Background Many end-stage renal disease (ESRD) patients undergoing hemodialysis (HD) suffer from depressive disorders as well as anxiety. These often underdiagnosed conditions not only decrease the quality of life of patients but also increase their mortality. Decrease in brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) has emerged as a marker of depression that can be used for the diagnosis and follow-up of depression in the general population. Objectives The aim of the present study was to study the role of BDNF in depression in HD patients. Patients and methods A single-center, cross-sectional study was carried out including 50 depressed (group I) and 35 nondepressed (group II) ESRD patients on maintained HD according to the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale. BDNF levels were measured in all patients. Result The mean BDNF level was significantly lower in depressed HD patients (2556.0±1498.15 pg/ml) in comparison with group II (9017.14±4249.60 pg/ml), with a P value less than 0.001. Serum BDNF level was also correlated negatively with both the anxiety (rs=−0.440, P<0.001) and the depression score (rs=−0.693, P<0.001) in the total sample. In addition, BDNF was a significant predictor of depression with a high area under the receiver operating characteristics curve (ROC curve) (AUC) (95% confidence interval=0.939–0.998, P<0.001). Conclusion Anxiety and depression are closely linked in ESRD patients. BDNF is significantly lower in depressed HD patients and correlates negatively with both depression and anxiety. It is a useful biomarker in the detection of depression, a common often undiagnosed and undertreated condition, in ESRD.


The `Age of Exhibitions' included the newly independent Latin American nation-states almost from the very outset. This article studies the complex strategies of material and visual display, architecture and writing through which representations of Argentina and Brazil were fashioned at the world fairs. It argues that, as peripheral affiliates of the emergent capitalist world-system, Latin Americans had to negotiate the material and symbolic value of their commodities and cultural samples with a host of agents, including not just foreign audiences but also exhibition organizers, artists, architects, and so on. National pavilions, therefore, rather than being seen as material texts authored by state governments, could be understood as `contact zones', performative spaces for the exchange of objects, gazes and words. The article concludes by comparing the world fairs with trade and industry exhibitions held in Brazil and Argentina themselves. In these, it observes the emergence of a dissident figure of national modernity as `development', challenging hegemonic regimes of value.


Cities of Light is the first global overview of modern urban illumination, a development that allows human wakefulness to colonize the night, doubling the hours available for purposeful and industrious activities. Urban lighting is undergoing a revolution due to recent developments in lighting technology, and increased focus on sustainability and human-scaled environments. Cities of Light is expansive in coverage, spanning two centuries and touching on developments on six continents, without diluting its central focus on architectural and urban lighting. Covering history, geography, theory, and speculation in urban lighting, readers will have numerous points of entry into the book, finding it easy to navigate for a quick reference and or a coherent narrative if read straight through. With chapters written by respected scholars and highly-regarded contemporary practitioners, this book will delight students and practitioners of architectural and urban history, area and cultural studies, and lighting design professionals and the institutional and municipal authorities they serve.


This study is aimed to test the consistency of time period model, whether the information that previously affects today's performance can be used to predict the performance in the future, and how the consistency of Indonesia banking financial prediction model formulation equation in order to detect bank condition and performance in the period of pre-economic crisis (1995-1996), during economic crisis (1997-1999) or post-economic crisis (2000-2005) is since bank condition and health is the interest of all relevant parties namely bank owner and manager, customers, Bank Indonesia in its capacity as the supervisor and builder, and the government. The samples are Foreign Exchange National Private Banks listed in Indonesian Banking Directory during the period after economic crisis in 1995 – 2005 and have total assets of less than or as much as 50 quintillion (≤50 quintillion), and Indonesian Financial Economic Statistics Monthly Statement for economic macro indicator. The sampling is performed by means of purposive method (purposive sampling). Dependent Variable in this study is Financial Sustainability Ratio and independent variable in this study is Capital Adequacy Ratio, Non Performing Loan, Return On Assets, Operational Cost Ratio to Operational Income, Loan to Deposit Ratio, Money Supply Sensitivity,  General Customer Price Index Sensitivity and SBI Interest Rate Sensitivity. The result of this study shows that model financial sustainability ratio did not have structural stabilization in 1999 – 2005. Keywords: financial prediction, financial sustainability ratio, macroeconomic variable, financial performance.


One of the most prominent plate tectonic processes is seafloor spreading. But its formation processes are poorly understood. In this study, we thoroughly address how the brittle-ductile weakening process affects the formation and development of tectonic patterns at spreading centers using 3D magmatic-thermomechanical numerical models. Grain size evolution and brittle/plastic strain weakening are fully coupled into the model. A spectrum of tectonic patterns, from asymmetric long-lived detachment faults in rolling-hinge mode, short-lived detachment faults in flip-flop mode, to symmetric conjugate faults in flip-flop mode are documented in our models. Systematic numerical results indicate that fault strength reduction and axial brittle layer thickness are two pivotal factors in controlling the faulting patterns and spreading modes. Strain weakening induced by localized hydrothermal alteration can lead to the variation of the fault strength reduction. Strong strain weakening with large fault strength reduction results in very asymmetric detachment faults developing in rolling-hinge mode, while weak strain weakening leads to small fault strength reduction, forming conjugate faults. Moreover, the thermal structure beneath the ridge is influenced by spreading rates, hydrothermal circulation, and mantle potential temperature, which in turn controls the thickness of the axial brittle layer and results in variation in tectonic patterns. Further, in order to test a damage mechanism with a physical basis, we investigate grain size reduction at the root of detachment faults. We found that its effect in the formation of detachment faults appears to play a subordinate role compared to brittle/plastic strain weakening of faults.


ABSTRACT The Mediterranean region has been increasingly receiving attention in recent years. This is due to the heterogeneity of the countries composing it, which raises several problems in business collaborations, but also unfolds several cross-national economic opportunities among Mediterranean countries. The analysis of cultural and creative industries can be useful to show that this area has many similarities, making intercultural exchange and cross-national economic development possible. This research starts from the comparison of three main Mediterranean countries situated both in Europe and outside, Italy, Spain and Turkey, and aims at highlighting the most striking similarities and differences of their features. The creativity specialization found in this region is alike, which allows us to begin to discuss the idea of a Mediterranean creativity.


Pulsed laser excitation of OH(A–X), NH2 (A–X), and CO2 (10.6-μm vibrational hot band) has been detected optoacoustically in flames. Detection sensitivities approaching 1 part in 109, 105, and 105, respectively, were obtained for these species. The form and characteristics of the pressure wave were examined, using OH in flames excited by dye laser and SF6 in a cold flow excited by a CO2 laser, to optimize the laser beam and microphone geometry and understand the influence of the microphone frequency response. Attempts to detect H2O using the vibrational overtone bands near 590 nm were successful in the vapor near 310 K but failed in the hot flame gases.


This paper investigates the manner in which sacred landscapes in early Ireland and ancient India were employed to effect the acceptance of new beliefs and the foundation of new kingdoms. Attention is drawn to traditions relating to the marking out and possession of these landscapes, including legends concerning the introduction of Christinaity to Ireland and Buddhism to India, with particular emphasis on Ireland, and the subjugation of chthonic forces, such as dragons and serpents. The examination of the legends and myths, may of which involve goddesses of fertility, leads to the identification of a number of linkages clustering around the concepts of water mythology and sacred kingship (cows, milk, horse sacrifice, wisdom, justice, poetic inspiration). The linkages are sufficiently pervasive to confirm that in both traditions there existed the belief in a watery underworld peopled by supernatural beings endowed with generative and fertile powers whose activities included, amongst other things, functioning as guardians of sacred kingship. They were called nagas and yakshas in India, and aes side or Tuatha De Danann in Ireland. The evidence also suggests that many of the qualities of Lord Varuna, the universal monarch and king of the nagas, are shared in the early Irish tradition not only by the god Lug but also by the sea god Manannan Mac Lir.


Kenaf plant is claimed as one of the fast-growing herbaceous plants with the high potential as a fiber material or lignocellulosic material. Nine kenaf varieties i.e., Q-Ping, KK60, V12, V19, V36, V132 and NS V133 and TK were introduced recently by Taman Pertanian Universiti, Universiti Putra Malaysia as one of the potential plant to replace tobacco plantation. Since, these nine kenaf varieties are new to Malaysia, therefore, there is a need to study their anatomical structures and fiber morphology as well as microscopic appearances to understand their different and similarity. Cell morphology and anatomical appearances were observed and evaluated under the image analysis system (Leitz DMRB). From the results, V19 and V12 had the wider ray among the nine varieties, whereas other varieties in their microscopic appearance were almost similar to those observed in many diffuse-porous hardwoods. The longest fiber length was observed in variety TK (2.96 mm) followed by V36. Q-ping showed the widest fiber diameter and lumen diameter amongst the nine varieties, with value of 28.64 μm in bast fiber and 28.06 μm in core diameter. However, Q-ping had the thinnest core cell wall with the thickness of 3.34 μm. In term of fiber length, all the kenaf varieties bast fiber has longer fiber than core fiber. The kenaf core of nine varieties has wider fiber diameter and fiber lumen diameter than the bast fiber. Conclusively, although kenaf exhibit similarity in some fiber morphology and anatomical structures, however, there still some distinction that can be used to differentiate these kenaf variety.


