BACKGROUND
Regular participation in physical activity can have significant health gains in terms of physical and psychological wellbeing but there is evidence to suggest that many young people are not sufficiently active to benefit their health. This paper examines the socio-demographic patterning of leisure-time vigorous physical activity among Scottish schoolchildren between 1990 and 2002.

METHODS
The Health Behaviour in School-Aged Children survey of 11-, 13- and 15-year-old schoolchildren has been carried out in Scotland since 1990 at four-yearly intervals. Levels of vigorous physical activity were measured in relation to gender, age and socio-economic status (SES).

RESULTS
Girls reported lower levels of vigorous physical activity than boys and this gender difference persisted throughout the four survey years, irrespective of changes in overall levels of physical activity. Vigorous physical activity was also consistently lower among lower SES groups and older adolescents. The effect of gender was greatest, with high-SES girls reporting lower levels of vigorous activity than low-SES boys, and low-SES girls being the least active overall.

CONCLUSION
Scottish adolescent females, especially those from low SES groups, may be at particular risk of the adverse health effects associated with low levels of physical activity. Health promotion programmes to promote physical activity need to address these persistent gender and socio-economic inequalities.


Thomas Piketty's Capital in the Twenty-first Century has acted as an accelerant fueling the fiery public debate over increasing inequality in America and around the world. Piketty makes the provocative empirical claim that the rate of return to private capital inevitably exceeds the rate of economic growth (r > g) and thus leads to growing concentrations of wealth among the richest members of society. Piketty has spawned heated debates in newspapers, magazines, and blogs, which soon will continue in academic journals and law reviews. Shi-Ling Hsu is one of the first out of the gate with The Rise and Rise of the One Percent: Considering Legal Causes of Wealth Inequality, 64 Emory L.J. Online 2043 (2015) (http://ssrn.com/abstract=2477991).Hsu focuses on the interesting question of how law and legal institutions foster inflated returns on capital (Piketty's r). He also makes the important point that lawmakers often conflate Piketty's r with g (public economic growth), resulting in laws that boost the former with little discernible impact on the latter. The bulk of Hsu's argument is devoted to explaining how four areas of American law contribute to "the legal enrichment of the one percent": financial regulation, oil and gas subsidies, transition relief, and electric utility regulation. He concludes with a plea for greater federal funding of education to fuel greater economic growth and bridge the deepening inequality chasm in America. Hsu's essay is a significant contribution to what is certain to be an energetic debate over the implications of Piketty's work. The need to examine the impact of legal rules and institutions on both private capital returns and public economic growth will be an enduring contribution to future scholarship on the extent, consequences, and reduction of income and wealth inequality. I offer here two modest reactions to Hsu's essay: (1) recent inequality research has shifted the focus of high-end wealth concentration from the Top 1% to the Top 0.1% (and even the Top 0.01%), with important implications for the work of both Piketty and Hsu, including (2) the inquiry into whether policymakers should intervene before the fact to re-shape the distribution of the benefits and burdens of economic activity (Hsu's approach) or instead redistribute wealth after the fact (Piketty's approach).In a recent essay, Joseph Bankman and I argued that tax scholars need to focus more of our work on how policymakers should address the federal government's unprecedented (and growing) fiscal imbalance. California Dreamin': Tax Scholarship in a Time of Fiscal Crisis, 48 U.C. Davis L. Rev. 405 (2014) (http://ssrn.com/abstract=2518607). In Piketty terms, s (spending) > r (revenues). We proposed that California's recent tax increases on the wealthy should provide a template for the nation to bring r more into alignment with s.Piketty's pioneering work provides added impetus for deploying the tax system in this effort. Increasing the tax burden on the wealthy would both raise revenue to meet the nation's spending needs and redistribute wealth to alleviate Gatsby-level inequality in America. Hsu's proposed focus on the distributional impact of laws and legal institutions may prove to be helpful in the long run but a chimera in the short term as the nation's fiscal and inequality challenges demand solutions that only the tax system stands ready to provide. In short, raising taxes on the wealthy would both increase r (revenues) to better match s (spending) and decrease r (private capital returns) to better match g (public economic growth).


The evolution of the ground-state nuclear shapes in describing low-lying states of 103 Mo isotope, is studied within the quasiparticle-phonon coupling plus rotor. Calculations based on the deformed mean field of Nilsson, the monopolepairing interaction (BCS) and the quadrupole-quadrupole force. Microscopic structure of quadrupole phonon is given from the Tamm-Dancoff Approximation (TDA). The two effects of the recoil and Coriolis forces are included with the hypothesis of a symmetric rotational motion. The nuclear deformation and shape coexistence inherent to this mass region are shown to play a relevant role in the understanding of the spectroscopic features of the ground and low-lying one-quasineutron states.


Purpose In the present study, we tested whether the presence of metabolic syndrome (MetS) would worsen the features of inflammation, plasma omega 3 fatty acid levels and antioxidant potential in treated hypertensive patients. Materials and Methods Two groups were classified by the components of MetS: a reference group of treated hypertensive subjects: hypertension (HTN) group (n = 39) and with more than two additional MetS components: HTN with Mets group (n = 40). We further compared the parameters between HTN group and HTN with MetS group. Results The results showed that age (p < 0.001) and body mass index (BMI) (p < 0.001) were significantly different between HTN group and HTN with MetS group. Age- and BMI-adjusted total radical trapping antioxidant potential (TRAP) (p < 0.01) was significantly lower, whereas age- and BMI-adjusted CD (p < 0.05) and interleukin (IL) 6 (p < 0.05) were significantly higher in HTN with MetS group than in HTN group. Moreover, HTN with MetS group had significantly lower levels of age- and BMI-adjusted plasma phospholipid eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) than HTN group (p < 0.05). On the other hand, the levels of age- and BMI-adjusted intracellular cell adhesion molecule-1 (ICAM-1), adiponectin and high molecular weight (HMW)-adiponectin were not significantly different between the groups. Conclusion In conclusion, our results showed increased inflammatory marker, reduced antioxidant potential and EPA levels in treated hypertensive patients in the presence of MetS, suggesting the importance of changes of therapeutic lifestyle to modify the features of MetS.


This thesis investigates the hedging effectiveness and unbiasedness hypothesis of the IMAREX PM4TC freight futures contract. First, we present theory of dry bulk shipping and risk management. Then, we study hedging effectiveness of the futures contract. This is performed by using regression models and a VAR model to calculate constant hedge ratios and a VAR-GARCH model to calculate time-varying hedge ratios. We find the hedging effectiveness to range from 29,50% to 31,78%, when hedging one of the four T/C routes underlying the futures contract. Hedging with time-varying hedge ratios is in most cases shown to be superior to hedging with a constant hedge ratio. Finally, the unbiasedness hypothesis is studied. We find that one month to maturity futures contracts give an unbiased prediction of the spot price at maturity. This implies that a hedger can trade in one month to maturity futures contracts without paying a risk premium. A rolling hedge can thus be executed efficiently. In addition, the futures price can be used to guide in decision making. Unbiasedness is also indicated for two and three months to maturity contracts, but, due to a small data sample and residual diagnostics problems, we have not drawn any conclusions. Acknowledgements We would like to thank our advisors, Associate Professor Jonas Andersson and Professor Siri Pettersen Strandenes, for their contributions and helpful comments. At Jebsens, Jermyn Chua, Magnar Ekerhovd, Frode Hoyland and Michael Tysoe have been very helpful with their support and clarifying observations. Our thanks also go to Mikal Boe and Lene Marie Refvik at IMAREX, who have been cooperative by answering questions and supplying us with freight futures data. In addition, we would like to express our appreciation to John Michalis and Janet Sykes at The Baltic Exchange, who have given us access to spot price data. Finally, we thank Kjetil Tversland for designing the front page and printing the thesis.


This dissertation describes the past and recent progress in proton exchange membranes (PEM) for fuel cells. In particular the synthesis and characterization of materials for advanced alternative PEM were studied with an emphasis on structure-property and structure-property-performance relationships. The focus has included firstly a one-step synthesis and characterization of 3,3'-disulfonated 4,4'-dichlorodiphenyl sulfone comonomer. The procedure developed is adaptable for industrial–scale commercialization efforts. Secondly, the synthesis of aromatic nitrile containing poly (arylene ether sulfone) random copolymers was demonstrated. Various levels of disulfonation allowed the membrane characteristics to be investigated as a function of the membrane ion exchange capacity. The results favorably compare with the current stateof–the-art (NafionTM), particularly for direct methanol systems (DMFC). Thirdly, the mechanically and thermooxidatively stable copolymer membranes were blended with heteropolyacids producing nanocomposites which have potential in higher temperature fuel cell applications. Lastly, the basic PEM parameters such as water uptake, proton conductivity, and methanol permeabilities were controlled and presented as tunable properties as a function of molecular structure. This was achieved by in-situ control of chemical composition. The direct methanol fuel cell performance (DMFC) was much better than NafionTM. Hydrophobic surface properties of the membranes were improved by partial fluorination which made the NafionTM bonded electrodes more compatible with the partially fluorinated copolymer membranes. The influence of surface enrichment had two important roles in increasing both initial and long term performance tests. The surface fluorine provided lower contact resistance and lower water uptake. The former was important for the initial tests and the latter provides for better long term performances. A delamination failure mechanism was proposed for the hydrocarbon membrane electrode assemblies (MEA) due to the large difference between water uptake of the catalyst layer and membrane and this was verified by a reduction in high frequency resistance (HFR) for the partially fluorinated systems. This thesis has generated the structure-property and structure-property-performance relationships which will provide direction for the development of next generation (PEM) materials.


