Based on the experience from runoff and groundwater recharge simulation a model system has been developed for terrestrial, hydrochemical, and hydrological simulations. The system emphasizes the role of temporary or long term storage in the aquifers of a basin and, separately, accounts for each rainfall or snowmelt event from its entrance into the ground until mixing in the river system. The model is primarily intended for simulation of natural short term variations in alkalinity and pH in running waters. The hydrochemical processes are modelled in a semi-empirical way without assumption of complete hydrochemichal mass-balance. In the paper a brief hydrochemical background is given, and a model with two alternative hydrochemical sub-structures is described. Examples of daily simulations of runoff alkalinity and pH from three different basins are given.


One of the most valuable foods is fish due to minerals, vitamins, fats known as omega-3 raised today the valuable food and the precious pharmaceutical. The World Health Organization has mentioned that the consumption of fish at least twice a week is one of the effective factors in prevention of cardiovascular disease, stroke and sudden death due to heart attacks. This study is a cross-sectional analytic-descriptive survey. The population covered in this study was all households in health- care centers in Zahedan according to socioeconomic and cultural status of Zahedan and 400 samples were analyzed as available. Data collection instrument was the questionnaire which was completed in-person interview. After collecting, the data were analyzed using SPSS software descriptive and analytical statistical methods (t-test, ANOVA). The mean age of the patients was 30.51 ± 9.88 years. According to results, only 53 (14.17%) of households, according to the World Health Organization, ate fish at least two times or more during a week. Average fish consumption was 3.67 ± 2.37 times in a month. The most important barriers on fish consumption were mentioned, respectively, high price 50.14%, bad smell 15.56%, the lack of awareness of the benefits 9.22%. There had been observed a significant correlation between jobs, the incomes and education levels of samples and the average fish consumption. The improvement of attitudes of people towards the benefits of fish consumption, the continually encouragement of people to fish consumption by the media and key individuals, the familiarization of families with the benefits of fish consumption, the reduction of prices, offering a variety of products and the use of techniques to remove odors have the important and worth wide roles in raising consumption of protein products.


Luminescent markers play a key role in imaging techniques for life sciences since they provide a contrast mechanism between signal and background. We describe a new type of marker using second harmonic generation (SHG) from noncentrosymmetric BaTiO3 nanocrystals. These nanoparticles are attractive due to their stable, non-saturating and coherent signal with a femtosecond-scale response time and a broad flexibility in the choice of excitation wavelength. We use the coherent SHG signal from BaTiO3 nanoparticles for three-dimensional (3D) imaging without scanning. We built a harmonic holographic (H2) microscope which records digital holograms at the second harmonic frequency. Highresolution 3D distributions of these SHG markers in mammalian cells are successfully captured and interpreted by the H2 microscope.


Glioblastoma are aggressive brain tumours with a median survival of 15 months even with the best currently available treatment options. microRNAs (miRNA) are ~23 nucleotide natural silencing RNAs that have great potentials to improve cancer treatment outcomes. Lack of a safe, stable and efficient delivery system has, however, hindered the use of miRNAs in clinical applications. The aim is therefore to develop a miRNA delivery system adapted to glioblastoma using linear chain cationic polyamidoamine (PAA) polymers. The first part involved the development of luciferase assay that combined the measurement of gene-knockdown efficiency and cytotoxicity of miRNA nanoparticles. The simple two-step procedure was more effective and sensitive compared to the conventional protein-based normalization method. The second part was focused on the development of miRNA nanoparticles. In the initial phase, conditions required for maximum miRNA-polymer binding was achieved, however, the newly developed miRNA-PAA-nanoparticles did not produce significant functional gene-knockdown after cell treatment. The second stage was focused on the optimization of nanoparticle formulation as a function of stability in physiological ionic concentration. Stable PAA-nanoparticles displaying moderate cellular uptake and gene-knockdown were obtained. The final stage of development was focused on PAA-nanoparticle tagging with biotin, which improved their cellular uptake. This work developed simple and informative luciferase assay; the stability of miRNA-PAA-nanoparticles was improved by thiol-crosslinking and the cellular uptake was enhanced by a simple but smart method of ligand tagging. Further optimizations are needed to increase the functional performance of these potential and clinically relevant thiol-stabilized RNAi vectors.


Touristic Development and Water Sustainability in Banff and Canmore, Alberta, Canada. Dianne Draper. Journal of Sustainable Tourism, vol. 5, no. 3, 1997, pp. 183-212. Channel View Books/Multilingual Matters Ltd., Frankfurt Lodge, Clevedon Hall, Victoria Road, Clevedon BS217HH, United Kingdom. $73 annual subscription. During the past decade, the towns of Banff and Canmore-located in the Bow Valley Corridor of Alberta, Canada-have faced intense tourist, recreational, and residential development pressure. Both communities have experienced significant investment and obvious growth in residential, resort, and other tourism infrastructure. These changes have stimulated concerns regarding its sustainability. This article outlines the nature of touristic development activities in the Bow Corridor and, in particular, identifies water supply and


The paper deals with the optimal allocation of MPEG-2 encoding and media-independent FEC rates under a total given bandwidth. The optimality is defined in terms of minimum perceptual end-to-end distortion given a set of video and network parameters. We first derive the set of equations leading to the residual loss process parameters. That is, the packet loss ratio and the average burst length after FEC decoding. We then show that the perceptual source distortion decreases exponentially with the MPEG-2 source rate. We also demonstrate that the perceptual distortion due to data loss is directly proportional to the number of lost macroblocks, and therefore decreases with the amount of channel protection. Finally, we derive the global set of equations that lead to the optimal dynamic rate allocation. The optimal distribution is shown to outperform classical FEC schemes, thanks to its adaptivity to the scene complexity, to the available bandwidth and to the network conditions.


In this theoretical study we investigate the efficiency potential of monolithic white light emitting diodes (LEDs) that are free of wavelength-converting phosphors and are based solely on the InGaN material system. For that purpose we develop a numerical model that handles multiple active layers of different emission wavelength and takes photon reabsorption and -emission as well as internal non-radiative and optical losses into account. It is applied both to thin film structures as well as novel nanorod LEDs featuring disc-like active layers. In both cases, the active layers may either consist of multiple thin quantum wells or a single thick, bulk-like InGaN layer.


In a system of separated powers, who (which branch or institution) should decide how officials are compensated for their services? Actors who enjoy the authority to determine compensation across or within branches might leverage that authority to obtain control over powers that the constitutional scheme entrusts to others. Yet it is not easy to devise institutional arrangements that avoid the risk of aggrandizement through control over salaries, without incurring unacceptable costs on other dimensions. The most obvious alternativev - diminishing leverage, or protecting independence, by allowing institutions to set their own compensation - creates the competing risk that members of those institutions will use the compensation power to engage in self-dealing. Whether and how these structural tensions between aggrandizement and self-dealing can be successfully resolved, or at least negotiated through contextual adjustments and expedients, is the subject of this Essay. Professor Vermeule examines a range of constitutional texts and precedents, including the Article I Ascertainment Clause, the Compensation Clauses of Articles II and III, the Twenty-Seventh Amendment, and the Supreme Court's recent decision in United States v. Hatter. He describes these rules as responses to the constitutional-design tradeoff between promoting institutional independence and minimizing institutional conflicts of interest, evaluates their costs and benefits in that light, and proposes doctrinal adjustments intended to improve the constitutional law of official compensation.


Myocardial infarction (MI) is the leading cause of death in developed countries. Though timely revascularization of the ischemic myocardium and current standard therapy reduce acute mortality after MI, long-term morbidity and mortality remain high. During the first 1 to 2 weeks after MI, tissues in the infarcted myocardium undergo rapid turnover, including digestion of extracellular matrix and fibrosis. Post-MI repair is crucial to survival. Monocytes recruited to the infarcted myocardium remove debris and facilitate the repair process. However, exaggerated inflammation may also impede healing, as demonstrated by the association between elevated white blood cell count and in-hospital mortality after MI. Monocytes produced in the bone marrow and spleen enter the blood after MI and are recruited to the injured myocardium in 2 phases. The first phase is dominated by Ly-6chigh monocytes and the second phase by Ly-6clow monocytes. Yet the number of Ly6Clow monocytes recruited to the infarct is much lower, and Ly6Chigh monocytes can differentiate to Ly6Clow macrophages in later healing stages. Understanding the signals regulating monocytosis after MI will help design new therapies to facilitate cardiac healing and limit heart failure.


We present the 30-month follow-up results of an acute septic arthritis of the knee after meniscal allograft transplantation, which was successfully treated with graft retention. A 21-year-old man presented with a 4-month history of right knee pain following arthroscopic subtotal lateral meniscectomy. Plain radiographs showed there was no arthritic change with neutral limb alignment. Fourteen days after meniscal allograft transplantation, septic arthritis was confirmed with positive cultures for Staphylococcus epidermidis, and arthroscopic debridement and irrigation were performed. The suggested procedures of our treatment regimen include arthroscopic debridement and irrigation with >or=10 L of normal saline as soon as possible after diagnosis or a clinical suspicion is reached, repeated irrigation under the local anesthesia and intravenous antibiotics until clinical symptoms and laboratory results improve. The decision to repeat the debridement was based on clinical and laboratory results. We reevaluated the patients the third or fourth day after every arthroscopic treatment. At last follow-up, 2 years after the final operation, the patient had no clinical sign of infection. Erythrocyte sedimentation rate and C-reactive protein level were normal and plain radiographs indicated no arthritic change. Further the patient had full pain-free range of knee motion. At this time the Lysholm knee score was 89 and the Tegner score was 5. Magnetic resonance imaging 30 months postoperatively revealed slight (3 mm) extrusion without tear. This case is notable because it shows that early aggressive arthroscopic debridement and repeated irrigation with graft retention can be an effective treatment regimen in selected cases.


