ABSTRACT Platelet concentrates are given to patients suffering with severe thrombocytopenia usually by a gravity transfusion procedure. Increasing patient numbers that are in need of this treatment increase the pressure on hospital staff and space. In order to combat time issues, the use of medical devices such as intravenous infusion pumps are thought to be beneficial for time and simultaneously for safety in transfusion practices. By using infusion pumps, platelet concentrates can be transfused in less time and provide accurate volume measurements. Manufacturers of infusion pumps claim that these devices are safe to be used for blood products including platelet concentrates. However, published studies were performed on older models and newer devices are on the market now. The purpose of this study is to evaluate infusion pumps, which are claimed to be suitable for blood products and to investigate the impact the pumps had on platelets. Furthermore, the study revealed if the intravenous infusion pumps are safe to be used for platelet transfusion as claimed by manufacturers. A simulated transfusion was performed using the Carefusion Alaris GP Plus volumetric pump and Fresenius Kabi Volumat Agilia infusion pump. Samples were taken from expired platelet concentrates before and after passage through the pump. All samples were investigated for full blood count that included platelet count, mean platelet volume (MPV), platelet distribution width (PDW) and a plateletcrit (PCT). The samples were then centrifuged to achieve platelet-poor plasma and then tested for lactate dehydrogenase (LDH). A power calculation performed on the statistical power analysis program G*power indicated a requirement of 82 samples for a power of 80%. Statistical analysis was performed with the IBM SPSS statistic software. A paired sample t-test was used to calculate mean, standard deviation and P values for the infusion pumps used. The Wilcoxon Signed Rank Test was used to evaluate results that had a non-normal distribution. No statistically significant changes were found for LDH, PDW and platelet count with the Carefusion infusion pump. PCT and MPV were found to have a statistically significant change with P values of 0.005 and 0.001, respectively, and showed a decrease in their values. The Fresenius Kabi infusion pump has shown no statistically difference in LDH, platelet count, PCT or PDW, with P values of 0.075, 0.425, 0.151 and 0.397, respectively. The MPV showed a statistically significant decrease in its value with a P value <0.043. Although only two pumps were tested, the results achieved by testing the devices revealed that there was no influence on the platelet enzyme LDH or the platelet count as the main parameters. However, the findings showed that there was statistically significant differences in MPV of the expired platelet concentrates.


This thesis explores the question of how Romani social life proceeds in a small town in
the Czech Republic. It pays particular attention to the ways in which ethnicity becomes
salient during interactions between Roma and Czechs. The ethnography is based upon an
extended narrative engagement with two Romani women. In their narratives, a chronicle
of their past, present and future lives is presented.
Despite the fact that my interlocutors are dissimilar in age, level of personal autonomy
and financial security, within their narratives is the expression of a local Romani
narrative about ethnic relations, love, friendship and family. It is firmly situated within
academic- and media-based discussions about the post-communist 'experience' of Czech
Roma and their widely shared communist past. This thesis therefore takes into
consideration the ways in which Romani individuals make sense of their social worlds
through their creation of narratives.
In Skala, idealized Romani sociality is composed of various threads: the authenticity of
one's moral agency, the maintenance of a cohesive family unit, a sense of cooperation
and harmony with Romani non-kin, dedication to the perpetuation of a collective Romani
mentality standing apart from the Czech population, and a symbiotic existence with
Czechs based upon daily interaction. Throughout my interlocutors' narratives, these
components of social life are cognitively assigned to the communist era rather than the
present-day. Within these women's narratives, there is evidence of the primacy of the
family as both a functional and a conceptual entity of Romani social life past and present.
Today, the investment of material resources and emotional energy into one's children is
seen as the most viable means by which one may enact their personal agency as mothers
within the private sphere.


Alarms can be spatialized in new human-machine interfaces. This includes the perception of distance at different points in space. The aim of this work was to study the interferences between the perception of distance and the perception of urgency. Two experiments used common stimuli. These were sounds recorded on a dummy head from a white noise emitted from 8 directions in the azimuth plane and at 3 distances, inside a closed, empty room. The sounds were then loudness equalized. Experiment 1 consisted of presenting the sounds in pairs to the listeners, who had to designate the sound which was perceived as the most urgent. The results show that, for the same distance, the level of urgency is greater when the virtual source is at ±90°. They also show two types of responses concerning the links between the perception of distance and urgency. Certain listeners perceive near sounds as the most urgent, while others perceive distant sounds as the most urgent. Experiment 2 is a control experiment to check that perception of distance is preserved for these loudness equalized sounds.


The most optimal way to prepare teachers is a source of debate and inquiry. The common view held in school-based agricultural education is to use professional development to augment what teachers learned in their teacher preparation program. This has been typically implemented through induction support and generic professional development. Fessler and Christensen (1992) described a teacher career cycle that highlights the need to differentiate professional development for teachers beyond the induction stage. Teachers in the Enthusiastic and Growing stage are described as having a high level of competence, but continue to grow as professionals. The purpose of this study was to determine the characteristics of Enthusiastic and Growing school-based agriculture education teachers in order to inform professional development practice. A panel of 105 Enthusiastic and Growing teachers were selected to serve on a Delphi panel and asked to identify the characteristics of an expert agriculture teacher. Twenty-seven responses were agreed upon by the panel. Some characteristics were congruent with the existing descriptions of Enthusiastic and Growing teachers, while some descriptions were unique to school-based agricultural education. Based on these findings, professional development should be implemented using a systems approach to promote these characteristics in teachers.


Abstract The U.S. Geological Survey has completed assessments of undiscovered technically recoverable oil and gas resources in the Jurassic Norphlet and Smackover formations of the onshore coastal plain and State waters of the U.S. Gulf Coast. The Norphlet Formation consists of sandstones and interbedded shales and siltstones deposited during a marine transgression. Along its northeast margin, deposition of the Norphlet was in alluvial fans, fluvial systems, and dune and clastic sabkha environments. Mudstones of the underlying Smackover Formation act as source rocks for Norphlet reservoirs. The Norphlet was divided into the following three assessment units (AUs): the Norphlet Salt Basins and Updip AU, the Norphlet Mobile Bay Deep Gas AU, and the Norphlet South Texas Gas AU. The lower part of the Smackover consists primarily of dark carbonate mudstone and argillaceous limestone deposited in low-energy environments, and is one of the Gulf of Mexico Basin's major source rocks. The upper part of the Smackover is comprised primarily of grain-supported carbonates deposited in high-energy environments. The Smackover was divided into the following four AUs: the Smackover Updip and Peripheral Fault Zone AU, the Smackover Salt Basin AU, the Smackover South Texas AU, and the Smackover Downdip Continuous Gas AU. Although the Norphlet and Smackover formations have been the focus of extensive exploration and production, they probably still contain significant undiscovered oil and gas resources.


An electrochemical microfluidic strategy for the separation and enantiomeric detection of D-methionine (D-Met) and D-leucine (D-Leu) is presented. These D-amino acids (D-AAs) act as biomarkers involved in relevant diseases caused by Vibrio cholerae. On a single layout microfluidic chip (MC), highly compatible with extremely low biological sample consumption, the strategy allowed the controlled microfluidic D-AA separation and the specific reaction between D-amino acid oxidase (DAAO) and each D-AA biomarker avoiding the use of additives (i.e., cyclodextrins) for enantiomeric separation as well as any covalent immobilization of the enzyme into the wall channels or on the electrode surface such as in the biosensor-based approaches. Hybrid polymer/graphene-based electrodes were end-channel coupled to the microfluidic system to improve the analytical performance. D-Met and D-Leu were successfully detected becoming this proof-of-the-concept a promising principle for the development of point-of-care (POC) devices for in situ screening of V. cholerae related diseases.


Al-Hakim et al. explored regulation of members of the adenosine monophosphate-activated protein kinase (AMPK) family by a tandem affinity purification procedure that isolated proteins that interacted with the enzymes in cultured human embryonic kidney cells. They identified a number of new interaction partners, including the phosphoprotein-binding adaptor 14-3-3. The 14-3-3 protein interacted with the kinases QSK and SIK (salt-inducible kinase) in a manner that required their previous phosphorylation by their activating kinase LKB1. When glutathione S-transferase (GST) fusion proteins of QSK and SIK were expressed in 293 cells and affinity purified, 14-3-3 was associated with them. Displacement of 14-3-3 during incubation with a competing phosphopeptide decreased the catalytic activity of the kinases. Experiments in cells lacking LKB1 indicated that binding to 14-3-3 promoted cytoplasmic localization of QSK and SIK. Such control of protein localization is a known function of 14-3-3, but the protein has not previously been shown to directly modulate catalytic activity of its binding partners. The authors suggest that the 14-3-3 protein may work by simultaneously binding the kinases and their substrate proteins. A. K. Al-Hakim, O. Göransson, M. Deak, R. Toth, D. G. Campbell, N. A. Morrice, A. R. Prescott, D. R. Alessi, 14-3-3 cooperates with LKB1 to regulate the activity and localization of QSK and SIK. J. Cell Sci. 118, 5661-5673 (2005). [Abstract] [Full Text]


The recent publicity received by the radiation oncology community regarding misadministrations, accidents and overdoses has renewed the medical physicists' focus on safety. However, many other accidents have preceded these. Are these recent incidents similar to older ones and could they have been prevented had the medical physics community applied the lessons learned from previous incidents? Certainly technology is more advanced, but adherence to established doctrines and recommendations from our professional societies could have prevented the majority of these accidents.In this presentation, recent and much older accidents and misadministrations in radiation therapy that have been reported in the media will be presented. These events serve as teaching moments for the clinical physicists and opportunities to assess our own strategies and clinical programs with the goal of providing safe and reliable treatment deliveries. The recommendations and QA that have been established in the literature will be presented in concert with events that have either been near‐misses or grave accidents. This presentation will focus on both conventional linac delivery and the more sophisticated treatments such as SRT and IMRT. Learning Objectives: 1. To review and understand the causes of various external beam treatment misadministrations and accidents reported in the media. 2. To review and understand corrective and preventative actions that should be in place in order to safely administer external beam RT. 3. To review and understand the recommendation for safety by the ASTRO, ACR, and AAPM and the ABS. 4. To review and understand the ASTRO Six Point Protection Plan.


