This book could not have come at a better time. Who would have thought that teachers all over the world would be temporarily changing their teaching methods in order to reach their learners? Teachers have had to reach inside themselves as well as out to each other in order to make sudden strides in their knowledge about technology and alternative approaches. Teacher wellbeing has never been more crucial.

Review
The book comprises eight chapters, each one centering on a different aspect of the self. The authors take the eudaimonic view of wellbeing, which refers to the fact that wellbeing is about finding meaning and connection. In addition, the book utilizes Holmes' (2005) framework to explore the notion that individuals are composed of four types of wellbeing, that of physical, emotional, mental, and spiritual. Each chapter begins with an explanation of the theme followed by several activities to help language teachers reflect on the topics and apply the concepts to their own wellbeing. The activities draw on insights from positive psychology as well as teacher emotion research in terms of the common challenges and stressors that language teachers face.
In the introduction to the purpose of the book, the authors focus on the 'self' and explain why it is important to focus on oneself and the various tangents within the self. In order to help the reader consider their current situation, the reader is invited to take part in some mindset activities. In the next chapter called 'Me and My Workplace', the authors examine the ways that institutions can support their teachers which would increase their job satisfaction and reduce burnout. Although managers may well gain insights from such a chapter, readers can use these activities to think deeply about how they can empower themselves to engage in such activities alone, invite colleagues near and far to engage with them, or to consider future possibilities for their own career trajectories.
The chapters that follow focus on the reader's mind, motivation, relationships, emotions and physical wellbeing, and they follow the same pattern of activities that can be explored alone or collaboratively with colleagues. The final chapter, entitled 'Me and My Future' invites readers to consider how they can manage their own wellbeing in the long run. It is all too easy for teachers to fall into their same old patterns of overwork, time mismanagement, and career/life imbalance which can lead to burnout. Taking time to learn how to sustain wellbeing practices will not only benefit the reader but also their colleagues as people working closely together tend to be influenced by each other.
This book would work well as a base for reflective practice groups because of the short chapters, each focusing on one prong of the self, and because there are a plethora of activities to choose from, which are appropriate for exploring in pairs or small groups. Chapters can be read in any order, and even within the chapters, readers can focus on pertinent sections depending on their needs. Each chapter includes a list of recommended reading for anyone so inclined to read further. At a time when teachers are feeling disconnected from their institutions, so many teachers are connecting online to form communities and groups to help each other learn new technology and approaches. This book reminds them not to ignore their own wellbeing, and to use these newly-formed connections to perhaps explore the topics together.

Full Publication Details
Title: Teacher Wellbeing
Authors: Sarah Mercer and Tammy Gregersen
Date: 2020
Publisher: Oxford University Press
Number of pages: 136


Abstract:Many observers of Central and East European politics express concerns regarding outcomes of elections and policy choices flowing from them. Yet, since democratization of CEE states has taken place in economic, social, and cultural conditions different from those in the West, voting patterns and policy preferences there cannot be mere copies of West European experience. Critics should focus their attention on the assessment of democratic procedures. More important than who won is if the election was free and fair. A well-designed system of checks and balances can prevent ill-conceived policies from causing damage, as the case of Poland's "lustration" law illustrates.


The ability to survive almost absolute dehydration through air-drying is a remarkable feature of rock-inhabiting microcolonial fungi (MCF), which colonise rock surfaces in hot and cold deserts. Understanding of the underlying mechanisms which allow this group of fungi to conquer natural and man-made environments requires a set of modern biological techniques and approaches that are under development in our laboratory. We will present an overview of the targeted disruption of melanin biosynthesis genes in the rock-inhabiting Knufia petricola and give inside into the lines of research and the network of supporting laboratories that made this progress possible.


With the growing threat of global climate change, energy savings and CO2 emissions reduction have become a major long-term issue faced by China. For a more scientific analysis of energy savings and emissions reduction data of China, a modified logarithmic mean Divisia index (LMDI) approach is adopted. The modifications and the theoretical model of the approach are introduced in this paper. Based on China's economic development and energy consumption data during the 12th Five-Year-Plan period, quantitative assessment of effects of the energy savings and emissions reduction in the four key areas (namely energy conversion efficiency improvement, energy utilization efficiency improvement, primary energy mix adjustment and industrial structure adjustment) is carried out. The results and laws of energy savings and emissions reduction in the above areas during the 12th Five-YearPlan period are summarized. Finally, combined with historical analysis and current situations, some suggestions for China's future work in the field of energy savings and emissions reduction are proposed.


Mechanical circulatory support is becoming more frequently utilised in the intensive care and cardiac surgical setting. From extra-corporal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) to ventricular assist devices (VADs), there are newer models, and variations in configurations to accommodate expanding indications.

This thesis aims to determine the current progress of mechanical circulatory support in the cardiac surgical setting. This ranges from the use of VA-ECMO in the post-cardiotomy period, simultaneous mechanical device usage (IABP and ECMO, ECMO and VADs), and the latest in ventricular assist device advancement (HeartMate III).

Throughout this thesis, several studies have been performed, aiming to determine the most optimal use of these devices, and ensure the best outcomes for patients.


Abstract Introduction: The Term Breech Trial has led to obstetricians opting for Caesarean section as the mode of delivery for this presentation, even in poor countries. Concerns related to this approach are the resultant increase in Caesarean section rates and their associated complications, particularly in under-resourced countries, which are faced with financial and human-resource expertise constraints. Method: This was a retrospective chart review of women who presented at term with a singleton breech presentation at the antenatal clinic and in labour, from January 2005 to December 2007, at a district level hospital in South Africa. Results: There was a total of 19 197 deliveries, of which 466 were singleton term breech deliveries, giving a rate of 2.4%. Of the 297 women who had antenatal care and had been allocated to planned Caesarean section, 271 had the planned operation. There were no neonatal deaths in the planned Caesarean section group. The emergency Caesarean section group and the group in which no decision was made on the mode of delivery were associated with higher maternal complication rates than in the group that had planned Caesarean sections. The highest neonatal complication rate was in the group that had unplanned vaginal deliveries. Conclusion: In a district hospital in South Africa, the mode of delivery for breech presentations is usually a planned Caesarean section. Unplanned vaginal deliveries are associated with significant perinatal mortality.


Abstract
 In this paper we describe and illustrate Sinningia ramboi (Gesneriaceae), a new species occurring on rocky outcrops in the upper parts of the canyons cutting the plateau of high altitude grasslands in Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil. This new species bears some similarity to S. polyantha, S. nivalis, and S. douglasii, but is readily distinguished by opposite leaves and a much shorter main axis of the inflorescence. Ecological and distributional data, as well as a key to distinguish these related species, are also presented.


Primary immune deficiency disorders (PIDs) are rare conditions for which effective treatment is available. It is critical these patients are identified at an early stage to prevent unnecessary morbidity and mortality. Treatment of these disorders is expensive and expert evaluation and ongoing management by a clinical immunologist is essential. Until recently there has been a major shortage of clinical immunologists in New Zealand. While the numbers of trained immunologists have increased in recent years, most are located in Auckland. The majority of symptomatic PID patients require life-long immunoglobulin replacement. Currently there is a shortage of subcutaneous and intravenous immunoglobulin (SCIG/IVIG) in New Zealand. A recent audit by the New Zealand Blood Service (NZBS) showed that compliance with indications for SCIG/IVIG treatment was poor in District Health Boards (DHBs) without an immunology service. The NZBS audit has shown that approximately 20% of annual prescriptions for SCIG/IVIG, costing $6M, do not comply with UK or Australian guidelines. Inappropriate use may have contributed to the present shortage of SCIG/IVIG necessitating importation of the product. This is likely to have resulted in a major unnecessary financial burden to each DHB. Here we present the case for a national service responsible for the tertiary care of PID patients and oversight for immunoglobulin use for primary and non-haematological secondary immunodeficiencies. We propose that other PIDs, including hereditary angioedema, are integrated into a national PID service. Ancillary services, including the customised genetic testing service, and research are also an essential component of an integrated national PID service and are described in this review. As we show here, a hub-and-spoke model for a national service for PIDs would result in major cost savings, as well as improved patient care. It would also allow seamless transition from paediatric to adult services.


We report on the status and design of the Intense Beam Experiment (IBEX) at RAL. This small experiment consists of a linear Paul trap apparatus similar to the S-POD system at Hiroshima University, confining non-neutral Argon plasma in an rf quadrupole field. The physical equivalence between this device and a beam in a linear focusing channel makes it suitable for accelerator physics studies including resonances and high intensity effects. We give an overview of the design and construction of IBEX and outline plans for commissioning and the future experimental programme.


The end of apartheid predictably caused something of an identity crisis for white South Africans. The sense of uncertainty about what it means to be white has led to much public debate about whiteness in South Africa, as well as a growing body of literature on whites in post-apartheid South Africa. One of the many responses to this need to rethink white identity has been the claim by some that white South Africans can be considered to be African or ought to begin to think of themselves as being African. This paper argues that whites' assertion of an African identity does not necessarily assist in the achievement of racial justice, but that some kind of shift in white identity is required in order for whites to be able to contribute to the achievement of a racially just South Africa. In making this argument, the paper brings contemporary discussions on race and whiteness, and in particular discussions about racial eliminativism, to bear on the question of whether or not white South Africans may rightly claim an African identity.


Despite the increased use of stakeholder consultations, little is known about their impact on the legislative process. We examine how consultation of external actors during policy preparation affects decision-making duration and efficiency. We test our predictions on EU legislative decision-making and we find that although stakeholder consultations in policy preparation may increase the democratic legitimacy of decision-making, they result in efficiency losses in the subsequent legislative processes. Hence, rather than smoothing the way for quick legislative reconciliation, consultations increase the transaction costs of subsequent bargaining by prolonging the time needed to form the necessary coalitions and reach legislative deals. However, despite the proliferation of different tools for involving external actors, we find no differences in legislative speed between open and restricted consultations.