BACKGROUND
Headache, recurrent abdominal pain, and musculoskeletal pain affect many children, who report severe pain, distressed mood, and disability. Psychological therapies are emerging as effective interventions to treat children with chronic or recurrent pain. This is a substantially updated and expanded version of the Cochrane review published in 2003.

OBJECTIVES
To assess the effectiveness of psychological therapies for reducing pain, disability, and improving mood in children and adolescents with recurrent, episodic, or persistent pain.

SEARCH STRATEGY
Searches were undertaken of MEDLINE, PsycLIT, EMBASE and CONSORT. RCTs were sought in references of all identified studies, meta-analyses and reviews. Date of most recent search: August 2008.

SELECTION CRITERIA
Randomised Controlled Trials (RCTs) with at least ten participants in each arm post-treatment comparing psychological therapies with placebo, waiting list or standard medical care for children or adolescents with episodic, recurrent or persistent pain, were eligible for inclusion.

DATA COLLECTION AND ANALYSIS
All included studies were analysed and the quality of the studies recorded. All treatments were combined into one class: psychological treatments; headache and non-headache outcomes were separately analysed on three outcomes: pain, disability, and mood.

MAIN RESULTS
Thirty-four RCT studies were recovered; 29 met the inclusion criteria. The total number of participants completing treatments was 1432. Twenty studies addressed treatments for headache (including migraine); six for abdominal pain; one for both headache and abdominal pain, one study was for fibromyalgia, and one was for pain associated with sickle cell disease. The analysis of headache treatment versus control differences immediately post-treatment for pain gave an odds ratio (OR) of 5.51 (95% CI 3.28 to 9.24; z = 6.46, P < 0.05); NNT = 2.57 (CI 2.2 to 3.13). At follow-up, the OR was 9.91 (95% CI 3.73 to 26.33); z = 9.91, P < 0.05); NNT = 1.99 (CI 1.63 to 2.72). Analysis of non-headache treatment versus control differences immediately post-treatment for pain found a large effect size of -0.94 (95% CI -1.43 to -0.44) Z = 3.71, P < 0.05. At follow-up, a large effect size was found of -1.08 (95%CI -1.84 to -0.33); Z = 2.82, P < 0.05). There were no other significant effects.

AUTHORS' CONCLUSIONS
Psychological treatments are effective in pain control for children with headache and benefits appear to be maintained. Psychological treatments may also improve pain control for children with musculoskeletal and recurrent abdominal pain. There is little evidence available to estimate effects on disability or mood.


Radial fall has historically played a momentous role. It is one of the most classical problems, the solutions of which represent the level of understanding of gravitation in a given epoch. A {\it gedankenexperiment} in a modern frame is given by a small body, like a compact star or a solar mass black hole, captured by a supermassive black hole. The mass of the small body itself and the emission of gravitational radiation cause the departure from the geodesic path due to the back-action, that is the self-force. For radial fall, as any other non-adiabatic motion, the instantaneous identity of the radiated energy and the loss of orbital energy cannot be imposed and provide the perturbed trajectory. In the first part of this letter, we present the effects due to the self-force computed on the geodesic trajectory in the background field. Compared to the latter trajectory, in the Regge-Wheeler, harmonic and all others smoothly related gauges, a far observer concludes that the self-force pushes inward (not outward) the falling body, with a strength proportional to the mass of the small body for a given large mass; further, the same observer notes an higher value of the maximal coordinate velocity, this value being reached earlier on during infall. In the second part of this letter, we implement a self-consistent approach for which the trajectory is iteratively corrected by the self-force, this time computed on osculating geodesics. Finally, we compare the motion driven by the self-force without and with self-consistent orbital evolution. Subtle differences are noticeable, even if self-force effects have hardly the time to accumulate in such a short orbit.


Abstract: Over the past few years, tissue engineering in dentistry has achieved relevant results. Several methods have been described to enhance tissue engineering and low intensity pulsed ultrasound (LIPUS) has shown to play an important role in tissue formation and regeneration. (LIPUS) can accelerate bone fracture healing and osteogenic differentiation. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of local use of autologous osteogenically induced gingival stem cells (OIGSCs) and LIPUS on the healing or periodontal defects in beagle dogs. We hypothesized that the use of OIGSCs and LIPUS can enhance regeneration of periodontal defect. Eight adolescent beagle dogs were used and periodontal defects were established in their third and fourth premolars. GSCs were isolated from connective tissue of interdental papilla of each dog, characterized by flowcytometry for stem cell markers and were differentiated using osteogenic medium to produce osteogenically induced gingival cells (OIGCs). Premolars were randomly divided into 3 groups. 1) Negative control collagen only 2) OIGSCs loaded in collagen scaffold 3) and OIGSCs loaded in collagen scaffold in addition to LIPUS application. LIPUS was applied to the right side of each animal for 20 minutes using a 2.5 cm transducer. The animals were sedated prior to each LIPUS application using Isoflurane inhalation anesthesia. Clinical assessments include pocket depth (PD) and attachment level (AL) and the depths of boney defect were used to evaluate the outcome of tissue regeneration. Results: There was statistically significant difference between OIGSCs and control group (P = 0.036) and between OIGSCs+ LIPUS and control group (P= 0.023) in furcation healing. However, there was no statistically significant difference in periodontal defect healing between the OIGSCs and OIGSCs +LIPUS groups with regards to PD, AL and boney defect depth. Conclusion: OIGSCs produced furcation regeneration with or without the use of LIPUS.


The Findlay-Walker model does not consider saccades generated by auditory targets or nontargets (distractors), or by bimodal stimulation. Empirical results suggest that the effects of auditory stimulation cannot easily be incorporated into the model, neither in the WHEN nor in the WHERE system. A two-stage model by Colonius and Arndt gives a quantitative account of the facilitative effects of auditory distractors on saccadic latencies toward visual targets.


The response properties of hair cells and nerve fibers in the alligator lizard cochlea are frequency selective and tonotopically organized with longitudinal position in the organ. The lengths of the hair-cell hair bundles also vary monotonically with longitudinal position. In this study, quantitative measurements were made of the motion of individual hair bundles in an excised preparation of the cochlea stimulated at auditory frequencies. The angular displacement of hair bundles is frequency selective and tonotopically organized, demonstrating the existence of a micromechanical tuning mechanism.


The sole objective of our ontological approach to creating leaders is to leave students actually being leaders and exercising leadership effectively as their natural self-expression. By "natural self-expression" we mean a way of being and acting in any leadership situation that is a spontaneous and intuitive effective response to what one is dealing with. In creating leaders we employ the ontological discipline (from the Latin ontologia "science of being", see Heidegger (1927)). The ontological model of leader and leadership opens up and reveals the actual nature of being when one is being a leader and opens up and reveals the source of one's actions when exercising leadership. And ontology's associated phenomenological methodology (explained in the next paragraph) provides actionable access to what has been opened up. The being of being a leader and the actions of the effective exercise of leadership can be accessed, researched, and taught either: 1) as being and action are observed and commented on "from the stands", specifically as these are observed by someone, and then described, interpreted and explained (third-person theory of), or 2) as being and action are actually experienced "on the court", specifically as these are actually lived (real-time first-person experience of). As a formal discipline, the "on the court" method of accessing being and action (that is, as being and action are actually lived) is named phenomenology. In short, an epistemological mastery of a subject leaves one knowing. An ontological mastery of a subject leaves one being. Of course the students themselves do not need to study ontology; they only require the access to being and the source of action that is provided by the ontological perspective. And, they don't need to study phenomenology; they only need to be provided with the actionable pathway to the being of being a leader and the actions of effective leadership made available by the phenomenological methodology.


We investigate the role of heterogeneous peer effects in encouraging healthy and sustainable lifestyles. Our analysis revolves around one of the largest and most extensive databases about weight loss, which contains well over 10 million observations that track individual participants' meeting attendance and progress in a large national weight loss program. A few key findings emerge. First, while higher weight loss among average performing peers leads to lower future weight loss for an individual, the effect of the top weight loss performer among peers leads to greater future weight loss for that same individual. Second, the discouraging effects from average peers and encouraging effects from top performing peers are magnified for individuals who struggled with weight loss in the past. Third, the encouraging effect of top performers has a long-run impact on an individual's weight loss success. Finally, we provide suggestive evidence that the discrepancy between the top and average performer effects is not likely an artifact of salience or informativeness of top performers, but instead, driven by its positive impact on the motivation to accomplish weight loss goals. Given our empirical findings, we discuss managerial implications on meeting design.


This paper considers the impact of service systems on group activities. It describes an inter-professional groupwork project facilitated by a social worker and a community nurse. The project provided an emancipatory experience for a group of adults who had intellectual disabilities. The group was charged with the task of reviewing and updating the recruitment and interview processes used by a 'Learning Disability Partnership Board', when employing new support workers. The paper begins with a brief history of intellectual disability and provides a context to the underpinning philosophical belief that people should be encouraged and supported to inhabit valued social roles no matter what disability they may have. It then identifies the ways in which the sponsoring health, education and social care services impacted on the creation and development of a groupwork project. It might have been expected that the nature of the intellectual disability would have been the major influence on group process. However the paper reveals that organisational constraints had a significant impact on group functioning. Issues including, staffing budgets and transport contracts impacted on group process and function. The results of the project show how, with adequate support, people with intellectual disability can make important decisions that have long-reaching impacts on the services.


