research and development activities on disaster management by built environment professionals act as hindrance to effective disaster management education. In addressing the shortcomings on the existing approaches of disaster management education, this paper concludes that lifelong learning as the most appropriate approach to educate built environment professional in the context of disaster management.


We describe a technique for recording electroencephalographic and evoked-potential information directly from the cerebral hemispheres and brain stem, via an endovascular approach. Recordings were performed with polytef-insulated guide wires in the course of interventional angiographies in 23 patients. All registrations were compared with simultaneous recordings from extracranial electrodes. This preliminary study raises the possibility that this technique may help to explore the electric activity of deep cerebral structures otherwise accessible only by stereotactic puncture or electrode insertion.


Environmental management systems aim to ensure legal compliance on the one hand and continuous improvement of environmental performance on the other hand. Due to its cross-sectional character, environmental management systems affect all parts of the organisation. Another cross-sectional system is the management accounting system which intends to support ex-ante internal management decision-making processes. The overlapping part of both systems deals with environmental issues in business planning processes and is commonly referred to as environmental management accounting. However, the field of environmental management accounting is still young and corresponding methods are currently under development.

Besides financial goals, companies increasingly start formulating strategic environmental goals. However, the management and control of these goals remains a challenge. Thus, the formulation of strategic environmental goals in qualitative terms limits their management and control. On the other hand, the systematic integration of strategic environmental goals in management accounting processes, such as investment appraisals and decisions, represents a research gap.

Therefore, this thesis aims to develop a method that is able to systematically integrate financial and environmental data in investment processes to support the achievement of strategic environmental and financial goals of companies. This new integrated investing method intends to provide a sufficient degree of scientific quality on the one hand and practical applicability on the other hand.

In context of this thesis, a deficit analysis assesses reasons why current methods of environmental management accounting have not established as common business practice so far. During the first part of the subsequent method development a set of seven requirements is composed. On basis of these requirements additional methods of environmental management and management accounting systems are evaluated resulting in a final set of three approaches representing the basis of developing the new integrated investing method. After developing and describing the new integrated investing method, the method is applied in seven case studies within the Volkswagen Group. This method application verifies the method's practical applicability as well as its ability to manage and control strategic environmental and financial goals.

In conclusion, this dissertation contributes to the development and application of a new integrated investing method that aims to ensure a sufficient degree of scientific quality and practical applicability. With the help of this method, it is able to systematically integrate environmental impacts in investment processes of companies in order to manage and control the achievement of strategic environmental and financial goals.

The recommendations for future research address the limitation of the Ecological Scarcity Method, on which the integrated investing method is based, as well as the application of the new integrated investing method in contexts outside the Volkswagen Group.


Discusses the history, culture, and religion of the Pacific Islanders, factors encouraging their emigration, and their acceptance as an ethnic group in North America.


Poetry and the other arts by definition require the production of novel artifacts. Someone who merely copies a poem or plays a piece of music is not thought of as a poet or composer. Even if this were not the case, we habituate to the repetition of the same thing and want something new. The pressure for novelty may be a major consideration or a nuisance for poets, but it has exerted a constant pressure since poetry was first written whereas other pressures have come and gone. When we consider how novel ideas are produced, we see that the pressure for novelty dictates not only that poetry will change across time but that it will change in a very specific direction. A theory describing how entropy must increase in poetry and that sorts of contents and styles must be found in the history of any poetic tradition is described. A content analysis of samples of British poetry by 170 poets born between 1290 and 1949 is described. Support for all of the theoretical predictions was found.


ABSTRACT The Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) are used as an entry point to consider issues and questions surrounding the forms of urban expertise that are required to achieve transformative and sustainable urban development. The article builds on the authors' experiences as researchers working co-productively with South African municipalities through the African Centre for Cities, an interdisciplinary research hub at the University of Cape Town. Insights from the literature on urban policy mobilities are deployed alongside those from an emerging literature on transdisciplinary research and knowledge co-production for global policy implementation. The aims are, first, to identify emerging kinds of urban expertise that are produced and mobilized by constellations of actors involved in the advancement of global development policies at the city scale and, second, to examine the role of city-university partnerships in producing particular forms of urban expertise to support SDG localization. Locating this work within a longer genealogy of urban governance reform in South Africa, it is shown that the conditions under which effective co-productive relationships can be built and institutionalized are highly context specific and geographically uneven. Understanding and assembling such conditions will enable cities to benefit from the forms of expertise these can engender.


