Air Products and Chemicals, Inc., the world's only combined gases and chemicals company, operates in over 30 countries, serving customers in the technology, energy, healthcare, and industrial markets. More than half of the company's $8.2 billion 2005 sales came from outside the United States, and external technology has long been of great importance to us. Prior to 1995, external technology partnering was conducted by each business area and the supporting RD this was the beginning of our "open innovation" effort. Open innovation is a technology management practice in which external resources are used to supplement a company's internal R&D and commercialization effort. The output of the innovation, when not aligned with the company's strategy or businesses, is used to license out or to spinoff ventures. The practice is the subject of Henry Chesbrough's 2003 book. Open Innovation (1). Why is there a trend toward an open innovation model? There are many driving forces, of which some of the more notable are: * Increased pressure for faster, improved and lower-cost R&D. * Realization that no company has more than 1 percent of global R&D capacity (2). * Reduced inflow of scientific talent to the United States (3). * The rest of the world has surpassed the U.S. in science education as evidenced by annual doctorate degrees granted (3). A recent article from Booz Allen Hamilton recognized open innovation as one of the three pillars of innovation and coined it, "Don't Do It All Yourself (4). In this paper, we describe some key elements of the Air Products process for open innovation, "Identify and Accelerate." Specifically, we shall review the process of identifying corporate technical needs and the role of external partnering to accelerate the innovation process. The external partnering strategies reviewed are: global R&D insourcing, Internet-based providers, partnering with the government, and licensing-in. We are also active with university R&D alliances and minority equity investments with start-ups, but these practices have been well covered by previous articles and are excluded from the scope of this article. Needs Identification It is imperative to quantify the top needs/problems in order to focus the open innovation efforts. We have initiated a process corporate-wide to quantify and prioritize the top technical needs: * Solicit top needs from business, marketing and technology organizations using a common problem/needs format. * Rank-order needs that make the first cut by a specific set of criteria based on financials, risks, strategy alignment, etc. * Senior business and technology management review and approve top needs. Top needs are then used to broaden exposure of the needs internally and to focus the identification of external resources to meet those needs. Technology needs are also posted on our internal corporate web site. A new system, called Needs Tracker, has been introduced as a means of identifying and logging emerging internal needs. This tool is available to all employees to identify and "post" their technical needs. Employees can also propose solutions to the posted needs. Figure 1 is a screen shot from this new IT tool. Partnering Strategies Partnering is the cornerstone of open innovation. Although partnering also includes alliances with internal groups globally, the main focus here is on external groups. Partnering with external groups spans a wide spectrum of options as indicated in Figure 2. …


The following recommendations were developed in April-May 2020 and based on the current knowledge of the SARSCoV-2 virus (COVID-19).

As countries, regions and aquatic organisations are at different stages of the disease and have different approaches to reducing the impact of the virus, there may be variations in practice that need to be considered before their implementation. There is also a wide variety in drowning and drowning resuscitation settings around the world. In some drowning resuscitation settings, these recommendations can be easily implemented. In other settings, there will be national recommendations or laws that overrule the situation. It should be recognised that many settings will deserve urgent improvisation or decision making beyond or in conflict with these recommendations. This may be either in the interest of the drowned person or the aquatic rescuer.

The COVID-19 places many common drowning resuscitation procedures into a different perspective. Alternative procedures are being implemented but have not yet been tested or validated for applicability. It is expected that during the next few months more information will become available which will further inform the evidence-base of these recommendations.


S Zammit

Dr S Zammit, Cardiff University, Cardiff, UK; firstname.lastname@example.com

What is the relation between use of cannabis and psychotic or affective mental health outcomes?

Studies selected evaluated the association between use of cannabis and risk of psychosis or affective mental health outcomes. Studies of patients with known mental illness or substance use related problems, prison inmates, and randomised controlled trials of medicinal use of cannabis were excluded. Outcomes were psychotic (including schizophrenia, schizophreniform, schizoaffective, or psychotic disorders; non-affective or affective psychoses; delusions; hallucinations; or thought disorders) or affective (including affective, mood, or bipolar disorders; depression, suicidal ideation or suicide attempts; anxiety; neurosis; or mania) mental health outcomes.

Medline, CINAHL, EMBASE/Excerpta Medica, …


Using a Ficoll velocity sedimentation gradient, we have been able to fractionate concanavalin A (Con A)-induced helper and suppressor cells into separate pools. Cells activated by Con A to mediate helper activity are Ly1+, do not require DNA synthesis for induction, and remain as small cells after activation. Suppressor cells are Ly23+, are found in the blast cell fraction and their induction is not inhibitable by prior treatment with mitomycin C or irradiation, both of which inhibit DNA synthesis. The implications of such findings are discussed.


The model presented shows how textured regions can be discriminated and textured surface created by the visual cortex. The model addresses two major processes: texture segmentation and texture binding. Textures are detected by using a version of the energy model of J. R. Bergen and E. H. Adelson (1988) and J. R. Bergen and M. S. Landy (1991), which was modified to include ON and OFF center cells, and units selective for line endings. A novel neural mechanism is described for binding a texture pattern together. Simulation results demonstrated the ability of the networks to segment and bind a well-known texture pattern.<<ETX>>


Glucose transporter 10 (GLUT10) is a member of the GLUT family of membrane transporters, and mutations in this gene cause arterial tortuosity syndrome (ATS). However, the physiological role and regulation of GLUT10 in arteries remains unclear. To further understand its physiological roles in major arteries, we examined the regulatory mechanisms of GLUT10 in ASMCs and aortic tissues. Interestingly, we find that targeting of GLUT10 to mitochondria is increased in ASMCs under both stress and aging conditions, which enhances dehydroascorbic acid (DHA) uptake and maintains intracellular ascorbic acid (AA) levels. We further demonstrate that the targeting of GLUT10 to mitochondria is important to maintain redox homeostasis, mitochondrial structure and mitochondrial function in ASMCs. A missense mutation of GLUT10 (Glut10G128E) impairs mitochondrial targeting in ASMCs. Consequently, ASMCs isolated from Glut10G128E mice exhibit increased reactive oxygen species (ROS) levels, fragmented mitochondria and impaired mitochondrial function, as well as enhanced cell proliferation and migration. In vivo, mitochondrial structure is altered, and ROS levels are heightened in aortic tissues of Glut10G128E mice. Furthermore, increased number and disorganization of ASMCs, along with progressive arterial wall remodeling were observed in aortic tissues of Glut10G128E mice. These defects were coincident with elevated systolic blood pressure in aged Glut10G128E animals. Our results describe a novel mechanism that GLUT10 targeting to mitochondria under stress and aging condition has a critical role in maintaining AA levels, redox homeostasis and mitochondrial structure and function in ASMCs, which is likely to contribute to the maintenance of healthy vascular tissue.


This vignette introduces the lbfgs package for R, which consists of a wrapper built around the libLBFGS optimization library written by Naoaki Okazaki. The lbfgs package implements both the Limited-memory Broyden-Fletcher-Goldfarb-Shanno (L-BFGS) and the Orthant-Wise Limited-memory Quasi-Newton (OWL-QN) optimization algorithms. The L-BFGS algorithm solves the problem of minimizing an objective, given its gradient, by iteratively computing approximations of the inverse Hessian matrix. The OWL-QN algorithm nds the optimum of an objective plus the L1 norm of the problem's parameters. The package oers a fast and memory-ecient implementation of these optimization routines, which is particularly suited for high-dimensional problems. The lbfgs package compares favorably with other optimization packages for R in microbenchmark tests.


Climate change mitigation policies have usually considered forest-based actions as cheap and fast options to reduce CO2 concentration in the atmosphere and slow down global warming. Most economic analyses, however, have ignored the effects of these actions on land surface albedo and the resulting effect on energy balance and temperature. This study estimates the marginal cost of forest mitigation associated with both carbon sequestration and albedo change, by introducing regional and forest-specific albedo information in a global dynamic forestry model. Our analysis indicates that traditional forest sequestration policies have underestimated the costs of climate mitigation, driving forest-based actions in regions where subsequent changes in albedo are significant. To reduce this inefficiency, this paper proposes a novel approach where both carbon sequestration and albedo effect are incorporated into pricing. Our results suggest that, under the same carbon price path, the integrative policy provides greater net global mitigation in absolute terms and per hectare of forest, and thus it is more efficient and less intrusive than the traditional policy.


Taking as a basis Søren Kierkegaard's narrative strategy of attack and defence, this paper will analyse the representation of western civilization in connection with the worldview of the native people living in a leper colony in Belgian Congo in Graham Greene's novel A Burnt-Out Case. I will examine concretely the way in which Greene attacks in the novel the hegemonic structure of the European colonizers, which both ignores and imposes itself on the African native society, considering it a no-structure. Additionally, I will study the cases of the priests in the leper colony and of doctor Colin, characters that, being on the frontier between both value systems, become cultural translators and thus make communication possible. These characters acknowledge that the native way of life is as legitimate as the European and represent the possibility of an empathic side of western civilization. In contrast with the attack mentioned above, with the priests and Dr Colin Greene defends the European community living in the area. Through the use of the narrative strategy of attack and defence, therefore, contradictory messages are inserted in the text so that the readers take an active role solving the paradoxes they find in their reading. Finally, I will focus on the main protagonist, Querry, whose internal journey starts with his contact with Deo Gratias, a member of the native society, and whose spiritual evolution throughout the novel cannot be explained without his experience with the native culture.