The circulation of hot gases within a bakery oven is used to describe and predict the exchange of heat and its influence on the final product. A bi-dimensional model was used, together with a CFD model, to estimate the flow pattern inside an oven by varying the velocity of the airflow in order to simulate changes in the combustion chamber. Acceptable agreement was found in the comparison between the models and the measured temperatures. The inlet velocity and the geometry affect the flow pattern in a baking oven. Low velocity cause low levels of circulation, which implies better conditions in the baking process. High velocities the temperature decreases in the oven due to excess air even with a high recirculation of gases. During the feeding process, the overall heat transfer was also affected by a changed effective thermal conductivity and recirculation of hot gases in the baking oven.


The evolutionary viability of an endangered species depends upon gene flow among subpopulations and the degree of habitat patch connectivity. Contrasting population connectivity over ecological and evolutionary timescales may provide novel insight into what maintains genetic diversity within threatened species. We employed this integrative approach to evaluating dispersal in the critically endangered Coahuilan box turtle (Terrapene coahuila) that inhabits isolated wetlands in the desert‐spring ecosystem of Cuatro Ciénegas, Mexico. Recent wetland habitat loss has altered the spatial distribution and connectivity of habitat patches; and we therefore predicted that T. coahuila would exhibit limited movement relative to estimates of historic gene flow. To evaluate contemporary dispersal patterns, we employed mark–recapture techniques at both local (wetland complex) and regional (intercomplex) spatial scales. Gene flow estimates were obtained by surveying genetic variation at nine microsatellite loci in seven subpopulations located across the species' geographical range. The mark–recapture results at the local spatial scale reveal frequent movement among wetlands that was unaffected by interwetland distance. At the regional spatial scale, dispersal events were relatively less frequent between wetland complexes. The complementary analysis of population genetic substructure indicates strong historic gene flow (global FST = 0.01). However, a relationship of genetic isolation by distance across the geographical range suggests that dispersal limitation exists at the regional scale. Our approach of contrasting direct and indirect estimates of dispersal at multiple spatial scales in T. coahuila conveys a sustainable evolutionary trajectory of the species pending preservation of threatened wetland habitats and a range‐wide network of corridors.


The hardest tests for leaders challenge their character as much as their skills, and a growing body of research shows that the self-knowledge gained from such tests is critical to leaders' success. In Questions of Character, Joseph L. Badaracco outlines eight fundamental challenges that test a leader's character, and proposes exploring them through the lens of literature. Badaracco argues that serious fiction provides us with memorable characters facing compelling challenges similar to those that confront business leaders. Through rich analysis of the main characters in The Death of a Salesman, The Secret Sharer, The Last Tycoon, and other stories, Badaracco addresses complex issues leaders face, such as the soundness of their vision, their readiness to take on responsibility, the depth of their compassion, and their ability to manage success. Presenting classic leadership dilemmas in a novel and valuable light, Questions of Character helps leaders and aspiring leaders prepare for the opportunities and tests before them.


A major phenomenon in the U.S. economy has been the increasing number of women-owned businesses. According to the U.S. Census Bureau's "Latest Survey of Women-Owned Businesses," the number of women-owned businesses increased by 57.4 percent between 1982 and 1987, with the receipts of these businesses rising by 81.2 percent over this same period. Similarly, the number of businesses owned by women as non-farm sole proprietorships increased from 1.9 million in 1977 to 4.4 million in 1987. Women's share of businesses also has increased from 22.6 percent in 1977 to 30.7 percent in 1987 (State of Small Business 1990). Women also are starting businesses at over twice the rate of men and could well own and operate 50 percent of all businesses in the United States by the year 2000 (New Economic Realities: The Rise of Women Entrepreneurs 1988). The majority of research on women-owned businesses is a relatively recent phenomenon focusing on a wide range of issues. An early study by Schwartz (1976) examined the characteristics and attitudes of women business owners. He found that female entrepreneurs tended to closely control their business operations and also experienced barriers to the acquisition of initial capital. Several studies (Hisrich and Brush 1983, Neider 1987, Scott 1986, Watkins and Watkins 1983) found that women entrepreneurs were generally married and between the ages of 30 and 45, typically had backgrounds in the liberal arts, and had previous work experience in a variety of areas, such as teaching, retail sales, and office administration. Birley, Moss, and Saunders (1987) examined the differences between female and male entrepreneurs and found that both women's and men's past experience helped in providing managerial skills in the start-up stage. There was little difference between their levels of education and their financing process. Many studies have determined that women business owners are more similar to than different from men across psychological and demographic dimensions, such as motivations for starting their businesses (independence, achievement, and job satisfaction) (Chaganti 1986; Geoffee and Scase 1985; Hisrich and Brush 1983; Holmquist and Sundin 1990; Longstreth, Stafford, and Mauldin 1987; Schrier 1975; Schwarts 1976). The most frequently cited problems of women-owned businesses are the lack of experience in management, accounting, advertising, and finance (financial planning, obtaining lines of credit, collateral position, and lending processes) (Buttner and Rosen 1988, Hisrich and Brush 1987, Kaplan 1988). The biggest obstacles for women are the financial aspects of venture start-up and management (Brush 1992). Despite the tremendous growth in the number of women-owned enterprises and the increasing impact on society and the economy, there are few studies discussing the relationship between women entrepreneurs and advertising. Some research has been reported regarding entrepreneurs and advertising. A study by Van Auken, Doran, and Rittenburg (1992) examined advertising media strategies among entrepreneurs. Jackson and Parasuraman (1988) indicated that the disadvantages of advertising for small firms are their relatively limited financial and professional resources. Their results support the traditional assumption that the yellow pages are a well-used advertising medium. Brunning and Adams (1988) examined the effectiveness of promotional tools for small industrial businesses and found that trade shows can be an effective means of competing on an equal level with larger firms and can deliver a qualified audience to the small industrial firm at a relatively low cost. While women business owners may be more similar to men than different, the nature of differences might affect advertising strategy. There is evidence that men and women's communication styles differ. Tannen (1990, 42) characterizes male-female conversation as cross-cultural communication: "...women speak and hear a language of connection and intimacy, while men speak and hear a language of status and independence. …


Abstract Periodontal disease is believed to be an opportunistic infection due to the interaction of bacterial plaque and the patient's response that may be influenced by environmental, genetic, and other risk factors. In addition to the fact that smoking is considered a risk factor in many systemic diseases, it has also been associated with the initiation of periodontal disease. Smoking is one of the modifiable risk factors and has a significant influence on the development, progress, and results of the treatment of periodontal disease. The current state in the field of study suggests that smoking aids the colonization of periodontal microorganisms, accelerating the onset of periodontal disease. Biological modifications in pathogens, such as Porphyromonas gingivalis, along with poor immune response, influence the variations of subgingival flora in smoking patients. Only with an individual approach can the risk factors of each patient be identified and satisfactory results obtained. The aim of this paper is to present a comprehensive review of the influence of smoking on periodontal microbiome and the importance of adopting the appropriate treatment method according to the influence of this risk factor on healing.


This study evaluated 14C-labelling as a tool to investigate the suitability of microbound diet (MBD) particles for the various larval stages of the mud crab, Scylla serrata. The results showed that S. serrata larvae held in seawater containing 14C leachate from 14C-labelled MBD particles (after MBD particles had been removed) did not contain levels of 14C above background. However, dead S. serrata larvae held in water with 14C-labelled MBD particles had a significantly higher 14C content than background even after thorough washing. They suggested that MBD particles trapped on the body of crab larvae cannot be completely washed off, and they represent a source of error that needs to be corrected when using this technique to determine ingestion of MBD particles by crab larvae. Consequently, a control treatment consisting of dead larvae held with 14C-labelled MBD particles was used to correct larval ingestion data in subsequent experiments. To determine larval ingestion of MBD particles, each larval stage of S. serrata was fed 14C-labelled MBD over a five-hour period and their radioactive contents were determined hourly. MBD particles were readily ingested by all larval stages of S. serrata. Ingestion of MBD particles increased with larval development with megalopa consuming more than three times the amount of MBD than Zoea V and more than ten times that of Zoea IV larvae. Ingestion of MBD particles by Zoea I declined after four hours, whereas ingestion by Zoea II, III and megalopa did not differ significantly over the five-hour feeding period. Zoea IV and V showed greater levels of MBD ingestion after four and five hours than after one hour. The present results suggest that the time to reach maximal ingestion, as indicated by the time to achieve maximum larval 14C content, for Zoea I, II, III and megalopa is one hour, but is greater for Zoea IV and V. The results of this study allow fine-tuning of a technique with great potential for investigating aspects of the nutrition of S. serrata larvae and indicate clear potential for developing successful MBD for them.


