To address the issues of taxonomic delimitation and to select the material with desirable traits for horticultural use, a comprehensive study of the total variability of morphological characters of two naturally occurring snowdrop species (Galanthus nivalis L. and Galanthus elwesii Hook.) in the central part of the Balkan Peninsula was conducted. The analyses were performed for 16 quantitative characters of aboveground parts of 630 plants collected at 21 geographical points in the territory of the Republic of Serbia. To identify the trends in morphological differentiation, descriptive, univariate and multivariate statistical procedures were employed. Most of the examined characters exhibited moderate degrees of variability (cv from 10% to 20%) and the values of several characters exceeded the limits of variation stated in literature. Samples were mostly morphometrically homogeneous, with comparatively high similarity; only four populations of G. nivalis from the southern and southeastern part of the country were discrete. It is questionable whether these populations merit formal taxonomic recognition at any infraspecific level, but given their decorative qualities, the selected plants can be introduced into cultivation as horticultural plants.


High-resolution in situ hybridization has allowed the distribution of specific nucleic acids to be visualized within cells. This has revealed the extent to which nucleic acids exhibit intracellular spatial organization. Hybridization of nonisotopically labeled probes can be detected with high resolution using fluorescence or alkaline phosphatase for light microscopy or colloidal gold for electron microscopy. Results of this approach have shown that messenger RNAs for specific proteins, nuclear transcripts, or the gene for those transcripts all can exhibit non-random intracellular locations. Actin mRNA can be seen localized in the periphery of motile cells, just proximal to the lamellipodia. Highly localized distributions of EBV primary transcripts can be visualized in some cases creating an elongated track of specific RNA. These nuclear transcripts could be seen associated with the nuclear matrix. Further evidence indicates that the genes from which specific RNAs derive may themselves show defined spatial organization. This work sheds light on a level of cellular organization indicating that nucleic acid sequences contain spatial positioning information and therefore can influence the genesis of cellular structure and function.


Ostrom's design principles have been broadly used to analyse the governance of common pool resources. However, they are normally assessed as present or absent. We challenge this assumption by considering them as fuzzy sets where membership scores range from 0 to 1, because, in real situations, the design principles can be present at a certain level. We define categories to assess the level of membership and apply it to a single case study analysing how changes in water policy can affect the community-based management of the Water User Association of Mondomo (Colombia). In rural areas of Colombia, most water and sanitation services are provided by water user associations, wherein civil society has developed governance systems based on active citizen involvement and community-based management. Some of these associations have been operating for decades and are essential pillars of the local social fabric. However, recent changes in the country's policy and legal framework threaten these long-lasting governance systems. The results show that most of the design principles would suffer important changes that undermine the governance system. Essential principles for sustainable community-based governance, such as the congruence of the rules with local conditions, the local monitoring and sanctioning capacities, the internal conflict-resolution mechanisms and the recognition of the rights to organize, are dramatically reduced after the policy implementation.


After a stroke, diabetes makes Hemorrhagic Transformation (HT) worse and affects clinical outcomes. Diabetes in women increases the likelihood of stroke and has a negative impact on recovery. HT in male rats is mediated by activation of Matrix Metalloprotease 3 (MMP3) in hyperglycemic conditions, as we have demonstrated. The purpose of the current study was to test the hypotheses that, in light of our recent findings those diabetic female rats develop greater HT: 1) Cerebral microvascular MMP3 actuation adds to poor utilitarian results and expanded hemorrhagic changes (HT) after ischemic stroke, and 2) MMP3 restraint can work on practical results in female diabetic rodents. Middle Cerebral Artery Occlusion (MCAO) was performed for 60 minutes on diabetic and control wistar female rats. A single dose of an MMP3 inhibitor (UK356618 ) was administered to diabetic animals in one cohort. 15 mg/kg or automobile following reperfusion. Brain tissue was tested for neurobehavioral outcomes, brain infarct size, edema, HT, and MMPs. Day 3 after a stroke, diabetic rats had significant neurological impairments. Both the micro and macro vessels of diabetic animals showed significant increases in MMP3 expression and enzyme activity. Brain edema and HT scores were both reduced and functional outcomes were improved by MMP3 inhibition. All in all, cerebral endothelial MMP3 actuation to vascular injury in female diabetic rodents. MMP3 is identified as a potential therapeutic target for diabetic stroke by our findings.


Polydimethylsiloxane, the most common microchannel material, effectively absorbs acoustic waves and converts the acoustic energy into thermal energy. Here, we quantitatively characterize this phenomenon and develop a heating platform that offers spatiotemporal temperature control in two dimensions. We demonstrate the use of this heating platform to innovate thermochromic displays (TCDs). A TCD comprises a display layer covered with a thermochromic substance and a heater attached to the bottom of the display layer. The thermochromic substance is opaque at room temperature and becomes translucent when heated beyond a transition temperature. Consequently, the TCDs deliver visual information concealed beneath the thermochromic substance by controlling the temperature of the display layer. The previously reported TCDs have limitations including restricted flexibility in display information and cumbersome spatiotemporal temperature control. We address these limitations by developing a disposable TCD system using our spatiotemporally controllable heating platform. The utility of the proposed system is demonstrated in shutter-type TCDs for coloured, intricate picture displays, as well as in segment-type TCDs for on-demand information displays of alphanumeric characters. Finally, we propose a new type of TCD that can represent colour gradients based on the ability of the heating technique to generate free-form, continuous temperature gradients.


Orbit averaging techniques are used to develop analytical approximations of circle-to-circle low-thrust trajectory transfers with plane-change about the Sun. Separate expressions are developed for constant acceleration, or thrust, electric propulsion, solar sail propulsion and combined, or hybrid electric (constant acceleration or thrust) / solar sail propulsion. The analytical expressions uniquely allow the structure of circle-to-circle low-thrust trajectory transfers with plane-change about the Sun to be understood, and the optimal trajectory structure is analytically derived for each propulsion system considered. It is found that the optimal fixed thrust electric propulsion transfer reduces the orbit radius with no plane change and then performs the plane-change, while the optimal solar sail and hybrid transfers combine the reduction of orbit radius with some plane change, before then completing the plane change. The optimal level of plane change during the reduction of orbit radius is derived and it is found the analytically-derived minimum time solar sail transfer is within 1% of the numerically-derived optimal transfer. It is also found that, under the conditions considered, a sail characteristic acceleration of less than 0.5 mm/s2 can, in 5-years, attain a solar orbit that maintains the observer-to-solar pole zenith angle below 40 degrees for 25 days; the approximate sidereal rotation period of the Sun. However, a sail characteristic acceleration of more than 0.5 mm/s2 is required to attain an observer-to-solar pole zenith angle below 30 degrees for 25 days within 5-years of launch. Finally, it was found that the hybridization of electric propulsion and solar sail propulsion was, typically, of more benefit when the system was thrust constrained than when it was mass constrained.


Previous literature suggests that weather based index insurance has the potential to greatly benefit poor rural households that are exposed to significant sources of systemic risk. This study proposes a simple model of how providing index insurance may reduce moral hazard problems inherent in microfinance contracts. Through increasing the value of the dynamic incentive of repayment, the model demonstrates that providing index insurance can increase endogenous effort choice, particularly for joint liability loans, provided that insurance premiums are sufficiently low.


Evidence from the Panel Study of Income Dynamics shows that while the majority of job changers who state they were not fired or laid off choose jobs with wages that are higher than their previous jobs, a substantial proportion of these job changers choose jobs that have lower wages. A model is constructed that is consistent with workers choosing a career path that entails a job change to either a higher paying or lower paying job. In the model, a job consists of a tied wage and amenity package. Due to compensating wage differentials, higher wages are paid where other job amenities are unattractive. Given this, a worker chooses a career path that leads to a job change where the wage in the new job may be higher or lower than in the previous job, with the actual choice being determined by the rate of time preference.


The study examines two dimensions of IT outsourcing contract structure: contract specificity and flexibility. We posit that the contract structures are influenced by (a) relational elements such as prior interactions, current nature of relationship between the contracting parties, and future interactions; and by (b) the attributes of transactions such as investment specificity and task and technology complexity of the outsourcing activities. We argue that balancing out the contract structure in terms of specificity and flexibility will influence the outsourcing performance and relationship management. Well-designed balance between contract specificity and flexibility is more likely to lead to the outsourcing success. Using publicly available data from 112 IT outsourcing contracts, we empirically test the proposed model. Our analysis provides evidence that relational elements significantly explain contract specificity and flexibility in this sample of contracts. The results suggest that relational factors are important to the management of inter-firm relationships in outsourcing exchange. Furthermore, we find that more investment specificity and task complexity are associated with higher levels of contract specificity and flexibility. Choices of contract structure influence the outsourcing outcomes. Our study, based on examination of contract terms in IT outsourcing contracts, provides guidelines for the design of service contracts, especially for IT outsourcing contracts and business-process outsourcing contracts. It supplements the current limited understanding about contract design and management.