Fifty one patients with human immuno-deficiency virus (HIV-1) infection who had been consecutively endoscoped for upper gastrointestinal symptoms were biopsied (stomach or duodenum, or both) and compared with 59 age and sex matched controls for the presence of Campylobacter pylori. In 28 (47%) of the control group but in only seven (14%) of the HIV seropositive patients were C pylori seen on histological examination (p less than 0.001, odds ratio 5.6, 95% confidence interval 2.2-14.5). Sixteen patients who were HIV antibody positive had other index diseases for the diagnosis of AIDS in the biopsy material and, when these were excluded, comparison with the control group still showed a significant difference; p less than 0.01, odds ratio 3.6, 95%, confidence interval 1.4-9.6. In this series, therefore, C pylori were far less common in HIV antibody positive patients than in controls. Among the HIV positive patients, a higher proportion of C pylori negative cases had AIDS but this trend was not significant. The findings of this study indicate that whatever abnormalities of cell mediated mucosal immunoregulation are caused by HIV infection, they do not seem to be important in the response to infection by C pylori.


Inherently Safer Chemical Processes presents a holistic approach to making the development, manufacture, and use of chemicals safer. It discusses strategies for substituting more benign chemicals at the development stage, minimizing risk in the transportation of chemicals, using safer processing methods at the manufacturing stage, and decommissioning a manufacturing plant. Since the publication of the original concept book in 1996, there have been many developments on the concept of inherent safety. This new edition provides the latest knowledge so that engineers can derive maximum benefit from inherent safety.


Updated to include recent Congressional debates on a constitutional amendment and the controversy over an Arizona art show, this is an historical analysis of the debate over the desecration of the American flag. It takes readers from the 1989 flag-burning incident that ignited an emotionally-charged controversy across the nation back to the origins of the flag as a symbol of America. The flag did not become an object of veneration until the end of the Civil War, when groups of ultra-patriotic citizens and veterans lobbied hard to give it unique status as a symbol of the nation. Objections to unorthodox uses of the flag first arose around the turn of the century, when it was appropriated for commercial, advertising, and "mainstream" political purposes. Although feelings ran high during these early debates, today such uses are commonplace and, ironically, are generally viewed as patriotic. In the early 1900s popular concern shifted to the apparent threat posed by "un-American, subversive" radicals, immigrants, and organized workers. That controversy died down in the 1920s, and the flag did not make headlines again until the emergence of broad opposition to US involvement in the Vietnam War fuelled a clash between defenders of the flag and defenders of free speech, who contended that burning the flag was a form of political speech and therefore protected by the First Amendment. In his analysis, Goldstein argues that the most recent desecration controversy reflects not only the genuine pride and patriotism of the people but also a disturbingly shallow grasp of the underlying substance of the political freedom that the flag is meant to symbolize. He contends that this failure fully to comprehend the nature of the freedoms on which the American nation is founded raises questions about the vigour and integrity of contemporary American society.


Published just weeks before the U.S. Supreme Court handed down their controversial decision on Kelo v. City of New London in 2005, this article, in correctly predicting the outcome of the Supreme Court opinion, explores in Section I how the concept of what constitutes a public use has evolved over the decades from traditionally accepted uses such as public roads, buildings (e.g., government buildings and schools), and utilities to urban redevelopment. It explains how the broad concepts of community redevelopment have been stretched to encompass needed economic development projects that promise jobs, tax revenue, and other public benefits similar to those currently being debated before the courts of our country. Section II begins by briefly examining the development of the "public use" clause with respect to eminent domain. Section III discusses a recent policy guide adopted by the American Planning Association (APA) on community redevelopment. Section IV then examines three significant cases from 2004 that crystallized around the question of what constitutes a valid public purpose under eminent domain when the government's motivation is to promote economic development in the municipality. Section V concludes that the U.S. Supreme Court should confirm that economic development is a valid public use for the purpose of eminent domain, and that the public-private partnerships that have evolved to assist governments in meeting redevelopment needs are a necessary and appropriate strategy fostering a valid public use.


This research evaluated the use of enzyme catalysts in the production of biodiesel. Traditionally, biodiesel production uses a base or acid catalyst to convert triglycerides (TG) and free fatty acids (FFA) into fatty acid methyl esters (FAME) or biodiesel. Enzyme catalysts have the potential to offer environmental and economic advantages by utilizing lower quality feedstocks, producing a higher value glycerol co-product, and being a more energy efficient process.
 For enzymes to be economically advantageous they must be recovered and reused for multiple batches. Two enzyme recovery techniques of a simple settling method versus ultrafiltration were compared. Pilot-scale runs were completed where each run used a single, initial dose of enzymes to catalyze four batches. The runs compared recovery methods, where the effectiveness of enzyme reuse was determined by the percent conversion of TG and FFA to FAME as the enzyme continued to be reused. Gas chromatography was used to determine the amount of TGs consumed throughout each batch.
 While both techniques resulted in loss of enzymes, the loss in activity was 47% using filtration compared to 73% without. Although findings are preliminary, this study shows promise for ultrafiltration to provide cost savings through better enzyme recovery and reduced production time.


ABSTRACT Free-range exhibits are used by zoos to allow visitors to experience or interact with animals in a semi-natural setting; close interactions with animals have been shown to increase empathy and contribute to conservation outcomes, and as such zoos are increasingly implementing free-range style exhibits to facilitate this goal. We aimed to investigate whether this close proximity to zoo visitors impacted upon four species of macropod (red kangaroo Macropus rufus, red-necked wallaby Macropus rufogriseus, swamp wallaby Wallabia bicolor, and quokka Setonix brachyurus) in a free-range exhibit in an Australian zoo. Specifically, we used instantaneous scan sampling to assess animal behavior and examined whether visitor number affected the proportion of individuals that exhibited four target behaviors; visitor-directed vigilance, retreat, resting, and foraging behavior. We found that the proportion of individuals exhibiting visitor-directed vigilance significantly increased as pedestrian visitor number increased for three of the four species, and the proportion of individuals that were resting was significantly negatively related to visitor number for both wallaby species. The proportion of individuals of each species foraging or retreating was unrelated to visitor number. These data suggest that a visitor effect exists in a walk-through exhibit of macropods, and once visitor numbers go beyond a threshold, the behavior of more animals is impacted, likely compromising welfare. Interestingly, quokka do not appear to be affected by zoo visitors; which may be due to visitor pressure being perceived differently due to evolutionary differences, or that housing and husbandry ameliorate the visitor effect for this species but not others. Like many studies before, taking a species-specific approach to understanding zoo visitor–animal interactions has determined how the visitor effect likely impacts macropods differently.


Background: Azadirachta indica A. juss (AI; Family: Meliaceae) is one of the most useful medicinal plants containing different alkaloids that includes nimbitin, azadirachtin and salanin whose individual effects contribute to the general medicinal properties of the plant. In Nigeria, pregnant and lactating women have been observed consuming aqueous extract of AI and anecdotal reports from them suggest that they consume the extract because of the folkloric belief that it is potentially harmless, it is hematopoietic and protects them from malaria. Aim: This study was designed to investigate the effects of consumption of AI during pregnancy and lactation on some hematological parameters and blood glucose level. Materials and Methods: Sixty female rats weighing 150-200 g were used for this study. The rats were divided into three groups (non pregnant, pregnant and lactating groups) of 20 rats each. Each group was subdivided into four subgroups based on the dose of AI administered. Subgroup I served as control and received distilled water throughout the experiment while subgroups II-IV received 200 mg/kg, 400 mg/kg and 600 mg/kg body weight of the extract respectively for 21 days. On day 20 of extract administration, blood samples were withdrawn from each rat in each group after an overnight fast for the estimation of some hematological parameters and blood glucose level. Results: There were significant increases (P < 0.05 for each) in the packed cell volume (PCV), hemoglobin concentration (Hb), red blood cell (RBC), white blood cell (WBC), and platelet (PLT) and a significant dose-dependent decrease (P < 0.05) in blood glucose level in all groups. Conclusion: It is concluded that the results of the present study seem to justify the folkloric use of AI as a hematopoietic agent with the potential of ameliorating the burden of anemia and hyperglycemia in women especially during pregnancy.


Humanity stands at a defining moment in history. We are confronted with a perpetuation of disparities between and within nations, a worsening of poverty, hunger, ill health and illiteracy, and the continuing deterioration of the ecosystems on which we depend for our well-being. However, integration of environment and development concerns and greater attention to them will lead to the fulfilment of basic needs, improved living standards for all, better protected and managed ecosystems and a safer, more prosperous future. No nation can achieve this on its own; but together we can-in a global partnership for sustainable development. Background to this series of lecture notes Much of the international debate on natural resource management in the humid tropics revolves around forests, deforestation or forest conversion, the consequences it has and the way the process of change can be managed. These issues involve many actors and aspects, and thus can benefit from many disciplinary perspectives. Yet, no single discipline can provide all the insights necessary to fully understand the problem as a first step towards finding solutions that can work in the real world. Professional and academic education is still largely based on disciplines – and a solid background in the intellectual capital accumulated in any of the disciplines is of great value. If one wants to make a real contribution to natural resource management issues, however, one should at least have some basic understanding of the contributions other disciplines can make as well. Increasingly, universities are recognising the need for the next generation of scientists and policymakers to be prepared for interdisciplinary approaches. Thus, this series of lecture notes on integrated natural resource management in the humid tropics was developed. The lecture notes were developed on the basis of the experiences of the Alternatives to Slash and Burn (ASB) consortium. This consortium was set up to gain a better understanding of the current land use decisions that lead to rapid conversion of tropical forests, shifting the forest margin, and of the slow process of rehabilitation and development of sustainable land use practices on lands deforested in the past. The consortium aims to relate local activities as they currently exist to the global concerns that they raise, and to explore ways by which these global concerns can be more effectively reflected in attempts to modify local activities that stabilise forest margins. The Rio de Janeiro Environment Conference of 1992 identified deforestation, desertification, …


Design point rainfall estimates assume a uniform distribution of rainfall over a catchment, and hence are only representative for a limited area. For larger areas, areal reduction factors (ARFs) are used to convert design point rainfall depths/intensities to an average areal design rainfall depth/intensity for a catchment-specific critical storm duration and catchment area. This paper presents a review of ARF estimation methods used nationally and internationally, with comparisons of the South African methods in the C5 secondary drainage region using standard input variables. The comparison of different ARF estimation methods confirmed that the empirical methods adopted for general use in South Africa are based on a limited database of observed rainfall data and are used without local correction factors beyond their original developmental regions. This results in the characterisation of the actual rainfall process over a catchment, and translation into questionable design peak discharge estimates. Therefore, the ARFs in South Africa need to be re-investigated in the light of recent extreme flood events, utilising the longer periods of record and denser rain-gauge networks which are now available for analysis. The variation of ARFs with return period and with rainfall producing mechanisms also needs to be investigated. Updated ARFs developed and verified using local rainfall data will improve the accuracy of design hydrology for large catchments in South Africa when event-based rainfall-runoff deterministic methods are used.