We report on the generation of highly stable active continuous mode-locked pulses in diode pumped Nd:YVO(4) with an adjustable pulse duration between 34 ps and 1 ns. With this laser an average output power of up to 7.3 W with an excellent stability and beam quality with a M(2)-value of < 1.1 is obtained. For all pulse durations the pulses were within a factor of 1.15 above the Fourier limit. Due to these characteristics the presented system is an attractive oscillator for OPCPA concepts.


This thesis describes the synthesis of various teichoic acid (TA)-fragments, capsular polysaccharide (CPS)-mimics and a toolbox of glycerol phosphate probes. Most of these molecules feature one or more phosphodiester functions, the introduction of which has been accomplished with phosphoramidite chemistry. The versatility of glycerol- and carbohydrate building blocks provided with a 2-cyanoethyl-protected phosphoramidite is illustrated by their application both in solution and in automated solid phase syntheses of TA and CPS oligomers as well as probes. The CPS-mimics are based on a polysaccharide present in the capsule of the gram negative bacterium Neisseria meningitidis, the pathogen that is the major cause of bacterial meningitis. The TA-fragments described in this thesis correspond to lipoteichoic acids (LTA) and wall teichoic acids (WTA) from Enterococcus faecalis and Enterococcus faecium, two commensal Gram-positive bacteria inhabiting the gastrointestinal tract. In both these bacterial families multi-drug-resistant strains have evolved and they are responsible for the majority of hospital-acquired infections. Enterococcal LTA generally consists of sn-glycerol-1-phosphate repeating units that can be decorated with carbohydrate- or D-alanyl appendages on the 2-OH of the glycerol moieties. The biosynthetic machinery of WTA is more complicated and can result in completely different structures.


Due to the steady tendency to propose highly customized products and to respond to volatile (i.e random) demands, Flexible Manufacturing Systems (FMS) are now present in most shopfloors. In this thesis, flexibility in a FMS is understood as the ability of a single production cell to deliver several different types of items, say N. The production capacity is usually limited in the sense that only one or K < N type(s) of items can be simultaneously produced. Each type of item faces a specific market demand which often shows random fluctuations. To insure a high reactivity when facing such random demands, efficient production rules for the FMS are mandatory. These rules include in particular two generic entities, namely: Finished Goods Inventories. The fluctuations of i) the production flows, (due to failure-prone machines) and ii) the demand flows, can be partly absorbed by the presence of Finished Good Inventories (FIG). Such storage zones incur costs especially when serving highly customized demands. Clearly, the balance between the advantage of high reactivity on the one hand and storage costs on the other introduces complex optimization issues. The optimal solution will generally include hybrid production rules, i.e. certain types of products optimally require FIG (we call this strategy make-to-stock production), while other types require no FIG (we call this strategy make-to-order production). Dynamic Scheduling rules. The intrinsic presence of fluctuations implies that simple deterministic scheduling rules (as for example deterministic polling rules which produce each type j of items periodically during a fixed period of time Tj) may lead to a very poor performance. Clearly, an optimal production schedule will be based on both past experience and observation of the present state of the system (i.e the populations of the FIG and the instantaneous rates of the demand and production flows). Hence, any optimal scheduling rule will necessarily present a time adaptive character (i.e. real time scheduling rules). In spite of a growing usage of FMS in industry, the general problem of determining the optimal dynamic scheduling of flexible manufacturing systems remains, in its full generality, an open issue of operations research. In order to give some answers to the question of optimal scheduling, the present thesis will discuss two mathematical models known as "Multi-Armed Bandit Problem" (MABP) and "Restless Bandit Problem" (RBP) in terms of which the FMS can be modeled. Let us briefly recall the salient features of the Bandit formalization. In its basic version, the MABP considers a series of N stochastic processes (also called projects) evolving in parallel. At each time t, a decision maker (DM) can engage at most one project (this feature reflects the limited resource property). The engaged project generates an instantaneous cost while the disengaged projects incur no cost and remain fixed ("frozen" dynamic rule of the disengaged projects). The optimal scheduling problem in the MABP consists in choosing at each time t which project to engage in order to minimize the global cost over a given time horizon. An exact solution of the basic MABP has been given in 1974 by Gittins. The solution is based on the construction of a set of N priority indices (the so-called Gittins indices) which assign to each project an "urgency function" in terms of which the optimal dynamic scheduling reads: "At each instant, engage the item exhibiting the smallest priority index value". To use the MABP formalization in the production engineering context, the basic hypothesis of the "frozen" dynamics needs to be loosened. It is indeed mandatory to allow for the following features: Disengaged projects evolve in time and do incur costs. This generalization is necessary to reflect the fact that demands for items not currently produced continue to accrue and their FGI obviously also incurs costs. The assumptions in a) lead us to study the so-called "Restless Bandit problems" for which the optimal scheduling rule is yet unknown. As it has been noted in the (scarce) literature available, a naive generalization of the priority indices will definitely not yield the optimal rule. However, close to optimal solutions can still be expressed in terms of suitably generalized priority indices. The use of such indices has the determining advantage of leading to very simple --though sub-optimal-- scheduling policies. This is indeed an essential feature of the production applications we have in mind. Hence, the construction of simple solvable models of optimal scheduling rules, will help to develop the perception needed to construct reliable heuristics applicable to the general problems. Accordingly, the general approach adopted in the present thesis is: Construct explicitly solvable classes of Bandit problems (Classical and Restless). Develop a heuristic to approach the problem of FMS and tests its validity on the basis of simulation studies. Moreover, as flexibility in a FMS generally generate setup penalties (such as the need for additional workforce incurring additional costs or cleaning operations imposing switching time delay) we will further: Construct an explicitly solvable class of MABP with setup penalties. Develop a heuristic to approach the general problem of MABP with setup costs and test its validity on the basis of the simple models introduced in iii). Our original contributions are: Explicit computation of the Gittins index for MABP (without switching penalties). We were able to compute explicitly the form of the Gittins indices when the evolution is given by a piecewise deterministic process which is intrinsically non-Markovian. This is among the few classes of non-Markovian examples in the literature for which the Gittins indices can be computed explicitly (M.-O. Hongler and F. Dusonchet, "Optimal stopping and Gittins indices for piecewise deterministic evolution process", Discrete Events Systems (2001) (11), 235--248). Explicit treatment of the Restless Multi-Armed Bandit process. We studied several underlying random dynamics relevant for the production engineering context, (e.g. diffusion processes as well as birth and death processes). We obtained explicit generalized priority indices and the resulting dynamic scheduling was compared with exact results derived numerically by A. Ha, (Oper. Res. 45, 1994, 42-53). Finally, using the RBP, we propose a sub-optimal heuristic solving the multi-items make-to-stock production problem (F. Dusonchet and M.-O. Hongler, "Continuous Time Restless Bandit and Dynamic Scheduling for Make-to-Stock Production", accepted for publication by IEEE Trans. on Robo. and Auto., (2003)). Construction of a sub-optimal heuristic for the MABP with setup penalties. Adding setup penalties to optimal control problems singularly increases the complexity of the solution. Therefore, very few results presently exist and the optimal decision problem with setups remains mostly unexplored. Our effort concentrates on the MABP with setup penalties and significant progress has been made by constructing a new class of MABP with setups for which the optimal policy can be explicitly constructed by recursion. Using this optimal derivation, we then propose a heuristic, approaching the optimal policy for general MABP with switching penalties (F. Dusonchet and M.-O. Hongler, "Optimal Policy for Deteriorating Two-Armed Bandit Problems with Switching Costs", accepted by Automatica, (2003)).


In this book we argue that teacher education has a complex and layered pedagogy. By claiming a 'layered' pedagogy for teacher education we mean that primarily the learning of children and young people is at the heart of all teacher education but with layers above that level, for example on the learning of teachers and on the learning of teacher educators. When a teacher educator is facilitating a formal session with student teachers they are concerned with the progress and well-being of their student teacher learners, but they also have in mind the learning of the current and future pupils of the student teachers. his layering is a key driver for many teacher educators: they relectively consider, am I actively supporting my student teachers so that they will become efective teachers and, in turn, give their pupils every chance to learn and to develop as learners?


