STUDY OBJECTIVES
Recent meta-analyses raising concern about risks of hypnotics suggest a need for more clarification of these risks.

METHODS
Because of preliminary suggestions that eszopiclone causes infections, we studied US Food and Drug Administration files on the 4 most-recently approved hypnotics, combined with published studies, to compile the risk ratios of infections for groups randomly assigned to receive hypnotics versus those assigned to receive placebos in controlled trials. Parallel controlled clinical trials of eszopiclone, ramelteon, zaleplon, and zolpidem were included when data on subjects, duration of exposure, and adverse effects were available. Results of trials were combined by meta-analyses.

RESULTS
Of 8828 participants assigned to the 4 hypnotics and 4383 participants who randomly received placebos, 606 in the hypnotics groups and 200 in the placebo groups were reported to develop some kind of infection (risk ratio = 1.44, 95% confidence interval 1.25-1.64, p < 0.00001). Most infections were apparently mild and did not lead to dropouts. Subanalyses for individual drugs indicated that eszopiclone and zolpidem individually were associated with reported infections. There were insufficient data concerning individual studies of zaleplon and ramelteon for valid secondary meta-analyses of zaleplon or ramelteon by themselves.

CONCLUSIONS
Research is needed to objectively determine whether the use of hypnotics increases the risk of infections. Immune compromise or esophageal reflux and aspiration should be studied as possible mechanisms.


Background/introduction There is a strong tradition of collaborative research and practice in sexual health in the North East of England. Aim(s)/objectives The North East Sexual Health Research Practice Network brings together colleagues from academia, public health and clinical practice to share research findings and identify research questions based on local issues. Methods A project group with representatives from local universities, Public Health England and local authorities developed a proposal for a regional sexual health research network to promote collaboration and share evidence of what works. A steering group was established to develop an initial work plan for the network. Results The network has identified key outputs for its first year –including a website hosted by FUSE (the Centre for Translational Research in Public Health, a collaboration between the five North East universities), a mapping exercise of existing sexual health research in the region and an inaugural Research Practice event to share key findings and plan future projects. Discussion/conclusion We have identified an enthusiasm for sexual health research in the region, and hope that the network will draw together colleagues working in different fields who may not be aware of the range of work being carried out across the region. We hope that by identifying research questions that are locally meaningful, and by offering support from colleagues with expertise in the field, we will generate research that will inform sexual health practice and commissioning, reduce duplication and ultimately improve the sexual health of people in the North East and beyond.


Abstract In recent decades, a new integration-demarcation cleavage has emerged in Europe, pitting political parties in favour of globalisation against those opposing globalisation. Although a lot is known about the socio-structural basis and the political organisation of this cleavage, we do not know the extent to which these political divides have led to social divides. Therefore, this article investigates how losers and winners of globalisation oppose each other. On the basis of representative online experiments in Germany and Austria, this article studies attitudes and behaviour towards people with different nationalities, education, and party preferences, which correspond to the cultural, socio-structural, and organisational elements of the new cleavage. More particularly, the extent to which people are willing to interact with each other in daily life and how much they trust each other is investigated. The main results show that people who identify with different parties (especially if they belong to the other side of the cleavage) oppose each other much more strongly than people with different nationalities. There is no divide, however, between the low-skilled and high-skilled. Finally, it appears that the social divides are asymmetrical: the winners of globalisation resent the losers more than the other way round.


Tissue regeneration of the vocal fold lamina propria extracellular matrix (ECM) will be facilitated by the use of suitable vocal fold fibroblast (VFF) cell lines in appropriate model systems. Primary human VFFs (hVFFs) were steadily transduced by a retroviral vector containing human telomerase reverse transcriptase (hTERT) gene; immortalized cells grew and divided vigorously for more than 120 days. Biochemical characterization of the six transduced lines included, at different time points, expression of hTERT, telomerase activity, telomere lengths, and transcript levels of ECM constituents. Telomere lengths of the transfected lines were elongated and stable. Gene expression levels of collagen Ialpha1, collagen Ialpha2, collagen VIalpha3, elastin, and fibronectin were measured between the transduced cell clones and the primary hVFFs to verify transcription. Absence of inter- and intraspecies contamination was confirmed with DNA fingerprinting and karyotype analysis. Cell morphology, growth, and transcription expression were examined on 2D scaffolds-collagen, fibronectin, and hyaluronic acid. Immortalized hVFFs demonstrated normal attachment and spread on 2D scaffolds. Collagen Ialpha1, collagen Ialpha2, collagen VIalpha3, elastin, and fibronectin transcript expression was measured from immortalized hVFFs, for all surfaces. This is the first report of immortalization and biochemical characterization of hVFFs, providing a novel and invaluable tool for tissue regeneration applications in the larynx.


The purpose of this article is to critically reflect on recent developments and debates about child protection policy and practice in advanced Western societies, with particular reference to England. It includes a discussion of the scandal associated with the death of 'Baby Peter' and the political reactions to it, together with an analysis of the Munro Review of Child Protection. In the process it considers why the profession of social work is continually subject to criticism in child protection work but, at the same time, continues to be entrusted with playing the central role in it. It is argued that a major reason for this is that social work plays a key role in 'governing the family' in advanced Western societies where, while it is important that children are protected from 'significant harm', it is also important that the privacy of the family is not seen as being undermined. Social work expertise is key to maintaining this fine balance and mediating between the various tensions involved.


This Bibliography is brought to you for free and open access by Iowa Research Online. It has been accepted for inclusion in Walt Whitman Quarterly Review by an authorized administrator of Iowa Research Online. For more information, please contact firstname.lastname@example.com. Recommended Citation Folsom, Ed. "Walt Whitman: A Current Bibliography, Winter 2002." Walt Whitman Quarterly Review 19 (Winter 2002), 193-198.


Summary Two independent spectroscopic methods are presented and compared for the quantitation of the phenolic hydroxyl groups in lignins. The combined information is used to further elucidate the character of the lignin samples examined. The UV method is based on the difference of the spectroscopic properties of the ionised and the nonionised phenol. The method using 1H NMR spectroscopy is based on the exchange of phenolic protons in D2O. The difference in integrated proton intensities in the sample dissolved in DMSO and the sample with additional 20% D2O is proportional to the phenolic protons. The method based on UV spectroscopy uses differences in the maxima close to 300 nm and 350 nm of the sample dissolved in alkali and the neutral sample. The results using the two independent methods are in agreement for milled wood lignin, for kraft lignin and for model compounds carrying one aromatic hydroxyl group. For modified lignins and for model compounds with more than one aromatic hydroxyl group, the UV method gives too low values for phenolic hydroxyl groups. The combined results obtained by the two methods however provide information of the total amount of the phenolic groups and of the nature of the phenolic structure formed by the lignin refining.


Water, Energy, and Food sectors are interlinked in a nexus wherein actions relevant to one sector can often influence other sectors to a high degree. Globally, there has been a growing focus on ensuring water, energy, and food security in different kinds of frameworks and models. The current research aims to describe the complex interlinks between the three sectors by evaluating the challenges and opportunities in the following domains: policy, management, and technology. The hypothesis is to provide a basic practice framework to secure better outreach to tackle the interlinks and mismatches within the nexus elements. The methods used a dynamic framework through a transdisciplinary team; the team divided the nexus into six sub-sectors and collecting the primary data through fieldwork interviewing 22 stakeholders and secondary data of 211 literature. The approach of complex adaptive systems and evolving mental models have been used to analyse and develop the framework. The results show that interlinks within the water, energy, and food nexus are quite challenging to be identified since each region has different needs. However, the customized framework covered the gaps holistically, which can be used as a fundamental practice guideline. The study also proposed practical solutions and highlighting the opportunities to secure the future of sustainable development goals.


Streaming multimedia content over the Internet is extremely popular mainly due to emerging applications such as IPTV, YouTube and e-learning. All these applications require simultaneous streaming of multimedia content from one or multiple sources to a large number of users. Such applications impose unique requirements in terms of server bandwidth and playback delay which are difficult to achieve in a scalable fashion with the traditional client-server architecture. Peer-to-peer (P2P) overlays offer a promising approach to support scalable streaming applications, that we broadly refer to as "P2P streaming". Design of a scalable P2P streaming mechanism that accommodates heterogeneity of peers' bandwidth and copes with dynamics of peer participation while ensuring in-time delivery of the multimedia content to individual peers is extremely challenging. Besides these fundamental challenges, P2P streaming applications are facing practical issues such as encouraging peers' contribution and decreasing the costly inter-ISP P2P traffic.
In this dissertation, we study several aspects of live P2P streaming with the goal of improving the performance of such systems. This dissertation can be categorized into two parts as follows. (i) We present the design and evaluation of a mesh-based live P2P streaming mechanism, called PRIME. Further, we perform a head-to-head comparison between the two approaches on live P2P streaming, namely tree-based and mesh-based. We demonstrate the superiority of the mesh-based approach. In the quest for a systematic comparison of existing mesh-based solutions on live P2P streaming, we leverage the insights from our design in PRIME and propose an evaluation methodology. Utilizing the evaluation methodology, we compare the performance of existing mesh-based live P2P streaming solutions. (ii) From a more practical perspective, we tackle some of the existing practical issues in the deployment of live P2P streaming applications, namely providing incentives for participating peers to contribute their resources and designing ISP-friendly live P2P streaming protocols with the ultimate goal of reducing costly inter-ISP traffic. In the end, this dissertation reveals fundamental trade-offs in the design, comparison and meaningful evaluation of basic and practical live P2P streaming mechanisms under realistic settings.
This dissertation includes my previously published and my co-authored materials.


