Previous work has shown that treatment of the lung cell carcinoma cell line DLKP with the differentiation modulating agent bromodeoxyuridine (BrdU) causes posttranscriptionally regulated changes in the expression of growth and differentiation related genes. These changes in gene expression were found to coincide with an increase in the level of expression and phosphorylation of the translation initiation factor eIF-4E. In this study we have overexpressed eIF4E in DLKP cells to determine its role in mediating the changes seen in BrdU treatment and what effects it may have on the growth of lung cancer cells in general as studies have shown eIF4E to play a role in regulating gene expression in carcinogenesis We also analysed the overexpression of Ser209 mutated non-phosphorylatable eIF4E in DLKP cells to determine the role of the eIF4E Ser209 (S209) phosphorylation site in regulating translational changes in gene expression and functional changes in DLKP cells. The exact role of eIF4E Ser209 phosphorylation in translation initiation is currently unknown and conflicting views have emerged as to whether it is necessary for regulation of translation by eIF4E.

Stable transfections were carried out using wild type (4E), S209 mutant (4E-S209) and HA (hemagluttinm) epitope-tagged human eIF4E constructs Stable transfections were also earned using empty pcDNA plasmid vector as a negative control .Western blot analysis showed that transfected HA-tagged eEF4E protein was effectively overexpressed in DLKP cells. The transfected cells were cloned out by limiting dilution and clones were chosen for further analysis. Two clones expressing wild type HA tagged eIF4E, two clones expressing HA-tagged 4E-S209 phosphorylation site mutant and two pcDNA vector transfected control clones have been analysed in this study.

An eDF4E overexpressing clone which expresses a high level of transfected protein showed increased keratin 8 expression. These cells also showed an increase in pi integrm expression which was not seen in other eIF4E overexpressing clones indicating high levels of 4E overexpression may induce expression of this protein Immunocytochemical analysis of alpha integrm subunits showed increased expression of alpha 3 integrm in eIF4E overexpressing cells.

Invasion assays were performed on eIF4E overexpressing cells as increased 4E expression has been detected in certain cancers. The eIF4E overexpressing clone which expresses a high level of transfected protein displayed a large increase in invasiveness compared to control transfected cells whereas other eIF4E transfected clones did not display increased mvasiveness eIF4E-S209 mutant transfected cells showed similar levels of mvasiveness compared to controls.

Large scale analysis of the effects of eIF4E overexpression on protein expression levels was undertaken using the novel 2D-DIGE (2 dimensional-differential in gel analysis) two dimensional electrophoresis technique Differentially expressed proteins were identified using mass-spectrometry based techniques. Among the proteins identified were proteins involved in mRNA processing, protein degradation and cytoskeletai regulation Of particular interest, were a number of proteins involved in regulating cytoskeletai dynamics whose expression was down regulated in eIF4E S209 mutant overexpressing cells. A common regulatory element in the mRNA of these proteins was identified which led to the development of a hypothesis for localised translation of these proteins. The possible involvement of eIF4E in regulation of localised translation of these proteins represents a novel aspect of translational regulation by eIF4E which may contribute to its role in oncogenesis. Changes seen in the expression of proteins involved in mRNA processing and protein degradation indicate that other post-transcriptional processes apart from translational regulation may play an important role in regulating gene expression in these cells. Oligonucleotide microarray analysis of the mRNA expression levels of genes in eIF4E overexpressing cells has also been conducted to determine the effects of eIF4E overexpression on transcriptional regulation downstream of its effects on translation regulation. Microarray analysis showed that there are changes in the expression of a large number of genes with diverse cellular functions. This indicates changes in transcriptional regulation occur as a result of eEF4E overexpression mRNA expression levels of a large number of genes involved in cytoskeletai regulation were found to be altered in eIF4E and eIF4E-S209 mutant overexpressing cells.

Microarray analysis showed that the integrm signalling gene FAK (focal adhesion kinase) was downregulated in both 4E and 4E S209 overexpesssing cells Western blot analysis showed this gene was also downregulated at the protein level Immunofluorescent staining of FAK showed the localisation of this protein was altered in eIF4E and eIF4E-S209 mutant overexpressing cells and may affect the growth and mvasiveness of these cells.

A large number of genes and proteins found to be altered in proteomic and microarray anlysis were involved in regulating actin cytoskeletai dynamics. Cells were therefore analysed for expression of actin cytoskeletai structures. Major changes were detected in actin cytoskeletai structures in an eIF4E overexpressing clone which expresses a high level of transfected protein.

We have therefore conducted an in depth analysis into the regulation of growth and differentiation related gene expression by eIF4E.