In order to better understand and quantify the effect of instabilities in systems utilizing flow boiling heat transfer, the present study explores dynamic results for pressure drop, mass velocity, thermodynamic equilibrium quality, and heated wall temperature to ascertain and analyze the dominant modes in which they oscillate. Flow boiling experiments are conducted for a range of mass velocities with both subcooled and saturated inlet conditions in vertical upflow, vertical downflow, and horizontal flow orientations. High frequency pressure measurements are used to investigate the influence of individual flow loop components (flow boiling module, pump, pre-heater, condenser, etc.) on dynamic behavior of the fluid, with fast Fourier transforms of the same used to provide critical frequency domain information. Conclusions from this analysis are used to isolate instabilities present within the system due to physical interplay between thermodynamic and hydrodynamic effects. Parametric analysis is undertaken to better understand the conditions under which these instabilities form and their impact on system performance. Several prior stability maps are presented, with new stability maps provided to better address contextual trends discovered in the present study.Further, this study utilizes experimental results for vertical upflow boiling of FC-72 in a rectangular channel with finite inlet quality to investigate Density Wave Oscillations (DWOs) and assess their potential impact on design of two-phase systems for future space missions. High-speed flow visualization image sequences are presented and used to directly relate the cyclical passage of High and Low Density Fronts (HDFs and LDFs) to dominant low-frequency oscillations present in transient pressure signals commonly attributed to DWOs. A methodology is presented to determine frequency and amplitude of DWO induced pressure oscillations, which are then plotted for a wide range of relevant operating conditions. Mass velocity (flow inertia) is seen to be the dominant parameter influencing frequency and amplitude of DWOs. Amplitude of pressure oscillations is at most 7% of the time-averaged pressure level for current operating conditions, meaning there is little risk to space missions. Reconstruction of experimental pressure signals using a waveform defined by frequency and amplitude of DWO induced pressure fluctuations is seen to have only moderate agreement with the original signal due to the oversimplifications of treating DWO induced fluctuations as perfectly sinusoidal in nature, assuming they occur at a constant frequency value, and neglecting other transient flow features. This approach is nonetheless determined to have potential value for use as a boundary condition to introduce DWOs in two-phase flow simulations should a model be capable of accurately predicting frequency and amplitude of oscillation.Additionally, this study presents a new mechanistic model for Density Wave Oscillations (DWOs) in vertical upflow boiling using conclusions drawn from analysis of flow visualization images and transient experimental results as a basis from which to begin modeling. Counter to many prior studies attributing DWOs to feedback effects between flow rate, pressure drop, and flow enthalpy causing oscillations in position of the bulk boiling boundary, the present instability mode stems primarily from body force acting on liquid and vapor phases in a separated flow regime leading to liquid accumulation in the near-inlet region of the test section, which eventually departs and moves along the channel, acting to re-wet liquid film along the channel walls and re-establish annular, co-current flow. This process was modeled by dividing the test section into three distinct control volumes and solving transient conservation equations for each, yielding predictions of frequencies at which this process occurs as well as amplitude of associated pressure oscillations. Values for these parameters were validated against an experimental database of 236 FC-72 points and show the model provides good predictive accuracy and capably captures the influence of parametric changes to operating conditions.Also, this study shows analysis of pressure signals in condensing systems reveal the presence of relevant oscillatory phenomena during flow condensation as well, which may impact performance in applications concerned with precise system control. Towards this end, the present study presents results for oscillatory behavior observed in pressure measurements during flow condensation of FC-72 in a smooth circular tube in vertical upflow, vertical downflow, and horizontal flow orientations. Dynamic behavior observed within the test section is determined to be independent of other components within the flow loop, allowing it to be isolated and interpreted as resulting from physical aspects of two-phase flow with condensation. The presence of a peak oscillatory mode (one of significantly larger amplitude than any others present) is seen for 72% ofvertical upflow test cases, 61% of vertical downflow, and 54% of horizontal flow. Relative intensities of this peak oscillatory mode are evaluated through calculation of Q Factor for the corresponding frequency response peak. Frequency and amplitude of peak oscillatory modes are also evaluated. Overall, vertical upflow is seen to exhibit the most significant oscillatory behavior, although in its maximum case amplitude is only seen to be 7.9% of time-averaged module inlet pressure, indicating there is little safety risk posed by oscillations under current operating conditions. Flow visualization image sequences for each orientation are also presented and used to draw parallels between physical characteristics of condensate film behavior under different operating conditions and trends in oscillatory behavior detected in pressure signalsFurther, the present work outlines a new methodology utilizing temperature and pressure measurements to identify condensation flow regimes. For vertical upflow condensation, amplitude of dynamic temperature and pressure oscillations are shown to clearly indicate transition from counter-current flow regimes (i.e., falling film, oscillating film, flooding) to annular, co-current flow (climbing film flow regime). In horizontal flow condensation, standard deviation between multiple thermocouple measurements distributed around the tube circumference was calculated at all axial (stream-wise) measurement locations. High values of standard deviation are present for stratified flow (stratified flow, wavy-stratified, plug flow), while axisymmetric flow regimes (i.e., slug flow, annular flow) yield significantly lower values. Successful development of this technique represents a valuable contribution to literature as it allows condensation flow regime to be identified without the often-costly restriction of designing a test section to allow optical access. Identified flow regimes in both vertical upflow and horizontal flow orientations are compared to regime maps commonly found in the literature in pursuit of optimum performing maps.Finally, the present study aims to better analyze the influence of body force on flow condensation heat transfer by conducting tests at multiple orientations in Earth's gravity. Dielectric FC-72 is condensed in a smooth stainless-steel tube with 7.12 mm diameter and 574.55 mm condensing length by counterflow of cooling water across the outer surface of the tube. Test conditions span FC-72 mass velocities of 50.3 – 360.3 kg/m2s, test section inlet pressures of 127.0 – 132.1 kPa, and test section inlet thermodynamic equilibrium qualities of 0.13 – 1.15. A subset of data gathered corresponding to axisymmetric, annular condensation heat transfer is identified and a detailed methodology for data reduction to calculate heat transfer coefficient presented. Uncertainty analysis is also presented and indicates channel average heat transfer coefficients are calculated within ±3.6% to ±26.7% (depending on operating conditions). Analysis of parametric trends for condensation heat transfer reveals the dominant influence of mass velocity (flow inertia), secondary influence of vapor mass fraction (thermodynamic equilibrium quality), and strong dependence on orientation (body force) at low mass velocities. At higher mass velocities results for all orientations investigated begin to converge, indicating body force independent annular condensation heat transfer is achieved. Separated Flow Model predictions of vertical downflow condensation heat transfer provide reasonable agreement with experimental results, evidence by a Mean Absolute Error (MAE) of 31.2%. Evaluation of condensation heat transfer correlations for horizontal flow reveal most correlations struggle for cases with high liquid content. Specific correlations are identified for superior accuracy in predicting the measured data.


Sipuncula is an ancient clade of unsegmented marine worms that develop through a conserved pattern of unequal quartet spiral cleavage. They exhibit putative character modifications, including conspicuously large first-quartet micromeres and prototroch cells, postoral metatroch with exclusive locomotory function, paired retractor muscles and terminal organ system, and a U-shaped digestive architecture with left-right asymmetric development. Four developmental life history patterns are recognized, and they have evolved a unique metazoan larval type, the pelagosphera. When compared with other quartet spiral-cleaving models, sipunculan development is understudied, challenging and typically absent from evolutionary interpretations of spiralian larval and adult body plan diversity. If spiral cleavage is appropriately viewed as a flexible character complex, then understudied clades and characters should be investigated. We are pursuing sipunculan models for modern molecular, genetic and cellular research on evolution of spiralian development. Protocols for whole mount gene expression studies are established in four species. Molecular labeling and confocal imaging techniques are operative from embryogenesis through larval development. Next-generation sequencing of developmental transcriptomes has been completed for two species with highly contrasting life history patterns, Phascolion cryptum (direct development) and Nephasoma pellucidum (indirect planktotrophy). Looking forward, we will attempt intracellular lineage tracing and fate-mapping studies in a proposed model sipunculan, Themiste lageniformis. Importantly, with the unsegmented Sipuncula now repositioned within the segmented Annelida, sipunculan worms have become timely and appropriate models for investigating the potential for flexibility in spiralian development, including segmentation. We briefly review previous studies, and discuss new observations on the spiralian character complex within Sipuncula.


BACKGROUND
Breast cancer (BC) is the most common cancer reported in females in Oman and usually occurs at a relatively younger age, presents at an advanced stage and behaves aggressively. BC occurs in hereditary and sporadic forms. Although germ-line mutations in BRCA1 and BRCA2 genes are rare in sporadic cases compared with hereditary cases, molecular alterations, such as loss of heterozygosity, and CpG methylation, are common. In this study, we investigated the types of molecular alterations associated with hereditary and sporadic BRCA1-associated BC in Omani patients.

METHODS
We obtained clinical data and samples from 43 sporadic BC patients. The selection of cases was made based on the following criteria: aged ≤ 40 years, or bilateral breast cancer, or estrogen and progesterone receptor negative status, and HER-2/neu negative (Triple Negative phenotype) status. Screening for molecular alterations was performed by direct sequencing, multiplex ligation-dependent probe amplification (MLPA).

RESULTS
Genomic deletions and duplication in the BRCA1 gene were identified in four female patients. Two patients carried exon 1 and 2 deletions and two showed exon 1 and 2 duplication. Screening for mutation by direct sequencing revealed three polymorphisms in exon 11. Two of these polymorphisms are nonsynonymous (rs1800704, rs799917) and one is synonymous (rs1800740).

CONCLUSION
The current pilot study detected previously described gene rearrangements and polymorphisms involving the BRCA1 gene and no seemingly pathogenic missense mutations were elucidated.

KEYWORDS
BRCA1, breast cancer, mutation, polymorphism, Omani, Arab.


Miyun Reservoir is the main surface source of drinking water for Beijing, China. Water eutrophication has compelled authorities to improve the water quality in its upstream catchment. However, a water-quality survey of the entire catchment was lacking. A total of 52 monitoring sites covering the entire catchment were sampled approximately monthly from July–September 2013, in response to rainfall and runoff. Six water nutrient concentrations were used to characterize the eutrophication, which was relatively severe. The total nitrogen pollution was classified as the worst grade of the water-quality standard. The water quality of Bai River was superior to that of Chao River, while the quality of tributaries was better than that of main rivers. The upstream and downstream reaches of main rivers and small tributaries usually had cleaner water than the middle reaches. The worst pollution mainly appeared in the middle reaches in Hebei Province. Spatial variations in water quality were closely related to land use quantitative characteristics of sub-watersheds. We suggest that a balanced, transparent compensation mechanism focused on Hebei Province would assist to improve water quality.