The focus of this dissertation is the design, construction and function of the South Stoa at Corinth in its initial phase. The South Stoa was first published in a monograph by Oscar Broneer in 1954.1 In addition to dealing with the Greek and Roman phases of the building, Broneer's study also dealt with the "pre-stoa" remains. Certain aspects of the architecture of the stoa, however, were either treated only briefly or were entirely left out of the publication. While it was one of the first attempts at a full study of a secular Greek building, several conclusions deserve re-evaluation, including the date of construction and the design of the building in its initial phase, which has an impact on subsequent phases of remodeling, the function of the building, as well as its place in the historical development of stoas. Re-evaluation of the in situ remains of the stoa combined with newly identified architectural fragments of the building, particularly from the superstructure, provide important evidence to suggest an alternative reconstruction to that previously put forward. This new reconstruction is presented as the most likely solution, in awareness of the possibility that future finds may give rise to modification. As will be shown, the staircases inside the first and last front rooms of the stoa do not belong to the initial building phase as previously thought, but instead date to the Roman period, while evidence in the form of foundations and cuttings for a staircase inside the colonnade at the west end of the stoa, dated prior to 146 B.C., belongs to the initial phase of the building and calls for an entirely different interior reconstruction. The date of the stoa, which has fluctuated from sometime after the middle of the fourth century B.C. (340-320 B.C.) to the early decades of the third century B.C., can now be more precisely determined in view of recent examination of pottery deposits from beneath the stoa terrace, which was built prior to the stoa's construction. These deposits have been dated between 300-290 B.C., which would push the date of the stoa's construction to the beginning decades of the third century B.C. This has considerable bearing on the early development of Hellenistic stoas and on the stylistic chronology of several other buildings built around the end of the fourth century B.C. Having resolved aspects of the reconstruction and situated the stoa chronologically, the focus of this study moves on to design considerations, including examination of the proportions and of the ancient foot unit used in the design of the building. Construction and statics of the building are also considered.


The word 'remix' marks venerable and longstanding creative practices and embeds them in a particular aesthetic, social and technological conjuncture. This is both the strength and the weakness of the term: in foreshortening the histories of that which it now names, it highlights the relationship between the participatory affordances of contemporary media technologies and the sense of contemporary media flows as recombinant; as involving the distributed reassembly, reconfiguration and circulation of pre-existing cultural and material elements. Remix situates this work as both artefact and practice, noun and verb. The risk is that in doing so, it is both dehistoricizing, and oddly anachronistic and 'analogue'. One is always somehow waiting for the post-remix, or the premix (the 'mix' itself implies a slippage, an acknowledgement of multiplicity at the site of origin).


The combination of Global Navigation Satellite Systems (GNSS) and Inertial Navigation System (INS) has become the baseline of many vehicular applications. However, in challenging GNSS scenarios, classical GNSS/INS integration estimators are very sensitive to multiple measurement faults (e.g., due to multipath). In this work, we design a tightly-coupled integration between GNSS and INS where we modify the update step of a classical Extended Kalman Filter (EKF) to consider more robust estimators, like M-estimators. We consider different faulty scenarios where the pseudoranges contain one or several non-modeled biases and ramps. The tightly-coupled GNSS/INS robust Kalman filter performance in the presence of faults is compared with the classical EKF and with a loosely-coupled Robust-GNSS/INS approach. The robust tightly-coupled version is able to minimize more efficiently the faults effect thanks to the direct redundancy of the inertial sensor within the robust estimator.


A rapidly growing population and industrialization have caused the exploitation of natural resources in keeping with fossil fuels shortage. Due to the combustion of fossil fuels, the concentration of CO2 in the earth's atmosphere, which is a potent greenhouse gas, has been increasing dramatically and contributes to the current climate change. Meanwhile, CO2 can be considered as an abundant and inexpensive carbon feedstock, especially if carbon sequestration is required for future fossil fuel-based power stations. Electrochemical reduction of CO2 to form useful chemicals or fuels is a potentially efficient method of CO2 utilization and recycling. The advantage of the electrochemical CO2 reduction is that natural renewable sources, like solar power, wind power, hydropower or nuclear power can supply electric power for CO2 conversion. Various products, such as carbon monoxide, oxalic acid, formic acid, alcohols and hydrocarbons have been reduced from CO2 First in chapter 1, the general remarks about electrochemical reduction of CO2, especially on metal electrodes are introduced. It also includes the introduction of photoelectochemical CO2 reduction and literature review study about electrocatalytic CO2 reduction with organic molecules as mediators and catalysts. In chapter 2, our interest in Mo-based electrocatalysts led us to study the activity of MoO2 for CO2 reduction. MoO2 microparticles indeed act as an active catalyst for the electrochemical reduction of CO2 in organic solvents such as acetonitrile (MeCN) and dimethylformamide (DMF). In the context of this study, it was found that the CO2 reduction activity is much higher at -20 oC than at RT, and it can be promoted by a small amount of water. The selectivity of CO2 reduction depends on the temperature, overpotential and water concentration. Chapter 3 describes the electrochemical reduction of CO2, improved and modified by using imidazolium ionic liquids (ILs) as an electrolyte in organic solvent with MoO2/Pb electrode. The important role of ILs in changing the pathway of the reduction was observed. Particularly, the use of imidazolium ILs instead of tetraalkylammonium salt as an electrolyte altered the product from oxalate to CO. Besides, the overpotential of the CO2 reduction was shifted to the less negative potentials compared to previous work, and the current density as well increased. At a low water concentration, the catalytic activity was promoted and the total Faradaic efficiency (FE) was up to 100% with more than 60% of CO formation. Furthermore, imidazolium ILs together with our MoO2/Pb electrode lowered the overpotential of CO2 reduction by about 40 mV. In addition to the high selectivity for CO formation, the imidazolium ILs can perform a role as co-catalyst for lowering the CO2 reduction potential. Finally, chapter 4 shows the possibility of photoelectrochemical CO2 reduction to extend our research with various catalysts. In this work, we could derive a photoelectrochemical method to deposit Sn/SnOx catalyst on the surface protected cuprous oxide (Cu2O) photocathodes. The deposition of Sn/SnOx catalyst was optimized on the photocathode and it exhibited reliable CO2 reduction activity in a mild aqueous condition. Sn/SnOx-Cu2O photocathode showed the onset potential of the photocurrent at +0.1 V vs. RHE, which is very promising result. At a constant potential electrolysis of -0.1 V vs. RHE, a FE of 50% for formate formation was obtained and the total FE was around 86%.


The present memorandum summarises the evaluation of microwave sounding data from the Chinese FY-3C polar orbiting satellite at the Met Office and ECMWF. Data from the MWTS-2 and the MWHS-2 instruments are evaluated and, where possible, the characteristics are compared to data from similar instruments with similar temperature or humidity sounding capabilities such as ATMS. MWHS-2 also features channels around the 118 GHz oxygen line, providing capabilities never before available from space. The joint evaluation in two systems is a novel aspect of NWP-based calibration/validation activities, allowing a better attribution of the findings. A very brief assessment of the other instruments relevant to NWP is also provided. The evaluation shows that MWTS-2 overall exhibits a promising noise performance, although crosstrack striping appears to be a stronger feature than for other instruments. The observations evaluated here are biased cold, to an extent that is unusual for similar instruments. The origin of these biases is not yet fully understood, but an improved antenna pattern correction may offer an explanation. An anomalous land/sea-contrast was found for some channels, and an empirical correction has been developed. The correction attributes this feature to cross-channel interference. The MWHS-2 instrument overall exhibits good data quality that is in line with that of other instruments for the 183 GHz channels. The main exception is a different spectral bias pattern for two of the 183 GHz channels, and this warrants further investigations. The new 118 GHz channels show expected data quality, with some air-mass dependent biases that may be linked to radiative transfer modelling or model biases. We provide recommendations for the continued evaluation of the FY-3C data for both instruments in the international cal/val team, in order to optimise the day-1 processing of the future FY-3D data.


In this paper, we discuss how the neighbors affect the decision of consumer behavior over diffusion of innovation. We suggest an agent-based model of diffusion and showed that on an online social network which have both of "scale-free" and "small world" properties, 1) the informative effect can cause a takeoff, but it is not sufficient to reach the completion of diffusion. 2) Meanwhile, the combination of the informative and normative effects can easily bring a takeoff before accelerating the diffusion and reaching the completion in the end. 3) The informative effect makes information propagate fast over a "scale-free" network, and so does the normative effect over a highly clustered network. The traits and the paths of information propagation actually differ.


Transport of bioactive agents through the blood is essential for cardiovascular regulatory processes and drug delivery. Bioactive agents and other solutes infused into the blood through the wall of a blood vessel or released into the blood from an area in the vessel wall spread downstream of the infusion/release region and form a thin boundary layer in which solute concentration is higher than in the rest of the blood. Bioactive agents distributed along the vessel wall affect endothelial cells and regulate biological processes, such as thrombus formation, atherogenesis, and vascular remodeling. To calculate the concentration of solutes in the boundary layer, researchers have generally used numerical simulations. However, to investigate the effect of blood flow, infusion rate, and vessel geometry on the concentration of different solutes, many simulations are needed, leading to a time-consuming effort. In this paper, a relatively simple formula to quantify concentrations in a tube downstream of an infusion/release region is presented. Given known blood-flow rates, tube radius, solute diffusivity, and the length of the infusion region, this formula can be used to quickly estimate solute concentrations when infusion rates are known or to estimate infusion rates when solute concentrations at a point downstream of the infusion region are known. The developed formula is based on boundary layer theory and physical principles. The formula is an approximate solution of the advection-diffusion equations in the boundary layer region when solute concentration is small (dilute solution), infusion rate is modeled as a mass flux, and there is no transport of solute through the wall or chemical reactions downstream of the infusion region. Wall concentrations calculated using the formula developed in this paper were compared to the results from finite element models. Agreement between the results was within 10%. The developed formula could be used in experimental procedures to evaluate drug efficacy, in the design of drug-eluting stents, and to calculate rates of release of bioactive substances at active surfaces using downstream concentration measurements. In addition to being simple and fast to use, the formula gives accurate quantifications of concentrations and infusion rates under steady-state and oscillatory flow conditions, and therefore can be used to estimate boundary layer concentrations under physiological conditions.


