Voltage-sensitive dyes are frequently used for probing variations in the electric potential across cell membranes. The dyes respond by changing their spectral properties: measured as shifts of wavelength of absorption or emission maxima or as changes of absorption or fluorescence intensity. Although such probes have been studied and used for decades, the mechanism behind their voltage sensitivity is still obscure. We ask whether the voltage response is due to electrochromism as a result of direct field interaction on the chromophore or to solvatochromism, which is the focus of this study, as result of changed environment or molecular alignment in the membrane. The spectral properties of three styryl dyes, di-4-ANEPPS, di-8-ANEPPS, and RH421, were investigated in solvents of varying polarity and in model membranes using spectroscopy. Using quantum mechanical calculations, the spectral dependence of monomer and dimer ANEPPS on solvent properties was modeled. Also, the kinetics of binding to lipid membranes and the binding geometry of the probe molecules were found relevant to address. The spectral properties of all three probes were found to be highly sensitive to the local environment, and the probes are oriented nearly parallel with the membrane normal. Slow binding kinetics and scattering in absorption spectra indicate, especially for di-8-ANEPPS, involvement of aggregation. On the basis of the experimental spectra and time-dependent density functional theory calculations, we find that aggregate formation may contribute to the blue-shifts seen for the dyes in decanol and when bound to membrane models. In conclusion, solvatochromic and other intermolecular interactions effects also need to be included when considering electrochromic response voltage-sensitive dyes.


This paper argues that racial classification and generalization may sometimes be justified in clinical treatment and research, in part to ensure better outcomes for the individual patients subject to such classification and generalization; in part to enable medicine to eliminate the need for racial categories. But race must be used carefully and sparingly because of the risk to the individual patient of overgeneralization, and the risk to society of reinforcing a false understanding of race as a biological category. Even if the use of racial categories in biomedical research subverts rather than reinforces those categories, that research may well lead to the recognition of non-racial, genetically based groups, which will be susceptible to harmful, if less invidious, stereotyping.


The paper describes the characteristics of social cooperatives in Poland, which constitute an important element of the national sector of social entrepreneurship. Social cooperatives are non-profit organizations that combine economic activity with the social and professional reintegration of their members. The paper puts particular emphasis on the presentation of the social and economic potential of the social cooperatives sector in Poland. The paper presents the results of the monitoring of social cooperatives in Poland, which was carried out in 2015. It is the most comprehensive study that has been carried out among social cooperatives so far, which facilitated the acquisition of the comprehensive statistical information concerning the aforementioned sector. Additionally, the study presents contextual information concerning the legal and institutional conditions in relation to the functioning of social cooperatives in Poland.


In this work, we study the effect of energy harvesting in a cognitive shared access network with delay constraints on the primary user. We model the distribution of secondary nodes by a homogeneous Poisson point process (PPP), while the primary user is located at fixed location. The secondary users are assumed to have always packets to transmit whilst the primary transmitter has bursty traffic. We assume an energy harvesting zone around the primary transmitter and a guard zone around the primary receiver. The secondary users are transmitting in a random access manner, however, transmissions of secondary nodes are restricted by their battery status and location. Targeting at achieving the maximum secondary throughput under primary delay constraints, we analyze the impact of various parameters on the performance of the considered network. Our results provide insights into the optimization of access protocol parameters for the energy harvesting-based cognitive shared access network with delay constraints.


The production of high-quality activated carbons from lignocellulosic biomass for application in advanced energy storage systems in particular the electrochemical capacitors is of great commercial interest because of their high specific surface area, electrical conductivity, electrochemical stability and notably low cost. During this presentation the synthesis and application of microporous carbons derived by improved chemical activation of walnut shells impregnated with phosphoric acid will be presented. The carbons derived from the rice husk are characterized by high specific surface area of 2400 m2 g-1 (calculated by the method of Brunauer–Emmett–Teller) and total pore volume of 1.5 cm3 g-1. Activated carbons were implemented as the active materials for symmetric composite electrodes of electrical double layer capacitors in 1 mol L-1 Li2SO4. Electrochemical investigations performed by cyclic voltammetry, galvanostatic charge-discharge with potential limitations and impedance spectroscopy revealed high performance of carbon materials derived through modified chemical activation procedure especially under aging tests during floating voltage of 1.6 V. In particular the resulting carbons posses a much higher capacitance of 190-200 F g-1 (at 0.2 A g-1) that is much higher than most of available commercial blends of activated carbons e.g., the Norit DLC Supra 30 which in similar conditions possessed 108 F g-1.


The Regulation of Sport in the European Union brings together a collection of essays which examine the regulatory and institutional implications which the 'Europeanisation' of sporting activity has brought about in the last decade. Uniquely, in addressing these issues the book adopts an inter-disciplinary approach, involving law, economics and sociology and brings together several key themes which arise from the question of whether sport is unique. The book addresses the growing argument that sporting activity and its commercial exploitation displays special properties which requires a distinct regulatory framework and governance structure that EC law and national legislation do not provide.


International Journal of Exercise Science 7(4) : 271-277, 2014. Stretching before performing anaerobic activity has been a highly debated subject, with studies finding differing results depending on the type (static, dynamic, etc.) and duration of the stretch. Furthermore, the effects of dynamic stretching (DS) on anaerobic performance have been minimally researched. The purpose of this study was to examine the effects a DS protocol had on power performance using a Wingate test (WAnT). College-aged male subjects were recruited for this study. Prior to experimental trials, subjects performed a familiarity WAnT trial. Subjects then performed the WAnT two more times, once with DS and once without stretching (NS), in a balanced cross-over design. Relative peak power (RPP), relative mean power (RMP), fatigue index (FI), and rate of perceived exertion (RPE) means were compared across DS and NS trials using one-way repeated measure ANOVA's, α = 0.05. No significant differences (p > 0.05) were found across DS and NS protocols among RPP, FI, and RPE. However, there was a significant difference (p = .043) in mean RMP between the DS protocol and NS treatment. These findings suggest that some forms of dynamic stretching may significantly decrease mean power during anaerobic performance. More research is needed to explore the different combinations and duration of dynamic stretching needed to illicit a positive response.


During driving on rough roads, rattle noise may emanate from (electric power) rack-and-pinion steering gears as a result of reverse feedback from the road. This project is in collaboration with a German steering system manufacturer and aims to develop a methodology facilitating identification and quantification of transient structure-borne sound sources within electrical steering systems. To achieve this aim, a conceptual source-path-receiver model has been developed that discloses the theoretical locations and associated mechanisms of all possible transient sound sources inside the steering gear. This information forms the basis for a subsequent measurement step which is required to experimentally quantify the strength of each individual source. The measurement approach is based on a time domain equivalent of the in-situ blocked force method; thus facilitating independent source characterisation on the fully assembled structure. The time domain (TD) approach relies on a robust inversion routine that uses an adaptive algorithm to simultaneously reconstruct multi-channel (blocked) force signatures from operational responses and the corresponding impulse response functions both measured (in-situ) on the (assembled) structure. The TD inversion routine is derived from the least mean square (LMS) algorithm which is widely used in adaptive filter design. The accuracy and sensitivity of the TD inversion routine is elaborated and compared to the standard frequency domain inverse method using simple numerical examples. Its general applicability for sophisticated technical structures is evaluated by example of an electric powered steering system being subjected to artificial excitation. The use of the TD approach for characterisation of transient structure-borne sound sources based on the blocked force method is discussed and different procedures to improve the force estimation accuracy are proposed. These procedures can be classified into methods that (i) help to evaluate the quality of pre-measured frequency response functions (FRFs) which are required to set up the (inverse) system model, (ii) measurement routines that may help to improve future FRF measurements conducted in-situ, i.e. whilst the steering gear is connected to a special rattling test bench, (iii) correction strategies to separate contributions from known (external) structure-borne sound sources different from the desired (internal) rattling sources and (iv) criteria that in theory allow for monitoring the performance of the iterative TD inversion routine precisely. Finally, the developed methodology is used to identify and quantify rattle sources within a steering system under realistic testing conditions.


Spectacular spatial dynamics of forest areas is one of the biggest challenges for the scientific world, concerned with completing the methodologies devoted to new methodological approaches, to provide new information that is indispens-able in assessing the impact of deforestation within the ecosystem. In this study, we analyzed the evolution of the deforested areas, using the fractal fragmentation index (FFI). The research is based on high-resolution satellite images of forest areas between 2000 and 2017. The use of fractal algorithms allowed the modeling of the grinding patterns, identifying obvious differences between compact and fragmented cuts. Information is needed especially in the evaluation of the areas cleared because of illegal actions. Research has shown spectacular increases in deforestation in the mountain area, the northern and central groups of the Eastern Carpathians being the most fragmented geographical regions in Romania. The study showed that deforestation led to the fragmentation of forests, which generates major natural changes. The results obtained can contribute to the identification of new approaches in national forest fund management policies by establishing a critical fragmentation threshold.


Abstract Recent work has assumed that the normativity associated with assertion differs from the normativity of morality, practical rationality, etiquette, and legality. That is, whether an assertion "should" be made is not merely a function of these other familiar sorts of normativity and is especially connected to truth. Some researchers have challenged this assumption of distinctive normativity. In this paper I report two experiments that test the assumption. Participants read a brief story, judged whether an assertion should be made, and rated several other qualities of the assertion, including its truth value, morality, rationality, etiquette, legality, and folly. Of these qualities, truth value most strongly predicted assertability. The findings support the assumption of distinctive normativity and provide further evidence that the norm of our social practice of assertion is factive (i.e., it makes truth essential to assertability).


