Among the systems that modify protein structure, the covalent attachment of small ubiquitin like modifier - SUMO protein to its substrates (sumoylation) represents after ubiquitylation, the best studied example of post-translational modification by a protein modifier. SUMO is a peptide of approximately 100 amino acids that modifies proteins of many organisms including yeast, humans and plants. SUMO is covalently linked to other proteins via a set of specific enzymes, namely SUMO-activating enzyme (SAE), SUMO-conjugating enzyme (SCE) and SUMO ligases. These enzymes are homologous to E1 - E2 - E3 cascade that operates in ubiquitylation. SUMO is emerging as a versatile modifier for a large number of proteins in many different pathways and the consequences of this modification seem to be as diverse as its targets. Arabidopsis thaliana has eight full-length genes with significant similarity to animal and fungal SUMO proteins. Phylogenetic analysis clustered the Arabidopsis SUMO proteins into five subfamilies: SUMO1\2, SUMO3, SUMO5, SUMO 4\6 and SUMO 7\8. To identify and characterize SUMO substrates in plants, we developed transgenic Arabidopsis thaliana lines expressing tagged versions of all the SUMO isoforms. Of all these genes expressed in Arabidopsis, four (SUMO1\2, SUMO3 and SUMO5) are highly expressed and form conjugates with substrate proteins in vivo. Following expression of the affinity tagged SUMO1 and subsequent biochemical enrichment, an array of high molecular weight SUMO1 substrates was revealed on a Coomassie stained gel. MALDI-TOF analysis identified 25 novel potential sumoylation targets in Arabidopsis, some of which carried the consensus sumoylation motif. We were able to demonstrate that one of these identified sumoylation substrates (NAF) is an in vitro target for sumoylation. All SUMO isoforms are made as inactive precursors. They mature by a carboxyl-terminal proteolytic cleavage which yields the mature modifier with exposed carboxyl terminus di-glycine motif. In order to test the requirement for these residues in conjugation reactions, we substituted the double glycine residues with alanine-glycine, glycine-alanine and alanine-alanine in a SUMO1 transgene. These individually modified SUMO1 transgenes were expressed in Arabidopsis. Contrary to the expectation, substrates were visidualized on immunoblotting with all the expressed SUMO variants, which demonstrates the extreme flexibility of the plant SUMO conjugation system. Moreover, an accumulation of SUMO substrates was evident from immunoblot experiments with transgenic Arabidopsis plants expressing a SUMO1 (Q93A) mutant. Furthermore, we investigated Arabidopsis plants with decreased capacity to conjugate SUMO to its target substrates. These plants expressed a mutated version of SUMO conjugating enzyme (AtSCE) in which the active site cysteine residue was changed to serine (C94S). Phenotypic characterization of these plants deficient in sumoylation showed stunted morphology and early flowering characteristics both under short and long day light conditions as compared to the wild type counterparts. Immunoblot analysis revealed that these transgenic lines had lower levels of free endogenous SUMO. Generally, the results suggest that similar to other eukaryotic organisms, many proteins in plants also undergo post-translational modification via sumoylation and this process has functional significance for development and cell biology of Arabidopsis thaliana.


Background: Accurate blood pressure (BP) measurement is critical for optimal cardiovascular risk management. Age-related trajectories for cuff-measured BP accelerate faster in women compared with men, but whether cuff BP represents the intraarterial (invasive) aortic BP is unknown. This study aimed to determine the sex differences between cuff BP, invasive aortic BP, and the difference between the 2 measurements. Methods: Upper-arm cuff BP and invasive aortic BP were measured during coronary angiography in 1615 subjects from the Invasive Blood Pressure Consortium Database. This analysis comprised 22 different cuff BP devices from 28 studies. Results: Subjects were 64±11 years (range 40–89) and 32% women. For the same cuff systolic BP (SBP), invasive aortic SBP was 4.4 mm Hg higher in women compared with men. Cuff and invasive aortic SBP were higher in women compared with men, but the sex difference was more pronounced from invasive aortic SBP, was the lowest in younger ages, and the highest in older ages. Cuff diastolic blood pressure overestimated invasive diastolic blood pressure in both sexes. For cuff and invasive diastolic blood pressure separately, there were sex*age interactions in which diastolic blood pressure was higher in younger men and lower in older men, compared with women. Cuff pulse pressure underestimated invasive aortic pulse pressure in excess of 10 mm Hg for both sexes in older age. Conclusions: For the same cuff SBP, invasive aortic SBP was higher in women compared with men. How this translates to cardiovascular risk prediction needs to be determined, but women may be at higher BP-related risk than estimated by cuff measurements.


This article first traces the efforts of civil society organizations (CSOs) to press for equality and antidiscrimination measures in the Treaty of Amsterdam. The gradual Europeanization of social policy has led to the growing transnationalization of the goals and strategies of gay and lesbian CSOs, in which national groups learn and are assisted by groups in other countries in a horizontal process and in the creation of an umbrella organization at the European level in a vertical process of the movement's institutionalization. The article then presents an empirical investigation of the contemporary goals and strategies pursued by two national groups, Arcigay in Italy and the COC in the Netherlands. While the literature presents two possible 'modes of interaction' between the CSO and their political environment—either highly divisive 'morality politics' or an incremental 'interest group' mode of interaction—we find this must be joined by a third we call 'high profile politics.' This mode is marked by coalition seeking, highly visible public events, government support, and transnational activity at the European level and abroad. This is a strategy possible where there is a high degree of public support for equality and minimal partisan or religious opposition to the goals of the movement. The Italian Arcigay is currently in a 'morality politics' mode of interaction and the Dutch COC in a 'high-profile politics' mode of interaction with their political environment.


ABSTRACT In this paper, we present a novel hypothesis as to what led humans in the Upper Paleolithic to penetrate and decorate deep, dark caves. Many of the depictions in these caves are located in halls or narrow passages deep in the interior, navigable only with artificial light. We simulated the effect of torches on oxygen concentrations in structures similar to Paleolithic decorated caves and showed that the oxygen quickly decreased to levels known to induce a state of hypoxia. Hypoxia increases the release of dopamine in the brain, resulting in hallucinations and out-of-body experiences. We discuss the significance of caves in indigenous world views and contend that entering these deep, dark environments was a conscious choice, motivated by an understanding of the transformative nature of an underground, oxygen-depleted space. The cave environment was conceived as both a liminal space and an ontological arena, allowing early humans to maintain their connectedness with the cosmos. It was not the decoration that rendered the caves significant; rather, the significance of the chosen caves was the reason for their decoration.


It has previously been reported that there are trends for height and mass in rugby players to be greater with higher levels of competition and historical increases over time are greater than the rates of increase seen in the normal population. The purpose of this study was to examine the importance of height and mass on performance in international rugby by analyzing final pool rankings at the 2007 and 2011 Rugby World Cups (RWC). The 2007 and 2011 RWCs both had four pools of five teams. Each team would play four games in the pool stages and points were given for wins, ties, scoring four or more tries and losing by less than seven points. The points accumulated from this system were used to examine the influence of height and mass on performance. Teams were subdivided into groups (1st, 2nd, 3rd, 4th or 5th) depending on final rankings in the pool stages. An ANOVA and Pearson's correlation were used to compare the influence of height, mass and Body Mass Index on final pool rankings and points accumulated in each of the two tournaments. Of all of the anthropometric measurements considered, the height and mass of forwards seem to be the best indicators of team performance.


Chaos, Creativity, and Cosmic Consciousness Illustrations Acknowledgments Foreword by Jean Houston Preface Chapter 1: Creativity and the Imagination The new evolutionary cosmology. The regularities of nature as evolving habits. The basis of cosmic creativity. The cosmic imagination as a higher-dimensional attractor drawing the evolutionary process toward itself. The Omega Point. Imagination welling up from the womb of chaos. Psychedelic experience and the mind of Gaia. Gaian dreams and human history. Dark matter as the cosmic unconscious. Chapter 2: Creativity and Chaos The chaos revolution. Chaotic attractors as eternal mathematical realities. Indeterminism in nature. Chaos and the evolution of order. Form in the cooling process. The organizing fields of nature as related to mathematics and the cosmic imagination. Mathematical models. Attractors, attraction, and motivation. The freezing of information in crystals and in written language. The primacy of spoken language and abstraction. Chapter 3: Chaos and the Imagination Chaos in Greek mythology. The myth of the conquest of chaos. Fear of chaos and the suppression of the feminine. The partnership society and the rise of patriarchy. Seasonal festivals of the repression of chaos, and the creation of the unconscious. The inhibition of creativity and its relation to global problems. The Eleusinian mysteries. Creativity and Christology. Plans for the recovery of chaos and the imagination. The significance of the chaos revolution. Chapter 4: The World Soul and the Mushroom Randomness in the evolutionary process. The limited nature of models. The computer and chaos revolutions. Coevolution of mathematics and the material world. The mathematical landscape. Sensory qualities in the cosmic imagination. The similarities of souls and fields. The primal unified field and the fields of nature. Rebirth of the world soul. Interplanetary transfer of the human psyche via the psychedelic experience and the spores of magic mushrooms. Chapter 5: Light and Vision Physical light and the light of consciousness. Light and vision. The location of visual images. Mind extending from the eyes.The sense of being stared at: a new kind of field or the electromagnetic field? Hierarchy of fields in nature. Coupling between electromagnetic and mental fields. Physical light and self-luminous visions. Tryptamine hallucinogens. The world soul. Fields as the medium of divine omniscience. Gaian mind and the light of the sun. Chapter 6: Entities Discarnate intelligences and nonhuman entities: creatures within the human mind or truly Other? Entities and shamans. The use of language by entities. Angelic communication in the birth of modern science. The dream dimension and entities. The effect of science and humanism on entities. Nature magically self-reflecting and aware. Chapter 7: The Unconscious The three great bifurcations. Creation of the unconscious, the origin of evil, and the rejection of chaos. Escape from evil by the resurrection of chaos. The suppression of psychedelics, the patriarchy, and the rise of booze. Partnership and dominator drugs the addiction to addictions. Habits and the formation of the unconscious. Holidays and the reinforcement of awareness. Prayer, magic, and astrology for enlightenment. Chapter 8: The Resacralization of the World Ralph's religious background. The sacred in India. Rediscovering the sacred in the West. The revival of ritual and the resacralization of music. Feminism and the archaic revival. Gothic cathedrals and animistic Christianity. The green movement, saving the Earth, the greening of God. Psychedelic churches. The resacralizing of science. Chapter 9: Education in the New World Order Education as initiation. The dominance of rationalism and humanism. Rites of passage. Summer camps. Testing and accreditation. Institutions and administrations. Workshops as a model for a new pluralistic and decentralized system of education. Religious initiations. Reform of existing professions. A possible pilot project. Chapter 10: The Apocalypse The apocalyptic tradition: a mythic model motivating religious history or an intuition of the ending of history or time? Modern millenarianism and scientific versions of the apocalypse. The possible end in 2012. The self-fulfilling quality of apocalyptic prophecy. The speeding up of history and the inevitability of planetary metamorphosis. Death and transformation on a cosmic scale. Intensifying conflict and the power of faith. Glossary Bibliography About the Authors