Development of a Thickness Accommodation Technique for Origami-Inspired Design Bryce J. Edmondson Department of Mechanical Engineering, BYU Master of Science Designers are constantly searching for new sourcing of inspiration for innovative design. Recently, origami has gained interest as one of these potential sources. Origami literally translated from Japanese means "paper folding" where "oru" means "to fold" and "kami" means "paper". Since paper is insufficient to solve many engineering design problems, designers must turn to other materials. These materials will inevitably be thicker than paper and will often require different folding techniques and considerations. This thesis provides background information describing previous methods to accommodate thickness in origami-inspired design, presents a newly developed technique to address limitations of other methods, and explores the application of the technique. The newly developed technique allows designers to identify a desired motion behavior in an origami model and implement it into a thick mechanism. Many previous methods were incapable of preserving the kinematics and/or restricted usable range of motion. Understanding the capabilities and limitations of thickness accommodation methods empowers designers to better implement inspiration from origami into engineering design. The offset panel technique is further extended to include arbitrary thickness and arbitrary folding plane locations. The technique is verified through creation and testing of hardware, showcasing capabilities and limitations. Demonstration of these capabilities will serve as inspiration for furthering application of thick origami in engineering design. Preliminary work in thick origami led to the design of a thick origami-inspired medical gripper. These origami-inspired forceps, Oriceps, were designed by starting with an origami model exhibiting desired motion, grasping. The Oriceps show some challenges faced with accommodating thickness in adapting an origami model for application.


'Alcohol and drug awareness was considered to be vital for young people in 1st and 3rd year'. p.20 (pdf p.26)

Press release:
Teenagers want reform of the Junior Cycle in second-level schools
Monday, 11th July 2011: Coach House, Dublin Castle

Frances Fitzgerald TD, Minister for Children and Youth Affairs and Ruairi Quinn TD, Minister for Education and Skills jointly launched the Report of a Consultation with young people on reform of the Junior Cycle today. It showed that the participants believed the Junior Cycle should be two years long, allowing for an extra year for the Senior Cycle; more and improved classes in Social, Personal and Health Education (SPHE) and Civic, Social and Political Education (CSPE) were desirable; that Maths and English should be the only mandatory subjects and that more help with the transition to second level would be useful.

Speaking at the launch, Minister Fitzgerald said, 'I am delighted to launch this report because I strongly believe in the importance of consulting with children and young people and enabling their participation in decision-making on issues that affect their lives.'

She noted that 88 young people, aged 12-18, from Comhairle na nOg around Ireland took part in the consultation on reform of the Junior Cycle. 'The young people identified social skills and life skills as extremely important to their lives in Junior Cycle. They want more and improved classes in Social, Personal and Health Education (SPHE) and Civic, Social and Political Education (CSPE). In my role as Minister for Children and Youth Affairs I have seen the growing need for more effective support for young people in developing and maintaining positive mental health and the important role that SPHE can play on those issues,' stated Minister Fitzgerald.

Also speaking at the launch, Ruairi Quinn TD, Minister for Education and Skills said, 'I believe that we all learn most effectively when we experience issues for ourselves, through investigation and research, project and practical work, and group discussion. These are skills for independent learning which will serve us well over a lifetime. It is this kind of active learning which we are trying to promote in the reform of the Junior Cycle.'

Three young people explained the consultation process and outlined the key findings from the report. Dorina Birsanu from Longford Comhairle na nOg and a member of the Dail na nOg Council said, 'Dail na nOg 2010 recommended that the Department of Education and Skills should lengthen the Leaving Cert cycle to 3 years and reduce the Junior Cert cycle to 2 years. As the elected representatives from Dail na nOg, we organised a special consultation for young people to influence the consultation process of the National Council for Curriculum and Assessment (NCCA) on reform on the Junior Cycle.' Padraig Duffy from Louth Comhairle na nOg and the Dail na nOg Council said, 'at the consultation, students highlighted the stress of the move from Primary School to second-level and suggested ideas to ease the transition, including:
• Second-level orientation in 6th class of Primary School
• Mentoring, buddy programmes, clubs, social activities and team-building in 1st year
• In 1st year, teachers should move classrooms rather than students and students should be given school maps.

SPHE, CSPE, English and Maths are the only subjects that young people agreed should be compulsory in Junior Cycle, but they want a broad range of taster subjects in 1st year. Students at the consultation called for more interesting and fun teaching methods, but do not believe that schools should be allowed to develop their own courses.'

Lisa Sheehy from Limerick County Comhairle na nOg and the Dail na nOg Council spoke of the need for more positive feedback, noting that all students should experience success at school.

'Students said that the Junior Cycle is too exam-focussed and that the Junior Certificate Exam is a negative form of assessment, a memory test and does not take into account the different abilities of students,' continued Lisa.

She noted that at the consultation there was no consensus among young people about continuous assessment. However, there was strong agreement on the need for practical assessment of subjects such as portfolios, journals, projects, group work and quizzes.

One of the strongest issues that arose at the consultation was the importance of life skills and social skills and the need for more classes and improved courses in SPHE and CSPE. 'Students called for classes that cover issues such as sexuality, sex education, personal health, alcohol and drug education, politics and study skills. The students believe that SPHE should not be taught by religion teachers and that outside experts need to come into schools to support students with life skills issues.'

'Our consultation report was submitted to the NCCA. We hope that the Framework on the Junior Cycle being developed by NCCA will take on board the views of young people from this report,' concluded Lisa.

Editor's notes:
The Dail na nOg Council is a group of 34 young people elected from each Comhairle na nOg in the country to follow-up on the key recommendations from Dail na nOg. The Council has a term of office of two years and is supported by staff from the Department of Children and Youth Affairs and the National Youth Council of Ireland to engage with key politicians and policy makers in progressing the issues on which they were mandated at Dail na nOg. The consultation with young people on the reform of the Junior Cycle took place on 13th November 2010 organised by the Office of the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs (OMCYA), the National Council for Curriculum and Assessment (NCCA) and the Dail na nOg Council. A total of 88 young people, aged 12-18, from Comhairli na nOg around Ireland took part in the consultation.


We determine the site and bond percolation thresholds for a system of disordered jammed sphere packings in the maximally random jammed state, generated by the Torquato–Jiao algorithm. For the site threshold, which gives the fraction of conducting versus non-conducting spheres necessary for percolation, we find pc=0.3116(3), consistent with the 1979 value of Powell 0.310(5) and identical within errors to the threshold for the simple-cubic lattice, 0.311 608, which shares the same average coordination number of 6. In terms of the volume fraction ϕ, the threshold corresponds to a critical value ϕc=0.199. For the bond threshold, which apparently was not measured before, we find pc=0.2424(3). To find these thresholds, we considered two shape-dependent universal ratios involving the size of the largest cluster, fluctuations in that size, and the second moment of the size distribution; we confirmed the ratios' universality by also studying the simple-cubic lattice with a similar cubic boundary. The results are applicable to many problems including conductivity in random mixtures, glass formation, and drug loading in pharmaceutical tablets.


Following the terrorist attacks on the United States on September 11, 2001, many turned to the field of psychology for greater understanding of the impact of such events and guidance in supporting our citizens. This study sought to gain greater understanding of the differential impact of the September 11th attack on individuals by investigating the influence of age, psychological hardiness, and repression versus sensitization as forms of coping behavior on psychological health. Both an initial cross-sectional sample (172 young adults & 231older adults) and a short-term longitudinal follow-up (39 young adults & 58 older adults) were included in the study. Older age, psychological hardiness and the use of a repressing coping style were found to each individually relate to greater resilience/less dysfunction at both time one and two. For young adults, high hardy repressors faired best, followed by high hardy sensitizers. Low hardy young adults demonstrated similar levels of dysfunction regardless of coping style (repressions/sensitization). For older adults, coping style impacted both high and low hardy individuals equally, with high hardy repressors demonstrating greater functioning. This study attempted to gain greater insight into explanations for these and previous findings of greater resilience among older adults. In explaining the greater resilience of older adults, it seems that coping style is highly important, while hardiness and the impact of history-graded events does not explain the resilience of older adults.


This paper describes the development of ScienceKit, a mobile, social media application to promote children's scientific inquiry. We deployed ScienceKit in Kitchen Chemistry (KC), an informal science program where children learn about scientific inquiry through cooking. By iteratively integrating design and implementation, this study highlights the affordances of social media that facilitate children's trajectories of disposition development in science learning. We illuminate how the technological and curricular design decisions made in ScienceKit and KC constrain or expand the types of data we can collect and the actionable insights about learning we can recognize as both educators and researchers. This study offers suggestions for how information gleaned from social media tools can be employed to strengthen our understanding of learning in practice, and help educators better recognize the rich actions that learners undertake, which may be easily overlooked in face-to-face situations.