The benefits of incrementalism are frequently lauded in international lawmaking. Scholars argue that these benefits accrue to international organizations with limited resources or to nation-states that are reluctant to move too fast. Using the case of UNCITRAL's (the United Nations Commission on International Trade Law) global lawmaking over the last forty years, we develop the concept of incrementalism in two ways. First, we show that incrementalism takes at least three forms: vertical incrementalism occurs when international organizations dig more deeply in a particular area over progressive rounds; horizontal incrementalism can be observed when international organizations successively expand the substantive boundaries of the range of topics they seek to embrace; pyramidal incrementalism occurs when an international organization deliberately drafts its norms by standing on the shoulders of prior efforts of other international organizations. Second, international organizations use these several incrementalisms to build both general institutional legitimacy and authority in a particular area of global lawmaking. Following the theory of legitimacy in international organizations, we find that incrementalism facilitates legitimacy because it assists an international organization in promoting a perception of its effectiveness to the international community and sovereign states. Over time, a succession of incremental improvements sets up expectations that its success will occur as a matter of course. By using incrementalism to build legitimacy, simultaneously international organizations strengthen their own authority, build expectations of success in the production of global norms, and increase the probability that global norms will be adopted. Insolvency law highlights the relationships between incrementalism and legitimacy because international agreement on the substance of insolvency law was perceived by many to present insoluble difficulties. A special focus on UNCITRAL's Working Group on Insolvency Law, the Commission's Model Law on Cross-Border Insolvency, and its Legislative Guide on Insolvency Law, demonstrates the interplay of incrementalisms and raises further questions about their implications for legitimacy.


We present a query formulation language (called MashQL) in order to easily query and fuse structured data on the web. The main novelty of MashQL is that it allows people with limited IT skills to explore and query one (or multiple) data sources without prior knowledge about the schema, structure, vocabulary, or any technical details of these sources. More importantly, to be robust and cover most cases in practice, we do not assume that a data source should have - an offline or inline - schema. This poses several language-design and performance complexities that we fundamentally tackle. To illustrate the query formulation power of MashQL, and without loss of generality, we chose the Data web scenario. We also chose querying RDF, as it is the most primitive data model; hence, MashQL can be similarly used for querying relational databases and XML. We present two implementations of MashQL, an online mashup editor, and a Firefox add on. The former illustrates how MashQL can be used to query and mash up the Data web as simple as filtering and piping web feeds; and the Firefox add on illustrates using the browser as a web composer rather than only a navigator. To end, we evaluate MashQL on querying two data sets, DBLP and DBPedia, and show that our indexing techniques allow instant user interaction.


Professor Dripps's provocative proposal, as I understand it, is that we think of sex as a commodity and rape as the theft of that commodity. Understood as such, the theft of sex accomplished through violence or the threat of violence is a twofold wrong: it violates our "negative" right to refuse to have sex with anyone for any or no reason, and violence or the threat of violence infringes our right to personal, physical security. Therefore, the violent expropriation of sex should be punished as a major felony, as is violent rape, at least in theory. Furthermore, according to Dripps, the expropriation of sex through nonviolent means may also be wrong, and even criminally so, depending upon the means used. It is much more difficult, however, to distinguish those sexual transactions that result from impermissible, albeit nonviolent, pressures from those that result from pressures that, although perhaps not commendable, are not sufficiently egregious to be made the target of the criminal law. Eschewing reliance on the presence or absence of the woman's consent as a means of distinguishing between criminal expropriations and permissible bargains, Dripps suggests that we focus instead on the "means" used to procure sex, and develop some set of guidelines by which to distinguish those means that are "legitimate" from those that are "illegitimate." Through consideration of a series of hypothetical cases, Dripps reaches the conclusion that expropriation of sex accomplished in part by disregarding an expressed, verbal protestation should be the paradigm for this lesser offense of nonviolent expropriation; a refusal to heed an expressed desire not to have sex violates rights of autonomy and should be criminal, although not punished as harshly as those expropriations accomplished through violence or threats. Although this new offense - nonviolent expropriation of sexual services in disregard of a verbal "no" - would expand the criminalization of sex, it would leave untouched two important classes of sexual transactions, the first of which Dripps concedes may be problematic, but the second of which, Dripps argues, although viewed as problematic by a number of feminist writers, should not be so viewed. First, it leaves uncriminalized a wide range of sexual transactions that result from fraudulent misrepresentation. Surely these transactions are illegitimate, since they would be criminal if the commodity were anything but sex. However, primarily for pragmatic reasons (namely, that it would involve a "sweeping criminalization of sex," and particularly the recriminalization of adultery), Dripps argues that such sexual transactions should not be regarded as criminal. Second, it leaves untouched a range of sexual transactions that might concededly result in unwanted, undesired, and unpleasurable sex for the woman, but that are a part of what Dripps calls "complex relationships," in which sex is given in exchange not for pleasure, but rather for some bundle of goods presumed desirable by the woman - including, for example, fidelity, economic security, or friendship. Those relationships, Dripps argues, may well involve nonmutual and unpleasurable sex, but the "means" by which the sex is obtained are "legitimate." Since the woman has in some way acquiesced in the totality of the bargain, an exchange of goods for sex does not constitute an infringement of the woman's rights or a denial of her autonomy, even if the sex itself is far short of ideal.In these comments, I recapitulate my understanding of Dripps's argument, then suggest what seem to be some of the strengths and weaknesses of his suggested reform of rape law. I then comment in more detail on what I take to be the most serious danger of Dripps's proposal: the "commodity theory" of sex legitimates what should be regarded as morally problematic (whether or not criminally culpable) sexual transactions. I conclude by suggesting a way to retain some of the structure of Dripps's proposal without accepting its undesirable normative consequences.


This paper examines the association between two alternative indicators of food access-traditional calorie-based indicators which provide objective data and the experiential indicators which address the psychological dimensions of food insecurity. In the process of modelling the relationship between the two indicators, the study also identifies the determinants of experience-based food security and provides a simple mechanism to predict a household's food security status, given certain economic and socio-demographic characteristics of the household. The entire exercise is based on the information collected from a survey of 500 randomly selected slum households of Kolkata in 2010-11. The experience-based indicator of food security was constructed following the U.S. Household Food Security Survey Module (US HFSSM). A nine-item food security scale was constructed, based on which households were classified as highly food secure, marginally food secure, moderately food insecure and severely food insecure. The modelling framework is based on recursive simultaneous ordered probit model with continuous and binary endogenous explanatory variables. Results indicate that the two alternative indicators are aligned in the same direction. The paper has a strong policy emphasis since it establishes the nutritional relevance of the experiential food security indicator and at the same time identifies possible threats to household food security which include lack of assets, low level of education, female headship of households and high dependency ratio in the household. The modelling framework also allows one to identify households at greater risk of food insecurity.


The flow-field characteristics beneath swept and unswept wings as determined by potential-flow theory are compared with the experimentally determined flow fields beneath swept and unswept wing-fuselage combinations. The potential-flow theory utilized considered both spanwise and chordwise distributions of vorticity as well as the wing-thickness effects. The perturbation velocities induced by a unit horseshoe vortex are included in tabular form. The theoretical predictions of the flow-field characteristics were qualitatively correct in all cases considered, although there were indications that the magnitudes of the downwash angles tended to be overpredicted as the tip of the swept wing was approached and that the sidewash angles ahead of the unswept wing were underpredicted. The calculated effects of compressibility indicated that significant increases in the chordwise variation of flow angles and dynamic-pressure ratios should be expected in going from low to high subsonic speeds.


Abstract : Software architecture is an area of growing importance to practitioners and researchers in government, industry, and academia. Journals and international workshops are devoted to it. Working groups are formed to study it. Textbooks are emerging about it. The government is investing in the development of software architectures as core products in their own right. Industry is marketing architectural frameworks such as CORBA. Why all the interest and investment? What is software architecture, and why is it perceived as providing a solution to the inherent difficulty in designing and developing large, complex systems? This report will attempt to summarize the concept of software architecture for an intended audience of mid to senior level management. The reader is presumed to have some familiarity with common software engineering terms and concepts, but not to have a deep background in the field. This report is not intended to be overly-scholarly, nor is it intended to provide the technical depth necessary for practitioners and technologists. The intent is to distill some of the technical detail and provide a high level overview.


The report describes the layout aspects and the instrumentation details of the facility, meant for film cooling investigation. The injectant air is hated and the main flow air remains at ambient temperature while the temperature ratio on tween the injectant and the main flow is simulated. Through this in expensive method, an experimental program is being carried out to study the lift off/attachment characteristic, the nature of stream wise penetration and the lateral spreading of the injectant film for discrete hole injection configuration in an accelerating turbine blade passage. Though detailed study of the injectant film in case of flat plate13; has been carried out by many researchers, little work has been done on the above said topic in case of actual blades and many regions remain unexplored in this discrete hole cooling process which is considered as one of the most promising cooling process for turbine blades. The aim of the experimental work will be too obtain details13; of flow and , mixing in the vicinity of the injection holes, including the upstream and the downstream regions and the instrumentation system has been geared to meet this demand.


The future will see autonomous intelligent systems acting in the same environment as humans, in areas as diverse as driving, assistive technology, and health care. Think of self-driving cars, companion robots, and medical diagnosis support systems. Also, humans and machines will often need to work together and agree on common decisions. Thus hybrid collective decision making systems will be in great need. In these scenarios, both machines and collective decision making systems should follow some form of moral values and ethical principles (appropriate to where they will act but always aligned to humans'). In fact, humans would accept and trust more machines that behave as ethically as other humans in the same environment. Also, these principles would make it easier for machines to determine their actions and explain their behavior in terms understandable by humans. Moreover, often machines and humans will need to make decisions together, either through consensus or by reaching a compromise. This would be facilitated by shared moral values and ethical principles. In this paper we introduce some issues in embedding morality into intelligent systems. A few research questions are defined, with the hope that the discussion raised by the questions will shed some light onto the possible answers.