The story of Reconstruction is not simply about the rebuilding of the South after the Civil War. Instead, the late nineteenth century defined modern America, as Southerners, Northerners, and Westerners gradually hammered out a national identity that united three regions into a country that could become a world power. Ultimately, the story of Reconstruction is about how a middle class formed in America and how its members defined what the nation would stand for, both at home and abroad, for the next century and beyond. A sweeping history of the United States from the era of Abraham Lincoln to the presidency of Theodore Roosevelt, this engaging book stretches the boundaries of our understanding of Reconstruction. Historian Heather Cox Richardson ties the North and West into the post - Civil War story that usually focuses narrowly on the South, encompassing the significant people and events of this profoundly important era. By weaving together the experiences of real individuals - from a plantation mistress, a Native American warrior, a labour organizer to Andrew Carnegie, Julia Ward Howe, Booker T. Washington, and Sitting Bull - who lived during the decades following the Civil War and who left records in their own words, Richardson tells a story about the creation of modern America.


Kosovo, after its incorporation into the Serbian Republic of Yugoslavia, became increasingly restive during the 1990s as Yugoslavia plunged into internal war and Kosovo's ethnic Albanian residents (Kosovars) sought autonomy. In March 1999, NATO forces began airstrikes against targets in Kosovo and Serbia in an effort to protect Kosovars against persecution. The bombing campaign ended in June 1999, and Kosovo was placed under transitional UN administration while negotiations on its status ensued. Kosovo eventually declared independence in 2008. Despite internal political tension and economic problems, the new nation has been recognized by many other countries and most of its inhabitants welcome its separation from Serbia. In Liberating Kosovo, David Phillips offers a compelling account of the negotiations and military actions that culminated in Kosovo's independence. Drawing on his own participation in the diplomatic process and interviews with leading participants, Phillips chronicles Slobodan Milosevic's rise to power, the sufferings of the Kosovars, and the events that led to the disintegration of Yugoslavia. He analyzes how NATO, the United Nations, and the United States employed diplomacy, aerial bombing, and peacekeeping forces to set in motion the process that led to independence for Kosovo. He also offers important insights into a critical issue in contemporary international politics: how and when the United States, other nations, and NGOs should act to prevent ethnic cleansing and severe human-rights abuses.


Article type: Original Article Received: Oct. 2016 Accepted: Dec. 2016 Published: Jan. 2016 Corresponding author: Mansour Ghafourifard e-mail: email@example.com Background & Aim: Although compassionate care is recognized as a core component of nursing care, there is not still a precise definition about this complex and challenging concept. This study aimed to analyze the concept of compassionate care in nursing using a hybrid model. Methods & Materials: A three-phase hybrid model (theoretical, field work, and final analysis) was used in this study. In the theoretical phase, the concept of compassionate care was searched in main databases from 2000 to 2016. In the field work phase, in-depth, face to face interviews were done with 11 nurses. The content analysis method was used to analyze the data. Final analysis was done in the last phase. Results: The results of the final analysis showed that compassionate care is a process in which nurses interactively communicate with patients, try to explore patients' concerns by putting themselves in their positions and understanding their situations, and do their utmost to eliminate these concerns. Conclusion: According to this concept analysis, the constructive interaction between nurse and patient is one of the most important features of compassionate care that has not been mentioned in previous definitions. Also in this study, the nurses emphasized that they did their best to resolve the patients' concerns. Therefore, the current study could be the basis for future studies in the area of compassionate care.


The quality of medical devices is governed by regulatory authorities of the respective countries. The regulations are intended to protect the risks associated with design, manufacture and packaging of medical devices. India is one of the top twenty markets for medical devices in the world and the fourth largest market in Asia. The National Medical Device Policy 2015 is framed out by the Government of India to strengthen the medical device market and decreasing dependence on importing the medical devices. In vitro diagnostic (IVD's) are used for the invitro examination of specimens derived from the human body solely or principally to diagnose the problems. The Indian medical device sector is about USD 4.9 billion in which of 53% are IVD's. The in-vitro diagnostic advisory committee (IVDAC) is prepared by Government of India to give advice in matters related to IVD's to DCGI and approve products of IVD's. The Schedule M-III and M-IV of D and C act 1940 and rules 1945 are led down, which provides information on quality management system and GMP practices and requirements of premises, equipment and plant for In vitro diagnostic reagents and kits respectively. Registration procedure of IVD's, common submission format for registration, labelling requirements, regulatory scenario and recommendations to the government has been mentioned.


The 2017 of Jakarta Election is not only enlivened by the comments of politicians and experts , but also followed by the general public in a critical, obscene, and massive way. This study aimed to reveal the ideology in public opinions about the discourse of Jakarta election at social media. This research used qualitative-descriptive approach with content analysis method, and based on the critical discourse analysis theory by Norman Fairclough. The result of the research showed (1) about 57.4% of public opinions represent ideology of Islamic religion by raising the issue of the importance of Aqeedah, Sharia, and morals for leaders, through vocabularies like the similar faith, fellow moeslems, humane, and dirt, (2) a number of 34.8% show the ideology of secularism with the issue of electing the government leaders not a religious leader through the use of vocabularies such as performance, don't, clean, not corrupt; while (3) just 7.8% represent the ideology of liberalism with the issue such as no offense for the public to choose their leader through the use of vocabularies such as freedom, logical thinking, realistic, and common sense.


We propose a semiparametric estimator for single‐index models with censored responses due to detection limits. In the presence of left censoring, the mean function cannot be identified without any parametric distributional assumptions, but the quantile function is still identifiable at upper quantile levels. To avoid parametric distributional assumption, we propose to fit censored quantile regression and combine information across quantile levels to estimate the unknown smooth link function and the index parameter. Under some regularity conditions, we show that the estimated link function achieves the non‐parametric optimal convergence rate, and the estimated index parameter is asymptotically normal. The simulation study shows that the proposed estimator is competitive with the omniscient least squares estimator based on the latent uncensored responses for data with normal errors but much more efficient for heavy‐tailed data under light and moderate censoring. The practical value of the proposed method is demonstrated through the analysis of a human immunodeficiency virus antibody data set.

publisher-specific, author manuscript: http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/termsAndConditions#am


A new genus, Desmodromia n.gen., and two new species of dromiid crabs are described from northern Australia. In Desmodromia the rostrum is tridentate, the anterolateral teeth are well developed, the last two pairs of legs have no opposing propodal spines, and the dactyli on these limbs are rotated. The new genus is similar to Epipedodromia Andre, 1932 and Homalodromia Miers, 1884, but may differ from them in using bivalve shells for camouflage instead of sponges. Desmodromia shares some pereopod characters with the shell-carrying genus Hypoconcha Guerin-Meneville, 1854, but these characters probably evolved independently.


Obtaining a record of present and past storms, floods and sea levels, and their extent of geological and ecological impacts, is one means to assess future risk, reveal the spatial and temporal variability of coastal inundation and decipher its relationship with global climatic changes. In the deltaic wetlands of Louisiana, I tracked sedimentation from the historic A.D. 2011 Mississippi River flood. The sediment deposited in wetlands during the 2011 flood was distinguished from earlier deposits based on biological characteristics, primarily absence of plant roots and increased presence of centric (planktonic) diatoms indicative of riverine origin. By comparison, the lithological (bulk density, organic matter content, and grain size) and chemical (stable carbon isotopes of bulk organic matter) properties of flood sediments were nearly identical to the underlying deposit. Flood sediment deposition was greatest in wetlands near the Atchafalaya and Mississippi Rivers and accounted for a substantial portion (37% to 85%) of the annual accretion measured at nearby monitoring stations. The amount of sediment delivered to those basins (1.1-1.6 g/cm) was comparable to that reported previously for hurricane sedimentation along the Louisiana coast (0.8-2.1 g/cm). My findings not only provide insight into how large-scale river floods influence wetland sedimentation, they lay the groundwork for identifying previous flood events in the stratigraphic record. In Puerto Rico, I applied bulk stable carbon isotope geochemistry of mangrove sediments in the reconstruction Holocene relative sea levels. The modern distribution of δ13C, TOC and C/N values and foraminifera was described from 56 surface samples collected from three sites containing basin and riverine mangrove stands. Vertically-zoned tidal flat (δ13C: -18.6 ± 2.8 /; TOC: 10.2 ± 5.7 %; C/N: 12.7 ± 3.1), mangrove (δ13C: -26.4 ± 1.0 /; TOC: 33.9 ± 13.4 %; C/N: 24.3 ± 6.2), brackish transition (δ13C: -28.8 ± 0.7 /; TOC: 40.8 ± 11.7 %; C/N: 21.7 ± 3.7), and freshwater swamp (δ13C: -28.4 ± 0.4 /; TOC: 42.8 ± 4.8 %; C/N: 17.0 ± 1.1) environments were identified from the modern transects with distinct δ13C, TOC and C/N values. Foraminiferal groups could not be used to interpret the fossil record, although the ratio of foraminifera to thecamoebians (F/T) was used along with δ13C, TOC and C/N values to refine the distinction between brackish and freshwater environments. Using linear discriminant analysis (LDFs), I applied the δ13C TOC, C/N and F/T distributions to reconstruct paleomangrove elevation with confidence in the continuous section of mangrove peat, with a vertical uncertainty of ± 0.12 m. I demonstrate that δ13C, TOC, and C/N values can be used along with simple microfossil metrics to reconstruct RSL in tropical environments, where records of this kind are limited. I further explored the use of bulk stable carbon isotope geochemistry for reconstructing Holocene relative sea levels in the Thames Estuary, UK. The modern distribution of bulk stable carbon isotope geochemistry was described from vegetation and surface sediment samples collected from four coastal wetlands of the Thames Estuary and Norfolk, UK. Statistically distinct bulk sediment δ13C, TOC and C/N values were observed among these elevation-dependent environments due to the relative incorporation of in situ vascular vegetation versus allochthonous particulate organic matter and algae, which varied with the degree of tidal inundation and salinity. I compiled a regional database of 349 bulk sediment δ13C, TOC and C/N analyses from published and unpublished data in the UK and the U.S. Atlantic and Pacific coasts and suggest variations This dissertation is available at ScholarlyCommons: http://repository.upenn.edu/edissertations/1329 among regions may be related to the dominance of C4 vegetation, climate, and local environmental conditions. The range of δ13C, TOC and C/N values from tidal flat/low marsh (δ13C: -24.9 ± 1.2 /; TOC: 3.6 ± 1.7 %; C/N: 9.9 ± 0.8), middle marsh/high marsh (δ13C: -26.2 ± 1.0 /; TOC: 9.8 ± 6.7 %; C/N: 12.1 ± 1.8), brackish transition (δ13C: -27.2 ± 1.2 /; TOC: 26.1 ± 11.5 %; C/N: 14.1 ± 1.9) reed swamp (δ13C: -28.1 ± 0.3 /; TOC: 39.1 ± 10.3 %; C/N: 13.8 ± 1.1) and fen carr (δ13C: -28.8 ± 0.7 /; TOC: 29.1 ± 17.1 %; C/N: 15.8 ± 3.3) were used along with microfossils (foraminifera, pollen, diatoms) to interpret a Holocene sediment core collected from the Thames Estuary. Degree Type Dissertation Degree Name Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) Graduate Group Earth & Environmental Science First Advisor Benjamin P. Horton