Experimental investigation of a newly predicted propagating mode [Larraza et al., Phys. Rev. A 41, 3144 (1990)] on the surface of water, known as second sound, was performed in the laboratory. This collective mode propagates as an increase in energy density in the background spectrum of random waves. Individual waves of the background can be thought of as scattering ''particles'' forming a ''gas,'' and the second sound mode is a density wave in this gas of waves. In this experiment, a long tank was driven at one end by fans to provide different background spectra of random wind‐driven waves and a paddle to provide variable wavelength coherent pulses. Wave height was measured with a four‐wire probe at different locations along the tank. Thus far, energy transfer has been observed from shorter to longer wavelengths. Additionally, a rarefaction in the background spectral density at all frequencies is observed to propagate at a single speed−the group velocity of the spectral peak of the wind‐generated backgro...


Coevolution occurs when two or more interacting species have a reciprocal effect on each other. Avian obligate brood parasites and their hosts represent a classical example of coevolution and studies of such interactions have led to a better understanding of evolution in general. Brood parasitic birds such as cuckoos, cowbirds and honeyguides all lay eggs of unusual structural strength for their size. In this thesis, I test one of the hypotheses proposed to explain the evolutionary significance of this trait. The "Puncture resistance hypothesis" postulates that strong eggshells have evolved to resist attempts by the hosts to destroy the foreign egg and increase probability of acceptance. Most hosts of brood parasites are small passerines which cannot grasp the parasitic egg in their bills to selectively remove it from the nest. Such hosts have to first puncture the foreign egg and then grasp it in the opening to carry it away from the nest. A central assumption of the puncture resistance hypothesis is the existence of rejection costs – hosts destroy some of their own eggs as a side effect of the process of rejection. A scenario of strong eggshells acting as a constraint to rejection have been regarded theoretically possible in "non-evicting" brood parasites like cowbirds, which are less virulent in that hosts in many cases also can raise some own offspring. In "evicting" parasites such as most of the cuckoos Cuculidae, however, parasitic chicks destroy all host progeny, therefore increased eggshell strength has been considered unlikely to influence host rejection decisions. However, given the costs of rejection and the role of phenotypic plasticity/motivation, I hypothesized that strong eggshells may function to increase the probability of acceptance also in small host species of "evicting" brood parasites. More specifically, I predicted that the increased eggshell strength of cuckoo eggs may interact with mimicry in leading to a low motivation of hosts to actually complete rejection even though the parasitic egg is actually recognized. By using observational data, experiments and video recordings, I tested the puncture resistance hypothesis for the first time in the common cuckoo Cuculus canorus and some of its regular small Sylviid hosts. My results showed that the hard eggshell of the cuckoo egg indeed generates egg damage as a byproduct of the rejection process (rejection costs) in a considerable proportion of rejections in several of these host species. Cuckoo egg mimicry had a slight but non-significant effect in increasing further rejection costs beyond the effect of eggshell strength. However, I found no evidence for the validity of the puncture resistance hypothesis in marsh warblers Acrocephalus palustris, the study species in which most of my detailed experiments were done. Marsh warblers were generally able to puncture the strong-shelled cuckoo egg and all individuals that showed the first signs of egg recognition (pecking), subsequently rejected the cuckoo egg. Cuckoo eggshell strength did not influence rejection probability, alone or through an interaction with the mimicry. Nevertheless, selection for strong eggshells in the cuckoo may stem from coevolutionary interactions with other host species, less capable of successfully puncture ejecting the cuckoo egg. According to this expectation, I found that the olivaceous warblers Hippolais pallida, a slightly smaller puncture ejector species, recognized all non-mimetic cuckoo eggs added to their nests by selectively pecking them but accepted a considerable proportion of them. One such acceptance took place even after the host had destroyed one own egg. Therefore, the puncture resistance hypothesis is not irrelevant even in evicting brood parasites and their hosts and further investigations might identify more host species in which 'forced' acceptances of strong-shelled cuckoo eggs exist. Quantification of the effort marsh warblers actually needed to puncture the cuckoo egg revealed that most of the individuals were able to puncture eject the cuckoo egg much more efficiently than they actually did. Such seemingly suboptimal behaviour can represent either an adaptive strategy to diminish the risk of own egg damage or it may just be attributable to inexperience of most of the host individuals at puncture ejection.


New, highly time‐resolved techniques for measuring dimethyl sulfide (DMS) concentrations in seawater provide the opportunity to greatly increase the size of the DMS concentration database. However, lack of community‐ level quality control raises concerns about the quality of data obtained by these new techniques and their consistency with data obtained by existing techniques. One of the concerns is that the new techniques use a continuous flow of unfiltered seawater as a sample. Phytoplankton in unfiltered seawater might produce DMS in the sample, resulting in inaccurate DMS concentrations. Here, in our equilibrator inlet—proton transfer reaction—mass spectrometry technique, unfiltered seawater is continuously supplied to the equilibrator, and dissolved DMS is extracted into a bubbling gas and detected by the mass spectrometry. To investigate the possible artifact from using unfiltered seawater and the magnitude of its effects, we conducted laboratory experiments in a closed system at equilibrium, focusing on the effects of sample filtration and gas bubbling on the temporal variation of DMS concentrations in coastal seawater samples dominated by diatoms. With N2 as the bubbling gas, DMS concentration increased with time in unfiltered seawater but not in filtered seawater. DMS concentration increased when unfiltered seawater was bubbled with N2 but not when it was bubbled with air, and the increase occurred just after dissolved O2 was depleted in the seawater in the equilibrator. These results indicate that O2 depletion artificially increased DMS concentrations in unfiltered seawater bubbled with N2. This artifact could be avoided by maintaining aerobic conditions in the equilibrator.


Manure is a source of several bacterial pathogens that can potentially contribute to surface and groundwater contamination. Results from most bacterial transport studies in soils are only partially applicable to manure‐borne bacteria because microorganisms are released along with manure particulates as manure dissolves. The objective of this study was to compare transport of chloride ion, Escherichia coli (E. coli) and manure colloids in undisturbed soil columns with a well‐developed structure. Breakthrough column experiments were conducted with undisturbed, 20‐cm long Tyler soil columns from the A horizon. A pulse of 4% filtered bovine manure solution with E. coli and KCl was passed through the columns. Escherichia coli concentrations, chloride content, and turbidity were measured in influent and in effluent. Columns were cut into 2‐cm layers after the experiment to measure: (i) viable bacterial concentrations in pore solution and attached to soil; (ii) bulk density; (iii) water content. Companion batch experiments were performed to measure attachment of E. coli to soil in the presence of various amounts of manure. Escherichia coli attachment to soil decreased with increased manure content due to increased competition for attachment sites. Flow velocity affected E. coli transport and attachment to soil; there was relatively more attachment at slower flow velocity than at higher flow velocity. Escherichia coli attachment to soil was 18, 5, and 9% at flow velocities of 2.3, 8.4, and 9.3 cm d−1, respectively. Spatial variability in soil structure may result in large variations of pore water velocity and consequent differences in transport of manure particulates and bacteria under ponded infiltration.


During the last quarter of the twentieth century, the humanities and social sciences have turned toward history, something that culminated in the 1990s, and this phenomenon was evident in law as well. However, until recently, law and economics, the most influential post-World War II jurisprudential movement, was a-historical in its methodology and research agenda. The first objective of this article is to call attention to this neglected characteristic of law and economics and to explain its causes by analyzing its intellectual origins, its methodological causes, and the nature of its interaction with other sub-fields of law and of economics. The second objective of the article is to identify a change-in-the-making and its characteristics. Law and economics scholars have turned to history more often and for new purposes in recent years. The article identifies the set of factors that brought about this turn to history. These factors include: a growing willingness to conduct empirical research; the integration of public choice analysis (which often led to the study of past legislation) into mainstream law and economics; preliminary comparative law and economics studies; a growing interaction between law and economics and new institutional economics; and the importation of the concept of path dependency and of greater awareness of past burdens from other quarters of economic theory. Finally, the article examines the concrete ways in which these developments are being realized, by pointing out the various uses of history evident in specific law and economics studies conducted in recent years. It suggests a classification of this growing literature into six distinct uses of history, four of them emerging only in recent years. The general aim of this article is to enhance awareness among law and economics scholars of the actual and potential uses of history. The article further seeks to connect law-and-economics historical studies to other relevant historical works so that the law and economics inquiry will not be conducted in a disciplinary vacuum. It thus calls to the attention of legal historians and economic historians the new literature published in the field of law and economics. Finally it is also directed at scholars interested in the intellectual history of jurisprudence and in the methodological turn to history in the social sciences.