American corporate law scholars have long focused on state-to-state jurisdictional competition as a powerful engine in the making of American corporate law. Yet much corporate law is made in Washington, D.C. Federal authorities regularly make law governing the American corporation, typically via the securities law—from shareholder voting rules, to boardroom composition, to dual class stock, to Sarbanes-Oxley—and they could do even more. Properly conceived, the United States has two primary corporate lawmaking centers—the states (primarily Delaware) and Washington. We are beginning to better understand how they interact, as complements and substitutes, but the foundational fact of American corporate lawmaking during the past century is that whenever there has been a big issue—the kind of thing that could strongly affect capital costs—Washington acted or considered acting. Here I review the concepts of the vertical interaction, indicate what still needs to be examined, and examine one Washington-Delaware interaction in detail over time. Overall, we cannot understand the governmental structure of American corporate lawmaking well just by examining the nature, strength, and weaknesses of state-to-state jurisdictional competition. Washington and Delaware as Corporate Lawmakers


Environmental management, technologies, products and services are commonly expected to provide significant economic opportunities for companies and countries. This is mainly due to increasing awareness among politicians, academics and the wider population on the importance of environmental aspects in daily life. Consequently demand for environmentally friendly solutions is expected to grow continuously in the next decade. The present study is part of a broader research project which examines the long-term science and technology (ST biotechnology, medicine and public health; new materials and nanotechnologies; environmental management; transport and space systems; and energy efficiency and energy conservation. For each sphere, the project explored in-depth the global emergent challenges and opportunities, the risks, and their degree of influence on Russia. The authors analysed the most important potential market niches, products and services that are capable of radically shaping world markets and highlighted their competitive advantages. Within the framework of these priority science areas authors emphasised several spheres of particular potential value and compared the level of research carried out in Russia and the leading countries. The current paper also covers the analyses the natural resources sector made within a project aimed at integration of national and sectoral S&T Foresight studies funded by the Russian Ministry of Education and Science. Findings show that the potential applications for environmental products and services are manifold. The study is based on a thorough analysis of expert opinions and their assessment of future applications and the development of demand for these applications. However the authors note that the expert opinions included in the assessment of prospective products, services and markets, despite being based on rigorous assessment, still reflect expectations. Their opinions incorporate a degree of uncertainty especially with regard to how and when (or whether) the markets, technologies, products and services will develop in the expected ways.


OBJECTIVES
Previous research found measures of pulmonary functioning to be strong predictors of cognitive functioning and mortality; however, there is considerable individual variability in performance on these measures. In the present analyses, the relative contribution of genetic and environmental influences to variability in average peak expiratory flow rate (APEFR) are examined in a sample of adult African-American twins.

DESIGN
Birth records from North Carolina Register of Deeds offices were used to identify participants for the Carolina African-American Twin Study of Aging (CAATSA). Participants completed an in-person interview, which included measures of health status, cognition, and psychosocial measures.

PARTICIPANTS
Data for the analysis come from 200 pairs of same sex twins (97 identical pairs, and 113 fraternal), with a mean age = 46.9 years (SD = 13.9), and with 39% of the sample being men.

RESULTS
Phenotypic correlations between APEFR, age, gender, height, and cigarette consumption (measured in pack years), were all significant, ranging from -.63 to .43. After the affects of age, gender, height, and pack years were partialled out of APEFR, quantitative genetic analyses were conducted on the residuals. Model fitting demonstrated that variance in APEFR was accounted for by shared environmental effects (30%), genetic effects (14%), and non-shared environmental effects (56%).

CONCLUSION
These results are discussed in relation to previous research conducted in other countries, and the importance of a complex systems approach to explanations of the impact of genes on central indices of health, such as APEFR.


This Essay highlights how local voter-backed initiatives can play a significant role in dictating voting rights and election rules. The 2016 elections saw various debates on voter-backed changes to local election laws. Voters in various localities decided whether to expand the electorate for local elections, change electoral structures such as imposing term limits or creating independent redistricting commissions, or adopt campaign finance reforms. Most of these ballot initiatives passed. They therefore provide a strategy for how to improve our election process moving forward: start local and normalize the election innovations so that they will eventually trickle across to other municipalities and then influence state and federal policy. This avenue to election law reform is more vital than ever after the results of 2016 federal and state elections. Republicans, who control all branches of the federal government and most state governments, are less likely to enact voter expansions at the statewide or national level. But reformers can look to local laws to demonstrate how these innovations can help to improve our democracy. In addition, the Essay provides courts with a test to employ when facing an inevitable judicial challenge to one of these local election law initiatives: courts should generally defer to local rules that expand the electorate or open up the political process to more people, but should not defer to local voting restrictions or rules that tend to aggrandize the majority's control or lead to entrenchment. In particular, local laws that enhance democratic participation by expanding the electorate or reducing campaign finance barriers to running for office epitomize the benefits of local democracy and deserve judicial deference.


Young adults in recent cohorts have been leaving the parental home earlier and marrying later now than they did several decades ago resulting in an increased period of independent living. This paper explores the consequences of time spent in non-family living using data from the [U.S.] National Longitudinal Surveys of Young Men and Young Women. We expect that experience in living away from home prior to marriage will cause young adults to change their attitudes values plans and expectations and move them away from a traditional family orientation. The authors find evidence to support this hypothesis in the case of young women. "Those who lived independently became more likely to plan for employment lowered their expected family size became more accepting of employment of mothers and more non-traditional on sex roles in the family than those who lived with their parents. Non-family living had much weaker effects on young men in the few tests that we could perform for them. The paper also addresses the conditions under which living away increases individualism and it discusses the implications of these findings." (EXCERPT)


OBJECTIVE: To determine if iron supplementation of 2 mg/kg per day, in addition to routine iron-fortified formula or mother's milk, increased the hematocrit (Hct) at 36 weeks' postmenstrual age (PMA). METHODS:: Infants with a birth weight <1500 g who reached 120 mL/kg per day of feedings before 32 weeks' PMA were randomly assigned to iron (multivitamin with iron) or control (multivitamin) from enrollment until 36 weeks' PMA (or discharge, if sooner). Investigators and caregivers were masked. Transfusion guidelines were used. The primary outcome was Hct at 36 weeks' PMA. A nonparametric rank sum analysis was performed so that infants who died before 36 weeks and infants who were transfused could be included in an intention-to-treat analysis. Infants were ranked by death (lowest rank) then by number of transfusions (next lowest ranks). For infants who survived and were not transfused, the 36-week PMA Hct was used for the rank. RESULTS: One hundred fifty infants were enrolled (76 iron, 74 controls). There were 2 deaths (1 in each group). One hundred other infants (47 iron, 53 controls) received transfusion(s). There was no significant difference in the primary outcome ranking (P = .59), in the number of transfusions per subject (P = .64), or in 36-week Hct (iron mean ± SD, 29.2% ± 4.0%; control, 28.3% ± 4.5%; mean difference and 95% confidence interval 0.9 [−0.5 to 2.3]; P = .21) or reticulocyte count among survivors. No short-term adverse effects of iron supplementation were observed. CONCLUSIONS: Among infants <1500 g birth weight, iron supplementation, in addition to routine iron intake, did not significantly increase the 36-week Hct or the decrease number of transfusions.


"The Opportunity Gap" aims to shift attention from the current overwhelming emphasis on schools in discussions of the achievement gap to more fundamental questions about social and educational opportunity. The achievement gap looms large in the current era of high-stakes testing and accountability. Yet questions persist: Has the accountability movement and attendant discussions on the achievement gap focused attention on the true sources of educational failure in American schools? Do we need to look beyond classrooms and schools for credible accounts of disparities in educational outcomes? The essays in this book reintroduce the overlooked central issue in educational inequity: the lack of opportunity that many social groups face in our common quest for educational attainment. In a series of wide-ranging and carefully nuanced essays, "The Opportunity Gap" casts much-needed light on the vexed relationship between society and education and on the crucial, persistent role that education plays in addressing social ills. Contributors include Gilberto Q. Conchas, Raewyn Connell, Pat English-Sand, Linda May Fitzgerald, Patresa Hartman, Jeff Howard, Mieko Kamii, Rafa M. Kasim, Christopher Kliewer, Robert A. LeVine, Sarah E. LeVine, Jodi Meyer-Mork, Robert Parris Moses, Sonia Nieto, Donna Raschke, Stephen W. Raudenbush, Ray C. Rist, Beatrice Schnell-Anzola, Irene Serna, Susan McAllister Swap, and Amy Stuart Wells; with an afterword by Ronald F. Ferguson."


This article describes a methodology which supports evaluation of bit preservation strategies for different digital materials. This includes evaluation of alternative bit preservation solutions. The methodology presented uses the preservation planning tool Plato for evaluations, and a BR-ReMS prototype to calculate measures for how well bit preservation requirements are met. Planning storage of different types of data as part of preservation planning involves classification of the data with regard to requirements on confidentiality, bit safety, availability and costs. Selection of storage parameters is quite complex since e.g. more copies of data means better bit safety, but higher cost and higher risk of compromising confidentiality. Based on a case study of a bit repository offering differentiated bit preservation solutions, the article will present results of using the methodology to make plans and choices of alternatives for different digital material with different requirements for bit integrity and confidentiality. This study shows that the methodology, including the tools used, is suitable for this purpose.


Background
Amnestic Mild Cognitive Impairment (aMCI) is an early stage of Alzheimer' disease (AD).
Memory loss is the hallmark of aMCI. In comparison to a vast literature on Retrospective
memory (RM) disorders in aMCI, relatively little is known about Prospective memory (PM) in
aMCI.

Methods
aMCI patients (n=52) and normal controls (n=52) were administered with a battery of
neuropsychological tests including prospective memory(PM) (event and time-based
prospective memory; EBPM and TBPM) and retrospective memory(RM) (Item memory and
Source memory) tasks.

Results
Compared with normal controls, aMCI group were impaired in EBPM as well as in TBPM and
RM (P<0.01; P<0.05; P<0.05) furthermore the EBPM were impaired more significantly (P<0.01).
The results show that there are significant PM and RM impairment in aMCI patients, especially
on EBPM.

Conclusion
The present study show that aMCI patients manifest PM and RM impairment, but EBPM
impairment is worse than TBPM and RM. It indicated that the EBPM impairment may be an
early behavioral marker in aMCI patients.