Abstract Multi heavy atom cluster compounds like K2PtBr6 offer a way forward to solve, de novo, unknown protein structures by powder diffraction involving dispersive (measured at two X-ray wavelengths) and isomorphous intensity differences as a complement to micro-crystallography or by using both approaches in combination. Towards this end, using the ESRF high resolution synchrotron X-ray powder diffraction beamline ID31, we have recorded high quality protein powder diffractograms at the platinum LIII and bromine K absorption edges, as well as reference wavelengths, for K2PtBr6 bound to lysozyme. These experiments were conducted at 80K to protect the sample against X-radiation damage as much as possible and also to fix the K2PtBr6 bound state, which seemed to show instability at room temperature. With multiple powder pattern analysis we extracted intensities and showed the PtBr6 bound in lysozyme using 'omit electron density maps'. In addition the wavelength dispersive Fourier around the Br K edge shows up the bromine signal at PtBr6 binding site 1 in one of the six samples tested. To better understand the chemical properties of this heavy atom compound we have elucidated the detailed binding behaviour using single crystal analyses with time-resolved freeze quenching after soak times of 10, 90 and 170 minutes. Whilst the quick soaking of 10 to 30 minutes, used at ESRF ID31 shows clear binding there is increasing binding strength with increasing soak time. Thus, these time-resolved analytical chemistry results show that further heavy atom signal optimizations are possible. Prospects for extending our approach to the yet larger isomorphous and wavelength dispersive signal case of Ta6Br12 bound to lysozyme are also described.


This essay seeks to explore the theatrical or performative representation of the abuse of power, drawing upon Slavoj Žižek's discussion of systemic and symbolic violence (2008: 1) and relating it to the performance of gendered violence. It also draws upon Gay McAuley's concept of 'vanishment' (2006: 154-5), which describes a process whereby rejected or abjected individuals can disappear from public sight and discourses and so, ultimately, from public consciousness. The essay uses Anu Productions 2011 performance Laundry,directed by Louise Lowe at the Dublin Theatre Festival, as an example of work that attempts the representation of an historical and systemic abuse of power, to illustrate the discussion.


From the Publisher:
MP3, standing for MPEG-1, Layer 3, is a codec for compressing the size of audio files for digital distribution. Much more than a definition, MP3 is nothing less than a cultural and economic revolution on the Internet. Every day, hundreds of thousands of MP3 music files are searched for, shared, recorded and listened to by computer and Internet users of all kinds. Either alone or collected into massive download sites, the MP3 revolution is seriously threatening the traditional ways people find, listen to and create music. MP3 players and encoders are available for all major computer platforms, including Windows, Macintosh, Linux and BeOS. MP3 hardware players include portable players you can take with you jogging or exercising from manufactures like Sony, Diamond and Philips to home stereo and car stereo players.
MP3: The Definitive Guide introduces the power-user to just about all aspects of MP3 technology. It delves into detail on obtaining, recording, and optimizing MP3 files using both commercial, and Open Source methods. Coverage is complete for four platforms: Windows, Macintosh, Linux and BeOS. In depth chapters describe all aspects of the MP3 experience from distributing, streaming, broadcasting, converting and playing to archiving your collection. Readers will learn how to test their equipment, optimize their encoding times, evaluate their playback options, control and organize a collection, even burn their own CD's or distribute their own music to a massive worldwide audience over the Internet. In addition, the author fills readers in on the complex legal issues surrounding MP3 files. Everything you need to know to enjoy MP3 today and tomorrow is contained in this single volume.
MP3 is here to stay, and the applications for this versatile compression format are expanding exponentially along with its user base. MP3: The Definitive Guide should appeal to a broad audience of users, from the those just getting into this exciting new technology, to those who want to fully immerse themselves in the complexities and possibilities that MP3 presents.


Atomic force microscopy (AFM) of microfibres fabricated from the self-assembly and fracturing of silica nanoparticles reveals mesoporous structure with hcp packing. Pore size distribution for (20 – 30) nm sized particles are calculated to lie within rtet ~(2.2 – 3.3) nm and roct ~(4.2 – 6.2) nm for the octahedral and tetrahedral sites. The experimentally measured distribution, using N2 adsorption, is r ~(2 - 6) nm, in excellent agreement suggesting a highly controllable and periodic porosity using these structures. The potential for a number of material and device applications is discussed.


The ever-increasing demands placed on industrial machine tool manufacturers, for greater speeds and accuracies, are beginning to exceed the capabilities of current machine tool technologies. However, the ongoing revolution in computer, sensor and actuator technologies has introduced the potential of economically meeting these higher demands through new approaches in machine tool design. One actuator technology currently influencing high precision industrial automation is the linear motor. This paper details the development of a single axis linear motor test-bed, replicating one axis of a laser cutting machine tool. Through analysis of system stiffness and torque disturbances, the performance of the linear motor driven axis is compared to that of a more common ball screw driven axis.


The productive consumption of resources like raw materials and energy is the key problem associating with the enterprise cost and competition. With the problems of cost confirmation of negative products (waste and un-graded products) and measurement in the enterprise manufacturing process as the starting points, this dissertation implements comparative analysis on the enterprise resource input of material, energy and labor with its output of manufactured products and services. Moreover, it breaks through the limitation of current product cost calculation which drowns the waste cost, overcomes the shortcomings of hysteretic nature and insufficient cause analysis in the current cost calculation and directly calculates the cost loss with the quantity and amount so as to reflect the consumption status of negative products and analyze the causes through the dynamics. Therefore, the maximum resource productivity can be achieved through proposing the improvement programs and the evaluations as well as implementing continuous cost improvement.


Org 27569, Org 27759 and Org 29647 are the first discovered allosteric modulators of the cannabinoid CB1 receptor. These ligands are thought to bind to "accessory binding sites" at the receptor . Binding of the Org allosteric modulators has been shown to affect the affinities of various CB1 ligands, but to reduce the efficacy of these ligands. The goal of this research project was to understand at a molecular level, the origins of the effects produced by the Org allosteric modulators. The study was begun by performing AM1 conformational searches for each allosteric modulator using the Spartan molecular modeling suite . Those conformers within 2.00 kcal/mol of the global minimum energy conformer of each modulator were subjected to geometry optimization in Jaguar (Schrodinger, Inc). Org27569 was then targeted for further study. Org 27569 has been reported to increase the CB1 affinity of the non-classical cannabinoid, (1R3R4R)-3-[2-hydroxy-4-(1,1-dimethylheptylphenyl]-4-(3-hydroxy-propyl)cyclohexab-1-ol, CP-55,940, but to reduce its efficacy. Since the binding site of Org27569 is unknown, the MMC program was then employed to identify potential binding sites. The MMC program is a cavity biased method that uses Monte Carlo simulated annealing of chemical potential to identify small-molecule binding sites in protein structures via a molecular fragment approach [F. Guarnieri and M. Mezei,JACS 118, 8493, 1996]. The receptor was placed in a virtual cell. At high chemical potentials, the box is filled with completely with the fragment of interest. As the chemical potential decreases, fragments with less favorable interactions are stripped away. Indole and piperidine rings were used as fragments because they constitute the two major structural features of Org 27569. Three common binding sites for both the indole and piperidine fragments were identified. These areas were R3.50 (intracellular domain), W4.50 (possible homodimer interface) and in the transmembrane region between helices 1 and 2 (interacting with CP55,940). These were considered possible interaction sites for the following reasons: (1) If interactions occurred between the allosteric modulator and R3.50, this would block the interaction site of the G-protein and thus impair signalling. (2) W4.50 is commonly found in GPCR dimer interfaces. If the CB1 receptor functions as a dimer, Org27569 would impair activation by blocking dimer formation. (3) The TMH1-2 site site would allow the affinity of CP55940 to increase because it would block CP55940 exit from CB1. At the same time, the TMH1-2 site dock would constrain TMH6 from moving during activation by tethering the EC-3 loop. This should also result in impaired signal transduction. Future studies will involve mutation studies of each allosteric binding site identified in this project to determine the allosteric binding site for Org 27569.


Abstract Chronic kidney disease (CKD) is characterized by a continuous reduction in kidney function, increased inflammation, and reduced antioxidant capacity. The objective of this study was to assess the effects of a herbal supplement on systemic inflammation and antioxidant status in non-dialysis CKD patients. Sixteen patients with CKD (56.0±16.0 yrs, 171.4±11.9 cm, 99.3±20.2 kg) were randomly chosen to receive a herbal supplement composed of Curcuma longa and Boswellia serrata, or placebo. Plasma levels of interleukin-6 (IL-6), tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α), glutathione peroxidase (GPx), and serum C-reactive protein (CRP) were measured at baseline and 8 weeks. Baseline data demonstrated elevated inflammation and low antioxidant levels. A significant time effect (p=0.03) and time x compliance interaction effect (p=0.04) were observed for IL-6. No significant differences were observed for any other variables. This study demonstrates that mild and moderate CKD is associated with chronic inflammation and low antioxidant activity. Systemic inflammation and impaired antioxidant status may be greater in CKD populations with multiple comorbidities. Curcumin and Boswellia serrata are safe and tolerable and helped to improve the levels of an inflammatory cytokine.