Mobile Internet Protocol version 6 (MIPv6) has been proposed to solve the problem of mobility in the new era of Internet. Mobile IPv6 allows mobile devices always addressable by its home address wherever it is located. Previous research has shown that MIPv6 only defines a means of managing global mobility (macro-mobility) but does not address local mobility (micro-mobility) separately. Instead, it uses the same mechanism in both cases. This involves long handover delay and a lot of signaling.

In this thesis, focus is given on a micro-mobility based test-bed evaluation experiment with improved handover scheme. This proposed handover scheme is the enhancement of the existing Mobile IPv6 protocol, it integrates hierarchical concept and multicast function. Hierarchical design was used to totally shield the micro mobility from macro mobility in order to reduce location update signal and signaling traffic within micro level network while multicasting is used to send packets to Mobile Node (MN) through base stations that are near to MN. This will reduce handover delay that causes packet lost when MN is roaming.

The test-bed is comprised of hardware and software and network analyzer tool to monitor the handover operation. The hardware consists of 5 personal computers to perform the job of one Multicast Router (MR), 2 Access Points (AP), one Home Agent (HA) and one Correspondent Node (CN). A notebook is used as the Mobile
Node (MN) This test-bed is used to analyze the Mobile IPv6 handover delay, packet delay and packet loss in real wireless environment. Since results were gathered from real environment, so wired and wireless media delay were taken into account in our performance evaluation entities. Prior to the test-bed performance measurement, time synchronization of CN (packet generator) and MN (packet receiver) is done with Network Time Protocol (NTP) to ensure the accuracy of the collected data. Two scenarios were measured, which are Mobile IPv6 handover and Enhanced Mobile IPv6 with multicast function and hierarchical design respectively. Finally, it was shown that the proposed handover scheme reduces the handover delay, packet delay, packet lost and increases the throughput and overall throughput during handover. This gives advantages of zero packet lost and lower handover delay which can significantly improve micro mobility performance on 3rd and 4th Generation mobile telephony and beyond.


How does Google sell ad space and rank webpages? How does Netflix recommend movies and Amazon rank products? How can you influence people on Facebook and Twitter and can you really reach anyone in six steps? Why doesn't the Internet collapse under congestion and does it have an Achilles' heel? Why are you charged per gigabyte for mobile data and how can Skype and BitTorrent be free? How are cloud services so scalable and why is WiFi slower at hotspots than at home? Driven by twenty real-world questions about our networked lives, this book explores the technology behind the multi-trillion dollar Internet and wireless industries. Providing easily understandable answers for the casually curious, alongside detailed explanations for those looking for in-depth discussion, this thought-provoking book is essential reading for students in engineering, science and economics, for network industry professionals and anyone curious about how technological and social networks really work.


Fossil fuels (i.e., petroleum, natural gas and coal), which meet most of the world's energy demand today, are being depleted fast. Also, their combustion products are causing the global problems, such as the greenhouse effect, ozone layer depletion, acid rains and pollution, which are posing great danger for our environment and eventually for the life in our planet. Many engineers and scientists agree that the solution to these global problems would be to replace the existing fossil fuel system by the hydrogen energy system. Hydrogen is a very efficient and clean fuel. Its combustion will produce no greenhouse gases, no ozone layer depleting chemicals, little or no acid rain ingredients and pollution. Hydrogen, produced from renewable energy (e.g., solar) sources, would result in a permanent energy system, which we would never have to change. However, there are other energy systems proposed for the post-petroleum era, such as a synthetic fossil fuel system. In this system, synthetic gasoline and synthetic natural gas will be produced using abundant deposits of coal. In a way, this will ensure the continuation of the present fossil fuel system. The two possible energy systems for the post-fossil fuel era (i.e., the solar-hydrogen energy system and the synthetic fossil fuel system) are compared with the present fossil fuel system by taking into consideration production costs, environmental damages and utilization efficiencies. The results indicate that the solar-hydrogen energy system is the best energy system to ascertain a sustainable future, and it should replace the fossil fuel system before the end of the 21st century.


As the knowledge about anthropogenic impacts of climate change has grown, the awareness of the contributions from treatment of wastewater has widened the scope for wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs). Not only shall ever stricter effluent constraints be met, but also energy efficiency be increased, greenhouse gases mitigated and resources recovered. All under a constant pressure on costs. The main objective of this research has been to develop a plant-wide modelling tool to evaluate the performance of operational strategies for multiple objectives at the plant and for off-site environmental impact. The plant-wide model platform Benchmark Simulation Model no. 2 (BSM2) has been modified to improve the evaluation of energy efficiency and include greenhouse gas emissions. Furthermore, the plant-wide process model has been coupled to a life cycle analysis (LCA) model for evaluation of global environmental impact. For energy evaluation, a dynamic aeration system model has been adapted and implemented. The aeration model includes oxygen transfer efficiency, dynamic pressure in the distribution system and non-linear behaviour of blower performance. To allow for modelling of energy recovery via anaerobic co-digestion the digestion model of BSM2 was updated with a flexible co-digestion model allowing for dynamic co-substrate feeds. A feasible procedure for substrate characterisation was proposed. Emissions of the greenhouse gases CO2, CH4 and N2O were considered. The bioprocess model in BSM2 was updated with two-step nitrification, four-step denitrification and nitrifier denitrification to capture N2O production. Fugitive emissions of the three gases were included from digestion, cogeneration and sludge storage. The models were tested in case studies for the three areas of development: aeration, co-digestion and greenhouse gas production. They failed to reject the hypothesis that dynamic process models are required to assess the highly variable operations of wastewater treatment plants. All parts were combined in a case study of the Kappala WWTP in Lidingo, Sweden, for comparison of operational strategies and evaluation of stricter effluent constraints. The averaged model outputs were exported to an LCA model to include off-site production of input goods and impact of discharged residues and wastes. The results reveal trade-offs between water quality, energy efficiency, greenhouse gas emissions and abiotic depletion of elemental and fossil resources. The developed tool is generally applicable for WWTPs and the simulation results from this type of combined models create a good basis for decision support. (Less)


Studying the evolution of chernozem leached quality with whole profile used in intensive agriculture based on fertilization systems in field crop rotations in 1965-2010 period established, that arable leached chernozems is characterized by satisfactory values of the physical, chemical and biological properties. As a result of 45 years intensive used in agriculture the leached chernozems are affected by: dehumification of arable layer, caused by insufficient flow of organic matter in the soil; compaction of arable layer as a result of soil tillage; and soil destruction. Influence of mineral fertilizers in doses of N60-120PK after a period of 10 years of farming land without fertilizers (19942004) did not lead to significant change of physical, chemical and agrochemical properties of soils. Quality status of leached chernozems should be maintained by administration of organically and mineral fertilizers in recommended optimal doses, shredding and incorporation in the soil the vegetal crop residues and secondary production, respecting crop rotation with introducing alfalfa and increasing surface of leguminous crops by 20-25 %; application of agrotechnical measures and mini tillage: cracking the depth of 35- 40 cm tillage depth alternating with periodic raising the surface of the compacted layer.


This paper provides information on the main lithological and stratigraphical framework of the continental Val Daone Conglomerate (VDC), which crops out eastwards of the central Southern Alps, along the Giudicarie Belt (western Trentino), from the NE part of the Early Permian Collio Basin to the west, up to the Val Rendena to the east. The prevalent whitish to greyish alluvial fan and braided river deposits of this formation, composed dominantly of vein quartz and volcanic fragments and reaching a maximum thickness of about 100 m and little more, rest above a marked regional unconformity (corresponding to the lower boundary of the Permian 2 nd tectonosedimentary megacycle emphasised by the recent literature) and paraconformably (?) below the fluvial red beds of the Verrucano Lombardo/Val Gardena Sandstone, generally related to a Late Permian age. Recently, in Val Daone, a thin grey siltstone layer included in the coarser fluvial bodies of the unit has yielded abundant and significant palynological associations. According to PITTAU et alii (in print), it shows a close similarity with the continental red beds of the well known «Saxonian or Saxono-Thuringian Leouve facies» of the Dome de Barrot (French Maritime-Alps), bearing a miospore assemblage characterised by Lueckisporites virrkiae, Corissacites sp., Crucisaccites (closely resembling to Crucisaccites variosulcatus DJUPINA, 1971) and a large number of other palynomorphs. Therefore, according again to PITTAU et alii (in print), the similarity of these species suggests the extension of the stratigraphic potential of this Crucisaccites variosul-catus-Lueckisporites virrkiae zone to Western Europe. Furthermore, due to a careful review from the same authors, on the whole the discovered microfossils span, in different worldwide areas, from latest Kazanian to slightly younger times. However, in Val Daone and its surrounds, the paper's authors are generally inclined to confine them to a Middle Permian age, and thus to connect the onset of the discussed «Conglomerate» with the tectonic activity of the so-called «Mid-Permian Episode» (DEROIN & BONIN, 2003). In the eastern Southern Alps, from Comelico-Cadore to the Karawanken Mountains, the VDC can also be regarded as a Mid-Permian lateral unit of the Sesto (Sexten) Conglomerate and the Tarvisio (Tarvis) Breccia, even though these basal bodies of the 2 nd Permian tectonosedimentary megacycle include different lithologies and cannot necessarily be interpreted as quite synchronous.