When Edward Thomas was killed at the Battle of Arras in 1917 his poems were largely unpublished. But in the years since his death, his work has come to be cherished for its rare, sustained vision of the natural world and as 'a mirror of England' (Walter de la Mare). This edition, drawn from Thomas' manuscripts and typescripts as well as from his published works, offers an accessible introduction to this most resonant - and relevant - of poets. "In his lifetime, he was known and loved by a very, loving few. Now, since his death, he is known and loved by very many, and yearly this is more so. There is in his poems and unassumingly profound sense of permanence. A war came and ditched him, but his poems stay with no other wounds than those which caused them." (Dylan Thomas). "A very fine poet. And a poet all in his own right. The accent is absolutely his own." (Robert Frost). "The one hundred and forty poems he wrote in the last two years of his life are a miracle. I can think of no body of work in English that is more mysterious." (Michael Longley).


This book shows the extraordinary leadership qualities of a great but unsung hero. No list of the greatest people of the 20th century is complete without General George C. Marshall. Winston Churchill called him the "organizer of victory" and "the last great American." President Harry Truman referred to him as the "great one of the age." Tom Brokaw called him the "godfather" of "the greatest generation."Even so, many people know Marshall's name without being able to recall his many astonishing accomplishments. Among them: He personally trained future generals Eisenhower, Bradley, Ridgeway, Patton, and others; As Chief of Staff of the U.S. Army before and during World War II, he oversaw its expansion from a small, homeland defense force - smaller than Bulgaria's - into the mightiest army ever assembled; As Secretary of State, he introduced the "Marshall Plan," which literally rescued Europe after the war; and, he was the first professional soldier ever to win the Nobel Peace Prize and was twice named Time's Man of the Year. Marshall's extraordinary career reflects unparalleled leadership traits and consummate skills, among them vision, candor, a commitment to action, the ability to listen and learn, and not least, selflessness.


Comparative studies were conducted to evaluate the efficacy of estrus synchronization, ovulation induction, nonsurgical embryo collection, and cryopreservatin procedures in the scimitar-horned oryx (Oryx dammah), bongo (Tragelaphus euryceros), eland (Taurotragus oryx), and greater kudu (Tragelaphus strepsiceros). In the scimitar-horned oryx, a 6α-methyl-17α-acetoxyprogesterone (MAP) pessary vs. prostaglandin F2α (PGF2α) estrus synchronization treatment was compared; only PGF2α was tested in the other species. Ovarian responsiveness to follicestimulating hormone (FSH-P, b.i.d. for 5 days) or pregnant mare's serum gonadotropin (PMSG, single injection) was evaluated in all species. MAP and PGF2α were equally effective (P < 0.05) for synchronizing estrus in scimitar-horned oryx. Signs of estrus, including mounting, were observed in 15 of 33 (45.4%) oryx donors, but copulation was observed on only 8 occasions. Mean number of CL/ovulating bongo and eland female was enhanced (P < 0.05) by FSH-P compared to PMSG (4.5 ± 1.8 vs. 1.3 ± 0.3 CL/bongo and 10.6 ± 4.6 vs. 1.0 ± 0.6 CL/eland, respectively) treatment. The difference in mean (± SEM) CL number between FSH-P- and PMSG-treated oryx donors approached significance (4.6 ± 1.6 vs. 2.7 ± 0.8, respectively; P = 0.08). Embryos and ova were recovered nonsurgically from 10 of 19 (52.6%) of the ovulating oryx, 9 of 10 (90%) bongo, 6 of 10 (60%) eland, and both (100%) greater kudu. A high proportion (60%) of cryopreserved oryx embryos maintained an excellent-or good-quality grade (QG) after thawing. A higher proportion (P < 0.05) of embryos frozen in 1.5 M dimethyl sulfoxide (6 of 10) or 1.5 M glycerol (6 of 10) solutions maintained their prefreeze QG compared to the propylene glycol counterparts (3 of 10). The transfer of thawed embryos to synchronized oryx recipients (n = 9) resulted in no pregnancies. Conventional techniques for synchronizing ovarian activity, inducing ovulation, and flushing the uterine content of farm livestock largely are adaptive to these African antelope species. However, the overall efficiency of these strategies for consistently promoting superovulation and large numbers of embryos is relatively low. For these species, the primary limitations to effective embryo recovery and transfer appear to be: 1) a lack of estrous behavior which contributes to a low incidence of mating and, thus, poor fertilization and recipient synchrony, and 2) a resilience of the ovaries to conventional gonadotropic preparations.


Background: A disconnect currently exists between patients' use of the Internet and their consultations with their physicians. Too often, patients don't tell their physicians about their Internet use and physicians don't ask; both suffer due to the erosion of trust and missed educational opportunities. Better patient-physician communication about Internet use is needed to help patients become truly empowered healthcare consumers.

Objectives: Too little attention is paid to improving how patients locate and use health Web sites and communicate about their use of these Web sites with their physicians. The very people who can best help patients, their medical providers, become disconnected from these so-called empowered healthcare consumers, who use the Internet instead of, before, or after consultations with their physicians without it being discussed or integrated into their care. Poor health outcomes can occur when patients have unexpressed concerns arising from the Web sites they have accessed, don't believe their physician when a diagnosis or treatment plan differs from what they obtained from the Internet, use their doctor for a second opinion without disclosing that they obtained their first online, make poor decisions without or disregarding medical input, or scour the Internet for miracle cures.

Methods: Based on a literature review, extensive evaluations of health Web sites, and interviews with patients and physicians, better health outcomes for patients can be provided through the design of better user experiences, physician education about patient use of the Internet, patient education about effective Internet use, and the integration of Internet use into patient-physician consultations.

Results: While the designers of e-commerce Web sites focus on user experience design to create successful initial and repeat visits, designers of health Web sites often overlook the importance of the user experience. To help healthcare consumers in all aspects of locating and using online health information, health Web sites need to accommodate the range of needs and varying degrees of health literacy of site visitors. Well-established user experience design techniques can facilitate this, namely the use of personas, competitive analysis, and formative evaluation at all stages of design and development. Health Web sites can also incorporate guidelines about when and how to communicate with healthcare professionals about the information on the Web site.

Physicians need to have a better understanding of the extent to which and the reasons their patients are online before, and will likely go online after, a consultation. Currently, physicians rarely ask patients about their use of the health Web sites or any concerns that they have as a result, nor do they recommend reliable Web sites to newly diagnosed patients. Many fear the patient who arrives with a ream of printouts or who takes over a consultation. But worse than that is when patients have unexpressed fears or distrust their diagnoses because of what they accessed online. Physician training about how and when to ask patients can be aided by adding questions about Web sites used and any concerns to the form patients fill out in the waiting room, and physicians can receive guidance about reliable Web sites to recommend to their patients.

When patients go online, they often start at a search engine and rarely determine the source or date of the information they are using. Better patient education is needed on how to discern credible Web sites and health information on the Internet, a skill that is becoming even more important with the wealth of user-generated content, the many erroneous or misleading Web sites that compete for their attention in searches, and the immediacy of access possible from Internet-enabled mobile devices. Furthermore, patients need guidance about how to discuss their Internet use with their physician appropriately, without taking over the consultation or providing conclusions to a physician who is probing for symptoms. Finally, patients need to seek recommendations for Web sites to use when they leave a consultation with unanswered questions.

Conclusions: Patient use of the Internet disconnected from physician care can be detrimental. The benefits of Internet use can accrue with better design, education, and communication. More effective health Web site use can occur through improved design practices, physician and patient education, and patient-physician communication integrating patient Internet use. Better communication can be facilitated by questions on patient forms and guidelines on health Web sites. The next step is testing these hypotheses. The expected outcome is better informed patients whose Internet use is integrated into, rather than disconnected from, their medical care. []


This work concerns studies of two possible methods of separating rhodium from iridium. The first method was to complex the rhodium(III) and iridium(IV) with ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid and remove the anionic rhodium(III) -EDTA complex by its adsorption on an exchange resin. The neutral iridium(IV) EDTA complex was expected to pass through the resin column unaffected. The second separation study involved the hydrolytic precipitation of rhodium hydroxide in the presence of a soluble and stable iridium-EDTA complex. Hence, the rhodium precipitate could be filtered from the dissolved iridium complex. In the ion exchange separation, experiments were conducted to determine if the iridium(IV)-EDTA complexes were neutral and could be quantitatively passed through an anionic exchange column at pH 11.4 to 12.6. The effects of pH on complexation of EDTA with the iridium(IV) ion was studied by varying the pH from 2 to 12. It was found that it was not possible to make a separation on the anionic exchange column based upon the charge differences of the ions. Only 40 per cent of the iridium complex passed through the exchange column, while 60 per cent was adsorbed on the resin. Work was performed to determine the optimum condition of the hydrolytic separation. It was found that the rhodium (III) could be almost quantitatively precipitated in a 2:1 ratio of EDTA at pH 10. A heating period of 30 minutes at 80-90 degrees C. and treatment with ethyl alcohol was necessary to help eliminate the colloid effects. Under these same conditions, the iridium(III) or (IV) ion was present as a soluble EDTA complex. These individual conditions held as long as only rhodium or iridium was present in the solution. In a mixture of the two, adsorption of the iridium EDTA complex on the surface of the rhodium hydroxide prevented a quantitative separation. It was possible to separate approximately 92 to 93 per cent of rhodium from iridium, although each was slightly contaminated with the other. Dialysis of the dissolved rhodium hydroxide showed that approximately seven per cent of the precipitate was in a polymer form. The polymer could be broken by treatment with NaBrO3 and HCL. A procedure for the spectrophotometric determination of iridium (III) in the presence of a 2:1 ratio of EDTA and a pH of 11.4 to 12.6 was formulated. All of the iridium samples were quantitatively analyzed using spectrophotometric methods involving the complexation of iridium (III) or (IV) with EDTA. The tin (II) chloride determination was used for all rhodium analyses.