Fungal contamination has been frequently reported in higher plants. In Miscanthus species, a wide range of fungal flora has also been recorded previously, including an investigation based on nrITS amplification. In order to understand the effects of the fungal genomes on the random amplified polymorphic DNA (RAPD) fingerprinting, callus specimens were obtained from the tissue culture of shoot apices of Miscanthus. RAPD fingerprinting with 60 oligoprimers was conducted with genomic DNA extracted from leaf tissue collected in the field and from the greenhouse, as well as callus derived from the same individuals. Extra bands were detected in the RAPD fingerprints amplified with 44 primers (84.6%) from the genomic DNA of both the field and greenhouse leaf tissue of most Miscanthus taxa examined, except for M. sinensis var. condensatus. Positive PCR amplification of organelle DNA non-coding spacers with both leaf and callus DNA ruled out the possibility that such DNA fingerprinting discrepancies were due to loss of organelles in the callus after consecutive subcultures. Among the 44 primers, one yielded no amplified fragments from the callus DNA, indicating that the amplified DNA fragments from leaf-tissue DNA were likely to be derived from fungi. The contaminating fungal DNA not only caused the overestimation of genetic diversity in the host plants, but also interfered with the phylogenetic inference. Systematic inconsistency occurred between the UPGMA dendrograms of leaf and callus DNA fingerprints. The detection of contaminating fungal DNA suggested that precautions are required for PCR-based fingerprinting when field materials are used for DNA resources. A method for quick screening of the contaminating fungal DNA with universal primers for the nrITS (internal transcribed spacer) region is suggested.


The article investigates the role of attention in the reflective thinking of school mathematics teachers. It analyses teachers' ability to pay attention to detail and use their mathematical knowledge. The vast majority of teachers can be expected to have an excellent knowledge of mathematical techniques. The question examined here is whether this kind of knowledge might structure their attention in such a way that the emphasis on procedures deflects their attention from the essential details. Four groups of participant teachers from New Zealand, Hong Kong, Germany and Ukraine were given a mini-test containing seven simple mathematics questions. Most questions in the test were provocative in the sense that they looked like routine questions but in fact had some catch. The results of the test were startlingcthe vast majority of the participants gave incorrect answers to most questions in the test. After the test, the participants were given a short questionnaire to reflect on their performance on the test. Their responses were analysed using the theories of selective, divided and focused attention and Mason's concept of the discipline of noticing. Implementations of the results of the study in assessment and professional development are discussed.


The current study investigated the predictions of rational emotive behaviour therapy's (REBT) model of psychological health that rational beliefs would act as cognitive protective factors against posttraumatic stress responses. The study aimed to contribute original data regarding the role of functional cognitions in the prevention of posttraumatic stress symptomology. A model consistent with REBT's theory of psychological health was investigated through the use of structural equation modelling among a sample of 309 international emergency service personnel who had all been exposed to a significant life trauma. Results indicated that the REBT model of posttraumatic stress responses was found to be an acceptable fit of the data (χ2 = 199.99, df = 94, p < .001; RMSEA = .06 (CI 90 % = .05/.08); SRMR = .05; CFI = .93; TLI = .91) and explained 76 % of variance in posttraumatic stress symptoms. Self-acceptance beliefs and high frustration tolerance beliefs negatively predicted posttraumatic stress responses; non-catastrophizing beliefs positively predicted posttraumatic stress responses; and indirect effects were observed between preference beliefs and posttraumatic stress responses via self-acceptance and high frustration tolerance beliefs. Results suggest that rational beliefs are negatively associated with posttraumatic stress responses and support the REBT model of psychological health. Current results contribute important information regarding the role of functional cognitions in the alleviation of posttraumatic stress symptoms.


Purpose of the Project. This project seeks to create and develop a comprehensive prayer-based evangelism strategy to reignite the lifecycle in plateauing churches in Brazil. Through this project, pastors, church leaders, members and new members will be motivated and equipped to experience a better prayer life. Method. The method used for this study was based on qualitative research: a review of prayer as it is presented in the Bible, theoretical texts on prayer, and practical books written by prominent Christian authors, and a comprehensive study of the lifecycle of some Seventh-day Adventist churches in Brazil. These profiles were studied and data collected in order to better understand the strategies currently being practiced and identify those needed to help reignite churches. Results. The research indicated that prayer and spiritual nurture are critical to the development of a prayer ministry. Prayer was found to be a priority for administrators, local leaders, and laity in successful churches. The steps needed to develop a culture of prayer and evangelism were identified. It was substantiated that, given that culture refers to a way of life, whatever the church does must be done in light of the intense desire to save the lost. One of the most successful outreach, supported by literature and the study of the Adventist churches in Brazil, is that of prayer-based evangelism. Recommendations. The following steps must be followed in order to provide the components of a prayer-based evangelism in Brazil: (1) Develop a prayer-based intensive growth strategy in order to reignite the lifecycle of churches that are plateaued or in a decline toward death. (2) Acknowledge that we are all in need of a Savior and that "sinners reaching out to sinners" in an atmosphere of prayer is the culture needed. (3) Clarify the steps that can be incorporated by any group of seekers of an intensive prayer life. (4) Motivate the church to fulfill the great mission of sharing God with others. (5) Make the process practical. (6) Encourage relationship building among the members as preparation for interacting outside the church community. Conclusions. The intent of this project was to show that the ministry of evangelistic prayer as a base in the church increases the likelihood that all other ministries will work better. Also, faithfulness and stewardship will increase, as the prayer ministry becomes a part of the culture of a church. The resulting spiritual life of the members will be reflected in the growth of the church, both qualitatively and quantitatively. Prayer-based evangelism includes putting into practice the following: prayer, spiritual nurture, evangelism, and discipleship.


The design of a flight control system capable of not only stabilising attitude but also tracking a trajectory accurately for an under-actuated quadrotor aircraft is quite challenging. This study constructs the relationship between the attitude and linear acceleration of a small quadrotor unmanned aircraft and proposes a trajectory tracking control design algorithm, based on the relationship, using a new command-filtered backstepping technique to stabilise the attitude and a linear tracking differentiator to eliminate the classical inner/outer-loop structure. Finally, the validity and the effectiveness of this algorithm are demonstrated by various numerical simulations under different conditions.


Abstract This study details occurrences of Teredolites ichnocoenoses from modern bay-margin settings in Willapa Bay, Washington. In particular, the paper scrutinizes in situ log-grounds from two intertidal zones situated immediately seaward of low-lying, supratidal, forested marshlands that are fed by small streams. Vestiges of remnant marshes and streams are preserved on intertidal flats as in-situ roots, broken stumps, strewn logs, abundant organic detritus, and organic sandy mud. Xylic material and organic sediment were deposited in the supratidal marshes: tide and wave processes truncated the swamps, exposing in situ tree-root networks and the lowermost supratidal sediments. Stream and swamp deposits overlie and incise older Pleistocene strata. Both units are overlain by discontinuous, modern intertidal deposits. The intertidally exposed stumps and logs support a diverse community of animal and plant life. Boring organisms, encrusters, and refugium seekers are found on and within the xylic substrates. Some encrusting animals and all of the boring fauna produce traces that are comparable to ichnofossils reported by palichnologists. Wood-boring traces reported in this study are similar morphologically to the ichnogenera Caulostrepsis, Entobia, Meandropolydora, Psilonichnus, Rogerella, Teredolites, Thalassinoides, and Trypanites. Most of these ichnogenera have not been reported from rock-record examples of the Teredolites ichnofacies. The stratigraphic and environmental significance of the reported (modern) locales is consistent with previous studies that associate Teredolites ichnofacies with base-level rise in marginal-marine environments. At Willapa Bay, bored xylic media form a coeval surface with adjacent, burrowed firmgrounds as well as softgrounds.


Hydroxyapatite, (HA), is a calcium phosphate bioceramic material which has an almost identical chemical composition to that of the mineral component of bone. Its biocompatibility and osteoconductivity have led to its use in a wide range of applications in both dentistry and orthopaedics. One such application is for the uncemented fixation of implants. The plasma spraying technique, a thermal spray process, is the most commonly used method for the production of HA coatings. This process is a complicated one, affected by a large number of parameters. Due to this complexity, the process – property – structure relationship is poorly understood.
The present work aims to clarify this relationship and use the knowledge gained to develop a novel bi-layer coating. Statistically designed experiments (DOE) were used to determine the effect of five process parameters (factors), Current, Gas Flow Rate, Powder Feed Rate, Spray Distance and Carrier Gas Flow Rate, on the coating properties. A screening design was first carried out to gain an initial understanding of the process. This was followed by a detailed Response Surface Methodology (RSM) experiment. Five properties (responses) were examined, crystallinity, purity, roughness, porosity and thickness.
Models describing the effects of the variables on these coating properties were then developed. The developed models were optimised using two separate optimisation criteria to develop a novel bi-layered coating, designed to provide improved in vivo performance over current HA coatings. The performance of this novel coating was evaluated using a cell culture experiment.
Statistically significant models were developed in this work for each of the measured responses. All factors were found to have a significant effect on the measured coating responses. Current, Gas Flow Rate, Spray Distance and the Current * Spray Distance interaction were found to be the parameters with greatest effect on the coating properties. Analysis of the bi-layered coating produced indicates that improved biological performance has been achieved.