In order to meet the electricity needs of domestic or commercial buildings, solar energy is more attractive than other renewable energy sources in terms of its simplicity of installation, less dependence on the field and its economy. It is possible to extract solar energy from photovoltaic (PV) including rooftop, ground-mounted, and building integrated PV systems. Interest in rooftop PV system applications has increased in recent years due to simple installation and not occupying an external area. However, the negative effects of increased PV penetration on the distribution system are troublesome. The power loss, reverse power flow (RPF), voltage fluctuations, voltage unbalance, are causing voltage quality problems in the power network. On the other hand, variations in system frequency, power factor, and harmonics are affecting the power quality. The excessive PV penetration also the root cause of voltage stability and has an adverse effect on protection system. The aim of this article is to extensively examines the impacts of rooftop PV on distribution network and evaluate possible solution methods in terms of the voltage quality, power quality, system protection and system stability. Moreover, it is to present a comparison of the advantages/disadvantages of the solution methods discussed, and an examination of the solution methods in which artificial intelligence, deep learning and machine learning based optimization and techniques are discussed with common methods.


[1] The Particle Analysis by Laser Mass Spectrometry (PALMS) single particle mass spectrometer was used to analyze the composition of the nonvolatile fraction of atmospheric aerosol in a number of different environments. The mass spectra of individual particles sampled through an inlet section heated to 300°C were compared to unheated particles during flights of the NASA DC-8 aircraft during the Tropical Composition Cloud and Climate Coupling (TC4) mission. Comparisons are presented of measurements made in the marine boundary layer, the free troposphere, and the continental boundary layer over the Colombian jungle. The heated section completely removed sulfate from the aerosols except for sodium sulfate and related compounds in sea salt particles. Organic material in sea salt particles was observed to be less volatile than chlorine. Biomass burning particles were more likely to survive heating than other mixed sulfate-organic particles. For all particle types, there was a significant contribution to the residues from carbonaceous material other than elemental carbon. These results demonstrate the remaining compositional complexity of aerosol residuals that survive heating in a thermal denuder.


The aim of the study was to establish the seroprevalence of contagious bovine pleuropneumonia (CBPP) and contagious caprine pleuropneumonia (CCPP) among cattle and small ruminants received at abattoirs in Ilorin, Nigeria. A total of 643 blood samples were taken from 324 cattle and 319 sheep and goats. These samples were screened for CBPP and CCPP using rapid latex agglutination tests. The majority were from the north of Nigeria. Sera from cattle were screened for the causative mycoplasma of CBPP, Mycoplasma mycoides subsp. mycoides (Mmm) and small ruminants were screened for the presence of Mycoplasma capricolum subsp. capripneumoniae (Mccp), the cause of CCPP, using specific latex agglutination tests. Clinical signs including specific clinical signs associated with CBPP were also assessed. A prevalence rate of just over 56% was recorded for CBPP. In all, 22 of 324 cattle showed clinical signs but only 10 showed specific clinical signs associated with CBPP infection such as dyspnoea, nasal discharge and cough. A CCPP prevalence rate of about 33% was found among the small ruminants. In total, 52 of 319 small ruminants showed clinical signs of disease but only 22 of these were associated with seropositivity.  The high seroprevalence of CBPP and CCPP in this study is suggestive of extensive CBPP and CCPP infection in Ilorin, Nigeria.

 Key words: Abattoir survey, Nigeria, contagious bovine pleuropneumonia (CBPP), contagious caprine pleuropneumonia (CCPP), seroprevalence.


C# Programming: From Problem Analysis to Program Design has been thoroughly revised for Visual Studio 2010. As in previous editions of the text Doyle introduces a variety of basic programming concepts, from data types and expressions to arrays and collections - all using C# as the programming language. Every chapter begins with an identification of objectives and ends with a case study solidifying concepts presented in the chapter. New to this edition, each chapter ends with a new ?Coding Standards? section summarizing style issues and links to additional Resources. Ideal for both novices and programmers with experience in other languages, this book goes beyond traditional programming books by including new, advanced software topics such as an introduction to database connectivity using LINQ (Language Integrated Query) and ADO.NET. A full chapter is devoted to web programming using ASP.NET.


This article examines potential civil liability under the multistate norms of tort and closely related areas in the common law of the United States for the mass media re-publisher of leaked corporate secrets. The examination employs two fact patterns derived from real cases: one, contemporary, an international bank's grievance, never resolved on the merits in court, against the online publisher WikiLeaks; and second, conventional, a tobacco manufacturer's grievance, feared but never filed, against the television newsmagazine 60 Minutes. The study assumes jurisdiction arguendo and examines liability theories in tortious interference; unfair-competition law; and conversion, trade-secret appropriation, and related theories of theft. The Article concludes that direct liability under any of these theories is unlikely, but that claims for associative liability might well succeed. In reaching these conclusions, the study analyzes the strengths and weaknesses of the claims and the vulnerabilities of the defenses, including the freedom of speech. Ultimately, the Article demonstrates how nuanced questions of fact would prove dispositive of liability, such that the liability exposure of the media defendant increases in proportion to its entanglement with an unscrupulous source. The discernible risk of liability counsels against an absolutist stance on the freedom of information when media contemplate the republication of leaked corporate secrets.


This article reviews some of the key issues in transitional justice process and institutional design, based on my research and experience working and living in several post-conflict societies, and suggests that cultural and political variations in transitional justice design, practices, and processes are necessary to accomplish plural goals. The idea of process pluralism, derived from the more general fields of conflict resolution and 'alternative dispute resolution' in legal contexts, is an essential part of transitional justice, where multiple processes may occur simultaneously or in sequence over time (e.g. truth and reconciliation processes, with or without amnesty, prosecutions, lustration and/or more local legal and communitarian processes), depending on both individual and collective preferences and resources. Transitional justice is itself 'in transition' as iterative learning has developed from assessment of different processes in different contexts (post-military dictatorships, civil wars, and international and sub-national conflicts). This article draws on examples from Argentina's and Chile's emergence from post-military dictatorships to describe and analyze a plurality of processes, including more formal governmental processes, but also those formed by civil society groups at sub-national levels. This article suggests that 'democracy development' and legalistic 'rule of law' goals and institutional design may not necessarily be the only desiderata in transitional justice, where more than the 'legal' and 'governmental' is at stake for more peaceful human flourishing. To use an important concept from dispute resolution, the "forum must fit the fuss", and there are many different kinds of 'fusses' to be dealt with in transitional justice, at different levels of society – more than legal and governmental but also social, cultural and reparative.


Combustion under sufficiently fuel-lean conditions can have the desirable attributes of high efficiency and low emissions, this being particularly important in light of recent and rapid increases in the cost of fossil fuels and concerns over the links between combustion and global climate change. Lean Combustion is an eminently authoritative, reference work on the latest advances in lean combustion technology and systems. It will offer engineers working on combustion equipment and systems both the fundamentals and the latest developments in more efficient fuel usage and in much-sought-after reductions of undesirable emissions, while still achieving desired power output and performance. This volume brings together research and design of lean combustion systems across the technology spectrum in order to explore the state-of-the-art in lean combustion and its role in meeting current and future demands on combustion systems. Readers will learn about advances in the understanding of ultra lean fuel mixtures and how new types of burners and approaches to managing heat flow can reduce problems often found with lean combustion such as slow, difficult ignition and frequent flame extinction. The book will also offer abundant references and examples of recent real-world applications. Covers all major recent developments in lean combustion science and technology, with new applications in both traditional combustion schemes as well as such novel uses as highly preheated and hydrogen-fueled systems Offers techniques for overcoming difficult ignition problems and flame extinction with lean fuel mixtures Covers new developments in lean combustion using high levels of pre-heat and heat re-circulating burners, as well as the active control of lean combustion instabilities


One major policy challenge for the agricultural sector is to make sure that lessons from farmers' knowledge and experience are informing emerging climate change policy processes. This briefing paper reports on lessons from recent studies in two areas: first on seasonal forecasting and indigenous knowledge in Kenya, and second, agro-ecological knowledge and science in Namibia.

Advocates of local knowledge playing a role in adaptation policy and practice need a clearer understanding of how policy processes really work, in order to be more effective in making it happen. Efforts to link local to national are subject to broader processes of global change. Two of these are particularly discussed: first, the prospect of accelerated and more dangerous climate impacts by the 2060s; and second, deagrarianisation (a long-term shift away from farming livelihoods in rural areas).


Current-carrying string-loop dynamics is studied in the Kerr spacetimes. With attention concentrated to the axisymmetric motion of string loops around symmetry axis of both black-hole (BH) and naked singularity (NS) spacetimes, it is shown that the resulting motion is governed by the presence of an outer tension barrier and an inner angular momentum barrier that are influenced by the BH or NS spin. We classify the string dynamics according to properties of the energy boundary function (effective potential) for the string loop motion. We have found that for NS there exist new types of energy boundary function, namely those with off-equatorial minima. Conversion of the energy of the string oscillations to the energy of the linear translational motion has been studied. Such a transmutation effect is much more efficient in the NS spacetimes because lack of the event horizon. For BH spacetimes efficiency of the transmutation effect is only weakly spin dependent. Transition from regular to chaotic regime of the string-loop dynamics is examined and used for explanation of the string-loop motion focusing problem. Radial and vertical frequencies of small oscillations of string loops near minima of the effective potential in the equatorial plane are given. These can be related to high-frequency quasi-periodic oscillations observed near black holes.