With growing concerns on future energy supplies, solar energy appears as an energy source whose potential remains to be tapped at a large scale. In the last two decades, dye-sensitized solar cells (DSCs) have been considered as a competitive means to convert solar energy into electricity thanks to their low manufacturing and environmental costs, simple fabrication and high efficiency. Indeed, record efficiencies as high as 13% have been obtained for liquid DSCs and recently, solid-state DSCs using solid hole transport materials as well as perovskite materials as sensitizers have showed efficiencies above 17%. From a physical point of view, charge carrier generation in a DSC takes place in a photoactive light harvester chemisorbed on a mesoscopic semiconductor oxide. Due to the excellent electronic overlap, the exciton separation occurs by the injection of the excited electrons and holes from the dye into the conduction band of the semiconductor and redox electrolyte, respectively. A high surface area mesoscopic photoanode is necessary to ensure a high-density bulk heterojunction and efficient light harvesting in the visible part of the solar spectrum due to effective dye loading. This implies that the DSC has a large, heterogeneous interface through which photogenerated electrons may be intercepted as a result of the slow electron transport. The latter is governed by an ambipolar diffusion mechanism controlled by trap-limited hopping through a long path to the transparent conductive electrode. It is however hindered by the low electron mobility in anatase TiO2 nanoparticles and the multiple grain boundaries in the mesoporous film. The work conducted during this thesis aimed at developing new architectures for the electrodes of DSCs using notably atomic layer deposition (ALD) and inverse opal host-guest structures with different semiconducting metal oxides. First, using a self-assembled polymeric template and ALD, we fabricated a porous ZnO inverse opal backbone. Advantages are numerous: a high electronic mobility of ZnO, a precise control of the metal oxide deposition using ALD and in situ growth of ZnO nanowires at low temperatures. Besides increasing the surface area available for photoactive dye molecules, single-crystal nanowires offer a defect-free path for photoinjected electrons. However, because of the relative instability of ZnO in acidic environments, a TiO2 overlayer was deposited by ALD. This proved to increase the recombination resistance of photogenerated electrons and increased their lifetime in the porous film. This host-guest approach was further transposed to three related fields in photo-electrochemistry using different ALD precursors. For water splitting, a niobium-doped tin oxide inverse opal backbone was constructed, which served as a host for hematite deposited by atmospheric pressure chemical vapour deposition or ALD. In the field of plasmonics, a TiO2 inverse opal host was made to act as a scaffold for silver nanoparticles. For solid-state DSCs, we strived to achieve an ultra-thin ZnO inverse opal, which acted as a host for perovskite crystals. Finally, we studied the effect of very thin TiO2 and ZnO overlayers deposited by ALD on top of mesoporous ZnO and TiO2, respectively. We were able to accurately monitor the thickness of overlayers and study the effects on photovoltaic parameters such as transport and recombination rates of photogenerated electrons, photocurrent, photovoltage, fill factor and efficiency.


Melanoma is the most dangerous type of skin cancer, but when treated in its early stages the chance of cure is increased. However, the detection of melanoma is a challenging task even for specialists due to low contrast of skin lesions and presence of artifacts. Therefore, developing an automatic segmentation tool for skin lesion analysis using dermoscopy images is a critical step for improving the diagnosis. This work proposes an automatic melanoma segmentation approach based on Fuzzy Numbers. The technique was evaluated using 571 images from ISDI data set, composed of 446 benign lesions and 125 malignant melanoma. The proposed approach was compared with three state-of-art techniques and was evaluated through the metrics of sensitivity, specificity, Jaccard index, and balanced accuracy. Results show that the fuzzy approach has a better segmentation compared to the other techniques, obtaining values of 0.77 of sensibility, 0.94 of specificity, 0.65 of the Jaccard index, and 0.85 of balanced accuracy. Results demonstrate that the segmentation approach using fuzzy numbers is highly competitive with all algorithms analyzed.