Abstract The udoteacean alga Eugonophyllum is well-preserved in the Virgilian Holder Formation, Sacramento Mountains. Original aragonite occurs as a felt-like mesh of needles in algal thalli, mollusc fragments, sponge walls, botryoidal, and isopachous marine cements. In the basal, heavily calcified portion of Eugonophyllum the interior of the thallus is composed of aragonitic felt punctuated by 20 $\mu$m diameter, parallel siphons. In the distal, less calcified portion of the thallus, irregularly arranged siphons are larger. This study substantiates suggested similarities between Pennsylvanian/Permian phylloid algal mounds and Holocene Halimeda mounds. The Permian dasyclad Mizzia is important for paleoecological study in the Guadalupe Mountains, because it has a modern, morphologically similar analog--Cymopolia. Mizzia dominates grainstone, packstone, and wackestone shelfward of the Capitan reef. Infrequent broken segments (average 10%) and discovery of intact and branched sections of thallus suggest that wave energy did not limit diversity. Instead, an arid climate and the euryhaline tendency of modern dasycladacean algae suggest that hypersalinity limited diversity. This conclusion is incompatible with the widely accepted marginal mound hypothesis for deposition of the reef complex, but is compatible with a barrier reef model. The Capitan Formation of the Guadalupe Mountains is dominated by a diverse assemblage of calcareous sponges that acted as framebuilders and encrusting organisms that acted as binders. Reef framework contains internal sediment and marine cement. All aspects of Capitan lithology are analogous to modern reef lithology. Relict spur and groove structures are preserved along the escarpment between Walnut and Rattlesnake canyons. In situ reef framework occurs on spurs, while carbonate sands with small (10 cm) bedforms occur in grooves. Diverse reef boundstone is abruptly transitional shelfward to bioclastic packstone and grainstone. The latter lithofacies probably represents a backreef apron deposit. Shelfward, peloid packstones and dasyclad foraminifera packstones were probably deposited in a hypersaline, backreef lagoon. Further shelfward stromatolites, dasycladacean algae, foraminifera, and ostracods accumulated in a muddy, subaerially exposed tidal flat. Shelfward of the tidal flat, tepee structures and pisoids were associated with seeps driven by the difference in water surface elevation between the outer shelf lagoon and the interior, evaporitic lagoon.


Numbers are not very metaphorical according to Dobrovol'skij and Piirainen (2005). Nevertheless they can have both figurative and symbolic significance. Inspired by them, and remembering Comrie's comment (2005) that linguists often do not record the full numerical system in a language, I investigate the Chumburung language of Ghana. The integers from one to ten are taken in order. two fits Lakoff's more is better metaphor. three and four provide symbolism for the difference between male and female. There are two kinds of week in Chumburung, one with six and one with seven days, which govern some ritual activities. Numbers larger than ten are then studied, in particular because of a changing monetary system, to see whether any might be endangered.


Current deep learning methods for structure-based virtual screening take the structures of both the protein and the ligand as input but make little or no use of the protein structure when predicting ligand binding. Here we show how a relatively simple method of dataset augmentation forces such deep learning methods to take into account information from the protein. Models trained in this way are more generalisable (make better predictions on protein-ligand complexes from a different distribution to the training data). They also assign more meaningful importance to the protein and ligand atoms involved in binding. Overall, our results show that dataset augmentation can help deep learning based virtual screening to learn physical interactions rather than dataset biases. Graphical TOC Entry


The Amblyopsidae is a small family of fishes from North America in which most of the species occur in caves. Despite considerable interest and study by biologists, a comprehensive morphological phylogenetic analysis of the family has not been conducted to date. We examined the skeletal morphology of all six genera and recognized species, which included 66 characters. The resulting phylogeny was compared to morphological- and molecular-based phylogenies of previous studies. Results showed a progression of cave adaptation that was significantly different from previous phylogenetic studies. Amblyopsidae was supported by 34 synapomorphies of the skeleton, but relationships within the Amblyopsidae were comparatively weak. The relationships of amblyopsids are likely influenced by morphological convergence as well as changes in the timing of development of some characters. Heterochrony is most visible in the unfused bones of the dorsal portion of the skull. The sister group to Amblyopsidae is Aphredoderidae (pirate perches), and the main character that supports this relationship is the presence of a unique set of upper jaw bones termed here lateromaxillae. This relationship is also supported by an anterior position of the vent, which is used for expelling gametes in Aphredoderus and for moving eggs to the gill chamber in Amblyopsis. It is more likely that Amblyopsis is the only branchial brooding amblyopsid and all other species likely exhibit transbranchioral spawning.