The performances of a tunable femtosecond dye laser are analyzed using accurate correlation techniques. The source is a passively mode-locked dye laser, of which both the frequency and frequency modulation are controlled by one or two intracavity prisms. Interferometric second-order autocorrelations, with a peak-to-background ratio of 8 to 1, are used simultaneously with the conventional intensity autocorrelation and the pulse spectrum to determine the pulse shape. The main advantages of the interferometric autocorrelations are that they provide phase information otherwise not available, and they are more sensitive to the pulse shape than the intensity autocorrelation. The phase sensitivity is demonstrated in an analysis of the Gaussian pulses with a linear frequency modulation. Analytical expressions for the envelopes of the interferometric autocorrelations of typical pulse shapes are provided for quick pulse shape identification. A numerical method is used to analyze the more complex pulse shapes and chirps that can be produced by the laser. A series of examples demonstrates the control of this laser over various pulse shapes and frequency modulations. Pulse broadening or compression by propagation through glass is calculated for the pulse shapes determined from the fittings. Comparisons of autocorrelations and cross correlations calculated for the dispersed pulses, with the actual measurements, demonstrate the accuracy of the fitting procedure. The method of pulse shape determination demonstrated here requires a train of identical pulses. Indeed, it is shown that, for example, a train of unchirped pulses randomly distributed in frequency can have the same interferometric autocorrelation than a single chirped pulse. In the case of the present source, a comparison of the pulse spectrum, with that of the second harmonic, gives an additional proof that pulse-to-pulse fluctuations are negligible.


Effects of Carbon is transported to the deep ocean through physical mixing and gravitational sinking of organic particles. Carbon that sinks to the seafloor is consumed by benthic organisms who rely on the detrital particles as their source of food. Station M is a long-term deep-sea study site in the Northeast Pacific where large episodic pulses of particulate organic carbon (POC) sinking to the sea floor at a depth of 4000 meters have been recorded for the past 30 years. The episodic pulses of POC have increased in frequency and magnitude over the past decade, driving a long-term increase in carbon export observed in sediment traps deployed at this location. The goal of this study is to investigate changes in phytoplankton communities within the sinking particles to provide an indication of the ecological mechanisms associated with the high-flux events and why they might be increasing over time. Samples collected by sediment traps were analyzed by microscopy to determine phytoplankton community composition. Phytoplankton community compositions observed in high-flux samples were significantly different from those in low-flux samples. Particles sinking during low-flux periods were relatively more enriched in phytoplankton cells (higher cell:POC fluxes) compared to particles sinking during high- flux events. When separating intact and fragmented diatom cells only the fragmented diatoms had significantly different community compositions in the high- and low-flux events. Since fragmentation of diatoms was significantly different it suggests that grazing and repackaging of the cells was occurring in the water column as the particles sank. Biogenic silica (BSi) and particulate inorganic carbon (PIC) were measured in the particles to test whether mineral ballasting may be driving the large pulses of POC sinking to depth. BSi:POC was constant with increasing POC flux, while the PIC:POC decreased with increasing POC. This indicates that ecological processes leading to high-flux events involve silicifying phytoplankton more than calcifying phytoplankton at Station M. While the biomineral data does not


The accuracy of environmental site assessments depends on the validity of the data used to make them, but all too often, the people who judge the quality of the data have little idea of its proper relationship to the site. This separation, while it preserves the anonymity of the site and its owner, deprives the validators of important contextual information that could help them determine whether the data they examine is usable or not. In many cases, the methods used to collect samples, and the location from which they were taken have a strong impact on their use as an indicator for the site. And data marked as estimated is often used as fully validated data, increasing the chances that a report could incorrectly label a site hazardous or clean. In addition, validators frequently find that they must use different sets of rules to determine whether data is valid, depending on whether they are reporting to a state or federal agencies. This inconsistency is only compounded by the lack of definite regulations for data regarding many heavy metal and rare earth element contaminants. With revisions to EPA's regulations ongoing, now is an optimum time to standardize the data validation process.


An important deficiency in Harberger's (1962) model of corporate income taxation is its inability to consider both corporate and noncorporate production of the same good. This precludes analysis of within-industry substitution of noncorporate for corporate production in response to the tax. Such within-industry substitution has potentially major implications for both the excess burden and incidence of the corporate tax. In Gravelle and Kotlikoff (1988) we present a new model of the corporation income tax. The model has two key characteristics. First, corporate and noncorporate firms produce (with identical production functions) each of the model's goods both before and after corporate taxation is imposed, and second, the decision of entrepreneurs to establish unincorporated business is endogenous. Compared with the Harberger model, the new model predicts a very much larger excess burden from corporate income taxation. The incidence of the corporate tax can also differ dramatically in the two models. Several commentators on our approach suggested that while corporate and noncorporate fins produce goods that are close substitutes, they are not necessarily identical goods. Others questioned the extent to which our results hinged on the endogeneity of entrepreneurship. This paper is a response to those comments. It presents a Harberger-type model (with no entrepreneurs), but one in which each industry/sector contains corporate and noncorporate fins (with identical production functions) which produce goods that are close substitutes in demand. As in our earlier model, the scope for considerable within-industry substitution of noncorporate for corporate capital leads to a very much larger excess burden than that in the Harberger model. For example, using Harberger's original 195? data and assuming unitary substitution elasticities in production and in inter-sector demand, but substitution elasticities of 30 in intra-sector demand, the excess burden of the corporate income tax in the current model is 107 percent of tax revenue. This figure is quite close to the 123 percent figure reported in Cravelle and Kotlikoff (1988) for the case of unitary substitution elasticities in production and inter-industry demand. Both numbers are considerably larger than the 8 percent excess burden figure that arises in the traditional Harberger model with unitary substitution elasticities.


This article reviews the connection between task type (skill based, rule based and knowledge based) and human error. Using real-life examples, each task type and error type is described in detail. Understanding how task type contributes to medical error enhances the ability of nurses to make meaningful changes in health care systems. Through error wisdom, nurses and other health care providers can more successfully navigate health care delivery and ultimately provide safer care to patients.


Therapeutic immunotoxins composed of antibodies and bacterial toxins provide potent activity against malignant cells, but joining them with a defined covalent bond while maintaining the desired function is challenging. Here, we develop novel immunotoxins by dovetailing full-length immunoglobulin G (IgG) antibodies and nontoxic anthrax proteins, in which the C terminus of the IgG heavy chain is connected to the side chain of anthrax toxin protective antigen. This strategy enabled efficient conjugation of protective antigen variants to trastuzumab (Tmab) and cetuximab (Cmab) antibodies. The conjugates effectively perform intracellular delivery of edema factor and N terminus of lethal factor (LFN) fused with diphtheria toxin and Ras/Rap1-specific endopeptidase. Each conjugate shows high specificity for cells expressing human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER2) and epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR), respectively, and potent activity across six Tmab- and Cmab-resistant cell lines. The conjugates also exhibit increased pharmacokinetics and pronounced in vivo safety, which shows promise for further therapeutic development.


The U.S. business sector has under-invested relative to Tobin's Q since the early 2000's. We argue that declining competition is partly responsible for this phenomenon. We use a combination of natural experiments and instrumental variables to establish a causal relationship between competition and investment. Within manufacturing, we show that industry leaders invest and innovate more in response to exogenous changes in Chinese competition. Beyond manufacturing we show that excess entry in the late 1990's, which is orthogonal to demand shocks in the 2000's, predicts higher industry investment given Q. Finally, we provide some evidence that the increase in concentration can be explained by increasing regulations.


The Grenville Province of eastern North America contains a record of continental growth on the southeast margin of Laurentia through much of the Proterozoic Eon, and this growth history can be charted using Nd model age mapping. This paper describes the first use of a geographic information system (GIS) to evaluate such data. The Grenville Province of Ontario and western Quebec, Canada, was chosen for study because there is a lack of agreement on the location of major geological boundaries, whereas the high density of Nd isotope sampling allows precise solutions to be proposed. Two different contouring algorithms, triangulated irregular networks (TIN) and inverse distance weighting (IDW), were first evaluated to select the best geospatial analysis method and parameters for visualizing and evaluating Nd model age distributions. The method chosen (IDW at a power of 6), was then used to test the location of two major boundaries that separate rocks of different crustal formation age, the Grenville-age Allochthon Boundary thrust and the pre-Grenvillian Archean-Proterozoic boundary. GIS analysis was initially performed using published data, after which further sampling was performed to improve coverage of problem areas. The GIS analysis was then repeated, incorporating Nd data for over 80 new localities. The result is a more reliable and accurate map of terrane boundaries in the southwest Grenville Province, which is a critical step in reconstructing the Proterozoic evolution of the southeast margin of Laurentia.