The Philippine automotive transport sector accounts for a significant portion ofthe country's petroleum consumption and air emissions. Research in alternative fuels for road vehicles is thus an essential element in the country's long-term-electrical environmental management strategy. Two radical vehicle technologies propulsion systems and fuel hydrogen for fuel cells - are widely considered to be the most promising energy vectors from an environmental standpoint. Electric vehicles (EV) and fuel cell vehicles (FCV) are driven by electric motors; the former use electricity stored in batteries, while the latter generate electricity from the oxidation of hydrogen. Potentially, both electric power and fuel hydrogen can be sustainably produced using renewable energy sources, and their use in vehicles generates almost no direct pollution. However, life-cycle assessment (LCA) may reveal significant environmental impacts from the infrastructure required to produce and distribute these energy vectors on a commercial scale. This study quantifies the life-cycle air emissions and energy balances associated with the use of electricity and hydrogen for motor vehicle propulsion in order to determine which fuel offers more environmental benefits. The assessment uses a modified version of the GREET 1.Sa fuel cycle inventory model, with corrections made to account for Philippine conditions. Sensitivity analysis is performed in the model to determine the effect of marginal power generation mix and system transmission losses on the life-cycle inventories of both energy vectors. The results of the simulation indicate that for a given marginal power generation mix, there is no clear-cut advantage in terms of environmental performance for either hydrogen or electricity.


Blokzijl et al. demonstrated synergism between Notch and transforming growth factor-β (TGF-β) signaling pathways that depended on direct interactions between the Notch1 intracellular domain (NICD) and the TGF-β effector Smad3. Although Notch and TGF-β pathways both regulate cell fate during development, they have generally been believed to function independently. Both pathways mediate signaling from the plasma membrane to the cell nucleus; Notch signaling depends on the proteolytic release of the NICD, and TGF-β signaling depends on relocation of Smads. Noting that components of the Notch pathway are transcriptionally induced by TGF-β, Blokzijl et al. expressed a constitutively active TGF-β receptor in embryonic chick pericardial mesoderm and brain, and they observed ectopic expression of the Notch target c-hairy (a homolog of mammalian Hes-1). Mouse adult neural stem cells and C2C12 mouse myoblasts exposed to TGF-β showed a rapid increase in Hes-1 expression that did not require protein translation, which suggests direct activation of the Hes-1 gene. C2C12 cells expressing a dominant-negative mutation of CSL [C promoter-binding factor1/RBP-Jκ, Su(H), and Lag-1, a DNA binding component of the Notch pathway], which blocks Notch signaling, did not respond to TGF-β with increased Hes-1. In C2C12 myoblasts overexpressing NICD, TGF-β stimulated expression of a gene reporter containing sequences from the Hes-1 promoter. The authors used a fusion protein containing full-length Smad3 to show Smad3-NICD binding in vitro and coimmunoprecipitation to demonstrate association in cells. Moreover, Smad3 was recruited to CSL-DNA binding sites in a cell-free system when CSL and NICD were both present. Thus, these two developmental pathways can act cooperatively through direct protein-protein interactions between NICD and Smad3. A. Blokzijl, C. Dahlqvist, E. Reissmann, A. Falk, A. Moliner, U. Lendahl, C. F. Ibáñez, Cross-talk between the Notch and TGF-β signaling pathways mediated by interaction of the Notch intracellular domain with Smad3. J. Cell Biol. 163, 723-728 (2003). [Abstract] [Full Text]


OpenStreetMap (OSM) is now TriMet's standard source for routable base map data. TriMet utilizes OSM for internal systems and applications that necessitate a routable base map including, but not limited to: Computer-Aided Dispatch/Automatic Vehicle Location (CAD/AVL) system; Call Center and Field Trip applications; LIFT paratransit mobile data terminals (MDTs); OpenTripPlanner, an open source, multimodal trip planner; and fixed route scheduling system for on-street service.TriMet is now a committed, contributing member of the OSM community. Working with the community and local jurisdictions is a standard business practice supported with a full-time employee (FTE) that is dedicated to OSM maintenance and associated datasets in the seven counties area. This effort sustains the increasing number of systems in the agency that require routable networks, and it supports seamless multi-agency trip planning and analysis in the region.This presentation will include:¥ Emerging technologies on the market that require a seamless routable network, and why OSM is an obvious solution to fulfill new system requirements¥ TriMet's OSM Improvement Projects for the seven county regional area in Portland in support of vehicle, walking, biking and transit routing in the four county metro area¥ The business justification for a dedicated FTE in support of continued maintenance of OSM¥ The financial support for this position which demonstrates the recognition of OSM's importance from both an agency and regional perspective.¥ Benefits of collaboration between the OSM community and government¥ Facilitation of progress in this area with open data policies, data portals, and enhanced software tools


Neal Zaslaw, ed. The Classical Era: From the 1740s to the End of the 18th Century. Man and Music. Englewood Cliffs, N.J.: Prentice-Hall, 1989. x, 416 pp. ISBN 0-13-136920-2 (hardcover), ISBN 0-13-136938-5 (softcover). 1. Neal Zaslaw, "Music and Society in the Classical Era"; 2. Dennis Libby, "Italy: Two Opera Centres"; 3. Jean Mongredien, "Paris: The End of the Ancien Regime"; 4. Bruce Alan Brown, "Maria Theresa's Vienna"; 5. John A. Rice, "Vienna under Joseph II and Leopold II"; 6. Cliff Eisen, "Salzburg under Church Rule"; 7. Christopher Hogwood and Jan Smaczny, 'The Bohemian Lands"; 8. Eugene K. Wolf, "The Mannheim Court"; 9. Thomas Bauman, "Courts and Municipalities in North Germany"; 10. Laszlo Somfai, "Haydn at the Esterhazy Court"; 11. William Weber, "London: A City of Unrivalled Riches"; 12. Anna Johnson, "Stockholm in the Gustavian Era"; 13. Craig H. Russell, "Spain in the Enlightenment"; 14. Nicholas E. Tawa, "Philadelphia: A City in the New World." Like the other books in this series already reviewed by this journal6 the detailed descriptions of the cities, courts and countries by various authors creates at times a rather uneven account of these specific locales. Some of the authors have been more successful than others in fulfilling the general editor's mandate "to view musical history ... as a series of responses to social, economic and political circumstances and to religious and intellectual stimuli. ... [And] to explain not simply what happened, but why it happened, and why it happened when and where it did."7 While it is impossible to discuss each author's contribution to this mandate, a few of the more impressive chapters will be briefly discussed. Brown's chapter, "Maria Theresa's Vienna" is a good example of not only his synthesis of influential nonmusical events, but also reveals the power of non-Austrian music in shaping the Viennese musical scene. After outlining the importance of the Italian opera seria, Brown turns to the various theatrical genres from Paris, including spoken theatre, opera comique, and ballet. The rest of the chapter is divided into shorter sections which do not go into as much detail as the sections on opera. These include: sacred music in which Brown discusses the importance of Maria Theresa's decrees concerning the use of religious processions and certain brass instruments during mass; instrumental music and concert life in which some of the lesser nobility are mentioned for their musical patronage; and a brief look at the emergence of music criticism in the 1760s in the Wienerisches Diarium, whose articles were "bound up with the issue of nationalism" (p. 122). Another author who effectively discusses the social, political, and economic climate on musical culture is Bauman in his chapter on Northern Germany. After a detailed discussion of the Court of Frederick the Great, followed by passing remarks about the courts at Dresden, Brunswick, and Hanover, Bauman shifts to discussing Northern Germany by musical genre. In the section on the symphony and concerto he links their stylistic development with the growth of public concerts. The next section on keyboard music focuses on C.P.E. Bach, and presents one of the most lucid explanations of the differences between the empfindsamer Stil and the galant. Following the section on sacred music the rest of the chapter is devoted to the lied and opera. These sections are excellent in their reflection of the importance and influence of German literature in the development of these genres. Firstly, Wieland's and Herder's contributions as librettists are discussed, and then succeeded by sections on the compositional styles of Hiller and Reichardt. Again this is one of the best summaries in English of the development of North German opera. While it is impossible to review the other chapters in detail, they are noteworthy for their abundance of factual information, especially in view of the fact that much of this material is not readily available for an English speaking audience. …


A surgeon who mistakenly removed a patient's right testicle then falsely told the patient that it was still there has been struck off the medical register.

Marwan Farouk was performing a laparoscopic operation to remove an epididymal cyst at the private BMI Chiltern Hospital in Buckinghamshire in 2014 when he removed the entire testicle by mistake.