Journalism in Brazil in the last two decades has been immersed in the contradictions of the consolidation of political representative democracy since 1985 and the effect of the entry of the country into the global free market. Many South American countries which left authoritarian regimes in the 1980's struggled in the 1990's to endorse fully the tradition of US classic liberal journalism with its values of objectivity and professionalism. Waisbord (2000) has argued that the print press during this period maintained its close-knit ties to the state in a reality which saw the continuity of the highly politicised nature of many of Brazil's institutions. This chapter will argue that journalists did make contributions to the democratisation process through the use of multiple journalism identities. In the contemporary years, however, these contributions were mainly made possible through journalists' commitment to progressive readings of professionalism and social responsibility. The limits imposed on these contributions were less related to issues of the use or not of liberal journalism values of objectivity, and were more a consequence of political and economic (market) pressures. This chapter will argue that the professional model and objective regime are not flawed, and that they actually did contribute to a more mature and advanced discussion of Brazilian politics and representation of its multiple interests in the last two decades. If the dictatorship period saw the functioning of wider political constraints, the contemporary phase was perhaps more dominated by economic limits although, as we have seen, political interests did and still do pose a series of threats on journalism practice.


Physiological characteristics of competitive female cyclist can be used as a reference to enhance performance. PURPOSE: The aim of this study was to evaluate the physiological characteristics of competitive, collegiate female cyclists (CFC) to data of elite female cyclists (EFC) obtained from a metaanalytic review. METHODS: Eleven (n=11) CFC volunteered as subjects. All subjects signed a university approved informed consent. Means and standard deviation (SD) were obtained from the following measurements: age (y), 22.5± 5.1; height (cm) 167.22 ± 6.2; weight (kg) 63.78 ± 9.71; body fat (%) 22.9 ± 3.6. Each subject performed a maximal cycling ergometer test to volitional fatigue. During the test, maximal oxygen consumption (VO2 max, mL*kg-1*min.-1) was analyzed using a gas analyzer. VO2 max, maximal blood lactate (mM), maximal power (W), lactate threshold (mM), ventilatory threshold (VT ,% of maximal) and heart rate threshold (HRT, % of maximal) were used to compare the performance of CFC to the data of EFC obtained from a past meta-analysis. An independent samples t-Test was used to compare the measures of the CFC vs. EFC data from the meta-analysis. Alpha was set a priori at p ≤ 0.05. RESULTS: Results showed the following comparisons between CFC vs. EFC, respectively: body fat %, C value* vs. Elite value: 22.9( 3.6) vs 15.2( 3.3); VO2 max (mL/kg/min) 58.07(6.94) vs 52.5 ( 5.5); max power (W) 275.0( 42.5 ) vs 450.7( 256) ;lactate threshold (mM) 3.74(0.79) vs 2.8( 0.28); VT (%) 87.0( 4.1) vs 73.2 ( 9.8) and HRT (%) 93.1( 2.2) vs 79.7 values. There was a significant difference * (p < 0.05) in the aforementioned measures. CONCLUSION: The CFC did fit the norm reference of female cyclist obtained from the past meta-analysis. The results of the data show that CFC had favorable performance measures compared to EFC from the meta-analysis on most, but not all measures.


Reactions of the late third-row transition metal cation Au(+) with H(2), D(2), and HD are examined using guided ion beam tandem mass spectrometry. A flow tube ion source produces Au(+) in its (1)S (5d(10)) electronic ground state level. Corresponding state-specific reaction cross sections for forming AuH(+) and AuD(+) as a function of kinetic energy are obtained and analyzed to give a 0 K bond dissociation energy of D(0)(Au(+)-H) = 2.13 ± 0.11 eV. Quantum chemical calculations at the B3LYP∕HW+∕6-311+G(3p) and B3LYP∕Def2TZVPP levels performed here show good agreement with the experimental bond energy. Theory also provides the electronic structures of these species and the reactive potential energy surfaces. We also compare this third-row transition metal system with previous results for analogous reactions of the first-row and second-row congeners, Cu(+) and Ag(+). We find that Au(+) has a stronger M(+)-H bond, which can be explained by the lanthanide contraction and relativistic effects that alter the relative size of the valence s and d orbitals. Results from reactions with HD provide insight into the reaction mechanism and indicate that ground state Au(+) reacts largely via a direct mechanism, in concordance with the behavior of the lighter group 11 metal ions, but includes more statistical behavior than these metals as well.


We ab initio investigated the interaction between the hydrogen atom and the inhomogeneous field which is induced by resonant plasmons within a metal nanostructure. Same as normal laser pulse (homogeneous field), only odd-harmonic generation occurs when the bow-tie nanostructure is utilized. For the single nanotip case, the even-harmonic generation can be distinctly found in the harmonic emission spectrum. By investigating the symmetry and trajectories of different inhomogeneous field, we demonstrate that the breaking symmetry of system can enable even high harmonic generations.


IZA DP No. 13558 JULY 2020 A Closer Look: Proximity Boosts Homeless Student Performance in New York City* Proximity augments homeless students' educational outcomes. Homeless K-8 graders whose families are placed in shelters near their schools have 8 percent (2.4 days) better attendance, are a third (18 percentage points) less likely to change schools, and exhibit higher rates of proficiency and retention. Homeless high schoolers have 5 percent (2.5 days) better attendance, 29 percent (10 pp) lower mobility, and 8 percent (1.6 pp) greater retention when placed locally. These results proceed from novel administrative data on homeless families observed in the context of a scarcity-induced natural experiment in New York City. A complementary instrumental variable strategy exploiting homeless eligibility policy reveals a subset of proximity-elastic students benefit considerably more. Panel evidence demonstrates homelessness does not cause educational impairment as much as reflect large preexisting deficits. JEL Classification: I21, I28, I38, H53, H75, D91


Appearance-based estimation of grasp affordances is desirable when 3-D scans become unreliable due to clutter or material properties. We develop a general framework for estimating grasp affordances from 2-D sources, including local texture-like measures as well as object-category measures that capture previously learned grasp strategies. Local approaches to estimating grasp positions have been shown to be effective in real-world scenarios, but are unable to impart object-level biases and can be prone to false positives. We describe how global cues can be used to compute continuous pose estimates and corresponding grasp point locations, using a max-margin optimization for category-level continuous pose regression. We provide a novel dataset to evaluate visual grasp affordance estimation; on this dataset we show that a fused method outperforms either local or global methods alone, and that continuous pose estimation improves over discrete output models. Finally, we demonstrate our autonomous object detection and grasping system on the Willow Garage PR2 robot.


The new generations of multi-core chipset architectures achieve unprecedented levels of computational power while respecting physical and economical constraints. The cost of this power is bewildering program complexity. Atmospheric modeling is a grand-challenge problem that could make good use of these architectures if they were more accessible to the average programmer. To that end, software tools and programming methodologies that greatly simplify the acceleration of atmospheric modeling and simulation with emerging multi-core technologies are developed. A general model is developed to simulate atmospheric chemical transport and atmospheric chemical kinetics. The Cell Broadband Engine Architecture (CBEA), General Purpose Graphics Processing Units (GPGPUs), and homogeneous multi-core processors (e.g. Intel Quad-core Xeon) are introduced. These architectures are used in case studies of transport modeling and kinetics modeling and demonstrate per-kernel speedups as high as 40×. A general analysis and code generation tool for chemical kinetics called " KPPA " is developed. KPPA generates highly tuned C, Fortran, or Matlab code that uses every layer of heterogeneous parallelism in the CBEA, GPGPU, and homogeneous multi-core architectures. A scalable method for simulating chemical transport is also developed. The Weather Research and Forecasting Model with Chemistry (WRF-Chem) is accelerated with these methods with good results: real forecasts of air quality are generated for the Eastern United States 65% faster than the state-of-the-art models. Dedication To all the friends and family members who cheered me on and up. Particularly to my good friends and " adopted parents " Andrew and Denyse Sanderson. Without their generous support, kindness, and cups of tea this would not have been possible. And to my fiancée Katherine Wooten, who ran with me and fed me.


Background and objectives: Improved quality of life (QoL) and life expectancy of elderly diabetic patients revolves around optimal glycemic control. Inadequate glycemic control may lead to the development of diabetes-associated complications (DAC), which not only complicate the disease, but also affect morbidity and mortality. Based on the available literature, the aim was to elucidate the vicious cycle underpinning the relationship between diabetes complications and glycemic control. Materials and Methods: A comprehensive literature search was performed to find eligible studies published between 1 January 2000 and 22 September 2018 pertaining to diabetes complications and glycemic control. Results: Initially, 261 studies were retrieved. Out of these, 67 were duplicates and therefore were excluded. From the 194 remaining articles, 85 were removed based on irrelevant titles and/or abstracts. Subsequently, the texts of 109 articles were read in full and 71 studies were removed at this stage for failing to provide relevant information. Finally, 38 articles were selected for this review. Depression, impaired cognition, poor physical functioning, frailty, malnutrition, chronic pain, and poor self-care behavior were identified as the major diabetes-associated complications that were associated with poor glycemic control in elderly diabetic patients. Conclusions: This paper proposes that diabetes-associated complications are interrelated, and that impaired glycemic control aggravates diabetes complications; as a result, patient's self-care abilities are compromised. A schema is generated to reflect a synthesis of the literature found through the systematic review process. This not only affects patients' therapeutic goals, but may also hamper their health-related quality of life (HRQoL) and financial status.