The World Atlas of Language Structures provides a means of calculating the index of typicality of a language, as the average of the percentage of the world's languages that share that language's feature value for each feature. Concentrating on languages represented by at least 100 features gives a sample of 115 languages, including 29 indigenous languages of the Americas. While indigenous languages of the Americas occupy a broad range on the index of typicality, from positions 13 to 115 – in contrast to Indo-European languages of Europe, which all fall well within the bottom half of the range – there are some striking more local results, e.g., languages of interior Amazonia fall in the "very atypical" range of 107 to 115.


Vehicular Ad hoc Networks (VANETs) authentication schemes need to consider mobility and rapidly changing topologies in addition to an unreliable wireless channel communication. IEEE 1609.2, VANET security standard, suggests Elliptic Curve Digital Signature Algorithm (ECDSA) for the authentication of Vehicleto-Vehicle (V2V) messages. However, it has the drawback of expensive computations for verification. Therefore, we provide a smart probabilistic verification strategy for the authentication of V2V communication. We propose a practical and efficient strategy that makes use of secure ECDSA but still decreases the computation time for the most relevant packets. Furthermore, we maintain conditional privacy of vehicles through a lightweight vehicle registration process with a regional registering authority. In comparison to IEEE 1609.2, our algorithm reduces the packet loss ratio that occurs due to messages expiring in the verification queue.


A practical method for the estimation of roof bolt axial loads in the field as a means for evaluating rock support performance in underground mine openings such as drifts and gate roads is presented. The method is based on attaching an instrumented coupler to the bolt head prior to installation. Once installed, the coupler load cell enables the Measuring and monitoring of the bolt axial force exerted on the face plate. Previously developed load cell technologies for rock anchors are reviewed, and their design deficiencies for applications in underground mining are highlighted. On the other hand, the instrumented coupler technique is shown to provide a simple and practical means for the evaluation of rock support performance in mine openings.


The treatment of patients with non-Hodgkin's lymphoma (NHL) may be complicated by concomitant chronic hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection. Recent data suggest that HCV may also be a contributing factor to the development of this disease. Although antiviral treatment has occasionally been reported to result in the regression of lymphoma in patients with HCV infection, the importance of the control of this infection on the prognosis of lymphoma needs to be defined. Here we report a patient with diffuse large B-cell lymphoma who presented with a mass in her left breast. She had had HCV-related liver cirrhosis for 6 years. She was given rituximab monotherapy for three consecutive weeks, but treatment had to be discontinued as a result of hematological toxicity. HCV viral load also increased, but then decreased gradually after rituximab was stopped. She could be given no further therapy. Six months later she presented with spinal involvement with infiltration of the cauda equina. Though cranial-spinal radiotherapy and steroids were started, she died shortly thereafter. Though rituximab is an invaluable drug in the treatment of B-cell lymphomas, we believe that the use of such agents with potentially long-lasting effects on B lymphocytes requires extended vigilance for accelerated replication of hepatitis B and C viruses.


Earthworms are the essential organisms of the soil habitat. They are not dominant under the world of ground. Still, their large population ranks them one of the significant workhorses to the total biomass, and their activities are such that they are necessarily outstanding in maintaining soil fertility in many ways. Therefore, it's been a long time to recognize their importance for the agricultural industry. However, they usually react to the existence of toxic chemicals and escape away from harmful and irritating substances. Earthworm avoidance response to soil contaminated with hazardous substances has been proposed as a potential tool for assessing soil toxicity with low-test effort. Avoidance migration of the earthworm species L. terrestris was studied with bifenthrin, deltamethrin, glyphosate, gamma-cyhalothrin, and lambda-cyhalothrin under a light stimulation with constant exposure of 24 hours in a pair of choice chambers filled with contaminated soil. Our experimental parameters of latent time and FLD time were defined and analyzed accordingly. The results indicated that L. terrestris showed consistent reluctancy to move toward the contaminated soil. The greatest avoidance response was demonstrated to bifenthrin with the following order to lambda-cyhalothrin, gamma-cyhalothrin, deltamethrin, and glyphosate. A highly linear relationship existed between the parameters of lag time and FLD time difference% with R2 0.767. More study might be needed for elucidating L. terrestris capability of differentiating each chemical compound including the underlying mechanism.


Swine (Sus scrofa) have been introduced in many places throughout the world, and in many places they adversely affect the environment, economically impact agriculture, and/or harbour diseases transmittable to domestic livestock or humans. An easily applied method to assess their abundance is an important need for their management. To monitor efficacy of a swine control programme in Florida, data from passive tracking plots provide an index of feral swine abundance. The same track data coupled with plot locations to numerically describe the spatial pattern of swine activity gave an index of pervasiveness, and a simple rate of interception of damage sites to index damage was used. The assessments were conducted in January, May, and August 2000 in Jonathan Dickinson State Park, Florida, USA. Between the first two assessments a swine control programme removed 25 feral swine from the 8.3 km2 study area, after which the value of the passive tracking index was reduced by 81% and the fresh damage index by 89%, while the index of spatial pattern (pervasiveness index) showed only a small localized concentration after control. In the three months following the second assessment, Park personnel removed three additional swine from the study area, and a follow-up assessment indicated slightly less swine activity than immediately after the post-control assessment, however the index of pervasiveness showed a similar spatial pattern of activity as the initial assessment, possibly indicating re-invasive pressure. The passive tracking plots proved to be an uncomplicated, easily applied means to gather data for assessing and comparing swine abundance and distribution.


This paper proposes a new method to embed data in compressed binary images (JPEG), including scanned text, figures, and signatures. The method manipulates "fiippable" pixels to embed data without distorting image. Shuffling is applied before embedding to provide more security. The hidden data can be extracted without using the original image. The proposed method uses look up table which is to be used for extraction of data at other end is made more compact, secure. After applying proposed method the image will be distorted no drought but human eye will not recognize the change in the image. The proposed data embedding method can be used to detect unauthorized use of a digitized signature, and annotate or authenticate binary documents.


Optical fiber materials with broad-band gain in the visible or in the telecommunication window are of great interest for optical communication or the biomedical domain in order to built integrated tunable lasers, amplifiers, ultra-short pulse lasers, or broadband light sources. Possible activator ions in compact solid-state host materials for the generation of broadband luminescence, gain, and laser emission are transition-metal (TM), bismuth and rare-earth (RE) ions. Emission lines in TM and bismuth exhibit luminescence with typically several hundred of nanometers of spectral bandwidth. This is a much broader range than can be obtained from the emission of RE ions, which is restricted to less than hundred nanometers. Chromium and bismuth-doped fibers are of great interest as they are potential candidates for broadband light sources and tunable lasers. The idea of this work was to investigate the photosensitivity and luminescence properties of Cr and Bi-doped silica optical fibers in collaboration with the Fiber Optic Research Center at the Russian Academy of Sciences (FORC-RAS) who fabricated the fibers and glass samples. The photosensitivity of Cr-and Bi-doped fibers with different dopant concentrations was investigated using an ArF excimer laser emitting at 193 nm. No refractive index change was observed in pristine Cr-doped fibers. After H2-loading, refractive index change up to 2.82×10-3 was obtained in Cr-Ga-doped fiber. The hydrogen loaded annealed fiber showed an index change of 1.4×10-3. The Bi-Al-doped fibers showed permanent photo-induced index changes up to 2.0×10-4 (highest Bi concentration). Using H2-loading index changes up to 2.2×10-3 were measured without reaching saturation. Such index changes are almost comparable to index changes in H2-loaded Ge-silicate fibers and allow fabricating very strong Bragg grating fiber laser reflectors directly in the doped fibers. Stress measurements were performed to distinguish between color center and compaction that contribute to the photo-induced refractive index change. Stress changes in SMF-28 standard telecom optical fibers irradiated by a femto-second laser emitting at 264 nm showed a contribution of compaction of 70% for non hydrogen loaded fibers whereas no stress change was observed in hydrogen loaded fiber for the same photo-induced refractive index. No stress change indicates the absence of compaction leaving color centers solely responsible for the refractive index change. Irradiated annealed H2-loaded Ga-Cr-doped fiber showed no stress change as well. Although generally assumed for H2-loaded fibers, these are the only two examples that prove a color center based photosensitivity responsible for fiber Bragg gratings reported so far. In contrary, in H2-loaded Bi-Al-doped fibers the refractive index change is related to color centers and compaction. A contribution of compaction of about 41 % and 11 %, was evaluated for the pristine and the H2-loaded Bi-Al-doped fiber. Strategies to increase the luminescence, i.e. the number of active centers include e.g. temperature annealing (Cr3+ to Cr4+), changing concentrations of dopants (Bi) and/or the co-dopants (Al, P, Ge), and fiber fabrication conditions. In this work new strategies were followed: UV irradiation (193 nm), hydrogen loading, and H2-loading followed by UV irradiation. Measurements of absorption and luminescence of Bi-doped fibers with different treatments were performed. The absorption was measured from 360 to 1700 nm. The spectrum was decomposed into 8 Bi-related and 1 OH band. The irradiation increased the absorption by ∼100 dB/m and induced two supplementary absorption bands. UV irradiation combined with hydrogen loading induced three additional bands as compared to the pristine fiber. The luminescence was investigated using visible and infra-red pump lasers. The emission takes place mainly from 600 to 900 nm (3 bands) and from 900 to 1300 nm (3 bands). The luminescence shape and intensities of the pristine and irradiated fibers were similar. H2-loading combined with irradiation increased the ratio of NIR to visible fluorescence intensity depending on the pump wavelength. A side luminescence measurement showed 18 and 13 dB luminescence increase of the 1130 nm and 1390 nm bands. This luminescence enhancement might be due to an increase of the number of active bismuth centers. Up to 1.8 dB/m on-off gain was observed in the visible band around 700 nm under 676 nm excitation in the pristine fiber. However, the absorption increases simultaneously. As a result the net-gain was always negative with a trend towards a positive value below 700 nm. High reflective fiber gratings and a narrow band transmission filter were fabricated in a single mode fiber with cut-off around 920 nm. All gratings were used to realize a Bi-all-fiber laser operating at 1179 nm with a reduced linewidth of < 100 pm. Narrow linewidth lasers have a great potential for frequency doubling to the yellow.