Introduction Crime and the fear of crime can be a barrier to park use, and locations of crimes can have varied effects. Unsafe areas in or around the park, around the residence, or along the route to the park can alter park use behavior. Our study aimed to examine associations between objective measures of types and location of crimes and park use behaviors. Methods In 2013 we surveyed a sample (N = 230) of residents in Greensboro, North Carolina, about park use, with responses matched to objective crime and spatial measures. We measured all crimes and violent crimes near home, near the closest park, and along the shortest route between home and park. By using ordered and binary logistic modeling, we examined the relationships between the locations of crime and park use and duration of park visit, park rating, and never visiting parks. Additional models included distance to the closest park. Results Increased crime in parks and near home was associated with fewer park visits. Greater violent crime in all locations was related to fewer park visits. Park ratings were lower for parks with high violent crime rates. Conclusion Given the importance of parks as settings for outdoor recreation and physical activity, crime may have a detrimental effect on physical activity and, therefore, public health.


Introduction: Teaching should meet the needs of all types of learner present in the class room; the activist, the reflector, the theorist and the pragmatist who also have diverse backgrounds, levels of education and are from different age groups. Aim: The aim of the four projects was to improve students' engagement and success. Method: New teaching strategies were trialled to improve students' engagement and successes with topics which according to their feedback were considered 'dry'. The author utilised techniques such as flipping the class-room, simulation, case or problem based learning; and group work replacing traditional lectures. First, third and fourth year students were asked to prepare for the in-class activities at home using the lectures or simulation software. Results: The strategies were effective in a small class size of 15-20 students, with improved attendance and participation, improved fail/pass rate and number of students achieving credit or pass; however there was no significant change in the number of students achieving high distinction or distinction. Evaluation: Reproducibility is an important part of the experiment to demonstrate that the results can be trusted. Success with one or two cohorts is not sufficient to adopt a method of teaching. Ongoing evaluation is essential to eliminate cohort-related effects prior to implementation. It is not clear if the achieved results would be achievable in larger classes due to the reduction in student: lecturer ratio and limitation of class room time to allow all students to participate.


This thesis aims to provide a solution for wireless control of, and communication with and among Khepera robots, making use of the Bluetooth wireless technology, to allow wireless control of multiple robots in real time. It is based on the foregoing work of other students who constructed a module for wireless control of Khepera robots over Bluetooth, but they were not able to control more than one physical robot at a time. Khepera robots, as well as many wireless solutions to control those, are closely investigated, and an introduction to Bluetooth is given. An implementation of a Bluetooth protocol stack, which was carried out in the context of this dissertation, and constitutes one of the main parts of this project, is described in detail. The performance of the work discussed throughout this dissertation is evaluated w.r.t. transmission times of data over the wireless link, and afterwards compared to other solutions for real-time control of Khepera robots, e.g. a solution to control a Khepera robot over a wireless radio link. Furthermore, previously simulated experiments with autonomous agents are carried out on physical robots, to test the quality of the wireless solution. It is shown that the solution presented here operates much more efficient than any other existing solution, thus provides a very useful aid for the research community that is experimenting with physical robots in general, and real Khepera robots in particular, in order to simplify research, and allows for a broader spectrum of experiments.


To identify the ways teachers and educational systems can improve learning, researchers need to make causal inferences. Analyses of existing datasets play an important role in detecting causal patterns, but conducting experiments also plays an indispensable role in this research. In this article, we advocate for experiments to be embedded in real educational contexts, allowing researchers to test whether interventions such as a learning activity, new technology, or advising strategy elicit reliable improvements in authentic student behaviours and educational outcomes. Embedded experiments, wherein theoretically relevant variables are systematically manipulated in real learning contexts, carry strong benefits for making causal inferences, particularly when allied with the data-rich resources of contemporary e-learning environments. Toward this goal, we offer a field guide to embedded experimentation, reviewing experimental design choices, addressing ethical concerns, discussing the importance of involving teachers, and reviewing how interventions can be deployed in a variety of contexts, at a range of scales. Causal inference is a critical component of a field that aims to improve student learning; including experimentation alongside analyses of existing data in learning analytics is the most compelling way to test causal claims.