Design is created to fulfil the needs of its users, and its functions are constantly assessed by such users. In a retail environment, design elements should also represent the brand vision that the company wants to communicate to its customers. Understanding how design elements influence customers' emotions in a retail environment is vital for brand managers and designers; however, such information is difficult to gather and analyse, since it requires decoding layers of emotional responses from customers with regard to the design elements within the overall retail environment. This paper proposes an emotional mapping tool for brand managers and designers to use when analysing customers' emotional responses towards a retail environment. The foundation of this tool is derived from emotional design theory, in particular Norman's three levels of human processing - visceral, behavioural and reflective (Norman, 2004). The tool is then modified further after being tested in terms of an empirical case study of a large UK based supermarket brand and one of its stores. The findings suggest that the proposed tool is useful for customers when it comes to describing their emotions associated with a particular retail environment, and helps brand managers and designers to understand the emotional feelings customers experience in such a retail environment.


Few-shot detection and classification have advanced significantly in recent years. Yet, detection approaches require strong annotation (bounding boxes) both for pre-training and for adaptation to novel classes, and classification approaches rarely provide localization of objects in the scene. In this paper, we introduce StarNet - a few-shot model featuring an end-to-end differentiable non-parametric star-model detection and classification head. Through this head, the backbone is meta-trained using only image-level labels to produce good features for jointly localizing and classifying previously unseen categories of few-shot test tasks using a star-model that geometrically matches between the query and support images (to find corresponding object instances). Being a few-shot detector, StarNet does not require any bounding box annotations, neither during pre-training nor for novel classes adaptation. It can thus be applied to the previously unexplored and challenging task of Weakly Supervised Few-Shot Object Detection (WS-FSOD), where it attains significant improvements over the baselines. In addition, StarNet shows significant gains on few-shot classification benchmarks that are less cropped around the objects (where object localization is key).


ABSTRACT Typical recommender evaluations treat users as an homogeneous unit. However, user subgroups often differ in their tastes, which can result more broadly in diverse recommender needs. Thus, these groups may have different degrees of satisfaction with the provided recommendations. We explore the offline top-N performance of collaborative filtering algorithms across two domains. We find that several strategies achieve higher accuracy for dominant demographic groups, thus increasing the overall performance for the strategy, without providing increased benefits for other users.


The present study investigated school general English achievement and group work among Iranian junior high school students. The main question this study tried to answer was whether group work could enhance a higher general English achievement among junior high school students. To answer this question, 60 female learners were divided into experimental and control group randomly with 30 members in each after administering a general English test to 100 Junior high school females to release qualified intermediate learners. Then, the experimental group was broken into 6 groups including 4 learners in each to work cooperatively while the control group went on working conventionally. Firstly, each group received general English test such as reading, listening, writing, and speaking as pretest to figure out their current level. Then as treatment, experimental group took practices in all skills in group while the control group received a placebo. The students were asked to do the posttest. The average was taken to indicate students overall English language achievement of method of instruction in the general English course. By analyzing the scores of each single group on their posttest (Independent samples T-test) and also analyzing pretest to posttest scores of experimental and control group (Paired sample T-test), the null hypothesis of the study was rejected. It meant that the group work had a better performance in terms of the general English posttest.


The article analyzes the experience of per capita financing of primary health care based on the principles of stock provision in the system of compulsory health insurance (MHI). The article shows the features of practical implementation of Fund-forming models of per capita financing, their impact on the final results of the activities of medical organizations of Fund-holders. A unified scheme of interaction between the MHI participants (medical organizations, insurance medical organizations, territorial MHI Fund) (medical and economic model of business processes) is proposed for the implementation per capita financing of primary health care, with provision of decoding with partial filling of the Fund for the implementation of a patient-oriented model of medical care.


The present study investigates the hypothesis that alibi evidence is interpreted as an excuse and so perceived and reacted to negatively. Participants read case summaries that included incriminating eyewitness and exculpatory alibi evidence, the latter labelled as an 'alibi', 'excuse' or 'statement', completed questionnaires evaluating their perceptions or the honesty and credibility of witnesses, and provided a ruling for the case (guilty/not guilty). The alibi evidence was provided before or after the eyewitness evidence. It was expected that ratings for the 'alibi' or 'excuse' would be lower than those for the 'statement'. Though there were no significant evaluations of alibi honesty/credibility and accuracy are not utilized in the formation of a verdict. The results are discussed in the context of using the 'excuse hypothesis' as an explanation for the underutilization of alibi evidence.


Over the past decade, mobile money, as a disruptive financial services innovation, has been widely adopted in Sub-Saharan Africa where the majority of population was financially excluded. Despite the transformative role of mobile money, the macro-level socioeconomic implications have been weakly examined so far. To fill the research gap, this paper explores the theoretical and empirical links between mobile money and socioeconomic development. Drawing on the theory of technology affordances and the emerging mobile money literature, this paper argues that mobile money, when adopted on a massive scale, has the potential to lead to socioeconomic development at the societal level. Results of Difference-in-Differences analysis show that mobile money, when widely adopted, has a positive effect on a country's economic growth. Additional analysis reveals that the positive effect is found to increase as mobile money spreads into a society over time. This paper contributes to the emerging mobile money literature by documenting the positive relationship between mobile money and socioeconomic development at the societal level.


Summary 1. In recent years there has been much interest in physiological trade-offs involving host immune function and parasite defence, with the suggestion that they could play a pivotal role in mediating well-documented life-history trade-offs, such as the cost of reproduction. 2. Among studies of birds, the hypothesized link between reproductive effort and parasite defence has received particular attention, yet support for a trade-off between these two traits remains equivocal. 3. We used meta-regression analysis and an information-theoretic approach to investigate, among avian studies, how strong the effect of experimentally altered reproductive effort is on (i) infection with blood parasites from four common genera ( Haemoproteus , Leucocytozoon , Trypanosoma and Plasmodium ) and (ii) the ability of hosts to mount an immune response to novel antigenic challenge. 4. Across studies, there was a relatively weak but well-supported positive effect of reproductive effort on blood parasite infection levels. Importantly, this effect was significantly influenced by the parasitological measure employed; where parasitaemia (proportion of parasitized cells within infected hosts) was used as the response variable, effect size was almost three times as large as where infection prevalence (presence vs. absence of infection among hosts) was measured. 5. A moderate negative effect of reproductive effort on immune responsiveness was also found across studies. This effect was greater the longer the time that had elapsed between manipulation of reproductive effort and measurement of immune responsiveness, and was also related to the stage at which reproductive effort was manipulated, with manipulation during brood rearing producing stronger effects than manipulation during incubation. 6. Overall, these results provide evidence that reproductive effort can have pronounced effects on both parasitism and immune responses, but that effect size is influenced by methodology ‐ what is measured and when. Exactly how such effects arise and whether they are sufficient to provide a mechanistic explanation for the cost of reproduction remains to be fully explored.


Creation and traversal of links in a user adaptable menu was examined for syntagmatically and paradigmatically related targets. One group searched for paradigmatic related targets within the same intermediate category under different superordinate categories, while another searched for syntagmatic related targets belonging to different intermediate categories under the same superordinate. Users with syntagmatic targets created and traversed more superordinate category links, while users with paradigmatic targets traversed more intermediate category links. As predicted, more horizontal links at the same hierarchical level were created and traversed than diagonal links joining different levels. Overall, users tended to create links forming hierarchical networks.


Cell phone towers are just the most recent target of visual pollution complaints. The term visual pollution has been used by courts, academics, and environmental groups to explain their distaste for ugly buildings, telephone towers, billboards, flags and signs, and numerous other images that have been derided as polluting the visual landscape. The idea of pollution helps explain the controversy surrounding the aesthetics of cell phone towers. Claims of visual pollution assert a desire for a particular kind of environment, one free from the polluting effects of unwanted signs, towers, and other sights. Some local governments have tried to legislate the kinds of places where towers should or should not be located, but those efforts have met with mixed success and sporadic application. The federal Telecommunications Act (TCA) intervenes in that process by insisting that local governments offer substantial evidence to justify their zoning decisions concerning cell phone towers. Local governments continue to be especially suspect to constituent complaints about the sight of cell phone towers even as the courts frequently find that such complaints fail to satisfy the TCA's substantial evidence standard. This essay analyzes the idea of visual pollution in the context of cell phone towers. It describes the nature of, and responses to, visual pollution. It then examines the debate concerning the aesthetics of cell phone towers, which pits affected residents against cellular providers, with local governments exercising their traditional powers of land use regulation while being constrained by the TCA's effort to promote wireless services. I then reflect on the lessons that the idea of pollution offer for controversies regarding cell phone towers, and the lessons that the cell phone tower controversies offer for understanding pollution in other contexts.


Introduction: Studies have investigated the pathogenesis of depression, with few focusing on the elevation of proinflammatory cytokine levels in depression. This article undertakes a scoping review of the available research to explore the current understanding of the role of pro-inflammatory cytokines in depression. Furthermore, the ability of exercise to reduce depression severity through lowering these cytokine levels is examined.
Method: Analysis of online research articles was used to investigate the intended objective, and 18 English-based papers published between 2010-2020 were selected. These studies examined pro-inflammatory cytokine levels in healthy, depressed, diseased and/or physically active patients or research animals as a primary or secondary outcome. Other inclusion criteria such as number of participants and appropriate control selection were used to further refine the search results.
Results: Based on the conducted search, sufficient evidence seems to exist to support an association between elevated levels of pro-inflammatory cytokines, IL-6, TNF-α, IL-1β and incidence of depression. Exercise increases the production and release of anti-inflammatory cytokines and reduces baseline levels of pro-inflammatory cytokines. These anti-inflammatory properties of physical activity supported by exercise-focused studies, can explain the mechanism behind reduced depressive symptoms after a period of regular exercise.
Discussion: The available data supports an association between elevated pro-inflammatory cytokine levels and depression, and the antidepressant effects of exercise. However, there is no evidence of causality between elevated levels of pro-inflammatory cytokines and depression. Whether pro-inflammatory cytokine levels changed as a result of regular exercise, the specific types of pro-inflammatory cytokines that experienced the change, and the extent to which they did, depended on the participant, and the exercise activity.
Conclusion: Measuring the levels of pro-inflammatory cytokines can potentially provide an objective method for diagnosing depression. Due to the potential anti-inflammatory effects of exercise, programs can be designed as a non-pharmacological treatment in mild cases and augment the effectiveness of drug therapy in severe cases.