The purpose of this research is twofold: 1. to demonstrate the effectiveness of GIS and spatial analysis as a tool for investigating groundwater contamination; and 2. to show the need for regular water quality testing of private wells. The research was conducted using secondary data freely available to the public and well construction records obtained from the Guilford County Environmental Health Department. The results of this study show GIS to be useful in the study of groundwater contamination and confirm the need for regular water quality tests of private wells. Because regular testing is currently not required, it is rarely done. Water from wells involved in this study was only tested after construction of the well or as a result of an ancillary event at the request of a government agency. Analysis revealed leaking underground storage tanks as the primary source of known groundwater contamination in Guilford Country. Gasoline, heating oil and diesel fuel were the major contaminates. Although counter intuitive, as the impervious surface area increased, so did the incidents of groundwater contamination.


Begonia L. is one of the ten largest plant genera with >1,830 currently accepted species distributed throughout the tropical Americas, Africa and Asia. This exceptional diversity offers the opportunity to study the processes underlying recent and rapid radiations, including the theory of adaptive radiations, but also poses major challenges.

Methods to test adaptive radiation theory require sufficient occurrence data to produce species distribution models for the majority of species in a group. In many groups, including Andean, Central American and Mexican Begonia, this criterion is not met. The availability of specimen data on GBIF for species distribution modelling in vascular plants as a whole was assessed. The potential contribution of databased and freely available but indetermined or non-georeferenced specimens to the field of species distribution modelling was estimated. More than half of vascular plant species are currently unavailable for species distribution modelling. Our results indicate 22% of currently unavailable species could be modelled with already available herbarium data that is not yet georeferenced or determined to species. We argue that a greater focus on georeferencing and identification skills are vital if herbaria are to contribute fully to the growing field of species distribution modelling. We highlight those families and geographic regions that would most benefit from this approach and discuss the historical factors have influenced differences among regions.

Another prerequisite for species distribution modelling is a stable species level taxonomy. In preparation for investigation involving SDM's in Begonia, five taxonomic papers are presented, including revised species concepts, distribution data suitable for use in species distribution models, seven new species and a new section of Begonia. Three plastid markers for 574 species and 809 accessions of Begonia were used to produce the largest, most representative phylogeny of Begonia published to date. An updated sectional classification of the genus is provided. The sections of Begonia are used frequently as analogues to genera in other families but, despite their taxonomic utility, few of the current sections have been examined in the light of molecular phylogenetic analyses. The relationships among some species and sections are poorly resolved, but many sections and deeper nodes receive strong support. We recognise 77 sections of Begonia including four new sections: Astrotricha, Jackia, Kollmannia, and Stellanthera; five sections are reinstated from synonymy: Australes, Exalabegonia, Latistigma, Pereira and Poecilia; and four sections are newly synonymised. The new sectional classification is discussed with reference to identifying characters and previous classifications.

Central to the theory of an adaptive radiation is that the majority of speciation events are adaptive, implying speciation driven by adaptation to different environments and resulting in niche shifts. Species in an adaptive radiation should display distinct ecological niches and environmental disparity across the group's phylogeny should best fit a kappa 'niche-shift' or 'speciational' model of character evolution. These characteristics were tested in two clades of Neotropical Begonia. Species were compared through the comparison of their distributions in environmental space calculated from species distribution models. The fit of four models of environmental evolution (a kappa 'niche-shift' model, a Brownian motion model, an early-burst model, and a white noise model) to the observed niche disparity in the group were assessed using the Akaike Information Criterion

Patterns of ecological diversification in the two clades of Begonia examined strongly diverge from those predicted by an adaptive model, and we conclude Begonia is not an adaptive radiation with respects to climatic niche. Ecological disparity within Begonia clades best fits the predictions of a Brownian model of niche evolution. The characteristics of a Brownian model include constant niche evolution over the phylogeny, no increases in niche evolution during speciation, and independent niche evolution in sister lineages. This is incompatible with the predictions of an adaptive radiation. We suggest the remarkable diversity of the genus has developed through geographic speciation, and subsequent adaptation to local environments. This phenomenon may be widespread among plant radiations in topographically- and environmentally-heterogeneous areas, and a re-evaluation of putative adaptive radiations throughout the world's montane regions may be necessary.


Over the past two decades, growing numbers of universities worldwide have developed online laboratory facilities for teaching science and engineering. Remote experiments (REs) give students access to live data from – and, typically, control over – a distant real-world instrument or apparatus. Virtual experiments (VEs) present students either with computer-generated emulations of devices or phenomena or with reconstructions of real-world experimental setups that rely upon genuine data. In recent years some VEs have even employed fully-realised virtual environments in Second Life and Unity 3D.

While such distance approaches to practical work present key advantages over conducting experiments 'in the flesh', doubts persist over whether they can convey the full benefits of the traditional on-site lab experience. As early proofs of concept have given way to more mature implementations, a growing consensus has arisen that remote experiments and, to a lesser extent, virtual ones deliver comparable learning outcomes for students. However, relatively little attention has been paid to which elements of practical science work are valued most by undergraduates in different scientific fields, to what extent prior expectations impact their performance in online labs, and how such knowledge can inform the design of future remote and virtual experiments.

A large-scale (n=1140) study was undertaken during 2014 at The Open University, UK, one of Europe's largest distance learning institutions, involving undergrads enrolled in two eight-month-long science modules – one built for second-year students and one for third-years. Each cohort engaged with a selection of online experiments in the course of their module work, the overall sample representing 5 scientific disciplines (chemistry and analysis; environmental science; geology; health and life sciences; physics and astronomy) and encountering 26 unique experiments.

Our data collection schedule included multi-stage survey instruments (comprising Likert-type, ranking, and open-ended questions), discipline-specific focus groups, and semi-structured interviews with individual students and the designers of the remote and virtual experiments they encountered. By eliciting student preconceptions of online labs and tracking their subsequent opinions after each study block, we were able to assemble a clearer picture of how their expectations for practical work had either been met or confounded in each instance.

Our mixed-methods approach included statistical tests using SPSS and thematic analysis in NVivo, both of which revealed significant differences in perceptions held between those studying different subjects, between males and females, and between those at different course levels. The findings of this study provide insights into student perspectives of online labs and clearly illustrate how the same experimental investigation may be viewed quite differently by students across various disciplines.

We provide recommendations for tailoring specific classes of virtual and remote experiments to the expectations and priorities of the intended users and thus secure improved student engagement and outcomes. Our results will be of especial interest to the designers of online scientific investigations and to educators who expect to deploy them at the undergraduate level.


PT 3400. Human Structure and Function. A study of the structure and function of the human body with emphasis on the skeletal, muscular, and nervous systems. Course focuses on anatomy and physiology of body systems of special interest to students preparing to be health professionals. Laboratory study of the human cadaver is included. 4 Credit Hours. 2 Lecture Contact Hours. 6 Lab Contact Hours. Course Attribute(s): Lab Required Grade Mode: Standard Letter


The high−latitude ionosphere is characterised by plasma density irregularities with typical lengths in a wide range of scales (from ~1 m up to ~1000 km). The enhancement of these irregularities caused for instance by severe Space Weather conditions can affect trans−ionos− pheric communications between ground facilities and satellites. For this reason, an accurate characterisation of the dynamic properties of electron density and their variation with the geomagnetic activity level is of particular interest for the Space Weather especially at high latitudes. In this framework, taking advantage of high resolution in situ measurements by the recent ESA−Swarm space mission orbiting in the ionospheric F−layer, we study both the dynamical properties of the electron density and the scaling properties of the electron den− sity fluctuations at high latitudes in the Northern and Southern Hemispheres in response to changes in the geomagnetic activity levels via nonlinear techniques involving the first−order structure functions. Indeed, it has been shown that the turbulent character of the ionos− pheric plasma density plays an important role in the generation and dynamics of ionospheric plasma density irregularities and the study of the scaling properties of the electron density fluctuations permits us to characterise the possible turbulent state of the ionospheric elec− tron density. The obtained results are consistent with the turbulent character of the ionospheric dynamics, and with the presence of dif− ferent turbulent regimes that show a dependence on the geomagnetic activity levels, magnetic latitude and MLT values.


Inflammatory root resorption is a serious complication of dental trauma, which leads to progressive loss of the root structure. It is challenging for a dental clinician to diagnose and plan the treatment for root resorption. This case report describes the diagnosis and treatment of a previously traumatized maxillary central incisor which was severely affected by inflammatory root resorption. This case was treated by conventional nonsurgical pulp space therapy. Calcium hydroxide dressing was given as an intra-canal medicament. The entire root was obturated with mineral trioxide aggregate. The radiographic follow up at 12 months showed arrest of root resorption and initiation of periapical healing in the absence of clinical symptoms and mobility. From the present case, it can be concluded that mineral trioxide aggregate obturation can be a viable option that can enhance the healing in cases of severe inflammatory root resorption. Key words: Trauma induced external inflammatory root resorption, Mineral trioxide aggregate, Regeneration, Non-surgical endodontic therapy.