Four new species of the genus Coecobrya , C. gejianbangi sp. nov., C. annulata sp. nov., C. ciliata sp. nov., and C. oculata sp. nov., are described from Guangxi caves as the representative of the genus in China. Coecobrya oculata sp. nov. of the boneti -group has 1+1 eyes and a serrate outer edge of the unguiculus. The other three species, devoid of eyes and with a tiny outer tooth on the unguiculus, are assigned here to the tenebricosa -group, assuming that the large tooth on the unguiculus is transformed into a tiny one in cave-obligate species. Clypeal chaetae in Entomobryoidea are systematically surveyed for the first time, and are found to be well diversified at species level. They have a potential taxonomical value in discriminating taxa of morphologically conserved groups.


Epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) is widely expressed in a number of solid tumors including colorectal cancers. Overexpression of this receptor is one means by which a cell can achieve positive signals for survival and proliferation; another effective means is by constitutive activation of EGFR. We have elucidated the role of constitutive EGFR signaling in malignant progression by stably transfecting colon cancer cells with a human transforming growth factor-alpha cDNA (a ligand for EGFR) under repressible control by tetracycline. We show that constitutive expression of transforming growth factor-alpha and its subsequent constitutive activation of EGFR allows for cancer cell survival in response to environmental stress in vitro and in vivo as well. The reversal of constitutive EGFR activation results in the loss of downstream mitogen-activated protein kinase and Akt activation, and a reduction in xenograft size that is associated with decreased proliferation and increased apoptosis. We used CI-1033, a small molecule antagonist of EGFR, to dissect an activation pathway that shows the ability of ERBb2 to activate Akt, but not Erk in the face of EGFR antagonism. This novel escape mechanism is a possible explanation of why anti-EGFR therapies have shown disappointing results in clinical trials.


In this book, Eva Yampolsky explores the questions of identity, illusion and suicide in the works of Guy de Maupassant. Utilizing a historical context which stimulated numerous social, technological and scientific transformations and developments during the 19th century, Dr. Yampolsky identifies two defining aims.
Firstly, she examines the various figures of the double, such as visual representations of the subject through painting, mirror reflection, generational proximity and resemblance, and the relation between self-perception and social norms. She seeks to show the complex and often conflicting relation between the individual and society, and more specifically the attempts and frequent failures to manipulate, control and embody a unique definition of self. This divergence between the social norms, such as class, profession, gender and honor, and the characters' notion of self is what drives the narrative.
Secondly, Eva Yampolsky analyzes the consequent psychological turmoil, madness and even suicide of many Maupassantian characters. This impossible task of embodying an identity that is sole and unique, as it is lived and perceived by the subject and others, in most short stories and novels leads to the characters' disillusionment and, in a great number of texts, violence or suicide.
This book draws on the social, political and economic revolutions that redefined the individual. New forms of visual representation and communication, namely with the invention of photography and the developments of the press, bring forth questions of authenticity, doubling, and a new distinction between private and public spheres. Finally, the birth of psychiatry at the turn of the 19th century and the emergence of new disciplines, such as sociology and psychoanalysis, inscribe passions, illusions and suicide in new discursive and disciplinary frameworks. These transformations and developments are pervasive and, in many cases, explicit in Maupassant's work, influences that have aided and nourished the literary analysis of his texts.


Understanding the effects of reciprocity on tax morale is crucial to explain tax compliance behavior. However, there is only little research about which sources of reciprocity affect tax morale most. Thus, this paper for the first time gauges the effects from two sources of reciprocity on tax morale in an empirical study. The first source, vertical reciprocity, measures how tax payers value their contributions to the government. The second source, horizontal reciprocity, examines the impact of the perceived compliance behavior of other tax payers. The focus of the study is on Vietnam. The country seems to be a promising spot for this type of research because it exhibits an exceptional high level of tax morale and collectivism but only has low tax audit probabilities. This analysis is based on a consumer survey in the City of Hue which combines and extends questions from previous versions of the European and the World Value Survey. The result shows that both reciprocity measures are significantly correlated with tax morale but that vertical reciprocity prevails.


Gameplay design patterns are semiformal interconnected descriptions features of gameplay. While most previous patterns have been identified through analyzing existing games, this paper proposed how patterns can be identified using theories as starting points. More specifically, we propose three different approaches to harvesting gameplay design patterns: 1) using theories as analysis foci, 2) distilling patterns from theories, and 3) using theories to understand the consequences of having or not having patterns present in a game design. The three approaches are presented together with examples of their use, and based upon this the concept of Theory Lenses as an analytical tool is introduced as a way of allowing theories independent of their research field to be applied to research on gameplay design.


A new amperometric biosensor based on cellobiose dehydrogenase (CDH) was created for the detection of ortho- and para-diphenolic compounds. The developed electrode efficiently discriminates between diphenolic and monophenolic compounds. The analyte, a diphenolic compound, is oxidised on the surface of a graphite electrode at an applied potential of +300 mV vs. Ag/AgCl. The diphenol is then regenerated by the adsorbed CDH in the presence of cellobiose, thus allowing an amplified response signal. Different parameters of the CDH–electrode system were optimised, e.g., applied potential, immobilisation time, flow rate, substrate concentration and storage conditions. Using the optimised parameters the sensitivity and detection limits for various diphenolic compounds were evaluated, resulting in detection limits below 5 nM for most of the compounds tested. The highest sensitivity recorded was obtained for dopamine, 3.6 A l mol–1 cm–2. The operational stability of the electrodes was high: during 2 h of continuous operation only a 1–2% decrease in response signal was observed.


This essay analyzes legal responses to the biodiversity threats posed by sea level rise. It focuses on implementation of the Endangered Species Act by the United States Fish and Wildlife Service and the National Marine Fisheries Service. The essay begins by explaining the ways sea level rise threatens biodiversity, and then explains the legal tools the ESA offers as potential responses to those threats. It then examines how the FWS and NMFS have used, or not used, those tools. It finds that the agencies, while clearly cognizant of the threats posed by sea level rise, have avoided regulatory responses and instead have chosen to emphasize education and persuasion. That choice reflects the agencies' awareness that none of the ESA's regulatory tools is particularly well suited to address sea level rise, and that invoking any of those tools would generate political controversies and potential anti-regulatory backlashes. Nevertheless, the essay argues that such a non-regulatory approach holds slim odds of either mitigating the underlying causes of sea level rise or facilitating meaningful adaptation. It concludes with several suggestions for modest reforms, each of which would incrementally ameliorate the threats sea level rise poses for biodiversity. But it also argues that a truly meaningful response will require addressing the underlying causes of climate change.


Kenya's strategic location at the crossroads of conflict in East Africa and the Horn has made it a highway for small arms trafficking and proliferation. The capital city of Nairobi is relatively removed from the thousand kilometres of unpoliced border with Somalia as well as the borders of Ethiopia, Sudan, and Uganda. Nonetheless, a survey of the city's public published recently by the Institute for Security Studies reveals the way security and stability are threatened by a perceived increase in the presence of firearms and related crime.


The Laisvall deposit in Swedish Lappland is one of a series of sandstone lead-zinc deposits at the border of the Caledonian mountains. The total ore reserves were estimated to be 80 million tons of 4 percent lead and zinc.The ore is located mainly in two thin sandstone horizons in a late Precambrian-Cambrian autochthonous sedimentary sequence overlying a Proterozoic crystalline basement and covered by nappe slices related to the Caledonian orogeny. The sandstones were deposited on a stable platform at the shallow, tidal margin of the proto-Atlantic.Nappe translation into the area was accompanied by minimal disturbance of the Laisvall autochthonous sediments. Disruption of the alum shales, which formed the sole of the lowermost nappe, flexure folding, and some faulting are the major tectonic effects. The ore has suffered folding, faulting, and overthrusting, and thus predates the arrival of the Caledonian nappes into the area. An illite crystallinity study reveals that thermal effects of the overthrusting were limited to within 20 m of the lowermost nappe. This is consistent with textural observations on the sandstones and ore minerals suggesting that the major metamorphic effect on the ore was caused by low-temperature loading. Total recrystallization or remobilization of the deposit is precluded.The minerals of the ore association include galena, sphalerite, calcite, fluorite, and barite. They infill the pore spaces in the sandstones. No definitive paragenesis can be unraveled at Laisvall. The minerals are commonly mutually exclusive and several generations of each mineral exist. However, there is a marked tendency for sphalerite to be generally older than galena, which in turn usually precedes the calcite, barite, and fluorite. The deposit is zoned, particularly with respect to galena and sphalerite, with zinc being dominant in the Upper Sandstone to the northwest and very minor in the galena-rich Lower Sandstones.A fluid inclusion study on the sphalerites shows that the ore was precipitated from a concentrated Na-Ca-Cl brine at around 150 degrees C. No evidence for boiling is found. Sulfur isotopic ratios of the sulfides are not in equilibrium, indicating sequential deposition. The sulfide-sulfur is isotopically heavier than the barite sulfate-sulfur. This indicates that two solutions were involved in the formation of the ore, a sulfidic solution and a low sulfide sulfate solution. Thermodynamic and mass balance considerations suggest that the metals were contained in the sulfate solution.Calcite carbon and oxygen isotope ratios reveal the presence of both sedimentary and hydrothermal carbonate, suggesting partial reaction of hydrothermal solutions with the sedimentary carbonate. Oxygen isotopic ratios are consistent with the fluid inclusion data.The distribution of the ore is mainly controlled by permeability variations in the sandstones caused by the distribution of shale layers and sedimentary structures. Sharp ore contacts in some areas of the deposit indicate that the ore was formed after the deposition of the sandstones. The ore formation temperature, similarities of fluid inclusion properties in sphalerite in probable Caledonide-related joints with bulk ore, and increased crystallinity of illites when in contact with the ore suggest that ore formation was nearer to the arrival of Caledonide nappes in the area.Trace hydrocarbons have been detected in the sphalerite and evidence is presented as to their primary origin, rather than from recent contamination. These observations, together with the fluid inclusion data, suggest that the ore solutions were similar to oil field brines.The accumulated data suggest that pulses of metalliferous, low sulfide brines encountered sulfidic waters in the Laisvall area, leading to precipitation of the ore. Sulfur isotopic evidence indicates that the sulfate was derived from oxidative leaching of sedimentary sulfides and the sulfide possibly from oil-field waters. The metalliferous brines varied in gross chemistry, being zinc-rich initially, lead-rich in the main phase of ore formation, and becoming metal-poor in the later stages. The sulfide solution seems to have been more homogeneous in character.Precipitation occurred at around pH 5 at 150 degrees C from a concentrated chloride solution.Subsequent loading by the nappes effectively sealed the Laisvall sandstone aquifer, leading to the preservation of the ore during the remaining, relatively peaceful, 400 million years of its history.