We report on an in vitro organ culture method to investigate human conjunctival epithelial basal precursor cells and their progeny within a more natural three-dimensional microenvironment. Conjunctival fragments were cultured on gelatin sponges in medium with 10% FBS. The conjunctival phenotype of the epithelium was confirmed by the expression and distribution of a panel of markers (p63, CK-13/CK-10, CK-19, Ki-67, PAS for goblet cells, CD45 for infiltrating interlamellar leukocytes and nestin for mesenchymal and ocular epithelial precursor cells). After 7 days, the epithelium had exfoliated its superficial layers (mostly CK-19( )positive cells and all goblets), maintaining only 1-2 layers of basal/parabasal cells, p63, CK-13/CK-10 and nestin positive cells, firmly attached to the specimen. After 14 days, a new multilayered epithelium was formed, consisting of p63, CK-13/CK-10, nestin positive cells and in the high-zone CK-19 positive cells with new goblets. Additionally, we found interlamellar leukocytes which had probably migrated from capillaries that continued to be well maintained in the subepithelial stroma. Cells dispersed from conjunctival epithelium and co-cultured with feeder post-mitotic NIH3T3 fibroblasts formed mosaics displaying a basal epithelial phenotype. These cells expressed CD133 as revealed by RT-PCR. These organ cultures provide new opportunities to investigate epithelial reconstitution of the conjunctival surface and changes that may have occurred to their stem/precursor cells during adaptation to varying conditions in vitro.


Black carbon concentrations are closely related to global warming. To characterize the atmospheric aerosols in Chungcheong Province, Korea, we measured the concentrations of black carbon for about eight months (September 2015– April 2016) and compared them with PM10 and PM2.5 concentrations as well as various meteorological parameters (e.g., wind velocity and wind direction). We used a multi-angle absorption photometer to measure the black carbon; the PM10 and PM2.5 concentrations, wind velocity, and wind direction were obtained from local monitoring stations. The highest and lowest PM10, PM2.5, and BC concentrations were observed in spring and fall, respectively. The high concentrations in spring and winter were likely due to the dominance of westerly winds, which transported pollutants, whereas the low concentrations in fall were likely due to increased wind variations, which drove turbulent mixing. Overall, although BC concentrations exhibited directly proportional correlations with PM10 and PM2.5, the correlations were relatively low, probably because of differences between the sources of these three atmospheric pollutants. These results help clarify the characteristics of BC concentrations over the Korean Peninsula.


Robots designed to interact with humans in realistic environments must be able to handle uncertainty with respect to the identities and properties of the people, places, and things found in their environments. When humans refer to these entities using under-specified language, robots must often generate clarification requests to determine which entities were meant. In this paper, we present recommendations for designers of robots needing to generate such requests, and show how a Dempster-Shafer theoretic pragmatic reasoning component capable of generating requests to clarify pragmatic uncertainty can also generate requests to resolve referential uncertainty when integrated with a probabilistic reference resolution component.


Morocco is known to be among the first few countries to produce phosphate and phosphoric acid. Moroccan phosphate contains substantial amounts of uranium. This uranium can be recovered from the phosphate ore as a by-product during the production of phosphoric acid. Uranium extraction processes linked with phosphoric acid fabrication have been used industrially in some countries. This is done mainly by solvent extraction. Although, the present price of uranium is low in the international market, such uranium recovery could be considered as a side product of phosphoric acid production. The price of uranium has a very small impact on the cost of nuclear energy obtained from it. This paper focuses on the extraction of uranium salt from phosphate rock. If uranium is recovered in Morocco in the proposed manner, it could serve as feed for a number of nuclear power plants. The natural uranium product would have to be either enriched or blended as mixed-oxide fuel to manufacture adequate nuclear fuel. Part of this fuel would feed a desalination initiative using a high temperature reactor of the new generation, chosen for its intrinsic safety, sturdiness, ease of maintenance, thermodynamic characteristics and long fuel life between reloads, that is, good economy. Αn international cooperation based on commercial contract schemes would concern: the general project and uranium extraction; uranium enrichment and fuel fabrication services; the nuclear power plant; and the desalination plant. This paper presents the overall feasibility of the general project with some quantitative preliminary figures and cost estimates.


File sharing is copyright infringement. In many jurisdictions, it is moreover a criminal offense. In Germany, right holders instituted thousands of criminal proceedings in a move to fight private file sharing on the internet. Although this campaign raised awareness of the illegality of file sharing, the use of peer-to-peer networks remains a consistent mass phenomenon, being performed every day by millions of people. Most of these users would never think of stealing books, CDs or DVDs from a store. The paper deals with the question why all these "good people" disregard copyright on the internet. First, it describes that file sharing has been a contentious topic in the course of recent amendments of German copyright law and that the position of German law in that respect is not as straightforward as the rhetoric of "piracy" insinuates. Second, the article discusses a number of reasons for copyright ignorance on the internet, in particular the attractions of digital network technologies and strategies of moral disengagement. Finally, it analyzes fundamental differences between the structure and effect of exclusive rights in tangibles and exclusive rights in intangibles to explain the different attitudes towards these two types of property rights.


The aim of this study was to compare control of three stages biotypes (rosette, bolting, and repro- ductive stage) of Conyza bonariensis glyphosate susceptible biotype (S) and tolerant biotype (T) to glyphosate with glyphosate and mixtures of acetolactate synthase (ALS)-inhibiting. For glyphosate, the dose-response curves confirmed that injury of the biotype T relative to biotype S was signifi- cantly lower for both rosette and bolting stages. Resistance index (RI) for this herbicide was approximately 4 for both weed stages. At bolting, for both biotypes doses much higher than the recommended dose were required. For acetolactate synthase (ALS)-inhibiting herbicides, at the rosette stage, control of both biotypes was excellent with doses significantly lower than the recommended rate. All herbicides within this group showed a very low I50 relative to the recommended rate. These results indicate that biotypes difficult to control with glyphosate at the rosette and bolting stage may be controlled using acetolacte synthase (ALS)-inhibiting herbicides. Control for the reproductive stage was poor. A management program based on the combination of glyphosate with pre- and post-emergence acetolactate synthase (ALS) herbicides may be effective to control the weed.


The demand and use of petroleum products are increasing day by day, which in turn accelerates the possibility of accidental spillage of hydrocarbon fuels during transportation, natural seeps or due to routine maintenance of infrastructure. As cleanup of an oil spill is usually difficult and expensive, a cost-effective technique for mitigating the excess petroleum hydrocarbon from the environment is of the utmost need. In this study, the ability of the microorganisms isolated from different oil contaminated sites of Bangladesh has been assessed by examining their degradation potential by using heterogeneous hydrocarbon fuels as substrates. Bushnell-Haas agar (BHA) media was used to isolate and identify the hydrocarbon utilizing bacteria. 10 types of bacterial species were grown on the BHA with 1% petroleum hydrocarbon (petrol/octane/diesel) in liquid form as their sole carbon sources. Isolates were incubated in orbital shaking incubator at 37°C for up to 15 days to determine the hydrocarbon degradation capability. Amount of petroleum degradation was identified by gravimetric analysis, a technique by which the amount of a chemical substance can be determined through the measurement of mass. The prominent petrol degradative bacteria were identified as Pseudomonas spp. (58%). In the case of diesel and octane degradation, Bacillus spp. was found to be more effective, 79% and 54% respectively, compared to the other isolates.


Growing observational evidence has suggested active meteorology in the atmospheres of brown dwarfs (BDs) and directly imaged extrasolar giant planets (EGPs). In particular, a number of surveys have shown that near-infrared brightness variability is common among L and T dwarfs. Despite the likelihood from previous studies that atmospheric dynamics is the major cause of the variability, the detailed mechanism of the variability remains elusive, and we need to seek a natural, self-consistent mechanism. Clouds are important in shaping the thermal structure and spectral properties of these atmospheres via their opacity, and we expect the same for inducing atmospheric variability. In this work, using a time-dependent one-dimensional model that incorporates a self-consistent coupling between the thermal structure, convective mixing, cloud radiative heating/cooling, and condensation/evaporation of clouds, we show that radiative cloud feedback can drive spontaneous atmospheric variability in both temperature and cloud structure under conditions appropriate for BDs and directly imaged EGPs. The typical periods of variability are 1 to tens of hr, with a typical amplitude of the variability up to hundreds of K in effective temperature. The existence of variability is robust over a wide range of parameter space, but the detailed evolution of the variability is sensitive to model parameters. Our novel, self-consistent mechanism has important implications for the observed flux variability of BDs and directly imaged EGPs, especially for objects whose variability evolves on short timescales. It is also a promising mechanism for cloud breaking, which has been proposed to explain the L/T transition of BDs.


Values for the two-photon absorption coefficient, α2, and nonlinear refractive index coefficients, n2, are measured for a waveguide core made of 14:14 monolayer GaAs/AlAs superlattice at photon energies below the half-bandgap. Two-photon absorption coefficients show significant anisotropy with the TE mode having α2 values up to four times greater than the TM mode. For nonlinear refraction, we determined values of the nonlinear index for the TE mode that are as much as two times larger than the TM mode. Measurements of cross-phase modulation between the TE and TM modes gave ratios of cross-phase modulation to self-phase modulation that were highly anisotropic.


Over the past decades, the ageing of our society has become a widespread phenomenon. A continuing increase of the elderly population is particularly present in more developed regions of world. However, demographic changes are soon expected in less developed regions as a consequence of socio-economic development. The paper reports on the development of characteristics of the burden carried by the productive population as the consequence of the demographic ageing of population in the conditions of Slovak and Czech regions. Population was divided into to the age groups and burden on the productive population was analysed using burden coefficients, age index and coefficients describing the dynamics of burden changes, specifically the inflow, outflow and substitution coefficient. The significance of this analysis is based on the fact that ageing influences - to the great extent - the spatial structure of human activities.