A huge body of empirical and theoretical literature has emerged on the relationship between foreign exchange (FX) uncertainty and international trade. Empirical findings about the impact of FX uncertainty on trade figures are at best weak and often ambiguous with respect to its direction. Almost all empirical contributions assume and estimate a linear relationship. Possible nonlinearity or state dependence of causal links between FX uncertainty and trade has been mostly ignored yet. In addition, widely used regression models have not been evaluated in terms of ex-ante forecasting. In this paper we analyse the impact of FX uncertainty on sectoral categories of multilateral exports and imports for 15 industrialized economies. We particularly provide a comparison of linear and non-linear models with respect to ex-ante forecasting. In terms of average ranks of absolute forecast errors non-linear models outperform both, a common linear model and some specification building on the assumption that FX uncertainty and trade growth are uncorrelated. Our results support the view that the relationship of interest might be non-linear and, moreover, lacks of homogeneity across countries, economic sectors and when contrasting imports vs exports. Copyright © 2005 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.


There is no dispute that women are grossly under-represented in the world's legislatures. However, there are several explanations for this under-representation and for the variation that exists between regions and between countries. The prevailing literature points to institutional, developmental, and cultural variables. This study uses the postcommunist context in order to control for culture. Given the common experience of state socialism and the re-traditionalization of social values associated with a backlash against directive emancipation, culture cannot be the main factor in determining the wide variation in levels of female legislative representation in the new democracies of Eastern Europe. In testing for both institutional variations and levels of modernity, this study suggests that sociooeconomic development explains variation across the region while institutions explain variations within countries over time. Furthermore, low sociooeconomic development may place a ceiling on the extent to which "woman-friendly" institutions can increase fern ale representation. This article is available in Res Publica Journal of Undergraduate Research: http://digitalcommons.iwu.edu/respublica/vol6/iss1/9 Let Us In, Let Us In: A Study of Legislative Representation In Post-Communist Europe


Background: Although data on the association of physical activity and colon cancer risk is convincing, little research has examined whether change in physical activity alters risk of cancer incidence and mortality. Methods: We examined the association of 10- and 15-year change in physical activity with risk of colon cancer incidence and mortality in the Cancer Prevention Study II. Endpoints were verified through medical record abstraction or registry or National Death Index linkage. Ten-year physical activity analysis included 1,863 incident and 826 fatal cases, whereas the longer-term exposure analysis included 1,386 incident and 602 fatal colon cancer cases. Age and multivariable-adjusted hazard ratios were estimated using Cox proportional hazards models. Results: Neither measure of physical activity change was associated with colon cancer incidence. Fifteen-year change was not associated with colon cancer mortality. However, consistently high physical activity over 10 years was associated with a decreased risk of colon cancer mortality as compared with those with consistently low activity. The association attenuated to borderline significance with adjustment for body mass index. Those consistently at or above sample median physical activity levels over 15 years had half the risk of colon cancer death as those consistently below the median. Conclusions: Regular long-term physical activity was associated with a lower risk of colon cancer mortality. Impact: This study suggests that long-term participation in physical activity provides the greatest reduction in risk of colon cancer death. Cancer Epidemiol Biomarkers Prev; 19(12); 3000–4. ©2010 AACR.


We live in an exciting society, characterized by continuous changes and challenges. The effects of the globalization are widespread. The continuous flow of people, capital and goods follows in the wake of advances in communications, transport and information technology, resulting in a changed situation for different stakeholders in the society. This situation leads to increased cooperation and exchange, but also increased competition. The primary means of collecting empirical data for this study was interviews and a document study. The objective is to describe how Horby municipality is working with the municipal development and the underlying reasons.
The purpose is to create an understanding of how the planning of a rural municipality may be affected by the changes and development on a larger scale, both regionally and globally. Thus, studying the municipality based on both a regional and a global perspective. My study is based on three different questions. The first is focused around the central ambitions and specific proposals that can be found at the local level for development of Horby municipality and what lies behind them. Topic number two deals with similar issues in Region Skane (Skane Regional Council) and the third is a comparison between the regional and local level. The study has resulted in a number of results. The key ambitions of the local development of Horby municipality are rooted largely in the vision of the municipality, a vision that reflects the municipality's desire to evolve.
The municipality's main areas of development can be found in the northwestern part of the municipality, a part under heavy population pressure. The factors underlying the municipality's efforts include the development of the Oresund Region and the Oresund Bridge which is a central point. Entering the EU is another important aspect. These factors have led to changes in flows of people, goods and capital, namely the impact of globalization. Regional efforts are carried out based on the same background factors as the local level. A large part of the efforts is to identify the assets and opportunities of Skane Region to become an attractive region for business establishment, residents, tourists, etc. As regards to the comparison between the local and regional level, it is concluded that the ideas of development in many ways are similar. What makes them different, however, are parts of the implementation where the infrastructure is an important aspect of the displayed vision. Since the region has to take into account a wider perspective, the priorities are somewhat different. The concluding results of this thesis is that the municipality has a vision that reflects an ideal image of what the municipality wants to achieve, an ideal image that is difficult to achieve. Some of these problems is to reconcile the issue of continuous growth with environmentally sound development.


In recent years, many television programs that are virtual copies of Western--primarily American--programs have appeared on Russian television. The first wave of format adaptation on Russian television occurred right after the fall of the "Iron Curtain." These Western-style programs made television viewing more appealing for audiences, acquainting Russian TV viewers with new genres and also satisfying the new social needs of the population. After 1993, when Russian state-owned TV was transformed into a commercial industry and started to gain greater economic independence, television stations entered a period of intense competition for advertisers and viewers. As a result, there appeared many new talk-shows and TV game shows, a second wave of format adaptation. And ever since then talk shows and game shows, most of them adapted variants of American programs, have remained a staple of Russian television. The number of talk and game shows of the second wave was so great that it would be impossible to mention all of them in one paper. Therefore, let's consider the most important and popular ones. In 1995 the first women's talk show Ya Sama (By Myself), hosted by Julia Menshova, broadcast on TV-6 Moscow. In September 2001, as a result of the period of industry upheaval and political struggle known as the great "channel-wars," this program was relocated to the NTV channel and was re-titled To Be Continued.... The program concept is strongly reminiscent of The Oprah Winfrey Show, but its implementation is original. Today Menshova's talk show is one of most popular in the country. Following the program, Ya Sama, on TV-6 Moscow, there appeared a number of other talk shows: Take a Step (hosted by Michael Kozhukhov); My Profession Is ... (hosted by Artur Krupenin); Artur Krupenin's Show; Those who ... (hosted by Anastasia Soloviova and Peter Fadeev), etc. In 1997 on the RTR channel the first entertainment talk show was aired. Good Evening with Igor Ugolnikov was the collaborative production of "Video International," RIA Novosti, and RTR. This program was a copy of the well known American late night show, The Tonight Show with Jey Leno, broadcast on NBC. Just like its American counterpart, Good Evening with Igor Ugolnokov was aired five times a week in prime-time, right after the evening news. Producers of the Russian version borrowed not only the general concept of the program but its setting, structure, content, and implementation as well. The show aired for one year and was cancelled in 1998. In 1998 on NTV, there appeared an adaptation of the very popular American quiz--show Jeopardy. Svoya Igra (My Game) is hosted by Peter Kouleshov and produced by "Videointernational." Participants of this quiz show select questions from a general subject area with which they are acquainted. Sometimes they are faced with questions from unexpected areas, so-called "question-surprises." In 1999, after the liquidation of NTV, Svoya Igra was picked up by "TV-6 Moscow." Beginning on August 17, 1998, Russia experienced a long financial crisis. The television industry was no exception. The television advertising market, upon which many broadcasting companies depended for their operations, failed. Managers of broadcasting companies were forced to take measures to overcome that difficult situation. And the solution was to reduce program production expenses as well as the management structure of the companies. Consequently, employees' salaries were reduced, and many people were dismissed from their jobs. In Russian society at that time an "information hunger" and a panic-driven interest in political and economic issues reached a high point. In response, TV producers decided to fill the air gaps with news programs. In a few months the political and economic situation began to stabilize and TV companies since then have gradually resumed their customary broadcast schedules. Along with the obvious negative impact of the 1998 economic crisis, there were also some positive results: managers of many TV channels realized, albeit the hard way, the necessity of holding to a strict financial bottom line in materials management, technical operations, as well as in human resources. …


ABSTRACT Since the associations between Helicobacter pylori genotype and disease differ in Asia and the West, we investigated the correlation between HP0638, encoding an outer membrane protein, and potential markers of virulence (cagA, vacA, and iceA). For 109 strains from nine countries, the status of cagA, vacA, and iceA was determined by PCR and/or a line probe assay. We also studied 18 strains from 8 patients (parents and 6 daughters) from a Dutch family and paired strains collected on average 8 years apart from 11 patients. When the HP0638 signal sequences were amplified by PCR and DNA sequence determinations were performed, 89 (96%) of 93 cagA-positive strains had HP0638 in frame, versus none (0%) of 16 cagA-negative strains (P < 0.001). Among strains in which HP0638 was in frame, a six-CT dinucleotide repeat pattern was dominant in Western countries (23 of 33 strains [70%]), while a pattern of three CT repeats with another CT after four T's (3 + 1-CT-repeat pattern) was dominant in East Asia (31 of 46 strains [67%]); however, specific CT repeat patterns did not correlate with clinical outcome. HP0638 phylogenetic trees also showed geographic characters. The HP0638 frame status and CT dinucleotide repeat patterns were identical for 9 of 11 pairs of strains obtained on average 8 years apart from individuals and the 15 strains obtained from the mother and all six daughters. Thus, HP0638 frame status and cagA status are strongly correlated. The CT dinucleotide repeat pattern in the putative HP0638 signal sequence has geographic characters and appears stable in particular patients and families over a period of years. Analysis of HP0638 CT polymorphisms may serve as a new typing system to discriminate H. pylori isolates for epidemiological purposes.