Novel spectral line shapes of optical-microwave double resonance with an extremely narrow line width were observed in a rubidium atomic clock pumped by a semiconductor laser. It was confirmed that these novel spectral line shapes of double resonance were due to the modulation-transfer effect. These spectral line shapes were calculated by solving the equation of motion of the density matrix that describes the modulation-transfer process. The calculated results agree with the experimental results. By using the calculated results of the influence of the optical Stark effect on these spectral line shapes, characteristics of the inhomogeneous light shift were evaluated quantitatively for the frequency-modulated microwave. Furthermore, optimum values of modulation parameters were found by computer simulation in order to obtain the highest microwave frequency stability of the atomic clocks. An experiment was carried out employing these optimum parameters, and a short-term frequency stability as high as σy(τ) = 7.9 × 10−13τ−1/2 was obtained, where τ is an integration time of measurement.


Training deep neural networks requires gradient estimation from data batches to update parameters. Gradients per parameter are averaged over a set of data and this has been presumed to be safe for privacy-preserving training in joint, collaborative, and federated learning applications. Prior work only showed the possibility of recovering input data given gradients under very restrictive conditions – a single input point, or a network with no non-linearities, or a small 32 × 32 px input batch. Therefore, averaging gradients over larger batches was thought to be safe. In this work, we introduce GradInversion, using which input images from a larger batch (8 – 48 images) can also be recovered for large networks such as ResNets (50 layers), on complex datasets such as ImageNet (1000 classes, 224 × 224 px). We formulate an optimization task that converts random noise into natural images, matching gradients while regularizing image fidelity. We also propose an algorithm for target class label recovery given gradients. We further propose a group consistency regularization framework, where multiple agents starting from different random seeds work together to find an enhanced reconstruction of the original data batch. We show that gradients encode a surprisingly large amount of information, such that all the individual images can be recovered with high fidelity via GradInversion, even for complex datasets, deep networks, and large batch sizes.


The present study examines the effect of explicit instruction in three selective reading strategies on reading comprehension in English as a foreign language (EFL). The study addresses the following questions: A) Does explicit instruction in text structure help students identify discourse organization patterns? B) Does explicit instructional reading strategy in EFL develop reading comprehension? C) Is there a direct correlation between discourse organization knowledge and reading development? D) Does text structure knowledge develop EFL reading comprehension? Participants in the study are 60 first year Egyptian University students studying English as a foreign language. Results of the study indicated that knowledge of discourse organization patterns and reading strategies developed students' reading comprehension. They also showed that the students who were trained in text organization outperformed those who did not receive similar training. Moreover, the results revealed a statistically significant and positive correlation between text structure knowledge and reading comprehension. Finally, the paper provides suggestions for further research and implications for teachers and learners of English as a foreign language.


We reconstruct the apparatus architecture of the gondollelid conodont Nicoraella kockeli based on fused clusters from the early Middle Triassic (middle Anisian, Pelsonian) of Luoping County, east Yunnan Province, south‐west China. This material was characterized non‐invasively using synchrotron x‐ray tomographic microscopy and the ensuing data analysed using computed tomography, allowing us to infer the composition, homologies and architectural arrangement of elements within the apparatus. Much of the original three‐dimensional architecture of the apparatus is preserved and our apparatus reconstruction is the best characterized of any taxon within the superfamily Gondolelloidea. This allows us to test architectural models for gondolelloids and prioniodinins, more generally, as well as the functional interpretations based upon them. In particular, we reject a recent functional interpretation of the conodont feeding apparatus which was based on a biomechanically‐optimized inference of apparatus architecture in a close gondolelloid relative of Nicoraella. Nevertheless, our architectural model provides a foundation for future functional interpretations of gondolleloids and prioniodinins, more generally.


BACKGROUND & AIMS
A substantial proportion of pediatric liver transplant recipients develop subclinical chronic allograft injury. We studied whether there are distinct patterns of injury based on histopathologic features and identified associated immunologic profiles.

METHODS
We conducted a cross-sectional study of 157 stable, long-term pediatric recipients of transplanted livers (70 boys; > 6 years old at time of transplantation; mean, 8.9 ± 3.46 years after liver transplantation) who underwent liver biopsy analysis from August 13, 2012, through May 1, 2014. Participants had received livers from a living or deceased donor and had consistently normal results from liver tests. Liver biopsy specimens were scored by a central pathologist; an unsupervised hierarchical cluster analysis of histologic features was used to sort biopsy samples into 3 clusters. We conducted transcriptional and cytometric analyses of liver tissue samples and performed a systems biology analysis that incorporated clinical, serologic, histologic, and transcriptional data.

RESULTS
The mean level of alanine aminotransferase in participants was 27.6 ± 14.57 U/L, and the mean level of γ-glutamyl transferase was 17.4 ± 7.93 U/L. Cluster 1 was characterized by interface activity (n = 34), cluster 2 was characterized by periportal or perivenular fibrosis without interface activity (n = 45), and cluster 3 had neither feature (n = 78). We identified a module of genes whose expression correlated with levels of alanine aminotransferase, class II donor-specific antibody, portal inflammation, interface activity, perivenular inflammation, portal and perivenular fibrosis, and cluster assignment. The module was enriched in genes that regulate T-cell-mediated rejection (TCMR) of liver and other transplanted organs. Functional pathway analysis showed overrepresentation of TCMR gene sets for cluster 1 but not clusters 2 or 3.

CONCLUSION
In an analysis of biopsies from an apparently homogeneous group of stable, long-term pediatric liver transplant recipients with consistently normal liver test results, we found evidence of chronic graft injury (inflammation and/or fibrosis). Biopsy samples with interface activity had a gene expression pattern associated with TCMR.


Post-Global Financial Crisis, global law firms and in-house departments have started to take up 'Legal Project Management' (LPM). LPM adopts and adapts project management methods for the law context as a means of streamlining, planning and costing legal work. This article examines LPM as an aspiring driver of managerialist change within the legal profession. In its reframing of all legal matters as 'projects', LPM is also an example of a more specific type of managerialist change, 'projectification': the process by which work activities, and our activities generally, are being organised and shaped as projects or temporary endeavours. Though we know managerialism is occurring, our understanding of how it manifests in, and is promoted by, specific practices and discourses within the workplace organisation is under-developed in the law context. It may be tempting to read managerialism as sullying traditional professionalism. But an extensive body of literature has documented the interactions of professional and managerial imperatives that result in what has been described as a hybridisation of different logics or belief systems. This article adds vital detail to the existing literature about managerialism within the legal profession by looking closely at LPM as projectification. To do so, it utilises Mirko Noordegraaf's three dimensions of professionalism that represent core points of distinction: coordination of work, authority or the grounds for legitimacy, and values at stake. Through these facets, it analyses LPM's somewhat contradictory aspects, illustrating the schismatic nature of projectification as both exciting and empowering, and ethically risky and dehumanising.


It's true that agriculture has long had a need to win support through an expanded constituency. But there is too little room, too few dollars, and too many competing values for everyone to get what they want from agricultural policy. With few exceptions, the farm bill process has already been opened to about as many organized interests as it can logistically- and financially-afford.


Nobody knows more about the duties, the difficulties, and the strategies of staffing and working in the White House than Brad Patterson. In To Serve the President , Patterson combines insider access, decades of Washington experience, and an inimitable style to open a window onto closely guarded Oval Office turf. The fascinating and entertaining result is the most complete look ever at the White House and the people that make it work. Patterson describes what he considers to be the whole White House staff, a larger and more inclusive picture than the one painted by most analysts. In addition to nearly one hundred policy offices, he draws the curtain back from less visible components such as the Executive Residence staff, Air Force One and Marine One, the First Lady's staff, Camp David, and many others --135 separate offices in all, pulling together under often stressful and intense conditions. This authoritative and readable account lays out the organizational structure of the full White House and fills it out the outline with details both large and small. Who are these people? What exactly do they do? And what role do they play in running the nation? Another exciting feature of To Serve the President is Patterson's revelation of the total size and total cost of the contemporary White House --information that simply is not available anywhere else. This is not a kiss-and-tell tale or an incendiary expose. Brad Patterson is an accomplished public administrator with an intimate knowledge of how the White House really works, and he brings to this book a refreshingly positive view of government and public service not currently in vogue. The U.S. government is not a monolith, or a machine, or a shadowy cabal; above all, it is people , human beings doing the best they can, under challenging conditions, to produce a better life for their fellow citizens. While there are bad apples in every bunch, the vast majority of these people ply their trades honestly and earnestly, often in complete anonymity and for modest compensation. This book illuminates their roles, celebrates their service, and paints an eye-opening picture of how things really work on Pennsylvania Avenue.


Abstract Postcards appear as embedded small epistolary events within a range of Barbara Pym's novels. In today's digital age of instant social media and electronic messaging, the postcard is fast becoming anachronistic. The form represents a slower pace of life with delayed communication, which characterizes both Pym's era and the faltering romances that structure her fiction. Postcards may liberate correspondents from the more stringent demands of letter-writing, but careful decisions must nevertheless be made by uncertain writers who craft a message in the face of limited space, lack of confidentiality and potential close reading by sometimes eager recipients. The form may be circumscribed, but postcards can layer ambiguous meanings despite their construction of few words within a tight textual frame. Sending a postcard may subtly lever open lines of communication that are resisted when face-to-face. They can explicitly acknowledge a level of familiarity or potential intimacy that is not acknowledged in personal encounters. Pym's habitually cautious characters therefore make tentative epistolary overtures to choose and write postcards that are seldom casually sent. This essay explores the ways in which Pym (a keen correspondent herself) uses the brevity and semi-public form of postcards to negotiate hesitant social and romantic relations.