Nanostructured noblemetal has unusual physicochemical properties compared to their bulk parent materials. Thus in recent years a number of physical, chemical and biological techniques were applied for the development of metal nanoparticles (NPs). Here we have silver nanoparticles were synthesized using rapid, single step and completely green biosynthetic method employing aqueous Caesalpinia bonducella seeds. Silver ions were rapidly reduced by the aqueous Caesalpinia bonducella seed seeds leading to the formation of highly crystalline silver nanoparticles. The preparation of stable, uniform silver nanoparticles by reduction of silver ions is reported in the present paper. It is a simple process of recent interest for obtaining silver nanoparticles. The samples have been characterized by Fourier Transform Infrared (FTIR) Spectroscopy, UV-Visible spectra, Scanning Electronic Microscopy (SEM) and Energy Dispersive X-ray (EDX) spectra of themedicinal plantsCaesalpinia Bonducella Seeds were recorded. The vibrational assignments, intensities and wave number (cm–1) of dominant peak were obtained from FTIR spectra. Probable assignments of the bands were made with respect to the components present in the samples. The microphotograph obtained fromSEMand weight percentage of specific elemental concentration obtained fromEDX spectrometer attached to SEM are reported and analyzed sample wise and the results are discussed. The UV/Vis spectra shows that an absorption peak, occurring due to Surface Plasma Resonance (SPR).


Electroplated zinc alloys can provide increased corrosion protection for automotive body panels compared with zinc coatings of similar thickness. As a result, their use is becoming widespread. In particular, outstanding results have been reported in the literature for the corrosion resistance of zinc-manganese, and the alloys are said to offer good paintability, weldability and formability. However, the production of zinc-manganese coatings is restricted by the instability of the sulphate-citrate bath from which the alloy is usually deposited. The solution deteriorates rapidly and precipitates appear in the bath. The aim of this research was to investigate both the process of alloy deposition from the sulphate-citrate bath and the solution instability.

The electrodeposition of zinc-manganese was assessed in terms of the polarisation behaviour of the system, in order to determine the role of the bath components and the operating parameters in the deposition process. The coatings were analysed using scanning electron microscopy, and the efficiency of metal deposition was established. The sodium citrate complexant was not found to significantly move the deposition potentials of zinc and manganese together. Instead, its action as a buffer can be used to explain metal deposition and the polarisation behaviour of the system. The sodium citrate suppresses the hydrogen evolution reaction, such that manganese can be deposited from the electrolyte.

The bath deterioration with time and the resulting precipitate were examined using a variety of chemical techniques including spectroscopic methods, namely ultraviolet and visible, atomic absorption and infrared. Bath discolouration and precipitation were found to be two separate phenomena. The precipitate was determined to be a citrate of known composition with a ratio of Mn2+ ions to Zn2+ ions of 2:1. The formation took several days, and it was precipitated once the solubility limit in the bath was exceeded. Solution discolouration resulted from reactions occurring after the oxidation of Mn2+ ions and could be delayed by the use of antioxidants.


Background/Context Research shows that teachers' understandings of students, subject, and teaching influence their classroom practice. Additionally, teachers' colleagues have a role in shaping individuals' approaches to teaching and their responses to reform. Focus of Study To understand how interactions with colleagues support teachers' informal learning, I examined teachers' collegial conversations in a highly collaborative teacher community. Setting This research took place within a collaborative, improvement-oriented urban high school mathematics department that showed evidence of increasing access to and rigor in its curriculum. Participants Six high school mathematics teachers and the researcher as a participant observer worked together in a group focusing on detracking ninth-grade algebra classes. Research Design This 2-year ethnographic study went inside the teacher community, with the researcher teaching alongside the teachers to gain access to their interactions and workings. Data Collection and Analysis Approximately 100 hours of teachers' collaborative conversations were observed and recorded through audio- and videotape and field notes. Using a situated learning framework and sociolinguistic analyses, I examined teacher-to-teacher talk that constituted episodes of pedagogical reasoning (EPRs) to understand how collegial conversations provide resources for teacher learning. Findings Across EPRs, two forms of discourse were important sites for representing, and sometimes learning about, teaching practice, which I call teaching replays and teaching rehearsals. Extended replays or rehearsals supported a re-visioning routine, interactions in which teachers elaborated, reconsidered, or revised their understanding of complex teaching situations while providing particular, emotionally involving accounts of the classroom. The examination of these interactions further specifies conditions that support teachers' collegial learning. Conclusions Theoretically, this article illustrates a process of learning as recontextualiza-tion, as the teachers work between general teaching principles and specific occurrences in their classrooms. Practically, by highlighting the work that teachers do to make sense of innovative practices, this analysis provides a description of how collegial conversations can support teachers' informal learning, supporting the development of professional communities.


Epidemiologic data support an inverse association between green tea intake and breast cancer risk. Greenselect Phytosome (GSP) is a lecithin formulation of a caffeine-free green tea catechin extract. The purpose of the study was to determine the tissue distribution of epigallocatechin-3-O-gallate (EGCG) and its effect on cell proliferation and circulating biomarkers in breast cancer patients. Twelve early breast cancer patients received GSP 300 mg, equivalent to 44.9 mg of EGCG, daily for 4 weeks prior to surgery. The EGCG levels were measured before (free) and after (total) enzymatic hydrolysis by HPLC-MS/MS in plasma, urine, breast cancer tissue, and surrounding normal breast tissue. Fasting blood samples were taken at baseline, before the last administration, and 2 hours later. Repeated administration of GSP achieved levels of total EGCG ranging from 17 to 121 ng/mL in plasma. Despite a high between-subject variability, total EGCG was detectable in all tumor tissue samples collected up to 8 ng/g. Median total EGCG concentration was higher in the tumor as compared with the adjacent normal tissue (3.18 ng/g vs. 0 ng/g, P = 0.02). Free EGCG concentrations ranged from 8 to 65.8 ng/mL in plasma (P between last administration and 2 hours after <0.001). Free EGCG plasma levels showed a significant positive correlation with the Ki-67 decrease in tumor tissue (P = 0.02). No change in any other biomarkers was noted, except for a slight increase in testosterone levels after treatment. Oral GSP increases bioavailability of EGCG, which is detectable in breast tumor tissue and is associated with antiproliferative effects on breast cancer tissue. Cancer Prev Res; 10(6); 363–9. ©2017 AACR.


Causes of stress for adolescents include school transition, interpersonal
difficulties, separation and death, and excessive homework and pressures from peers and
adults. Adolescents cope with stress in various ways. Coping is a means of restoring the
equilibrium and varies according to the nature of the concern. Coping strategies
commonly used by adolescents include relaxing, working, solving the problem and
participating in physical activity. Contradictory findings exist on whether adolescents
also utilise negative avoidance strategies such as eating, drinking alcohol and smoking
cigarettes. What is known, however, is that young people have greater stress levels than
adults and less effective and fewer coping strategies.
Stress can have a significant effect upon eating behaviour. This is a concern as it
may be a risk factor in the development of eating disorders and obesity. Knowledge
about how people make decisions with regard to food choices can provide invaluable
information in the promotion of nutrition and in the prevention of diseases. Ajzen-Fishbein's
Theory of Reasoned Action gives an understanding of dietary motivation. Research on stress induced eating is contradictory. Some studies support the
notion that stress results in an increase in eating whilst other studies report a reduction in
eating and no change in eating behaviour. Two theories purport to explain stress-induced
eating: the General Effect model and the Individual Differences model. The former
proposes that stress causes physiological changes which, in turn, result in an increase in
eating. The latter theory proposes that some individuals will increase their food intake as
a result of stress whereas others will not. The literature indicates that further research is
needed in this area to explain how individuals cope with stress and how stress affects
eating behaviour.


Improving Nurse Mentor Retention Through the Use of Nurse Residency Programs by Morgan Newman Master of Science in Nursing RN-MSN Track, Walden University, 2012 Associate of Science Degree in Nursing, University of South Dakota, 2005 Project Submitted in Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree of Doctor of Nursing Practice Walden University June 2017 Abstract Graduate nurses beginning their nursing career require a collaborative relationship with an expert nurse mentor to make this transition successful. However, high turnover among these experienced nurse mentors is causing a problematic gap in knowledge transfer, experience, and expertise in the nursing workforce. This project investigated whether nurse mentors who mentored in a Nurse Residency Program (NRP) remained with the organization longer and were more satisfied with their mentoring experience than nurse mentors who mentored outside of a NRP. The diffusion of innovations theory was used to support the project and process of dispersing information on the outcome of the project. Sources of evidence for the project included case-cohort studies, systematic reviews obtained via an exhaustive literature review, and the collection of nurse mentor retention and satisfaction data through the use of a cross-sectional survey. Data were assessed from 214 registered nurses at a hospital in Rapid City, South Dakota and divided into 2 groups: nurse mentor and NRP mentor. When compared to nurse mentors, 10% more NRP mentors reported being employed in their current position with the intent to remain employed for 10 or more years as well as being very satisfied with theirGraduate nurses beginning their nursing career require a collaborative relationship with an expert nurse mentor to make this transition successful. However, high turnover among these experienced nurse mentors is causing a problematic gap in knowledge transfer, experience, and expertise in the nursing workforce. This project investigated whether nurse mentors who mentored in a Nurse Residency Program (NRP) remained with the organization longer and were more satisfied with their mentoring experience than nurse mentors who mentored outside of a NRP. The diffusion of innovations theory was used to support the project and process of dispersing information on the outcome of the project. Sources of evidence for the project included case-cohort studies, systematic reviews obtained via an exhaustive literature review, and the collection of nurse mentor retention and satisfaction data through the use of a cross-sectional survey. Data were assessed from 214 registered nurses at a hospital in Rapid City, South Dakota and divided into 2 groups: nurse mentor and NRP mentor. When compared to nurse mentors, 10% more NRP mentors reported being employed in their current position with the intent to remain employed for 10 or more years as well as being very satisfied with their mentorship experience, supporting the project question. This project substantiates the need for experienced nurse mentors to prepare new graduate nurses coming into the profession. Contribution to positive social change is as a result of mentorship in nursing that functions as a means of retaining both new graduate and experienced nurses