Recent advances in plant genetic engineering offer substantial benefits to farmers throughout the world. Genetic research has identified many exogenous genes that could considerably decrease production costs through transgene-mediated resistance to insect, viral, fungal and bacterial pathogens. Potato can be produced from true potato seed (TPS) through a sexual polyploidization step, known as 4x-2x hybridization. Little is known regarding the stability of transgenes through sexual polyploidization in potato, although studies have associated ploidy elevation with transgene silencing in plants such as Arabidopsis thaliana. In the present study, potato was transformed with two different transgenes, cry3Aa and PVY cp, and transgene expression was analyzed through 4x-2x hybridization. Transgene introgression did not affect fertility or agronomic performance (tuber set, average tuber weight, total tuber yield) of the resulting 4x-2x hybrids; however, reduced seed germination was observed for several transgenic lines in an in vitro study. Ploidy elevation did not affect a highly expressed single copy cry3Aa transgene, simplex or duplex, transmitted through pollen to 4x-2x hybrids. By contrast, multiple copies of cry3Aa triggered significant transgene silencing in diploids and silencing was further pronounced upon pollen transmission to 4x-2x hybrids. Crosses between two, single insert plants demonstrated additional evidence that multiple cry3Aa transgenes resulted in reduced expression, as well as provided evidence for maternal effects on expression of the cry3Aa transgene. Finally, Cry3Aa expression levels of progeny derived from low expressing, multiple copy 4x-2x hybrids indicated that reduction of transgene number in progeny, through meiotic segregation, could increase Cry3Aa expression. The results suggest that 4x-2x hybridization using single copy, male parents can result in high expressing, transgenic 4x-2x hybrids while segregating for a low frequency of non-transgenic hybrids that create a "refuge" to inhibit development of resistance to transgenes in pest populations.


Recent demands for polymers with autonomous self-healing properties are being constantly raised due to the need for high-performance and reliable materials. So far, the advances in this field are limited to the production of self-healing materials requiring a high energy input. Therefore there is an urgent need to develop self-healing polymer systems, in which healing can be easily and specifically induced by external stimuli for economical and viable applications. In the current work we demonstrate, for the first time to our knowledge, the possibility to heal local macroscopic damage by a confined temperature increase arising from the Joule effect. The damage healing is promoted by the resistance to an electrical current at the crack tip. This new concept is studied on thermo-reversible and electrically conductive poly(ester-urethane)/carbon nanotube nanocomposites derived from thermo-reversible Diels–Alder reactions between furfuryl- and maleimide-functionalized poly(e-caprolactone) (PCL)-based precursors. Electrically conductive materials are then obtained after incorporating multi-walled carbon nanotubes into the thermo-reversible networks using reactive extrusion. Under mild electrical conditions, temperature in the range of the retro-Diels–Alder reaction can be obtained near the damaged site. The obtained results reveal the potential of this new approach for healing materials locally while maintaining the overall material properties.


BACKGROUND
 Vaccination is the most effective form of prevention of seasonal influenza; the UK has a national influenza vaccination programme to cover targeted population groups. Influenza vaccines are known to be associated with some common minor adverse events of interest (AEIs), but it is not known if the adjuvanted trivalent influenza vaccine (aTIV), first offered in the 2018/19 season) would be associated with more AEIs than other types of vaccines.

 OBJECTIVE
 We aim to compare the incidence of AEIs associated with different types of seasonal influenza vaccines offered in the 2018/19 season.

 METHODS
 We carried out a retrospective cohort study using computerised medical record data from the Royal College of General Practitioners (RCGP) Research and Surveillance Centre (RSC) sentinel network database. We extracted data on vaccine exposure and consultations for European Medicines Agency (EMA)-specified AEIs for the 2018/19 influenza season. We used a self-controlled case series design and computed relative incidence (RI) of AEIs following vaccination, and compared the incidence of AEIs associated with aTIV, quadrivalent influenza vaccine (QIV) and live attenuated influenza vaccine (LAIV). We also compared the incidence of AEIs for vaccinations that took place in a practice with those that took place elsewhere.

 RESULTS
 A total of 1,024,160 individuals received a seasonal influenza vaccine, of which 165,723 individuals reported a total of 283,355 compatible symptoms in the 2018/19 season. The majority of AEIs occurred within seven days following vaccination, with a seasonal effect observed. Using aTIV as the reference group, QIV was associated with a higher RI of AEIs (RI=1.46, 95% CI 1.41-1.52), whereas LAIV was associated with a lower RI of AEIs (RI=0.79, 95% CI 0.73-0.83). No effect of vaccination setting on the incidence of AEIs was observed.

 CONCLUSIONS
 Routine sentinel network data offer an opportunity to make comparisons between safety profiles of different vaccines. Evidence that supports the safety of newer types of vaccines may be reassuring for patients and could help improve uptake in the future.

 CLINICALTRIAL


Building on a recent important contribution by Deaton and Dreze (2009), our analysis sheds new light on why the calorie Engel curve shifted down-especially in rural India- over the period 1993–2004. The puzzle for the longer period analysed by Deaton and Dreze (2009) is that despite higher incomes per capita calorie consumption was lower at a given level of per capita household expenditure, across the expenditure scale, in 2004. In trying to resolve this puzzle, they are emphatic that the decline in calorie intake reflects lower calorie requirements due mainly to better health and lower activity levels. Using a standard demand framework, our resolution is different. The important role of food prices in inducing changes in consumption-through both own and cross-price effects — is confirmed. Although calorieincome/ expenditure elasticities are large, stagnation of incomes in rural areas over the period 1993–2004 suggests that prices had a decisive role in lowering calorie intake. Controlling for all these and unobserved effects, there was a significant negative effect of a time dummy which is arguably linked to improvements in health and lower activity levels. Policy interventions designed to stabilise food prices and expand livelihood opportunities in rural areas thus remain an important concern despite differing views on whether pervasive nutritional deprivation is real.


Beginning with a review of the extent of undeclared work, the author discusses the discrepancies between regions and the potential impacts of the economic crisis, comparing the nature of the potential solutions available with those actually adopted. The way forward, the book concludes, is to move away from increasing the costs of engaging in hidden work using repressive measures, and concentrate more on developing initiatives that enhance the benefits of engaging in declared work and increase the likelihood of compliance by engendering a commitment to tax morality.


Contrasts in spawning time between in situ and ex situ colonies of the pillar coral Dendrogyra cylindrus were assessed by comparing 8 years of in situ spawning observations with 3 years of observations on ex situ corals held in outdoor flow-through tanks. In situ colonies exhibited a 3-day spawning window, with peak spawning occurring three nights after the full moon and 90 (males) – 96 (females) min after sunset. The ex situ spawning window extended across 7 days, with a peak on nights 4–5 after the full moon; females continued to spawn through night 8. Ex situ spawning occurred ∼50 min later than in situ spawning, and the spawning window for ex situ females was significantly greater than for in situ colonies. Fragments held ex situ for as few as 10 days experienced delayed spawning times, but corals held for greater than one lunar year exhibited significantly later spawning than those held less than one lunar year. Early and late full moons resulted in earlier male spawn time and asynchronous gamete release between males and females. Comparing spawn times throughout the Caribbean identified distance from lighted shorelines as a strong correlate with spawn time in minutes after sunset; proximity to artificial light resulted in delayed spawn times. We propose that artificial lights are red-shifting the twilight spectrum and affecting corals' perception of lighting cues that trigger spawning. Coral colonies held at outdoor ex situ facilities, which are subject to even higher levels of artificial light, exhibit even further asynchrony in spawning time as well as spawning night. The effects of widespread and increasing light pollution on spawning synchrony may represent a potential stressor that could inhibit natural reef recovery.