Throughout the contemporary period, the Church-State relationship in the nation-states of France, Italy, Spain and Portugal – which we will refer to as Latin Europe in this paper – has been a lively source of political conflict and societal cleavage, both on epistemological, and ontological grounds. Epistemological, in that the person living in Latin Europe has to decide whether his world view will be religious or secular; ontological, in that his mortality has kept some sense of the Catholic religion close to his heart and soul at the critical moments of his human reality. Secular views tend to define the European during ordinary periods of life, ("metro boulot dodo,") while religious beliefs surge during the extraordinary times of life (birth, marriage, death,) as well as during the traditional ceremonial times (Christmas, Easter). This paper will approach the question on the role of the Catholic church in contemporary Latin Europe by first proposing three models of church-state relations in the region and their historical development, then looking at the role of the Vatican, followed by an examination of some recent Eurobarometer data on the views of contemporary Catholics in each country, and finishing with an analysis of selected public policy issues in each country. Throughout, it is interested in the dual questions of whether religion still plays an important role in Latin Europe, and whether or not the Catholic church is still able to influence the direction of public policies in the now democratic nation-states of France, Italy, Spain and Portugal.


Modern computer systems are prone to various classes of runtime faults due to their reliance on features such as concurrency and peripheral devices such as sensors. Testing remains a common method for uncovering faults in these systems. However, commonly used testing techniques that execute the program with test inputs and inspect program outputs to detect failures are often ineffective. To test for concurrency and temporal faults, test engineers need to be able to observe faults as they occur instead of relying on observable incorrect outputs. Furthermore, they need to be able to control thread or process interleavings so that they are deterministic. This research will provide a framework that allows engineers to effectively test for subtle and intermittent faults in modern systems by providing them with greater observability and controllability.


This study aimed to analyze the system of internal control on Bos funds at junior Al-Ershad Al-Islamiyya. In this study, the researcher used a qualitative descriptive data conducted by using the following steps: Analyze the organizational structure that separates the responsibility of the listing, execution and storage of funds derived from the BOS program, analyze the system of authority and procedures for recording cash receipts and disbursements from the BOS fund management, analyzing the use of forms and transactions used in the implementation of the BOS funds, analyze the ability of employees who are responsible for the implementation of BOS funds. From the results of the analysis might be concluded that the Internal Control System of BOS funds made by the organizers (Al-Ershad) had met the elements of Internal Control System. SPI elements adopted by the school was adapted to guide the BOS funds by Diknas organizers. In this case the first element was the appropriate organizational structure that had separated responsibility, with doing the formation of the organizing committee of the BOS funds. The organizing committee of the BOS funds established by the school to conform with the guidelines of BOS, but there was little difference among members of the organizing committees of the BOS funds, where one of the school committee members came under organizational structure. Besides, the system of authority and procedures for recording in the implementation of BOS funds made by the school also had done well, this happened because the controlled all the activities such as the use of BOS funds authorization system, and also the existence of adequate delegation of authority. In SPI, BOS funds was a healthy work practice that had been implemented by the school, these practices included uniformity of form, examination and cross-sectional examination . The third element of the SPI implementation was tied to the quality of human resources owned by the school. In general, SPI of BOS funds made by the school in compliance with the implementation of BOS funds.


Background: Hydatid disease is characterized by long-term growth of hydatid cysts in the human. The glycan antigens have an important role in the immunology of hydatid cyst. In this study immunological reaction of host sera to different glycan antigens of the cyst, has been investigated. Methods: The antibody responses were tested to glycoprotein and glycolipid of the laminated layer (LL), cyst fluid (CF) and protoscolex (PS) antigens of E. Granulosus using ELISA and western immunoblotting tests. Thin-layer chromatography and ß-elimination were used for glycan purification. Results: Both hydatid cyst and normal human sera reacted with hydatid cyst fluid, protoscolices, laminated layer, glycoprotein and glycolipid antigens. The most antigen-antibody reaction was related to CF and PS antigens, and LL antigens had the minimal reaction with the sera. Thin layer chromatography (TLC) of the antigens showed presence of many glycan bands in the laminated layer. Conclusion: The parasite may elaborate different glycan antigens in LL to evade host immune response.


In 2004 Thailand began to implement the Financial Sector Master Plan (FSMP), a long-term reform program aimed at creating a more efficient, transparent, and internationally competitive financial sector that can serve a larger proportion of the Thai population. With the first phase of the FSMP completed in 2009, Thailand announced that a second phase of financial sector reforms will begin in 2010. This Asia Focus report provides an overview of the FSMP's development, highlights key reform measures completed under Phase I, and describes measures proposed under Phase II and some of the challenges regulatory authorities may face during implementation.


The profession of dental hygiene is experiencing an unprecedented faculty shortage in the US. To address this issue some hygiene programs are developing "homegrown educators" by recognizing and mentoring undergraduate students and encouraging them to pursue a graduate education. Another strategy is the use of distance education, in which the graduate student can practice full-time as a clinician or faculty member, would not have to relocate, and when learner-centered techniques are applied, there is no diminished knowledge base. To assess the students' perception of the faculty shortage and determine their likelihood of pursuing a hygiene graduate online degree, an Internet mail survey was developed and administered to the summer registrants of an online degree completion class (N=29). The survey consisted of 20 items. The data sample consisted of 22 useable responses (76%). Data were downloaded from the WEB and manually entered into SPSS 10.0. The results indicated that the students were aware of the faculty shortage (100%). Eighty-six percent (N=19) of the students indicated that they would "pursue a graduate hygiene degree online to alleviate the faculty shortage." Nine percent (N=2) indicated that they "might" pursue a graduate hygiene degree online. No student responded negatively to the question and one student did not respond. According to the results of the present study, baccalaureate dental hygiene students are significantly aware of the dental hygiene faculty shortage in the US and would enroll in gradate hygiene programs via distance learning methodologies. This program format would address the personal concerns of future graduate dental hygiene students and the paucity of qualified dental hygiene applicants and faculty.


Far from simply representing passive targets of environmental or immunological attack, epithelial cells play an active role in the generation and expression of protective immune responses. In response to physical, chemical or microbial perturbation of the epithelial barrier, these cells provide a valid defensive line by the expression of an array of soluble mediators with direct antimicrobial and/or chemotactic activities towards distinct immune cell populations and also towards cytokines and adhesion molecules that affect their functional activation. These epithelial cell-driven molecular events are also involved in the pathogenesis of chronic inflammatory disorders, with the amplification of the inflammatory reactions because of a sustained crosstalk with infiltrating leucocytes. In particular, T-cell-derived cytokines have been identified as the most effective inducers of pro-inflammatory signals in epithelial cells, in turn responsible for further recruitment and local activation of immune cells, leading to the eventual amplification of the inflammatory reaction.

Key Concepts

Epithelial cells organise the physical barriers of the body, the first defensive lines against environmental, physical, chemical and microbial insults.
In response to any damage to the physical barriers of the body, epithelial cells display their nature of resident components of the immune system and provide a second defensive line by the release of a plethora of active mediators.
In genetically predisposed individuals, a defective permeability of the skin early in life leads to the penetration of environmental allergens and to the initiation of the chronic inflammatory syndrome known as atopy.
Loss-of-function mutations in the filaggrin gene are the most significant and well-replicated risk factor for the development of atopy.
To adequately defend against microbial colonisation and infection, epithelial cells are endowed with the complete armamentarium of innate immune defence.
The epidermal growth factor receptor and its endogenous ligands provide a formidable mechanism to enhance innate immunity, while they oppose activation of adaptive immunity in epithelial cells.
Patients with atopic dermatitis are more susceptible to cutaneous fungal, viral and bacterial pathogens because of an articulate defect in the innate immunity mechanisms of the epithelial cell.
Dysregulated expression of cytokines and chemokines in skin keratinocytes leads to sustained skin infiltration and local activation of a variety of immune cell populations in chronic skin inflammatory disorders including atopic dermatitis.
Epithelial cells possess a number of effective regulatory mechanisms to control intensity and duration of inflammatory events.

Keywords:

toll-like receptors;
antimicrobial peptides;
cytokines;
chemokines;
keratinocytes


We report on an extension to the C-Reduce tool, for automatic reduction of C test cases, to handle OpenCL kernels. This enables an automated method for detecting bugs in OpenCL compilers, by generating large random kernels using the CLsmith generator, identifying kernels that yield result differences across OpenCL platforms and optimisation levels, and using our novel extension to C-Reduce to automatically reduce such kernels to minimal forms that can be filed as bug reports. A major part of our effort involved the design of ShadowKeeper, a new plugin for the Oclgrind simulator that provides accurate detection of accesses to uninitialised data. We present experimental results showing the effectiveness of our method for finding bugs in a number of OpenCL compilers.


We report the automated generation of high-fidelity spatiotemporally shaped femtosecond pulses using an optically addressed, reflection-mode two-dimensional spatial light modulator. The spatial light modulator has been fully characterized. We performed spatiotemporal pulse shaping by dividing a vertically expanded input pulse into many horizontal regions, each of which was independently shaped through phase-only spectral filtering. The configuration of the imaging optics determined whether real space or wave-vector shaping was performed. We performed cross correlations of shaped waveforms by using a pulse shaper to generate variably delayed pulses, demonstrating time-resolved measurement without beam splitters or delay lines.