The Great Bay Estuarine system is being impacted by point source and nonpoint source pollution that affect shellfish quality. Many outbreaks of human gastroenteritis are potentially caused by the consumption of raw or undercooked oysters in which the protozoan pathogens, Giardia lamblia and Cryptosporidium parvum are present. The development of a rapid and sensitive technique to detect infectious protozoa in oysters is a necessity. Immunofluorescence has been employed as a technique for the detection of these organisms in drinking water. Cross reactivity with algae and the production of false positive results limits the usefulness of this technique in environmental studies. Molecular approaches, such as the polymerase chain reaction, are often overlooked in environmental studies. This is due to obstacles such as enzymatic inhibitors that are intrinsic in the environment as well as the small sample size that can be analyzed. The goal of this study was to develop a multiplex polymerase chain reaction for the simultaneous detection of Giardia lamblia and Cryptosporidium parvum in oysters. An immunomagnetic separation technique was utilized to capture the Giardia cysts and Cryptosporidium oocysts from oyster homogenate. This method resulted in the removal of enzymatic inhibitors and increased detection sensitivity. Primers designed to specifically hybridize to Giardia lamblia DNA and Cryptosporidium parvum DNA were also modified at the 5' end by the addition of a 20-mer universal primer sequence, stabilizing hybridization kinetics. The development of a multiplex PCR assay achieved the specificity necessary to target the human pathogens and produce results more quickly then detection via immunofluorescence. A subsequent nested PCR assay prevented any potential false positive results. To determine the applicability of this method to field studies, three sites were sampled in the Great Bay Estuarine system using a sample size of 25 oysters. Two of the selected field sampling sites were classified as approved for shellfish harvesting based on most-probable-number water analysis and one site was closed to shellfish harvesting, due to high fecal coliform counts (>70 fecal coliforms/100 ml water). Each site sample was processed and analyzed using the multiplex PCR and nested PCR procedure. The presence of Cryptosporidium parvum and/or Giardia lamblia was detected at each field sampling site.


Building Information Modelling (BIM) has been established as a means of improving efficiency and effectiveness in the construction project through collaboration and information exchange throughout the life cycle of the built facilities. With early adoption of BIM by the countries such as USA, Singapore and UK, it is becoming a common practice. Standards and codes of practices have been developed and best practice examples are readily available. Software developers are also working with the industry to provide interoperability amongst the specialist software solutions and to enable the collaboration amongst the stakeholders. Through the literature review of BIM adoption in the countries like UK and USA, this paper highlights the benefits, project management approach using BIM and the steps that should be followed to adopt and implement BIM to improve efficiencies in the Nepalese construction industry


ABSTRACT Background: University students who complete study abroad experiences are potentially exposed to behaviors, in particular alcohol and drug use, that place their health at risk. There is a need to identify risk and protective factors and highlight knowledge gaps. Methods: A systematic review adopting the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) methodology. Relevant bibliographic databases and online repositories were systematically searched for both qualitative and quantitative peer-reviewed studies. Results: Eighteen articles were eligible for inclusion. Degree mobility students (DMSs—students pursuing a full bachelor or master degree in a foreign country) and Credit Mobility Students (CMSs—students participating in short term or semester study abroad programmes) show different patterns of at-risk behaviors compared to pre-departure, and to domestic or non-study abroad students. DMSs mostly consumed less alcohol and illicit substances compared to domestic students, but little information on pre-travel behavior and predictors of at-risk behaviors while abroad was available on DMSs. Most studies indicated that CMSs increased their alcohol use while abroad and reduced it when they returned home. However, there is no evidence of an increase in the negative consequences associated with alcohol misuse while abroad. Different pre-departure and abroad factors (e.g., perceptions of peer drinking norms, psychological and sociocultural adjustment abroad) were related to at-risk behaviors in the host country. Conclusions: University students who study abroad are understudied and potentially at risk from alcohol and drug use. Knowledge gaps are discussed in relation to possible future qualitative, mixed methods and longitudinal research.


1. The co-ordination of the flight movements of Schistocerca gregaria Forskal was examined in order to determine the extent of central patterning and reflex control.

2. Electrical recordings from wing sensory nerves showed many units which responded to wing movements of various kinds. During flight the sensory discharge was timed to certain phases of the wing-beat cycle.

3. Surgical removal of the sources of timed input did not abolish patterned output, which resembled that during flight, but the frequency of cycling was considerably reduced. Either electrical stimulation of the nerve cord or continuous wind on the head could elicit the pattern.

4. A multiplicity of oscillators in the flight control system was demonstrated.

5. It is suggested that the basic co-ordination of flight is an inherent function of the central nervous system but that peripheral feedback loops influence the frequency of Operation and details of pattern.


Objectives: In general, sports activities can improve the psychological, physical and cognitive conditions of people. Therefore, the aim of this study is to decrease depression by improving the level of self-esteem of female university students in a regular tennis training program. Methods: A total of 60 students participated in the study and were randomly assigned to an experimental and control group. Beck Depression Inventory and Rosenberg Self-esteem Scale were used to determine the participants' scores of depression and self-esteem respectively. A two-way repeated measure analysis of variance (ANOVA) was used to compare the two groups. Results: Participants in the intervention group took part in the tennis training program improved in self-esteem and reported significantly less depression compared with the control group. Post-test results confirmed the effectiveness of a tennis training program in decreasing depression and improving self-esteem levels of the university students. Conclusions: This study highlights the effectiveness of a relatively safe and inexpensive tennis program to improve mental health. ASEAN Journal of Psychiatry, Vol. 18 (1): January – June 2017: XX XX.


The objective of this paper is to extract useful ideas from the religious texts (The Glorious Qur'an and the Traditions of the Prophet, Hadith) that are compatible with the science of genetics. The Islamic scientific miracles in the Glorious texts of are screened for relevant links with the applied science of genetics. Special concerns are focused on the domain of the influence of environment on the genetic expression of human traits notably the behavioral ones. Important relevant impacts and applications are discussed as for example our role in reorienting behaviors. In Islam, it is believed that all humans are born innately in a good temper. Their environmental material and cultural factors fashion them on different religions, thinking manners and philosophies (in the same manner as an animal born healthy can undergo cutting off or amputation later on). "Each child is born in a state of Fitrah "pure Muslim nature", then his parents make him a Jew, Christian or a Zoroastrian, the way an animal gives birth to a normal offspring. Have you noticed any that were born mutilated?" Furthermore, we have a role on genetic diseases many of which are influenced by the environmental conditions. Mother's internal environment and its effects on the sex of her offspring are also evoked. There is also a role of companions in the formation of our characters, our duty vis-à-vis this issue is discussed. Important philosophical consequences are extracted like the uniqueness of God in ideally judging the actions of people, as he is the only to be able to trace norms of reactions for all our actions and reactions for every one in the world under all possible conditions! This Islamic knowledge, which predates the recent discoveries with some 1400 years, was put in service of health and solving social problems. The methodology of this paper can be extrapolated on other authentic religious texts of which ideas are not yet explored by science! This is an important process of strengthening the conviction and the convincing capacity of Islam as a divine religion! In fact, a clear distinction is made in Islam between those who know (and seek knowledge) and those who do not! What! he who is obedient during hours of the night, prostrating himself and standing, takes care of the hereafter and hopes for the mercy of his Lord! Say: Are those who know and those who do not know alike? Only the men of understanding are mindful (Az-Zumar, The Troops, Throngs, The Glorious Qur'an Chapter 39, Verse 9)


The aim of this paper is to evaluate the impact that the anti-crime program Comuna Segura: Compromiso 100 had on the reporting rate of different types of crimes. This program, implemented in Chile starting in 2001, was very highly criticized and, therefore, was eliminated in 2006. This paper provides statistical evidence, using the impact assessment methodology, which shows that the program was successful in increasing the reporting rate in targeted municipalities and also in decreasing levels of crimes associated with other crimes, such as rape. All this underlies the importance of carrying out formal impact assessments in order to determine benefits that are associated with a particular program. However, financial issues are also very important too and it is necessary to take them in account when making a fair statement about the cost-effectiveness of the program. This point is, however, not addressed in this paper but should be kept in mind in order to have a complete picture of the program.


The results of an experimental study of an electrodeless electric propulsion device using electron cyclotron resonance (ECR) heating for plasma production are presented. The effects of pressure, propellant flow rate, and microwave input power on the plasma properties were examined. In addition, the effect of a magnetic nozzle on a plasma beam were examined experimentally and computationally.

A laboratory ECR thruster was operated with argon propellant in a vacuum tank at pressures in the 10(-5) torr range using a 2.115 GHz microwave beam at power levels up to several kilowatts. Several movable plasma diagnostics were used to measure the spatial variation of various plasma properties in the plume of the thruster.

At low pressures, ion flux profiles showed an unexpected annular plasma plume with a depressed ion flux along the thruster axis. The ion energy measurements indicate that the ion kinetic energy is invariant with input microwave power. However, increases in pressure cause the plasma to lose kinetic energy due to friction with the background neutrals in the vacuum tank. Propulsion parameters were calculated from the ion flux and energy data. The results are greatly affected by additional ion flux due to entrainment of the background gas. The plasma potential and electron temperature both decreased with increasing pressure in the tank but were invariant with changes in microwave power. Microwave power reflected from and transmitted through the ECR region was measured and the results indicate that inefficient absorption may contribute significantly to energy losses in the laboratory device.

Plasma detachment from the magnetic nozzle was identified as a critical issue for ECR and other applied-field thrusters. A collisionless model was used to calculate the trajectories of plasma rings in a magnetic nozzle. The code predicted that the plasma will detach under certain conditions and that the acceleration due to the force on the dipole moments of the electrons is inconsequential to the plasma trajectories. The radii of 90° deflection were calculated for several plasma initial conditions, and it was shown that the nozzle configuration can be manipulated to reduce beam divergence and increase the useful radius of the thruster.