Britain has the most active and developed Islamic banking sector in the European Union. This sector is set to grow with both Islamic and non-Islamic banks now offering a range
of Sharia compliant products. However, are these banks meeting the service quality needs of their customers? Previous studies on service quality within Islamic banks have been restricted to Muslim-based countries and whilst English Muslims will have the same religious beliefs, their values may have been altered by the western society in which they live and work. Hence existing service quality tools are likely to be unsuitable for this market. Using mixed methods, this research developed a modified SERVQUAL model for measuring service quality in English Islamic banks. The resulting instrument is intended to help the managers of Islamic banks based in England to measure their service quality and focus their attention on the service quality dimensions that matter most to Muslim customers
Items for the new service quality instrument were taken from the original SERVQUAL model, previous studies that modified SERVQUAL and eight focus groups conducted with members ofthe English Muslim community. The resulting instrument was tested via a questionnaire with more than 300 Muslims in England resulting in the EIBSQ, an English Islamic Banking Service Quality tool. This measures service quality as perceived by English Muslims. Using factor analysis, the instrument includes thirty-four items, which are grouped into five dimensions. The five dimensions are: responsiveness, credibility, Islamic tangibles, accessibility, and bank image. One of the key contributions ofthis thesis is the proposed EIBSQ. Previous studies using
SERVQUAL reveal that the use of this original scale in an international context raises a legitimate concern about validity across borders and the scale construct as items can be affected by different contexts. To the researcher's knowledge, very few service quality models have been developed for the Islamic banking industry and none exists to measure the quality of service and customer satisfaction for the English Islamic banking industry.


Anomalous ingestion of copper has significant adverse effects and shows acute toxicity in living organisms. Recently, photoelectrochemical (PEC) method has attracted much attention as a platform for a Cu 2+ ion sensor because of its high sensitivity, selectivity, low-cost, and accurate selection compared to other conventional methods. In this work, stepwise hydrothermal and in situ chemical approaches for synthesizing cadmium sulphide nanoparticles (CdS NPs) for decorating gold quantum dots (Au QDs) are presented, along with a notable PEC performance. The amount of Au QDs loaded on the CdS NPs had a significant influence on the PEC performance. CdS NPs-Au QDs-2 with 1.0 mmol% of Au QDs demonstrated an exceptional photocurrent density of 350.6 µ A cm − 2 , which was 3.7, 2.2, and 2.0-fold higher than those of CdS NPs, CdS NPs-Au QDs-1 (0.75 mmol%), and CdS NPs-Au QDs-3 (1.25 mmol%), respectively. Femtosecond transient absorption dynamics of the ground state recovery showed a buildup time of 243 fs for Au and 268 fs for CdS, which were assigned to cooling of the photoexcited electrons. For CdS NPs-Au QDs, the transient spectrum was dominated by a signal from CdS with no contribution from Au. The fast buildup dynamic was absent in CdS-Au, indicating a rapid transfer of the photoexcited electrons from CdS to Au before cooling down. Unquestionably, the CdS NPs-Au QDs-2 photoelectrode response upon Cu 2+ detection showed the lowest limit of detection of 6.73 nM in a linear range of 0.5–120 nM. The selectivity of CdS NPs-Au QDs-2 toward Cu 2+ ions in lake and tap water was also studied, which suggested that CdS NPs-Au QDs-2 is promising as a photoactive material for PEC-based environmental monitoring and analysis.


This article posits a question that is at the core of our democracy: Is the constitutional right to vote a fundamental right? The answer, surprisingly, is not always. The Supreme Court has contributed to the confusion surrounding the right to vote by creating two lines of voting rights cases. In one breath the Court calls the right to vote fundamental and applies strict scrutiny. In another, the Court fails to give the right the status of being fundamental and uses a lower standard of review. These two lines of cases have coexisted, leaving lower courts and litigants with little guidance on how to approach future election law disputes. The Court's most recent attempt in Crawford v. Marion County Election Board, the voter ID case, muddled this question even further. This article first identifies the inconsistent approaches to how the Court views the right to vote, with a detailed discussion of how Crawford adds to the jurisprudence. The article then attempts to locate a reconciling principle, but concludes that no one theory best explains all of the cases. After delineating the negative implications of this fractured methodology, the article proposes a two-part solution: First, courts should distinguish between cases that directly impact voters from disputes involving indirect burdens. Regulations involving direct burdens on individuals - such as cases about the value of one's vote or who is eligible for the franchise - impact the fundamental right to vote and deserve strict scrutiny review. This is because in the voting rights area, the "fundamental" right is really an individualized concern regarding the exercise of the franchise. In contrast, regulations that merely impact voters indirectly should enjoy a lower standard of review so long as the laws do not impose a "severe burden." Second, courts should attenuate the approach to strict scrutiny for election law disputes, with an added focus on the narrowly tailored prong, so as to recognize the value of the right to vote while still allowing states to ensure fairness through their election regulations.


Over a billion people, nearly all in South Asia and Sub-Saharan Africa, do not have electricity in their homes. Solar technology has advanced and panels have come down sharply in price, making off-grid, distributed solar systems a feasible alternative to grid electrification. What has been the value of this wave of solar innnovation for the poor? This paper reports the results of a randomized-control trial that offered off-grid solar systems at varying prices in one hundred sparsely electrified villages in Bihar, one of India's poorest states. We find that demand for solar is highly price elastic and is near zero at un-subsidized 2013 prices. The high price elasticity appears to be due to a surprisingly competitive retail market where the grid and diesel generator operators compete with offgrid solar. To value solar in this competitive landscape and under counterfactual supply conditions, we estimate a discrete choice demand system for electricity sources using the experimental variation in solar prices. We find that the average household (solar user) is willing to pay USD 2 (USD 6) per year for solar if the grid is absent and USD 0.20 (USD 2) if the grid is present. The willingness to pay for off-grid solar is therefore ten times as large if the grid is not available as a substitute.


Paraoxonase (PON) is an aryldialkylphosphatase, which reversibly binds and hydrolyzes organophosphates. The PON family has three members (PON1, PON2 and PON3); they share structural properties and enzymatic activities. PON1 is shown to reside over high density lipoprotein (HDL) and has both antioxidant and antiatherogenic functions. Function of PON2 and PON3 are speculative and still under research. Several methodologies were developed over the years to determine the activity and mass of PON1, of which spectrophotometer-based methods using certain chemicals as substrate predominate. Several studies have shown decreased levels of PON1 in chronic renal failure (CRF) patients, particularly those on hemodialysis. The role of PON1 in development of cardiovascular disease has drawn considerable attention in recent years. Several authors have shown decreased levels of HDL and PON1 activity in CRF patients on hemodialysis and reported this to be a risk factor in the development of CVD. Enhancement or maintenance of the PON1 activity may prevent development of CVDs and its consequences in patients on hemodialysis.


Emotional Freedom Technique (EFT), also known as tapping, is an emerging psychological intervention that has been used to treat a variety of conditions, including exam stress and public speaking anxiety. Participants were a convenience sample of 52 3rd year Foundation Degree level students undertaking a Research Methods Module. The module included an assessed presentation, which was known to generate anxiety among students. The students were given a 15 minute assignment workshop. They then received a 15 minute lecture introducing EFT and were guided though one round of EFT focussing on their anxiety of public speaking. The students were assessed using the Subjective Units of Distress (SUDs) and the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS) pre and post EFT.  The students were instructed that they could continue to use EFT at any time to reduce their anxiety regarding their assessed presentation.   Immediately following their presentation, the students were invited to take part in a brief face- to-face interview to identify those who used EFT to explore their use of and feelings about EFT and to identify those who had chosen not to use EFT and explore their reasons for not choosing to use it. Forty Six of the total sample of 52 students (88%) participated in the research. There was a significant reduction in SUDS (p=p<0.001), HAD (p = 0.003) and HAD Anxiety Subscale (p<0.001).  There was no difference in the HAD Depression Subscale (p=0.67). The qualitative data were analysed using a framework approach which revealed the following three themes: helpfulness of EFT in reducing anxiety and staying calm and focussed; Using other complementary therapy skills; and their reasons for not using EFT. Despite the limitations of the study, the results suggest that EFT may be a useful addition to curricula for courses that include oral presentations and that using EFT to reduce presentation anxiety may enhance academic performance.


Box-Cox transformation is one of the most commonly used methodologies when data do not follow normal distribution. However, its use is restricted since it usually requires the availability of covariates. In this article, the use of a non-informative auxiliary variable is proposed for the implementation of Box-Cox transformation. Simulation studies are conducted to illustrate that the proposed approach is successful in attaining normality under different sample sizes and most of the distributions and in estimating transformation parameter for different sample sizes and mean-variance combinations. Methodology is illustrated on two real-life datasets.