Paris, summer 1946. This moment marks an important event in cinema history, not of production but of exhibition. For this was the summers when, after the hiatus of the Second World War, French critics were again given the opportunity to view films from Hollywood. The films they saw, including The Maltese Falcon, Double Indemnity. Laura, Murder, My Sweet, and The Woman in the Window, prompted the naming and theorization of a new phenomenon: film noir. Much of what has been written about the genre since has remained within the orbit of this preliminary assessment. While sympathetic towards the early French critics, this collection of original essays attempts to move beyond their first fascinated look. Beginning with an autonomy of that look - of the 'poujadist' climate that nourished it and the imminent collapse of the Hollywood studio system that gave it its mournful inflection - Shades of Noir re-explores and calls into question the object first constructed by it. The impetus for this shift in perspective comes from the films themselves, viewed in the light of contemporary social and political concerns, and from new theoretical insights. Several contributions analyse the re-emergence of noir in recent years, most notably in the hybrid forms produced in the 1980s by the merging of noir with science fiction and horror, for example Blade Runner and Angel Heart, and in films by new black directors such as Deep Cover, Straight out of Brooklyn, A Rage in Harlem and One False Move. Other essays focus on the open urban territory in which the noir hero hides out; the office spaces in Chandler, and the palpable sense of waiting that fills empty warehouses, corridors and hotel rooms. Finally, Shades of Noir pays renewed attention to the lethal relation between the sexes; to the femme fatale and the other women in noir. As the role of women expands, the femme fatale remains deadly, but her deadliness takes on new meanings. Contibutors: Janet Bergstrom, Joan Copjec, Elizabeth Cowie, Manthia Diawara, Frederic Jameson, Dean MacCannel, Fred Pfeil, David Reid and Jayne L. Walker, Marc Vernet, Slavoj Zizek.


This report describes work performed by the Collaborative Agent Design Research Center (CADRC) over the past several years in the design and implementation of collaborative, computer-based, decision-support systems, mostly for military applications. In these systems multiple components, either program modules or separate processes (i.e., software agents), cooperate with each other and human decision makers to solve complex problems. The components are essentially of two types: knowledge-based narrow domain experts that provide services to other agents (i.e., service-agents); and, more autonomous agents (i.e., object-agents) that represent the interests of selected objects in high level information representation schemas. Based on the notion that all computer programs are essentially agents, the report traces the evolution of 1st and 2nd Wave software from single agent, stand-alone decisionsupport applications to integrated, collaborative, distributed, multi-agent decisionsupport systems. Several multi-agent decision-support systems developed by the CADRC over past years are described. These include: ICODES (Integrated Computerized Deployment System) for ship load planning; CIAT (Collaborative Infrastructure Assessment Tool) for facilities management; FEAT (Force Employment Analysis Tool) for military planning and engagement coordination, and KOALA (Knowledge-Oriented Object-Agent Collaboration) for architectural space planning.


A semi-fluidized bed is characterized by a combination of packed bed or fixed bed at the top and fluidized bed at the bottom within a single contacting vessel. Such a bed has advantages of both packed and fluidized beds. Various authors have studied the hydrodynamics, mass transfer, reaction kinetics of semi-fluidized beds of two phases and few studies in three phases. In the present study hydrodynamic characteristics viz. onset (minimum) semi-fluidization velocity of a co-current gas-liquid-solid semifluidized bed have been studied using liquid as continuous phase and gas as discrete phase. Experiments have been conducted in a 100 mm ID, 1.8 m height vertical Perspex column using air, water and glass beads in order to develop a good understanding of each flow regime in gas-liquid-solid semi-fluidization. It is found that minimum liquid semi-fluidization velocity increases with bed expansion ratio and decreases with superficial gas velocity.


Abstract Analysis of cores collected from Late Devensian (Weichselian) and Holocene sediments on the floor of the North Sea provides evidence of the transgression of freshwater environments during relative sea-level rise. Although many cores show truncated sequences, examples from the Dogger Bank, Well Bank and 5 km offshore of north Norfolk reveal transitional sequences and reliable indicators of past shoreline positions. Together with radiocarbon-dated sea-level index points collected from the Holocene sediments of the estuaries and coastal lowlands of eastern England these data enable the development and testing of models of the palaeogeographies of coastlines in the western North Sea and models of tidal range changes through the Holocene epoch. Geophysical models that incorporate ice-sheet reconstructions, earth rheology, eustasy, and glacio- and hydroisostasy provide predictions of sea-level relative to the present for the last 10 ka at 1-ka intervals. These predictions, added to a model of present-day bathymetry, produce palaeogeographic reconstructions for each time period. The palaeogeographic maps reveal the transgression of the North Sea continental shelf. Key stages include a western embayment off northeast England as early as 10 ka bp; the evolution of a large tidal embayment between eastern England and the Dogger Bank before 9 ka bp with connection to the English Channel prior to 8 ka bp; and Dogger Bank as an island at high tide by 7.5 ka bp and totally submerged by 6 ka bp. Analysis of core data shows that coastal and saltmarsh environments could adapt to rapid rates of sea-level rise and coastline retreat. After 6 ka bp the major changes in palaeogeography occurred inland of the present coast of eastern England. The palaeogeographic models provide the coastline positions and bathymetries for modelling tidal ranges at each 1-ka interval. A nested hierarchy of models, from the scale of the northeast Atlantic to the east coast of England, uses 26 tidal harmonics to reconstruct tidal regimes. Predictions consistently show tidal ranges smaller than present in the early Holocene, with only minor changes since 6 ka bp. Recalibration of previously available sea-level index points using the model results rather than present tidal-range parameters increases the difference between observations and predictions of relative sea-levels from the glacio-hydro-isostatic models and reinforces the need to search for better ice-sheet reconstructions.


We consider the familiar scenario where independent and identically distributed (i.i.d) noise in an image is removed using a set of overcomplete linear transforms and thresholding. Rather than the standard approach where one obtains the denoised signal by ad hoc averaging of the denoised estimates (corresponding to each transform), we formulate the optimal combination as a linear estimation problem for each pixel and solve it for optimal estimates. Our approach is independent of the utilized transforms and the thresholding scheme, and extends established work by exploiting a separate degree of freedom that is in general not reachable using previous techniques. Surprisingly, our derivation of the optimal estimates does not require explicit image statistics but relies solely on the assumption that the utilized transforms provide sparse decompositions. Yet it can be seen that our adaptive estimates utilize implicit conditional statistics and they make the biggest impact around edges and singularities where standard sparsity assumptions fail.


The concept of stay-in-place (SIP) structural formwork has the potential to simplify and accelerate the construction process to a great extent. Fibre-reinforced polymer (FRP) SIP structural formwork offers further potential benefits over existing formwork systems in terms of ease and speed of construction, improved site safety and reduced long-term maintenance in corrosive environments. However, it is not without its limitations, including primarily the possibility of a lack of ductility, which is a key concern regarding the use of FRP structural formwork in practice. This thesis presents the findings of an experimental and analytical investigation into a novel FRP SIP structural formwork system for a concrete slab with a particular emphasis on its ability to achieve a ductile behaviour. The proposed composite system consists of a moulded glass fibre-reinforced polymer (GFRP) grating adhesively bonded to square pultruded GFRP box sections. The grating is subsequently filled with concrete to form a concrete-FRP composite floor slab. Holes cut into the top flange of the box sections allow concrete studs to form at the grating/box-section interface. During casting, GFRP dowels are inserted into the holes to further mechanically connect the grating and box sections. An initial experimental investigation into using GFRP grating as confinement for concrete showed that a significant increase in ultimate strength and strain capacity could be achieved compared to unconfined concrete. This enhanced strain capacity in compression allows greater use of the FRP capacity in tension when used in a floor slab system. Further experimental investigation into developing ductility at the grating/box-section interface showed that the proposed shear connection exhibited elastic-'plastic' behaviour. This indicated the feasibility of achieving ductility through progressive and controlled longitudinal shear failure. Following these component tests on the concrete-filled grating and the shear connectors, a total of six (300 x 150 x 3000) mm slab specimens were designed and tested under five-point bending. It was found that the behaviour of all specimens was ductile in nature, demonstrating that the proposed progressive longitudinal shear failure was effective. A three-stage analytical model was developed to predict the load at which the onset of longitudinal shear failure occurred, the stiffness achieved during the post elastic behaviour and, finally, the deflection at which ultimate failure occurred. Close agreement was found between experimental results and the theory.


Abstract The breeding ecology of south temperate bird species is less widely known than that of north temperate species, yet because they comprise a large portion of the world's avian diversity, knowledge of their breeding ecology can contribute to a more comprehensive understanding of the geographic diversity of avian reproductive traits and life history strategies. We provide the first detailed examination of the reproductive strategies of 18 forest passerines of subtropical, northwestern Argentina. Mean clutch sizes were smaller and egg mass was greater than for north temperate birds, but differed among species and nest types, with cavity-nesters having larger clutches than species with open-cup and enclosed nests. Across all species, the average breeding season duration was 50 days; thus, the common perception that southern species have smaller clutch sizes because of longer breeding seasons is not supported in this community. Daily nest predation rates were influenced by nest type, cavity nests suffering the least from predation, as found in north temperate systems. Only females incubated eggs in all but one species, whereas both parents fed and cared for nestlings in all species. Mean nest attentiveness was low compared to north temperate passerines. Mean hourly nestling feeding rates differed among species and were negatively related to nest predation risk. In short, coexisting species in this subtropical forest varied in their life history strategies, in part correlated with variation in nest predation risk, but also differing from north temperate species.