This dissertation is a cross-national, empirical study of human rights conditions in a dynamic international political economy. The scope of the examination covers 176 developed and developing countries from 1980 through 1993. Through evaluating the numerous theoretical aspects of human rights conceptualization, I draw upon Shue's framework and consider whether there are indeed "basic rights" and which rights should fit into this category. Further, I address the debate between those who claim that these rights are truly universal (applying to all nations and individuals) and those who argue that the validity of a moral right is relative to indigenous cultures. In a similar vein, I empirically investigate whether various human rights are interdependent and indivisible, as some scholars argue, or whether there are inherent trade-offs between various rights provisions. In going beyond the fixation on a single aspect of human rights, I broadly investigate subsistence rights, security rights and political and economic freedom. While these have previously been addressed separately, there are virtually no studies that consider them together and the subsequent linkages between them. Ultimately, a pooled time-series cross-section model is developed that moves beyond the traditional concentration on security rights (also know as integrity of the person rights) and focuses on the more controversial subsistence rights (also known as basic human needs). By addressing both subsistence and security rights, I consider whether certain aspects of the changing international political economy affect these two groups of rights in different ways. A further delineation is made between OECD and non-OECD countries. The primary international focus is on the effects of global integration and the end of the Cold War. Domestic explanations that are connected with globalization include economic freedom, income inequality and democratization. These variables are subjected to bivariate and multivariate hypothesis testing including bivariate correlations, analysis of variance, and multiple OLS regression with robust standard errors.


This article explores the clinical and therapeutic differences between major depressive disorder and bipolar depression. Although both are disorders of suppressed mood with similar symptoms, the two syndromes respond differently to medications : Whereas severe major depressive disorder responds to antidepressant medication, either as monotherapy or in combination, there is some evidence that in bipolar depression of all subtypes, response to antidepressants is no greater than to placebo. Quetiapine, lamotrigine, lithium or olanzapine are recommended initially, with antidepressant usage included in combination therapy only at later stages of management. Further research is necessary to determine pathophysiological differences between these two disorders and ideal treatment approaches.


Abstract. Aerosols are an important factor in the Earth climatic system and they play a key role in air quality and public health. Observations of the oxygen A-band at 760 nm can provide information on the vertical distribution of aerosols from passive satellite sensors that can be of great interest for operational monitoring applications with high spatial coverage if the aerosol information is obtained with sufficient precision, accuracy and vertical resolution. To address this issue, retrieval simulations of the aerosol vertical profile retrieval from O2 A-band observations by GOSAT, the upcoming Orbiting Carbon Observatory-2 (OCO-2) and Sentinel 5-P missions, and the proposed CarbonSat mission have been carried out. Precise retrievals of aerosol optical depth (AOD) within the boundary layer were found to favour low-resolution, high signal-to-noise instruments such as Sentinel-5 P, whereas higher-resolution instruments such as OCO-2 showed greater performance at higher altitudes and in information content above the boundary layer. Retrieval of the AOD in the 0–2 km range with precision appears difficult from all studied instruments and the retrieval errors typically exceed a value of 0.05 for AODs up to 0.3. Constraining the surface albedo is a promising and effective way of improving the retrieval of aerosol, but the accuracy of the required prior knowledge is very high. Due to the limited information content of the aerosol profile retrieval, the use of a parameterised aerosol distribution is assessed, and we show that the AOD and height of an aerosol layer can be retrieved well if the aerosol layer is uplifted to the free troposphere; however, errors are often large for aerosol layers in the boundary layer. Additional errors are introduced by incorrect assumptions on surface pressure and aerosol mixture, which can both bias retrieved AOD and height by up to 45%. In addition, assumptions of the boundary layer temperature are found to yield an additional error of up to 8%. We conclude that the aerosol profile retrievals from O2 A-band using existing or upcoming satellite sensors will only provide limited information on aerosols in the boundary layer but such observations can be of great value for observing and mapping aerosol plumes in the free troposphere.


Obesity is the result of excess energy storage due to an imbalance between energy storage and energy utilization. Excess energy is stored as triacylglycerol (TAG) in adipose tissue in various regions throughout the body. In order to reduce excess fat stores, one must increase the utilization of fat stores for energy. Lipolysis is the process where TAG are hydrolyzed to provide free fatty acids as an energy substrate to other organs during times of energy demand. Blunted catecholamine stimulated lipolysis has been well documented in obese adults. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effects of obesity and exercise training on lipolysis and lipolytic protein expression in abdominal subcutaneous adipose tissue (SCAT) in men.  Lean endurance trained (n=10), lean sedentary (n=10), and obese sedentary (n=8) men were recruited for this study. Abdominal SCAT was obtained using needle aspiration. Western blots were used to determine the protein content of adipose triglyceride lipase (ATGL), comparative gene identification 58 (CGI-58), hormone sensitive lipase (HSL), and perilipin. Microdialysis was used to evaluate abdominal SCAT lipolysis in vivo. Two probes were inserted into abdominal SCAT. One probe served as a control (perfused with a Ringer solution) while the second probe was perfused with isoproterenol, followed by a mixture of isoproterenol and phentolamine. Ethanol was added to the perfusates to measure local blood flow. The obese men in this study were tested before and after 8 weeks of aerobic exercise training.   Unstimulated, resting lipolysis was higher in exercise trained compared to obese men. β-adrenergic stimulation increased lipolysis above baseline in exercise trained and sedentary but not obese men. Blood flow was not different in exercise trained, sedentary, and obese during any treatment. Perilipin protein content was lower in the sedentary compared to exercise trained men but not different than obese men. There were no differences in ATGL, HSL, or CGI-58 protein content in any of the groups.   In response to 8 weeks of exercise training in the obese group, unstimulated, resting lipolysis did not change. β-adrenergic stimulated lipolysis did not stimulate lipolysis before exercise training but increased above baseline after exercise training. Lipolysis during an acute exercise bout was not different before training but was higher than baseline after exercise training. Adipose tissue blood flow was lower than baseline during an acute exercise bout after exercise training. There were no other differences in blood flow during any treatment. ATGL increased in response to an acute exercise bout before exercise training. Resting levels increased in response to 8 weeks of exercise training. Perilipin increased in response to acute exercise before exercise training. Perilipin tended to be higher at rest after 8 weeks of exercise training.   Based on our results, exercise training increases perilipin protein content in lean men which appears to be a key component for a reduced β-adrenergic responsiveness in SED compared to lean. It also appears that acute exercise increases ATGL and perilipin in obese men. Eight weeks of exercise training increased ATGL and tended to increase perilipin in obese men. ATGL and perilipin are likely the key components to increasing β-adrenergic lipolysis in obese men after exercise training.


In this part we describe the numerical methods and the results for our discretization methods for system of convection-diffusiondispersion-reaction equation. The motivation came for the simulation of a scenario of a waste-disposal done over a large time-periods. For the methods large time-steps should be allowed to reach the large simulation periods of 10000 years. The idea is to use higher order discretization methods which allows large time-steps without lost of accuracy. We decouple a multi-physical multidimensional equation in simpler physical and one-dimensional equations. These simpler equations are handled with higher order discretization and the results are coupled with an operatorsplitting method together. We describe the discretization methods for the convection-reaction equation and for the diffusion-dispersion equation. Both are based on vertex centered finite volume methods. For the convection-reaction equation a modified discretization method with embedded analytical solutions is presented. To couple the simpler equations the operator splitting method is presented with respect to the splittingerrors of the method. The higher order splitting methods are further presented. The underlying program-tool RT is brief introduced and the main concepts are presented. We introduce the benchmark problems for testing the modified discretization methods of higher order. A new model problem of a rotating pyramid with analytical solutions is discussed as a benchmark problem for two dimensional problems. The complex problems for the simulation of radioactive waste disposals with underlying flowing groundwater are further presented. The transport and reaction simulations for decay chains are presented in 2d and 3d domains. The results of this calculations are discussed. The further works are introduced and conclusions are derived from the work.


Pseudomonas aeruginosa PAO was able to grow in the absence of exogenous terminal electron acceptors, provided that the medium contained 30 to 40 mM L-arginine and 0.4% yeast extract. Under strictly anaerobic conditions (O2 at less than 1 ppm), growth could be measured as an increase in protein and proceeded in a non-exponential way; arginine was largely converted to ornithine but not entirely consumed at the end of growth. In the GasPak anaerobic jar (Becton Dickinson and Co.), the wild-type strain PAO1 grew on arginine-yeast extract medium in 3 to 5 days; mutants could be isolated that were unable to grow under these conditions. All mutants (except one) were defective in at least one of the three enzymes of the arginine deiminase pathway (arcA, arcB, and arcC mutants) or in a novel function that might be involved in anaerobic arginine uptake (arcD mutants). The mutations arcA (arginine deiminase), arcB (catabolic ornithine carbamoyltransferase), arcC (carbamate kinase), and arcD were highly cotransducible and mapped in the 17-min chromosome region. Some mutations in the arc cluster led to low, noninducible levels of all three arginine deiminase pathway enzymes and thus may affect control elements required for induction of the postulated arc operon. Two fluorescent pseudomonads (P. putida and P. fluorescens) and P. mendocina, as well as one PAO mutant, possessed an inducible arginine deiminase pathway and yet were unable to grow fermentatively on arginine. The ability to use arginine-derived ATP for growth may provide P. aeruginosa with a selective advantage when oxygen and nitrate are scarce.