In this thesis, the use of a rectangular dielectric-lined waveguide for energy modulation of electron bunches is presented. The choice of waveguide allows for guided THz pulse propagation with phase velocity matched to the electron velocity. The effect of dispersion, in particular group velocity slippage, has been explored and the choice of a narrow bandwidth THz pulse discussed with regards to the increase in interaction length and minimised group velocity dispersion. A coupler was designed for maximising transmission into the accelerating mode of the waveguide. A non-conventional THz source design was required to generate the correct mode. Modelling of the interaction was performed with different methods and tools so as to investigate the required accuracy of simulations. The use of the Time-Domain (TD) and Particle-in-Cell (PIC) solver in CST Microwave Studio (CST-MWS) was compared with purpose-built simulations in Mathematica. It was established that for narrowband THz pulses the interaction as a function of time delay between THz and the bunch is well approximated by a sinusoidal energy modulation. PIC simulations were used to verify the THz bandwidth and centre frequency for which this approximation was valid. A full structure was designed, manufactured and analysed. THz time domain spectroscopy allowed for measurement of the dispersion relation to compare to the model. Dimensional analysis gave the dimensions of the apertures of the structure. The dimensional analysis showed that, due to a manufacturing error, the waveguide dimensions were larger than designed. Experimental work performed using the CLARA beam at Daresbury Laboratory demonstrated energy modulation of a long, chirped electron bunch. This has potential for use as a bunch diagnostic to assess the time-dependent properties. The THz source was of limited energy, showing that only small laser power is required for such a scheme. An energy spread increase of approximately 8 keV was verified, but full bunch acceleration was not observed


We analyze the dependence of the membership probabilities obtained from kinematical variables on the radius of the field of view around open clusters (the sampling radius, Rs). From simulated data, we show that optimal discrimination between cluster members and non-members is achieved when the sampling radius is very close to the cluster radius. At higher Rs values, more field stars tend to be erroneously assigned as cluster members. From real data of two open clusters (NGC 2323 and NGC 2311), we infer that the number of identified cluster members always increases with increasing Rs. However, there is a threshold value Rs,opt above which the identified cluster members are severely contaminated by field stars and the effectiveness of membership determination is relatively small. This optimal sampling radius is � 14 arcmin for NGC 2323 and � 13 arcmin for NGC 2311. We discuss the reasons for this behavior and the relationship between cluster radius and optimal sampling radius. We suggest that, independently of the method used to estimate membership probabilities, several tests using different sampling radius should be performed to evaluate possible biases.


The antimicrobial peptides are a large and diversified group of effector molecules of the innate immune response and constitute the first line of defense against the pathogens. The AMPs (antimicrobial peptides) are produced by several tissues and cell types in plants and in animal species like insects,amphibians and vertebrate. Their aminoacid composition and their chimical-phisical caracteristics linked with structural characteristics, allow them to act with the lipid bilayer of the bacterial membrane, causing the death of microorganisms. The antimicrobial agents seem to have an high potential action on bacterial pathogens for humans, because they are able to act in a selective and combined manner. Moreover they do not induce the phenomenon of antibiotic-resistant on bacteria, which is a quite common factor in traditional antibiotics.
One of the richest natural sources of peptide antibiotics are the secretions of the amphibians and the molecules produced by insects to the defense from external
insults. Therefore, it was decided to analyze some of these molecules, which have small size, strong α-helix structure, and positive net charge, such as Temporins, from the skin of the European red frog (Rana temporaria). The second type of analyzed molecules are Royal-Jelline, produced by cephalic glands of nurse bees (Apis mellifera). The research activities, carried out during the PhD, is part of the DEFENCE project. Studies about the action mechanism of these molecules against opportunistic pathogens, involved in nosocomial infections or associated with food poisoning, have shown their ability to alter the membrane permeability of the target cell, and to act synergistically. In particular, we used a synthetic analogue of Temporin B (TB-KK), which becames able to act in synergy with Temporin A and Royal-Jellina 1. In addition, the mix of Temporin A and Temporin B (TB-KK) was analyzed in live on model organisms (mice) to determine their ability to protect the animal against Gram-positive and Gram-negative and to exert an anti- inflammatory activities, modulating the expression of inflammatory cytokines. Purpose of this study is the identification of peptides, which have the best therapeutic index for protection both from bacterial infections and bacterial components (LPS), main agents of the sepsis pathogenesis. A further aim is finding a possible application of these peptides is in farmacology end agro-industries, as an active-packaging component to increase shelf-life of alimentary products.


The Journal of Critical Thought and Praxis has traditionally published interviews with individuals who have strong connections to our special issue topics. We believe that interviews are important ways to contribute to the conversation surrounding critical issues in social justice. This interview features Dr. Paul Theobald, a scholar who applies historical and philosophical lenses to rural education and what role schools might take in revitalizing community and democracy.


This research studied the characteristics and approaches that contributed to the successful of coral reef management (CRM) efforts.  One such characteristic occurred in most case  studies was the importance of integrating ecological, socio-economic, technological use, and  institutional dimensions during all processes. Based on a multi-dimensional analysis,  the sustainability of CRM was 56.34% cumulatively, indicating a moderate level of management. This study  further suggested the importance to improve  technology and institution to achieve an effective CRM since both dimensions have  contributed only 38.80% and 49.26% respectively.  Stakeholder involvement was also central to the success of networking development within the management of Cenderawasih Bay National Park, specifically in facilitating the integration of ecological, socioeconomic, political will, and local cultural objectives in achieving an optimum planning objectives. Compilations of baselin information (both scientific and local knowledge) were important to evaluate the effectiveness of all processes and for adaptive management to increase its potential in the management strategies. Balancing the integration of all management dimensions (ecology, socio-economic, technology, and institution) in the whole processes with specific attributes in each case, would lead to an adaptive management for the implementation of conservation and management process.


Controlled respiration and mechanical ventilation have long been part of anaesthetic practice. Modern surgery, anaesthetic techniques, and new agents require a reappraisal of this established habit. In many circumstances the adverse effects of mechanical ventilation can be avoided by the use of the laryngeal mask and allowing spontaneous ventilation. In addition to the more prominent advantages, such as less sore throat, reliable assessment of anaesthetic depth, and good recovery, there may be more subtle advantages such as improved cardiopulmonary interaction, better distribution of ventilation, and reduced mechanically induced lung damage. Some of these advantages may be also applied during mechanical ventilation, by allowing continued muscle activity or continuously varying the size of the tidal breaths.Mechanical ventilation is often unnecessary and may be harmful.


Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD) are an urgent health concern as new reports indicate approximately 1 in 110 children are affected by ASD (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 2009). Although children with ASD struggle with social interactions, quantitative meta-analyses have revealed that traditional social skill interventions only produce minimal effects (Bellini, Peters, Benner, & Hopf, 2007). Due to these minimal effects, this study diverged from the common understanding of social skill deficits and introduced an autonomic nervous system circuit as one root of social behavior problems. Children with ASD show a "fight-flight" (i.e., sympathetic) state at baseline and to unfamiliar individuals (e.g., Bal et al., 2010; Vaughan Van Hecke et al., 2009). Research indicates, however, that music has the ability to calm cardiovascular functioning (Iwanaga, Kobayashi, & Kawasaki, 2005) and improve social behaviors in children with ASD (Whipple, 2004). This study recruited participants (N = 23) between 4-7 years old with a previously diagnosed ASD. Each participant was assigned to a Music group, n = 11, or an Audiobook group, n = 12. The 90-minute experimental session consisted of a receptive vocabulary assessment and psychophysiological monitoring during a baseline video, social engagement task, listening period, and a recovery video. A soothed autonomic state was measured by increased high frequency heart rate variability and decreased heart rate. Results indicated a significant soothing effect for the Music group. Moreover, the Music group evidenced a significant increase in social attention (e.g., joint attention and sharing emotions) relative to the Audiobook group. Mediation analyses may reveal partial mediation for the soothed autonomic state on the relationship between group and social attention improvements. Thus, these results suggest that social skill interventions may not be targeting a core element of social deficits (i.e., over-aroused autonomic state).


This article considers the various strands that make up the classical architectural tradition in South Africa. In the last quarter of the nineteenth century and the beginning of the twentieth, under British rule the tradition of the Palladian style for civic buildings and of Graeco-Roman building styles for institutions of higher learning reflected the imperial ideals of South Africa's political overlords. This was the tradition in which Sir Herbert Baker had been trained and which he encountered when he reached South Africa late in the nineteenth century. South African architecture would have been less rich without the strong influence of Cecil John Rhodes' admiration for indigenous Cape Dutch architecture on Baker's architectural taste. This architecture was strongly rooted in another aspect of the classical tradition. During Dutch economic and imperial rule, the northern European style of classicistic or baroque gabling on perpendicular buildings had at the Cape been translated into the gables of sprawling low buildings. Illustrations show earlier examples of classical styles at the Cape, including examples of the second classical strain (via Holland and Germany) in South African architecture, so much admired by Rhodes. The article continues with an examination of some of Baker's best known buildings that show a blending of these two strands. It ends with some thoughts on the durability of the Classical tradition and neo-classical vestiges in post-colonial (and postapartheid) South Africa.


Ultraviolet-B radiation (UVB; 280-315 nm) is a significant environmental factor that alters plant development, changes interactions between species, and reduces the prevalence of pests and diseases. While UVB radiation has negative effects on plant growth and performance at higher doses, at lower and ambient doses, UVB radiation acts as a non-chemical method for managing biotic stresses by having positive effects on disease resistance and genes that protect plants from pests. Understanding the recent relationship between UVB radiation and plants' biotic stresses is crucial for the development of crops that are resistant to UVB and biotic stresses. However, little is known about the recent interactions between UVB radiation and biotic stresses in plants. This review discusses the most recent connections between UVB radiation and biotic stresses in crops, including how UVB radiation affects a plant's resistance to disease and pests. The interaction of UVB radiation with pathogens and herbivores has been the subject of the most extensive research of these. This review also discusses additional potential strategies for conferring multiple UVB-biotic stress resistance in crop plants, such as controlling growth inhibition, miRNA 396 and 398 modulations, and MAP kinase. This study provides crucial knowledge and methods for scientists looking to develop multiple resistant crops that will improve global food security.


The measured optical constants for the principal directions in these crystals are presented for the infrared out to about 20 μ. A comparison is made, using an Argand diagram, with simple free-electron theory and it is concluded that such an interpretation is not applicable to the results. Interband transitions may be stronger at these wavelengths than was previously believed.