This study characterizes the spatial organization of excitation and inhibition that influences the visual responses of neurons in macaque monkey's primary visual cortex (V1). To understand the spatial extent of excitatory and inhibitory influences on V1 neurons, we performed area-summation experiments with suprathreshold contrast stimulation. The extent of spatial summation and the magnitude of surround suppression were estimated quantitatively by analyzing the spatial summation experiments with a difference of Gaussians (DOG) model. The average extent of spatial summation is approximately the same across layers except for layer 6 cells, which tend to sum more extensively than cells in the other layers. On average, the extent of length and width summation is approximately equal. Across the population, surround suppression is greatest in layer 4B and weakest in layer 6. Estimates of summation and suppression are compared for the DOG (subtractive) model and a normalization (divisive) model. The two models yield quantitatively similar estimates of the extent of excitation and inhibition. However, the normalization (divisive) model predicts weaker surround strength than the DOG model.


Background There is strong evidence of FFR guided treatment in multi-vessel disease. The presence of a concomitant CTO may influence the FFR measurement in donor vessel as suggested in previous studies and reports. This has an important implication on clinical decision making for complete revascularisation in patients with chronic total occlusion. We sought to investigate the influence of collateral regression after successful CTO recanalisation on donor vessel pressure-derived indices. Methods The study participants were patients with angina who had RCA CTO. 28 out of 34 consecutive patients underwent successful PCI to RCA CTOs during the study period and completed the follow study (at 3 months post CTO PCI) were included in this analysis. Coronary pressure-derived indices (resting PD/PA, iFR and FFR) were measured pre and post successful RCA CTO PCI in donor vessels and at follow up procedures. Results The mean age was 62.38 years. The mean estimated CTO duration was 238.72 weeks and CTO length was 32.44 mm. 25 patients had ischaemia and or viability in the RCA territory assessed with cardiac MRI. LAD was the major donor vessel in 24 patients and LCX was the minor donor vessel in 4 patients. Percent stenosis on QCA in the major and minor donor vessel were 40.6% and 35.1% respectively. The mean resting Pd/Pa, iFR and FFR pre and post RCA CTO PCI and at follow-up procedures in major donor vessel were (0.893, 0.862, 0.764), (0.907, 0.886, 0.753) and (0.918, 0.901, 0.787) respectively. The mean resting Pd/Pa, iFR and FFR pre and post RCA CTO PCI and at follow-up procedures in minor donor vessel were (0.979, 0.966, 0.890), (0.983, 0.979, 0.880) and (0.981, 0.974, 0.898) respectively. The changes in coronary pressure-derived indices pre and post RCA CTO PCI and at follow up procedures are summarised in table 1. In major donor vessel, there was significant changes in the difference between follow up and pre-CTO PCI values for Pd/Pa, iFR and FFR values (p values 0.006, 0.003 and 0.047 respectively). There was also significant change in the difference between follow up and post-CTO PCI FFR value (P value 0.002). FFR collateral reduced significantly at follow-up (p value 0.000). Conclusion Successful recanalisation of a RCA CTO results in increase in major donor vessel coronary pressure-derived indices at follow up procedure associated with the regression of collateral function. In patients with multi-vessel disease, the expected change and the optimal timing to perform PCI in donor vessel should be considered when planning multi-vessel revascularisation in this setting.Abstract 23 Table 1 Coronary pressure-derived indices pre and post RCA CTO PCI and at follow up procedures (FU:Follow-up, PCI:Percutaneous Coronary Intervention, FFR: Fractional Flow Reserve, CTO: Chronic Total Occlusion)


Abstract. In Reina del Cisne (Cuenca-Ecuador) a dynamic sliding process was created due to a cut that was applied at the beginning of the year 2018 to the hillside without technical considerations for the construction of an access road to a house in the sector. From May 2018 to January 2019, period analyzed in this work, the landslide has caused total structural damage (dwellings near the hillside) or partial (houses away from the hillside) and the total collapse of the path that caused the landslide. The field visits from the month of May 2018 and the comparison with CloudCompare of the clouds of points obtained with terrestrial laser scanner (LiDAR) between the months of May 2018 and January 2019 (house) and December 2018 and January 2019 (profiles) have highlighted the high activity of this gliding. It has been analyzed three-dimensionally several profiles along the landslide, in addition to an affected house, where they have experienced phenomena such as: sinking and tilting to slope down with values from 3 cm to 30 cm (profiles) in 30 days to 2.28 m (house) in 230 days.


BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE
Multisection CT angiography is a minimally invasive technique that can provide high-resolution and high-contrast images of the arterial lumen and wall. To our knowledge, the ability of multisection CT angiography in detecting vertebral artery (VA) dissection has never been evaluated. We assessed the sensitivity and specificity of a routine, standardized, multisection CT angiographic protocol for the detection of VA dissection.

METHODS
We retrospectively reviewed multisection CT angiograms of 17 patients with VA dissection and 17 control subjects. The acquisition protocol for multisection CT angiography was 1.25-mm nominal section thickness, a table speed of 7.5 mm per rotation (9.4 mm/s), and a 0.8-second gantry rotation period. Two radiologists assessed the maximum intensity projection and axial source images. The sensitivity and specificity of this technique in depicting VA dissection were determined.

RESULTS
Conventional angiography depicted 15 normal and 19 dissected VAs (including five stenotic, seven occlusive, and seven aneurysmal dissections) in the patient group and 28 normal and six atherosclerotic VAs in the control group. Multisection CT angiography enabled successful diagnosis of all 19 dissected VAs and 48 (98%) of 49 nondissected VAs but misidentified a severe atherosclerotic lesion as an aneurysmal-type dissection. The sensitivity, specificity, accuracy, and positive and negative predictive values of multisection CT angiography in diagnosing VA dissection were 100%, 98%, 98.5%, 95%, and 100%, respectively.

CONCLUSION
Multisection CT angiography was a sensitive and accurate technique for the diagnosis of VA dissection.


Various organizational theories have been developed to explain behaviors and activities within organizations when adopting or using information systems.Inter-Organizational Information Systems and Business Management: Theories for Researchers highlights the most influential organizational theories and their applications in Inter-Organizational Information Systems. It also provides a vital resource for all business and IT professionals from executive managers to information professionals, as this book is based on theories that have been consistently tested and proven to be valid over time. With failure as an acute possibility when implementing any information system, theories that form meaningful conclusions and assist with the understanding of underlying causes of phenomena, as explored in this book, are a necessary first step toward success.


The purpose of this report is to provide decision makers in Colombia (and by extension other countries or regions), who are considering the deployment or consolidation of wind power, with a set of options to promote its use. The options presented are the result of an analysis of the Colombian market; this analysis included simulations and modeling of the country's power sector, and extensive consultations with operators, managers, and agents. More information on the analysis and simulations is presented in the appendixes. Wind was chosen to exemplify the range of renewable energy alternatives available to complement traditional power sector technologies on the basis of its technical maturity, its relatively low cost compared to other options, the country's experience, and its wind power potential. This report constitutes the second phase of a barrier analysis to wind energy in Colombia.


Solvent-free soft coarse-grained models are particularly appropriate to investigate collective
phenomena in lipid membranes. In this work we exploit such a model to
show how modifying a few model parameters we can control the bending rigidity of
the membrane, the hydration repulsion, and the macroscopic phases of self-assembled
structures. Further, we investigate the lipid mediated interactions between fusion objects:
transmembrane proteins, pores and stalks. The presence of such defects induces
a perturbation in the shape of the membrane and in the conformations of lipids. The
modi cations induced by single defects superimpose and for some defect interaction
(peptide-peptide, pore-peptide) we identify the equilibrium distance between these objects.
The prediction of the results of the simulations are compared with the numerical
solution of a continuum model parametrized from the analysis of the simulation snapshots.
The presence of transmembrane proteins with a large hydrophobic mismatch weakens
the membrane over the direct interaction range decreasing slightly the membrane
thickness. This involves the lowering of the line tension of the pore and for a particular
number and spatial arrangement of proteins the line tension of the pore is negative
and the pore is stable in tensionless membranes. Another agent that in
uences the
line tension of the pore is oil (short hydrophobic chains). The oil has a con guration
space larger than the one of the lipids and partitions to relax the frustration of the
lipids at the interfaces and increases the line tension of the pore (the membrane is
more resistant under lateral tension).
The model parameters have a large in
uence on the equilibrium properties of a stalk
and we study the characteristic sizes of stalks depending on the hydration between two
opposed bilayers and compare the results to other simulation models and experimental
data. We show how hydration and lateral tension in
uence bilayer repulsion and how
the combined e ect of both contributions leads to membrane fusion.


Facial expressions are important for humans in communicating emotions to the conspecifics and enhancing interpersonal understanding. Many muscles producing facial expressions in humans are also found in domestic dogs, but little is known about how humans perceive dog facial expressions, and which psychological factors influence people's perceptions. Here, we asked 34 observers to rate the valence, arousal, and the six basic emotions (happiness, sadness, surprise, disgust, fear, and anger/aggressiveness) from images of human and dog faces with Pleasant, Neutral and Threatening expressions. We investigated how the subjects' personality (the Big Five Inventory), empathy (Interpersonal Reactivity Index) and experience of dog behavior affect the ratings of dog and human faces. Ratings of both species followed similar general patterns: human subjects classified dog facial expressions from pleasant to threatening very similarly to human facial expressions. Subjects with higher emotional empathy evaluated Threatening faces of both species as more negative in valence and higher in anger/aggressiveness. More empathetic subjects also rated the happiness of Pleasant humans but not dogs higher, and they were quicker in their valence judgments of Pleasant human, Threatening human and Threatening dog faces. Experience with dogs correlated positively with ratings of Pleasant and Neutral dog faces. Personality also had a minor effect on the ratings of Pleasant and Neutral faces in both species. The results imply that humans perceive human and dog facial expression in a similar manner, and the perception of both species is influenced by psychological factors of the evaluators. Especially empathy affects both the speed and intensity of rating dogs' emotional facial expressions.