As public information is increasingly communicated across public networks such as the internet, the use of public key cryptography to provide security services such as authentication, data integrity, and non-repudiation is ever-growing.
Elliptic curve cryptography is being used now more than ever to fulfill the need for public key cryptography, as it provides security equivalent in strength to the entrenched RSA cryptography algorithm, but with much smaller key sizes and reduced computational cost.
All elliptic curve cryptography operations rely on elliptic curve scalar point multiplication. In turn, scalar point multiplication depends heavily on finite field multiplication.
In this dissertation, two major approaches are taken to accelerate the performance of scalar point multiplication. First, a series of very high performance finite field multiplier architectures have been implemented using domino logic in a CMOS process. Simulation results show that the proposed implementations are more efficient than similar designs in the literature when considering area and delay as performance metrics. The proposed implementations are suitable for integration with a CPU in order to provide a special-purpose finite field multiplication instruction useful for accelerating scalar point multiplication.
The next major part of this thesis focuses on the use of consumer computer graphics cards to directly accelerate scalar point multiplication. A number of finite field multiplication algorithms suitable for graphics cards are developed, along with algorithms for finite field addition, subtraction, squaring, and inversion. The proposed graphics-card finite field arithmetic library is used to accelerate elliptic curve scalar point multiplication. The operation throughput and latency performance of the proposed implementation is characterized by a series of tests, and results are compared to the state of the art. Finally, it is shown that graphics cards can be used to significantly increase the operation throughput of scalar point multiplication operations, which makes their use viable for improving elliptic curve cryptography performance in a high-demand server environment.


Background: The recent engagement of Game base console is emerging in rehabilitation practice and its overall effectiveness has not been yetsubstantially manifested. Objective: To evaluate the effectiveness of Wii based balance interventions among Multiple Sclerosis people. Data Sources: A systemic search was conducted in the PubMed and Scopus data bases electronically up to February 2014. Study Selection: Randomized and non-randomized control trials with Wii intervention on balance as an outcome measure among people with Multiple Sclerosis were included in this review. Data Synthesis: After screening 57 studies, 7 were selected for full-text screening and 5 were included in this review. Three out of five were RCTs and rest were quasi experimental and 2-point crossover pilot studies. Total of 205 medically diagnosed mild to moderate MS people were in the selected studies with less than 6 expanded disability status scale (EDSS). Total of 13 different outcome measures were used on assessment of balance in Multiple sclerosis individuals and the most common outcomes were Berg balance scale (BBS), Center of Pressured (COP), Four Square step test (FSST), Time up and Go test (TUG). Three out of five studies report statistical significant improvement in the Four Square step test (FSST), Berg Balance Scale (BBS) and center of Pressure (COP) between intervention and control groups of MS. Conclusion: Review of the selected studies indicates that the inclusion of Wii game in balance exercise on Multiple sclerosis people improve static balance more effectivelyas compare to dynamic balance in mild to moderate level of disability. However evidence on the mode selection in Wii, treatment setting and frequency lacking. Further studies with large sample size and more homogenize outcome measure and control setting is recommended for future.


Background: Over the last twenty-five years the focus of public services librarianship has migrated toward teaching. Often librarians are not aware of how neighboring institutions are managing that transition. The authors report the results from a survey of information literacy instruction and IL programs in libraries at institutions belonging to the Orbis Cascade Alliance, a consortium in the northwestern United States. Methods: After a literature review and round of testing, a survey link was sent to a contact person at each institution. Results: 38 survey responses were obtained from a range of academic libraries in size and scope. Twenty-seven respondents have had an information literacy program for more than five years; four respondents had had a formal information literacy program for fewer than three years. Seven respondents reported that they did not have an IL program Conclusions: Librarians vary widely in the number of sessions they teach; one-shot sessions are still the most frequent mode of instruction; over half of Alliance libraries' institutions have a written statement of objectives for information literacy; the use of active learning and technology is increasing; and librarians continue to struggle with student learning and instructional program assessment. (Survey appended)


Abstract We describe a new genus of anomaline scarab, Anomalorhina (Coleoptera: Scarabaeidae: Rutelinae: Anomalini) from Costa Rica and Nicaragua. Anomala turrialbana Ohaus is transferred into this genus, and a new species, Anomalorhina osaensis, is described. Anomalorhina is characterized by the clypeal apex that is abruptly reflexed, the base of the frons that has prominent tubercles in males, the pronotum with a depressed fovea in males, and the pronotum with the apical bead posteriorly produced and V-shaped at the middle in females. We summarize the biological importance of the 16 genera of New World anomaline scarabs, including comments on agricultural pests, larvae, and natural history. We provide an overview and synopsis of each of the New World anomaline genera with comments on biology and characteristics for identification.


Introduction: The author recalls the classification proposed by Bozola and Psillakis in 1988, and "aesthetic pathologies" abdominal divided into 5 groups identical to initial treatment in this segment body as excess skin, subcutaneous fat trunk, diastasis of the rectus muscles, external obliques, and deployment vertical position of the navel. Proposed model abdomen aesthetically beautiful like "lira" as he had done with elevations and depressions, highlights and shadows, creating relief. Define beauty and possibility of its reproduction. Objective: To assess the practicality of their diagnosis and treatments of the proposed classification and evolution of the same in the 27 subsequent years with different tactics from those described initially, keeping unchanged the classification. Method: Describes the five treatment groups and percentages of each of the last 200 operated cases. 614 cases were operated from 2001 to 2011, with possible outcomes to obtain. Results: The classification was effective in 99% of the operated cases. Conclusion: The classification proposed by Bozola and Psillakis remains unchanged, the treatments included new tactics, now more extensive and intense liposuction (vibroliposuction) plications of the rectus and obliques through tunnels hipsters in areas without major perforating vessels that supply skin and subcutaneous tissue of the abdomen, it refixando aponeurotic wall, reducing seroma and hematoma. And reducing traction and skin resection, with better quality of scars, and results.


During the course of the last decade successive governments in the UK have placed young people?s aspirations at the core of their attempts to address poor outcomes within the education system and the labour market. An area-based approach to policy has come to the fore which links ?low aspirations? with particular community- and neighbourhood-level factors, in particular area-level deprivation. This area-based focus on the determinants of aspirations has faced intensifying critique from the academic research base. Responding to this policy and research debate, this thesis examines whether, and how, young people?s occupational aspirations are shaped by the areas they live in.The thesis is based on a mixed methods research design and has two sections: an extensive phase and an intensive phase. The extensive phase of the research consists of logistic regression analysis of data from the Understanding Society Youth Questionnaire, and considers whether the types of occupations young people aspire to vary between different types of area. The intensive phase of the research consists of phenomenographic analysis of semi-structured interviews conducted with young people in a deprived, outer-urban neighbourhood in Manchester, and considers how young people?s subjective orientations towards the area they live in produce different forms of aspiration.The thesis finds compelling evidence that young people?s occupational aspirations are shaped by the areas they live in, but does not corroborate the claim at the core of current government policy, that aspirations are lower in more deprived areas. The extensive phase of the research instead identifies area type, rather than deprivation, as the primary area-level factor shaping young people?s aspirations, with young people from particular inner city area types almost five times as likely as their peers from deprived outer-urban areas to aspire to ?higher? professional, managerial and technical occupations. Meanwhile, the intensive phase of the research finds evidence that experiences of neighbourhood and family life in an area of concentrated deprivation can lead young people to adopt particular forms of aspiration that require lower levels of skill and further training, but on closer examination of the motivations for these forms of aspiration, finds little evidence that these aspirations are straightforwardly ?low?. Above all, the research demonstrates that young people produce multiple different senses of place, and myriad forms of aspiration, from within the same deprived spatial context: they do not simply reproduce what they see around them when imagining their futures. While there is compelling evidence that young people?s occupational aspirations are shaped by the areas they live in, these area effects demand more nuanced research alongside policy approaches that are more receptive to young people?s constructions of place.


An examination of a Crime Stoppers initiative – a weekly page published in a major city-based tabloid newspaper – afforded a rare glimpse into this understudied global entity. It also offered a means of reflecting on the co-option of CCTV images; partnerships between police, media organisations, and diverse publics; and the harnessing of citizen labour in a culture of surveillance. Quantitative and qualitative analyses were conducted on the images, accompanying texts, and rhetoric of this feature page for a two-year period. From a media criminology perspective, the portrayals underscore the abrogation of the presumption of innocence, a focus on mundane property offences, with the potential to exacerbate fear of crime and to engender more punitive public attitudes. From a conceptual frame, this article proffers the notion of surveil-labour where the repurposing of CCTV data in the context of a Crime Stoppers scheme reinforces an alliance of police, media, and the public to enhance an infrastructure of informing.


The major design challenge to realize intelligent home network services is organizing distributed and heterogeneous home devices effectively. In order to meet the design challenge, an agent space based multi-agent architecture is considered. In addition, we also proposed a new middleware on the IEEE1394 network to support reliable communication between agent spaces.


The primary aim of the research reviewed in this thesis has been to provide information required by land managers on inherent and dynamic soil properties for sustainable intensive agriculture.

A soil survey in the Te Puke district, New Zealand, found the soils to be young with the majority having a layer of tephra in their profiles which gives rise to low overall nutrient status and free draining properties. Soils in north west Tasmania were found to be predominantly Red Ferrosols formed on basalt. The Ferrosols are characteristically strongly structured, strongly acid and have high organic carbon contents. The Ferrosols surveyed were being managed at their optimum land capability or better, with little evidence of soil degradation.