An attempt was made to experimentally examine detachment using an ion thruster in an applied magnetic nozzle. The magnetic field could then be varied independent of the ion energy. The grids of the thruster were masked to extract a thin ring of plasma coaxial with the magnetic nozzle, and the ion flux density profile was measured to determine the effect of the magnetic field on the trajectory of the annular plasma. A radial electric field was established in presence of the magnet nozzle that caused the annulus to spread and decrease in radius making detachment unobservable. It is believed that the magnetic field inhibited neutralization of the ion beam causing the electric field to develop.


Analysis of expressions describing peroxide bleaching show that there are two distinct
mechanisms involved in peroxide bleaching. These routes can be associated firstly
with traditional bleaching by the perhydroxyl anion and the second mechanism appears
to involve the action of radical species. This analysis has been used as the basis for
experimental work to determine the existence and relative contribution of each of these
mechanisms.
Two-stage bleaching processes under acidic followed by alkaline conditions, without
an intermediate washingstage, have been investigated in order to separate the
contributions of anion and radical bleaching. The addition of chromium nitrate, which
is known to catalyse peroxide decomposition under acidic conditions, to such a
process enhances the brightness of the pulp compared with a single stage alkaline
peroxide bleaching process. The addition of small quantities of aluminium nitrate to a
two-stage bleaching process also enhances the brightness of the pulp, this process
depending on the presence of both aluminium and manganese. The results are
explained in terms of radical concentrations in the acidic stage and the proposed
mechanisms and active bleaching species in peroxide bleaching.
Many transition metal ions decompose peroxide, with some producing significant
quantities of hydroxyl radicals. The effects, of addition and removal of these metals on
peroxide bleaching have been investigated. Unusual negative effects are observed
upon chelation and the addition of manganese, copper and iron does not appear to
promote darkening reactions caused by the decomposition products of hydrogen
peroxide.
The effect of pulp consistency on brightness response has also been investigated. Work at constant conditions of peroxide and alkali, while varying either the total
consistency or the ratio of bleachable to inert fibre shows that consistency is not a
major factor in determining final brightness under alkaline conditions and indicates that
the effect of radical species is small at low consistencies.
A method of determining relative hydroxyl radical concentrations in solutions of
hydrogen peroxide has been developed, using N,N-dimethy1-4-nitrosoaniline. Under
alkaline conditions the effect of the hydroxyl radical appears to be negligible, whilst
under acidic conditions the concentration of radicals can be corelated to the observed
final brightness.


Background: Premenstrual syndrome can affect people's resilience and quality of life. The aim of this study was to determine the impact of awareness group training of premenstrual syndrome on resilience and quality of life in the female high school students. Methods: The present study was quasi-experimental with preand post-test with a control group. The study population was second grade high school girls randomly selected by cluster sampling from one class in two high schools in each of the 20 districts of Education Office in Tehran. Fifteen students with dysmenorrhea in each class were randomly assigned to the control or the experimental group. Students in the experimental group participated in 10 weekly 75-minute sessions of training. Data were collected at baseline and two months after the end of the sessions in the experimental group. The study tools were a demographic questionnaire, the diagnostic questionnaire of premenstrual syndrome (DQPS), Connor-Davidson resilience scale (CDRS), and 36-Item Short Form Survey Instrument (SF-36). Data were analyzed by t-test, paired t-test and Mann-Whitney in the SPSS version 16.0. Results: There was no statistical difference between control and experimental groups in their demographic characteristics (P>0.05). At baseline, the groups matched for mean scores of PMS, resilience and quality of life (P>0.05). However, at the post-test, only the students in the experimental group had an improvement in their mean scores of PMS (P<0.001), resilience (P<0.01) and quality of life (P<0.01). Conclusion: Training can enhance the mean scores of the adolescent's PMS, resilience and quality


The United States Supreme Court stands today as an arbitrator of political disputes and modern liberties, a "storm center" of moral and political controversy. The modern Supreme Court's decisions regarding contraception, marriage, and abortion incite debate concerning the judiciary's appropriate role in the United States' democratic structure. Even after more than two hundred years since its establishment, the role of the Court remains unclear. Those who oppose the Court's current practice argue that it has encroached upon the realm of the legislature and has ventured far from the Constitution's intended meaning. Proponents, however, declare that certain rights, such as the right to privacy, are embedded within provisions of the Constitution itself; therefore, it is the responsibility of the Court to rule upon. With this thesis, I attempt to answer the normative questions surrounding this debate: what is the proper role of the Supreme Court; furthermore, if it is not the role of the Supreme Court to answer such substantive questions, then to whom should this responsibility be deferred? Degree Type Open Access Senior Honors Thesis Department Political Science


A compound with properties identical with the glucose-containing dolichyl diphosphate oligosaccharide present in animal tissues was detected in alfalfa roots incubated with [14C]glucose. The products of mild acid hydrolysis behaved the same on paper chromatography, on treatment with specific glucosidases and on N-deacetylation.


Non-native rats (Rattus spp.) and mice have been introduced to more than 80% of the island groups around the world. They have caused ecosystem-wide impacts, including the extirpation and extinction of many native and endemic species which evolved in a mammalian predator-free environment. Fortunately, practitioners have developed techniques to eradicate introduced rodents, allowing ecosystems to recover. Rodenticides have proven an effective tool in eradications, having been used in over 300 successful eradications worldwide. Careful planning, adequate resources, and a sustained effort by competent field staff are needed to help ensure a successful eradication program. Island eradications are logistically complex and often quite expensive, requiring that once initiated, removal of 100% of rodents is paramount to facilitate support for future projects. However, efforts must be made to reduce potential rodenticide impacts to non-target animals, especially native birds and mammals. Standard considerations include confirming the species present, their behavioral characteristics and scale of risk, the legal status of species present, and population levels and distributions. To minimize risks, the type of rodenticide used, bait formulation, placement (stations or broadcast), timing of application, number of applications, and weather needs to be considered. It is important to recognize the great value of a successful invasive rodent eradication to island resources; recovery of native flora and fauna is usually rapid and remarkable.


Mixtures of sodium bentonite and crushed rock are being examined as components of the engineered barrier system in a geologic repository of high‐level nuclear waste. Laboratory experiments were performed to determine the thermal and unsaturated hydraulic properties of bentonite–crushed diorite mixtures. Water‐retention curves were obtained from conventional pressure cell and evaporation experiments. In addition, transient data from heating and gas injection experiments on laboratory columns were analyzed using inverse modeling techniques. Measured pressures, temperatures, and drained‐water volumes were jointly inverted to estimate absolute permeability, thermal conductivity, specific heat, and capillary strength parameters. Simultaneous matching of all available data—specifically the gas breakthrough at the top of the column—proved difficult, pointing toward aspects of the experimental design and the conceptual model that need to be refined. The analysis of sensitivity coefficients and the correlation structure of the parameters revealed the importance of accurately capturing coupled thermal hydrological processes within the column as well as the details of the experimental apparatus, such as heat losses and storage of water and gas in the measuring burette. The parameters estimated using different experimental and analytical procedures were consistent with one another, providing backfill material properties useful for the simulation of gas‐ and heat‐generating nuclear waste repositories.


The chemistry that occurs in our atmosphere has far reaching implications for the biosphere through oxidation capacities, ultra-voilet absorption and radiative effects. Catalytic stratospheric ozone destruction chemistry combines bromine and chlorine homogeneous and heterogeneous processes to produce the massive ozone losses that result in increased ultra-voilet radiation levels over Antarctica and New Zealand. Large bromine explosions occur in the Antarctic and Arctic boundary layer and have been linked to the biogeochemical cycling of mercury in the polar regions. The affect of aerosol upon cloud microphysical properties is one of the largest uncertainties in ascertaining the future anthropogenic induced climate change. I will discuss some remote sensing spectroscopic methods used and modelling required to retrieve the vertical trace gas profile information and microphysical cloud properties from ground-based instrumentation. I will also discuss how kinetic information can be derived from airborne in-situ ClO measurements made over sunset. The ClOOCl photolysis rate and ClO+ClO ClOOCl equilibrium constant determined in laboratory studies are compared with atmospheric observations.


Objective: Urinary levels of renin–angiotensin–aldosterone system (RAAS) components may reflect renal RAAS activity and/or the renal efficacy of RAAS inhibition. Our aim was to determine whether urinary angiotensinogen and renin are circulating RAAS-independent markers during RAAS blockade. Methods: Urinary and plasma levels of angiotensinogen, renin, and albumin were measured in 22 patients with type 2 diabetes, hypertension, and albuminuria, during 2-month treatment periods with placebo, aliskiren, irbesartan, or their combination in random order in a crossover study. Results: Aliskiren and irbesartan both increased plasma renin 3–4-fold, and above 10-fold when combined. Irbesartan decreased plasma angiotensinogen by approximately 25%, and no changes in plasma angiotensinogen were observed during the combination. Urine contained aliskiren at micromolar levels, blocking urinary renin by above 90%. Both blockers reduced urinary angiotensinogen, significant for irbesartan only. Combination blockade reduced urinary angiotensinogen even further. Reductions in urinary angiotensinogen paralleled albuminuria changes, and the urine/plasma concentration ratio of angiotensinogen was identical to that of albumin under all conditions. In contrast, urinary renin did not follow albumin, and remained unaltered after all treatments. Yet, the urine/plasma concentration ratio of renin was more than 100-fold higher than that of angiotensinogen and albumin, and approximately 4-fold reduced by single RAAS blockade, and more than 10-fold by dual RAAS blockade. Conclusions: Aliskiren filters into urine and influences urinary renin measurements. The urine/plasma renin ratio, but not urinary renin alone, may reflect the renal efficacy of RAAS blockade. Urinary angiotensinogen is a marker of filtration barrier damage rather than intrarenal RAAS activity.