The primary purpose of this research was the morphological study of composite polymer (2 or more) nanoparticles in an aqueous dispersed system. This included synthesis, characterization and mathematical/ numerical modeling. For a composite latex particle, the morphology can play an important role in determining the final application properties, and the structure depends on many factors which are active during and after polymerization. Among these are the penetration of oligomeric chains into the latex particles, mixing of the two composite polymers, and eventual phase separation of such mixtures. These actions depend upon the materials used in the polymerization and the process by which the reaction is carried out. This work involved both the common styrene/acrylic family of monomers as well as the newer polyurethane/ acrylic hybrid system. The properties of the second stage polymers such as glass transition temperature, chain length and the polarity were studied and their impacts on the phase separation process were evaluated. For the polyurethane-acrylic hybrid latex system, the phase distribution of the two polymer components in these composite particles was characterized for the first time. Hydrogen bonding between the polymer chains was found to limit the diffusion of polymer chains and restrict phase separation towards the equilibrium morphology. A numerical model of the kinetics of the phase separation process applicable during and after polymerization was also developed. The Cahn-Hilliard theory was applied for this simulation to account for the new interfaces formed during phase separation. Water interaction with polymer chains also became an important aspect of our study. Different states of water can exist simultaneously within a polymeric material, and the physical properties of the material will change depending upon these different states of water.


Donald Homuth, cellist and Professor Emeritus of Music at San Jose University, began work on his bibliography of twentieth- century cello music during a sabbatical leave in 1974. Now, twenty years later, his work has come to fruition. The duration of the project is matched by the extent of the materials covered; the volume lists more than 5,200 works by 3,100 different composers. To organize this mass of information, Homuth has devised eighteen categories based on instrumentation, ranging from the 2,119- item "cello and piano" section to the 10-item list for cello and accordion. Other categories include cello and harpsichord; organ; harp; guitar or related instrument; percussion; tape or electronics; orchestra; chamber orchestra; string orchestra; wind orchestra; ten to nineteen instrument chamber works; two to nine instrument chamber works; nonwestern instruments; non-instrumental accompaniments (i.e. dancer, narrators, chorus, etc.); and miscellaneous. This arrangement should make it easy for a cellist to find a piece for even the most challenging of instrumental combinations.


Runaway reactions are a major source of industrial accidents. They can occur in a wide array of sectors, including chemicals, petrochemicals, food processing, plastics and rubber manufacturing, and metalworking and are primarily caused by a loss of process control. The processes involved are quite diverse, encompassing chemical reaction, polymerisation and distillation, among others. The loss of process control is related with various factors that are examined in this article. Several accidents that occurred in France and recorded in the ARIA database are used as examples.


This paper considers structures of systems beyond dyadic (pairwise) interactions and investigates mathematical modeling of multi-way interactions and connections as hypergraphs, where captured relationships among system entities are set-valued. To date, in most situations, entities in a hypergraph are considered connected as long as there is at least one common "neighbor". However, minimal commonality sometimes discards the "strength" of connections and interactions among groups. To this end, considering the "width" of a connection, referred to as the \emph{$s$-overlap} of neighbors, provides more meaningful insights into how closely the communities or entities interact with each other. In addition, $s$-overlap computation is the fundamental kernel to construct the line graph of a hypergraph, a low-order approximation which can carry significant information about the original hypergraph. Subsequent stages of a data analytics pipeline then can apply highly-tuned graph algorithms on the line graph to reveal important features. Given a hypergraph, computing the $s$-overlaps by exhaustively considering all pairwise entities can be computationally prohibitive. To tackle this challenge, we develop efficient algorithms to compute $s$-overlaps and the corresponding line graph of a hypergraph. We propose several heuristics to avoid execution of redundant work and improve performance of the $s$-overlap computation. Our parallel algorithm, combined with these heuristics, demonstrates better performance.


Factoring quadratics over Z is a staple of introductory algebra and textbooks tend to create the impression that doable factorizations are fairly common. To the contrary, if coefficients of a general quadratic are selected randomly without restriction, the probability that a factorization exists is zero. We achieve a specific quantification of the probability of factoring quadratics by taking a new approach that considers the absolute size of coefficients to be a parameter n. This restriction allows us to make relative likelihood estimates based on finite sample spaces. Our probability estimates are then conditioned on the size parameter n and the behavior of the conditional estimates may be studied as the parameter is varied. Specifically, we enumerate how many formal factored expressions could possibly correspond to a quadratic for a given size parameter. The conditional probability of factorization as a function of n is just the ratio of this enumeration to the total number of possible quadratics consistent with n. This approach is patterned after the well-known case where factorizations are carried out over a finite field. We review the finite field method as background for our method of dealing with Z [x]. The monic case is developed independently of the general case because it is simpler and the resulting probability estimating formula is more accurate. We conclude with a comparison of our theoretical probability estimates with exact data generated by a computer search for factorable quadratics corresponding to various parameter values.