Pedagogically, databases of primary source data provide students with a learning experience based on the inquiry learning model however, observations of students and teachers in the past 20 years have indicated that database searching is shallow and investigation perfunctory. Before, we could have blamed unwieldy search engines. The online version of the First Fleet Database has removed this obstacle, but students' research skills still appear to be limited. Other pedagogical strategies have been added to that of the database strategy, for example a discussion forum to enable learners to publish and debate their opinions on history. However our statistics show that the forum is the least used part of the site. Although this in part can be solved by the way the teacher sets up the class dynamics, we have added online role play as another pedagogical strategy to complement the others. Hopefully the role play will lead students into deeper searching of the database as they become more engaged in developing an understanding of the lives of others. The role play has been used with two online classes in different contexts in the past year. The evaluations from these classes suggest recommendations about the key role of moderator/s; effects of non-participation; connecting character descriptions to the learning outcomes; and preparation of kick-start scenarios to follow the kick-off scenario. All of the above impact on the design of role plays in general in other topic areas, especially if the role play is to be made transferable to other teachers.


Melanosomes of phyllomedusid frogs are unusually large and are composed of an amorphous matrix of thick fibers. Their hitherto undescribed dark red pigment is neither phaeomelanin nor eumelanin, but seems to be related to melanins. Melanophores of at least one of these species, Agalychnis dacnicolor, exhibit color change in direct response to illumination, and it is suggested that these chromatophores are innervated.


There are multiple "evidence-based" diabetes guidelines that are used to develop diabetes performance measures for diabetes by multiple stakeholders within the United States, Europe, and other countries.12 Similarly, there are multiple differing sets of performance measures. Although leading organisations that develop measures or endorse measures report their process, the explicit reasoning underlying the selection of the final measures is often not apparent.3 In the current issue of QSHC, Martirosyan et al report on their use of the RAND Panel Delphi methodology to develop valid prescribing quality indicators (PQIs) for persons with type 2 diabetes (see page 318) .4 This is a good step forward, although it is not without shortcomings. In their report, a panel of experts was given practice guidelines and the evidence base. A series of proposed PQIs were then evaluated in a two-round process. Their paper raises several issues about performance measures and how they are chosen.

Experts clearly disagree on how to evaluate evidence, and the Delphi method is designed to achieve consensus during the decision-making process. The Delphi method provides a structure to organise group communication. It is an iterative process of repeated evaluations by a group of individuals whose opinions or judgements are of interest. It is designed to secure the benefits of group decision-making while insulating the process from its limitations, for example, dominant individual members, and is useful for situations when the decisive factors are subjective and not knowledge-based, that is, where individual judgements vary and there is incomplete knowledge. It is usually conducted as a series of sequential questionnaires or "rounds." After the first round, each subsequent round is accompanied by anonymously presented information regarding the preceding round. Each panel member is thus encouraged to reconsider and, if appropriate, to change their previous reply in light …


Reduced expression of glutamate decarboxylase 67 (GAD67), encoded by the Gad1 gene, is a consistent finding in postmortem brains of patients with several psychiatric disorders, including schizophrenia, bipolar disorder and major depressive disorder. The dysfunction of GAD67 in the brain is implicated in the pathophysiology of these psychiatric disorders; however, the neurobiological consequences of GAD67 dysfunction in mature brains are not fully understood because the homozygous Gad1 knockout is lethal in newborn mice. We hypothesized that the tetracycline-controlled gene expression/suppression system could be applied to develop global GAD67 knockdown mice that would survive into adulthood. In addition, GAD67 knockdown mice would provide new insights into the neurobiological impact of GAD67 dysfunction. Here, we developed Gad1 tTA/STOP-tetO biallelic knock-in mice using Gad1 STOP-tetO and Gad1 tTA knock-in mice, and compared them with Gad1 +/+ mice. The expression level of GAD67 protein in brains of Gad1 tTA/STOP-tetO mice treated with doxycycline (Dox) was decreased by approximately 90%. The GABA content was also decreased in the brains of Dox-treated Gad1 tTA/STOP-tetO mice. In the open-field test, Dox-treated Gad1 tTA/STOP-tetO mice exhibited hyper-locomotor activity and decreased duration spent in the center region. In addition, acoustic startle responses were impaired in Dox-treated Gad1 tTA/STOP-tetO mice. These results suggest that global reduction in GAD67 elicits emotional and auditory abnormalities in mice. These GAD67 knockdown mice will be useful for elucidating the neurobiological mechanisms of emotional abnormalities, such as anxiety symptoms associated with psychiatric disorders.


We study the double cosets of a Lie group by a compact Lie subgroup. We show that a Weil formula holds for double coset Lie hypergroups and show that certain representations of the Lie group lift to representations of the double coset Lie hypergroup. We characterize smooth (analytic) vectors of these lifted representations.


Widespread doubt and disbelief of women and non-binary survivors who
disclose, speak out and demand accountability for the violence they have experienced within social justice movements in the UK Left reveals a painful impasse and persistent barrier in movement building. Systemic failures of criminal justice responses to rape, sexual assault and domestic violence coupled with State violence and regulation of social justice movements and marginalised groups has led to consideration of community alternatives to help transform activist communities into cultures of safety and accountability. However, 'counter-organising' (INCITE! 2003; 2006) can distort, scrutinise and dismantle the work of survivors and their supporters in developing community accountability and safer spaces processes. The salvage research project (Downes, Hanson and Hudson, 2016) used participatory action research approaches and qualitative interviews with 10 women and non-binary survivors to explore the lived experiences of harm, violence and abuse experienced in activist communities in the UK. This article will explore how resistance to disclosures of gendered violence and anti-violence activism can be as (or more) harmful than the violence initially experienced. Five key silencing strategies are explored: (i) discrediting survivors and supporters; (ii) questioning the legitimacy of claim; (iii) questioning the legitimacy of community accountability; (iv) avoiding troubling recognitions; and (v) placing burden on survivors. The silencing of survivors and their supporters permits unequal power relations to remain unchanged and removes any need for the misogyny and sexism produced in activist communities to be critically examined.


1. A large-scale field experiment was used to evaluate two contrasting grass leys in terms of nature conservation value, productivity and ease of management. The leys were suitable either for green cover on land removed from arable production (as part of Set-Aside or similar schemes) or for low-input agriculture or amenity uses. 2. One ley was a conventional mixture of cultivars of Phleum pratense L. (timothy or cat's-tail), Lolium perenne L. (ryegrass) and Trifolium repens L. (white clover). The other was a more species-rich mixture, based on 19th century 'herbal' leys. It comprised six indigenous grasses and three forbs and excluded L. perenne and T. repens. 3. The leys were managed both as hay and silage and were grown both with and without the appropriate fertilizer applications. 4. Over a three-year period the more species-rich ley retained more sown species and accommodated more naturally regenerating species than the conventional ley. Loss of sown species increased at high fertilizer levels. Numbers of both sown and naturally regenerating species were lower under the silage than the hay cutting regime. These results are discussed in relation to the relative dominance of sown species. 5. The more species-rich ley was also less productive and consequently easier to manage by infrequent mowing. 6. We conclude that carefully selected but simple mixtures of indigenous grasses and forbs are likely to satisfy a diverse range of management requirements, whilst at the same time benefiting wildlife and visual amenity in the wider countryside. Key recommendations are emboldened in the Discussion.


Gilmour traces the development of the congressional budget process from its origin through the emergence of reconcilliation and Gramm-Rudman-Hollings. He shows how changes in process have brought about far-reaching shifts in congressional power, and explains why they have failed to control the explosion of budget deficits. Throughout the last decade budgetary issues have dominated the national political agenda as the deficit has skyrocketed to previously unimaginable levels. In this important book, John Gilmour traces the continuing quest of Congress over the last fifteen years to reform its budgeting system in the hope of producing better policy. He shows that the enactment of the Congressional Budget Act of 1974 and the introduction of the reconciliation procedure in 1980 have produced a budgetary system in which congressional majorities can get what they want, provided only that they can agree on a comprehensive budget policy. From his thorough analysis, Gilmour concludes that, while the reforms have not produced balanced budgets, they have eliminated procedural obstructions to the adoption of a coherent budget. New budget procedures have transformed the way Congress works. Before the reforms of 1974 and 1980, Congress had an extremely fragmented, disintegrated budgetary system in which the budget emerged almost haphazardly from the independent actions of numerous committees. Gilmour shows that reconciliation procedures in the budget process makes total revenue, total expenditures, and the size of the deficit matters of deliberate choice, consolidating decisionmaking to an extent unprecedented in the history of the modern Congress. Yet, despite the striking structural and procedural changes, and despite its highly majoritarian features, the budget process has failed to reduce dissatisfaction with congressional handling of money. Deficits have been larger, not smaller, and overall spending has gone up. Gilmour deftly shows that the massive budget deficits of the Reagan years were due primarily to the failure of the House, the Senate, and the President to agree on how to reduce spending or increase taxes enough to eliminate the deficit. Responsibility for budgetary failure, he argues, must rest with Congress and its inability to reach consensus, not on the new budget process, which, given what we can expect from procedural change, has been quite successful.