Internet of Things (IoT) is an umbrella term used for Internetworking physical devices such as vehicles, buildings, home appliances, and other physical objects to the Internet. This technology innovation allows for different objects or devices to be connected to each other, thus transforming the objects from "dumb" to "smart" devices. A central question for researchers and practitioners is whether and how the potential users of smart home technology, a subset of IoT technology, perceive this innovation. To address this question, the present paper seeks to empirically explore the relationships between determinant factors influencing users' intentions. By drawing upon recent studies on smart home technology, this paper argues that multiple factors impact users' perceptions and consequently their adoption decisions. By using a survey data from 156 individuals and applying structural equation modelling (SEM) and Fuzzy-set qualitative comparative analysis (fsQCA), this research suggests that attitudes toward using technology, social influence, perceived usefulness and perceived innovativeness impact users' adoption decisions. Moreover, fsQCA results, while reinforcing and refining findings from the SEM analysis, reveal that there is no single solution that lead to the outcome of interest—smart home technology adoption—but multiple configurations of conditions do. Theoretical and methodological contributions are discussed.


Column Editor's Notes The "Digital Heritage: Spotlight on Europe" column examines technological advances internal and external to cultural institutions. The digital shift changed radically how cultural heritage is made, disseminated, distributed, accessed, consumed, and monetized. One of the most important revolutions is that the user's role changed dramatically, shifting from passive observers to active participants and content producers with many new and exciting opportunities for engagement, creative use, and access. The strength of the column is its broad, international focus, and contributors are encouraged to explore issues and recent advances in digital heritage theories, methodologies, standards relevant to the European region, as well as the larger, global audience. ABSTRACT This study brings together and critically reflects on the social, policy, and technological contexts within which cultural heritage institutions are addressing current challenges of social inclusion in Europe. It explores the role of cultural networks in helping institutions and their host societies to manage the tensions and realise the opportunities arising from migration. The concept of "migrating heritage" is proposed to tackle this complex interdisciplinary research area.


The aim of this study was to analyse the genetic diversity and population structure in the razor clam Ensis siliqua along the European Atlantic coast taking into account their recent history of exploitation and the 'Prestige' oil spill. To this end we examined the genetic variability of microsatellite markers in 211 razor clams from five populations in Ireland, Portugal and Spain. Microsatellite data revealed a low genetic differentiation between the Spanish and Portuguese populations (FST = 0–0.032) and a moderate differentiation of these populations and the Irish samples (FST = 0.071–0.100). Although we observed changes in genetic diversity in accordance with the level of exploitation and the distribution of the oil spill, these changes were mild and not significant after Bonferroni correction. This could be the result of a genuine low impact, lack of statistical power and/or the capacity of this species to recolonize quickly after the impact of anthropogenic stressors. Supporting the latter argument we found a significant temporal heterogeneity of allelic frequencies in samples coming from the same sampling locality that could be attributed to the movement of adults or larvae from unaffected source populations.


This thesis reads 4 Maccabees and 4 Ezra in dialogue with Galatians on the topic of God as life-giver and life as divine gift. Scholars have occasionally noted parallels between the vocabulary and themes of these texts—especially, Gal 3 – 4 and 4 Ezra 3 – 10 and Gal 5 – 6 and 4 Macc—but their conceptions of divine life-giving benefaction have not been analysed. This thesis aims to fill this scholarly lacuna and, by placing these texts in conversation, to expose and compare the theological logics of Galatians, 4 Maccabees, and 4 Ezra.
 Part one provides separate readings of 4 Maccabees and 4 Ezra 3 – 10 on divine life-giving benefaction. Chapter one argues that 4 Maccabees' apologetic blending of Hellenistic virtue ethics with Jewish theology depends on a conception of God's gift of the Torah to order the mind at creation as inviolable, while God's life-giving and death-dealing activity in history and at the eschaton grounds and vindicates this order. Chapter two argues that, because 4 Ezra considers irrevocable the divine donation of life as Torah-ordered freedom at creation, its apocalyptic, two-ages theodicy explains the fall of Zion and occlusion of historical justice as a function of the epistemological (not moral) estrangement of the inhabitants of the fallen, 'dying' cosmos.
 Part two reads Galatians from the perspective of the concerns of 4 Maccabees and 4 Ezra. Chapter three considers how the presentations of Eleazar and Ezra as exemplary recipients of Torah-ordered created life raise questions about Paul's understanding of the divine donation of creation and the Torah, given his presentation of himself as an unworthy recipient of life in the Christ-gift (Gal 1 – 2). Chapter four hosts a debate with 4 Ezra over Paul's reading of scripture and salvation-history (Gal 3 – 4), arguing that Paul considers the law to be fitted to humanity's 'dead' estate in view of the eschatological life created and ordered in the Christ-gift by the Spirit. Chapter five argues, through debate with 4 Maccabees, that Paul's conception of the gift of 'life' to the unworthy 'dead' reaches its climax in an inchoate theory of moral agency and account of moral order (Gal 5 – 6).
 In this way, this study unites streams of scholarship on grace and 'life' texts both to further understanding of the theological relation between Paul and his Jewish contemporaries and to propose a new account of the theological logic of Galatians.


Background: There are no particle models giving theoretical rest mass energy values for the electron or proton, and their internal energy configurations are unknown. Consequently there is no theoretical basis for the proton/electron rest mass ratio m p/ m e . Previous articles established both electrons and protons consist of quantum loops of the same 6.8MeV base quantum energy, albeit in different relativistic states. Methods: Prior work is extended by considering internal particle energy cross coupling factors to derive detailed theoretical expressions for the internal energy distributions of electrons and protons. These expressions consist of the base quantum energy modified by terms containing only relativistic factors of the fine structure constant, α ~ 1/137. For m p /m e the base quantum energy cancels and the derived mass ratio is given by the particle's internal quantum loop relativistic states. The derived mass ratio is compared to the empirical value. Newton's gravitational constant, G, is calculated from the electron internal energy configuration. Results: Derived particle energy configurations give proton mass and proton/electron mass ratio values fully consistent with empirical data. The common base quantum loop energy is obtained to 6ppm. Combining particle mass energy expressions gives m p /m e to ten digits and consistent with the 2014 CODATA value via an expression containing only the fine structure constant. A theoretical value for Newton's gravitational constant is obtained to an uncertainty of 6ppb. The Hierarchy problem is resolved, and the Planck scale of matter is adjusted.  Conclusions: The particle energy configurations are validated by providing particle mass energy values and a proton/electron mass ratio consistent with empirical data. Newton's G is shown not a natural constant, and misunderstanding its nature gave rise to the Hierarchy problem and an erroneous value for the Planck scale of matter, both now resolved.


The traveling salesman problem (TSP) is one of the most important NP-hard Problems and probably the most famous and extensively studied problem in the field of combinatorial optimization. In this problem, a salesman is required to visit each of n given nodes once and only once, starting from any node and returning to the original place of departure. This paper presents an efficient evolutionary optimization algorithm developed through combining imperialist competitive algorithm and lin-kernighan algorithm called (MICALK) in order to solve the TSP. The MICALK is tested on 44 TSP instances involving from 24 to 1655 nodes from the literature so that 26 best known solutions of the benchmark problem are also found by our algorithm. Furthermore, the performance of MICALK is compared with several metaheuristic algorithms, including GA, BA, IBA, ICA, GSAP, ABO, PSO and BCO on 32 instances from TSPLIB. The results indicate that the MICALK performs well and is quite competitive with the above algorithms.


The issues of religion and secularization are among the most pressing concerns in Iran today. Religion has historically played different roles and has been present at different levels within the society. Followers of different religions either have chosen total submission based on literal readings of the scriptures or have followed a rationalist perspective using their own interpretations of religious teachings. During the past several centuries, as a result of the dominance of secularization and laïcité, religion throughout the world took a backseat and the "death of God" was witnessed. After this lengthy retreat, we now observe the reemergence of religions in different forms. Religion has proved to have "nine lives," and each time, the death of God turned into the resurrection of God. But the resurrected God and reemerged religions are not one and the same as before. They have now assumed new roles. Along the same line, in its long historical process secularization has also had its ups and downs and has thus evolved. In some cases it has been open and flexible, and in others, rigid and fundamentalist. Hence new theories must closely explore the evolving relationship between secularization and religion. In both theory and practice, the boundaries within which religion can or cannot operate, and the extent to which religion should or should not play a role in the public sphere, must be scrutinized. There are two types of religiosity, one rigid and literalist and the other rationalist and humanist, and there are two types of secularism, a rigid and fundamentalist one that denies any role for religion in society and a flexible and tolerant one that only restricts religion from interfering in the state. In this "post-secular" environment, the rationalist religious intellectuals and the tolerant secularists can coexist and find mutual understanding. Iranian intellectuals, whether religious or nonreligious, or liberals, nationalists, socialists, or social democrats, should agree on one principle and that is that they all can freely compete in civil society, but they should not bring their ideologies into the state.


Settlement delays can be important to prevent propagule waste when proper settling substrates are not immediately available. Under laboratory conditions, the planulae of Clytia viridicans underwent two alternative developmental patterns. Some settled on the bottom, forming a hydranth-gonotheca complex that produced up to four medusae and later either degenerated or gave rise to a hydroid colony. Other planulae settled right below the air-water interface, forming floating colonies that eventually fell to the bottom and settled. Halecium nanum released planulae with a rich population of symbiotic zooxanthellae that survived into a rearing jar for three months. After a long period of apparent quiescence (possibly fuelled by photosynthetic activities of zooxanthellae) the planulae produced new colonies. Both photosynthetic planulae and settlement at the interface air-water allow a delay in the passage from a planktonic to a fully functional benthic life.