The grammar and vocabulary of higher mathematics are different from the grammar and vocabulary of conversational English and conversational American Sign Language (ASL). Consequently, mathematical language presents interpreters with a unique set of challenges. This article characterizes those aspects of mathematical grammar that are peculiar to the subject. (A discussion of mathematical vocabulary and its expression in ASL can be found elsewhere (Tabak, 2014).) An increased awareness of the grammar of mathematical language will prove useful to those interpreters for the deaf and deaf mathematics professionals seeking to express higher mathematics in ASL. In this article one will, for the first time, find a model of mathematical language created for interpreters that identifies those aspects of the language that must be retained in any accurate interpretation. In particular, the article identifies the characteristic properties of propositions and propositional functions that must be preserved by the interpreter when propositions and propositional functions are expressed in ASL. It identifies the characteristic properties of mathematical language used in the definition of sets and in the statement of theorems that must be preserved by the interpreter when (mathematical) definitions and theorems are expressed in ASL. In addition, the article includes a method of symbolically representing mathematical language which is useful for analysis. The method enables the user to break down complicatedlooking mathematical sentences into their simpler constituent parts in order to simplify the problem of interpretation. Numerous examples of mathematical language are included as are examples of how the diagramming technique can be used to clarify the structure of mathematical definitions and theorems. The method by which this model of mathematical language should be implemented is left to groups of expert practitioners, deaf and hearing.


The concept of function arises at all levels of biological study and is often loosely and variously defined, especially within ecology. This has led to ambiguity, obscuring the common structure that unites levels of biological organisation, from molecules to ecosystems. Here we build on already successful ideas from molecular biology and complexity theory to create a precise definition of biological function which spans scales of biological organisation and can be quantified in the unifying currency of biomass, enabling comparisons of functional effectiveness (irrespective of the specific function) across the field of ecology. We give precise definitions of ecological and ecosystem function that bring clarity and precision to studies of biodiversity-ecosystem function relationships and questions of ecological redundancy. To illustrate the new concepts and their unifying power, we construct a simple community-level model with nutrient cycling and animal-plant mutualism, emphasising the importance of its network structure in determining overall functioning. This type of network structure is that of an autocatalytic set of functional relationships, which also appears at biochemical, cellular and organism levels of organisation, creating a nested hierarchy. This enables a common and unifying concept of function to apply from molecular interaction networks up to the global ecosystem.


Voluntary environmental management programs for firms have become an increasingly popular instrument of environmental policy. However, the literature's conclusion on the effectiveness of such programs is ambiguous, and for the European region there is a lack of evidence based on a large control group. We seek to fill this gap with an evaluation of the Eco-Management and Audit Scheme (EMAS), introduced in 1995 by the European Union as a premium certification of continuous pro-environmental efforts above regulatory minimum standards. It is more demanding than other voluntary programs due to annual public reports of the environmental performance and targets for improvements. We use official firm-level production census data on the German manufacturing sector, a major energy consumer and emitter in Europe. To account for the self-selection of firms, we combine the Coarsened Exact Matching approach with a Difference-in-Differences estimation. Our results do not suggest reductions of firms' CO2 intensity and energy intensity neither before nor after certification. Moreover, program participants do not increase renewable energy consumption or investments into the protection of the environment and climate. Our results are robust to a variety of checks and call into question the effectiveness of the EMAS program concerning these particular outcome variables.


The material eroded by a high voltage spark discharge in a point-to-plane configuration was investigated. Glass microscope slides were used to collect material close to the spark discharge and material which had traveled away from the spark. The effluent was also directed into a microwave discharge, and material from the spark which had traveled through this discharge was collected and inspected. The collected material was visually inspected with a light microscope and with a Scanning Electron Microscope (SEM). Using these microscopes, it was found that the material collected near the spark discharge consisted mainly of very small particles, although some larger droplets were also observed. As the material was collected farther from the spark, larger particles were observed. These were apparently aggregations of the smaller particles observed close to the spark. When these large particles passed through the microwave plasma, some were melted.


The U.S. apparel manufacturing industry includes many reputable firms, but is also believed to include many sweatshop operations. Sweatshop workers often work under sub-minimum wages, excessively long hours, and abusive management. Sweatshop establishments in the United States typically violate several U.S. labor laws. Two they commonly violate are the minimum wage under the Fair Labor Standards Act of 1938 and the ban on hiring illegal immigrants under the Immigration Reform and Control Act of 1986. The purpose of the present research was to estimate minimum penalties that would provide no monetary incentive for the average U.S. apparel manufacturing firm to violate the minimum wage and the ban on hiring illegal immigrants. The minimum per-violation penalties that were estimated to deter violation of the minimum wage are 8 to 28 times the current maximum penalty of $1,000 per violation, and those estimated to deter the hiring of illegal immigrants are 3 to 10 times the current maximum penalty of $10,000 per violation. The estimated penalties are associated with annual probabilities of prosecution ranging from 5% to 15%. The estimated penalties primarily depend on the difference between legal and illegal wage rates. A sensitivity analysis indicated that the estimated penalties are insensitive to the value of the own-price elasticity of production labor demand, which is one of the variables used to calculate the penalties. The results suggest that current federal penalties for violating the minimum wage or the ban on hiring illegal immigrants do not deter infraction of these laws by U.S. apparel manufacturers.