An aeromagnetic survey of central Utah has given improved resolution of a regional anomaly previously recognized from satellite magnetometer data. The anomaly consists of a gradient from a high over the Colorado Plateau to a low over the Basin Range province. Magnetic profiles are fit by a model in which the Curie isotherm deepens eastward in a belt up to 80 km wide, whose western side is about 50 km east of the Basin Range physiographic margin. The magnetic profiles could also be fit be a change of average crustal susceptibility instead of Curie depth. In either case we conclude that the major lateral change between Basin Range and Colorado Plateau crustal geophysical parameters occurs not at the Fenneman physiographic boundary but more than 50 km eastward of it. This suggestion is found to be consistent with data from seismic refraction, geomagnetic variation, geochemistry, and geologic structures.


The anionic half-sandwich complex Na+ [CpCo[P(O)(OEt)2]3]- (NaL; Cp = h5-cyclopentadienyl) crystallizes as the trimeric aggregate (NaL)3.2H2O. The complex anion L- reacts as an O tripod ligand with M(CO)6 to form [LM(CO)3]- [I; M = Mo (II), M = W]. II reacts with allyl iodide to give [LMo(CO)2(h3-C3H5)]. The hydride complexes [LM(CO)3H] (III), obtained by protonating I, undergo insertion reactions with isoprene to give the allyl complexes [LM(CO)2(h3-C5H9)]. III [M = W (IV)] is halogenated to give [LW(CO)3X] (X = Cl, Br, iodo). Air oxidn. of IV yields the oxo complex L2W2O6. The ML2 complexes [VOL2], [VL2]PF6, [CrL2]PF6, [TiL2]PF6 and [TiL2](PF6)2 are prepd. by treating NaL in H2O or THF with oxovanadium(IV), V(III), Cr(III) and Ti(III) salts. The mixed-ligand complexes [LSnCl3], [LZrCl3], [LMo(O)Cl2], Ph4P[LRhCl3] and [LRhCl2]2 are prepd. analogously.


The question whether taxonomic descriptions naming new animal species without type specimen(s) deposited in collections should be accepted for publication by scientific journals and allowed by the Code has already been discussed in Zootaxa (Dubois & Nemésio 2007; Donegan 2008, 2009; Nemésio 2009a-b; Dubois 2009; Gentile & Snell 2009; Minelli 2009; Cianferoni & Bartolozzi 2016; Amorim et al. 2016). This question was again raised in a letter supported by 35 signatories published in the journal Nature (Pape et al. 2016) on 15 September 2016. On 25 September 2016, the following rebuttal (strictly limited to 300 words as per the editorial rules of Nature) was submitted to Nature, which on 18 October 2016 refused to publish it. As we think this problem is a very important one for zoological taxonomy, this text is published here exactly as submitted to Nature, followed by the list of the 493 taxonomists and collection-based researchers who signed it in the short time span from 20 September to 6 October 2016.


Good management of coffee collections is important because they ensure long-term availability of germplasm to guarantee the sustainability of coffee value chain. The conservation of coffee genetic resources is essential to provide the raw materials for breeding and improvement of the crop. Many genetic resources of wild arabica coffee have been collected in the second half of the 20th century by several international collecting missions, including by Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations, ORSTOM (now IRD), Centre de coopération internationale en recherche agronomique pour le développement (CIRAD), and IPGRI (now Bioversity International), and are conserved in several national genebanks and at the CATIE International Coffee Collection (CICC) in Turrialba, Costa Rica. Over the past decades, many of the original accessions of the CICC have become threatened due to age, pests and diseases, inadequate management, and waterlogging. There is thus an urgent need to rejuvenate and rationalize the collection to ensure the long-term maintenance of the genetic diversity of the original accessions. Here we present the methodological approach we followed to carry out an in-depth assessment of the status of the coffee collection at CATIE and to prioritize accession-specific actions for the rationalization of the collection. This can be used as a model for other collections to assess and rationalize their own field genebank, with a view to improving their management in the most cost-effective way. The study identified many discrepancies between the number of accessions in the field and genebank records and revealed that 80 accessions have been lost from the collection since 2014 and that approximately 80% of the accessions were threatened and in need of intervention. Furthermore, the in-depth study identified the most diverse and valued accessions for the rationalization of the CICC field genebank and those that are in urgent need of safety duplication.


Data portraits depict their subjects' accumulated data rather than their faces. They can be visualizations of discussion contributions, browsing histories, social networks, travel patterns, etc. They are subjective renderings that mediate between the artist's vision, the subject's self-presentation, and the audience's interest. Designed to evocatively depict an individual, a data portrait can be a decorative object or be used as an avatar, one's information body for an online space.
 Data portraits raise questions about privacy, control, aesthetics, and social cognition. These questions become increasingly important as more of our interactions occur online, where we exist as data, not bodies.


The goal of UHC (Universal Health Coverage) is to 'ensure that all people obtain the health services they need without suffering financial hardship when paying for them'. There are many dense connections between the goal of UHC, and the State's legal obligation to realize the human right to the highest attainable standard of health ('right to health'). In light of this goal, it is important to assess private sector involvement in the health sector. For example, private actors may not always have the incentives to deal with externalities that affect availability, accessibility, acceptability, and quality of health care related services; they may not be in the position to provide 'public goods'; or they may be subjected to imperfect information. The main question that this paper sets out to answer is: what are the legal human rights obligations imposed on States to regulate private sector involvement in healthcare?


The purpose of this article is to introduce one of the international ship arrest problems, ship arrest trends and compare these trends with the current ship arrest regime in Lithuania. The research shows that the present international regime is suitable for the current fast-changing society and a new convention should be drafted. The modern view of a ship arrest regime seems to be arrest-friendly since more and more various jurisdictions introduce presumptions or abolish strict requirements to make it easier for the creditor to arrest the vessel. The conclusion is that some changes should be made in Lithuania by introducing separate ship arrest rules in the Civil Procedure Code, which will eliminate uncommon and unnecessary restraints. The article will be useful to anyone interested in maritime law, i.e. lawyers, judges and law students.


Community detection in complex networks is a fundamental problem that attracts much attention across various disciplines. Previous studies have been mostly focusing on external connections between nodes (i.e., topology structure) in the network whereas largely ignoring internal intricacies (i.e., local behavior) of each node. A pair of nodes without any interaction can still share similar internal behaviors. For example, in an enterprise information network, compromised computers controlled by the same intruder often demonstrate similar abnormal behaviors even if they do not connect with each other. In this paper, we study the problem of community detection in enterprise information networks, where large-scale internal events and external events coexist on each host. The discovered host communities, capturing behavioral affinity, can benefit many comparative analysis tasks such as host anomaly assessment. In particular, we propose a novel community detection framework to identify behavior-based host communities in enterprise information networks, purely based on large-scale heterogeneous event data. We continue proposing an efficient method for assessing host's anomaly level by leveraging the detected host communities. Experimental results on enterprise networks demonstrate the effectiveness of our model.


Must the government fulfill a social justice obligation when it takes property and, if so, from where does that obligation arise? Social justice has largely been absent in eminent domain law, particularly in the context of blight removal and economic development condemnations. Government takings too often result in an undue burden on poor people and communities of color in a way that resembles Discovery-era takings of land from American Indians. In the periods of colonization and western expansion of the United States as well as in recent takings, the lack of social justice has had a profound effect: the disproportionate burden and exploitation of people who have the fewest resources - legally, politically, or economically - with which to resist the intrusion of eminent domain. Rooted in an historical framework of social justice, this article examines the pervasive injustice in the realm of eminent domain. Specifically, the article explores the theory of social justice through four lenses: religion, philosophy, mythology, and the law, all of which share the common theme of a social or institutional responsibility and speak to the challenge of eminent domain abuse. The article then critiques competing social justice theories that appear to represent present-day rationales for both sides of the eminent domain debate. This article asserts that social justice requires justice as fairness. Thus, it requires an end to using "blight" and economic development as a pretext to exploit the poor and people of color. It also means implementing policies to restore communities in a way that would allow low-income residents to stay and enjoy the benefits of such improvements.In American society, two distinct paths have emerged in achieving social justice: social movements and legal reform. This article looks at some examples of how social and legal reform movements have transformed the legal and political climate and led to greater social justice. This article contends that, even in the midst of post-Kelo social movements and legal reform, many poor communities continue their struggle to exist. Legal reform has, in large part, failed to address the injustice of carte blanche blight condemnations or to significantly limit unjust economic development condemnations. Furthermore, reform efforts have essentially ignored the plight of displaced low-income residents who are left without affordable housing in a neighborhood of their choosing. "Justice, if we only knew what it was" queried Socrates. As it turns out, in the case of eminent domain law, we know what justice should be: the equal ability of citizens, regardless of race, income or any other distinction, to protect their home and community from unwarranted condemnation.


By synthesizing recent studies employing a wide range of approaches (modern observations, paleo reconstructions, and climate model simulations), this paper provides a comprehensive review of the linkage between multidecadal Atlantic Meridional Overturning Circulation (AMOC) variability and Atlantic Multidecadal Variability (AMV) and associated climate impacts. There is strong observational and modeling evidence that multidecadal AMOC variability is a crucial driver of the observed AMV and associated climate impacts and an important source of enhanced decadal predictability and prediction skill. The AMOC‐AMV linkage is consistent with observed key elements of AMV. Furthermore, this synthesis also points to a leading role of the AMOC in a range of AMV‐related climate phenomena having enormous societal and economic implications, for example, Intertropical Convergence Zone shifts; Sahel and Indian monsoons; Atlantic hurricanes; El Niño–Southern Oscillation; Pacific Decadal Variability; North Atlantic Oscillation; climate over Europe, North America, and Asia; Arctic sea ice and surface air temperature; and hemispheric‐scale surface temperature. Paleoclimate evidence indicates that a similar linkage between multidecadal AMOC variability and AMV and many associated climate impacts may also have existed in the preindustrial era, that AMV has enhanced multidecadal power significantly above a red noise background, and that AMV is not primarily driven by external forcing. The role of the AMOC in AMV and associated climate impacts has been underestimated in most state‐of‐the‐art climate models, posing significant challenges but also great opportunities for substantial future improvements in understanding and predicting AMV and associated climate impacts.