Use of a low-manipulation hydrofluoric acid-extraction procedure on Cambrian mudstones reveals an unexpectedly abundant and diverse range of small carbonaceous fossils (SCFs), primarily the disarticulated sclerites and cuticular fragments of animals. Relatively recalcitrant forms such as Wiwaxia sclerites and priapulid-like scalids are sufficiently common to yield a reasonably reliable biostratigraphic signal, unlike their rare macroscopic counterparts. Molluscan radulae, crustacean appendages, and the carbonaceous components of originally mineralized metazoan sclerites provide further insights into the histology, diversity, and distribution of early metazoans. The widespread occurrence of SCFs is due in part to their enhanced biostratinomic potential for transport, burial, and preservation, particularly in well-aerated epicratonic settings not represented by Burgess Shale–type macrofossils. More generally, the SCF record represents a largely untapped measure of ecological and evolutionary dynamics through the early Paleozoic.


The Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) sensor has provided valuable information on various aspects of the Earth System since March 2000. The spectral, spatial, and temporal characteristics of MODIS products have made them an important data source for analyzing key science questions relating to Earth System processes at regional, continental, and global scales. The size of the MODIS product and native HDF-EOS format are not optimal for use in field investigations at individual sites (100 × 100 km or smaller). In order to make MODIS data readily accessible for field investigations, the NASA-funded Distributed Active Archive Center (DAAC) for Biogeochemical Dynamics at Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL) has developed an online system that provides MODIS land products in an easy-to-use format and in file sizes more appropriate to field research. This system provides MODIS land products data in a nonproprietary comma delimited ASCII format and in GIS compatible formats (GeoTIFF and ASCII grid). Web-based visualization tools are also available as part of this system and these tools provide a quick snapshot of the data. Quality control tools and a multitude of data delivery options are available to meet the demands of various user communities. This paper describes the important features and design goals for the system, particularly in the context of data archive and distribution for regional scale analysis. The paper also discusses the ways in which data from this system can be used for validation, data intercomparison, and modeling efforts.


This is the first paper to identify the correlates of workplace managers' perceptions of the health and safety risks faced by workers and the degree to which workers have control over those risks. The risks workers face and the control they have over those risks are weakly negatively correlated. Managerial risk ratings are positively associated with both injury and illness rates, but not with absence rates. The control rating is also positively associated with injury and illness rates, but it is negatively correlated with absence rates. Workers are more likely to be exposed to health and safety risks when their workplace is performing poorly and where it has been adversely affected by the recession. Union density is positively associated with risks but is not associated with worker control over risks. Having on-site worker representatives dealing with health and safety is linked to lower risks than direct consultation between management and employees over health and safety. However, there is no evidence that particular types of health and safety arrangement are related to worker control over health and safety risks.


Satellite instruments do not measure the aerosol chemical composition needed to discriminate anthropogenic from natural aerosol components. However the ability of new satellite instruments to distinguish fine (submicron) from coarse (supermicron) aerosols over the oceans, serves as a signature of the anthropogenic component and can be used to estimate the fraction of anthropogenic aerosols with an uncertainty of ±30%. Application to two years of global MODIS data shows that 21 ± 7% of the aerosol optical thickness over the oceans has an anthropogenic origin. We found that three chemical transport models, used for global estimates of the aerosol forcing of climate, calculate a global average anthropogenic optical thickness over the ocean between 0.030 and 0.036, in line with the present MODIS assessment of 0.033. This increases our confidence in model assessments of the aerosol direct forcing of climate. The MODIS estimated aerosol forcing over cloud free oceans is therefore −1.4 ± 0.4 W/m2.


Abstract. In spring 2011, the Arctic polar vortex was stronger than in any other year on record. As the polar vortex started to break up in April, ozone and NO 2 columns were measured with UV-visible spectrometers above the Polar Environment Atmospheric Research Laboratory (PEARL) in Eureka, Canada (80.05° N, 86.42° W) using the differential optical absorption spectroscopy (DOAS) technique. These ground-based column measurements were complemented by Ozone Monitoring Instrument (OMI) and Optical Spectrograph and Infra-Red Imager System (OSIRIS) satellite measurements, Global Modeling Initiative (GMI) simulations, and meteorological quantities. On 8 April 2011, NO 2 columns above PEARL from the DOAS, OMI, and GMI datasets were approximately twice as large as in previous years. On this day, temperatures and ozone volume mixing ratios above Eureka were high, suggesting enhanced chemical production of NO 2 from NO. Additionally, GMI NO x (NO + NO 2 ) and N 2 O fields suggest that downward transport along the vortex edge and horizontal transport from lower latitudes also contributed to the enhanced NO 2 . The anticyclone that transported lower-latitude NO x above PEARL became frozen-in and persisted in dynamical and GMI N 2 O fields until the end of the measurement period on 31 May 2011. Ozone isolated within this frozen-in anticyclone (FrIAC) in the middle stratosphere was lost due to reactions with the enhanced NO x . Below the FrIAC (from the tropopause to 700 K), NO x driven ozone loss above Eureka was larger than in previous years, according to GMI monthly average ozone loss rates. Using the passive tracer technique, with passive ozone profiles from the Lagrangian Chemistry and Transport Model, ATLAS, ozone losses since 1 December 2010 were calculated at 600 K. In the air mass that was above Eureka on 20 May 2011, ozone losses reached 4.2 parts per million by volume (ppmv) (58%) and 4.4 ppmv (61%), when calculated using GMI and OSIRIS ozone profiles, respectively. This gas-phase ozone loss led to a more rapid decrease in ozone column amounts above Eureka in April/May 2011 compared with previous years. Ground-based, OMI, and GMI ozone total columns all decreased by more than 100 DU from 15 April to 20 May. Two lows in the ozone columns were also investigated and were attributed to a vortex remnant passing above Eureka at ~500 K on 12/13 May and an ozone mini-hole on 22/23 May.


Several Municipalities in Virginia are currently developing and implementing watershed programs. While programmatic goals and objectives vary, all seek to incorporate stream restoration project work. Decision support tools exist for many aspects of watershed and water resources management, however, there are currently no such tools to aid municipalities in their stream restoration efforts. This study details the development of such a decision support tool for the Henrico County Stream Assessment/Watershed Management Program based on the assessment of stream restoration opportunities and feasibility constraints. A framework for the development of future municipal watershed programs is presented and related issues are discussed.


BACKGROUND
While central venous catheter (CVC) use has expanded home hemodialysis (HHD) eligibility to many patients who may be unable to self-cannulate an arteriovenous (AV) access, the association between CVC use and mortality has not been directly examined among HHD patients.

STUDY DESIGN
Registry-based retrospective observational cohort study.

SETTING & PARTICIPANTS
Incident HHD patients in The Canadian Organ Replacement Register who had information for vascular access type (CVC vs AV access) within the first year of HHD therapy initiation.

PREDICTOR
Use of a CVC versus an AV access (AV fistula or graft) within the first year of HHD therapy initiation.

OUTCOME
The composite of all-cause mortality and technique failure (long-term transfer to an alternate dialysis modality). A Cox proportional hazards model was used to evaluate the adjusted composite outcome and each outcome separately.

RESULTS
1,869 patients initiated HHD therapy in Canada in 1996 to 2012, of whom 1,217 had an access type recorded within the first year of HHD therapy initiation. Compared to CVC use (n=523) and during a median follow-up of 513 and 427 days for AV access and CVC patients, respectively, AV access use (n=694) was associated with lower risk for the composite event of death and technique failure (490 events; adjusted HR, 0.78; 95% CI, 0.64-0.94) and lower adjusted all-cause mortality (129 deaths; adjusted HR, 0.63; 95% CI, 0.43-0.91); the risk for technique failure was nominally lower, but this result was not statistically significant (361 events; adjusted HR, 0.84; 95% CI, 0.67-1.05). Results were robust to sensitivity analyses and after missing data imputation.

LIMITATIONS
Missing information for vascular access type (n=659[35% of patients]) and lack of information for longitudinal changes in vascular access type.

CONCLUSIONS
Compared to CVC use, AV access use was associated with superior survival. Minimizing CVC use and maximizing AV access use while addressing barriers to their placement and self-cannulation may improve HHD outcomes.


This paper argues that coal and its industry is promising. It is found that the Western European (including the British) case has been misunderstood and the US case shows a developing coal industry under increasing levels of environmental pressure. The demonstration of the declining emissions intensity of coal provides an additional mean of reconciling the development of the coal industry with the environment. In the long term the enforcement of environmental regulations can benefit the coal industry in several ways, and the alternatives to coal are not yet available in a sufficiently large scale. Based on the positive prospects of coal, issues related to climate change, clean coal technology and energy policy are discussed.


The dropout rate is an indicator of complex analysis and there is no consensus on its significance. Universities lack systematized, univocal methods for collecting student dropout data, making measurement problematic. In consequence, the formulas applied to analyze this phenomenon differ between countries and it is therefore an immense challenge to perform comparative studies. The aim of this paper is to provide a general overview of student dropout in Spain and in Catalonia compared to other international university contexts. Compiled data come from several reports produced by national and international organizations as well as by a research project funded by the Catalan University Quality Assurance Agency (AQU). The perspective provided on how this phenomenon is being studied and dealt with in several contexts may help design actions to increase student retention and performance in higher education institutions (HEIs).