Background. Proteinuria of Chronic Kidney Disease (CKD) is frequently associated to
dyslipidemia, that increases the risk of renal and cardiovascular events. This might be
ameliorated by drugs, such as ACEi or ARB, which effectively reduce proteinuria.
Moreover, clinical and experimental studies provided evidence that statin exerts
renoprotective effect, but their role in renal outcomes is still unclear.
Methods. In this prospective, randomized trial, we evaluated if statin, combined to ACEi
and ARB, more effectively than ACEi/ARB alone reduce proteinuria, and if this effect
translate in a reduction of renal function decline. After 2 months of Benazepril/Valsartan
combined therapy, 186 patients were randomized to 6 months Fluvastatin (80 mg/die)
YES or NO additional therapy.
Results. Benazepril/Valsartan therapy significantly and safely reduced proteinuria, total
and LDL cholesterol. Fluvastatin addition optimised blood pressure control and
effectively reduced proteinuria in nephrotic patients, in particular with diabetes. Renal
function stabilised during Benazepril/Valsartan therapy alone, while more rapidly
decreased with Fluvastatin addition, possibly via blood pressure reduction.
Conclusion. In CKD patients with dyslipidemia, double RAS blockade is renoprotective
and improves lipid profile through amelioration of nephrotic syndrome. Fluvastatin
effectively improves renal outcomes only in nephrotic patients. Thus, Fluvastatin therapy
must be reserved to this clinical setting.


Bone marrow examination plays a crucial role in the diagnosis and management of various hematological and systemic diseases. Even though the procedure has been carried out for decades, it remains an extremely painful and uncomfortable experience for a majority of patients. This paper reviews the different strategies used to provide analgesia and summarizes the advantages and drawbacks of one strategy over the other. A literature review was carried out addressing the different approaches to providing pain relief during bone marrow aspiration and biopsy. Several different methods, procedure modifications and protocols are employed at various centers but pain control and analgesia remain incomplete. Local infiltration with lidocaine or similar local analgesics is the standard at most centers. Although there is limited data, there are several studies in literature demonstrating the pain relieving effects of different methods and drugs when used with local anesthetics. Sedation, usually using benzodiazepines, reduces anticipatory anxiety, provides analgesia and also short term amnesia. Combinations of different agents not only yield potent effects but also reduce the required dose of each individual drug, minimizing adverse effects. Non-pharmacological factors also play key roles. Providing patients with complete and comprehensible information is vital to ensure the least amount of discomfort during the biopsy. Distraction techniques, such as cognitive behavioral therapy, hypnosis and music therapy, may also play a role in minimizing pain.


Extracellular vesicles (EVs), particularly exosomes, have emerged in the last 10 years as a new player in the progression of Alzheimer's disease (AD) with high potential for being useful as a diagnostic and treatment tool. Exosomes and other EVs are enriched with the sphingolipid ceramide as well as other more complex glycosphingolipids such as gangliosides. At least a subpopulation of exosomes requires neutral sphingomyelinase activity for their biogenesis and secretion. As ceramide is often elevated in AD, exosome secretion may be affected as well. Here, we review the available data showing that exosomes regulate the aggregation and clearance of amyloid-beta (Aβ) and discuss the differences in data from laboratories regarding Aβ binding, induction of aggregation, and glial clearance. We also summarize available data on the role of exosomes in extracellular tau propagation, AD-related exosomal mRNA/miRNA cargo, and the use of exosomes as biomarker and gene therapy vehicles for diagnosis and potential treatment.