This is a study of the radio propaganda campaign targeted at the Sudetenland from the USSR from November 1941 to May 1945. Under the supervision of the Czechoslovak communist party and the Comintern, the broadcasts were composed and conducted by Sudeten German communists stationed first in Ufa and then in Moscow. At first, on the basis of limited information, they strove simply to divide Sudeten Germans at home from the Nazi regime. But from May 1942 they stepped up their appeal for active resistance alongside that of their Czech 'brothers' in the Protectorate. Through 1943 the appeal remained positive, assuring all German anti-fascists that they would be secure and treated equally in a future Czechoslovak state. By 1944, however, the message subtly altered in tune with Moscow's decision to expel most Sudeten Germans. The broadcasts failed to spell this out, but tried to warn their listeners of what might happen if they did not resist. In reality, though many in the Sudetenland were disillusioned with Nazism, the level of active resistance seems to have been small and the broadcasts probably had a minimal effect. Nevertheless, they alarmed the Nazi authorities and some of the propaganda arguments certainly matched the growing anxieties of many Sudeten Germans. By 1944 the Sudeten communist broadcasters themselves were divided over what tone to adopt. Some still felt a certain Sudeten allegiance and vainly resisted a policy line based on presumed Sudeten 'collective guilt'. The majority bowed before the official, more critical line, accepting that most Sudeten Germans would be expelled after the war. The article seeks for the first time to probe the mindset of Sudeten German communists, and to set this alongside that of their target audience in the wartime Sudetenland.


Current approaches to socially distributed remembering maintain that remembering is a fluid action coordinating minds, bodies, and the physical and the social world to accomplish particular goals. That is, the act of remembering is always an active reconstruction of the past in the present. How this act of remembering unfolds is highly dynamic and malleable and is contingent on the means by which the recollection is communicated and the social and material environments in which these processes unfold. These communicative acts of remembering are always embodied, multimodal, and interactive. However, so far, little attention has been paid to the influence that the interplay of multiple behavioral channels have in collaborative remembering in small groups. The aim of this exploratory study is to demonstrate the central role that questions have as embodied and interactive tools for collaborative remembering in two small group multimodal interactions in natural settings. This study suggests that questions acting as a reminder in multimodal activities of collaborative remembering foster the formation of specific types of interactional sequences with their own temporal dynamics.


The use of preimplantation genetic diagnosis, the powerful technique employed during fertility treatment to select embryos based on their genes, is currently unregulated in the United States—unlike in nearly all other countries where PGD is available. Of course, the analytical quality of the genetic tests, the laboratories where they are performed, and the technicians who carry them out are subject to the Clinical Laboratory Improvement Amendment requirements. And as the Food and Drug Administration prepares to begin regulating laboratory-developed tests, including many genetic tests, the clinical validity of the tests may also need to be demonstrated. But neither CLIA nor the U.S. Food and Drug Administration is responsible for governing medical practice, and state law and the relevant medical associations have largely fallen silent on the questions of when and why PGD ought to be performed. The result of this regulatory lacuna is that while PGD was originally intended for screening embryos for severe heritable disorders, it is now also employed for a variety of more controversial purposes.


The European automotive industry has once again entered a period of uproar. The crisis of 2008/2009 is far from over but probably marks the start of a new era that some observers are starting to refer to as the second automobile revolution. In this article, we will be trying to emphasize three major uncertainties that weigh upon the European automotive industry. The first relates to the future products that the sector is looking to manufacture and sell. This will involve questions about electric vehicles but also how internal combustion vehicles might be sold to more tone-deaf European consumers. The second section will revisit the outsourcing strategies that have arisen over the past 30 years, together with their increasingly obvious limitations. The final section will highlight the profound geographic recomposition that has taken place under our eyes over the past decade or so, and which speaks directly to the issue of Old Europe's productive capacities in the future.


1. Harbour seals are the most widespread of pinniped species, coming ashore onto a variety of different habitats to rest, moult and breed. Estimates of their abundance and status rely on counts of animals in terrestrial haul-out groups but it is not clear to what extent current techniques are appropriate for all habitats. 2. This study aimed to determine the most appropriate methods for estimating the abundance and status of harbour seals in an estuarine habitat in north-east Scotland. Regular low-tide counts were conducted to identify the best time for annual counts. Survey data for 1993 were then combined with telemetry data on seal activity to produce an estimate of abundance. Finally, simulations using data on the variability of counts within a single year were used to determine the power of these techniques to detect trends in abundance. 3. The results suggest that annual counts conducted during the pupping season (mid-June to mid-July) provide the best estimates of abundance in this habitat. These results contrast with those from studies in rocky-shore habitats where counts made during the August moult provided more reliable abundance estimates. 4. In 1993, an average of 1007 seals were hauled out at low tides during the period 15 June-15 July. There were significant differences in haul-out frequency for males (0.521 of low tides) and females (0.698 of low tides) but no within-sex variation was detected during this period. Combining the telemetry data with the results of counts from the Moray Firth produced an abundance estimate of 1653 (95% confidence limits 1471-1836). 5. The potential effects of within and between-year variation in haul-out behaviour are discussed in relation to identifying suitable indices of abundance for trend analysis. In view of likely seasonal changes in the sex structure of haul-out groups, we recommend that programmes to monitor trends in harbour seal abundance should conduct annual counts at two different points in the annual cycle.