A manipulative experiment was done on the Swedish west coast to test hypotheses about effects of grazing on assemblages of algae and sessile animals on moderately exposed shores. The experiments, which lasted for 15 mo, involved a total of 144 experimental units at 16 sites in 2 areas 3 km apart. Experimental treatments involved fences to exclude grazing snails, open fences to control for effects of fences, and control areas, which were not manipulated in any way. In contrast to results from moderately exposed shores in other parts of the world and in contrast to sheltered areas in the region, grazers did not appear to significantly influence the structure and composition of these assemblages. Fences and manual removal of snails were only partly successful in removing grazers. Additional observational evidence, however, supports the conclusion that grazers have a limited impact on structure and abundance of these intertidal assemblages.


The current study examined the dream content and dream meaning (discovery) via The Storytelling Method of Dream Interpretation (TSM) from the dreams of recovering alcoholics (N=29) compared to a matched sample of non-alcoholics (N=29).  The study also examined the dreams and meaning of dreams in relation to waking day mood.  Findings from the study revealed that the dreams of recovering alcoholics differ significantly from non-alcoholics and the dreams provide insight into the mood of recovering alcoholics.  Discovery via TSM was found to be relevant, meaningful, and helpful in terms of waking life issues.  Furthermore, regression analyses provide predictive evidence of discovery from the dream content for recovering alcoholics.  Analyses comparing discovery categories revealed that the major discovery categories for recovering alcoholics include: sobriety, past events, emotions, and a positive future.  It appears that TSM is a useful mode of therapy for gaining insight into recovery of alcohol addiction and waking day mood.  Limitations, future research, and clinical applications are discussed.


This paper analyzes how asymmetric information affects which corporate governance arrangements firms choose when they go public. It is shown that such asymmetry might lead firms to adopting – through the design of securities and corporate charters -- corporate governance arrangements that are known to be inefficient both by public investors and by those taking firms public. When assets with higher value produce opportunities for higher private benefits of control, asymmetric information about the asset value of firms going public will lead some or all such firms to offer a sub-optimal level of investor protection. The results can help explain why charter provisions cannot be relied on to provide optimal investor protection in countries with poor investor protection, why companies going public in the US commonly include substantial antitakeover provisions in their charters, and why companies rarely restrict self-dealing or the taking of corporate opportunities more than is done by the corporate laws of their country. The analysis also identifies a potentially beneficial role that mandatory legal rules might play in the corporate area.


ABSTRACT Modeling and simulation are recognized as effective tools for management and decision support across various disciplines; however, poor communication of results to the end users is a major obstacle for properly using and understanding model output. Visualizations can play an essential role in making modeling results accessible for management and decision-making. Virtual reality (VR) and virtual geographic environments (VGEs) are popular and potentially very rewarding ways to visualize socio-environmental models. However, there is a fundamental conflict between abstraction and realism: models are goal-driven, and created to simplify reality and to focus on certain crucial aspects of the system; VR, in the meanwhile, by definition, attempts to replicate reality as closely as possible. This elevated realism may add to the complexity curse in modeling, and the message might be diluted by too many (background) details. This is also connected to information overload and cognitive load. Moreover, modeling is always associated with the treatment of uncertainty – something difficult to present in VR. In this paper, we examine the use of VR and, specifically, VGEs in socio-environmental modeling, and discuss how VGEs and simulation modeling can be married in a mutually beneficial way that makes VGEs more effective for users, while enhancing simulation models.


Can greater investment in infrastructure raise U.S. long-run output? Are infrastructure projects a good short-run stimulus to the economy? This paper uses insights from the macroeconomics literature to address these questions. I begin by analyzing the effects of government investment in both a stylized neoclassical model and a medium-scale New Keynesian model, highlighting the economic mechanisms that govern the strength of the short-run and long-run impacts. The analysis confirms earlier findings that the implementation delays inherent in infrastructure projects reduce short-run multipliers in most cases. In contrast, long-run multipliers can be sizable when government capital is productive. Moreover, these multipliers are greater if the economy starts from a point below the socially optimal amount of public capital. Turning to empirical estimation, I use the theoretical model to explain the econometric challenges to estimating the elasticity of output to public infrastructure. Using both artificial data generated by simulations of the model and extensions of existing empirical work, I demonstrate how both general equilibrium effects and optimal choice of public capital are likely to impart upward biases to output elasticity estimates. Finally, I review and extend some empirical estimates of the short-run effects, focusing on infrastructure spending in the ARRA.


The purpose of this study was to determine how the structure, conduct and performance of the construction industry in Indonesia. And to know how much influence the structure, conduct and performance of the construction industry in Indonesia. Analytical techniques used in this research is to use the Concentration Ratio (CR4) and the Herfindahl-Hirchman index (IHH), which which took the example of 8 Indonesian construction companies wich were tested whithin a period 2007-2011. The results showed the level of concentration ratio (CR4) ranged from 73,02% to 76,16%, then the figure shows the structure of the constraction industry period 2007- 2011 is an oligopoly tight. While based on the Herfindahl-Hirschman index, is the range from 0,159695275 to 0,169852, which means the structure of the construction industry in Indonesia is not a monopoly or not structured approaches 1, when viewed from the level of concentration between the years 2007-2011, it can be concluded that the level of competition in the construction industry in Indonesia is very competitive. it is characterized by the competition of market share among the four dominant companies in the Indonesian construction industry in terms of revenue Keywords: Oligopoly, CR4, IHH, Structure, Conduct and Performance.


The consensus that reigned in macroeconomics before the financial crisis has come under renewed attack. New Keynesian 'dynamic stochastic general equilibrium' models until recently dominated macroeconomic and central bank thinking. The failure of these models to capture interactions of finance and the real economy has been widely-recognized since the financial crisis. The models excluded money, debt and asset prices and, importantly, ignored changing credit markets, though the models took some account of price stickiness. These omissions stem from unrealistic microfoundations for household behaviour when many households face radical uncertainty, and from wrongly assuming that aggregate behaviour mimics a fully-informed 'representative agent'. The wrong implications for aggregate consumption and the economy followed. This also affects more eclectic central bank policy models such as the Federal Reserve's FRB-US model, to which central banks are now increasingly turning to escape the restrictions of New Keynesian DSGE. To repair these, aggregate consumption needs to be jointly modelled with the main elements of household balance sheets, extracting credit conditions as a latent variable. This research highlights the important role of debt and of housing, confirmed by recent micro-economic evidence, and of financial assets and the time and context-dependent role of housing collateral. Rather than 'one-size-fits-all' monetary and macro-prudential policy, institutional differences between countries then imply major differences for monetary policy transmission and policy.


We present a mechanism for computing asymptotically stable school optimal matchings, while guaranteeing that it is an asymptotic dominant strategy for every student to report their true preferences to the mechanism. Our main tool in this endeavor is differential privacy: we give an algorithm that coordinates a stable matching using differentially private signals, which lead to our truthfulness guarantee. This is the first setting in which it is known how to achieve nontrivial truthfulness guarantees for students when computing school optimal matchings, assuming worst-case preferences (for schools and students) in large markets.


Literature has long learned about the welfare improving effect of equalization in tax competition environments. By setting incentives to local authorities, public spending becomes efficient in spite of relying on a mobile resource as the tax base. This paper proves that this result cannot hold when local players have influence on the shape of the transfer system. A bargaining concerning equalization may change the incentives arising from equalization.


This thesis investigates a contemporary issue in developing countries within the context
of the Cameroon North-West Region. It seeks to understand how government policy and
development organisations in Cameroon are empowering women and promoting their role
in the community development (CD) process. It investigates and analyses the causes of
gaps between policy implementation at the grassroots level which prevents women
benefiting fully from the programmes initiated by government at the central level. The
research is an empirical study which employs a qualitative approach with a case study
design, informed by feminist paradigms and guided by the Interpretivists epistemological
stand point. The case is the North-West Region of Cameroon, with particular focus on
women's development Non-Governmental Organisations and Women's Groups. Semistructured
interviews, questionnaires, focus groups and documentary analysis were the
main methods of data generation. In seeking to understand why women's role in the process of CD is still limited to basic
activities at the household and local community levels it has become necessary to
examine gender roles within the Cameroon socio-cultural milieu to observe how these are
affecting the overall development process. The Government's initiative to empower
women all over Cameroon and promote their influence in the community is in recognition
of the pivotal role they play in uplifting living standards and alleviating poverty
particularly in the rural communities, which also falls within the government's overall
development plan for the nation. The research has found that recent efforts to promote
this through policy and targeted programmes for women at the grassroots have been
thwarted by a severe deficiency in financial and human resources, poor communication
networks, high rates of illiteracy among women, corruption, politics of ethno-regional
segregation and the lack of a mechanism for enforcing legislation. The thesis has thus,
unpacked the rhetoric of government initiated programmes and the gaps between policy
and implementation at the grassroots level. A new understanding or perception to the
concept of empowerment which focuses on economic and welfare needs, different from the
conventional meaning has been brought out through this research. This suggests that
definitions of concepts such as empowerment must be brought within a specific sociocultural
and political context. The thesis has made recommendations for what is required
to be done if women are to be in the driving seat for rural development in Cameroon and
the North-West Region in particular. The thesis concludes that Community Development and Women's Empowerment are two
complementary processes in Cameroon. While Community Development has a long
history in the country and has been hailed as the total approach to development
especially in the North-West Region, women's empowerment on the other hand is
generally considered a secular concept from the West which still has no place yet in any
of Cameroon's sub-cultural groups not least in the North-West Region. Local perceptions
are that women should be empowered if only this means increasing their economic
opportunities to earn and bring more money into the family and community and not
more


This essay foregrounds how technocultural assemblages - software platforms, algorithms, digital networks and affects - are constitutive of online racialized identities. Rather than being concerned with what online identities are in terms of ethno-racial representation and signification, we can explore how they are materialized via the technologies of online platforms. The essay focuses on the micro-blogging site of Twitter and the viral phenomenon of racialized hashtags - dubbed as 'Blacktags' - for example #onlyintheghetto or #ifsantawasblack. The circulation of these racialized hashtags is analyzed as the transmission of contagious meanings and affects, such as anti/racist humour, sentiment and social commentary. Blacktags as contagious digital objects play a role in constituting the 'Black Twitter' identities they articulate and interact with. Beyond conceiving Black Twitter as a group of preconstituted users tweeting racialized hashtags, Blacktags are instrumental in producing networked subjects which have the capacity to multiply the possibilities of being raced online. Thus, ethno-racial collective behaviours on the Twitter social media platform are grasped as emergent aggregations, materialized through the contagious social relations produced by the networked propagation of Blacktags.