Salinization of soil and water resources exists on a global scale, largely due to irrigated agriculture in semi-arid climates. Coal bed methane (CBM) development, resulting in the co-production of saline-sodic discharge water, is a potential new source of salinzation in the Powder River Basin of Montana and Wyoming. Constructed wetlands may serve to reduce CBM product water volumes while applying saline-sodic product water to a beneficial use. The objective of this study was to assess the potential of constructed wetlands as a new management tool for CBM product water management. To accomplish this, riparian species native to Montana and Wyoming and classified as halophytes were selected as experimental treatments. Species chosen were subjected to saline-sodic conditions designed to mimic CBM product water for a 24-week period and harvested once every 8 weeks. Water use rates, water chemistry, biomass production, forage value, and salinity tolerance of each species were monitored throughout the experimental period. Due to turbulent airflow and high diffusion rates of water vapor from the plant canopy, plant water use rates of mature plants exceeded reference evaporation rates over a range of salinities for most species. For high water use species, ratios between plant water use rates and reference evaporation exceeded 3.00 at lower salinities. High ratios between plant water use and reference evaporation indicate that reference evaporation buckets were not subjected to the same evaporative conditions as the plant canopy, and may not represent potential evapotranspiration. Biomass production of traditional wetland species declined following defoliation and under increasing salinity. Grass species increased biomass production following defoliation and under elevated salinity in the third growth period. Crude protein (CP) also decreased with progressive harvests for wetland species, but increased in the third period for grass species. Based on percent acid detergent fiber and CP, forage value of most species is equal to or greater than average grass hay forage value. Results suggest that wetlands constructed of species analyzed will thrive in salinesodic conditions, and will outperform or perform similarly to evaporation ponds for CBM product water disposal while providing a forage resource and beneficial use.


The IKK complex targets the proapoptotic protein BAD to inhibit TNF-induced apoptosis independently of nuclear factor κB signaling. The cytokine tumor necrosis factor–α (TNF-α) induces apoptosis through its activation of caspase and c-Jun N-terminal kinase (JNK) signaling pathways. Protection from TNF-α–induced apoptosis is thought to be provided mostly by nuclear factor κB (NF-κB) signaling, which results in the expression of gene products that inhibit caspase and JNK signaling. Central to the activation of NF-κB in this pathway is the inhibitor of κB (IκB) kinase (IKK) complex, which phosphorylates IκB, targeting it for proteasomal destruction and liberating NF-κB dimers to translocate to the nucleus to activate target gene expression. Yan et al. provide evidence of an alternative pathway by which the IKK complex inhibits TNF-α–induced apoptosis independently of NF-κB signaling. Treatment with TNF-α resulted in more rapid apoptosis in mouse embryonic fibroblasts (MEFs) deficient in the gene encoding the IKK component IKKβ than in MEFs deficient in the NF-κB subunits RelA and cRel. Knockdown of the proapoptotic protein BAD reduced TNF-α–induced apoptosis in IKKβ-deficient MEFs but not in RelA- and cRel-deficient MEFs. Western blotting analysis showed that TNF-α induced the phosphorylation of BAD in wild-type MEFs but not in IKKβ-deficient MEFs, and in vitro kinase assays showed that IKK phosphorylated BAD at Ser26. MEFs expressing the S26A mutant BAD protein were more susceptible to TNF-α–induced apoptosis than were MEFs expressing wild-type BAD. Phosphorylation of BAD at Ser26 prevented its translocation to the mitochondria and its interaction with (and inactivation of) the antiapoptotic protein BCL-XL. BAD-deficient mice reconstituted with BAD S26A by adenoviral infection showed enhanced mortality in response to TNF-α compared with that of BAD-deficient mice reconstituted with wild-type BAD. Together, these data suggest a mechanism by which IKK inhibits TNF-α–induced apoptosis independently of NF-κB. J. Yan, J. Xiang, Y. Lin, J. Ma, J. Zhang, H. Zhang, J. Sun, N. N. Danial, J. Liu, A. Lin, Inactivation of BAD by IKK inhibits TNFα-induced apoptosis independently of NF-κB activation. Cell 152, 304–315 (2013). [PubMed]


This thesis describes a technology and methodology designed and
developed for the study of certain aspects of reliability in digital
electronics sub-systems, as implemented on field-programmable gate
arrays (FPGAs), while being subjected to small-scale sources of radiation.
The technology developed is in the form of a platform for the FPGA under
investigation, and an associated configuration and test system. The
platforms for the devices are exchangeable, so that a range of different
generations, manufacturers and models of FPGA, or other processing
element, can be investigated. The circuit boards have been designed to fit
inside a small volume, in order to be accommodated by a typical
laboratory desk-top source of radiation such as neutrons, alpha or beta
particles.
To maximise it's usefulness, the test system was designed to be used for a
wide range of investigations and prototyping projects.
In order to prove the applicability of the system developed, an experiment
was run. A triple-module redundant (TMR) system is constructed to test
the raw susceptibility of the underlying FPGAs to faults, and to test how
well the TMR system copes with correcting such errors. This is done while
the whole system is subjected to ionizing radiation in the form of neutrons.
This reveals the effects of radiation on the ICs, and provides an
accelerated test for tolerance to other potential causes of faults.
We are looking for -
- confirmation of theory and other's measurements on upset rate
- confirmation that fault-tolerance works We conclude that: (1) the experimental test system passed the required
tests and measurements, and produces results, (2) the SEU rate, as
measured in the example experiment, is consistent with expectations, and
(3) a conventional commercial FPGA, programmed to perform a function
reliably using triple-module redundancy, will indeed continue to perform
correctly under the influence of SEU-inducing radiation.


Disturbances in serotonergic neurotransmission have been suggested to be closely interlinked with hyperactivity of the hypothalamic‐pituitary‐adrenocortical (HPA) system, and are likely to be involved in the pathophysiology of anxiety disorders and major depression. We therefore investigated markers of serotonergic transmission and their modulation by chronic paroxetine in rats selectively bred for high (HAB) or low (LAB) anxiety‐related behaviour, both under basal conditions and in response to emotional stress. Hippocampal serotonin 1 A (5‐HT1A) receptor mRNA expression was reduced in HAB rats, whereas 5‐HT concentrations in hippocampal microdialysates did not differ between HAB and LAB rats under basal conditions. In the hippocampus, overall expression of serotonin transporter binding sites was increased in HAB compared with LAB rats. Exposure to emotional stress failed to increase intrahippocampal 5‐HT release in HAB rats whereas LAB rats displayed a physiological, albeit small rise. Chronic paroxetine treatment markedly increased the stress‐induced rise in hippocampal 5‐HT in HAB, but not LAB rats. This effect may be (at least in part) related to a greater down‐regulation of hippocampal serotonin transporter binding sites by paroxetine in HABs compared with LABs, while 5‐HT1A receptor expression remained unaffected in this brain area. The findings indicate reduced hippocampal serotonergic transmission in HAB rats as compared with LAB rats, which is evident both at the presynaptic (5‐HT release) and the postsynaptic (5‐HT1A receptor) level. Chronic paroxetine enhanced the presynaptic responsivity in HAB rats, but not LAB rats, pointing to a preferential efficacy of paroxetine in rats with enhanced anxiety/depression‐related behaviour.


[1] Glacial millennial-scale paleoceanographic changes in the Southeast Pacific and the adjacent Southern Ocean are poorly known due to the scarcity of well-dated and high resolution sediment records. Here we present new surface water records from sediment core MD07-3128 recovered at 53°S off the Pacific entrance of the Strait of Magellan. The alkenone-derived sea surface temperature (SST) record reveals a very strong warming of ca. 8°C over the last Termination and substantial millennial-scale variability in the glacial section largely consistent with our planktonic foraminifera oxygen isotope (δ18O) record of Neogloboquadrina pachyderma (sin.). The timing and structure of the Termination and some of the millennial-scale SST fluctuations are very similar to those observed in the well-dated SST record from ODP Site 1233 (41°S) and the temperature record from Drowning Maud Land Antarctic ice core supporting the hemispheric-wide Antarctic timing of SST changes. However, differences in our new SST record are also found including a long-term warming trend over Marine Isotope Stage (MIS) 3 followed by a cooling toward the Last Glacial Maximum (LGM). We suggest that these differences reflect regional cooling related to the proximal location of the southern Patagonian Ice Sheet and related meltwater supply at least during the LGM consistent with the fact that no longer SST cooling trend is observed in ODP Site 1233 or any SST Chilean record. This proximal ice sheet location is documented by generally higher contents of ice rafted debris (IRD) and tetra-unsaturated alkenones, and a slight trend toward lighter planktonic δ18O during late MIS 3 and MIS 2.


: Intrusion Detection Systems are being used in every software whether it is web based or not. But application of IDS in public networks such as cloud, grid computing has many applications and has been proven to be boon. The application of IDS is used in creating an alarming system for the networks so that security measures can be applied to prevent the possible loss of data and avoiding non functioning systems. Because of the enhanced technology there are many ways of the hacking and compromising any networked system has been evolved and causing huge loses. Since direct application of security methods affects the performance of the system heavily, therefore application of IDS is increasing widely. Since IDS can be applied on gateways therefore a quick and better alarming system can be created which will prompt the administrators to apply security techniques to avoid the problems. In this work, different IDS mechanisms have been studied and list of possible criteria has been enlisted to provide IDS over the cloud. This work also proposes to take one of the IDS mechanisms to study the criteria of IDS, their behaviours, advantages and possible alarming for Cloud.