On November 8, 2016, voters in Arizona, Colorado, Maine and Washington enacted large increases in their states' minimum wage levels—to $12 and higher. These states join California, New York, Oregon and eight large cities that will be increasing their minimum wages to levels at or near $15. What are the expected effects of such minimum wage increases? Will they reduce jobs, lead to price increases, and/or reduce profits? We take advantage of the emergence of websites such as AllMenus and GrubHub to obtain information about restaurant menu prices, and show that an overnight 25 percent increase in San Jose in 2013 led to price increases, on average, of about 1.5 percent. San Jose was thus able to substantially boost the wages of the lowest paid workers without layoffs or reducing the competitiveness of its restaurants. These results suggest that the new and higher minimum wages may primarily transfer income from most consumers to low-wage workers.


Background: The incidence of oropharyngeal cancer (OPC) due to tobacco and alcohol, respectively, has been declining, while that linked to human papilloma virus (HPV) has been rising. Epidemiologic, biologic, and prognostic characteristics of OPC differ by HPV-status. This study compared overall survival (OS) among HPV-positive and -negative patients with OPC in a real-world setting. Methods: This retrospective observational study used electronic medical records data from the Geisinger Health System to select patients diagnosed with OPC between January 1, 2010 and September 30, 2015. Patients were designated as HPV-positive if the HPV or P16 test closest to the diagnosis date was positive. All other patients were deemed HPV-negative. Descriptive statistics and relevant statistical tests were used to compare baseline characteristics by HPV status; survival by HPV status was examined using Kaplan–Meier methods and multivariable Cox models. Results: In this study, 152 patients met all selection criteria; 110 (72.4%) were HPV-positive. HPV-positive patients were more likely to be men (89.1% vs 73.8%; P=.019) and to have lymph node involvement (88.2% vs 59.5%; P=.0008); they were less likely to have cerebrovascular disease (6.9% vs. 23.5%; P=.01), or distant metastases (1.8% vs 9.5%; P=.029) vs HPV-negative patients. Among HPV-positive patients, 75.5%, 12.7%, and 10.9% had squamous cell carcinoma NOS, basaloid squamous cell carcinoma, and squamous cell carcinoma large cell non-keratinizing, respectively; corresponding values for HPV-negative patients were 85.7%, 0.0%, and 2.4%, respectively (P=.0013). HPV-positive patients were nominally younger than HPV-negative patients (median: 58 vs 61 years; P=.085). Log-rank test showed OS of HPV-positive patients (median OS from treatment initiation: not reached) is higher than of HPV-negative patients (median OS: 3.7 years; P=.002). In multivariable analyses, HPV-negative status was associated with increased mortality risk (P=.0035); other significant risk factors included alcohol use, diabetes, and distant metastases. Conclusions: HPV-positive status was associated with a decreased risk of mortality among OPC patients in this study. Despite the small sample size and potential violation of assumption of proportional hazard rate, this study underscores the prognostic implication of HPV status in OPC, which may have important ramifications in optimizing treatment decisions among this patient population.


PURPOSE
Current standard for patient specific spine SBRT IMRT QA in our institution is a combination of a point dose measurement in solid water under delivery of the beams at actual treatment angles, and 2D planar verification using an ion chamber (IC) array with all beams delivered at standard gantry angle of zero. The very small active area of ArcChecks diodes (∼0.6mm2) has the potential to improve measurement accuracy in high dose gradient regions present in spinal SBRT. Given high clinical workload we seek to improve ease of workflow and decrease time necessary for patient-specific QA, by obtaining 2D verification and point dose measurement at actual treatment angles in one single measurement.

METHODS
The results of 10 patient specific QA measurements, as performed with single-point and 2D IC array were compared to results obtained with ArcCheck. ArcCheck and 2D IC array pass rates are evaluated for 3%/3mm gamma criteria, single-point measurement based on percent deviation from QA plan dose. The constancy of the device was assessed by re-measuring the same treatment plan over the course of three weeks, and evaluating pass rate variationResults: The gamma pass rates are generally higher for ArcCheck (average 99.3%) than for Matrixx (average 93.1%). Average absolute deviation for the single-point IC measurement was 3.4%. Maximum variation in pass rate between any two ArcCheck measurements within the three-week evaluation period was 0.5%. Since ArcCheck allows for the use of an insert with an ion chamber in place, simultaneous redundant point measurement is possible with no time addedConclusion: Based on our results patient-specific QA for spine SBRT treatments will be performed using ArcCheck with pass/fail criteria 98%. High sensitivity towards geometrical shifts necessitates careful initial alignment of the device.