Background:/Aims: Renal disease is a common cause of morbidity in patients with Bardet-Biedl syndrome (BBS), however the severity of kidney dysfunction is highly variable. To date, there is little information on the pathogenesis, the risk and predictor factors for poor renal outcome in this setting. The present study aims to analyze the spectrum of urinary proteins in BBS patients, in order to potentially identify 1) disease-specific proteomic profiles that may differentiate the patients from normal subjects; 2) urinary markers of renal dysfunction. Methods: Fourteen individuals (7 males and 7 females) with a clinical diagnosis of BBS have been selected in this study. A pool of 10 aged-matched males and 10 aged-matched females have been used as controls for proteomic analysis. The glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) has been estimated using the CKD-EPI formula. Variability of eGFR has been retrospectively assessed calculating average annual eGFR decline (ΔeGFR) in a mean follow-up period of 4 years (3-7). Results: 42 proteins were significantly over- or under-represented in BBS patients compared with controls; the majority of these proteins are involved in fibrosis, cell adhesion and extracellular matrix organization. Statistic studies revealed a significant correlation between urine fibronectin (u-FN) (r2=0.28; p<0.05), CD44 antigen (r2 =0.35; p<0.03) and lysosomal alfa glucosidase ( r20.27; p<0.05) abundance with the eGFR. In addition, u-FN (r2 =0.2389; p<0.05) was significantly correlated with ΔeGFR. Conclusion: The present study demonstrates that urine proteome of BBS patients differs from that of normal subjects; in addition, kidney dysfunction correlated with urine abundance of known markers of renal fibrosis.


The human brain is able to predict the sensory effects of its actions. But how precise are these predictions? The present research proposes a tool to measure thresholds between a simple action (keystroke) and a resulting sound. On each trial, participants were required to press a key. Upon each keystroke, a woodblock sound was presented. In some trials, the sound came immediately with the downward keystroke; at other times, it was delayed by a varying amount of time. Participants were asked to verbally report whether the sound came immediately or was delayed. Participants' delay detection thresholds (in msec) were measured with a staircase-like procedure. We hypothesised that musicians would have a lower threshold than non-musicians. Comparing pianists and brass players, we furthermore hypothesised that, as a result of a sharper attack of the timbre of their instrument, pianists might have lower thresholds than brass players. Our results show that non-musicians exhibited higher thresholds for delay detection (180±104 ms) than the two groups of musicians (102±65 ms), but there were no differences between pianists and brass players. The variance in delay detection thresholds could be explained by variance in sensorimotor synchronisation capacities as well as variance in a purely auditory temporal irregularity detection measure. This suggests that the brain's capacity to generate temporal predictions of sensory consequences can be decomposed into general temporal prediction capacities together with auditory-motor coupling. These findings indicate that the brain has a relatively large window of integration within which an action and its resulting effect are judged as simultaneous. Furthermore, musical expertise may narrow this window down, potentially due to a more refined temporal prediction. This novel paradigm provides a simple test to estimate the temporal precision of auditory-motor action-effect coupling, and the paradigm can readily be incorporated in studies investigating both healthy and patient populations.


In the past 50 years, the incidence of multiple pregnancy has increased dramatically due almost exclusively to two factors: delayed childbearing and assisted reproduction techniques (ARTs). Although the clinical guidelines and protocols currently endorsed by scientific societies have systematised the obstetric care required in multiple pregnancy, the effects of obstetric care beyond the perinatal period have seldom been evaluated. Twin deliveries also involve additional difficulties derived from the need for 'simultaneous' care of two fetuses during the expulsive period, during which the second twin is particularly vulnerable due to potential complications. Chorionicity, gestational age at birth, ART, birth order, and some parental variables, such as maternal age, have been studied as possible sources of neurodevelopmental delay in twins.


Undesirable landing area (e.g., a hole, a fragment of glass, a water puddle, etc) creates the necessity for an alternate foot placement planning and execution. Previous study has proposed that three determinants are used by the central nervous system (CNS) for planning an alternate foot placement: minimum foot displacement, stability and maintenance of forward progression. However, validation of these determinants is lacking. Therefore, the general purpose of the series of studies presented here is to validate and test the generality of the decision algorithm of alternate foot placement selection developed previously. The first study was designed to validate the use of a virtual planar obstacle paradigm and the economy assumption behind minimum foot displacement determinant. Participants performed two blocks of trials. In one block, they were instructed to avoid stepping in a virtual planar obstacle projected in the screen of a LCD monitor embedded in the ground. In another block, they were instructed to avoid stepping in a real hole present in walkway. Behavioral response was unaffected by the presence of a real hole. In addition, it was suggested that minimum foot displacement results in minimum changes in EMG activity which validates the economy determinant. The second study was proposed to validate the stability determinant. Participants performed an avoidance task under two conditions: free and forced. In the free condition participants freely chose where to land in order to avoid stepping in a virtual obstacle. In the forced condition, a green arrow was projected over the obstacle indicating the direction of the alternate foot placement. The data from the free condition was used to determine the preferred alternate foot placement whereas the data from the forced condition was used to assess whole body stability. It was found that long and lateral foot placements are preferred because they result in a more stable behavior. The third study was designed to validate the alternate foot placement model in a more complex terrain. Participants were required to avoid stepping in two virtual planar obstacles placed in sequence. It was found that participants used the strategy of planning the avoidance movement globally and additional determinants were used. One of the additional determinants was implementation feasibility. In the third study, gaze behavior was also monitored and two behaviors emerged from this data. One sub-group of participants fixated on the area stepped during adaptive step, whereas another sub-group anchor their gaze in a spot ahead of the area-to-be avoided and used peripheral vision for controlling foot landing. In summary, this thesis validates the three determinants for the alternate foot placement planning model and extends the previous model to more complex terrains.


The regulation of phenylethanolamine N -methyltransferase degradation in vivo is mediated via adrenal glucocorticoids. The glucocorticoid inhibition of PNMT degradation is mediated via an endogenous adrenal stabilizing factor whose levels are controlled by glucocorticoids. A partially purified preparation of the endogenous stabilizing factor has an absorption maximum of 265 nm and migrates with S-adenosylmethionine and 3',5'-cyclic AMP on paper chromatography. S-adenosylmethionine is highly effective in stabilizing PNMT against both thermal and tryptic degradation, while cyclic AMP is ineffective as a stabilizing agent. S-adenosylhomocysteine, the demethylated product formed from S-adenosylmethionine during transmethylation stabilizes PNMT against tryptic but not thermal degradation. S-adenosylmethionine administration to hypophy-sectomized rats partially restores PNMT levels in vivo and enzyme thermal stability in vitro .

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS The authors wish to express their gratitude to Dr. Helena Kramer of the Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences for her invaluable help in the statistical analysis of the regression data.


Abstract. With recent advancements in UAV based technology the use of airborne photogrammetry and LiDAR poses a new and effective approach for continuous, fast and efficient beach monitoring surveys. This paper aims to compare three platforms (a DJI Phantom Pro 4 using Ground Control Points, a DJI Matrice 200 with built in PPK allowing direct georeferencing and a DJI Matrice 600 with a Riegl Mini-VUX LiDAR system) in order to assess if they enable beach surveys to be performed efficiently, accurately and cost- effectively. A series of beach surveys were performed over a period of 6 months enabling the ability of each UAV surveying technique to be assessed for the identification and evaluation of trends in the changing topography of beaches and shorelines. The study area (Warnbro Sound, Western Australia) is an area that has experienced significant coastal change over the last 20 years as well as several serious weather events in the course of this research. The results show a significant positive bias of a consistent vertical offset to the ground surface by 4–9 cm between the two image based systems in comparison to the LiDAR system. Although these height offsets are significant it is still within the accuracy required to perform successful beach surveys, and all systems were able to quantify the change of the beach shoreline in area (m2) and volume (m3).


This paper analyzes an emerging form of post-pharmaceutical health and its underlying regime of value in the global bioeconomy of regenerative stem cell-based medicine (RSCM). Animated by a vision to overcome drug-based therapies and their underlying political economies, RSCM pursues a form of regenerative health that is strikingly at odds with pharmaceutical regimes of drug research, regulation and therapy. To offer a theoretical account of these competing forms of health, the paper provides an analysis of the regimes of values that underpin pharmaceutical and regenerative health respectively. This analysis is done alongside three dimensions: the interlinkage between knowledge, technology and economic value creation; its relation to normative values and ethics; and conceptions and valuations of the biomedical subject and his/her body in biomedical research, intervention and innovation. Contrasting these two diverging regimes of health and value suggests that in RSCM the pharmaceutical logic of accumulating "surplus health" is not entirely dismissed but re-articulated in a regime based on the (re-)generation of regenerative biovalue through the extraction and ex vivo accumulation of "surplus vitality". Finally, the article discusses "post-pharmaceutical health" as a sensitizing concept that offers new research avenues into emergent forms of health, value, and subjectivity beyond RSCM.