He failed to record in the operation notes that he had removed the testicle, and when theatre staff suggested sending the tissue containing it for histology he replied that there was no need, telling them to "chuck it" or …


Implantable neural stimulators have recently attracted attention because of their potential applicability to the treatment of sensory neural disorders such as hereditary hearing loss and retinitis pigmentosa. However, the requirements for stimulation electrodes tend to be contradictory in some applications that require transmission of complex information to the nervous system, such as cochlear implants and retinal prostheses. They have to be suf ciently small to realize ne interfacing with the nervous system while remaining suf ciently large to inject enough charge to stimulate neurons without causing an irreversible electrochemical reaction. One solution to these requirements is to employ three-dimensional (3D) instead of planar electrodes. However, in conventional photolithography, the available material and size for fabricating electrodes are greatly limited. To overcome these limitations, we propose a novel fabrication process for stimulation electrodes, using mechanical micromachining. Using 3D bullet-shaped electrode increased the surface area by 3.6 times compared to conventional planar electrode with the same diameter. The proposed electrode, which was developed for retinal prostheses, showed suf cient charge injection capacity (CIC) to evoke light perception (phosphene) for blind patients. Furthermore, the CIC and electrode surface morphology remained stable during a six-month period of current pulsing in phosphate-buffered saline, which suggests suitability for chronic neural stimulation. The cause of the variance in the measured CIC and future applications of the proposed 3D electrodes were also considered.


Biomedical applications of functionalised carbon nanotubes (f-CNTs) for imaging as well as drug or gene delivery in the brain have recently gained interest. Several studies have demonstrated the potential of f-CNTs to offer treatment options for neurological conditions with success. However, there is also evidence that f-CNTs accumulate preferentially within microglial cells when introduced in the brain. Considering the key immunological role of these cells in the brain and the limited knowledge regarding the interaction of CNTs with microglial cells, it is imperative to understand whether accumulation of CNTs in microglial cells can alter their physiological functions or trigger pro-inflammatory signalling. The aim of the present study was to investigate the basic physiological functions of isolated primary microglial cells over time, following their exposure to multi-walled carbon nanotubes functionalized via different surface chemistries. We rationalized that some chemical strategies may be more deleterious for microglial cell functions than others. We used rat primary microglial cells that can be maintained in cell culture for a long period of time without undergoing cell division. Cell viability, phagocytosis, migration, and pro-inflammatory factor release were studied over one month, following a single exposure to a non-cytotoxic concentration of three different f-CNTs (carboxylated, aminated and both carboxylated and aminated). We show that f-CNTs do not induce inflammation and do not affect the basic functions of microglial cells under these conditions. Importantly, this was the case from day 1 to day 28 post-exposure, even though microglial cells had internalized f-CNTs in subcellular compartments and retained the nanotube load in their cytoplasm over time.


For all of us who have been wounded by another and struggled to understand and move beyond our feelings of hurt and anger, Lewis Smedes's classic book on forgiveness shows that it is possible to heal our pain and find room in our hearts to forgive. Breaking down the process of healing into four stages and offering stories of real people's experience throughout, this wise book provides hope and solace for all who long for the peace that comes with forgiveness.


[1] We examine the relationship between 50-year-long records of global sea level (GSL) calculated from 1023 tide gauge stations and global ocean heat content (GOHC), glacier and ice sheet melting. The lack of consistent correlation between changes in GOHC and GSL during the period 1955–2003 argues against GOHC being the dominant factor in GSL as is often thought. We provide clear evidence of the substantial and increasing role in GSL from the eustatic component (47%) compared with the contribution from increasing heat content (25%), suggesting that the primary role is being played by the melting glaciers and ice sheets. There remains about 1/4 of GSL rise unaccounted for by the best estimates of both eustatic and thermosteric effects. This fraction also exhibits large variability that is not readily associated with known causes of sea level variability. The most likely explanation of this unknown fraction is underestimated melting, climate-driven changes in terrestrial storage components, and decadal timescale variability in global water cycle. This argues for a concerted effort to quantify changes in these reservoirs.


Purpose: To evaluate targeting capabilities of a system for image guided "frameless" stereotactic irradiation. Method and Materials: System accuracy was investigated using an anthropomorphic head phantom into which a "hidden target" (radio‐opaque sphere) was inserted. The target was identified on planning CTimages and the phantom was fixed to the treatment couch. To align the target to isocenter, stereoscopic kV x‐rays were fused to planning DRRs. AP and lateral verification films were exposed using a 10 mm circular collimator, and the offset of the sphere within the radiation field was recorded. The entire process was repeated 50 times in order to achieve an accurate assessment of positioning capabilities. Retrospective data was evaluated from patients having undergone nearly 600 x‐ray guided single and multi‐fraction stereotactic irradiation procedures. From this data the following were investigated: the nature and magnitude of systematic and random positioning errors present in conventional procedures, confidence limits on the reproducibility of the mask immobilization device used for multi‐fraction treatments, and the potential for replacing rigid head fixation with image guided positioning. Results: In phantom studies, a vector displacement of σ = 0.39 mm relative to the "perfect" isocenter was observed. Based on a sample population of 50, this provides assurance of accuracy at the 95% confidence level. Improvement in positioning accuracy was observed in multi‐fraction procedures; analysis of 565 fractions showed a mean vector deviation σ = 2.65 mm relative to traditional methods. The largest component of this discrepancy was in the superior/inferior direction. In comparison, a mean vector deviation σ = 1.62 mm was observed in patients for whom rigid fixation was used. Conclusions: Stereoscopic x‐ray imaging is an accurate positioning method for cranial stereotactic irradiation. The system is as accurate as rigid frame‐based methods and can improve the reproducibility of fractionated delivery.


In the midst of promising perceived benefits, the electronic commerce (EC) environment entails greater challenges than those posed by conventional trade. In addition to privacy and security concerns, researchers and businesses alike are increasingly aware that the lack of trust for online vendors experienced by consumers constitutes a serious barrier to the widespread adoption and successful proliferation of EC. The process of building trust between consumers and vendors in the online environment thus becomes of paramount importance. This study seeks to examine how online vendors can develop trusting relationships with consumers through the establishment of virtual communities (VCs), fast becoming a notably successful online business model with relationship-enhancing and trust-building capabilities. By integrating multi-disciplinary theories, we propose and empirically validate a model, which proposes that increased levels of involvement in VCs enhances trust building among members and vendors, in turn encouraging greater EC participation in light of lower perceived risks and greater perceived benefits of online transactions. Results indicate that these relationships as proposed in the model are significant. There is empirical support that VCs constitute a successful business model of building trust, reducing perceived risks of purchase, improving customer relationships, reducing search costs, and retaining customers, leading us to conclude that increased involvement in VCs indeed has a positive effect on EC participation.


The principal elements of High Renaissance art, first formulated by Leonardo da Vinci in the 1490s, came to their true flowering in the brilliant achievements of Bramante, Raphael and Michelangelo in Rome, of Michelangelo in Florence and Giorgione and Titian in Venice. After the death of Raphael in 1520, the next generation in Italy was to see the rise of the complex and refined sensibility summed up in the term "Mannerism." In this uniquely comprehensive guide to sixteenth-century Renaissance art, Linda Murray examines the manifold achievements of Italian artists and identifies the individual forms taken by artists in Northern Europe and in Spain, including Durer, Bruegel and El Greco. 301 illus., 37 in color.


We propose a mechanism that may contribute to observed near-2-day variability in cloudiness observed over the equatorial Pacific Ocean during active phases of the Madden-Julian oscillation (MJO). Our hypothesis is motivated by the following already-established results: 1) Embedded within the MJO are eastward-propagating 'superclusters' (Nakazawa, 1988), which are made up of a collection of cloud clusters. 2) Emanating from the superclusters are westward-propagating patches of enhanced cloudiness (Nakazawa, 1988), which were identified as inertial-gravity waves with a spectral peak near two days by Takayabu (1994a). 3) Sub-synoptic scale variability is enhanced on diurnal (and other) time scales during active periods of the MJO (Hendon and Liebmann, 1994). We presume that inertial-gravity waves are initiated by convective activity within the envelope of the supercluster. Thus, since the eastward movement of the supercluster is at about the same speed as the phase speed of the westward-moving inertial gravity wave, diurnal forcing moving eastward with the supercluster would project onto two-day westward-propagating inertial-gravity waves. The essential dynamics of our argument are illustrated with a linear shallow-water model forced by stationary and eastward-propagating mass sources which are diurnally modulated. High-resolution satellite imagery is used to argue our hypothesis. Although observational results are less than conclusive, we believe that the data do suggest that the origin of observed near-2-day variability may at least partly lie in the mechanism we propose.


This paper introduces a performative-extended model of the mind; adds time as a new element to previous accounts; proposes a law of optimum emergence then uses the present financial crisis as an example to show that this new model of the brain has profound practical implications, since psychologically reified concepts (like values) can be understood better using this new model of the mind. This model based on "deep simplicity creating surface complexity" underpins a model of a "performative extended emergent mind" that is not "under the skull". Psychology's set of so-called "intangibles", like human values can be redefined as "emergent properties". Values are attractors created by messy patterns of behavior over time without logical cause-effect relationships, stabilized by memory. The performative-extended mind where movement (time), diversity and tangibles (feedback loops) create emergence can be linked to a law of optimal emergence in order to explain fundamental psycho-social processes, like values. The mind becomes an eco-system within a larger eco-system. Growth can be seen as an S-curve shaped shift from feed-forward-steering to feedback-control. In this process, conditions for stable emergence shift from conditions that are "non-favorable" (no-tangibles) to "favorable" (a dynamic balance between tangibles and no-tangibles) to "non-favorable" (too many tangibles). Growth creates, then destroys emergent properties in a time-dependent process. Stable emergent characteristics can only exist for a while in the middle part of an S-curve. A real life example might be that leaders who focus on financial growth and administrative rules often create corrupt organizations. This might be a falsifiable general systems law with implications for organizational and leadership practice. This is an example of how the "performative-extended mind/ law of optimal emergence" combination can lead to relevant implications for the future of sustainable society, governance and business.