Thermal therapy using laser sources can be used in combination with other cancer therapies to eliminate tumors. However, high precision temperature control is required to avoid damage in healthy surrounding tissues. Therefore, in order to detect laser induced temperature changes, we have used the fluorescence signal of the enhanced Green Fluorescent Protein (eGFP) over-expressed in an E. coli bacterial culture. For that purpose, the bacteria expressing eGFP are injected in a Fabry-Perot (FP) optofluidic planar microcavity. In order to locally heat the bacterial culture, external infrared or ultraviolet lasers were used. Shifts in the wavelengths of the resonant FP modes are used to determine the temperature increase as a function of the heating laser pump power. Laser induced local temperature increments up to 6–7 °C were measured. These results show a relatively easy way to measure laser induced local temperature changes using a FP microcavity and using eGFP as a molecular probe instead of external nanop...


Two-dimensional (2D) materials, such as molybdenum disulfide (MoS(2)), have been shown to exhibit excellent electrical and optical properties. The semiconducting nature of MoS(2) allows it to overcome the shortcomings of zero-bandgap graphene, while still sharing many of graphene's advantages for electronic and optoelectronic applications. Discrete electronic and optoelectronic components, such as field-effect transistors, sensors, and photodetectors made from few-layer MoS(2) show promising performance as potential substitute of Si in conventional electronics and of organic and amorphous Si semiconductors in ubiquitous systems and display applications. An important next step is the fabrication of fully integrated multistage circuits and logic building blocks on MoS(2) to demonstrate its capability for complex digital logic and high-frequency ac applications. This paper demonstrates an inverter, a NAND gate, a static random access memory, and a five-stage ring oscillator based on a direct-coupled transistor logic technology. The circuits comprise between 2 to 12 transistors seamlessly integrated side-by-side on a single sheet of bilayer MoS(2). Both enhancement-mode and depletion-mode transistors were fabricated thanks to the use of gate metals with different work functions.


Dopaminergic (DA) neurons in the ventral tegmental area (VTA) provide the DA innervation of the nucleus accumbens. This mesolimbic DA pathway is important for the reinforcing effects of alcohol and plays a central role in alcohol-related behaviors. This Research Society on Alcoholism symposium included a discussion of the acute and chronic effects of ethanol and ethanol withdrawal on DA VTA neurons. The experiments that were discussed ranged from studies in the freely moving behaving rat and electrophysiological studies in vivo, to electrophysiological studies in brain slices and acutely dissociated DA VTA neurons, to neurochemical studies that explored the cellular basis of ethanol's actions. Because ethanol's effects on this reinforcement pathway are critically important for voluntary intake of alcohol and alcohol addiction, this symposium report may be of interest to both basic science and clinical researchers in the alcohol field. This symposium focused on effects of ethanol on the mesolimbic dopamine pathway, specifically the VTA and the nucleus accumbens. The organizer/co-chairs were Sarah B. Appel and Mark S. Brodie. The presentations were (1) Introduction, by Mark S. Brodie; (2) Reinforcing Actions of Alcohol in the Ventral Tegmental Area: Intracranial Self-Administration Studies, by William J. McBride; (3) A Possible Mechanism Mediating the Direct Excitation of Dopaminergic Ventral Tegmental Area Neurons by Ethanol, by Sarah B. Appel; (4) Effect of Chronic Ethanol and Withdrawal on Dopaminergic Ventral Tegmental Area Neurons: In Vivo Electrophysiological Studies, by Marco Diana; (5) Ethanol Induces Protein Kinase A Translocation Into the Nucleus, Cyclic AMP Response Element Binding Protein Phosphorylation, and Increases in Cyclic Adenosine Monophosphate–Dependent Gene Expression, by Ivan Diamond; and (6) Co-activation of Dopamine D1 and D2 Receptors Is Necessary for Dopamine-Mediated Increases in Firing Activity in Nucleus Accumbens Neurons, by Antonello Bonci.


Understanding larval fish survival dynamics is essential to determining variability in future adult population structure. Realistic modeling of larval fish feeding ecology depends on incor- porating both the biotic and abiotic conditions that affect predator-prey interactions. We used an individual-based model (IBM) to test which variables drive Atlantic larval cod Gadus morhua feeding preferences. The IBM included a bioenergetics component that incorporated metabolic parameters and growth and a mechanistic prey selection component that depended on larval development and behavior, prey size and behavior, depth, light, and physical oceanographic conditions. We applied our model to Georges Bank and incorporated high-resolution field data on environmental conditions and prey abundance to analyze larval cod feeding ecology. Based on simulated selectivity indices, we found that cod prey selection was determined by differential encounter of prey due to the abundance of suitably sized prey, their visibility, and larval cod ability to capture these prey items. The model suggested that Pseudocalanus spp. were the dominant prey species for larval cod because of their abundance in the water column and their large image area. Centropages spp. were also modeled to be an important part of larval diet, but no copepodite stages of this taxon were found in gut samples. Lack of Centropages spp. in the gut samples indicated that they are more elusive in their behavior than Pseudocalanus spp. Overall our results suggest larval cod feeding ecology on Georges Bank is a consequence of the physical and biological conditions rather than active prey selection.


This paper describes the use of Intelligent Agents and Ontologies to implement knowledge navigation and learner choice when interacting with complex information locations. The paper is in two parts: the first looks at how Agent Based Semantic Technology can be used to give users a more personalised experience as an individual. The paper then looks to generalise this technology to allow users to work with agents in hybrid group scenarios. In the context of University Learners, the paper outlines how we employ an Ontology of Student Characteristics to personalise information retrieval specifically suited to an individual's needs. Choice is not a simple "show me your hand and make me a match" but a deliberative artificial intelligence (AI) that uses an ontologically informed agent society to consider the weighted solution paths before choosing the appropriate best. The aim is to enrich the student experience and significantly re-route the student's journey. The paper uses knowledge-level interoperation of agents to personalise the learning space of students and deliver to them the information and knowledge to suite them best. The aim is to personalise their learning in the presentation/format that is most appropriate for their needs. The paper then generalises this Semantic Technology Framework using shared vocabulary libraries that enable individuals to work in groups with other agents, which might be other people or actually be AIs. The task they undertake is a formal assessment but the interaction mode is one of informal collaboration. Pedagogically this addresses issues of ensuring fairness between students since we can ensure each has the same experience (as provided by the same set of Agents) as each other and an individual mark may be gained. This is achieved by forming a hybrid group of learner and AI Software Agents. Different agent architectures are discussed and a worked example presented. The work here thus aims at fulfilling the student's needs both in the context of matching their needs but also in allowing them to work in an Agent Based Synthetic Group. This in turn opens us new areas of potential collaborative technology.


Temperature recordings from exploration boreholes for hydrocarbons and geothermal energy are evaluated to select the best-suitable data for determining formation temperature and heat flow in the Northeast German Basin. Repeated temperature logs measured in several boreholes allow a classification into equilibrium logs and perturbed logs. For the latter, a simple empirical correction is proposed based on mean annual ground-surface temperature, the estimated amount of temperature correction at total depth of log, and the depth-dependent cross-over point of temperature perturbation due to drilling. Analysis of bottom-hole temperatures (BHTs) showed that the uncorrected values deviate, on average, by as much as 22.2±10.2°C (1σ) from the formation temperature. BHTs corrected using the Horner-plot method are systematically too low by 1–2°C compared to values corrected using the exact solution to the full line-source equation. Both correction methods yield values that underestimate formation temperatures by as much as 9°C and 8°C, respectively. The large standard deviation (1σ) of about ±8°C indicates that a corrected BHT reflects (with 96% confidence, 2σ) formation temperature not better than ±16°C. However, using temperature logs in conjunction with the corrected BHTs allowed a prediction of formation temperatures with an error less than ±10°C at somewhat deeper depths than the log in several boreholes. The availability of continuous temperature logs as a prerequisite for a reduction of error of BHTs significantly reduced the quantity of useable corrected BHTs in the basin.


About the Book: Cultural Work examines the conditions of the production of culture. It maps the changed character of work within the cultural and creative industries, examines the increasing diversity of cultural work and offers new methods for analysing and thinking about cultural workplaces. Studying television, popular music, performance art, radio, film production and live performance it offers occupational biographies, cultural histories, practitioners' evidence, considerations of the economic environment as well as new ways of observing and studying the cultural industries.


The pressure behavior of Raman frequencies and line widths of crystalline core-amorphous shell silicon nanowires (SiNWs) with two different core-to-shell ratio thicknesses was studied at pressures up to 8 GPa. The obtained isothermal compressibility (bulk modulus) of SiNWs with a core-to-shell ratio of about 1.8 is ∼20% higher (lower) than reported values for bulk Si. For SiNWs with smaller core- to-shell ratios, a plastic deformation of the shell was observed together with a strain relaxation. A significant increase in the full width at half-maximum of the Raman LTO-peak due to phonon decay was used to determine the critical pressure at which LTO-phonons decay into LO + TA phonons. Our results reveal that this critical pressure in strained core−shell SiNWs (∼4 GPa) is different from the reported value for bulk Si (∼7 GPa), whereas no change is observed for relaxed core−shell SiNWs.