Personalized medicine (PM) or precision medicine has been defined as an innovative approach that takes into account individual differences in people's genes, environments, and lifestyles in prevention and treatment of disease. In PM, genomic information may contribute to the molecular understanding of disease, to optimize preventive health care strategies, and to fit the best drug therapies to the patient's individual characteristics. Evidence development in the era of genomic medicine is extremely challenging due to a number of factors. These include the rapid technological innovation in molecular diagnostics and targeted drug discoveries, and hence the large number of mutations and multiple ways these may influence treatment decisions. Although the evidence base for PM is evolving rapidly, the main question to be explored in this article is whether existing evidence is also fit for comparative effectiveness research (CER). As a starting point, this paper therefore reflects on the evidence required for CER and the evidence gaps preventing decisions on market access and coverage. The paper then discusses challenges and potential barriers for applying a CER paradigm to PM, identifies common methodologies for designing clinical trials in PM, discusses various approaches for analyzing clinical trials to infer from population to individual level, and presents an example of a clinical trial in PM (The RxPONDER TRIAL) demonstrating good practice. The paper concludes with a future perspective, including modeling approaches for evidence synthesis


Join techniques deploying approximate match predicates are fundamental data cleaning operations. A variety of predicates have been utilized to quantify approximate match in such operations and some have been embedded in a declarative data cleaning framework. These techniques return pairs of tuples from both relations, tagged with a score, signifying the degree of similarity between the tuples in the pair according to the specific approximate match predicate. In this paper, we consider the problem of estimating various parameters on the output of declarative approximate join algorithms for planning purposes. Such algorithms are highly time consuming, so precise knowledge of the result size as well as its score distribution is a pressing concern. This knowledge aids decisions as to which operations are more promising for identifying highly similar tuples, which is a key operation for data cleaning. We propose solution strategies that fully comply with a declarative framework and analytically reason about the quality of the estimates we obtain as well as the performance of our strategies. We present the results of a detailed performance evaluation of all strategies proposed. Our experimental results validate our analytical expectations and shed additional light on the quality and performance of our estimation framework. Our study offers a set of simple, fully declarative techniques for this problem, which can be readily deployed in data cleaning systems.


This feature argues that a combination of factors caused the surprising US dollar appreciation in the second half of 2008. Both the global flight to safety into US Treasury bills and the reversal of carry trades amidst the crisis were sources of dollar strength. In addition, the surge in dollar funding costs in the interbank and FX swap markets provided price incentives for corporates to draw on non-dollar funding to pay down existing dollar debt. Finally, dollar asset writedowns left European banks and institutional investors outside the United States with overhedged dollar books. The squaring of their positions, which required dollar purchases, also boosted the currency.


In this paper, the effects of salinity and active ions on wettability alteration in carbonate reservoirs with different initial wettability conditions with implications in smart water flood design, optimization, and performance analysis are experimentally investigated. Contact angle measurement was used as the main tool to study the alteration in wettability. Other analytical techniques such as pH measurements along with energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDS) were used to support the analysis. Initial wettability of the tested carbonate samples ranges from strongly water wet to preferentially water wet, neutral wet, oil wet, and strongly oil wet (5 cases or groups) condition. Four different synthetic brines, namely high salinity (Hsal), low salinity (Lsal), and smart waters 1 and 2 (SW1 = a Mg brine, and SW2 = a Mg and sulfate brine) were prepared and used by adjusting the salinity and ion concentration to study their effects on wettability alteration. Low-salinity brine (Lsal) proved to be more effective than high-salinity brine (Hsal) for the wettability alteration of calcite surfaces at intermediate (neutral) or oil-wet conditions. The smart brine containing only the Mg2+ ion (SW1) was able to alter the wettability of calcite surfaces in intermediate or oil-wet states. The sulfate ion played a catalytic role in wettability alteration by the magnesium ion, and the process was faster, as indicated by higher wettability alteration index values. High-salinity brine (Hsal) is a good choice for design of water floods in reservoir rocks with initial wettability in the range of strongly water wet to neutral wet conditions. In the wettability alteration process of oil-wet samples, brine with a high magnesium ion concentration was slower than brine containing high concentrations of both magnesium and sulfate ions. This can be attributed to the catalytic role of the sulfate ion compared to that of the magnesium ion. Finally, the results showed that the initial wettability of the reservoir rock plays a major role in design of a proper water flood to maximize oil recovery from carbonate reservoirs. The results obtained from this research work suggests that some effective smart water flooding scenarios can be developed and executed incorporating different smart brines to manage the reservoir rock wettability and maximize the oil recovery from carbonate oil reservoirs.


RATIONALE: Job exposure matrices (JEMs) are widely used in occupational epidemiology, particularly when biological or environmental monitoring data are scanty. However, as with most exposure estimates, JEMs may be vulnerable to misclassification. OBJECTIVES: To estimate the long term exposure of farm workers based on a JEM developed for use in a study of the neurotoxic effects of organophosphates and to evaluate the repeatability and validity of the JEM. METHODS: A JEM was constructed with secondary data from industry and expert opinion of the estimate of agrichemical exposure within every possible job activity in the JEM to weight job days for exposure to organophosphates. Cumulative lifetime and average intensity exposure of organophosphate exposure were calculated for 163 pesticide applicators and 84 controls. Repeat questionnaires were given to 29 participants three months later to test repeatability of measurements. The ability of JEM based exposure to predict a known marker of organophosphate exposure was used to validate the JEM. RESULTS: Cumulative lifetime exposure as measured in kg organophosphate exposure, was significantly associated with erythrocyte cholinesterase concentrations (partial r2 = 5%; p < 0.01), controlled for a range of confounders. Repeatability in a subsample of 29 workers of the estimates of cumulative (Pearson's r = 0.67; 95% confidence interval (95% CI) 0.41 to 0.83), and average lifetime intensity of exposure (Pearson's r = 0.60 95% CI 0.31 to 0.79) was adequate. CONCLUSION: The JEM seems promising for farming settings, particularly in developing countries where data on chemical application and biological monitoring are unavailable.


Studies examining leverage levels of family firms report a rather uniform picture: be they large or small, publicly quoted or privately held, family firms exhibit lower leverage levels than their non-family counterparts (e.g., Agrawal & Nagarajan, 1990; Villalonga & Amit, 2006; Mishra & McConaughy, 1999; Gallo & Vilaseca, 1996). While these findings are consistent with the stereotype of the financially conservative and risk-adverse family firm, they also suggest that the majority of these firms have a suboptimal capital structure that relies heavily on internally generated capital. This has the effect of not only inflating these firms' average cost of capital and suppressing their value, but also limiting the rate of firm growth to the growth of internally generated assets (Schulze & Dino, 1998). These preconditions seem to make family firms ripe candidates for underinvestment; which undermines their competitive position and, ultimately, threatens their very survival. However, the predominant role of family firms in the economic landscape stands in strong contrast to these predictions. In fact, family firms are at the forefront of many industries, challenging the assumption that these firms should be permanently risk-adverse. In reality, risk taking and funding of risky investments, such as R&D, are necessary for a firm's long-term survival (Gedajlovic, Lubatkin, & Schulze, 2004). In this context, our study sets out to shed some light on the risk-taking propensity of family firm owners. The study focuses on the control risk propensity of family firm owners, measured in terms of the leverage levels of the firms they control (Mishra & cConaughy,
1999).


The purpose of this study was to determine whether the practice of teachers reading aloud to students has perceived value. Surveys of teachers attitudes/behaviors and student attitudes/experiences concerning reading aloud to students were created to gather data. The data were analyzed qualitatively. Thirty-six teachers and 106 students responded to questionnaires designed to elicit their opinions on the value of the read aloud process. The responses were recorded, tallied and categorized according to similarities and frequency. 4 The findings revealed that both teachers and students value the read aloud process. Specific examples from students help illustrate the role that being read aloud to has played in their educational experience. Teachers include the read aloud technique among modeling and guided reading as effective strategies to use in their classrooms. Implications for future research include investigations into student interest and motivation with regards to reading. In addition, there is potential for further research on the read aloud technique on the secondary level where it is used less frequently than on the primary or intermediate elementary levels. Table of


The latest generation of graphics hardware supports fully programmable vertex and pixel/fragment operations, but programming this hardware at a low level is difficult and time consuming. To address this problem, we have developed a complete real-time procedural shading system that compiles a high-level shading language to programmable vertex and fragment hardware, as described in a separate publication. In this paper, we describe in detail the algorithms used by this system to generate and optimize fragment code for NVIDIA's register combiner architecture and show that our compiler generates efficient code. The register combiner architecture has some similarities to VLIW CPU architectures, so we compare our compilation algorithms to those described in the literature for VLIW CPU architectures. We also discuss some of the lessons we learned from building and using this compiler that may be useful to the designers of future programmable graphics hardware.


The southeastern coastal plain of Sri Lanka contains Holocene sediment archives representing the winter monsoon variability because this region is protected from both summer monsoon and cyclonic rainfall. Chemical, biological, mineralogical, and physical climate proxies were studied in sediment cores extracted from three different coastal estuaries and lagoons situated on the southeastern coast to derive winter monsoon variability. These cores displayed minimum influence of sea level-related changes in sediments. Clay normalized proxy records suggest intervals of aridity from >7300 to ~6750, semi-aridity from ~6250 to 4600 yr BP, and aridity from ~4000 to 3000 and ~1100 to <500 cal. yr BP, with a short wet interval from ~6500 to 6250 cal. yr BP, and a wet interval from ~3000 to 1500 yr BP. Our results match the timing of previously published climate events for Holocene variations in the Indian summer monsoon. Wavelet analysis of the detrended climate proxy records identify significant periodicities at: ~20 ~28–32, ~64, ~100, ~128, ~192, ~256 yr in our data. Most of these periodicities are consistent with known solar irradiance cycles, which drive the decadal- to centennial-scale variability of the summer monsoon. Our multiproxy record for mid- to late-Holocene climate in southeastern Sri Lanka documents that Indian winter monsoon variability is statistically similar to Indian summer monsoon variability, suggesting similar forcing mechanisms.