Pedagogical activities have long been an important component of the teaching profession. Each day, teachers are involved with moral, social and emotional dilemmas, and they are confronted with norms and values (Korthagen, 2004). Day-to-day practice in the field of education, the popular media and the academic and practical literature (Turkenburg, 2008) all indicate that primary teachers are facing increasing demands with regard to their socialisation duties. Especially teachers working in urban schools are feeling pressurized to address a wide range of socialisation issues (Tillman, 2005, Singer et al, 2010). The results of a preliminary study involving 80 early-career primary teachers in urban primary schools, however, indicate that these teachers do not want to perform socialisation duties, and they feel that they spend too much time on such tasks. These findings raise the question of what primary teachers in urban schools understand as socialisation, which socialisation tasks are required (or increasingly required) of them and how they consider these tasks to fit within their professional identity


This classic work is a revised and abridged version, in a single volume, of the work which more than any other catapulted Pitirim Sorokin into being one of the most famed figures of twentieth-century sociology. Its original publication occurred before World War II. This revised version, written some twenty years later, reflects a postwar environment. Earlier than most, Sorokin took the consequences of the breakdown of colonialism into account in discussing the renaissance of the great cultures of African and Asian civilization. Other than perhaps F.S.C. Northrop, no individual better incorporated the new role of the Indian, Chinese, Japanese, and Arabic peoples in this postwar world. Sorokin came to view social and cultural dynamics in terms of three major processes: a major shift of mankind's creative center from Europe to the Pacific; a progressive disintegration of the sensate culture; and finally the first blush of the emergence and growth of a new idealistic sociocultural order. This volume is perhaps most famous for revealing Sorokin's remarkable efforts to understand the relationship of war and peace to the process of social and political change. Contrary to received wisdom, he shows that the magnitude and depth of war grows in periods of social, cultural, and territorial expansion by the nation. In short, war is just as often a function of development as it is of social decay. This long-unavailable volume remains one of the major touchstones by which we can judge efforts to create an international social science. There are few areas of social or cultural life that are not covered--from painting, art, and music, to the ethos of universalism and particularism. These are terms which Sorokin introduced into the literature long before the rise of functional doctrines. For all those interested in cultural and historical processes, this volume provides the essence of Sorokin's remarkably prescient effort to achieve sociological transcendence, by taking seriously the place of spiritual beliefs in the structure of societies.


Exploring Financial Knowledge, Behaviors, and Economic Socialization in an Incarcerated Population: A Mixed Methods Analysis Lindsay Larson Call School of Family Life, BYU Master of Science Using a mixed method design, this study explored financial knowledge, behaviors, and economic socialization in a sample of men (N = 155) incarcerated in a Midwestern county jail. A financial knowledge assessment, adapted from the FLLIP assessment (Zhan, Anderson, & Scott, 2006), was administered as well as a survey of financial behaviors and criminal history characteristics. Based on responses to the quantitative survey, a theoretical sample of participants (n = 12) was selected to participate in in-depth, qualitative interviews regarding economic socialization to the formal economy, particularly banks. Quantitative analyses revealed that the mean financial knowledge score for the sample was 59%, with Whites (M = .68; n = 46) scoring significantly higher than non-Whites (M = .55; n = 108). Factors related to financial knowledge were explored through bivariate and partial (controlling for age and race) correlational analyses. Hierarchical linear regression was conducted to determine the demographic factors, criminal history characteristics, and financial behaviors that predicted financial knowledge. Results revealed that having filed a tax return was the strongest predictor of financial knowledge. Qualitative analysis, using a grounded theory methodology, revealed that the majority of the men were distrustful of banks and other financial institutions. There appeared to be two pathways to distrust of banks: (1) anti-bank socialization through family and peers, which was solely experienced by the older Black men in the sample and (2) usage problems, which was the predominant pathway for the White men.


Cancer is one of the most common causes of death in developing countries and in the developed world. The function of the p53 protein plays an important role in the development of cancer. The protein p53 regulates the expression of genes that are responsible for the control of cell growth, apoptosis or for repair of damaged DNA. It t is encoded by the tumor suppressor gene TP53. If this gene mutates, its product will be damaged. It was found that mutations in the TP53 gene is present in more than 50% of cancer cases. Electrochemical biosensors have proved to be a suitable method for the detection of TP53 and also its mutations. Electrochemical deposition of gold nanoparticles on the surface of working electrode increases the active surface area of the sensor, this leads to a more sensitive detection of the TP53 gene and its mutations. By developing an electrochemical biosensor based on gold nanoparticles modified screen printed electrodes, an efficient platform for detecting the TP53 gene in biological samples is obtained.


Food has become a core contradiction of contemporary capitalism. Discussions of the economics and sociology of food and food regimes seem to be everywhere today, with some of the most important contributions made by Marxian theorists. Amid plentiful food production, hunger remains a chronic problem, and food security is now a pressing concern for many of the world's people.… Despite the severity of these problems and their integral relation to the capitalist commodity system, it is generally believed that Karl Marx himself contributed little to our understanding of food…. [Yet] food for Marx was far more than a "passing interest": in his work one finds analyses of the development of agriculture in different modes of production; climate and food cultivation; the chemistry of the soil; industrial agriculture; livestock conditions; new technologies in food production and preparation; toxic additives in food products; food security; and much more. Moreover, these issues are not peripheral, but organically connected to Marx's larger critique of capitalism.Click here to purchase a PDF version of this article at the Monthly Review website.


Rader has called for a change in how researchers study fear of crime, suggesting that fear of crime, perceptions of risk, and experiences with victimization are interrelated dimensions of the larger ''threat of victimization'' concept. In this study, the authors examine how each independent dimension affects additional theoretical dimensions of the ''threat of victimization'' and how these relationships vary by gender. Using data from residents of Kentucky, the authors estimate a series of multivariate linear and logistic regression models. The findings presented here suggest that gender differences do exist in the components of the threat of victimization and that many of the relationships in the Rader model are multifaceted, including the relationship between perceived risk, fear of crime, and avoidance and defensive behaviors. Implications of these findings for future research regarding predictors of the threat of victimization are discussed.


The crisis has demonstrated the need to renew our approach to financial system regulation and notably to complement it with a macroprudential perspective. There is no single definition of what constitutes "macroprudential" policy. There is, however, some consensus over its broad outlines. First, it involves adding a macroeconomic perspective to the supervision of the financial system, which up till now has only really been addressed from a "micro" standpoint. As the crisis has shown, financial stability does not depend solely on the soundness of the individual components that make up the financial system; it also depends on complex interactions and interdependencies between these components. Moreover, the term "macro" refers to the interactions between the real world and the financial world, to the extent that a risk only becomes "systemic" once the imbalances or shocks affecting the financial system pose a significant threat to economic activity. The second characteristic of macroprudential policy is that it is preventive.1 Its aim is precisely to prevent the formation of financial imbalances, procyclical phenomena or systemic risks by limiting excessive growth in credit and in economic agents' debt levels, and increasing the shock-absorbing capacity of financial institutions or structures ex ante.2 Therefore, macroprudential policy is not designed to manage financial crises directly once they have erupted, but rather to prevent them from happening in the first place. The implementation of macroprudential policy poses a number of major challenges, particularly as many countries have only just put in place the necessary operational frameworks. In Europe, for instance, the CRD IV/CRR3 banking regulation package only came into force on 1 January 2014, while the Single Supervisory Mechanism (SSM) is due to become effective in November. The two texts, CRD IV and CRR, list the macroprudential tools that national authorities can use. If deemed necessary, these tools can in turn be tightened by the European Central Bank (ECB), which also has macroprudential responsibilities in addition to its microprudential role. Experience and analysis have shown that the successful implementation of macroprudential policy depends on three key factors: • the governance of that policy; • the identification of market failures and the selection of tools to combat them; • a proper understanding of the channels of transmission and of the way these tools interact with other economic policies, notably monetary, fiscal and microprudential policies.


Abstract Bodden, JG, Needham, RA, and Chockalingam, N. The effect of an intervention program on functional movement screen test scores in mixed martial arts athletes. J Strength Cond Res 29(1): 219–225, 2015—This study assessed the basic fundamental movements of mixed martial arts (MMA) athletes using the functional movement screen (FMS) assessment and determined if an intervention program was successful at improving results. Participants were placed into 1 of the 2 groups: intervention and control groups. The intervention group was required to complete a corrective exercise program 4 times per week, and all participants were asked to continue their usual MMA training routine. A mid-intervention FMS test was included to examine if successful results were noticed sooner than the 8-week period. Results highlighted differences in FMS test scores between the control group and intervention group (p = 0.006). Post hoc testing revealed a significant increase in the FMS score of the intervention group between weeks 0 and 8 (p = 0.00) and weeks 0 and 4 (p = 0.00) and no significant increase between weeks 4 and 8 (p = 1.00). A &khgr;2 analysis revealed that the intervention group participants were more likely to have an FMS score >14 than participants in the control group at week 4 (&khgr;2 = 7.29, p < 0.01) and week 8 (&khgr;2 = 5.2, p ⩽ 0.05). Finally, a greater number of participants in the intervention group were free from asymmetry at week 4 and week 8 compared with the initial test period. The results of the study suggested that a 4-week intervention program was sufficient at improving FMS scores. Most if not all, the movements covered on the FMS relate to many aspects of MMA training. The knowledge that the FMS can identify movement dysfunctions and, furthermore, the fact that the issues can be improved through a standardized intervention program could be advantageous to MMA coaches, thus, providing the opportunity to adapt and implement new additions to training programs.