Noncitizens lawfully residing in the United States are considered a "discrete and insular minority" in equal protection jurisprudence. Foreclosed from meaningful political participation because of an inability to vote, this population is frequently the target of budget cuts in an economic downturn when legislators struggle to preserve benefits for their voting constituents. Recently, Massachusetts and New Jersey dealt with looming deficits by eliminating many legal permanent residents' eligibility for state-funded health insurance programs. Each state relied on provisions in the 1996 Personal Responsibility and Work Opportunity Reconciliation Act, federal legislation that purports to allow individual states to discriminate against legal immigrants in state-funded social welfare programs. This Note concludes that states like Massachusetts and New Jersey cannot adopt a federal classification scheme excluding newly arrived legal immigrants from their respective state-funded healthcare programs without running afoul of the Equal Protection Clause. First, Massachusetts and New Jersey's state-funded healthcare programs are unrelated to, and thus not justified by, federal immigration policy. Second, federal legislation cannot authorize individual states to circumvent strict scrutiny review by the courts. Moreover, it is economically unwise for a state to exclude its "citizens in waiting" from cost-effective, accessible healthcare, despite the federal government's decision to do so.


Molecular communication (MC) and molecular network (MN) are communication paradigms that use biochemical signaling to achieve information exchange among naturally and artificially synthesized nanosystems. Among the envisaged application areas of MC and MN is the field of nanomedicine, where the subject of targeted drug delivery (TDD) is at the forefront. Typically, when someone gets sick, therapeutic drugs are administered to the person for healing purposes. Since no therapeutic drug can be effective until it is delivered to the target site in the body, different modalities to improve the delivery of drugs to the targeted sites are being explored in contemporary research. The most promising of these modalities is TDD. TDD modality promises a smart localization of appropriate dose of therapeutic drugs to the targeted part of the body at reduced system toxicity. Research in TDD has been going on for many years in the field of medical science; however, the translation of expectations and promises to clinical reality has not been satisfactorily achieved because of several challenges. The exploration of TDD ideas under the MC and MN paradigms is considered as an option to addressing these challenges and to facilitate the translation of TDD from the bench to the patients' bedsides. Over the past decade, there have been some research efforts made in exploring the ideas of TDD on the MC and MN platforms. While the number of research output in terms of scientific articles is few at the moment, the desire in the scientific community to participate in realizing the goal of TDD is quite high as is evidence from the rise in research output over the last few years. To increase awareness and provide the multidisciplinary research community with the necessary background information on TDD, this paper presents a visionary survey of this subject within the domain of MC and MN. We start by introducing in an elaborate manner, the motivation behind the application of MC and MN paradigms to the study and implementation of TDD. Specifically, an explanation on how MC-based TDD concepts differ from traditional TDD being explored under the field of medical science is provided. We also summarize the taxonomy of the different perspectives through which MC-based TDD research can be viewed. System models and design challenges/requirements for developing MC-based TDD are discussed. Various metrics that can be used to evaluate the performance of MC-based TDD systems are highlighted. We also provide a discussion on the envisaged path from contemporary research activities to clinical implementation of the MC-based TDD. Finally, we discuss issues such as informatics and software tools, as well as issues that border on the requirement for standards and regulatory policies in MC-based TDD research and practice.


This classic work on cyclopean perception has influenced a generation of vision researchers, cognitive scientists, and neuroscientists and has inspired artists, designers, and computer graphics pioneers. In Foundations of Cyclopean Perception (first published in 1971 and unavailable for years), Bela Julesz traced the visual information flow in the brain, analyzing how the brain combines separate images received from the two eyes to produce depth perception. Julesz developed novel tools to do this: random-dot stereograms and cinematograms, generated by early digital computers at Bell Labs. These images, when viewed with the special glasses that came with the book, revealed complex, three-dimensional surfaces; this mode of visual stimulus became a paradigm for research in vision and perception. This reprint edition includes all 48 color random-dot designs from the original, as well as the special 3-D glasses required to view them.Foundations of Cyclopean Perception has had a profound impact on the vision studies community. It was chosen as one of the one hundred most influential works in cognitive science in a poll conducted by the University of Minnesota's Center for Cognitive Sciences. Many copies are "permanently borrowed" from college libraries; used copies are sought after online. Now, with this facsimile of the 1971 edition, the book is available again to cognitive scientists, neuroscientists, vision researchers, artists, and designers.


Operational excellence has become a popular strategy within many large companies and it aims to raise the competitiveness by increasing the organizational efficiency in areas such as faster time-to-market, reduced costs, improved quality and reduced supply lead time, which can have a major positive impact on company profits. By understanding how leadership at each level in the company can have a positive impact on an organizations success when implementing an operational excellence strategy, the organization can take actions accordingly. This thesis studies and compares three different units from two large Swedish organizations in order to find leadership aspects that have an affect on leader's ability to drive operational excellence in the organization. Two of the studied cases show a mix of transformational and transactional leadership while the third case only uses transformational leadership. The study shows that a transformational leadership style is more efficient for driving operational excellence. It is also clear that different leadership abilities are needed depending on the leaders' position as well as the complexity of the organization. For senior leaders that need to act through other leaders it is more important to be assertive and self-confidence, while first level line managers need to have a higher level of emotional intelligence, warmth and authenticity due to their close relationship with the employees.