This study examines preference for commuting towork by car or public transportation (PT) within an expanded social dilemma framework (i.e., one that recognizes the importance of both social and temporal concerns). Commuters completed scales assessing commuting preferences, beliefs regarding the environmental impact of cars, social value orientation (SVO), and the consideration of future consequences (CFC). Preference for PT was higher among commuters who believed that commuting by car harms the environment and among those scoring high in CFC. Most important, a significant two-way interaction revealed that preference for commuting by PT was positively related to beliefs regarding the harmful environmental consequences of commuting by car only among those high in CFC. SVO was unrelated to commuting preferences. In sum, a future orientation may be more important than a prosocial orientation in shaping commuting preferences.


Storage technologies are progressively emerging as a key measure to accommodate high shares of intermittent renewables with a view to guarantee their effective integration towards a profound decarbonisation of existing energy systems. This study aims to evaluate to what extent electricity storage can contribute to a significant renewable penetration by absorbing otherwise-curtailed renewable surplus and quantitatively defines the associated costs. Under a Smart Energy System perspective, a variety of future scenarios are defined for the Italian case based on a progressively increasing renewable and storage capacity feeding an ever-larger electrified demand mostly made up of electric vehicles and, to some extent, heat pumps and power-to-gas/liquid technologies. Results are compared in terms of crucial environmental and techno-economic indicators and discussed with respect to storage operating parameters. The outcome of this analysis reveals the remarkable role of electricity storage in increasing system flexibility and reducing, in the range 24–44%, the renewable capacity required to meet a given sustainability target. Nonetheless, such achievements become feasible only under relatively low investment and operating costs, condition that excludes electrochemical storage solutions and privileges low-cost alternatives that at present, however, exist only at a pilot or demonstration scale.


We consider the relationship between several single-symbol detectors for double differential modulation. We have shown in a previous paper that a simple heuristic detector is identical to the generalized likelihood ratio test (GLRT) detector. We introduce a maximum a posteriori (MAP) detector and show that it is identical to the heuristic and GLRT detectors. Consequently, neither GLRT nor MAP can offer any gain over the simple heuristic detector, which means that the latter should be the detector of choice.


In the same boat? Empathy gaps in Finnish politics
Until today, Finns have wanted to think that they are figuratively in the same boat. In particular,this phrase is used by politicians, creating the impression that everyone is treated in the same wayand everyone is taken care of. This article looks into this rhetoric and analyzes how the voters ofdifferent parties care about the well-being of different population groups. In other words, we areinterested in empathy gaps within the Finnish population. The research data consists of two representativesurveys from 2016 and 2018 collected by research project Tackling Inequalities in Time ofAusterity (TITA) (N = 4933). The so called honorable poor cause most empathy among the respondents.By contrast, least empathy is caused by groups that are somehow seen as guilty of their ownsituation. The voters of Left Alliance as well as Greens are the most empathetic to most of thepopulation groups, whereas the voters of Finns Party are the least empathetic. However, statisticaldifferences between supporters of differents parties are relatively small.


This article will argue that social media in the hands of terrorist groups constitutes a weapon, and has become increasingly capable of contributing to the facilitation of consequential harm against identified targets. In doing so it will first clarify the communicative nature of terrorist action and provide an overview of the various contributions made by jihadist strategists to the evolution of terrorist practice, and in particular the re-emergence of the practice of individual terrorism. It will then identify the intersection of individual terrorism and social media and the development and deployment of a system of social media jihad. The article will explain the mechanisms by which terrorist groups exploit and deploy social media platforms, and inflict various harms, with a specific focus on individual and small cell terrorism in Western jurisdictions. Finally, a brief case study analysis of Anwar al-Awlaki will demonstrate the gravity with which governments have conceived of this problem, in part by highlighting the substantiveness of their responses.


Recent research suggests that extraordinary combinations of strength and ductility can be achieved in the socalled TRIP steels. With the development of these steels, welding with small weld nugget size and acceptable strength are needed. For these reasons present study was carried out to investigate the effect of heat input onweld size, microstructure and the hardness of the welded metal of 0.4%C4%Al δ-TRIP steel after continues fiber-laser welding process. To achieve this goal a bead on plate welding with three different values of heat input 28, 60 and 80 J/mm were used.The results of welding process revealed that by increasing the heat input, cooling rate decreased and the volume percent of the δ-ferrite in weld metal increased due to the availability of sufficient time for partitioning of Al in high heat input which leads to the stable δ-ferrite and as a result the difference between the hardness of the weld metal in comparison to the base metal decreased.


The Gram-positive bacterium Bacillus subtilis contains two respiratory oxidases of the haem-copper superfamily: cytochrome aa(3), which is a quinol oxidase, and cytochrome caa(3), which is a cytochrome c oxidase. Cytochrome c oxidase uniquely contains a di-copper centre, Cu(A). B. subtilis CtaG is a membrane protein encoded by the same gene cluster as that which encodes the subunits of cytochrome c oxidase. The role of B. subtilis CtaG and orthologous proteins present in many other Gram-positive bacteria has remained unexplored. The sequence of CtaG is unrelated to that of CtaG/Cox11p of proteobacteria and eukaryotic cells. This study shows that B. subtilis CtaG is essential for the formation of active cytochrome caa(3) but is not required for assembly of the core subunits I and II with haem in the membrane and it has no role in the synthesis of active cytochrome aa(3). B. subtilis YpmQ, a homologue to Sco1p of eukaryotic cells, is also a membrane-bound cytochrome c oxidase-specific assembly factor. Properties of CtaG- and YpmQ-deficient mutants were compared. Cells lacking YpmQ showed a low cytochrome c oxidase activity and this defect was suppressed by the supplementation of the growth medium with copper ions. It has previously been proposed that YpmQ/Sco1p is involved in synthesis of the Cu(A) centre. The results of this study are consistent with this proposal but the exact role of YpmQ in assembly of cytochrome c oxidase remains to be elucidated.


An urban heat island (UHI) was found to exist in Salamanca, Spain—a medium-sized European city that has a continental climate and relatively little industrial pollution. We demonstrate that urban heating can occur in cities with these characteristics, giving rise to a microclimate that may alter the biological rhythm of the zone e.g. under these conditions, spring arrives earlier in the urban zone then in the rural zone. The study was carried out using data from 2 recording stations (one in and the other outside the city) for the years 1996-1998. The existence of a nocturnal UHI was observed, with a highest annual mean value of 3.6°C and a lowest annual mean value (cool island) of -0.9°C. The most intense nocturnal UHI was seen in autumn, while the strongest sinks occurred in spring and summer. As in other types of city with different characteristics, the UHI was seen to vary according to the atmospheric situation. The meteorological variables that most affected the UHI were found to be: (1) wind, which at speeds of >~6 m s -1 prevented the development of UHIs; (2) cloudi- ness, which altered the flux of incident solar radiation (the intensity of the nocturnal UHI was greater with high clouds); and (3) atmospheric pressure, which characterised the days of atmospheric stability or instability, leading to variations in the intensity of the UHI.


Some of the central challenges for developing effective vaccines against HIV and hepatitis C virus (HCV) are similar. Both infections are caused by small, highly mutable, rapidly replicating RNA viruses with the ability to establish long-term chronic pathogenic infection in human hosts. HIV has caused 60 million infections globally and HCV 180 million and both viruses may co-exist among certain populations by virtue of common blood-borne, sexual, or vertical transmission. Persistence of both pathogens is achieved by evasion of intrinsic, innate, and adaptive immune defenses but with some distinct mechanisms reflecting their differences in evolutionary history, replication characteristics, cell tropism, and visibility to mucosal versus systemic and hepatic immune responses. A potent and durable antibody and T cell response is a likely requirement of future HIV and HCV vaccines. Perhaps the single biggest difference between the two vaccine design challenges is that in HCV, a natural model of protective immunity can be found in those who resolve acute infection spontaneously. Such spontaneous resolvers exhibit durable and functional CD4+ and CD8+ T cell responses (Diepolder et al., 1995; Cooper et al., 1999; Thimme et al., 2001; Grakoui et al., 2003; Lauer et al., 2004; Schulze Zur Wiesch et al., 2012). However, frequent re-infection suggests partial or lack of protective immunity against heterologous HCV strains, possibly indicative of the degree of genetic diversity of circulating HCV genotypes and subtypes. There is no natural model of protective immunity in HIV, however, studies of "elite controllers," or individuals who have durably suppressed levels of plasma HIV RNA without antiretroviral therapy, has provided the strongest evidence for CD8+ T cell responses in controlling viremia and limiting reservoir burden in established infection. Here we compare and contrast the specific mechanisms of immune evasion used by HIV and HCV, which subvert adaptive human leukocyte antigen (HLA)-restricted T cell immunity in natural infection, and the challenges these pose for designing effective preventative or therapeutic vaccines.