(1) Background: Epi- and Paracardial Adipose Tissue (EAT, PAT) have been spotlighted as important biomarkers in cardiological assessment in recent years. Since biomarker quantification is an increasingly important method for clinical use, we wanted to examine fully automated EAT and PAT quantification for possible use in cardiovascular risk stratification. (2) Methods: 966 patients with intermediate Framingham risk scores for Coronary Artery Disease referred for coronary calcium scans were included in clinical routine retrospectively. The Coronary Artery Calcium Score (CACS) was extracted and tissue quantification was performed by a deep learning network. (3) Results: The Computed Tomography (CT) segmentations predicted by the network indicated no significant correlation between EAT volume and EAT radiodensity when compared to Agatston score (r = 0.18, r = −0.09). CACS 0 category patients showed significantly lower levels of total EAT and PAT volumes and higher EAT and PAT densities than CACS 1–99 category patients (p < 0.01). Notably, this difference did not reach significance regarding EAT attenuation in male patients. Women older than 50 years, thus more likely to be postmenopausal, were shown to be at higher risk of coronary calcification (p < 0.01, OR = 4.59). CACS 1–99 vs. CACS ≥100 category patients remained below significance level (EAT volume: p = 0.087, EAT attenuation: p = 0.98). (4) Conclusions: Our study proves the feasibility of a fully automated adipose tissue analysis in clinical cardiac CT and confirms in a large clinical cohort that volume and attenuation of EAT and PAT are not correlated with CACS. Broadly available deep learning based rapid and reliable tissue quantification should thus be discussed as a method to assess this biomarker as a supplementary risk predictor in cardiac CT.


OBJECTIVE
An accumulating body of work indicates that siblings uniquely influence each other's alcohol and substance use behaviors during adolescence. The mechanisms underlying these associations, however, are unknown because most studies have not measured sibling influence processes. The present study addressed this gap by exploring the links between multiple influence processes and sibling similarities in alcohol and substance use.

METHOD
The sample included one parent and two adolescent siblings (earlier born age: M = 17.17 years, SD = 0.94; later born age: M = 14.52 years, SD = 1.27) from 326 families. Data were collected via telephone interviews with parents and the two siblings.

RESULTS
A series of logistic regressions revealed that, after parents' and peers' use as well as other variables including parenting was statistically controlled for, older siblings' alcohol and other substance use was positively associated with younger siblings' patterns of use. Furthermore, sibling modeling and shared friends were significant moderators of these associations. For adolescents' alcohol use, the links between sibling modeling and shared peer networks were interactive, such that the associations between modeling and similarity in alcohol use were stronger when siblings shared friends.

CONCLUSIONS
Future research should continue to investigate the ways in which siblings influence each other because such processes are emerging targets for intervention and prevention efforts.


Abstract. Phytoplankton photosynthesis links global ocean biology and climate-driven fluctuations in the physical environment. These interactions are largely expressed through changes in phytoplankton physiology, but physiological status has proven extremely challenging to characterize globally. Phytoplankton fluorescence does provide a rich source of physiological information long exploited in laboratory and field studies, and is now observed from space. Here we evaluate the physiological underpinnings of global variations in satellite-based phytoplankton chlorophyll fluorescence. The three dominant factors influencing fluorescence distributions are chlorophyll concentration, pigment packaging effects on light absorption, and light-dependent energy-quenching processes. After accounting for these three factors, resultant global distributions of quenching-corrected fluorescence quantum yields reveal a striking consistency with anticipated patterns of iron availability. High fluorescence quantum yields are typically found in low iron waters, while low quantum yields dominate regions where other environmental factors are most limiting to phytoplankton growth. Specific properties of photosynthetic membranes are discussed that provide a mechanistic view linking iron stress to satellite-detected fluorescence. Our results present satellite-based fluorescence as a valuable tool for evaluating nutrient stress predictions in ocean ecosystem models and give the first synoptic observational evidence that iron plays an important role in seasonal phytoplankton dynamics of the Indian Ocean. Satellite fluorescence may also provide a path for monitoring climate-phytoplankton physiology interactions and improving descriptions of phytoplankton light use efficiencies in ocean productivity models.


Aim Previous economic literature on the cost-effectiveness of antiretroviral treatment (ART) programs has been mainly focused on the microeconomic consequences of alternative use of resources devoted to the fight against the HIV pandemic. We rather aim at forecasting the consequences of alternative scenarios for the macroeconomic performance of countries. Methods We used a micro-simulation model based on individuals aged 15–49 selected from nationally representative surveys (DHS for Cameroon, Tanzania and Swaziland) to compare alternative scenarios : 1-freezing of ART programs to current levels of access, 2- universal access (scaling up to 100% coverage by 2015, with two variants defining ART eligibility according to previous or current WHO guidelines). We introduced an "artificial" ageing process by programming methods. Individuals could evolve through different health states: HIV negative, HIV positive (with different stages of the syndrome). Scenarios of ART procurement determine this dynamics. The macroeconomic impact is obtained using sample weights that take into account the resulting age-structure of the population in each scenario and modeling of the consequences on total growth of the economy. Results Increased levels of ART coverage result in decreasing HIV incidence and related mortality. Universal access to ART has a positive impact on workers' productivity; the evaluations performed for Swaziland and Cameroon show that universal access would imply net cost-savings at the scale of the society, when the full macroeconomic consequences are introduced in the calculations. In Tanzania, ART access programs imply a net cost for the economy, but 70% of costs are covered by GDP gains at the 2034 horizon, even in the extended coverage option promoted by WHO guidelines initiating ART at levels of 350 cc/mm3 CD4 cell counts. Conclusion Universal Access ART scaling-up strategies, which are more costly in the short term, remain the best economic choice in the long term. Renouncing or significantly delaying the achievement of this goal, due to "legitimate" short term budgetary constraints would be a misguided choice.


OBJECTIVE
To evaluate the potential importance of dystrophin, alpha-sarcoglycan (adhalin), and beta-dystroglycan, by use of western blot analysis, in several breeds of dogs with dilated cardiomyopathy.

SAMPLE POPULATION
Myocardial samples obtained from 12 dogs were evaluated, including tissues from 7 dogs affected with dilated cardiomyopathy, 4 control dogs with no identifiable heart disease (positive control), and 1 dog affected with Duchenne muscular dystrophy (negative control for dystrophin). Of the affected dogs, 4 breeds were represented (Doberman Pinscher, Dalmatian, Bullmastiff, and Irish Wolfhound).

PROCEDURE
Western blot analysis was used for evaluation of myocardial samples obtained from dogs with and without dilated cardiomyopathy for the presence of dystrophin and 2 of its associated glycoproteins, alpha-sarcoglycan and beta-dystroglycan.

RESULTS
Detectable differences were not identified between dogs with and without myocardial disease in any of the proteins evaluated.

CONCLUSIONS AND CLINICAL RELEVANCE
Abnormalities in dystrophin, alpha-sarcoglycan, and beta-dystroglycan proteins were not associated with the development of dilated cardiomyopathy in the dogs evaluated in this study. In humans, the development of molecular biological techniques has allowed for the identification of specific causes of dilated cardiomyopathy that were once considered to be idiopathic. The use of similar techniques in veterinary medicine may aid in the identification of the cause of idiopathic dilated cardiomyopathy in dogs, and may offer new avenues for therapeutic intervention.


The purpose of this study was to better understand the effects of caregiver burden as they relate to different dementia diagnoses and the stage of the disease in order to discover appropriate supports and interventions. Potential participants were identified through their use of a specialty memory loss clinic. Using a mixed methodology, respondents completed a survey which included a quantitative measure and qualitative open ended response questions designed to allow the caregiver to expand on their experience. The quantitative portion of this research used the Zarit Burden Interview (ZBI), a caregiver self-report measure. Diagnosis information and the patient's Allen Cognitive Level (ACL) were supplied by the clinic in order to confirm appropriate diagnosis and stage of disease. Moderate ACL scores of 3.5-4.5 appear to increase burden. Caregiving daughters in this study were found to have the highest total ZBI scores, indicative of a higher level of burden than other caregivers. Husbands and wives in this study had identical mean total ZBI scores. The findings indicated several areas of caregiver burden in which social work supports could be valuable. Role transitions, isolation, a lack of social support, and the need for adult day centers equipped to handle patients with dementia related behaviors were all identified as areas of concern.


Midbrain dopaminergic (mDA) neurons degenerate in Parkinson's disease and are one of the main targets for cell replacement therapies. However, a comprehensive view of the signals and cell types contributing to mDA neurogenesis is not yet available. By analyzing the transcriptome of the mouse ventral midbrain at a tissue and single-cell level during mDA neurogenesis we found that three recently identified radial glia types 1-3 (Rgl1-3) contribute to different key aspects of mDA neurogenesis. While Rgl3 expressed most extracellular matrix components and multiple ligands for various pathways controlling mDA neuron development, such as Wnt and Shh, Rgl1-2 expressed most receptors. Moreover, we found that specific transcription factor networks explain the transcriptome and suggest a function for each individual radial glia. A network controlling neurogenesis was found in Rgl1, progenitor maintenance in Rgl2 and the secretion of factors forming the mDA niche by Rgl3. Our results thus uncover a broad repertoire of developmental signals expressed by each midbrain cell type during mDA neurogenesis. Cells identified for their emerging importance are Rgl3, a niche cell type, and Rgl1, a neurogenic progenitor that expresses ARNTL, a transcription factor that we find is required for mDA neurogenesis.


Various sources have influenced and shaped the ideological orientation and outlook of Christian religious leadership in successive epochs in Nigerian history. This orientation and outlook have by and large been sustained in the contemporary post-military dispensation. This article develops a more informed identification of the historical sources that have shaped the leadership ideology of Nigerian Christian leaders. Based on this identification, the discussion reflects critically on the socio-political implications of, and challenges posed by, the various historical influences for achieving positive social transformation in contemporary post-military Nigerian society. The article appreciates the prevailing relevance of particular elements from the leadership ideology and outlook that existed in primordial Nigerian and African society to guide a contemporary Nigerian Christian religious leadership towards a fundamental reorientation. The article closes by challenging especially Nigerian Christian religious leaders to adopt ideas of leadership such as "saviour" and "protector", among other leadership ideas, for ideological reorientation and practical leadership in order to engender an enduring socio-political transformation and service to the people.