Acyl carrier protein plays an essential role in bacterial fatty acid synthesis and has been recognized as an attractive new antibiotic target. In a previous study using TAP tagged ACP, we identified two ACP binding partners not directly involved in lipid metabolism, AidB and SpoT, that showed increased binding to ACP in stationary phase. In the current project, we found that the increase in binding of SpoT, a stringent response protein, to ACP appears to be due to increased affinity. In contrast, the increase in binding of AidB, an adaptive response protein, appears to be due to increased expression of AidB. Transformation of SpoT-TAP strains with pGEX-ACP vectors followed by purification revealed that SpoT interacts with wild type ACP, but not with ACP mutants that neutralized helix II or cannot fold properly. We used a far western approach to confirm the direct interaction between ACP and AidB in vitro. Overall, these results support the hypothesis that interaction of ACP with SpoT is highly specific and may reflect a regulatory role for ACP, while that with AidB might reflect non-specific interactions.


The European Parliament (EP) has spectacularly ended its discussion about
deepening and widening the EU with the report of its member Elmar Brok, who
initiated a debate that was long overdue. The future enlargement of the EU requires
a broader political debate without populism. So far, the so-called "plan D" initiated by
the European Commission itself has received little response by the member states. It
remains to hope that this EP paper is going to animate long-lasting discussions and
will not remain a "political tranquilizer" without effects.
Nevertheless, the signal to all EU-aspirant states is clear: there will be no more
enlargement automatism in the future. In the past, the Copenhagen criteria were
often pushed into the backdrop or almost forgotten. The time of discounts has gone.
The interests of the EU-aspirant countries, however, should not be ignored. All
discussions about possible alternatives to EU integration are received by them with
understandable concern and extreme mistrust, as the example of Macedonia shows.
The EU must prevent a possible loosing of its credibility or it risks diminishing the
reform eagerness in the states willing to join it and a reappearance of nationalisms.
Preventing renewed violence and chaos in the West-Balkan region ranks among the
highest interests of the EU itself. Therefore, beyond the usual lip-service of the
"European perspective", the western Balkan needs more clear signals that European
integration continues to go ahead. Full visa liberalization or facilitated utilization of
financial assistance would be a strong intermediate support for the western Balkan
states on their still long way to the EU.


OBJECTIVE
To examine the relationship between intratumoral lymphatic vessel density and clinical and pathological variables in patients with head and neck squamous cell carcinoma.

DESIGN
Archived paraffin-embedded biopsy specimens were sectioned and stained with hematoxylin-eosin and anti-LYVE-1 antibody, a highly specific marker for lymphatic endothelium. Tumor grade, infiltrating margin, inflammatory infiltrate, and percentage of tumor necrosis were noted and lymphatic vessel density measured using Chalkley point counting.

SETTING
Tertiary care center at a university hospital.

PATIENTS
A total of 168 previously untreated patients with advanced squamous cell carcinoma (73, larynx; 62, oropharynx; and 33, hypopharynx) treated with primary radiation (with or without planned neck dissection) and salvage surgery from 1992 to 1999.

INTERVENTIONS
Measurement of intratumoral lymphatic vessel density in pretreatment tissue biopsy specimen.

MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES
Disease-free and disease-specific survival, tumor occurrence, and nodal status.

RESULTS
In patients with laryngeal carcinoma there was a significant relationship between the presence of intratumoral lymphatics and nodal metastases at presentation (P = .02) and poorly differentiated tumor grade (P = .02). Patients with high lymphatic vessel density also had a significantly worse disease-specific survival (P = .03). However, this difference was not significant with multivariate analysis. No significant relationship existed between the presence of intratumoral lymphatics and any of the clinical or pathological variables in oropharyngeal and hypopharyngeal carcinoma.

CONCLUSIONS
In this patient sample, the development of intratumoral lymphatics in laryngeal carcinoma, but not in oropharyngeal or hypopharyngeal carcinoma, is associated with a spread of the tumor to regional lymph nodes. Detecting tumor lymphatic vessel proliferation is another step in the understanding of tumor biology, and the targeting of lymphatic growth may be of potential therapeutic benefit in selected patients with head and neck squamous cell carcinoma.


For a long time Finland was seen as the most successful country in Europe in terms of the adoption and use of advanced mobile services. This paper discusses trends in service adoption. We discuss the development in the Finnish telecommunication market and trends in actual and future user behaviour with regard to three groups of mobile services. Based on survey's from 2004, 2005 and 2006, in which the same concepts were measured, we test models in which concepts as innovativeness, flexibility, status and entertainment benefits are related to mobile travel service, traditional entertainment and mobile Internet services. Our analysis based on the data we collected over three years show that we cannot understand the actual and future use unless we take the subtleties and usability of specific services, i. e. the characteristics and user values of the services involved, into account.


Requirements of transparent conductive oxide (TCO) films for optoelectronic applications are mainly focussed on their low electrical resistivity, optical transmittance of above 85% in the visible region and mechanical stability on flexible polymer substrates. Examples of applications include flat-panel displays, solar cells, and thin film transistors (TFTs). Indium tin oxide (ITO) is widely used in transparent conductive electrodes in such devices, but high costs and brittleness have limited its applications. The electrical conductivity and mechanical stability of a single aluminium-doped zinc oxide (AZO) layer for flexible optoelectronic applications is still relatively limited. In this study we prepared AZO (35 nm)/Ag/AZO (35 nm) films using RF magnetron sputtering at room temperature. In order to satisfy the requirements of TCO films for flexible electronic device applications, Ag thin films with thicknesses 8, 10, and 12 nm were used as intermediate metal layers. The effect of Ag thickness on the electrical and optical properties is reported and discussed. The mechanical properties of AZO/Ag/AZO multilayer film compared with the single-layered AZO sample were investigated using cyclic bending fatigue and twisting tests. Changes in electrical resistance were monitored in situ. Scanning electron microscopy and atomic force microscopy were used to provide surface characterisation of the mechanically-tested samples. The effective embedment of the Ag layer between upper and lower AZO films led to metallic conductivity, high optical transparency, and superior flexibility to the single AZO electrode, due to the high failure strain of the ductile Ag layer. Furthermore, AZO/Ag/AZO showed similar performance compared with ITO films. These results indicate that flexible AZO/Ag/AZO multilayer electrodes grown by RF magnetron sputtering are a promising candidate for use as an indium-free flexible anode for optoelectronic devices.