Drawing on the agency and resource dependence theories, the paper assumes that the impact of corporate social responsibility on companies' financial performance should be investigated not in a binary manner but against the backdrop of corporate governance. The analysis is based on testing the dataset retrieved from the Chinese Stock Market and Accounting Research database containing 28,200 company-year observations of 3,576 Chinese listed companies covering 2008–2019. The findings accentuate that corporate social responsibility, interacting with board size, equity concentration, and CEO duality, positively impacts a firm's financial performance. In contrast, the study fails to substantiate the claim that board gender diversity and board independence moderate the bond between corporate social responsibility and financial performance. Thus, by exploring five elements of corporate governance, this study takes a step forward in understanding exactly which elements of corporate governance best suit corporate social responsibility to enhance financial performance in China's institutional settings. This study assists in filling the gap in corporate social responsibility research by displaying and corroborating the moderating effects of corporate governance attributes on the nexus between corporate social responsibility and financial performance in China. Therefore, this paper presents valuable information and details for companies and regulators alike to improve the impact of corporate social responsibility on financial performance by focusing on corporate governance quality.
AcknowledgmentThis paper is co-funded by European Union through the European Education and Culture Executive Agency (EACEA) within the project "EU Best Practice Of Life Cycle Assessment, Social, Environmental Accounting And Sustainability Reporting 101047667 – EULASTING – ERASMUS-JMO-2021-HEI-TCH-RSCH" (https://bit.ly/3Bbvquw).


ABSTRACT Purpose: To compare the staining intensity of the upper urinary tract (UUT) urothelium among three UUT delivery methods in an in vivo porcine model. Materials and methods: A fluorescent dye solution (indigo carmine) was delivered to the UUT via three different methods: antegrade perfusion, vesico-ureteral reflux via in-dwelling ureteric stent and retrograde perfusion via a 5F open-ended ureteral catheter. Twelve renal units were tested with 4 in each method. After a 2-hour delivery time, the renal-ureter units were harvested en bloc. Time from harvesting to analysis was also standardised to be 2 hours in each arm. Three urothelium samples of the same weight and size were taken from each of the 6 pre-defined points (upper pole, mid pole, lower pole, renal pelvis, mid ureter and distal ureter) and the amount of fluorescence was measured with a spectrometer. Results: The mean fluorescence detected at all 6 predefined points of the UUT urothelium was the highest for the retrograde method. This was statistically significant with p-value less than <0.05 at all 6 points. Conclusions: Retrograde infusion of UUT by an open ended ureteral catheter resulted in highest mean fluorescence detected at all 6 pre-defined points of the UUT urothelium compared to antegrade infusion and vesico-ureteral reflux via indwelling ureteric stents indicating retrograde method ideal for topical therapy throughout the UUT urothelium. More clinical studies are needed to demonstrate if retrograde method could lead to better clinical outcomes compared to the other two methods.


Today's supercomputers employ the fastest processors incorporating the latest VLSI technology. Unfortunately, usable system performance is often limited by excessive interprocessor latency. To overcome this bottleneck, this thesis explores the use of all-optical path interconnection networks using a new topology defined by Coke Reed [31]. This work overcomes limitations of previous optical networks through a novel use of defection routing to minimize latency and allow more processors to collaborate on the same application and dataset. In this thesis research, the data vortex is formally characterized and tested for performance. Extra angles serve as "virtual buffers" to provide required system performance, even under asymmetric mode operation. The data vortex is compared to two well-known interconnection networks (omega and butterfly) using metrics of average latency and message acceptance rate. The data vortex is shown to outperform the comparison networks, with a 20-50% higher acceptance rate and comparable average latency. The impact of angle size is also studied, and a new, synchronous mode of operation is proposed where additional angles are added to increase the virtual buffering of the network. The tradeoff between virtual buffering and angle resolution backpressure is explored, and an optimal point is found at the 1:6 I/O to non-I/O (virtual buffering) angle ratio. The new mode and optimal angle count are used to form data vortex networks that perform as well as larger networks with fewer total nodes. Finally, hierarchical layering with data vortex clusters is proposed and compared to a single-level data vortex. In today's technology, similar performance is attained at high network communication locality loads (>2/3), and a 19% latency reduction is obtained at the highest locality loads (>95%) for current optical switching technology. For projected future technology, the clustered system is shown to yield up to a 55% reduction in latency for applications with 2/3 or better locality.


PURPOSE
The present study investigated the effect of mitomycin C (MMC) on cell viability, apoptosis, and transforming growth factor beta-induced protein (TGFBIp) expression in cultured normal corneal fibroblasts and heterozygote or homozygote granular corneal dystrophy type II (GCD II) corneal fibroblasts.

METHODS
Keratocytes were obtained from normal cornea or from heterozygote or homozygote GCD II patients after lamellar or penetrating keratoplasty. To measure cell viability, corneal fibroblasts were incubated with 0.02% MMC for 3 h, 6 h, and 24 h or with 0%, 0.01%, 0.02%, and 0.04% MMC for 24 h and then tested using lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) and 3-[4,5-demethylthiazol-2,5-diphenyl-2H-tetrazolium bromide] (MTT) assays. To measure apoptosis, cells were analyzed by FACS analysis and annexin V staining. Bcl-xL, Bax, and TGFBI mRNA expression was measured using reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) assays. Cellular and media levels of TGFBIp protein were measured by immunoblotting.

RESULTS
MTT and LDH assays showed that MMC reduced cell viability in all three cell types in a dose-dependent and time-dependent manner (p<0.05). FACS analysis and annexin V staining showed that MMC caused apoptosis with GCD II homozygote cells being most affected. RT-PCR analysis showed that MMC decreased Bcl-xL mRNA expression and increased Bax mRNA expression in all cell types. RT-PCR and immunoblotting analysis showed that MMC reduced TGFBI mRNA levels and cellular and media TGFBIp protein levels in all cell types.

CONCLUSIONS
MMC induced apoptosis, and the effects of MMC were greatest in GCD II homozygote cells. MMC also reduced the production of TGFBIp in all three types of corneal fibroblasts. These findings may explain the additional therapeutic effect of MMC in GCD II patients.


Abstract Objectives: To evaluate cardiovascular fitness exercise in people with fibromyalgia Design: Randomised controlled trial Setting: Hospital rheumatology outpatients. Group based classes took place at a "healthy living centre." Participants: 132 patients with fibromyalgia. Interventions:Prescribed graded aerobic exercise (active treatment) and relaxation and flexibility (control treatment). Main outcome measures: Participants' self assessment of improvement, tender point count, impact of condition measured by fibromyalgia impact questionnaire, and short form McGill pain questionnaire. Results: Compared with relaxation exercise led to significantly more participants rating themselves as much or very much better at three months: 24/69 (35%) v 12/67 (18%), P=0.03. Benefits were maintained or improved at one year follow up when fewer participants in the exercise group fulfilled the criteria for fibromyalgia (31/69 v 44/67, P=0.01). Peoplein the exercise group also had greater reductions in tender point counts (4.2 v 2.0, P=0.02) and in scores on the fibromyalgia impact questionnaire (4.0 v 0.6, P=0.07). Conclusions: Prescribed graded aerobic exercise is a simple, cheap, effective, and potentially widely available treatment for fibromyalgia.


This paper is devoted to the autonomous Lagrange problem of the calculus of variations with a discontinuous Lagrangian. We prove that every minimizer is Lipschitz continuous if the Lagrangian is coercive and locally bounded. The main difference with respect to the previous works in the literature is that we do not assume that the Lagrangian is convex in the velocity. We also show that, under some additional assumptions, the DuBois-Reymond necessary condition still holds in the discontinuous case. Finally, we apply these results to deduce that the value function of the Bolza problem is locally Lipschitz and satisfies (in a generalized sense) a Hamilton-Jacobi equation.


This article, which is part of a larger research project on historical memory and identity in the history of Frelimo, is a contribution to the study of certain central aspects of the transmission of that history and memory from 1975 to the present day. After independence, Frelimo's history was transmitted above all through the documentation published by the Secretariat for Ideological Work, and through testimony provided by protagonists in the liberation struggle. This historical narrative became, during the period of single party rule (1975-1990), the official national history of the Frelimo government. However, the war of destabilization/civil war was extremely unsettling for the country, and the economic and social changes after 1986-1987 and the political changes after 1990 – which established political pluralism – profoundly altered the political and public space and hence the freedom to question this referential historical narrative. Frelimo needed to guarantee that its memory, which it was now possible to interrogate, would continue to be part of the national identity and the reference point for the past and the future. For this reason, in response to all these changes and to critiques, Frelimo not only countered by revitalising the party at all levels, but also by publishing large numbers of pamphlets about the lives of its heroes and the restoration of historical sites. Through these actions, Frelimo tried to maintain both its identity and the ideological project that sustained it as a party in an attempt to guarantee its own legitimacy and hegemony.2


This paper proposes a novel discrete-time direct-torque and flux control (DTFC) scheme for a permanent-magnet synchronous generator (PMSG) used in a variable-speed direct-drive wind power generation system. The proposed DTFC does not rely on machine parameters, such as the inductances and permanent-magnet flux linkage, while the main advantages of the DTC, e.g., fast dynamic response and no need of coordinate transform, are preserved. The stator flux linkage is estimated by an adaptive low-pass filter (LPF), in which a variable cutoff frequency is used. The adaptive LPF stator flux observer can achieve high estimation precision over a wide operating range of the PMSG. A space-vector modulation (SVM) module is integrated into the control scheme of the PMSG to achieve a fixed switching frequency as well as lower flux and torque ripples when comparing with the conventional DTC. The overall control scheme is simple to apply and is robust to parameter uncertainties and variations. The effectiveness of the proposed discrete-time DTFC scheme is verified by simulation and experimental results on a 2.4-kW PMSG used in a variable-speed direct-drive wind turbine system.