The importance of taking a morphological approach to the studies of soil health is illustrated by comparing data from similar paddock histories across the soil orders studied. The differences in physical properties and soil carbon contents between soil orders were pronounced. The measured effects of cropping on soils varied depending on inherent differences between the soils studied. Soil carbon levels were found to be falling with increased years of cropping on all soils studied. Strong correlations were found between soil carbon and a range of soil physical, chemical and biological properties. Target levels of soil carbon are suggested for cropping systems, which can be used as an indicator of sustainability. The soil properties and paddock variables found to be significantly correlated with crop yield varied, depending on crop and soil type. Two easily applied measures of soil structure were correlated to crop production on heavier textured soils.

Research into the off-site effects of agriculture in north west Tasmania found that there were high levels of water turbidity caused by soil erosion from cropped paddocks and high levels of nutrients emanating from dairy pastures on drained lowland areas.

There has been a positive change in farmer perceptions and soil management practices over a ten-year period in north west Tasmania. Several information brochures have been published for farmers to assess and manage their soils for sustainable production.

The research undertaken and reviewed here has produced information on inherent and dynamic soil properties required by farmers for sustainable intensive agriculture. The work has played a major role in the understanding of how soil management has an impact both on and off site and in influencing soil management on farms in both Tasmania and the Bay of Plenty, New Zealand.


This book presents the fullest account yet written of the impact of Hurricane Katrina on the Mississippi Gulf Coast. Rooted in a wealth of oral histories, it tells the dramatic but underreported story of a people who confronted the unprecedented devastation of sixty five thousand homes when the eye wall and powerful northeast quadrant of the hurricane swept a record thirty-foot storm surge across a seventy-five-mile stretch of unprotected Mississippi towns and cities. James Patterson Smith takes us through life and death accounts of storm day, August 29, 2005, and the precarious days of food and water shortages that followed. Along the way the narrative treats us to inspiring episodes of neighborly compassion and creative responses to the greatest natural disaster in American history. The heroes of this saga are the local people and local officials. In often moving accounts, the book addresses the Mississippi Gulf Coast's long struggle to remove a record-setting volume of debris and get on with the rebuilding of homes, schools, jobs, and public infrastructure. Along the way readers are offered insights into the politics of recovery funding and the bureaucratic bungling and hubris that afflicted the storm response and complicated and delayed the work of recovery. Still, there are ample accounts of things done well, and a moving chapter gives us a feel for the psychological, spiritual, and material impact of the eight hundred thousand people from across the nation who gave of themselves as volunteers in the Mississippi recovery effort.


The present study investigated the relationships among teaching, cognitive, and social presence through several structural equation models to see which model would better fit the data. To this end, the present study employed and compared several different structural equation models because different models could fit the data equally well. Among the models compared, the results indicated that the model with cognitive presence as a full mediator and the model with social presence as a partial mediator could achieve an equally satisfactory data fit. This conclusion may depend on the level of the presences: The present results indicated a statistically higher level of teaching presence than cognitive and social presence as well as a statistically higher level of cognitive presence compared to social presence. The results further suggested that teaching presence could either have a direct or indirect relationship with cognitive presence thereby increasing it without or with social presence as a mediator between teaching and cognitive presence. The results further suggested that teaching presence efforts spent on increasing cognitive presence can function directly, which may also promote social presence, and indirectly through social presence. Further research comparing different possible structural equation models of the relationships among the presences in different learning contexts is warranted.


Community colleges are increasingly being pressed to demonstrate efficiency and improve productivity even as these concepts are not clearly defined and require a significant set of assumptions to determine. This paper sets out a preferred economic definition of efficiency: fiscal and social cost per degree. It then assesses the validity of using IPEDS data to calculate efficiency for the community college system. Using IPEDS, I estimate the fiscal cost per associate degree at $52,900 for comprehensive community colleges and $42,740 for vocational colleges (in 2008 dollars); the social costs per degree are $71,610 and $56,930, respectively. The community college sector has become more efficient over time: fiscal and social costs per degree are lower in real terms in 2008 than they were in 1987. However, two issues are important to the validity of IPEDS: the ability to adjust for differences in student ability and the way that transfer patterns are incorporated. This paper addresses both of them.


Over 700,000 IT Professionals Have Prepared for Exams with Syngress Authored Study GuidesThe Security+ Study Guide & Practice Exam is a one-of-a-kind integration of text and and Web-based exam simulation and remediation. This system gives you 100% coverage of official CompTIA Security+ exam objectives plus test preparation software for the edge you need to achieve certification on your first try! This system is comprehensive, affordable, and effective!* Completely Guaranteed Coverage of All Exam ObjectivesAll five Security+ domains are covered in full: General Security Concepts, Communication Security, Infrastructure Security, Basics of Cryptography, and Operational / Organizational Security * Fully Integrated LearningThis package includes a Study Guide, one complete practice exam, and Web-based exam simulation and remediation.* Each chapter starts by explaining the exam objectives covered in the chapterYou will always know what is expected of you within each of the exam's domains.* Exam-Specific Chapter ElementsNotes, Tips, Alerts, Exercises, Exam's Eyeview, and Self Test with fully explained answers. * Test What You LearnedHundreds of self-test review questions test your knowledge of specific exam objectives. A Self Test Appendix features answers to all questions with complete explanations of correct and incorrect answers.* Training DVD-ROMA complete Adobe PDF format version of the print Study Guide, along with complete practice exam with detailed answer explanations. Fast Tracks for quick topic review are provided in both HTML and PowerPoint format. *Only Security+ book that comes with a DVD*Revision to market-leading first edition*Realistic, Web-based practice exams included


The comparison of seismic‐hazard maps produced in different countries, or computed for the same country but at different times, is often hampered by the difficulties encountered in properly accounting for the differences among the implemented methodologies. An example of such difficulty is given by the comparison between the hazard maps computed during the Cold War period for the former Soviet Union, which includes vast regions exposed to high seismic hazard (e.g., the central Asian countries and the Caucasus region), and recent assessments carried out for the same regions following approaches developed in Western countries (e.g., Ullah et al. , 2015). These comparisons should take into account the differences in the underlying methodologies used in the former Soviet Union and, in several cases, still in use. In the Western countries, the process of formalizing the seismic‐hazard assessment within a probabilistic framework (probabilistic seismic‐hazard assessment [PSHA]) was developed during the 1960s at the Universidad Nacional Autonoma de Mexico (UNAM) and at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) (Rosenblueth, 1964; Esteva, 1967, 1968, 1970; Cornell, 1968). With the works of Cornell (1971) and Merz and Cornell (1973), PSHA was finally formalized within the context of the total probability theorem, which accounted for ground‐motion variability, and its use then became widespread through the implementation and dissemination of the EQRISK software (McGuire, 1976). A comprehensive review of the early development of PSHA can be found in Bommer and Abrahamson (2006) and in McGuire (2008). On the other hand, the development of a probabilistic framework for seismic‐hazard assessment in the former Soviet Union (hereinafter referred to as the USSR [Union of Soviet Socialist Republics]) was initiated in the 1940s with the works of Medvedev (1947) and developed by Riznichenko in the 1960s (e.g., Riznichenko, 1965, 1992). To quantitatively represent the …


Sensor networks measuring correlated data are considered, where the task is to gather data from the network nodes to a sink. A specific scenario is addressed, where data at nodes are lossy coded with high-resolution, and the information measured by the nodes has to be reconstructed at the sink within both certain total and individual distortion bounds. The first problem considered is to find the optimal transmission structure and the rate-distortion allocations at the various spatially located nodes, such as to minimize the total power consumption cost of the network, by assuming fixed nodes positions. The optimal transmission structure is the shortest path tree and the problems of rate and distortion allocation separate in the high-resolution case, namely, first the distortion allocation is found as a function of the transmission structure, and second, for a given distortion allocation, the rate allocation is computed. The second problem addressed is the case when the node positions can be chosen, by finding the optimal node placement for two different targets of interest, namely total power minimization and network lifetime maximization. Finally, a node placement solution that provides a tradeoff between the two metrics is proposed.


The isotopic composition of near surface (or planetary boundary layer) water vapor on the south coast of Iceland (63.83°N, 21.47°W) has been monitored in situ between November 2011 and April 2013. The calibrated data set documents seasonal variations in the relationship between δ18O and local humidity (ppmv) and between deuterium excess and δ18O. These seasonal variations are attributed to seasonal changes in atmospheric transport. A strong linear relationship is observed between deuterium excess and atmospheric relative humidity calculated at regional sea surface temperature. Surprisingly, we find a similar relationship between deuterium excess and relative humidity as observed in the Bermuda Islands. During days with low amount of isotopic depletion (more enriched values), our data significantly deviate from the global meteoric water line. This feature can be explained by a supply of an evaporative flux into the planetary boundary layer above the ocean, which we show using a 1‐d box model. Based on the close relationship identified between moisture origin and deuterium excess, we combine deuterium excess measurements performed in Iceland and south Greenland with moisture source diagnostics based on back trajectory calculations to establish the distribution of d‐excess moisture uptake values across the North Atlantic. We map high deuterium excess in the Arctic and low deuterium excess for vapor in the subtropics and midlatitudes. This confirms the role of North Atlantic water vapor isotopes as moisture origin tracers.