New Economic Geography (NEG) has reached a theoretical consolidation while related empirical tests are still scarce. The present paper aims at providing some evidence on the validity of forces emphasised by NEG. The analysis starts from the nominal wage equation derived from the Krugman "core-periphery model" and focuses on one of the main propositions of NEG that access advantages raise factor prices. The paper investigates the significance of market access for regional wages and the geographic extent of demand linkages for a cross section of European regions, also taking into account the effects of national borders. The regression analysis covers the period between 1985 and 2000. The results are consistent with the implication of NEG that demand linkages affect the geographic distribution of economic activities, confirming the basic findings of previous analyses. However, regarding the spatial extent of demand linkages, our results differ significantly from previous findings that point to highly localised effects.


E-learning is a common tool to support the education in variety of scenarios. As the education content can be prepared by the group of specialists, but the skilled teachers are limited in remote area. Also, the contents in most curriculum are planned to distribute to limited skilled people. The gap of education can be full-filled with Elearning system. However, the conventional E-learning is high cost system and not appropriated for rural area. Also, opensource system is complicated to implement and configure in dedicated curriculum. This research is proposed the customized design of E-learning system for primary Thai education curriculum. As Thai education curriculum was updated in 2017, school and teacher need to update the plan and methodology accordingly. Our research is based on the actual Thai school in Ratchaburi province by using the Android framework. The system is designed and implemented from actual requirements from teachers and students in grade 3. As a result, the result show student involvement and continue using of system in both school and extra hours. The feedback from actual usage also is evaluated.


UNLABELLED
OBJECT.: The object of this paper was to describe the surgical anatomy and technical nuances of the endonasal transcavernous posterior clinoidectomy approach with interdural pituitary transposition and to report the clinical outcome of this technical modification.

METHODS
The surgical anatomy of the proposed approach was studied in 10 colored silicon-injected anatomical specimens. The medical records of 12 patients that underwent removal of the posterior clinoid(s) with this technique were reviewed.

RESULTS
The natural anatomical corridor provided by the cavernous sinus is used to get access to the posterior clinoid by mobilizing the pituitary gland in an interdural fashion. The medial wall of the cavernous sinus is preserved intact and attached to the gland during its medial and superior mobilization. This provides protection to the gland, allowing for preservation of its venous drainage pathways. The inferior hypophyseal artery is transected to facilitate the manipulation of the medial wall of the cavernous sinus and pituitary gland. This approach was successfully performed in all patients, including 6 with chordomas, 5 with petroclival meningiomas, and 1 with an epidermoid tumor. No patient in this series had neurovascular injury related to the posterior clinoidectomy. There were no instances of permanent hypopituitarism or diabetes insipidus.

CONCLUSIONS
The authors introduce a surgical variant of the endoscopic endonasal posterior clinoidectomy approach that does not require intradural pituitary transposition and is more effective than the purely extradural approach. The endoscopic endonasal transcavernous approach facilitates the removal of prominent posterior clinoids increasing the working space at the lateral recess of the interpeduncular cistern, while preserving the pituitary function.


This paper presents the design, implementation and evaluation of an eco-feedback system capable of providing detailed household consumption information and also real-time production breakdown per energy source. We build on recent studies reporting an increased awareness generated by ecofeedback systems that also integrate micro-production information, taking advantage of a closed grid production network on an island with a high concentration of renewables, we deployed the What-a-Watt system in a building with 9 households for a period of 34 consecutive weeks. Results show that all the participating families have shown increased awareness of the production and distribution of electricity, thus becoming more familiarized with concepts such as the different sources of energy and how their availability relates to external variables such as weather conditions and time of day. Furthermore, our results also show, that the families using our system have managed to reduce their overall consumption. This research is a first attempt to provide more effective eco-feedback systems to consumers by integrating complex Smartgrid information in the feedback.