The present investigation examines the characteristics of a high energy storm event, that took place on November 9-11, 2007 in the NE Ionian Sea (eastern Mediterranean), and its impact upon the barrier beach that separates the Lefkada lagoon from the open Ionian Sea. The storm event was caused by NW winds with speeds exceeding 20 m/s (40 knots), which have an annual frequency of occurrence less than 0.015%. This high energy event produced waves with >5 m significant offshore height and 9.5 s period; these waves developed on 10 th November during the rapid rise of barometric pressure (~1.4 hPa/hr), which followed the barometric pressure drop from 1020.5 hPa at 06:00 (UTC) of 9 th November to 1001.7 hPa at 06:00 h (UTC) of 10 th November. Secondary breaking at the shoreline produced wave heights >1.5 m, associated with a surge of >0.4 m and a run-up capability of >2.4 m. The waves managed to overtop the barrier beach (elevations ~2.5 m), lowering the seaward side of the barrier beach by 10-30 cm and causing a coastline retreat of 0.9 to 2.2 m; these morphological changes correspond volumetrically to a sediment loss of approximately 8 m 3 /m of coastline length from the sub-aerial part of the beach. During the last three decades a significant change in the frequency of occurrence and direction (from S-SW-W to N-NW-NE) of severe storms with wind speeds exceeding 40 knots has been recorded, affecting the sediment transport pattern and contributing to the erosion of the north beaches of Lefkada.


OBJECTIVES To describe the relation between spirometric findings and farming characteristics and variables of exposure to organic dust measured during work in animal buildings. Farmers have traditionally been described as having one of the most dangerous occupations, so a large scale study on European farmers was carried out. This is the report of the second part of that study. METHODS 40 pig farmers in Denmark and 36 poultry farmers in Switzerland were chosen randomly and were assessed over 1 working day. RESULTS Mean (SD) baseline spirometric results in pig farmers were higher than in poultry farmers (forced expiratory volume in 1 second (FEV1) (% of reference value) 108.3 (16.7) v 100.2 (14.2); p=0.04). Baseline lung function results were significantly associated with ventilation of the animal houses. Furthermore, temperature was related to spirometric findings in pig farmers. CONCLUSIONS Ventilation of the animal house and temperature might influence respiratory morbidity in farmers.


The present study is aimed at investigating the effect of portland cement fineness on the results of ASTM C1260 tests—Standard Test Method for Potential Alkali Reactivity of Aggregates (Mortar-Bar Method). The effects of clinker alkali content, aggregate reactivity, and sodium hydroxide (NaOH) solution concentration on the mortar expansion test results were also studied. In this study, high and low alkali portland cement clinkers were selected and ground with gypsum in a laboratory ball mill to three fineness levels: 300, 400, and 500 m2/kg (Blaine). Moderately- and highly-reactive aggregates were tested with these cements according to ASTM C1260. In addition to the standard 1 N NaOH solution, a 0.5 N NaOH soak solution was also used. The results show that mortar-bar expansion was promoted with increased cement fineness regardless of clinker alkali, aggregate reactivity, or soak solution normality. Clinker alkali had no or little effect on moderately reactive aggregate; whereas it had considerable effect on highly reactive aggregate. Highly reactive aggregate tended to be more sensitive to cement fineness and alkalinity. Although cement fineness and clinker alkali content did not affect the classification in terms of potential reactivity of the aggregates used in this study, they might change the classification for the aggregates near the boundary between reactive and nonreactive aggregates. Specification of fineness and alkali content of cement, or both, might be beneficial to further improve the reliability and reproducibility of ASTM C1260.


A simple, precise and accurate RP-HPLC method was developed and validated for rapid assay of Iloperidone tablet dosage form. Isocratic elution at a flow rate of 1ml/min was employed on a Zodiac C18 (250x4.6mm, 5µm in particle size) at ambient temperature. The mobile phase consisted Methanol: Acetonitrile 80:20 v/v. The UV detection wavelength was 210nm and 20µl sample was injected. The retention time for Iloperidone was 7.1min. The percentage RSD for precision and accuracy of the method was found to be less than 2%. The method was validated as per the ICH guidelines. The method was successfully applied for routine analysis of Iloperidone tablet dosage form and bulk drug.


The current study aimed to reduce the toxic effect of different mycotoxins and enhance the immunity against ND virus in broiler chickens by using lymphokines from hyperimmunized birds with Salmonella typhymurium. The study included three stages, the first stage included isolating Salmonella typhymurium. The second stage was immunized chicks with Salmonella typhymurium. The final stage of the study was accomplished by treating 250 broiler chicks (divided into 5 groups, 50 chicks /each) with the following treatments; G1: 0.5 ml lymphokines was injected I/P at day one old with live ND vaccine (la Sota strain) after 30 minutes in drinking water, the process repeated after 10 days; G2: the same as in G1 but inactivated killed vaccine was used s/c,no repetition was carried out at 10 days ; G3: a combination of G1 and G2 with revaccination of live La Sota vaccines only at 10 days; G4 : only vaccinated with live La Sota vaccine repeated at 10 days; G5: no treatments (negative control). All groups were challenge with local isolate of NDV (100ELD50 10) at 25 days, all groups except the fifth group were fed on contaminated diet with mycotoxin. The results of the present study showed a significant increase (P <0.05) in antibodies titre against ND in the third group, followed by the first and second groups Measured by ELISA and hemagglutination (HI) test, A significant decrease (P >0.05) in the oxidation status (H2O2, MDA and LPO) and significant increase in the antioxidant defense (GSH-PX) in the liver and spleen samples. We conclude from the current study that the Salmonella immune lymphokines (SIL) helps in enhancement the level of immunity against Newcastle disease and n reduction the side effects of which mycotoxin.


They were slowed by annual evacuations and international concerns about their strategy, but after 2 decades they finally did it. On 8 February, the Russian Arctic and Antarctic Research Institute announced that a team of its engineers and scientists had drilled through nearly 4 kilometers of Antarctic ice to open what it called a "small window" into Lake Vostok, a dark, mysterious subglacial lake that has likely been cut off from the rest of the planet for millions of years. Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin praised the team and promised them national awards.


One of the crucial parameters dictating the efficiency of photoelectrochemical water‐splitting is the semiconductor band edge alignment with respect to hydrogen and oxygen redox potentials. Despite the importance of metal oxides in their use as photoelectrodes, studies to control the band edge alignment in aqueous solution have been limited predominantly to compound semiconductors with modulation ranges limited to a few hundred mV. The ability to modulate the flat band potential of oxide photoanodes by as much as 1.3 V, using the insertion of subsurface electrostatic dipoles near a Nb‐doped SrTiO3/aqueous electrolyte interface is reported. The tunable range achieved far exceeds previous reports in any semiconductor/aqueous electrolyte system and suggests a general design strategy for highly efficient oxide photoelectrodes.


Lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer (LGBTQ) students experience higher rates of school-based victimization than their peers, and this victimization contributes to higher risk of suicide, substance misuse, mental disorder, and unsafe sexual experiences. In addition, these experiences may increase LGBTQ students' interactions with school authorities and, subsequently, increase their risk of school discipline and involvement in the justice system. Using a sample of 8,215 LGBTQ middle and high school students in the United States surveyed online in 2015, this article explores the relationships between peer victimization and higher school disciplinary and justice system involvement among LGBTQ youth. Results indicate that LGBTQ youth who are victimized at school experience greater school discipline, including disciplinary referrals to school administration, school detention, suspension, and expulsion; and greater involvement in the justice system as a result of school discipline, including arrest, adjudication, and detention in a juvenile or adult facility. Moreover, school staff responses to victimization partially explain this relationship: Students reporting that staff responded to victimization in a discriminatory or unhelpful fashion experienced higher rates of school discipline and justice system involvement than those reporting that staff responded more effectively. Schools must confront pervasive anti-LGBTQ victimization and ineffective or biased responses from school staff to reduce unnecessary disciplinary involvement.


Concanavalin A, a T cell mitogen enhanced DNA synthesis in murine splenocytes. Amongst the early signals prior to this event was an increase in cytosolic calcium derived from both intra- and extracellular sources. The requirements for extracellular calcium persisted for four hours after the lectin administration which itself was needed for six hours. Putative calcium channel antagonists and calmodulin inhibitors blocked ihe increase in DNA synthesis. The calcium signal was mimicked by application of the ionophore, A23187, although no increase in DNA synthesis occurred. An activator of protein kinase C, 12-0- tetradecanoylphorbol 13-acetate, had little effect in isolation but the combined application of these two agents greatly enhanced DNA synthesis. The natural mediators of these events are presumed to be inositol trisphosphate and diacylglycerol derived from phosphatidylinositol bisphosphate hydrolysis. Lectin application and protein kinase C activation both increased intracellular pH possibly as a result of Na'l'/H"'' exchange since amiloride an inhibitor of this antiporter inhibited lectin induced DNA synthesis. The calcium and hydrogen ionic changes occur within minutes of lectin application; the protracted requirement for this mitogen suggests further signalling mechanisms occur to elicit maximum DNA synthesis in these cells. Gonadectomy caused an increase in thymic and splenic weight. Spleno-cytes derived from castrated mice showed no change in mitogen response whereas those from ovariectomised mice demonstrated a reduced lectin sensitivity. Testosterone, 5 a dihydrotestosterone, a and 0 oestradiol all inhibited lectin induced DNA synthesis but only at pharmacological concentrations. Testosterone glucuronide and cholesterol were without effect Studies with mouse serum fractions of differing steroidal status were unable to confirm the presence or absence of serum factors which might mediate the effects of steroid on lymphoid cells, all fractions tested inhibited lymphocyte transformation. Both interleukin-2 and lipopolysaccharide induced splenocyte mitogene-sis was also impaired by high steroid concentrations in vitro, suggesting that steroids mediate their effect by a non-specific, non-receptor-mediated event.