This article considers the escapees who populated Russia's twentieth century in astonishingly large numbers. By escapees, the authors mean not only those who had been incarcerated, exiled, and deported, but also others who ignored or willfully violated regulations limiting movement – peasant settlers moving "irregularly" to scarcely-populated or recently depopulated areas; seasonal workers making independent employment arrangements; migrants to the city without the proper papers but desperate to access resources unavailable in the countryside; officials keen to avoid inferior assignments; refugees and evacuees deviating from assigned destinations. These evasive practices are characterized as migrant repertoires, that is, the relationships and networks of contact marked by geographic origin, gender, kinship, friendship, and professional identity that permitted them to adapt to or evade particular migration regimes. State-organized regimes of migration set the terms and resources of movement for all sorts of migrants, from settlers to deportees. The range of migrants surveyed confirms the ambition of Imperial and especially Soviet authorities to manage their peoples, but also the limited capacity of these states to do so. Thus the article suggests that the assumption of people's powerlessness in the face of overwhelming state power should be reconsidered.


This paper explores the complex issue of facilitated sex, an issue that has received very little attention by the disability movement. It draws on a small, qualitative study of a personal assistance scheme in a British University, and on interviews and correspondence with disabled students and personal assistants. The paper discusses the way in which disabled students define their sexuality as a 'need', but highlights how this view is not shared by those providing assistance. Personal assistants are more inclined to define sexuality as a sexual 'want' and to conflate physical impairment with either asexuality or a limited potential for sexual activity. The discussion concludes by suggesting that, whilst the issue of facilitated sex is morally complex, the sexual needs of disabled people are more likely to be met if the issues of sexuality and facilitated sex can be discussed and negotiated, in a frank and open manner.


Continental shelves are a major source of iron (Fe) and manganese (Mn) to marine waters. Here, we investigate controls on benthic release of Fe and Mn and the impact on the water column in the Baltic Sea. We find high in situ benthic release rates of dissolved Fe and Mn at seasonally hypoxic sites (bottom water oxygen between 0–63 μmol L−1) receiving high inputs of organic matter. We find that benthic Fe and Mn release is sensitive to bottom water oxygen concentrations. Benthic Fe release is likely additionally controlled by Fe–sulfur redox chemistry in the surface sediment. For Mn, benthic release correlates positively with Mn oxide availability in the surface sediment. Benthic release contributes to high dissolved Fe and Mn concentrations in the water column and is amplified by repeated cycling of Fe and Mn between the sediment and overlying water through benthic release, oxidation in the water column, deposition as metal oxides, followed by reductive dissolution. Most water column Fe (∼ 80%) is present in particulate form near the seafloor. In contrast to Fe, a large percentage of the Mn remains dissolved (∼ 50%). We show that easily reducible Fe and Mn oxides are key forms of particulate Fe and Mn in suspended matter. The Baltic Sea represents a highly eutrophic, low oxygen end‐member when compared to other modern coastal systems. Our results imply that, upon continued eutrophication and deoxygenation of the coastal ocean, benthic release of dissolved Fe and Mn from continental shelves could become greater than previously thought.


With their vertically elongated body form, giraffes gen- erally feed above the level of other browsers within the savanna browsing guild, despite having access to foliage at lower levels. They ingest more leaf mass per bite when foraging high in the tree, perhaps because smaller, more selective browsers deplete shoots at lower levels or because trees differentially allocate resources to promote shoot growth in the upper canopy. We erected exclosures around individual Acacia nigrescens trees in the greater Kruger ecosystem, South Africa. After a complete growing season, we found no differences in leaf biomass per shoot across height zones in excluded trees but signif- icant differences in control trees. We conclude that giraffes prefer- entially browse at high levels in the canopy to avoid competition with smaller browsers. Our findings are analogous with those from studies of grazing guilds and demonstrate that resource partitioning can be driven by competition when smaller foragers displace larger foragers from shared resources. This provides the first experimental support for the classic evolutionary hypothesis that vertical elon- gation of the giraffe body is an outcome of competition within the browsing ungulate guild.


Influence maximization is a problem of finding a small set of highly influential users in a social network such that the spread of influence under certain propagation models is maximized. In this paper, we consider time-critical influence maximization, in which one wants to maximize influence spread within a given deadline. Since timing is considered in the optimization, we also extend the Independent Cascade (IC) model to incorporate the time delay aspect of influence diffusion in social networks. We show that time-critical influence maximization under the time-delayed IC model maintains desired properties such as submodularity, which allows a greedy algorithm to achieve an approximation ratio of 1-1/e, to circumvent the NP-hardness of the problem. To overcome the inefficiency of the approximation algorithm, we design two heuristic algorithms: the first one is based on a dynamic programming procedure that computes exact influence in tree structures, while the second one converts the problem to one in the original IC model and then applies existing fast heuristics to it. Our simulation results demonstrate that our heuristics achieve the same level of influence spread as the greedy algorithm while running a few orders of magnitude faster, and they also outperform existing algorithms that disregard the deadline constraint and delays in diffusion.


Steel slag aggregate has been used in premium surface course hot-mix asphalt for Ontario highways since the early 1970s. Asphalt pavement performance problems led to the Ministry of Transportation imposing a moratorium on the use of steel slag aggregate in late 1991. The problem has been addressed from the steelmakers producing the slag to hot-mix design and production. Steel slag can serve as good aggregate for use in hot-mix asphalt if the volume expansion of the slag is controlled. Performance-based testing of steel slag aggregate, particularly volume stability, is recommended as a measure of the aggregate quality. Practices at the steelmaker and the slag processor were examined. The production of acceptable quality steel slag aggregate requires total quality management of all steps of production.


BACKGROUND
There is a paucity of randomized studies evaluating the value of palliative interventions on a prospective basis in newly diagnosed oncology patients. We sought to prospectively evaluate quality of life (QoL) outcomes in advanced cancer patients who received discussion-based palliative care interventions from an advanced registered nurse practitioner (ARNP) integrated into the oncology team, and compare these outcomes with a control population.

METHODS
Patients with metastatic cancer were randomized to standard care or an ARNP-directed intervention that included discussions of the benefits of hospice, discussions on living wills and advanced directives (Five Wishes document) along with an assessment of QoL. Relevant endpoints included change from baseline QoL and improvement in hospice knowledge.

RESULTS
From November 13, 2008, through July 28, 2009, 26 patients were accrued at the Mayo Clinic in Jacksonville, Florida. The study closed early due to published data demonstrating the benefits of early palliative care interventions in the management of metastatic cancer patients. Statistically significant improvements from baseline were noted in emotional and mental QoL assessments in the intervention group that were not seen in the control group. Patients found it useful to have the living will and Five Wishes documents offered as part of the ARNP intervention.

CONCLUSIONS
An ARNP-directed intervention that explains the benefits of hospice and addresses advanced directives early in the course of metastatic cancer patients' treatment, is well received by the patients and their relatives and leads to measurable improvement in the patient's emotional and mental QoL.


Take a journey back in time to the glory days of Ancient Egypt, when pharaohs ruled, the pyramids were built and the mighty Nile was the source of all life. This book contains fascinating information such as how Egyptians worshipped their Gods, buried their dead and built the pyramids, as well as amazing details about day-to-day life. With over 50 embedded flaps to lift, this book is not only informative but interactive, making it an accessible and engaging way for children to learn about life in Ancient Egypt. It is intricately illustrated by David Hancock.


This paper assesses competing views on the question as to whether morality is a necessary precondition for creating an authoritative obligation to follow the law. Firstly, the scope of the discussion is defined. Then, the positions of Legal Positivism and the opposing jurisprudential camp of Natural Law are outlined by evaluating the rivalry between the two philosophical movements. Next, Ronald Dworkin's theory is examined in light of the debate as to whether law should be connected with morality. The question is also explored through a variety of practical examples and judicial decisions. In conclusion, it is submitted that morally-underpinned laws serve as an essential requirement for having a workable and efficient legal system where its subjects are under a genuine authoritative duty to obey the law.


Evaluation and error analysis of machine translation output are important but difficult tasks. In this article, we propose a framework for automatic error analysis and classification based on the identification of actual erroneous words using the algorithms for computation of Word Error Rate (WER) and Position-independent word Error Rate (PER), which is just a very first step towards development of automatic evaluation measures that provide more specific information of certain translation problems. The proposed approach enables the use of various types of linguistic knowledge in order to classify translation errors in many different ways. This work focuses on one possible set-up, namely, on five error categories: inflectional errors, errors due to wrong word order, missing words, extra words, and incorrect lexical choices. For each of the categories, we analyze the contribution of various POS classes. We compared the results of automatic error analysis with the results of human error analysis in order to investigate two possible applications: estimating the contribution of each error type in a given translation output in order to identify the main sources of errors for a given translation system, and comparing different translation outputs using the introduced error categories in order to obtain more information about advantages and disadvantages of different systems and possibilites for improvements, as well as about advantages and disadvantages of applied methods for improvements. We used Arabic–English Newswire and Broadcast News and Chinese–English Newswire outputs created in the framework of the GALE project, several Spanish and English European Parliament outputs generated during the TC-Star project, and three German–English outputs generated in the framework of the fourth Machine Translation Workshop. We show that our results correlate very well with the results of a human error analysis, and that all our metrics except the extra words reflect well the differences between different versions of the same translation system as well as the differences between different translation systems.


The SHE assay (pH 6.7) is being considered as a '3Rs' alternative in animal laboratory studies (1). We have previously developed a protocol to conduct Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy in the Syrian hamster embryo (FTIRS-SHE) experiments, and corresponding software to build up a FTIRS-SHE database. Subsequently, we applied machine learning and statistical methods to analyse our datasets towards chemical-treatment classification, morphological transformation classification, and extraction of biomarkers (i.e. spectral wavenumbers) related to chemical treatment (2). In the present study, we set out to validate and develop further our biomarker extraction techniques. Biomarker validation is of extreme importance, for it was found that depending on different biomarker extraction methods (i.e. computational algorithms), there was marked variability in the subsequently identified discriminating biomolecular entities and this would inevitably give rise to different mechanistic interpretations. Furthermore, currently a number of techniques used for such biomarker extraction purposes employed in a variety of fields were never initially conceived with this intention. In this work, we compare different techniques used to extract biomarkers and present rationales for their possible disagreement. We recommend an analysis framework that can derive robust biomarkers for the FTIRS-SHE assay based on pattern classification. The application of our framework can be extended to other studies that use FTIR or Raman spectroscopy. This work was funded by Unilever and the SHE assays were conducted at BioReliance, USA.