GENERAL PRINCIPLES AND THEORETICAL CONSIDERATIONS General Principles and Basic Considerations D.M. Rowe Modern Thermodynamic Theory of Thermoelectricity L.I. Anatychuk and O.J. Luste Thermoelectric Phenomena under Large Temperature Gradients L.I. Anatychuk and L.P. Bulat Minority Carriers and Thermoelectric Effects in Bipolar Devices Kevin Pipe Effects of Charge Carriers' Interactions on Seebeck Coefficients David Emin Thermal Conductivity of Semiconductors with Complex Crystal Structure V.K. Zaitsev and M.I. Fedorov A Chemical Approach to the First-Principles Modeling of Novel Thermoelectric Materials Luca Bertini, Fausto Cargnoni, and Carlo Gatti Recent Trends for the Design and Optimization of Thermoelectric Materials: A Theoretical Perspective John S. Tse and Dennis D. Klug Thermoelectric Power Generation: Efficiency and Compatibility G. Jeffrey Snyder A New Upper Limit to the Thermoelectric Figure-of-Merit H.J. Goldsmid Thermoelectric Module Design Theories Gao Min Modeling and Characterization of Power Generation Modules Based on Bulk Materials Timothy P. Hogan and Tom Shih Energy Conversion Using Diode-Like Structures Yan Kucherov and Peter Hagelstein Size Effects on Thermal Transport Chandra Mohan Bhandari Thermoelectric Aspects of Strongly Correlated Electron Systems S. Paschen Theory and Modeling in Nanostructured Thermoelectrics Alexander A. Balandin Thermoelectric Power of Carbon Nanotubes G.D. Mahan Phonon-Drag Thermopower of Low-Dimensional Semiconductor Structures Yu.V. Ivanov MATERIAL PREPARATION AND MEASUREMENTS Solid State Synthesis of Thermoelectric Materials B.A. Cook and J.L. Harringa Review of Methods of Thermoelectric Materials Mass Production Yury M. Belov, Sergei M. Maniakin, and Igor V. Morgunov Structural Studies of Thermoelectric Materials Bo Brummerstedt Iversen Measurements of Resistivity and Thermopower: Principles and Practical Realization A.T. Burkov Electrical and Thermal Transport Measurement Techniques for Evaluation of the Figure-of-Merit of Bulk Thermoelectric Materials Terry M. Tritt Measurement of the Thermal Conductivity of Thin Films F. Volklein, A. Meier, and M. Blumers Solvothermal Synthesis of Nanostructured Thermoelectric Materials X.B. Zhao, T.J. Zhu, and X.H. Ji Approaches to Thermoelectric Standardization E. Muller, C. Stiewe, D.M. Rowe, and S.G.K. Williams THERMOELECTRIC MATERIALS Thermoelectric Properties of Bismuth Antimony Telluride Solid Solutions H. Scherrer and S. Scherrer Bi-Sb Alloys: Thermopower in Magnetic Field V.M. Grabov and O.N. Uryupin Thermoelectrics on the Base of Solid Solutions of Mg2BIV Compounds (BIV = Si, Ge, Sn) V.K. Zaitsev, M.I. Fedorov, I.S. Eremin, and E.A. Gurieva Thermoelectric Properties of the Group V Semimetals J-P. Issi Thermoelectrics of Transition Metal Silicides M. Fedorov and V. Zaitsev Formation and Crystal Chemistry of Clathrates P. Rogl Structure, Thermal Conductivity and Thermoelectric Properties of Clathrate Compounds George S. Nolas Skutterudite-Based Thermoelectrics Ctirad Uher Oxide Thermoelectrics Kunihito Koumoto, Ichiro Terasaki, Tsuyoshi Kajitani, Michitaka Ohtaki, and Ryoji Funahashi Thermoelectric Properties of Electrically Conducting Organic Materials A.I. Casian Shifting the Maximum Figure-of-Merit of (Bi, Sb)2(Te, Se)3 Thermoelectrics to Lower Temperatures V.A. Kutasov, L.N. Lukyanova, and M.V. Vedernikov Functionally Graded Materials for Thermoelectric Applications V.L. Kuznetsov Recent Developments in Low Dimensional Thermoelectric Materials M.S. Dresselhaus and J.P. Heremans Thermoelectric Properties of Nanocrystalline Transition Metal Silicides J. Schumann and A.T. Burkov Nanostructured Skutterudites Mamoun Muhammed and Muhammet Toprak Thermal Conductivity of Nanostructured Thermoelectric Materials C. Dames and G. Chen THERMOELEMENTS, MODULES AND DEVICES Modeling and Optimization of Segmented Thermoelectric Generators for Terrestrial and Space Applications Mohamed S. El-Genk and Hamed H. Saber Thermocouple with a Passive HTSC Leg V.L. Kuznetsov and M.V. Vedernikov Anisotropic Thermoelements A.A. Snarskii and L.P. Bulat Miniaturized Thermoelectric Converters Harald Bottner, Joachim Nurnus, and Axel Schubert Thermoelectric Microelectromechanical Systems (MEMS) F. Volklein and A. Meier Nanoscale Thermoelectrics Joachim Nurnus, Harald Bottner, and Armin Lambrecht Superlattice Thin-Film Thermoelectric Material and Device Technologies Rama Venkatasubramanian, Edward Siivola, and Brooks O'Quinn THERMOELECTRIC SYSTEMS AND APPLICATIONS Thermoelectric Power Generation System Recovering Industrial Waste Heat Takenobu Kajikawa The Concept of Thermoelectric Power Generation Topping-Up Co-Generation System Takenobu Kajikawa A Thermoelectric Application to Vehicles Kakuei Matsubara and Mitsuru Matsuura Thermoelectric Microgenerators with Isotope Heat Sources L.I. Anatychuk and A.A. Pustovalov Performance and Mass Estimates of CTM-ARPSs with Four GPHS Bricks Mohamed S. El-Genk and Hamed H. Saber Parametric and Optimization Analyses of Cascaded Thermoelectric-Advanced Radioisotope Power Systems with Four GPHS Bricks Mohamed S. El-Genk and Hamed H. Saber Space Missions and Applications Robert D. Abelson Quantum Well Thermoelectric Devices and Applications S. Ghamaty, J.C. Bass, and N.B. Elsner Thermoelectric Cooling of Electro-Optic Components V.A. Semenyuk Thermoelectric Refrigeration for Mass-Market Applications Montag C. Davis, Benjamin P. Banney, Peter T. Clarke, Brett R. Manners, and Robert M. Weymouth APPENDIX I: HISTORY OF THE INTERNATIONAL THERMOELECTRIC SOCIETY C.B. Vining, D.M. Rowe, J. Stockholm, and K.R. Rao APPENDIX II: SELECTED THERMOELECTRIC SOURCES


In this thesis we explore instances in which tools from continuous optimisation can be used to solve problems in extremal graph and hypergraph theory.
We begin by introducing a generalised notion of hypergraph Lagrangian and use tools from the theory of nonlinear optimisation to explore some of its properties. As an application we find the Tur´an density of a small family of
hypergraphs.
We determine the exact k-colour Ramsey number of an odd cycle on n vertices when n is large. This resolves a conjecture of Bondy and Erd˝os for large n. The first step of our proof is to use the regularity method to relate this problem in Ramsey theory to one in nonlinear optimisation. We establish a correspondence between extremal constructions in the Ramsey setting and optimal points in the continuous setting. We thereby uncover a correspondence between extremal constructions and perfect matchings in the k-dimensional hypercube. This allows us to prove a stability type result around these extremal constructions.
We consider two models from statistical physics, the hard-core model and the monomer-dimer model. Using tools from linear programming we give tight upper bounds on the logarithmic derivative of the independence and matching polynomials of a d-regular graph. For independent sets, this is a strengthening of a sequence of results of Kahn, Galvin and Tetali, and Zhao that a disjoint union of Kd,d's maximises the independence polynomial and total number of independent sets among all d-regular graphs on the same number of vertices. For matchings, the result implies that disjoint unions of Kd,d's also maximise the matching polynomial and total number of matchings. Moreover we prove the Asymptotic Upper Matching Conjecture of Friedland, Krop, Lundow, and Markstr¨om.
Through our study of the hard-core model, we also prove lower bounds on the average size and the number of independent sets in a triangle-free graph of maximum degree d. As a consequence we obtain a new proof of Shearer's
celebrated upper bound on the Ramsey number R(3, k).


A typical building engineering process involves multiple project participants and several computer applications. These participants and applications have their own views of the underlying building data Since these users (i.e., participants and applications) contribute to and draw from the same overlapping set of data. the problem here is to partition the set of building data into logical fragments that meet two major requirements: (1) supporting those multiple views and (2) still being meaningful to the domain. I call this problem the data partitioning problem. It is analogous to the vertical fragmentation problem in distributed database design, for which algorithms using matrix manipulation were proposed (Ozsu, 91). The limitations of these algorithms are that they address only the first requirement and are computationally expensive. In this paper, I propose constraint satisfaction neural networks that handle both requirements in solving the problem. The user, in this case, is the designer of the database supporting those participants and computer applications. As a conclusion, a database designer can use these neural networks as effective assistant tools to partition building data in support of multiple views or data uses. In each problem occurrence. these networks yield a high probability of finding the best solution. Moreover, the designer has direct control over the way in which each network goes about solving the problem. This capability comes from a number of parameters whose value can be specified by the designer. By changing the ratio of their values, the designer can define a set of prioritized criteria and can watch the solution that the network comes up with each time. Each solution comes with a measure of how well it satisfies the problem constraints according to the given criteria. The designer can compare all these solutions based on their measure and can then make a conscientious decision about which solution to use.


How can unemployment be combated effectively? Which economic policy corrections are necessary? What can we learn from other countries? To answer these questions, the international employment ranking compares the progress that some of the most important industrial nations have made in their battle against unemployment.The 21 countries compared are Japan, Switzerland, Norway, the Netherlands, the United States, Austria, New Zealand, Portugal, Australia, the United Kingdom, Denmark, Ireland, Canada, Sweden, Germany, Belgium, France, Italy, Finland, Greece, and Spain.The book includes identification of effective tools, analysis of best practices on the basis of the latest OECD data, a presentation of the latest developments in economic, finance, wage and labor market policy, and a ranking of the countries on the basis of an econometric model.The Bertelsmann Foundation undertakes this survey of leading industrial countries every two years. In each of the previous two surveys (1996 and 1998), Japan ranked first and Switzerland second.


Antimicrobial resistance genes can be carried on plasmids or on mobile elements integrated into the chromosome. We sequenced a multidrug resistant Enterobacter kobei genome isolated from wastewater in the United Kingdom, but were unable to conclusively identify plasmids from the short read assembly. Our aim was to compare and contrast the accuracy and characteristics of open source software (PBcR, Canu, miniasm and SPAdes) for the assembly of bacterial genomes (including plasmids) generated by the MinION instrument. Miniasm produced an assembly in the shortest time, but Canu produced the most accurate assembly overall. We found that MinION data alone was able to generate a contiguous and accurate assembly of an isolate with multiple plasmids.


Elastomers are important engineering materials that have contributed to the different technical developments and applications since the 19th century. The study of crack growth mechanics for elastomers is of great importance to produce reliable products and therefore costly failures can be prevented. On the other hand, it is fundamental in some applications such as adhesion technology, elastomers wear, etc. In this thesis work, crack propagation in rubber under quasi-static and dynamic conditions is investigated.In Paper A, theoretical and computational frameworks for dynamic crack propagation in rubber have been developed. The fracture separation process is presumed to be described by a cohesive zone model and the bulk behavior is assumed to be determined by viscoelasticity theory. The numerical model is able to predict the dynamic crack growth. Further, the viscous dissipation in the continuum is found to be negligible and the strength and the surface energy vary with the crack speed. Hence, the viscous contribution in the innermost of the crack tip has been investigated in Paper B. This contribution is incorporated using a rate-dependent cohesive model. The results suggest that the viscosity varies with the crack speed. Moreover, the estimation of the total work of fracture shows that the fracture-related processes contribute to the total work of fracture in a contradictory manner.A multiscale continuum model of strain-induced cavitation damage and crystallization in rubber-like materials is proposed in Paper C. The model adopts the network decomposition concept and assumes the interaction between the filler particles and long-chain molecules results in two networks between cross-links and between the filler aggregates. The network between the crosslinks is assumed to be semi-crystalline, and the network between the filler aggregates is assumed to be amorphous with the possibility of debonding. Moreover, the material is assumed to be initially non-cavitated and the cavitation may take place as a result from the debonding process. The cavities are assumed to exhibit growth phase that may lead to complete damage. The comparison with the experimental data from the literature shows that the model is capable to predict accurately the experimental data.Papers D and E are dedicated to experimental studies of the crack propagation in rubber. A new method for determining the critical tearing energy in rubber-like materials is proposed in Paper D. The method attempts to provide an accurate prediction of the tearing energy by accounting for the dissipated energy due to different inelastic processes. The experimental results show that classical method overestimates the critical tearing energy by approximately 15%. In Paper E, the fracture behavior of carbon-black natural rubber material is experimentally studied over a range of loading rates varying from quasi-static to dynamic, different temperatures, and fracture modes. The tearing behavior shows a stick-slip pattern in low velocities with a size dependent on the loading rate, temperature and the fracture mode. Smooth propagation results at high velocities. The critical tearing depends strongly on the loading rate as well as the temperature.