Abstract. The accurate knowledge of the ocean's mean dynamic topography (MDT) is a crucial issue for a number of oceanographic applications and, in some areas of the Mediterranean Sea, important limitations have been found pointing to the need of an upgrade. We present a new MDT that was computed for the Mediterranean Sea. It profits from improvements made possible by the use of extended data sets and refined processing. The updated data set spans the 1993–2012 period and consists of drifter velocities, altimetry data, hydrological profiles and model data. The methodology is similar to the previous MDT by Rio et al. (2007). However, in Rio et al. (2007) no hydrological profiles had been taken into account. This required the development of dedicated processing. A number of sensitivity studies have been carried out to obtain the most accurate MDT as possible. The main results from these sensitivity studies are the following: moderate impact to the choice of correlation scales but almost negligible sensitivity to the choice of the first guess (model solution). A systematic external validation to independent data has been made to evaluate the performance of the new MDT. Compared to previous versions, SMDT-MED-2014 (Synthetic Mean Dynamic Topography of the MEDiterranean sea) features shorter-scale structures, which results in an altimeter velocity variance closer to the observed velocity variance and, at the same time, gives better Taylor skills.


Energy security is a subjective concept, as to different actors it invokes different meanings and thoughts about risk. It is highly political because it is at the heart of the debate between the environmental consequences of burning fossil fuels and the economic consequences of constraining this consumption. How a government perceives energy security provides an important indication of how they intend to approach the complexity of current energy issues. No more important is energy security to consider than in New Zealand. As this thesis will show, the term is used in New Zealand's policy-making circles but it is not referred to consistently. This thesis will use the Copenhagen School's Theory of Securitisation and delineate the key features of energy security in New Zealand politics. It will show that there has been two distinct rhetorical politicisations of energy security that argue for two divergent energy policies. First, the Clark Labour Government used a strategy of politicisation to bring energy security risks onto the political agenda. This sought to legitimise strong government leadership in the energy sector to support the development of robust climate change policy. The second rhetorical politicisation is at the heart of the Key National Government, where energy security is subsumed to the immediate concern for economic growth in the wake of the global economic recession. Thus there is a heightened concern for short-term risk to security of energy supply and New Zealand's role in contributing to global energy security. The nature of energy security issues and how they are integrated with other policy challenges remain in dispute. Consequently, energy security is a highly contested and politicised concept in New Zealand politics.


This Policy Letter outlines a pandemic insurance solution through a pandemic-related "Insurance Linked Bond". It would be originated by governments, with a principal amount to cover significant costs resulting from a pandemic. These bonds, which would be traded on a secondary market, generate a risk-adequate return for private and institutional investors that is financed through the insurance premiums paid by the public domain. In case of a pre-defined pandemic trigger event, the principal of the bond becomes available for the originating governments to cover pandemic-related costs. Through this approach, governments can insure themselves against future pandemic-related risks, while funding comes primarily from private and institutional investors.


of Thesis VARIANCE OF THE AMYLOID BETA PEPTIDE AS A METRIC FOR THE DIAGNOSIS OF ALZHEIMER'S DISEASE Alzheimer's disease (AD) is the most prevalent neurodegenerative disorder associated with aging. AD is by far the best understood and most studied neurodegenerative disease. Substantial advances have been made over the last decade, however it is debatable how much closer we are to a clinically useful therapy. A long standing goal in the AD field has been to improve the accuracy of early detection, with the assumption that the ability to intervene earlier in the disease process will lead to a better clinical outcome. Major facets of this effort have been the continued development and improvement of AD biomarkers, with a strong focus on developing imaging modalities. AD is accompanied by two pathological hallmarks in the brain: extracellular neuritic plaques composed of the beta‐amyloid peptide (Aβ) and intracellular neurofibrillary tangles (NFTs) composed of hyperphosphorylated tau protein. Evidence of Aβ as the driving force behind the progression of AD (the amyloid cascade hypothesis) was first published by Hardy & Higgins in 1992, and this peptide has been the focus of therapeutic and diagnostic testing for decades. Significant technological advances in recent years now allow imaging of amyloid pathology in vivo. These methods evaluate Aβ burden in a living person, and could potentially serve as both a biomarker, and as a diagnostic tool to detect disease. Pittsburgh Compound B (PiB) is currently the best studied of these imaging agents, however, our current knowledge of the quantitative relationship between PiB binding and amyloid pathology in the brain is limited. A better understanding of how these variables relate to one another is essential for the continued development of reliable diagnostic biomarkers for AD. We analyzed increasingly insoluble pools of Aβ to quantify their relative contributions to the overall Aβ burden, and to determine if any of these measures could be used to predict disease status. We found that the amount of PiB binding in a cortical region of the brain could distinguish cases of mild cognitive impairment (MCI) when corrected to the amount of PiB binding in the cerebellum. As the Aβ peptide ages, the amino acid aspartate may spontaneously convert to an isoaspartate residue through a succinimide intermediary. The presence of iso‐Asp Aβ has been used to indicate the presence of aged plaques in AD and Down syndrome cases. We sought to investigate the potential relationship between levels of 'aged' Aβ in the plasma as indicated by iso‐Asp Aβ and disease state, as a potential biomarker for the presence of AD pathology. We found that AD cases had lower levels of all forms of Aβ in plasma when standardized to the group average, and that plasma levels of Aβ and iso‐Asp Aβ were reversed between disease groups. A follow up study is required, however, these initial data are a promising step towards utilizing aged iso‐Asp Aβ plasma levels as a potential biomarker to indicate disease state.


— One of the milestones any company or industry should consistently achieve is the long-term steady growth. That nonetheless is precisely the position of natural gas distribution sector-without exception. Year-over-year statistical data should portray the broader picture of city gas sector in Indonesia that can possibly be explained by considering a number of key elements such as the workforces involved in the industry, wages that have to be spent on the labours and finally yet importantly volume of natural gas distributed for the city consumers. Throughout this particular study, a set of variables taken into account and then subsequently perform the analysis by using multivariate regression analysis as the selected method. The purpose of this particular study is to explain a better understanding of Indonesia's city gas distribution sector. The methodology used in this study is the multivariate linear regression. In general, this paper is directed toward defining the notion of the growth of natural gas distribution sector in Indonesia. At the end of this study, the linear model effectively explains the strong correlation between the revenue (dependent variable) of the city gas distribution sector with other independent variables predictors) and fits to represent the macro perspective of city gas sector in Indonesia. In that respect, by incorporating a number of variables as the input of regression analysis tools, the expected result is a model that can be applied to predict the long-term growth.


Colloidal organic/inorganic metal-halide perovskite nanocrystals have recently emerged as a potential low-cost replacement for the semiconductor materials in commercial photovoltaics and light emitting diodes. However, unlike III-V and IV-VI semiconductor nanocrystals, studies of colloidal perovskite nanocrystals have yet to develop a fundamental and comprehensive understanding of nucleation and growth kinetics. Here, we introduce a modular and automated microfluidic platform for the systematic studies of room-temperature synthesized cesium-lead halide perovskite nanocrystals. With abundant data collection across the entirety of four orders of magnitude reaction time span, we comprehensively characterize nanocrystal growth within a modular microfluidic reactor. The developed high-throughput screening platform features a custom-designed three-port flow cell with translational capability for in situ spectral characterization of the in-flow synthesized perovskite nanocrystals along a tubular microreactor with an adjustable length, ranging from 3 cm to 196 cm. The translational flow cell allows for sampling of twenty unique residence times at a single equilibrated flow rate. The developed technique requires an average total liquid consumption of 20 μL per spectra and as little as 2 μL at the time of sampling. It may continuously sample up to 30 000 unique spectra per day in both single and multi-phase flow formats. Using the developed plug-and-play microfluidic platform, we study the growth of cesium lead trihalide perovskite nanocrystals through in situ monitoring of their absorption and emission band-gaps at residence times ranging from 100 ms to 17 min. The automated microfluidic platform enables a systematic study of the effect of mixing enhancement on the quality of the synthesized nanocrystals through a direct comparison between single- and multi-phase flow systems at similar reaction time scales. The improved mixing characteristics of the multi-phase flow format results in high-quality perovskite nanocrystals with kinetically tunable emission wavelength, ranging as much as 25 nm at equivalent residence times. Further application of this unique platform would allow rapid parameter optimization in the colloidal synthesis of a wide range of nanomaterials (e.g., metal or semiconductor), that is directly transferable to continuous manufacturing in a numbered-up platform with a similar characteristic length scale.


As the clock chimed the turn of the twentieth century, Lilly Nelly Aphrodite took her first breath. Born to a cabaret dancer and soon orphaned in a scandalous murder-suicide, Lilly finds refuge at a Catholic orphanage, coming under the wing of the, at times, severe Sister August, the first in a string of lost loves. There she meets Hanne Schmidt, a teen prostitute, and forms a bond that will last them through tumultuous love affairs, disastrous marriages, and destitution during the First World War and the subsequent economic collapse. As the century progresses, Lilly and Hanne move from the tawdry glamour of the tingle-tangle nightclubs to the shadow world of health films before Lilly finds success and stardom in the new medium of motion pictures and ultimately falls in love with a man whose fate could cost her everything she has worked for or help her discover her true self. Gripping and darkly seductive, The Luminous Life of Lilly Aphrodite showcases all the glitter and splendour of the brief heyday of the Weimar Republic, and the rise of Hollywood to its golden age. As it foreshadows the horrors of the Second World War, the novel asks what price is paid when identity becomes unfixed and the social order is upended.


Marchiafava-Bignami disease (MBD) is a form of toxic demyelinating disease more often seen in chronic alcoholics. The disease process typically involves the corpus callosum and clinically often presents with altered sensorium, neurocognitive defects or seizures with acute cases often deteriorating to comatose state. The death rate is high. We report a rare case of MBD with complete clinical recovery. A 50-year-old male patient presented in an unconscious state and underwent MRI of the brain which showed significant lesions involving the corpus callosum. Following treatment with thiamine and supportive therapy, he improved clinically and a follow-up MRI revealed significant resolution of the earlier lesions. Diffusion-weighted MRI showed the changes more conspicuously as compared with conventional imaging. The clinical resolution corresponded well with the MRI pattern. The case highlights that diffusion-weighted MRI is an extremely useful tool in evaluation and prognostication of MBD.