PPARγ ligand drugs exert their antidiabetic effect by blocking the phosphorylation of PPARγ by Cdk5. Stimulation of the nuclear receptor PPARγ (peroxisome proliferator–activated receptor γ) leads to the transcription of genes that promote adipogenesis and glucose uptake. PPARγ is targeted by the thiazolidinedione class of antidiabetic drugs, which includes rosiglitazone. However, efficacy of thiazolidinediones and other antidiabetic drugs cannot always be predicted from the degree of PPARγ agonism. Choi et al. found that cyclin-dependent kinase 5 (Cdk5)–mediated phosphorylation of Ser273 in PPARγ increased in 3T3-L1 adipocytes exposed to free fatty acids or inflammatory cytokines such as TNF-α and IL-6. Wild-type PPARγ (PPARγWT) and a mutant form of PPARγ that could not be phosphorylated (Ser273→Ala; PPARγS273A) showed similar activity in transcriptional and adipogenesis assays. However, cells expressing PPARγS273A showed increased abundance of the transcripts encoding the fatty acid transporter CD36 and the adipokines adiponectin, adipsin, and leptin, and fat pads expressing PPARγS273A showed higher abundance of the transcripts for adiponectin and adipsin. Mice on a high-fat and high-sugar diet showed increased phosphorylation of PPARγ at Ser273 in fat and increased activation of Cdk5 compared with mice on a normal diet. Rosiglitazone inhibited TNF-α–induced Ser273 phosphorylation of PPARγ, an effect that was blocked by the PPARγ antagonist GW9662. Analysis of several antidiabetic drugs indicated that antidiabetic activity appeared to correlate better with the ability to reduce Cdk5-mediated phosphorylation of PPARγ than with PPARγ agonism. Treatment with rosiglitazone or MRL24 (which is a more potent antidiabetic drug but a poorer PPARγ agonist than rosiglitazone) reduced expression of the same set of genes as did expression of PPARγS273A. Hydrogen/deuterium exchange and mass spectrometry revealed that rosiglitazone and MRL24 induced a conformational change in PPARγ that the authors speculated was less favorable for phosphorylation by Cdk5. Treating mice on a high-fat diet with rosiglitazone or MRL24 improved glucose tolerance, reduced fasting insulin concentrations, decreased Cdk5-mediated phosphorylation of PPARγ, and altered gene expression patterns. Furthermore, phosphorylation of PPARγ at Ser273 in subcutaneous fat was reduced in individuals receiving rosiglitazone therapy. In the associated commentary, Houtkooper and Auwerx note that the results of Choi et al. may help in the design of antidiabetic drugs targeting PPARγ that are more effective and have fewer side effects. J. H. Choi, A. S. Banks, J. L. Estall, S. Kajimura, P. Boström, D. Laznik, J. L. Ruas, M. J. Chalmers, T. M. Kamenecka, M. Blüher, P. R. Griffin, B. M. Spiegelman, Anti-diabetic drugs inhibit obesity-linked phosphorylation of PPARγ by Cdk5. Nature 466, 451–456 (2010). [PubMedl] R. H. Houtkooper, J. Auwerx, New life for antidiabetic drugs. Nature 466, 443–444 (2010). [PubMed]


Cyberbullying is a form of anti-social conduct which is best understood as an online social relationship problem. Because of our growing understanding of the phenomenon, we can now see that any socio-legal response should envisage, therefore, a relationship solution. This article considers how one diversionary criminal justice process is particularly well suited to responding to incidents of cyberbullying where juveniles are involved yet which are deemed to be sufficiently serious to attract a potential criminal penalty. It explores, specifically, the option of family conferences (facilitated by youth justice co-ordinators) within the South Australian youth court framework. It concludes that both young cyberbullies and young victims of cyberbullying may benefit from alternatives to a retributive justice process, given that the primary focus of family conferencing is the repair of harm and the restoration of relationships.


This study proposes a review of different design approaches allowing to dimension a laminated insert connection. It focuses on facade assemblies, where the critical load is due to wind, and where the stiffness relies on a highly viscoelastic material SentryGlas®. The high variability of material stiffness is considered using three different approaches. The first approach determines critical wind speeds and temperature values using a site-specific probabilistic analysis. The second approach uses the First Order Reliability Method to perform a probabilistic design. The final approach suggests a method for evaluating the wind and temperature dependence. This method is based on the Monte-Carlo simulation method and shows potential for optimizing the dimensioning of such facade connections.


It is not uncommon for a client to approach an attorney with the challenge that a will is invalid. The reasons for such a challenge may vary from a formal shortcoming to claims of foul play. This article provides a framework for practitioners by providing an overview of the possible reasons why a will may be challenged and a summary of the general principles.


We analyze longitudinal data from a demographic surveillance area (DSA) in KwaZulu-Natal, to examine the impact of parental death on children's outcomes. We find significant differences in the impact of mothers' and fathers' deaths. The loss of a child's mother is a strong predictor of poor schooling outcomes. Maternal orphans are significantly less likely to be enrolled in school, and have completed significantly fewer years of schooling, conditional on age, than children whose mothers are alive. Less money is spent on their educations on average, conditional on enrollment. Moreover, children whose mothers have died appear to be at an educational disadvantage when compared to non-orphaned children with whom they live. We use the timing of mothers' deaths relative to children's educational shortfalls to argue that mothers' deaths have a causal effect on children's educations. The loss of a child's father is a significant predictor of household socioeconomic status. Children whose fathers have died live in significantly poorer households, measured on a number of dimensions. However, households in which fathers died were poor prior to fathers' deaths. The death of a father between waves of the survey has no significant effect on subsequent household economic status. While the loss of a father is correlated with poorer educational outcomes, this correlation arises because a father's death is a marker that the household is poor. Evidence from the South African 2001 Census suggests that the estimated effects of maternal deaths on children's school attendance and attainment in the Africa Centre DSA reflect the reality for orphans throughout South Africa.


It is axiomatic that once an invention has been patented, it cannot be patented again. This aligns with the quid pro quo theory of patents — the public would receive nothing new in exchange for the second patent. Enforcing this rule is done through the novelty requirement, which bars a patent if the invention is already known. But the rule is hard to justify if the original patentee reneged on the quid pro quo by inadequately disclosing how to make and use the invention. The inadequate disclosure suggests that the original inventor did not invent anything and the public received no benefit from the original patent. Nevertheless, the current novelty rules prevent the subject matter from being patented again, even if a subsequent researcher can figure out how to make, use, and possibly commercialize it. This novelty bar might destroy the incentive to engage in research and development — an outcome which would ultimately deprive the public of a potential benefit (which, as in the case of a drug, could be enormous). In sum, the current novelty rules prevent many socially valuable inventions from reaching the public. To remedy this problem, this Article proposes a new novelty paradigm. It draws attention to a situation where a subsequent inventor — the reinventor — seeks to claim subject matter identical to that claimed by another in an expired patent. If the reinventor can prove that the subject matter was inadequately disclosed in the earlier patent, that disclosure will not have a novelty-defeating effect. So the reinventor will be allowed to (re)claim the subject matter absent any other patentability hurdles. While the public would pay for the invention twice, it would ultimately benefit from the second period of exclusivity by obtaining an invention that it might otherwise have not received, a technically robust disclosure, and full possession of the invention at the end of the reinventor's patent term. Thus, reinvention promotes the patent system's fundamental goals of encouraging investment, innovation, and the full public disclosure of new inventions.


When freshly laid eggs of Corcyra cephalonica were exposed to 20, 40, 80 or 160 µl volume of Callistemon lanceolatus oil volatiles for 6 or 12 hour duration a significant reduction in percent egg hatchability was recorded only with 80 or 160 µl volume of the oil. When exposure period were increased u p to 24, 48 or 72 hour a highly significant reduction in percent egg hatchability was observed at 40, 80 or 160 µl of the oil. The reproductive potential of C. cephalonica was affected variably when new born larvae of this pest were reared in a programmed manner with 20, 40, 80 or160 µl oil volatiles of C. lanceolatus. When freshly emerged male and female was exposed to C. lanceolatus oil volatiles emanating from 20, 40, 80 or 160 µl for 3 hours, there was increase, though not significant, in egg output and egg hatchability of breeding pairs. But when exposure period was increased up to 6 hour there was a significant decreased in reproductive potential of breeding pairs. A significant reduction in Glycogen level, Total lipids, Total protein and Total free am ino acids level was recorded in the testes and ovaries of adult moths exposed to oil volatiles action of Callistemon lanceolatus , for 6 hours emanating from 20, 40, 80 or 160 µ l volume of this oil.