This research was conducted to evaluate reproductive performance, cholesterol, glucose and progesterone of Garut ewes fed rations containing different levels of sun flower oil. Using completely randomized design, four ration treatments were given to thirty two ewes (BW 22.12±1.69 kg) with eight animals for each treatment. Four iso-protein rations were used i.e., control (SFO0) without sun flower oil; SFO2, SFO4 and SFO6 were the same as SFO0 but containing 2, 4 and 6% of sun flower oil, respectively. Estrous synchronization was conducted by double injection of Prostaglandin (PGF2α) 11 days apart before mating. Reproductive performance (litter size, ratio of male to female, mortality), cholesterol and glucose plasma were measured two weeks before mating and at the first month of pregnancy. Progesterone serum concentration were measured on day 25th, 28th and 31st of pregnancy, using radioimmunoassay. Number of embryo was detected using Ultrasonograph detector at the day 18-20th after mating. Result showed that plasma cholesterol concentration of ewes fed control ration was lower than ewes fed rations containing sun flower oil, while glucose concentration two weeks before mating was lower than those at the first month of pregnancy. Progesterone concentration was the same in all treatments on day 25th, 28th and 31st of pregnancy. Pregnancy rate and number of embryo in SFO2 and SFO6 was 75% and lower than in SFO4 (100%). The highest litter size was in SFO4 (225%) similar to the number of embryo detected by USG, with the male to female ratio of 3:1. However, the percentage of embryo mortality was still high (>20%). It i s concluded that inclusion of 4% sun flower oil in the ration could improve reproductive performance (litter size and male sex ratio) and cholesterol concentration.


1 Institute of Agricultural Resources and Environment, Shandong Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Jinan 250100, China 2 Key Laboratory of Agro-Environment in Huang-Huai-Hai Plain, Ministry of Agriculture, Jinan 250100, China AgResearch Research Ruakura, 10 Bisley Road, Hamilton 3240, New Zealand Corresponding author: email@example.com Abstract This paper examines the effect of cattle manure application rates on nitrate nitrogen (NO3-N) migration and accumulation in a farmland soil and investigates methods for appropriate manure use in order to reduce NO3 pollution to the environment. A field experiment was conducted on a fluvo-aquic soil in a cropping area of Caoxian County in Shandong Province, China. The effect of cattle manure (with N concentration of 1.5%), at different application rates (0, 15000, 30000, 45000, 60000 and 75000 kg/ha/year), on vertical distribution of soil NO3-N, crop yields, and nitrogen use efficiency was determined in a winter wheat and summer maize rotation on farmland under natural rainfall conditions. The results showed that the NO3-N concentrations in the soil profile (0-100 cm) increased with the increase in application rate. When the rate was greater than 45000 kg/ha/year, soil NO3-N concentrations were significantly higher than those in the other treatments with lower application rates. The NO3-N levels in the 80–100 cm soil layers were several times higher than those of the surface soils at the later growing stage of the winter wheat in early summer, indicating that this NO3-N, which had migrated downward and accumulated in the deep soil would be prone to drain to groundwater during the summer rainfall season, as it would be below the root zone of the summer maize. A quadratic relationship between crop yields and cattle manure application rates was found. Wheat and maize silage yields were highest when cattle manure application rate was 45000 kg/ha/year, with the N use efficiencies of wheat and maize silage both being about 50%. We conclude that a cattle manure application rate of 45000 kg/ha/year (equivalent to 675 kg N/ha/year) is optimal for this wheat-maize rotation cropping system.


Sex is a topic of perennial interest for feminists, with ever-changing opportunities for scholarship and activism. Somewhat unexpectedly, the turn of the 21st century finds a major resurgence of biomedical thinking about women's sexuality in popular media and professional research. Since the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), in 1998, approved Viagra, an oral medication manufactured by Pfizer, Incorporated, that treats men's erection problems, print and electronic media of all sorts have focused on women's "comparable" problems with orgasms or arousal. "Where is the Viagra for women?" is asked in women's magazines and newspapers (e.g., Hitt, 2000). Extensive public discussion of women's sexual experiences could be noteworthy and have many benefits, but it seems that the focus is almost entirely on seeing women's sexual problems as treatable, largely biomedical conditions. Scholars of women's studies have long observed that sexuality, especially but not exclusively women's sexuality, is as much a matter of politics as biology (Snitow, Stansell, & Thompson, 1983; Vance, 1984). In all parts of the world, sexual expectations, patterns of sexual behavior, standards of sexual attractiveness, and other normative matters are shaped by religion, socioeconomic context, and gender regime. Cultural and religious traditions, historically dominated by gender inequality, have molded women's sexuality on both individual and institutional levels (e.g., Ehrenreich, Hess, & Jacobs, 1986; Fine, 1988; Rich, 1980; Tiefer, 1995; Tolman & Higgins, 1996; Ussher & Baker, 1993). As second-wave feminist scholarship analyzed the multiple determinants of women's sexuality, recommendations emerged for reform and reconceptualization. These included foregrounding sexual diversity, promoting individual empowerment through education and masturbation experience, and illuminating the role and impact of sexual abuse and violence (see bibliography in Tiefer, 1991). Women's health texts embraced these new sexual discourses. Beginning in 1971, for example, the Boston Women's Health Book Collective devoted substantial parts of each edition of its best-selling text, Our Bodies, Ourselves, to women's sexuality; raising awareness of the destructive impact of violence and inequality on sexual life; portraying positive lesbian experiences; and calling attention to menstrual, reproductive, and menopausal health as part of women's sexuality. A small amount of feminist sex therapy literature in the 1970s and 1980s stressed issues such as the role of the clitoris in sexual pleasure, the need for women to be sexually assertive, and the importance of positive body image (Cole & Rothblum, 1988; Daniluk, 1998; Ellison, 2000; Hall, 1996; McCormick, 1994). However, in recent years, primarily since the FDA's approval of Viagra, a phase of medicalizing sexuality and sexual problems has gathered speed, with important implications for individuals' and couples' sexual lives. The process of medicalizing men's sexuality occurred over a 15-year period of research and public relations, but in the case of women, such medicalization appears to be occurring more rapidly (Tiefer, 1995, 2000b, 2001b, c). The social and cultural contexts for this new phase of medicalization include shifts in medical research funding, demographic changes, new profitability of lifestyle drugs, and dramatic deregulation of the FDA (Tiefer, 2000b). Direct-to-consumer (DTC) advertising of prescription-only drugs, a phenomenon prohibited in most of the industrialized world, was newly permitted by the FDA in 1997 and plays an important role in the current trends (Washburn, 2001). Market analysts now predict "a marketing war . . . that could make impotence drugs the nation's most heavily advertised category of pharmaceuticals" (Gillis, 2001, p. 1). A wide variety of male-directed by-prescription pills, injections, creams, patches, inhalants, and mechanical devices are currently in development or undergoing clinical trials, and similar drugs are under development and being tested for treating the newly identified "female sexual dysfunction" (FSD). …


Over the past decade, visible-light photocatalysis has emerged as one of the brightest and most dynamic fields in modern organic chemistry. By employing a transition-metal- or organic-dye-based photocatalyst in conjunction with a low-energy visible-light source, this synthetic manifold allows the facile generation of radical intermediates that can subsequently be directed through a wide range of transformations. Although initial studies focused largely on the functionalization of stabilized radical intermediates, over the past few years significant efforts have been directed towards the functionalization of challenging unactivated radical precursors. In this review we summarize the recent developments in the use of visible-light photocatalysis for the functionalization of unactivated C(sp3)-substrates.


In recent years the expansion of early farmers from the Near East across Europe has been investigated in greater detail using genomic data. Incoming farmer groups have been shown to have a clear Near Eastern/Anatolian cultural and genetic background with only limited biological contact with autochthonous hunter-gatherers for at least two millennia, despite considerable evidence of mutual material exchange. The contribution of hunter-gatherer ancestry is very low in Central and Southeastern Europe, whereas early farmers from the Iberian Peninsula showed generally higher genetic contribution, albeit with regional variations.
Other parts of western Europe, in particular modern-day France, are less well-studied despite the fact that this region archaeologically displays a complex mosaic pattern of interaction with late Mesolithic hunter-gatherer societies. Here, archaeological research also attests the convergence/overlap of two main routes (Danubian and Mediterranean) of the Neolithic expansion of early farmers. Despite this crucial geographic position in the process of Europe's Neolithisation, thus far only mitochondrial DNA studies have explored the underlying biology of these interactions. Analyses of maternal lineages of 7000-year-old farmers from northern France suggest equivalent contributions of maternal lineages from farmer groups associated with both expansion routes to local gene pools, as well as a higher proportion of hunter-gatherer lineages than described for regions in Central or Southern Europe.
As part of a joint collaboration between French and German teams, we will generate the first detailed genomic data from Western European individuals. We will analyse a wide variety of geographical and cultural contexts, from the 7th to the 4th millennium BCE, and will investigate whether the archaeologically derived entities also represent genetically homogenous clusters. Through a solid contextualisation with archaeological data, this will allow us to shed light on cultural/biological contacts, modes of exchange, and to carry out demographic modelling. Here, we will present our project outline and preliminary data investigating the complexity and variability in cultural and biological interactions between human groups during the Neolithic period in Western Europe.