Motion capture refers to the process of capturing, processing and trans- lating real motions onto a 3D model. Not only in the movie and gaming industries, motion capture creates an indispensable realism of human and animal movement. Also in the context of robotics, medical movement therapy, as well as in AR and VR, motion capture is used extensively. In addition to the well established optical processes, especially in the last three areas, alternative systems based on inertial navigation (IMUs) are being used in-creasingly, because they do not rely on external cameras and thus limit the area of movement considerably less.

Fast evolving technical progress in the manufacturing of such IMUs allows building small sensors, wearable on the body which can transfer movements to a computer. The development of applying inertial systems to a motion capture context, however, is still at an early state. Problems like drift can currently only be minimized by adding additional hardware for correcting the read data.

In the following master thesis an IMU based motion capture system is designed and constructed. This contains the assembly of the hardware components as well as processing of the received movement data on the software side and their application to a 3D model.


Family change, when adults depart or arrive around children, raises policy issues. Its measurement depends upon the evidence collected and from whom. This paper compares British children's histories obtained from fathers and mothers. The evidence, on one birth cohort of parents, comes from two sources: the National Child Development Study and the ONS Longitudinal Study. The resulting account of family change is not substantially different between parents. There is some under-reporting of children not living with their fathers. This is due to under-reporting by those included in the studies and to under-representation in them of absent fathers and lone parents.


The need for nuturing of low cost building materials industry in developing countries has long been recognized throughout the world. costs of building materials. Therefore, construction of low cost housing has become more difficult. The objective of the research was to utilize minimal cost materials, such as coal combustion by-products (fly ash, bottom ash, etc.), for production of masonry blocks for low cost housing construction. The research was done in two phases. The first phase was designed to identify mixtures of fly ash and binder which would yield blocks of sufficient strength to withstand handling, transfer and long term exposure. The final phase was designed to determine the response of acceptable fly ash block mixtures, from Phase I study, to continued soaking in fresh water.


Background: Corporate governance maybe approached through several functions such as auditing, an internal audit committee, information management, compliance, corporate citizenship and risk management. However, most organisations, including governmental bodies, regularly exclude records management from the criteria for a good corporate-governance infrastructure. Proper records management could be the backbone of establishing good corporate governance. Objectives: Utilising the King report III on corporate governance as a framework, this quantitative study explores the role of records management in corporate governance in governmental bodies of South Africa. Method: Report data were collected through questionnaires directed to records managers and auditors in governmental bodies, as well as interviews with purposively selected auditors from the Auditor-General of South Africa. Data were analysed using various analytical tools and through written descriptions, numerical summarisations and tables. Results: The study revealed that records management is not regarded as an essential component for corporate governance. Records management is only discussed as a footnote; as a result it is a forgotten function with no consequences in government administration in South Africa. The study further revealed that most governmental bodies have established internal audit units and audit committees. However, records-management professionals were excluded from such committees. Conclusion: The study concludes by arguing that if records management is removed as a footnote of the public-sector operations and placed in the centre of operational concern, it will undoubtedly make a meaningful contribution to good corporate governance.


The interest rate is generally considered as an important driver of macroeconomic investment. As an innovation, this paper derives the exact shape of the "hysteretic" impact of changes in the interest rate on macroeconomic investment under the scenarios of both certainty and uncertainty. We capture the direct interest rate-hysteresis on the investments and the capital stock and, explicitly, of stochastic changes on the interest rate-investment hysteresis. Starting with hysteresis effects on a microeconomic level of a single firm, we apply an explicit aggregation procedure to derive the interest rate hysteresis effects on a macroeconomic level. Based on our simple model we are able to obtain some conclusions about the efficacy of a central bank's interest rate policy, e.g. in times of low or even zero interest rates and high uncertainty, in terms of stimulating macroeconomic investment. JEL Classifications: C61, E22, E44.


Pancreata with cancer also frequently have intraductal proliferative lesions, suggesting an association between pancreatic cancer and these lesions. We present three cases in which atypical papillary hyperplasia of the pancreas was documented 17 months to 10 years before the development of an infiltrating adenocarcinoma of the pancreas. The first patient was a 70-year-old woman who underwent pancreaticoduodenectomy for adenocarcinoma of the pancreas. Atypical papillary duct hyperplasia extended to the pancreatic neck margin of resection, but the margin was negative for infiltrating carcinoma. Nine years later, an infiltrating adenocarcinoma developed in the remaining pancreas. The second patient was a 58-year-old man who underwent distal pancreatectomy for chronic pancreatitis with pseudocyst. Histologic examination showed chronic pancreatitis and multiple foci of atypical papillary duct hyperplasia. Ten years later, the patient underwent a Whipple procedure for infiltrating adenocarcinoma of the pancreas. The third patient was a 46-year-old woman with recurrent pancreatitis who underwent a Whipple procedure. Histologic examination showed atypical papillary duct hyperplasia and chronic pancreatitis but no infiltrating carcinoma. At the time of surgery, the tail of the pancreas was grossly and radiographically normal. Seventeen months later, a malignant pleural effusion developed, and postmortem examination showed infiltrating adenocarcinoma in the tail of the pancreas. In the cases presented, atypical papillary hyperplasia was documented 17 months, 9 years, and 10 years before the development of infiltrating adenocarcinoma of the pancreas, supporting the concept that there is a progression from intraductal hyperplasia to infiltrating carcinoma of the pancreas, just as there is a progression from adenoma to infiltrating carcinoma in the colorectum. Based on evidence that these intraductal lesions are precursor lesions to infiltrating adenocarcinoma of the pancreas, we suggest that the term "hyperplasia" be replaced by the more specific term "pancreatic intraepithelial neoplasia."


The conversion ratio of subcutaneous diamorphine to alfentanil was recently compared in a study at two specialist palliative care (SPC) units.

Alfentanil is widely used as an opioid analgesic for people with renal failure. The use of alfentanil in palliative care was first described in 1995.1 Four patients with opioid toxicity and renal impairment were converted from diamorphine to subcutaneous alfentanil, with resolution of agitation. A conversion ratio of 10:1 diamorphine to alfentanil was used based on discussions with anaesthetists.1 This ratio has been incorporated widely into prescribing guidance despite a limited evidence base.2 ,3 Clinical observation at one SPC unit showed that the dose of alfentanil was almost always increased from the initial dose and a 6:1 conversion ratio was subsequently adopted.

The aim of the study was to compare the conversion ratio of subcutaneous diamorphine to alfentanil and subsequent dose titrations of alfentanil in two SPC units (A and B) that use different conversion ratios. SPC unit A uses 6:1, while unit B uses 10:1.

A retrospective healthcare record review of consecutive inpatients who received alfentanil via continuous subcutaneous infusion was performed. The project was registered with the audit department for each unit. Following consultation with the local research department, it was established that ethical approval was not required.

Patients were identified using controlled drug books. Data on demographics, diagnosis, indication for alfentanil, opioid use in …


Background: Weight gain is a common problem after breast cancer diagnosis and treatment, particularly for women who receive chemotherapy. The weight gain has negative effects on quality of life, increases risk for chronic disease, and may increase risk of breast cancer recurrence. This pilot study tested a behavioral weight gain prevention intervention on weight, waist circumference, and biomarkers related to breast cancer prognosis (sex hormone binding globulin [SHBG], adiponectin, and leptin). Methods: Thirty-eight breast cancer patients receiving neoadjuvant chemotherapy were randomized to the weight gain prevention intervention or usual care. The intervention focused on exercise (resistance training, aerobic) and eating a low energy dense diet. Participants received 20 sessions during chemotherapy (14 in person, 6 by telephone) and 9 sessions after surgery (3 in person, 6 by telephone). They completed assessments of weight and waist circumference at baseline (T0), mid-chemotherapy (T1), post-chemotherapy (T2), post surgical recovery (T3), after the post-surgical intervention (T4). Serum was collected at T0, T2, and T3 and SHBG, adiponectin, and leptin was assayed by ELISA. Differences between participants in the intervention and usual care groups for weight, waist circumference, and biomarkers were assessed using linear mixed models. All analyses were controlled for baseline values. Missing observations were imputed by worst observation carried forward. We conducted both an intent-to-treat (all participants) and a per protocol analysis where intervention group participants were included if they completed at least 50% of the intervention sessions. Results: In the intent to treat analysis, the intervention group participants weighed less at T1-T4 (mean difference = 1.12 kg, p = .2225). In the per protocol analysis the mean difference of 1.6 kg was statistically significant (p=.0499). Waist circumference was lower at T1-T4 in the intervention group in both the intent-to-treat analysis (mean difference = 2.8 cm, p=.0354) and the per protocol analysis (mean difference = 3.7 cm, p=.0122). Levels of natural log transformed SHBG were higher for the intervention group at T2-T3; the difference neared significance (intent-to-treat: p=.0914; per protocol analysis: p=.0506), but there was no significant difference between the groups in adiponectin or leptin levels. However, all three biomarkers were significantly correlated with weight, BMI and waist circumference in the expected direction at T0, T2, and T3, with the exception of SHBG at T3, which was significantly correlated with weight only. Conclusion: A diet and exercise intervention delivered during and after chemotherapy can promote weight loss in breast cancer patients. Given the associations between body composition and prognostic biomarkers, the Project BALANCE intervention could be investigated for its effects on prognosis. Citation Format: Karen Basen-Engquist, James L. Murray, III, Abenaa Brewster, Susan M. Schembre, Jaejoon Song, Angelica Gutierrez-Barrera, Banu Arun. Randomized pilot study of Project BALANCE: a weight gain prevention intervention for breast cancer patients receiving neoadjuvant chemotherapy. [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the Thirteenth Annual AACR International Conference on Frontiers in Cancer Prevention Research; 2014 Sep 27-Oct 1; New Orleans, LA. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Can Prev Res 2015;8(10 Suppl): Abstract nr B05.