Myths are significant in explaining the existential questions of life, but when they are adopted uncritically, they may generate more harm than good. Admittedly, there is no way out of myth; we are the mythical creature. We need, therefore, to become more aware of myth and more critical of the myths we already, if only unknowingly, have adopted. This research addresses common misconceptions of the definitions of myths, attempts to identify the conscious and unconscious use of myths in our daily lives, and ultimately introduces the concept of modified myth adoption. This is done by analyzing and synthesizing selected scholarly works and psychological studies on the subject with the objective of promoting understanding of one's own and other peoples' worldviews and belief systems. Abstract Myths are significant in explaining the existential questions of life, but when they are adopted uncritically, they may generate more harm than good. Admittedly, there is no way out of myth; we are the mythical creature. We need, therefore, to become more aware of myth and more critical of the myths we already, if only unknowingly, have adopted. This research addresses common misconceptions of the definitions of myths, attempts to identify the conscious and unconscious use of myths in our daily lives, and ultimately introduces the concept of modified myth adoption. This is done by analyzing and synthesizing selected scholarly works and psychological studies on the subject with the objective of promoting understanding of one's own and other peoples' worldviews and belief systems.


Geometrically designed III-V nanowire arrays are promising candidates for optoelectronics due to their possibility to excite nanophotonic resonances in absorption spectra. Strong absorption resonances can be obtained by proper tailoring of nanowire diameter, length and pitch. Such enhancement of the light absorption is, however, accompanied by undesired resonance dips at specific wavelengths. In this work, we theoretically show that tilting of the nanowires mitigates the absorption dips by exciting strong Mie resonances. In particular, we derive a theoretical optimum inclination angle of about 30° at which the inclined nanowires gain 8% in absorption efficiency compared to vertically standing nanowires in a spectral region matching the intensity distribution of the sun. The enhancement is due to engineering the excited modes inside the nanowires regarding the symmetry properties of the nanowire/light system without increasing the absorbing material. We expect our results to be important for nanowire-based photovoltaic applications.


The chapter describes results of a study conducted in Ponta de Pedras, a small municipal- ity (27,000 inhabitants) in the estuary of the Amazon River on Marajó Island, in the State of Pará. Close to 400 questionnaires were applied to the population to assess the impact of globalization on the municipality. The main revenue of the municipality comes from the export of açaí fruit, which became a global product after being discovered by two Californian surfers in around 1990. The city is three and half hours by boat from a large city, but it is connected to the world by Internet via mobile phones (95% of urban and 79% of rural population have a mobile phone), which is used for social media access, studies, açaí sales, and to buy products. Effects on cultural and eating habits have been observed, as processed foods are replacing fish and açaí among youngsters in the local diet. Hypertension was the main morbidity reported by the interviewees, particularly those living in the rural area. On the other hand, the urban area has poor sanitary infrastructure and public services. The chapter ends by discussing the complex role of globalization in the development of communities and how local governments and health policies could act to balance the effects of globalization on health.


Developing high-performance bifunctional electrocatalysts for the oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) and the oxygen evolution reaction (OER) using nonprecious metal-based catalysts is a major challenge for achieving the commercial success of regenerative fuel cells and rechargeable metal–air batteries. In the present study, we designed a new type of bifunctional catalyst by embedding cobalt sulfide hollow nanospheres in nitrogen and sulfur co-doped graphene nanoholes (Co1−xS/N–S–G) via a simple, one-pot pyrolysis method. The catalyst had a high specific surface area (390.6 m2 g−1) with a hierarchical meso–macroporous structure. In an alkaline medium, the catalyst exhibited high ORR catalytic activity, with a half-wave potential 30 mV more positive and a diffusion-limiting current density 15% higher than a commercial Pt/C catalyst, and the catalyst is also highly active for OER with a small overpotential of 371 mV for 10 mA cm−2 current density. Its overall oxygen electrode activity parameter (ΔE) is 0.760 V, which is smaller than that of Pt/C and most of the non-precious metal catalysts in previous studies. Furthermore, it demonstrated better durability towards both the ORR and OER. Detailed investigation clarified that the material's excellent electrocatalytic performance is attributable to: (1) a synergistic effect, induced by the presence of multiple types of active sites, including cobalt sulfide hollow nanospheres, nitrogen and sulfur dopants, and possible Co–N–C sites; (2) cobalt sulfide hollow nanospheres penetrating through the plane of graphene sheets form strong interaction between them; (3) more edge defects associated with the existence of nanoholes on the graphene basal plane; and (4) the high surface area and efficient mass transfer arising from the hierarchical porous structure.


The yeast SLK1 (BCK1) gene encodes a mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) activator protein which functions upstream in a protein kinase cascade that converges on the MAPK Slt2p (Mpk1p). Dominant alleles of SLK1 have been shown to bypass the conditional lethality of a protein kinase C mutation, pkc1-delta, suggesting that Pkc1p may regulate Slk1p function. Slk1p has an important role in morphogenesis and growth control, and deletions of the SLK1 gene are lethal in a spa2-delta mutant background. To search for genes that interact with the SLK1-SLT2 pathway, a synthetic lethal suppression screen was carried out. Genes which in multiple copies suppress the synthetic lethality of slk1-1 spa2-delta were identified, and one, the NHP6A gene, has been extensively characterized. The NHP6A gene and the closely related NHP6B gene were shown previously to encode HMG1-like chromatin-associated proteins. We demonstrate here that these genes are functionally redundant and that multiple copies of either NHP6A or NHP6B suppress slk1-delta and slt2-delta. Strains from which both NHP6 genes were deleted (nhp6-delta mutants) share many phenotypes with pkc1-delta, slk1-delta, and slt2-delta mutants. nhp6-delta cells display a temperature-sensitive growth defect that is rescued by the addition of 1 M sorbitol to the medium, and they are sensitive to starvation. nhp6-delta strains also exhibit a variety of morphological and cytoskeletal defects. At the restrictive temperature for growth, nhp6-delta mutant cells contain elongated buds and enlarged necks. Many cells have patches of chitin staining on their cell surfaces, and chitin deposition is enhanced at the necks of budded cells. nhp6-delta cells display a defect in actin polarity and often accumulate large actin chunks. Genetic and phenotypic analysis indicates that NHP6A and NHP6B function downstream of SLT2. Our results indicate that the Slt2p MAPK pathway in Saccharomyces cerevisiae may mediate its function in cell growth and morphogenesis, at least in part, through high-mobility group proteins.


We investigated the mechanisms of action of immuno-modulatory drug (lenalidomide) on the protein expression of cereblon (CRBN) and their therapeutic targets in the multiple myeloma cell line RPMI8226. The multiple myeloma cell line RPMI8226 was cultured and treated with different concentrations of lenalidomide and bortezomib to determine the proliferation inhibition rate, apoptosis rate, and protein expression of CRBN. The results revealed that both lenalidomide and bortezomib inhibited the proliferation of RPMI8226 and promoted cell apoptosis. However, the protein expression of CRBN decreased signifi-cantly after treatment with lenalidomide, while bortezomib had no effect on the expression of CRBN. We confirmed that CRBN may be a target of lenalidomide.


Mechanism of material removal after die-sinking electrical discharges machining, is quite complex. The principle is based on electrical discharge which occurs between workpiece and tool electrode. The electrical discharges always occur when complying the specific conditions, i.e. reaching the desired mutual distance (gap), mutual combination of main technological parameters and sufficient discharge energy. The size of discharge energy has a significant impact on the character of a crater in the workpiece and tool electrode. Desirable is only crater in the workpiece. The crater produced during one electric discharge in tool electrode is generally regarded as the negative site in die-sinking electrical discharges machining. The creation of this crater in the tool electrode has a direct effect on its wear. Paper aimed to describe the mechanism of material removal and its physical regularities of tool steel EN 90MnCrV8 (W.-Nr. 1.2842) in die-sinking electrical discharges machining.


Recent works on reconstruction of room geometry from echoes assume that the geometry of the sensor array is known. In this paper, we show that such an assumption is not essential; echoes provide sufficient clues to reconstruct the room's and the array's geometries jointly, even from a single acoustic event. Rather than focusing on the combinatorial problem of matching the walls and the recorded echoes, we provide algorithms for solving the joint estimation problem in practical cases when this matching is known and the number of microphones is small. We then explore intriguing connections between this problem and simultaneous localization and mapping (SLAM), and show that SLAM can be solved by the same methods. Finally, we demonstrate how effective the proposed methods are by numerical simulations and experiments with real measured room impulse responses.


Objective: To explore the hypothesis that older adults often are affected by more than one disease, making the differential diagnosis between Alzheimer's disease (AD) and vascular dementia (VaD) difficult. Methods: Incident dementia cases (n = 308) from a population-based longitudinal study of people 75+ years were investigated. The DSM-III-R criteria were used for the clinical diagnosis of dementia. Data on vascular disorders (hypertension, cerebrovascular and ischemic heart diseases, heart failure, atrial fibrillation, diabetes) as well as type of onset/course of dementia were used retrospectively to reclassify dementias. Results: Only 47% of the AD cases were reclassified as pure AD without any vascular disorder. Among subjects with AD and with a vascular component, cerebrovascular disease was the most common (41%). Only 25% of VaD were reclassified as pure VaD. Further, 26% of the pure AD subjects developed a vascular disorder in the following 3 years. Conclusions: Both vascular and degenerative mechanisms may often contribute to the expression of dementia among the elderly. Most of the AD cases have vascular involvements, and pure dementia types in very old subjects constitute only a minority of dementia cases.


Social entrepreneurship (SE) is much discussed but little understood. However, given the present volatile and ever changing environment, more and more companies are getting involved in such social initiatives. This paper conceptualises SE as a multidimensional construct involving the entrepreneurial behaviour to achieve the social mission, a coherent unity of purpose and action and the ability to recognise social value-creating opportunities. The present paper develops a conceptual model through a number of examples and empirical examples from India. This model can guide emerging social entrepreneurial ventures in strategic decision-making to understand the critical success factors for sustainability of such enterprises. It can also assist them in setting realistic criteria for evaluating their short and long-term performance. The research and managerial implications are also discussed.