Prokaryotic cell-free systems are currently heavily used for the production of protein that can be otherwise challenging to produce in cells. However, historically cell-free systems were used to explore natural phenomena before the advent of genetic modification and transformation technology. Recently, synthetic biology has seen a resurgence of this historical use of cell-free systems as a prototyping tool of synthetic and natural genetic circuits. For these cell-free systems to be effective prototyping tools, an understanding of cell-free system mechanics must be established that is not purely protein-expression driven. Here we discuss the development of E. coli-based cell-free systems, with an emphasis on documenting published extract and energy preparation methods into a uniform format. We also discuss additional considerations when applying cell-free systems to synthetic biology.


Sulfate replacement of potassium dihydrogen phosphate (KDP) was studied by the first-principles simulation method and the density of of its states was calculated. We found that sulfate can reduce the band gap of KDP crystal to 3.90eV (318nm), which is consistent with the experimental work of others and indicates that sulfate may be a source of the low damage threshold.


This study reports on recurring difficulties experienced by undergraduate students with respect to understanding and interpretation of certain symbolism, nomenclature, terminology, shorthand notation, models and other visual representations employed in the field of Molecular Biology to communicate information. Based on teaching experience and guidelines set out by a four-level methodological framework, data on various topic-related difficulties was obtained by inductive analyses of students' written responses to specifically designed, free-response and focused probes. In addition, interviews, thinkaloud exercises and student-generated diagrams were also used to collect information. Both unanticipated and recurring difficulties were compared with scientifically correct propositional knowledge, categorized and subsequently classified. Students were adept at providing the meaning of the symbol "Δ" in various scientific contexts; however, some failed to recognize its use to depict the deletion of a leucine biosynthesis gene in the form, Δ leu. "Hazard to leucine", "change to leucine" and "abbreviation for isoleucine" were some of the erroneous interpretations of this polysemic symbol. Investigations on these definitions suggest a constructivist approach to knowledge construction and the inappropriate transfer of knowledge from prior mental schemata. The symbol, "::", was poorly differentiated by students in its use to indicate gene integration or transposition and in tandem gene fusion. Idiosyncratic perceptions emerged suggesting that it is, for example, a proteinaceous component linking genes in a chromosome or the centromere itself associated with the mitotic spindle or "electrons" between genes in the same way  that it is symbolically shown in Lewis dot diagrams which illustrate covalent bonding between atoms. In an oligonucleotide shorthand notation, some students used valency to differentiate the phosphite trivalent form of the phosphorus atom from the pentavalent phosphodiester group, yet the concept of valency was poorly understood. By virtue of the visual form of a shorthand notation of the 3,5 phosphodiester link in DNA, the valency was incorrectly read. VSEPR theory and the Octet Rule were misunderstood or forgotten when trying to explain the valency of the phosphorus atom in synthetic oligonucleotide intermediates. Plasmid functional domains were generally well-understood although restriction mapping appeared to be a cognitively demanding task. Rote learning and substitution of definitions were evident in the explanation of promoter and operator functions. The concept of gene expression posed difficulties to many students who believed that genes contain the entity they encode. Transcription and translation of in tandem gene fusions were poorly explained by some students as was the effect of plasmid conformation on transformation and gene expression. With regard to the selection of transformants or the hybridoma, some students could not engage in reasoning or lateral thinking as protoconcepts and domain-specific information were poorly understood. A failure to integrate and reason with factual information on phenotypic traits, media components and biochemical pathways were evident in written and oral presentations. DNA-strand nomenclature and associated function were problematic to some students as they failed to differentiate coding strand from template strand and were prone to interchange the labelling of these. A substitution of labels with those characterizing DNA replication intermediates demonstrated erroneous information transfer. DNA replication models posed difficulties integrating molecular mechanisms and detail with line drawings, coupled with inaccurate illustrations of sequential replication features. Finally, a remediation model is presented, demonstrating a shift in assessment score dispersion from a range of 0 4.5 to 4 9 when learners are guided metacognitively to work with domain-specific or critical knowledge from an information bank. The present work shows that varied forms of symbolism can present students with complex learning difficulties as the underlying information depicted by these is understood in a superficial way. It is imperative that future studies be focused on the standardization of symbol use, perhaps governed by convention that determines the manner in which threshold information is disseminated on symbol use, coupled by innovative teaching strategies which facilitate an improved understanding of the use of symbolic representations in Molecular Biology. As Molecular Biology advances, it is likely that experts will continue to use new and diverse forms of symbolic representations to explain their findings. The explanation of futuristic Science is likely to develop a symbolic language that will impose great teaching  challenges and unimaginable learning difficulties to new generation teachers and learners, respectively. URI http://hdl.handle.net/10413/3562 Collections Doctoral Degrees (Biochemistry) [75] DSpace software copyright © 2002-2013 Duraspace Contact Us | Send Feedback Theme by Biochemistry students' difficulties with the symbolic and visual language used in molecular biology 


In this paper, the existence and uniqueness of the weak generalized solution of a mixed problem with periodic boundary condition for a quasi-linear Euler-Bernoulli equation are examined, and an estimation of the differences between the exact and approximate solution is ob- tained. In order to solve the problem, first the test functions are given, then the weak generalized solution of the problem is defined in terms of these functions. The weak solution is expressed as a Fourier series with undetermined variable coefficients, and a system of non-linear infinite integral equations for the coefficients mentioned above is obtained. The existence and uniqueness of the solution of the system are proved by the successive approximation method on the Banach space BT. Finally, in view of the practical importance of the problem, the norm of the differ- ence between the exact solution and successive approximations of the infinite system is estimated on the space BT.


The prediction of reactor antineutrino spectra will play a crucial role as reactor experiments enter the precision era. The positron energy spectrum of 3.5 million antineutrino inverse beta decay reactions observed by the Daya Bay experiment, in combination with the fission rates of fissile isotopes in the reactor, is used to extract the positron energy spectra resulting from the fission of specific isotopes. This information can be used to produce a precise, data-based prediction of the antineutrino energy spectrum in other reactor antineutrino experiments with different fission fractions than Daya Bay. The positron energy spectra are unfolded to obtain the antineutrino energy spectra by removing the contribution from detector response with the Wiener-SVD unfolding method. Consistent results are obtained with other unfolding methods. A technique to construct a data-based prediction of the reactor antineutrino energy spectrum is proposed and investigated. Given the reactor fission fractions, the technique can predict the energy spectrum to a 2% precision. In addition, we illustrate how to perform a rigorous comparison between the unfolded antineutrino spectrum and a theoretical model prediction that avoids the input model bias of the unfolding method.


Alloy CuSn6 (UNS C51900) is a high-performance copper alloy. Typical uses include components for the electronics industry such as connector springs, relays, leaf springs, and switches as well as machine parts. This datasheet provides information on composition, physical properties, hardness, tensile properties, and bend strength. It also includes information on corrosion resistance as well as forming and joining. Filing Code: Cu-873. Producer or source: Gebr. Kemper GmbH + Company KG Metallwerke.


The 'long' fourteenth century perhaps can be seen as Thessalonica's heyday. Alongside its growing commercial prowess, the city was developing into an important centre of government, where members of the Byzantine imperial family of the Palaiologoi ruled independently under full imperial titles, striking coinage and following an increasingly autonomous external policy. It was also developing into a formidable centre for letters, education, and artistic expression, due in part to Palaiologan patronage. This volume sets out the political and commercial landscape of Thessalonica between 1303 and 1430, when the city fell to the Ottoman Turks, before focusing on the literary and hymnographical aspects of the city's cultural history and its legacy. The cosmopolitan nature of urban life in Thessalonica, the polyphony of opinions it experienced and expressed, its multiple links with centres such as Constantinople, Adrianople, Athos, Lemnos and Lesvos, and the diversity and strength of its authorial voices make the study of the city's cultural life a vital part of our understanding of the Byzantine Eastern Mediterranean.


DNA polymerases maintain genomic integrity by copying DNA with high fidelity. A conformational change important for fidelity is the motion of the polymerase fingers subdomain from an open to a closed conformation upon binding of a complementary nucleotide. We previously employed intra-protein single-molecule FRET on diffusing molecules to observe fingers conformations in polymerase–DNA complexes. Here, we used the same FRET ruler on surface-immobilized complexes to observe fingers-opening and closing of individual polymerase molecules in real time. Our results revealed the presence of intrinsic dynamics in the binary complex, characterized by slow fingers-closing and fast fingers-opening. When binary complexes were incubated with increasing concentrations of complementary nucleotide, the fingers-closing rate increased, strongly supporting an induced-fit model for nucleotide recognition. Meanwhile, the opening rate in ternary complexes with complementary nucleotide was 6 s−1, much slower than either fingers closing or the rate-limiting step in the forward direction; this rate balance ensures that, after nucleotide binding and fingers-closing, nucleotide incorporation is overwhelmingly likely to occur. Our results for ternary complexes with a non-complementary dNTP confirmed the presence of a state corresponding to partially closed fingers and suggested a radically different rate balance regarding fingers transitions, which allows polymerase to achieve high fidelity.