We propose a new computationally efficient method for quantizing the weights of pre-trained neural networks that is general enough to handle both multi-layer perceptrons and convolutional neural networks. Our method deterministically quantizes layers in an iterative fashion with no complicated re-training required. Specifically, we quantize each neuron, or hidden unit, using a greedy path-following algorithm. This simple algorithm is equivalent to running a dynamical system, which we prove is stable for quantizing a single-layer neural network (or, alternatively, for quantizing the first layer of a multi-layer network) when the training data are Gaussian. We show that under these assumptions, the quantization error decays with the width of the layer, i.e., its level of over-parametrization. We provide numerical experiments, on multi-layer networks, to illustrate the performance of our methods on MNIST and CIFAR10 data.


The Multidimensional Poverty Index (MPI) 2013 uses the same parameters (dimensions, indicators, cutoffs and weights) and the same functional form as in previous years. The main innovation this year consists in updating the estimations for a series of countries and providing further possibilities for analysis over time. This brief methodological note outlines specific changes and clarifications concerning the MPI 2013 estimations, and presents the tables with the full results. It first explains the main updates in the MPI 2013 as well as the policies that will govern the MPI updates from 2013. It summarizes the MPI methodology that has been presented in detail in other documents (Alkire and Santos 2010; Alkire, Roche, Santos and Seth 2011). Then it explains the DHS nutritional subsamples and treatment for analysis over time. Finally, brief guidelines on how to undertake accurate analysis of changes over time are presented. The methodologies used to generate the tables on the MPI and the 104 country briefings and interactive maps available on OPHI's website, as well as the results published in the 2013 Human Development Report, are presented in this note.


The positive correlation between health share expenditures and COVID-19 case fatalities in a cross-section of 31 European countries is puzzling. The positive relationships is also detected in weighted OLS and IV models that control for many usual suspects of the COVID-19 mortality: (1) health indicators (personal risk factors, medical resources), (2) virus ease of circulation, (3) macroeconomic variables related to the economic development and social orientation of the country. COVID-19 case fatalities are lower in countries with significant resources dedicated to health care (hospital beds and medical doctors); the contribution of virus circulation factors is less significant. Policy implications follow.


Drilling in shale formations rich in oil and gas has caused the U.S. to become the global leader in hydrocarbon production, but the growth has come with environmental and public infrastructure costs. States have been slow to introduce taxes to pay for impacts, fearing a decline in drilling-related investment. An exception is Pennsylvania, which introduced a per-well Impact Fee in 2012. Using a difference-in-differences quasi-experimental design and data that nearly cover the universe of leases and wells in Pennsylvania and West Virginia, we find that well drilling, which can require a year or more of preparation, saw modest, if any, declines in the ten months after the Fee's enactment. In contrast, acreage being leased by energy firms declined dramatically. The decline likely reflects a liquidity-crunch caused by retroactive application of the Fee in a time of low natural gas prices and the limited pass-through of the Fee to resource owners. Firms could not change the terms of leases signed before the Fee, and for new leases, we estimate that only half of the Fee was passed to resource owners, 80 percent of which occurred through a lower royalty rate and 20 percent through a lower signing bonus. The findings suggest at least a short-term trade-off between investment and taxes to pay for externalities, even in an industry dependent on a geographically-fixed resource.


Gonadal impairment in roach Rutilus rutilus from Finnish coastal waters was studied during 1987-1995. The disease was observed in high prevalence (>10%, for roach in length class 25-30 cm) in roach from 4 sites in the Archipelago Sea, from one site influenced by cooling water dscharge from a nuclear power plant in Gulf of Bothnia, and in roach from one site close to a metal processing plant in the northern Gulf of Bothnia. The sites in the Archipelago Sea were not directly affected by industrial pollution. The disease was most prevalent in large (old) female roach, and it was characterized by degeneration of the ovaries ranging from weak tissue changes in one ovary to complete absence or destruction of both ovaries. Oocytes, in affected gonads, were frequently infected by a microsporidian parasite Pleistophora mirandellae. In males atretic testes were never observed and only small cysts, containing P mirandellae, were detected. In several affected roach, both male and female reproductive tissues were observed. The observed pathological changes in the ovaries of roach are suggested to be caused by P mirandellae.


Title: What customer loyalty activities are Volkswagen and Saab using in the Swedish car industry? Authors: Jenny Rohrl & Niklas Stockborg Supervisor: Thomas A. Michel Department: School of Management, Blekinge Institute of Technology Course: Bachelor's thesis in Business Administration, 15 ECTS Purpose: The purpose with this study is to examine the activities that Volkswagen and Saab use to create customer loyalty in the Swedish car industry. We will also analyze possible differences between the companies and focus on the financial and emotional benefits used in the companies' loyalty programs. In addition to this, we will also describe their use of CRM-systems and with the help of exiting theory, offer suggestions of how Volkswagen and Saab can improve their activities they use to create customer loyalty. Method: To attain the purpose with our study we have chosen to use a qualitative method. We have carried out interviews with company representatives of Volkswagen and Saab. These respondents have information that is relevant for this study. Result: Both Volkswagen and Saab offer their customers financial benefits through their customer clubs. Both companies offer very similar benefits and the main difference is the design of it, Saab uses a beneficial bonus system in which the customer earns points that equals into discounts while Volkswagen offer their customer discounts on specific products and services. Both companies also offer their customers similar emotional benefits such as test drives and invitations to different events. There is however differences between the companies regarding their use of loyalty programs. Volkswagen does not use a specific loyalty program that is tailored towards their new customers while Saab does. Saab customizes their communication towards their customers according to where they are in the product life cycle. Saab`s CRM-system is more advanced and complex with the use of four base modules; selling tools, lead tools, contract tools and campaign tools. Volkswagens CRM-system only stores information of basic character such as ownership information even though the system is capable of storing data such as customers' interest.


Background: Heart failure is a huge health problem. The possibility of long-term monitoring heart function more accurately in these patients has gained increasing interest. The primary aim of this study was to see if a wireless pressure sensor can be safely implanted to give accurate and reproducible long-term intracardiac pressure recordings. Another aim was to see if there are any adverse effects connected with the implant. A control group was included for comparison of clinical data.
Methods: Forty patients with heart failure, 31 scheduled for open heart surgery and 9 for transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR) were included to test the safety and feasibility of the Titan™ pressure sensor. The patients were randomized to the implant or control group.
Findings: Initial sensor measurements showed very good correlation with reference pressure values from a fluid-filled catheter, and there was no need for calibration of the sensor. At the 6-month follow-up 11 patients had been wearing the implant for >1 year with a median time of 560 days. Ten of these had adequate sensor function. Compared to the control group there was no difference in adverse clinical events and the overall number of complications was low.
Conclusions: This first study in man on a new implantable wireless hemodynamic monitor showed favorable results regarding our primary endpoints; accuracy of recordings over time and safety profile. The technology has great potential for monitoring at home since it is easy to use in the out-patient setting.


Understanding protein-ligand interactions is highly important in drug development. In the present work the objective is to comprehend the link between structure and function using molecular modelling. Specifically, this thesis has been focused on implementation of receptor flexibility in molecular docking and studying structure-activity relationships of potassium ion channels and their blockers. In ligand docking simulations protein motion and heterogeneity of structural waters are approximated using an ensemble of protein structures. Four methods of combining multiple target structures within a single grid-based lookup table of interaction energies are tested. Two weighted average methods permit consistent and accurate ligand docking using a single grid representation of the target protein structures. Quaternary ammonium ions (QAIs) are well known K+ channel blockers. Conformations around C–N bonds at the quaternary centre in tetraalkylammonium ions in water solution are investigated using quantum mechanical methods. Relative solvation free energies of QAIs are further estimated from molecular dynamics simulations. The torsion barrier for a two-step interconversion between the conformations D2d and S4 is calculated to be 9.5 kcal mol–1. Furthermore D2d is found to be more stable than the S4 conformation which is in agreement with experimental studies. External QAI binding to the K+ channel KcsA is also studied. Computer simulations and relative binding free energies of the KcsA complexes with QAIs are calculated. This is done with the molecular dynamics free energy perturbation approach together with automated ligand docking. In agreement with experiment, the Et4N+ blocker in D2d symmetry has better binding than the other QAIs. Binding of blockers to the human cardiac hERG potassium channel is studied using a combination of homology modelling, automated docking and molecular dynamics simulations. The calculations reproduce the relative binding affinities of a set of drug derivatives very well and indicate that both polar interactions near the intracellular opening of the selectivity filter as well as hydrophobic complementarity in the region around F656 are important for blocker binding. Hence, the derived model of hERG should be useful for further interpretations of structure-activity relationships.


ABSTRACT: Simulation models of the nitrogen (N) cycle have been used for well over 20 years to help estimate nitrate (NO3-N) leaching, soil residual NO3-N, fertilizer N requirements, soil organic N status, and gaseous N emissions associated with agriculture. These models have been coupled with simulations of other related processes such as water and solute transport, crop growth, soil chemistry, temperature regimes, and management to make more complete models of cropping systems. At the core of these tools have been databases for soils, climate, model coefficients, and field/farm/watershed management scenarios. This paper reviews the basic types of N modeis, modeling techniques, and required databases. The accuracy of N models along with their strengths and limitations are discussed in a management context. Tips are provided on initializing N constituent pools, on using N models in Geographic Information Systems (GIS) applications, on developing confidence bands for N model output, and on using web-based N models. Finally, methods are described to analyze simulated NO3-N leached, nitrous oxide (N2O) emissions, and N use efficiencies.