The Norwegian Labour Inspection Authority (NLIA) has issued a warning to Norwegian physicians about the potentially lethal risk associated with the inhalation of fumes from thermal metal work (1). Physicians suspecting pneumonia in patients who are employed are urged to ask about recent occupational exposures. Pneumonia after exposure to fumes from welding, cutting, or grinding may require hospitalization. Doctors are also warned against dealing with metal fume fever as a harmless condition. This flu-like syndrome, which is familiar to many welders, indicates excessive exposure. It involves an inflammatory pulmonary reaction that may promote serious infections. The symptoms may also mask an emerging pulmonary edema. The warning follows three independent reports of deaths from pneumonia with septicemia to the NLIA since 1997 among previously healthy men 50 to 55 years of age. All three men were exposed to welding fumes immediately before they fell ill. Two were experienced shipyard welders. According to their widows, they used to have bouts of metal fume fever several times a year. The third worked as an accountant until half a year before his death, when he was made redundant. He found new employment as a helper in a workshop for the reconstruction of heavy trucks, and he occasionally assisted other workers who were welding on the chassis. He had not complained of adverse reactions related to this work. The NLIA has also received reports of nonfatal pneumonia after exposure to fumes from cutting, grinding, and welding. On one occasion, three workers were hospitalized with lobar pneumonia, while six were treated as outpatients for lower-respiratory tract infection, after reconstruction work inside the hull of a ship (2). Fatal outcome from bacterial pneumonia is rare among middle-aged men, and it is usually associated with some underlying disease. Among men 50 to 59 years of age in Norway in 1997, three deaths were recorded as due to pneumonia or influenza (ICD10 J10-18) and four were due to streptococcal septicemia (ICD10 A400-409) (Statistics Norway, Causes of Death 1997, available from http://www.ssb.no). The three deaths reported after welding over a few years' time therefore indicate that the inhalation of welding fumes may seriously aggravate the prognosis of pneumonia. Coggon et al (3) observed increased mortality from pneumonia in England and Wales among welders aged 15-64 years and suggested that lobar pneumonia be considered an occupational disease. We may be rediscovering what was common knowledge before the era of antibiotics. Chavigny (4) described "pneumonie a marche aigue", together with rapidly developing pulmonary edema in 1937 as "la maladie des soudeurs" (welders' disease), sometimes with fatal outcome. Fumes from thermal metal work contain several possible causal agents. Nitrous oxides and ozone, irritant gases formed by the oxidation of nitrogen, and photolysis of oxygen in ambient air are known causes of pulmonary edema. Oxides from manganese, zinc, or copper in the metal alloy or coating material can elicit metal fume fever. Manganese has also long been considered to increase susceptibility to pneumonia. Various compounds formed by the thermal decomposition of surface coating may be involved.


This study examines the supply of political information programming across thirteen European broadcast systems over three decades. The cross-national and cross-temporal design traces the composition and development of political information environments with regard to the amount and placement of news and current affairs programs on the largest public and private television channels. It finds that the televisual information environments of Israel and Norway offer the most advantageous opportunity structure for informed citizenship because of their high levels of airtime and a diverse scheduling strategy. The study contributes to political communication research by establishing "political information environments" as a theoretically and empirically grounded concept that informs and supplements the comparison of "media systems." If developed further, it could provide an information-rich, easy-to-measure macro-unit for future comparative research.


Economic growth can be described at the macro level, but it can never be explained at that level. Economic growth is a matter of experimental creation of a variety of ideas, some of which result in new technologies that are confronted with potential buyers (customers) in dynamic markets and hierarchies. Thus, economic growth results from the interaction of a variety of actors who create and use technology and demanding customers. Economic growth is inherently a micro phenomenon. This process is not linear. The focus of this paper is on the conditions that are conducive to creation of a variety of new ideas and on those that are necessary and sufficient for effective and efficient selection and retention of winners. We refer to the former as a technological system and the latter as a competence bloc, combined with an experimentally organized economy (EOE). The confrontation between actors and between actors and ideas gives rise to what we call industrial dynamics. The paper is organized as follows. In sections 1, 2 and 3 we outline the main ideas behind the evolutionary theory of competence blocs and the experimentally organized economy (EOE) in which macroeconomic growth is generated by experimental selection. A dynamic version of Marshall's industrial districts is used as a pedagogical example to relate our thinking to both evolutionary economic modeling and to so-called New Growth theory. We then (section 4) summarize the concept of innovative technological supply or the technological system and (section 5) present the competence bloc as the organizer of a more or less efficient project selection process. In section 6 on industrial dynamics we explain how the confrontation between the creative innovators and economic actors who select projects yields economic growth. We illustrate the argument with a few case studies. In section 7, finally, micro-to-macro simulations of endogenous growth based on micro dynamics are presented.


The California Coastal Act, passed in 1976, protects public coastal access for all Californians. In the forty years since the Act's passage, the state's population has nearly doubled with much of that growth occurring in the coastal zone, where the beaches and public trust shoreline are an important natural, open space resource. As such, they are beneficial to individual and community well-being. Inequities in access to nature (and other beneficial resources) are increasingly common. In this study, we evaluate and map the proximity of different demographic groups to public shoreline access points on California's coast. In so doing, we identify disparities in the availability of coastal access opportunities to different groups and show that, in general, wealthy, white, senior residents of California live closer to coastal access than other groups, while populous minority groups are significantly underrepresented in terms of their proximity to coastal access points. We discuss these findings in light of environmental change (e.g., sea level rise) and responses to such changes (e.g., shoreline armoring), combined with social factors (e.g., continued population growth) and policy responses to such changes (e.g., climate adaptation planning). Our analyses set the stage for further place-based study of disparities in public coastal access, including their impacts on specific populations, as well as mechanisms intrinsic to the Coastal Act for increasing coastal access equity in California through the Act's next forty years.


OBJECTIVES
A study was conducted to assess the acceptability and utilization of voluntary counselling and testing (VCT) and sexually transmitted infection (STI) services in Kahsey Abera Hospital, Humera.

METHODS
Retrospective data was taken from hospital consultation logbooks from January 2002 to February 2003, and focus group discussions were conducted in March 2003 in the community.

RESULTS
While the services were known and utilization is increasing, important misconceptions about the medical services, disease transmission, and STI treatment persist. Although hospital care was generally considered of high quality, persons often go to pharmacies to self-treat for STIs due to concerns about confidentiality, and the stigma of HIV deters many from wanting to know their serostatus.

CONCLUSIONS
Additional education is needed on HIV/AIDS, STIs, and the medical services provided. Education may make use of community health workers or outreach workers in a small group where participants can feel comfortable to ask sensitive questions. HIV/AIDS treatment is planned for the near future and may be significant in reducing HIV/AIDS stigma.


International research projects involve large, distributed teams made up from multiple institutions. These teams create research artefacts that need to work together in order to demonstrate and ship the project results. Yet, in these settings the project itself is almost never in the core interest of the partners in the consortium. This leads to a weak integration incentive and consequently to last minute efforts. This in turn results in Big Bang integration that imposes huge stress on the consortium and produces only non-sustainable results. In contrast, industry has been profiting from the introduction of agile development methods backed by Continuous Delivery, Continuous Integration, and Continuous Deployment. In this chapter, we identify shortcomings of this approach for research projects. We show how to overcome those in order to adopt all three methodolo gies regarding that scope. We also present a conceptual, as well as a tooling framework to realise the approach as Continuous Anything. As a result, integration becomes a core element of the project plan. It distributes and shares responsibility of integration work among all partners, while at the same time clearly holding individuals responsible for dedicated software components. Through a high degree of automation, it keeps the over - all integration work low, but still provides immediate feedback on the quality of the soft ware. Overall, we found this concept useful and beneficial in several EU-funded research projects, where it significantly lowered integration effort and improved quality of the software components while also enhancing collaboration as a whole.


In this study we are committed to understanding the role of connexin 43 (CXx43)-based, cumulus cell cellular coupling and its relationship to bovine embryo development. Several studies have provided clear evidence that CXx43-based coupling between the cumulus cells is critical for producing a healthy oocyte. Previously, the expression and localization of CXx43 has been linked to resulting embryo outcomes in several studies. However, the relationship has largely remained undefined due to limitations inherent in group culture in vitro fertilization (IVF). To better associate the expression and localization of CX43 with in vitro embryo outcomes we first developed a bovine single cumulus-oocyte-complex (COC) IVF and embryo culture system.
Furthermore, all-trans retinoic acid (ATRA) signaling has been shown in a number of studies to enhance Cx43 expression and cellular coupling in a variety of cell types. Along with this, ATRA has been shown to have beneficial effects on oocyte maturation, fertilization, and embryo development in a number of species. Therefore, we investigated the ability of ATRA to enhance cumulus cell coupling and influence bovine embryo production.
Clarifying the relationship between cumulus CX43 expression and embryo outcomes has the potential to allow for the selection of COCs with higher developmental capacities, limiting the current inefficiency of bovine IVF systems. Furthermore, the enhancement of CX43 expression may allow for improvements in the number of COCs available for use in advanced reproductive technologies.


A common theme which runs through much of the investment literature is that private incentives may lead to sub-optimal levels of investment activity. The idea has been extended casually to consideration of human capital investment as well. It is sometimes contended that decisions, made by parents, have adverse effects on their offspring, which could be prevented if inter-generational contracts could be struck. If so, a case can be made for government intervention or subsidization programs to alleviate these intergenerational externalities. Specifically, the sub-optimal investment in offspring human capital may take such obvious forms as poor clothing, too little health care, or too few resources devoted to the child's education. Less obvious externalities may result when parents underinvest in themselves because they fail to consider spillover benefits to their children. Parental schooling, for example, may affect the child's ability (or desire) to learn. Dietary patterns established by parents for themselves may influence the child's eating habits and affect his health. More directly, healthy parents are less likely to transmit diseases to their offspring. This paper will examine the effects of these intergenerational externalities in greater detail.


Perovskite solar cells (PSCs) are one of the most promising lab-scale technologies to deliver inexpensive solar electricity. Low-temperature planar PSCs are particularly suited for large-scale manufacturing. Here, we propose a simple, solution-processed technological approach for depositing SnO2 layers. The use of these layers in planar PSCs yields a high stabilized power conversion efficiency close to 21%, exhibiting stable performance under real operating conditions for over 60 hours. In addition, this method yielded remarkable voltages of 1214 mV at a band gap of 1.62 eV (approaching the thermodynamic limit of 1.32 V) confirming the high selectivity of the solution-processed layers. PSCs aged under 1 sun illumination and maximum power point tracking showed a final PCE of 20.7% after ageing and dark storage, which is slightly higher than the original efficiency. This approach represents an advancement in the understanding of the role of electron selective layers on the efficiency and stability of PSCs. Therefore, the newly proposed approach constitutes a simple, scalable method paving the way for industrialization of perovskite solar cells.