Background Nowadays, the search for new anti-obesity drugs is oriented to the use of anti-addiction medications like bupropion and naltrexone. Other compounds like varenicline may be also useful to treat obesity. However, the low effectiveness of the former or the high number of adverse effects of the latter makes it necessary to search for new therapeutic agents. Methods Screening database selected for the computational experiments was DrugBank. 3D global shape comparison with varenicline was performed by means of the Ligand Based Virtual Screening tool WEGA v2015. A pharmacophore model based in the structure of varenicline was created by means of LigandScout v4.08. The in-silico screening was performed using Relative Pharmacophore Fit (RPF) scoring function implemented in LigandScout. Up to 3 mismatches with varenicline pharmacophore model were allowed for hits retrieving. Results Drugbank database was screened in silico to find alternative molecules to varenicline, and the compound cevimeline was found to have strong similarity to varenicline in terms of 3D shape and pharmacophoric features. Thus, we propose this hit may interact with nicotinic α4β2-Ach receptor in the same mode as varenicline does. Discussion The functional activities of this compound and its validity as a drug therapy for obesity treatment must be confirmed in further in vitro, in vivo and preclinical studies; however, attending to our screening procedure, this compound should be a promising therapy for such a complex disorder such as obesity.


A simmering controversy has been running in the United states since 1995 over the perceived conflict between the maintenance of academic standards and the rights of disabled university students. Recent developments are set to raise the same issue in Australian universities. The first of these developments is the shift in the emphasis of academic standards with the implementation of the Generic Skills Assessment (GSA) program. The second is the release of draft disability standards for education to streamline enforcement of the Commonwealth's Disability Discrimination Act (DDA). The DDA protects disabled people against discrimination in education. Amongst the many types of disabled people protected are those who are unable to read, write or communicate effectively because of learning disabilities; and others who are unable to concentrate and pay attention properly because of mental disorders like attention deficit disorder. Hitherto, universities have found ways to comply with the DDA without compromising academic standards by providing these types of disabled students with accommodations that take the form of alternative methods of examination, extra exam time, technological assistance, scribes, readers, etc. However, the GSA has been designed for standardised implementation and doesn't allow for this type of flexibility. Further, generic skills testing specifically discriminates against students with learning disabilities and some mental disorders because it is the inability to master particular types of generic skills that defines these types of disabilities. The conclusion is that if discrimination is to be avoided either the GSA must be adapted to suit the needs of disabled students or universities must consider ways to foster the capacity of students with disabilities to develop and utilise generic skills in an independent manner.


While it is well known that flow aids such as fumed silica can be added to improve flowability and fluidizability of cohesive powders, the improvements observed depend on how well the flow aids are blended together with the cohesive powders. In this work, dry particle coating is used to deposit a very small amount of nano-sized particles (as low as 0.01 wt %) with a high degree of precision onto the surface of cohesive, Geldart Group C powders to make them fluidize like Group A powders. A model taking into account the effect of the size of the guest and host particles as well as surface area coverage (SAC) of the coated nano-sized particles is developed to predict the effect of coating on the adhesion reduction of cohesive powders. A series of experiments are performed to investigate the improvement in the fluidizability of dry particle coated Group C powders (e.g., cornstarch and aluminum), and the effect of various parameters such as SAC, guest particle size and host particle size are systematically investigated. The results clearly show the effect of each of these parameters on the fluidization behavior of cohesive powders, and also validate the model. The study also indicates that a critical SAC is required to make the coated cornstarch fluidize, which is about 5%; the smaller the guest size, the better its effect on improved fluidizability, although the improvement is reduced if the guest size is smaller than about 10 nm; and if the conditions regarding the SAC and guest size are satisfied, dry particle coating will significantly improve the fluidization of cohesive particles even as small as 5–10 μm. © 2007 American Institute of Chemical Engineers AIChE J, 2008


Conventional risk factors such as age, smoking, hyperlipidemia and hypertension do not ex-plain all the mortality and morbidity due to coronary artery disease. Novel factors like plasma fibrinogen, homocysteine, C - reactive protein have been recently recognized as in-dependent risk factors for coronary artery disease. The objective of the present study was to examine the change in plasma fibrinogen, homocysteine along with lipid profile in the pathogenesis of angiographically established coronary artery disease. 75 male patients in the age range of 30-60 years with angiographically established coronary artery disease and equal number of age and sex matched normal healthy subjects were re-cruited in the present study. Coronary artery disease patients had significant high plasma fibrinogen, homocysteine, total cholesterol, triglyceride and LDL-cholesterol levels whereas the level of HDL-cholesterol significantly decreased in them as compared to normal healthy subjects (control). Elevated levels of plasma fibrinogen, homocysteine contribute signifi-cantly to the risk of coronary artery disease and might be considered in screening program to identify individuals at increased thrombotic risk.


Objective: We retrospectively studied 20 adults who underwent C1-C2 transarticular screw (TAS) fixation utilizing frameless stereotaxy. Methods: The study group comprised 13 men and 7 women, with a mean age of 63 years (range 12-87 years). All patients demonstrated clinical and radiographic evidence of C1-C2 instability. The cause of the instability was trauma in 11 patients, rheumatoid arthritis in 6 patients, failed prior surgery in 2 patients, and congenital malformation in 1 patient. All patients underwent stabilization with C1-C2 TASs using image-guided frameless stereotaxy. Results: There were no new or worsening neurologic symptoms reported at 18-month follow-up. Motor weakness improved in seven of nine patients, myelopathy in seven of seven, and gait in three of six patients in whom these deficits were present preoperatively. Postoperative complications included one surgical site abscess, one cutaneous pressure ulcer, and one iliac crest donor site infection. Of 36 screws placed, 33 (92%) were well positioned. Normal C1-C2 alignment was achieved in 17 of 20 (85%) patients. In 4 of 20 cases, screw implant, which was thought to be anatomically difficult, if not impossible, on the basis of routine magnetic resonance or computed tomography imaging, was actually accomplished successfully using surgical navigation. Conclusions: C1-C2 TAS placement is a safe and accurate surgical technique that may improve neurologic function. Use of intraoperative navigation can facilitate achieving difficult surgical trajectories that match the patient's anatomy, thus allowing TAS implant in patients who otherwise would not be candidates for this type of internal fixation.


The purpose of this paper is to estimate demand elasticities of cigarette, alcohol, and cocaine for a sample of young American population. To deal with the inherent censoring issue in cigarette, alcohol, and drug consumption data, the paper applies ZINB, Tobit, and a two-step AIDS model. Findings indicate habit formation in young American consumption. Also, the results show that alcohol has an inelastic income elasticity. The ZINB model price elasticity, Marshallian own price elasticity, and Hicksian own price elasticity all agree that drug has a negative inelastic own price elasticity. This implies that price increased by drug traders increases their total revenue and slightly affects the quantity demanded of drug.


Ethics is becoming one of the most important requirements for successful business in the 21st century. The construction industry cannot be exceptional from this trend. However construction ethics management requires different approaches from other industries, as the products of the industry are construction projects which are completely different from mass production. Contractors and designers are two major participants in construction projects. The roles and responsibilities of these two project stakeholders decisively influence all aspects of construction project. Practically ethical perceptions of contractors and designers are one of main aspects to be considered for the effective and efficient management of ethics for the construction industry. This research has investigated the ethical perceptions of contractors and designers in the China construction industry. A questionnaire survey which contains 15 ethical issues and 6 demographic factors has been conducted. 170 construction professionals from construction companies and consulting companies have been participated in this survey. These 15 ethical issues are ranked in terms of seriousness, frequency and importance for both contractors and designers as a single group to understand the overall perceptions in the industry. The analysis has also been conducted for contractors and designers respectively to make comparisons between them. The top three serious ethical issues in the industry are 'Bribery and corruption', 'Failure to practice whistle-blowing' and 'Improper bidding practices'. Contractors and designers showed similar outcomes for the top five important ethical issues. But for the middle ranged ethical issues, they showed some differences. Further researches are required to identify the causes of the similarity and differences.


The focus of the paper is upon the extent to which the different national regulatory systems give rise to different institutions and outcomes at the workplace. It uses data from the Australian Workplace Industrial Relations Survey (AWIRS) and the third British Workplace Employee Relations Survey (WIRS3) to examine a number of hypotheses which suggest that the different regulatory systems of these countries have produced distinct patterns of industrial relations at the workplace. Three types of hypothesis concerning these differences are outlined. The first suggests that IR arrangements and outcomes will be more uniform in Australia; the second posits that a range of variables will be of a larger magnitude, all other things being equal, in Australia than Britain; the third hypothesises that regression equations estimated on the AWIRS data-sets will have a lower level of determination than those using the WIRS3 data-sets. Four elements of IR outcome and arrangements are examined - unionisation, the prevalence of specialist IR managers, the incidence of industrial action and voluntary labour turnover. The results of these examinations are deemed to be richly paradoxical. Those for the distribution of specialist managers and the hypothesis of determination are generally supported. Others, for example, those for unionisation and uniformity are much less strongly supported than previous research has suggested. It is concluded that, while there is substantial evidence that the countries' different regulatory systems have distinct effects on IR outcomes, these are far from straightforward. Further analysis of the data will seek to develop the comparison by introducing additional variables and by exploring more searchingly the complex relationship between state regulation and workplace industrial relations.