The Formal Opening of The Above Mine and Jetty Will Take Place To-day at 3pm. Refreshments Will be Provided A Whole Bullock Will be Roasted All Are Invited to Attend and Partake Of the Good Cheer SAYWELL & WILSON Proprietors The above notice appeared in the WOLLONGONG ARGUS on Saturday November 12, 1887 to mark the re-opening of the coal mine at Russell Vale. There had been previous attempts to mine coal from this location but, for various reasons, none had succeeded enough to satisfy the owners and the mine had closed. This journal article is available in Illawarra Unity Journal of the Illawarra Branch of the Australian Society for the Study of Labour History: http://ro.uow.edu.au/unity/vol1/iss3/4


The challenges and difficulties which the Vietnamese textile and garment enterprises have been facing recently result not only from objective external environment such as the requirement to expand the market, international economic integration and the sustainable development trend but also from the internal environment of enterprises such as the inadequacies and weaknesses of the process of production and business activities, the organizational structure, capital structure in terms of global value added chain, technological level, labor productivity, especially the requirement of innovation in approaches to management. Consequently, restructuring has been addressed by many researchers and the Vietnamese textile and garment enterprises. In fact, restructuring is always affected by many factors. However, identifying such factors is unclear and unspecific. The extent of their influences has not been clarified and tested. If the Vietnamese textile and garment enterprises want to conduct the restructuring successfully, it is necessary to do research into the extent that factors affecting their restructuring.


This work traces the literary tradition of metaphysical 'light' from archaic times, and discusses the medieval ideas on sense perceptions and contrasts the differences between Aristotelian and Platonist ideas about perception. There is a cautionary exposition of the 'Three Dantes' found in the poem: the historical Dante Alighieri, the Dante-poeta, and Dante-personaggio. Indentification is made of the binary rather than the usually accepted triadic structure of Dante's poem: the dichotomies such as ignorance/knowledge, unity/variety, contrapasso, frequeny of turning, and the assistance which the binary structure gives to the subject of freewill. Christian applications of freewill and divine will in the poem are reflected against the thought of Plato, Aristotle, Augustine, Boethius, and Aquinas. After recognizing the dark tone of the "Inferno" and the increased illumination of the "Purgatorio", the Divine Light of the "Paradiso" is related to Patristic thought, particularly from the Cappadocian Fathers. Medieval beliefs on illumination and imagination are examined, particularly from the thought of Robert Grosseteste and on to Ficino. Conclusions are drawn range from ancient through to Dante's medieval masterpiece and look ahead to later literary uses of metaphysical light linked with insight, such as Ariosto's "Orlando Furioso", Tasso's "Gerusalemme Liberata", and Milton's "Paradise Lost". 1996


This thesis explores how patients and practice nurses negotiate and manage decisionmaking involving risks associated with type 2 diabetes. The location of the study was general practice as this reflects the significant shift of diabetes management for people with type 2 diabetes over the last decade.
Purpose of the study
To improve understanding of what is effective when communicating about risks to people with diabetes and how people with diabetes use information on risk to make decisions about how they manage their diabetes.
Overview of study design
A qualitative approach, based on case studies involving a patient with diabetes and a practice nurse who was their main diabetes care provider, was undertaken in three local general practices. Grounded theory methodology was used to investigate the perspectives of healthcare professionals and patients managing risk of diabetes complications.
Data collection involved audio recording or observing a consultation between a person with diabetes and their practice nurse, followed by individual interviews with each. The follow-up interviews were lightly structured around a topic list, which was adapted to pick up issues identified from the consultation. Subsequent interviews were informed by theoretical sampling consistent with the grounded theory method. Data was analysed through cycles of data collection, coding and constant comparative analysis with the development of categories and the final core category: 'Responding according to risk perception'.
Findings
What this study contributes to understanding risk communication and how risk is managed:
 Patients live with uncertainty which impacts on their behaviour and how they manage risk
 Diabetes creates a social risk for patients which has to be managed in their daily lives
 Practice nurses balance the tensions of formal and informal risk management in order to meet professional and organisational requirements as well as the expectations of patients
 Effective risk communication may be enhanced by the quality of the nurse-patient relationship, the use of visual metaphors and anecdotes involving 'similar' others


This Article uses the U.S. Supreme Court's recent opinion in McConnell v. FEC to argue that the law should play a central role in reducing the impact of disparities in wealth on political participation. In upholding large parts of the Bipartisan Campaign Reform Act, the Court in McConnell acknowledged the adverse impact of concentrated wealth on widespread democratic participation and self-government. Even in the aftermath of the reforms upheld in McConnell, however, a small, wealthy and homogenous donor class continues to make relatively large contributions that fund the bulk of American politics. Less than one percent of the U.S. population makes financial contributions over $200 to federal candidates, and these contributions represent the vast majority of funds that candidates receive from individuals. Of those who contribute over $200, approximately 85 percent have household incomes of $100,000 or more, 70 percent are male, and 96 percent are white. This donor class effectively determines which candidates possess the resources to run viable campaigns. Instead of preventing corruption or equalizing funds between candidates, this Article proposes that the primary goal of future reforms should be to reduce the impact of wealth and empower more citizens to participate in the funding of campaigns. On average, candidates should receive a larger percentage of their funds from a greater number of people in smaller contribution amounts. After responding to class-blind campaign reform opponents' claims that the impact of wealth on democratic participation warrants minimal concern, this Article examines concrete proposals. Reforms like matching funds and tax credits for smaller contributions, combined with emerging technology, would enable more Americans to make contributions and would enhance their voices in our democracy. Consistent with the Court's approach in McConnell, reforms that empower smaller contributors prompt candidates and political committees to raise funds from a greater number of persons and tangibly benefit public participation in political debate.


Social mobility and how it should be measured is an important topic for sociologists and historians. However, there have been very few studies on the link between social mobility and the introduction of a state education system into England. Previous studies have measured social mobility using occupational data from the census and then have related occupations to social status due to the nature of occupations being relevant to social status, as well as a person's economic situation. This study contributes to existing research by conducting a localised case study, to drill deep into the records and thus offer more specific evidence than generalised surveys. The research involves using a main sample group of two hundred scholars taken from four schools in the registration district of Hitchin, all of whom underwent education soon after the 1870 Education Act. Examining the occupation of their head of household as a scholar and then the occupation they themselves went on to experience is used as a comparison to measure social mobility. A comparative group of another two hundred children from the same area who were of schooling age in 1851 are examined and their social mobility measured in the same way, using their head of household's occupation in 1851 and their adult occupation in 1871, to emphasise the difference in social mobility between the two groups and show the difference between the two time periods. Using an occupational hierarchy system from an 1895 census return as a measurement of social mobility demonstrates upward social mobility of the sample group, demonstrating a link between social mobility and the introduction of state


Interest in chronic conditions reflects their role as the first cause of death and disability in developed countries; improving the management of these conditions is a priority for health care services. The aim of this study was to establish which sociodemographic factors influence adherence to standards of care for chronic heart failure (CHF). A generalized multilevel structural equation model was developed and applied to a sample of patients with CHF obtained from administrative data flows in six Italian regions to ascertain any associations between adherence to standards of care for CHF and sociodemographic variables. Indicators of compliance were adherence to beta-blocker therapy (BB-A) and Angiotensin Convertin Enzime inhibitor/Angiotensin Receptor Blocker therapy (ACE-A), and creatinine and electrolyte testing (CNK-T). All indicators were computed over a one-year follow-up. Among a cohort of 24,997 patients, the BB-A rate was 40.4%, the ACE-A rate 61.1%, and the CNK-T rate 57.0%. Factors found associated with adherence were gender, age, and citizenship. Our study shows an inadequate adherence to standards of care for CHF, particularly associated with certain sociodemographic characteristics. This suggests the need to improve the role of primary care in managing this chronic condition. The measures considered only apply to patients with a reduced Left Ventricular Ejection Fraction, hence a limitation of this analysis is the lack of information on left ventricular ejection.


The opening roller system for fiber separation in an open end spinning process is known to cause considerable fiber breakage. We have investigated fiber breakage at different opening roller speeds and the relationship between breakage and the properties of friction spun yams made from cotton, polyester, viscose, and acrylic fibers. A high level of fiber damage caused by the opening rollers occurs at high speeds. The level of damage differs from one sort of material to another. There is a great deterioration in properties when yams are processed at high opening roller speeds.