Forest communities play a vital role in the conservation of forest resources. Understanding communities' use, attitudes and perceptions of forests and management measures is significant in attaining conservation goals and reducing forest resource use conflicts. This study sought to assess local community' forest resources use and their perception towards forest status, use and management. Data was collected through household surveys using semi-structured questionnaires, participant observation, Key Informant Interviews (KII), and Focus Group Discussions (FGD). A total of 112 respondents from three adjacent villages within 5 km from the forest boundary were randomly sampled for the household survey while descriptive statistics were used for data analysis. Most (94.6%) of the households reported using products from forests. These products formed an integral part of the households' energy needs, construction materials, medicine, income generation and daily dietary needs. Firewood was the most collected product from the forest (76.4%) whereas bush meat was the least (4.7%). There were mixed views on the forest management with more than half (54.5%) expressing dissatisfaction with the current management regime citing insecure land tenure system, inadequate integration of the community in forest management and corruption. There was perceived forest degradation due to illegal logging, illegal grazing, forest fires, climate change and encroachment for farming. For sustainable forest management practice therefore, there is a need for incorporating Indigenous knowledge (IK) in forest management plans and putting in place grievance address mechanisms to cater for the needs of local communities when designing forest policies and implementing forest restoration programs.


The objective of the present study was to determine the seroprevalence of respiratory syncytial (RS) and parainfluenza 3 (PI3) viruses in cattle from three communities of the province of Espinar, Cusco, Peru. Blood samples were collected from 406 cattle older than 6 months of age of both sexes for the detection of antibodies against the RC and PI3 viruses by viral neutralization test. The 85.0 and 87.4 of animals presented antibodies against the RS and PI3 viruses, respectively, where animals with 13-24 and >24 months old were the most affected age groups. Antibody titres against both viruses had a range of 2 to >256, where antibody titres of 16-64 against RS and PI3 viruses were detected in


Abstract The real nature of marine reptile fossils found in England between the 1700s and the beginning of the 1900s remained enigmatic until Mary Anning's incredible fossil discoveries and their subsequent study by eminent English and French scientists. In 1820, Georges Cuvier acquired several ichthyosaur specimens found by Mary Anning, now kept or displayed in the Palaeontology Gallery of the Muséum National d'Histoire Naturelle (MNHN) in Paris. Four years later, Cuvier obtained a plesiosaur specimen from Mary Anning, only the second ever discovered. Cuvier was fascinated by these fossils and their study allowed him to apply his comparative anatomical method and to support his catastrophist theory. We have re-examined these important specimens from a historical point of view, and describe them here taxonomically for the first time since Cuvier's works. The Paris specimens belong to two different ichthyosaur genera (Ichthyosaurus and Leptonectes) and one plesiosaur genus (Plesiosaurus).


Background: This paper aims to discuss the impacts of educational tourism on the residents in the Klang Valley, Malaysia. Educational tourism is a means to empower educational communities, host communities, local entrepreneurs, and to enhance economic prosperity. Method: A cross-sectional survey was carried out in five districts in Selangor and Kuala Lumpur (Federal Territory) which are located in the Klang Valley, and Nilai, Negeri Sembilan. Data was collected from 700 respondents using structured questionnaire from the Klang Valley and Nilai. Results: Pearson correlation analysis revealed that, there is significant positive moderate relationship between attitude, environmental impact, economic impact, and socio-cultural impact and practice. Multiple linear regressions showed that socio-cultural and economic impact of educational tourism, and local community attitude has significantly contributed to residents' practice to educational tourists in the Klang Valley. Conclusion: The findings propose new insights into the socio-cultural and economic impacts of educational tourism and community development practice. Educational tourism can sustain the development of career paths for workers and local communities. The results of this study present practical information on sustainable educational programs for both the Ministry of Higher Education and the Ministry of Tourism.


In Burlington Northern Santa Fe Railroad v. White, Supreme Court soundly rejected the idea that the plaintiff must establish that conduct rose to the level of an adverse employment action to constitute retaliation under Title VII. This Article posits that, in an effort to square Burlington with other Title VII agency jurisprudence, the courts will be required to re-import the concept of tangible employment action into decisions regarding whether an employer is vicariously liable for actions committed by supervisors. While the lower courts appear to recognize that agency issues come into play when retaliation is conducted by co-workers, they have largely ignored the interplay of agency and retaliation when actions are taken by supervisors. The Article makes four key points. First, as a descriptive matter, the Article demonstrates how the facts of the Burlington case, as well as the way that the case was positioned legally, resulted in a decision where important agency principles appear to have been addressed, but actually were not. Next, the Article will argue that the lower courts in a post-Burlington world are intuitively sensing that agency concerns still lurk in retaliation claims. However, rather than address the agency issues, the lower courts appear to be improperly addressing concerns about employer liability through other portions of the retaliation inquiry, a practice that is not only disingenuous, but that will also result in an inconsistent development of the substantive retaliation provision.The discussion then turns toward creating a framework to determine the types of cases in which agency will play an important role. Finally, the Article argues that unless Burlington is interpreted in the way suggested in this article, the decision will result in an agency jurisprudence that is at odds with the Court's current Title VII agency decisions. Such an outcome is untenable for most types of retaliation, as there is no theoretical reason to treat agency principles differently in the retaliation context, than in the discrimination context. Where arguments exist for departure from the traditional framework, the Article identifies those arguments, but ultimately concludes that the current structure is the best way to address agency issues in retaliation claims.


Lactoferrin (Lf) is an iron-chelating traceable glycoprotein present in milk. Its functional outlook includes : iron absorption, anti-inflammatory, intestinal flora protection, antibacterial, antiviral,etc. covering different fields : food & beverage, infant formula, sports & functional foods, pharmaceuticals, personal care products and other applications. It is present in the milk of bovine at a high concentration in colostrums as 2-5mg/ml and at a low concentration in raw milk as 0.1- 0.3 mg/ml. Lf may be extracted from milk whey (1.Castro et.al.,J.Adv.Dairy Res 2017,5:4). Milk Vita – the largest liquid milk processing organization in Bangladesh dealing with about 200,000 lt/day raw liquid milk production, collection, processing and marketing nation widely in the diversified fold of dairy products where every day we may extract about 60 kg super quality Lactoferrin (Lf) from the said raw milk resulting market value about USD 30,000 per day or about USD 10 million per year 360 working days as regular gross additional income beyond conventional milk business ( 2. Azad, M.A.K.,2001) . Thus, if from Milk Vita do requisite steps for Lf extraction from own collected raw milk may be accrued more money than traditional milk business. Bangladesh is severely affected by pandemic corona virus crisis. Everyday the fatality is increasing in lethalic mode. All people in Bangladesh including Milk Vita nowadays are fighting against this unseen enemies. We , the Milk Vita people are also panic due to the upcoming post corona virus financial pandemic threat. Therefore, we may concentrate our innovative eyes to extract Lf from our regular milk collection from dairy farmers investing the required local/international technology and marketing the same globally and combat post corona virus crisis accordingly.


We investigated the effects of human anti-sporozoite antibodies on the sporogonic development of Plasmodium falciparum in Anopheles stephensi. Equal volumes of washed human erythrocytes and human sera from 1) volunteers with protective immunity induced by immunization with irradiated P. falciparum sporozoites, 2) the same volunteers before immunization, or 3) Kenyans exposed to natural sporozoite transmission, were fed to cohorts of P. falciparum-infected A. stephensi on either day 5, 8, or 11 after infection. A fourth group of infected mosquitoes from the same cohort were not refed. In two experiments, the effects of anti-sporozoite antibodies were evaluated by determining the infection rates and parasite densities for oocysts and salivary gland sporozoites. There was no evidence that anti-sporozoite antibodies had any effect on the development or intensity of P. falciparum infection in A. stephensi. However, accelerated oocyst maturation was associated with mosquitoes taking a second blood meal, independent of serum source. Salivary gland sporozoites from mosquitoes that fed on immune human sera contained bound human IgG, which was detectable by indirect immunofluorescence assay. The infectivity and transmission potential of human IgG-coated sporozoites is unknown.


This article reports an investigation of the attitudes and opinions of children's librarians towards poetry, and towards its promotion in the public library. It also reports some attitudes towards literature promotion to young people in general. A series of structured interviews with library professionals currently working in the public sector strongly indicate that children's librarians are themselves enthusiastic concerning poetry, and are firmly convinced both of the benefits incurred by children encouraged to read, write and listen to poems from a very early age, and of children's own enjoyment of this genre. Due to its brevity and memorability, poetry is regarded by the interviewees as the most accessible literary form for poor or reluctant readers, despite its wider image as a neglected and 'difficult' genre for children and young people.


The impact of compulsory schooling laws as well as the abolition of early selection by ability reamin important issues in the educational debate. These issues were the focus of a major education reform in Sweden which was implemented in the 60s. The reform was preceded by a "social experiment" ub which only a proportion of municipalities received the new school system. We use survey data linked with tax records covering 10% of one of the cohorts, who were educated during the experimental period, to evaluate the impact of the reform on educational attainment and earnings. We find significant increases in the educational attainment of individuals from poorer backgrounds. In addition we estimate the returns to education for those affected by the reform. By exploiting the differential impact of the reform by county we are able, in some cases, to distinguish its direct effect on earnings from the effect it had by increasing the quantity of education. We find that the main source of increased earnings came from increasing educational attainment.


MINIX4RT is an extension of the well-known MINIX Operating System that adds Hard Real-Time services in a new microkernel but keeping backward compatibility with standard MINIX versions. Semaphores are the primitive synchronization and mutual exclusion mechanism in many operating systems, but MINIX does not provide those facilities. Semaphores were added to MINIX4RT, and since it is a Real-Time Operating System, they must meet some processing requirements such as dequeueing waiting processes in priority order and avoiding the Priority Inversion problem. This article describes the Real-Time Semaphores facilities available on MINIX4RT, its design, implementation, performance tests and their results.