The aim of this study is to provide a fresh analysis of middle-power states' capabilities within the international political arena, utilising an integrated experimental model to conduct a unit-level of analysis of Turko-Iraman relations with a focus on economic, diplomatic, political and military issues. The principal argument of this study is that the middle-power state is the key actor in the region, socially constructed within a distinctive political context; resisting super power hegemonic intervention, and having bargaining power with regard to more powerful entities. The socially constructed identities of Turkey and Iran are highlighted as key influences in foreign relations, leading to a complex dynamic between these 'reluctant neighbours.' The limits of their power are clarified as consisting of employing agent groups to manipulate internal threats and apply counter-terrorist/revolutionary politics, but falling short of sufficient to control transnational nationalism. Using this ethnic political card to negate each other's influence invites foreign power penetration into regional politics. Kurdish nationalism acts as an independent regional player and challenges the Turkish and Iranian political identities, both secularist and religious. Turkey and Iran endavour to apply the 'niche diplomacy' in energy and pipeline routes competition in the Southern Caucasus. The study, thus, examines the competing factors of the both countries' geographic adjacency as a stimulus for economic integration as a partial entrenchment against diplomatic mistrust, and preventing systematic regional integration within the last three decades within the Economic Cooperation Organisation (ECO) framework. The role of Iran's nuclear ambitions and Turkey's western alliances are examined as influences on the countries' identities. Contrary to the systemic and regional circumstances of secularist Turkey, the messianic identity of Iranian religious nationalism has resulted in a nuclear weaponisation programme that not only militarises the domestic politics of Iran, but also undermines the countries' mutual trust, with a profound adverse effect on the countries' economic relationship. In order to increase the efficiency and explanatory power of middle-power state, this study amended the middle-power state theory, and successfully tested its applicability to Turkish-Iranian relationship through various variables related to international relations, international policy aspects of domestic political events, ethnic tension and economic relations.


The world of medicine has long been an ever changing environment. The advancements and progress in both knowledge and techniques has made patient care and treatment an increasingly successful endeavor. Physicians are often eager to embrace any new technology in the medical field that allows them to better care for their patients. The problem with new medical technology is that unless this technology can be shared or related to others, it is somewhat useless. The medical profession has been somewhat reluctant to come to terms with the use of computer technology and its many benefits. Generally embedded in the use of paper records and being untrusting of electronic technology, healthcare professionals were reluctant to adopt or even try this new technology. The concept of Meaningful Use brings all the arguments of Pro's and Con's concerning health information technology into perspective. The use of health information technology (HIT) via electronic health records (EHR) to promote the collection, enhancement and sharing of medical health records to advance patient care is inevitable for successful healthcare in the future. This will not be an easy task and there will be many obstacles to overcome. The progression of Meaningful Use, like any other major endeavor will be slow, sometimes relying on a trial and error system and there will be the ever present delays as well as adjustments, upgrades and mistakes. This research will attempt to provide the reader with an accurate viewpoint of both sides of the Meaningful Use program in an effort to deliver a clear concept of whether all this new technology and work is clearly worth all the time, aggravation, confusion and monetary investment of the medical profession to allow cost effective, reliable and successful patient care. MEANINGFUL USE – IS IT WORTH IT? 4 Table of


Prostaglandins of the E type specifically inhibited the production of interleukin 2 (IL-2) by normal human lymphocytes, whereas PG synthetase inhibitors such as indomethacin and fentiazac raised IL-2 production above normal levels. Removal of adherent cells from mononuclear cell populations also resulted in enhanced IL-2 production. The resultant nonadherent cell population lost sensitivity to the enhancement effect of PG synthetase inhibitors, suggesting that a PGE-producing adherent cell plays a major role in the regulation of IL-2.


Blackbird damage to sunflower in the Prairie Pothole Region of North Dakota, South Dakota, and Minnesota is an unyielding challenge to the industry. Large populations of blackbirds and environmental concerns have driven the direction of research toward nonlethal methods that can be implemented locally. Currently, Wildlife Services field specialists lend propane cannons to growers and spray wetlands with glyphosate to fragment dense cattail stands used by roosting blackbirds. After researchers demonstrated decoy crops (wildlife conservation sunflower plots), some growers have adapted the basic principles and have started diverting blackbirds from sunflower, a high value crop, to alternative lesser-value crops, such as corn. USDA and university scientists are developing a perennial sunflower that might significantly lower the costs of planting WCSP. Growers now have access to several desiccants that hasten the crop harvest and thus avoid late-season blackbird damage. Finally, researchers are closer to developing an effective chemical bird repellent. In this paper, we outline current nonlethal blackbird management strategies.


Clinical samples from 71 bovine from different Brazilian states were processed for the analysis of anaerobe organisms with emphasis on the isolation and characterization of Clostridium spp. From these, eighty-nine Clostridium perfringens strains were recovered: 32 from liver, 19 from intestinal contents, 14 from kidney, 6 from rumen, 5 from nervous system, 4 from bone marrow, 2 from udder tract, blood, spleen and lung, and one from muscle. Four reference Clostridium perfringens types A, B, C, and D were used as controls in this study. All isolates were cultivated in appropriate media, and after centrifugation the supernatant and sediment were separated. From pure supernatant post exopolysaccharide (EPS) extraction, mouse toxigenicity tests were performed, determining protein and protein plus carbohydrate, respectively. ELISA was performed from sediments. The results showed that 51 (57.3%) of the isolates were toxigenic to mice when inoculated by intraperitoneal route; bacteria from different organs had variable patterns of toxigenicity. Toxigenicity of EPS extracts was only expressed when protein concentration was 0.04 mg/mL and between 0.31 and 0.5 mg/mL for carbohydrate. Isolates were characterized as toxigenic when showing optimum protein and carbohydrate concentrations.


National security experts have discussed the threat of cyberwarfare for more than twenty years, and there have been a number of high profile cyber attacks over that period. The recent escalation of cyberconflict became clear last year when the New York Times discovered that the United States and Israel had developed and used a worm, known as "Stuxnet," to disrupt Iranian nuclear facilities. This shot across the bow, along with the recent creation of the U.S. Cybercommand, indicates that the United States has the capability to conduct sophisticated offensive and defensive cyberoperations. Scholars in international law, national security law, and privacy law are now attempting to define the legal rules and boundaries of cyberwarfare. The Obama Administration has also made clear that protecting privacy and civil liberties is a critical component of the U.S. cybersecurity plan. But so far it is unclear what protections will be included.This article takes a novel approach to identifying necessary civil liberties protections by analyzing U.S. cyberoperations under the Third Amendment. Three types of cyberoperations implicate Third Amendment interests: malware designed to disrupt industrial control systems, cyberespionage tools, and active defense (or "hack-back") systems. All of these may affect innocent civilian systems, and the Third Amendment prohibits military intrusion into civilian spaces absent consent or legal authorization by Congress.Based on the principles of the Third Amendment, this article identifies three issues that must be addressed regarding cybersecurity policy: authority, cooperation, and transparency. It concludes that Congress must establish the framework for authorization of cyberoperations that could affect civilian networks; that the private sector has an interest in a public-private collaboration to establish security standards and processes; and that any comprehensive cybersecurity strategy must provide for a transparent, public accountability system to address civil liberties impacts. The Cybersecurity Executive Order is a step in the right direction, but Congress must still establish clear rules governing executive action in this area.


Conclusion. A PLGA biodegradable membrane can be used as a scaffold for mucociliary epithelium transfer. Objectives. The aim of this study was to examine the usefulness of the PLGA membrane as a biodegradable scaffold for mucociliary epithelium transfer in order for it to be used as a substitute for a skin graft for restoring mucosal defects in the airway. Methods. A PLGA biodegradable membrane was synthesized using the immersion precipitation method, and morphologic characterization was carried out using scanning electron microscopy (SEM). The degradation test was performed by soaking the PLGA membrane in a culture medium, and the morphological changes were observed by SEM. Human nasal basal epithelial (HNBE) cells were cultured on the newly synthesized PLGA membrane, and the morphological changes were analyzed using SEM. The MUC5AC and MUC8 mRNA levels were analyzed by RT-PCR. Results. The PLGA membrane for the mucociliary epithelium transfer was successfully fabricated. It had a 24 mm diameter, a 50 µm thickness, and many pores with diameters of approximately 3 µm. The PLGA membrane began to degrade from 7 days after it was soaked in the culture medium. It rapidly degraded from 3 weeks and severe destruction of the pore structure was noted from 4 to 6 weeks of soaking. The HNBE cells were well differentiated into the mucociliary epithelium on the PLGA membrane both phenotypically and genotypically.


Georgieva, N., Nikolova, I. & Delchev, G. (2020). Response of spring vetch (Vicia sativa L.) to organic production conditions. Bulg. J. Agric. Sci., 26 (3), 520–526 Application of organic farming principles requires a change in the conventional technologies used so far. With an aim to evaluate the responsiveness of spring vetch (presented by cultivars Obrazets 666 and Tempo) to organic production conditions during the period 2012–2014, at the Institute of forage crops, was carried a field trial. The organic production system included four variants: cultivation under natural soil fertility and alone/combined treatment with organic products (foliar fertilizer Biofa, plant regulator Polyversum, bioinsecticide Neem Azal T/S). Control of the organic system was a variant with conventional cultivation and use of synthetic products (foliar fertilizerMasterblend, plant growth regulator Flordimex 420 and insecticide Nurelle D). The grain productivity of spring vetch grown under four variants of organic production was 31.9% lower than that obtained under conventional production. The use of triple combination (Biofa + Polyversum + NeemAzal) showed the highest stability of yield. The stability of this variant exceeded the stability of conventional vetch production. Compared to cultivar Tempo, cultivar Obrazets 666 responded to a greater extent to the application of organic products, but had lower stability of grain yield. In addition, the treatment with Neem Azal, as well as its combination with Biofa and Polyversum, had significantly higher efficacy (against Acyrthosiphon pisum) in cultivar Obrazets 666, than in cultivar Tempo.