Background: Recent clinical trials using rosuvastatin, a hydrophilic statin, did not show beneficial effects on cardiovascular events in patients with heart failure. We examined the cardioprotective effects of pitavastatin, a lipophilic statin, on Japanese patients with chronic heart failure (CHF). Methods and Results: A total of 574 Japanese patients with CHF were randomly assigned to the pitavastatin group (n=288) or the control group (n=286). There was no significant difference between the 2 groups for the primary outcome, which was a composite of cardiac death and hospitalization for worsening HF (adjusted hazard ratio (aHR): 0.922, 95% confidence interval (CI): 0.632–1.345, P=0.672). A strongly significant statistical interaction between the effect of pitavastatin and left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) was found (P=0.004). In patients with LVEF ≥30%, a significant reduction in the primary outcome (aHR: 0.525, 95% CI: 0.308–0.896, P=0.018) was observed in the pitavastatin group. Pitavastatin did not show any effects on the primary outcome (aHR: 1.582, 95% CI: 0.890–2.813, P=0.118) in the subgroup of patients with LVEF <30%. Conclusions: Pitavastatin did not reduce cardiac death or hospitalization for worsening HF in Japanese patients with CHF. (UMIN-ID: UMINC000000428).  (Circ J 2013; 77: 917–925)


Experience in European health insurance exchanges indicates that even with the best risk-adjustment formulas, insurers have substantial incentives to engage in risk selection. The potentially most worrisome form of risk selection is skimping on the quality of care for underpriced high-cost patients--that is, patients for whom insurers are compensated at a rate lower than the predicted health care expenses of these patients. In this article we draw lessons for the United States from twenty years of experience with health insurance exchanges in Europe, where risk selection is a serious problem. Mistakes by European legislators and inadequate evaluation criteria for risk selection incentives are discussed, as well as strategies to reduce risk selection and the complex trade-off among selection (through quality skimping), efficiency, and affordability. Recommended improvements to the risk-adjustment process in the United States include considering the adoption of risk adjusters used in Europe, investing in the collection of data, using a permanent form of risk sharing, and replacing the current premium "band" restrictions with more flexible restrictions. Policy makers need to understand the complexities of regulating competitive health insurance markets and to prevent risk selection that threatens the provision of good-quality care for underpriced high-cost patients.


Objective: Adrafinil and modafinil have received wide publicity and have become controversial in the sporting world when several athletes were discovered allegedly using these drugs as doping agents. By acknowledging the facts, the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) banned these drugs in sports since 2004. The present study explores the possibility of differentiating adrafinil and modafinil and their major metabolites under electron impact ionization in gas chromatograph–mass spectrometer (GC-MSD) and electrospray ionization in liquid chromatograph–mass spectrometer (LC-MS/MS) by studying the fragmentation pattern of these drugs. Materials and Methods: Adrafinil, modafinil and their major metabolite, modafinilic acid were analyzed on EI-GC-MSD and ESI-LC-MS/MS using various individual parameters on both the instruments. The analytical technique and equipment used in the analysis were an Agilent 6890N GC with 5973 mass selective detector for the GC-MSD analysis and an Agilent 1100 HPLC with API-3200 Triple quadrupole mass spectrometer for the LC-MS/MS analysis. Validation of both methods was performed using six replicates at different concentrations. Result and Discussion: The results show that adrafinil, modafinil and their major metabolite modafinilic acid could be detected as a single artifact without differentiation under EI-GC-MSD analysis. However, all drugs could be detected and differentiated under ESI-LCMS/MS analysis without any artifaction. The GC-MSD analysis gives a single artifact for both the drugs without differentiation and thus can be used as a marker for screening purposes. Further, the Multiple Reaction Monitoring (MRM) method developed under LC-MS/MS is fit for the purpose for confirmation of suspicious samples in routine sports testing and in forensic and clinical analysis.


Volumetric attributes computed from 3D seismic data are powerful tools in the prediction of fractures and other stratigraphic features. Geologic structures often exhibit curvature of different wavelengths, providing different perspectives of the same geology. Tight (short-wavelength) curvature delineates details within intense, highly localized fracture systems. Broad (long-wavelength) curvature usually enhances subtle flexures on the scale of 100–200 traces that are difficult to see in conventional seismic, but often correlate to fracture zones below seismic resolution, and also collapse features and diagenetic alterations that result in broader bowls. We present a number of curvature examples demonstrating their interpretational value.