Some mycorrhizal fungal species could have certain compatibility and efficiency in the development of the host. Recently, avocado producers became interested in the use of arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) for the production of plants in nurseries; therefore, it is important to revise the inoculants that are more efficient to this crop. The native microbiota could interfere in the establishment of introduced AMF. A 2 factorial experimental design was used. The first factor, AMF, had 8 levels, with 6 AMF species ( Rhizophagus fasciculatum, Gigaspora margarita, Claroideoglomus etunicatum¸ Pacispora scintillans, Rhizophagus intraradices, Acaulospora laevis ), a commercial consortia (MTZ-UV1) and a non-mycorrhizal control. The second factor, soil treatment, had 2 levels (sterile and not). Sterile soil treatments had a higher growth and the AMF inoculation increased the height, diameter, fresh and dry weight of the leaves. The inoculant Rhizophagus fasciculatum in sterile soil had tendency of the highest growth in most of the variables. On the other hand, Pacispora scintillans and Acaulospora laevis in not sterile soil decreased the plant growth. The results obtained showed possible plant-AMF compatibility, as well as the importance of the sterilization of the soil before AMF inoculation


A significant divide has developed between the large portion of the WTO membership which sees little or no benefit from the TRIPS undertakings and the small number of advanced economy members who seek ever greater IP standards. This chasm – between those who now judge TRIPS to be overreaching and those who find TRIPS to be inadequate – raises doubt as to whether a TRIPS consensus continues to exist. Our story is one of two regrets: that TRIPS did not go far enough, that TRIPS went too far. In particular, the call for more IP protection, known as 'TRIPS Plus', has led to even greater fragmentation of the global intellectual property system. To ask for more, when the other side wishes to offer less, is a path to a potential breakdown. By pursuing TRIPS Plus, through new free trade agreements, and in particular through the negotiation and implementation of the 2010 Anti-Counterfeiting Trade Agreement (ACTA) is to risk losing the moral force behind TRIPS. ACTA is a critique of TRIPS - its very core signals a diagnosis that TRIPS inadequately addressed the problem of IP enforcement. After ACTA, one cannot read TRIPS as expressing the common understanding of the world community as to the minimum standard of IP protection. ACTA formalizes a rift between the developed world and many other countries (it is these non-signatory countries where 'counterfeiting' and 'piracy' are perceived to be most prevalent). With ACTA, the developed world (led by the United States) is playing a high-stakes game. It seeks to destabilize TRIPS in order to induce movement. But in so doing, it also necessarily undercuts the prestige, normative pull, and - perhaps - legitimacy of TRIPS. For if one group of WTO members distance themselves from TRIPS (due to its asserted ineffectiveness or obsolescence), so too might another group. Ironically, what all these countries might share is a judgment that TRIPS is failing - though of course their respective prescriptions for reform would differ. ACTA may prove strangely counterproductive. Instead of achieving higher IP standards, it may lead to an increasingly resented, and hence less effective, observation of TRIPS.


Purpose: Recent studies demonstrated disruption of the circadian clock gene is associated with the development of obesity and metabolic syndrome. Obesity is often caused by the high calorie intake, In addition, the chronic stress tends to contribute to the increased risk for obesity. To evaluate the molecular mechanisms, we examined the expression of circadian clock genes in high fat diet-induced mice models with the chronic stress. Methods: C57BL/6J mice were fed with a 45% or 60% high fat diet for 8 weeks. Daily immobilization stress was applied to mice fed with a 45% high fat for 16 weeks. We compared body weight, food consumption, hormone levels and metabolic variables in blood. mRNA expression levels of metabolic and circadian clock genes in both fat and liver were determined by quantitative RT-PCR. Results: The higher fat content induced more severe hyperglycemia, hyperlipidemia and hyperinsulinemia, and these results correlated with their relevant gene expressions in fat and liver tissues. Chronic stress had only minimal effects on metabolic variables, but it altered the expression patterns of metabolic and circadian clock genes. These results suggest that the fat metabolism regulates the function of the circadian clock genes in peripheral tissues, and stress hormones may contribute to its regulation.


Background: Free radicals are known as atoms and molecules which are highly reactive with the body's single-electrons, and may cause irrecoverable damages to the macromolecules of organisms. Systems to deal with damages caused by free radicals are known as "antioxidant immune systems". Flavonoids and polyphenolic compounds are from non-enzymatic antioxidants which many nutritional compounds contain them. Evidence Acquisitions: The current study is a review survey conducted by evaluating the texts, library and internet search for the keywords such as antioxidant, flavonoid, nutrition, and Quran in the Persian documentaries of Google, scientific information database (SID), ministry of healthcare, medical articles library of Iran (medlib.ir), Iranian research institute for information (IranDoc), publication database (Magiran, Iranmedex), and also search in other electronic databases such as Google Scholar, Scopus and PubMed. Results: Data gathering instrument of the present study was all published texts regarding Quran and antioxidants. To conduct the current study, 31 references were used. Conclusions: Today, scientific medical studies have demonstrated that antioxidants are necessary for health. Quran, the Muslims' Holy Book, has noted this important matter and has introduced many antioxidants in different versus. Infallible Imams (AS) also have many hadiths in this regard. These foodstuffs include pomegranate, honey, olive, grapes, and garlic.


This Final Assignment Report examines what factors influence consumer decision making in buying snack products in Surabaya. In the research, the writers employ Factor Analysis as analytical method in order to identify interrelationship among several independent variables so that can be summarized into groups that consist new set of variables. Using quantitative approach involving nominal and interval types of data that are collected through distributing questionnaires covering 250 respondents with sampling method of non - probability convenience quota sampling employing marketing and non marketing factors. After analysis done, it can be concluded that only product taste and price value and promotion from marketing factors and personal - culture, personal needs and status from non marketing factors have considerable effect on consumer decision making in buying snack products.


The Internal Revenue Service, the primary federal regulator of charities, has initiated a corporate governance initiative. The intervention by the Internal Revenue Service into an area traditionally the preserve of state nonprofit corporate law has little relationship to issues of tax compliance. This corporate governance initiative has been accomplished in the face of IRS acknowledgement that it has no statutory authority relating to these issues. Yet, the power of the Service to recognize tax exempt status and the method it has used to ensure it vision of correct corporate governance practices through a series of questions when an organization applies for recognition of tax exempt status and on the annual information return, the latter available on the Internet for public scrutiny, has resulted in substantial compliance. This article casts a skeptical eye on the IRS's corporate governance initiative from the perspective of federalism. Its thesis is that the Service's regulation of nonprofit corporate governance is a kind of stealth preemption, which undermines the principles of our federal system. The issues of preemption described herein relating to the IRS's corporate governance initiative are at least one degree separated from traditional constitutional analysis. There is no question of an agency regulation, pursuant to direct or indirect Congressional authorization to supersede state legislation. Essentially, the Service has interpreted the scope of its own jurisdiction, expanding its authority at the expense of the states. The article argues the corporate governance initiative is inefficient from a cost/benefit basis, and diverts nonprofit organizations from their charitable mission. At a time when many charities are struggling to survive and maintain their level of activity, when there are pressures to reduce administrative expenses, the corporate governance initiative is an unwelcome, unnecessary distraction. It increases administrative costs, diverts boards and staff from the focus on the charity's mission, and has no empirically verified relationship to tax compliance.


Where does international law (IL) draw its authority from a still weakly institutionalized international scene deprived of the warrants of a state? To address this classical debate, the article draws from a case study on the social and professional structure of the "international legal community" as it emerged during the 1920s as part of the rise of multilateralism and international organizations. It focuses on the "situation of the international lawyers" of the time, starting with the multiple and often antagonistic roles they play (as legal advisers, scholars, judges, diplomats, politicians, etc.) and the variety of interests and causes they defend (states, international organizations, professional interests, etc.) in international politics. It argues this heteronomy of international lawyers helps understand the autonomization of international law. Far from being opposed to one another it has often been assumed—realism and idealism, national loyalty and international loyalty, political logic and learned logic—actually gain when analyzed as various modes of affirming a single cause—that of an international rule of law. This attention given to the "situation of international lawyers" and to the way they manage their various allegiances also accounts for the particular vision of the "International" and of "Law and Politics" relationships that are encapsulated in this emerging international corpus juris.


The B-13 cell is a readily expandable rat pancreatic acinar-like cell that differentiates on simple plastic culture substrata into replicatively-senescent hepatocyte-like (B-13/H) cells in response to glucocorticoid exposure. B-13/H cells express a variety of liver-enriched and liver-specific genes, many at levels similar to hepatocytes in vivo. Furthermore, the B-13/H phenotype is maintained for at least several weeks in vitro, in contrast to normal hepatocytes which rapidly de-differentiate under the same simple – or even under more complex – culture conditions. The origin of the B-13 cell line and the current state of knowledge regarding differentiation to B-13/H cells are presented, followed by a review of recent advances in the use of B-13/H cells in a variety of toxicity endpoints. B-13 cells therefore offer Toxicologists a cost-effective and easy to use system to study a range of toxicologically-related questions. Dissecting the mechanism(s) regulating the formation of B-13/H cell may also increase the likelihood of engineering a human equivalent, providing Toxicologists with an expandable donor-free supply of functional rat and human hepatocytes, invaluable additions to the tool kit of in vitro toxicity tests.


Streptococcus mutans strain K8 was shown to produce a newly identified type AII lantibiotic, mutacin K8. The mutacin K8-encoding muk locus consists of 13 ORFs, three of which (mukA1, A2 and A3) have close homology to scnA, the structural gene encoding the Streptococcus pyogenes lantibiotic SA-FF22, and another (mukA') resembles scnA', an ORF in the SA-FF22 locus that has no currently assigned function. Inactivation of the muk locus indicated that mutacin K8 is responsible for most of the inhibitory activity produced by strain K8 in deferred antagonism tests on Columbia blood agar base supplemented with 5 % human blood and 0.1 % CaCO(3). By contrast, on tryptic soy agar plus 2 % yeast extract and 0.5 % CaCO(3) most of the inhibitory activity of strain K8 appeared to be attributable either to mutacin IV or to some other inhibitory peptide(s) exported by the mutacin IV transporter nlmT. An inhibitory peptide purified from a derivative of strain K8 in which nlmT had been inactivated had a mass of 2734 Da and an N-terminal sequence identical to the predicted propeptide translation products of mukA1 and mukA3. The muk locus may be widely distributed in S. mutans, since 9 (35 %) of 26 strains tested contained at least part of the locus. In the genome sequence of strain UA159 the muk locus is incomplete, the sole residual components being the ORFs encoding the putative two-component regulatory system mukR (SMU.1815) and mukK (SMU.1814), followed by two transposases (SMU.1813 and SMU.1812) and then the ORFs mukF (SMU.1811), mukE (SMU.1810) and mukG (SMU.1809), thought to encode putative immunity peptides. Strains such as UA159 having incomplete loci did not produce detectable levels of mutacin K8.