Two fragments of pancreatic ribonuclease A, a truncated version of S-peptide (residues 1-15) and S-protein (residues 21-124), combine to give a catalytically active complex. We have substituted the wild-type residue at position 13, methionine (Met), with norleucine (Nle), where the only covalent change is the replacement of the sulfur atom with a methylene group. The thermodynamic parameters associated with the binding of this variant to S-protein, determined by titration calorimetry in the temperature range 10-40 degrees C, are reported and compared to values previously reported [Varadarajan, R., Connelly, P. R., Sturtevant, J. M., & Richards, F. M. (1992) Biochemistry 31, 1421-1426] for other position 13 analogs. The differences in the free energy and enthalpy of binding between the Met and Nle peptides are 0.6 and 7.9 kcal/mol at 25 degrees C, respectively. These differences are slightly larger than, but comparable to, the differences in the values for the Met/Ile and Met/Leu pairs. The structure of the mutant complex was determined to 1.85 A resolution and refined to an R-factor of 17.4%. The structures of mutant and wild-type complexes are practically identical although the Nle side chain has a significantly higher average B-factor than the corresponding Met side chain. In contrast, the B-factors of the atoms of the cage of residues surrounding position 13 are all somewhat lower in the Nle variant than the Met wild-type.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)


Micro Aerial Vehicles (MAVs) are an emerging class of uninhabited aerial vehicle (UAV). Their reduced scale (maximum dimension of approximately 150 mm) provides advantages in terms of advanced mission capabilities, such as wildlife monitoring and urban search and rescue. This introduces the design challenge of flying efficiently at very low Reynolds numbers (e.g. Re<10000). To date, three basic MAV design concepts have been developed: fixed, rotary and flapping wings. Each approach has been met with limited success due to gust stability, flight control and propulsive efficiency. The design of both fixed and rotary wing aircraft is relatively mature, whereas flapping wing design is in its infancy and therefore its viability cannot yet be assessed. Nonetheless flapping wing MAVs have the potential to offer advantages such as stealth, manoeuvrability, and improved propulsive efficiencies. This paper focuses on the challenging problem of the manufacture and testing of flapping wings for MAVs. A review of the current state of flapping wing aerodynamics, manufacturing, and wing structures is provided. A detailed assessment of the aerodynamic performance of flexible MAV-scale wings was carried out. Aerodynamic force measurements were collected using a spin rig to assess the effect of design details on lift generation. It was found that a simple three-vein wing structure manufactured using a fused filament fabrication 3D printer could produce lift forces close to those of natural insect wings. The lift and stall performance was found to be sensitive to chordwise stiffness by testing wings without veins. These results demonstrate that it is possible to produce low cost biologically inspired wings with aerodynamic performance equal to or better than natural wings – a critical step on the path to a functional and practical flapping wing MAV.


Signalized Intersections on the State Roads in Hillsborough and Pinellas County, Florida with observed left turn lane overflow (spill) were selected for a safety and operational study. The study analyzed the crash data for safety hazards that the situation presents. Crashes within 100 feet from the center line of the crossroad of intersections under study to distances 200 feet beyond the end of the turn lane were chosen for the analysis. Left turn overflow is the situation at the approach of an intersection where left turning vehicles back up from the turn lane into the through traffic lane. Crashes within the intersection legs with the left turn lane overflow problems resulted in more crashes than the intersection legs without the spill problem at 95 percent confidence level. However the result was not overwhelming when 3 leg intersections are combined with 4 leg intersections. The rush periods within the leg of the intersection where left turn overflow occurred did not seem to have any correlation at all using paired t test.


Financial liberalisation and the advance of financial innovation in a number of developed economies has been blamed for the break-down in the demand for money based on simple sum measures. This break-down has prompted research into Divisia measures of the demand for money. Like many developing countries, Pakistan is going through a period of financial deregulation which goes hand in hand with financial innovation due to increased competition in the banking industry. This paper employs the methodology of cointegration to compare simple-sum and Divisia level estimates of the demand for money for Pakistan for the period 1974Q4 to 1992Q4. Simple sum measures of M1 and M2 were compared with Divisia versions. The paper reports little evidence in support of the superiority of the Divisia monetary aggregates. Both types of measure produce a stable demand for money and perform satisfactorily in post-sample stability tests, although the Divisia measure appears to perform marginally better on conventional statistical criteria. However, our conclusions have to be qualified by the limitations of the data and the knowledge that the period of financial innovation and deregulation has been relatively recent. The policy significance of the results suggests that currently there is no advantage from switching from simple-sum to Divisia aggregates at the existing level of official aggregation as the proper indicator of monetary policy. However, if financial deregulation and innovation continues at the current pace, the Divisia aggregates may in future prove to be the better indicator.


We?re witnessing the era of Data-Oriented Science, where investigations routinely involve computational data analysis. The research lifecycle has now become more elaborate to support the sharing and re-use of scientific data. To establish the veracity of shared data, scientific communities aim for systematising 1) the process of analysing data, and, 2) the reporting of analyses and results. Scientific workflows are a prominent mechanism for systematising analyses by encoding them as automated processes and documenting process executions with Workflow Provenance. Meanwhile, systematic reporting calls for discipline-specific Experimental Metadata to be provided outlining the context of data analysis such as source/reference datasets and community resources used, analytical methods and their parameter settings. A natural expectation would be that investigations, which adopt a systematic, workflow-based approach to the analysis can be advantageous at the time of reporting. This premise holds weakly. While workflow provenance supports streamlined enactment of analyses, their auditability and verifiability, we conjecture that it has limited contribution to reporting. This dissertation focuses on eliciting the apparent disconnect of Workflow Provenance and Experimental Metadata as the provenance gap. We identify complexity, mixed granularity, and genericity as characteristics of workflow provenance that underlie this gap. In response we develop techniques for provenance abstraction, analysis and annotation. We argue that workflow provenance is accompanied with implicit information, that can be made explicit to inform these techniques. Through empirical evidence we show that workflow steps have common functional characteristics, which we capture in a taxonomy of Workflow Motifs. We show how formally defined Graph Transformations can exploit Motifs to identify causes of complexity in workflows and abstract them to structurally simpler forms. We build on insight from prior research to show how execution and provenance collection behaviour of a workflow system can anticipate the granularity characteristics of provenance. We provide declarative anticipatory rules for the static-analysis of workflows of the Taverna system. We observe that scientific context is often available in embedded form in data and argue that data can be lifted to become metadata by discipline-specific metadata extractors. We outline a framework, that can be plugged with extractors and provide operators that encapsulate generic procedures to annotate workflow provenance. We implement our techniques with technology-independent provenance models and we showcase their benefit using real-world workflows.


We provide new evidence about the effect of court-ordered finance reforms that took place between 1989 and 2010 on per-pupil revenues and graduation rates. We account for heterogeneity in the treated and counterfactual groups to estimate the effect of overturning a state's finance system. Seven years after reform, the highest poverty quartile in a treated state experienced an 11.5 percent to 12.1 percent increase in per-pupil spending, and a 6.8 to 11.5 percentage point increase in graduation rates. We subject the model to various sensitivity tests, which provide upper and lower bounds on the estimates. Estimates range, in most cases, from 6 to 12 percentage points for graduation rates.


Aspergilli known as black- and white-koji molds which are used for awamori, shochu, makgeolli and other food and beverage fermentations, are reported in the literature as A. luchuensis, A. awamori, A. kawachii, or A. acidus. In order to elucidate the taxonomic position of these species, available ex-type cultures were compared based on morphology and molecular characters. A. luchuensis, A. kawachii and A. acidus showed the same banding patterns in RAPD, and the three species had the same rDNA-ITS, β-tubulin and calmodulin sequences and these differed from those of the closely related A. niger and A. tubingensis. Morphologically, the three species are not significantly different from each other or from A. niger and A. tubingensis. It is concluded that A. luchuensis, A. kawachii and A. acidus are the same species, and A. luchuensis is selected as the correct name based on priority. Strains of A. awamori which are stored in National Research Institute of Brewing in Japan, represent A. niger (n = 14) and A. luchuensis (n = 6). The neotype of A. awamori (CBS 557.65 =  NRRL 4948) does not originate from awamori fermentation and it is shown to be identical with the unknown taxon Aspergillus welwitschiae. Extrolite analysis of strains of A. luchuensis showed that they do not produce mycotoxins and therefore can be considered safe for food and beverage fermentations. A. luchuensis is also frequently isolated from meju and nuruk in Korea and Puerh tea in China and the species is probably common in the fermentation environment of East Asia. A re-description of A. luchuensis is provided because the incomplete data in the original literature.


New trends are characterizing the e-commerce environment: the market is consolidating and good business concepts no longer suffice for sustainable success. Instead, maxims of the old economy like cost-efficiency, turn-over, and profit maximisation using known assets like business process management, innovation, and collaborations are being focused. E-commerce requires a good management of business processes since crucial processes are in direct interaction with customers. Innovation can be achieved through novel retail process-chains that are shorter and thus more efficient than those of conventional commerce. Furthermore, collaboration based on aligned business processes enables integrated products and services with a single interface to consumers. The competition is rising along with the market consolidation and causes shrinking margins. For the profit and turn-over maximization, it is therefore necessary to raise the amount of transactions and to achieve business process efficiency. The trend of individualization calls for offer customization to consumers and composes together with the amount of transactions the need of mass customization. This challenge can be coped through the factory-like organization of the old economy for the e-commerce of tomorrow.