The quality factor and oscillating mode of a gyrotron cavity are essential parameters to consider when trying to obtain a high power (>500 kW), high efficiency (∼50%) microwave source, which oscillates in a stable manner in the principal mode of the cavity. The study and development of an 8 GHz gyrotron whose resonant cavity is formed by a cylindrical waveguide of slowly varying radius, is undertaken. The study is principally concerned with the phenomena associated with the low quality factor of the TE°011 mode of the cavity. The power at optimal efficiency of a given resonant mode (TE°011 ) is increased when the diffractive quality factor (Qdiff) of the mode is decreased. Experiments performed with the gyrotron delivering power into a matched load show that during the process of decreasing Qdiff, the chosen mode of oscillation is perturbed by the appearance of oscillations in parasitic modes of the cavity; composed of higher order longitudinal modes (TE°O1q'q=2.3), and a propagating mode TE°21' gyro BWO), corresponding to an absolute instability of the system. These modes limit the power and efficiency of the principal mode by either oscillating simultaneously with, or in place of, the principal mode. When the gyro BWO mode oscillates, even at low power (several kilowatts), the efficiency of the principal mode of a cavity with Qdiff=160 is limited to less than 25%. This parasitic oscillation can be eliminated by the addition of a gradient in the magnetic field over the length of the interaction region. The maximum efficiency of the principal mode is then greater thon 40%; however, the power delivered remains lower than that of the cavity with Qdiff=225. The study of the influence of power reflections on the oscillation characteristics of the gyrotron reveals that the lowering of the quality factor of the cavity increases the sensitivity of the gyrotron to power reflections due to mismatched loads. A gyrotron with a quality factor which is too low can only deliver its maximum power to a matched load. In the presence of power reflections, the mode of oscillation changes, or the pulse is interrupted by an arc in the interior of the gyrotron. Even though a maximum power of 310 kW at an efficiency of 35% is obtained by the cavity with Qdiff=225, the sensitivity of this gyrotron to power reflections could limit the possibility of its use as a source for current generation or heating in a plasma, for example. These results show that there is a lower limit to the quality factor of a gyrotron cavity. This limit is situated between 410 and 225 for the TE°011 mode at 8 GHz. Below this limit the power in the mode decreases, the oscillation is perturbed or eliminated by the simultaneous oscillation of parasitic modes, and the sensitivity to power reflections could render the tube unusable for practical applications. A determination of the average velocity ratio α of the electrons in the electron beam (α=/) is made by measuring the oscillation frequency of the gyro BWO mode. The results obtained using a non-linear simulation of the interaction between the gyro BWO and the electron beam show that the value of α at the entrance of the cavity corresponds to the α-value which the electron gun is supposed to produce. It seems, however, to indicate the presence of a larger velocity dispersion than expected. This original method of measuring the α of an electron beam can be applied to any source in which a gyro BWO mode is observed, or directly as a method of characterising the beam generated by a given electron gun.


Writers are very much united in their love of stories; however, it is important to note that we are unique in temperament, influence, style, taste and attitude. We'd be lying if we told you that the process of producing Tide was all peaches and lavender. Tide is difficult. It is the clash of creative opinions, perspectives and goals—as diverse as we are as people. Despite the struggle, it was the culmination and transcendence of these aspects which gives rise to Tide: something unique in both the experience and the finished product. Tide is a foray into the scary world of organised creativity. It's mighty hopeful to ask creative writers to take on the roles of editors, designers, fundraisers and production managers. We may have eaten far more Caramello Koalas than any human should consume, and did not receive the recommended eight hours of sleep per night, but we reached the finish line and are proud to present to you the ninth edition of Tide. This year we have asked contributors to explore the theme of 'endings'. The finality of such a topic is sometimes dark, sometimes nostalgic and often illuminating. It encompasses the cyclic nature of not only the writing process but also of life. While we may never re-friend each other on Facebook, we will always have our memories and, like us, you will always have Tide. This journal article is available in Tide: https://ro.uow.edu.au/tide/vol9/iss1/1


It is very difficult for project managers to develop accurate cost and schedule estimates for large, complex software development projects. None of the approaches or tools available today can estimate the true cost of software with any high degree of accuracy early in a project. This paper provides an approach that utilizes a software development process simulation model that considers and conveys the level of uncertainty that exists when developing an initial estimate. A NASA project will be analyzed using simulation and data from the Software Engineering Laboratory to show the benefits of such an approach.


Genetic performance for a quantitative trait is often controlled by gene-by-gene and genotype-by-environment (GE) interaction effects. As an important component, a GE interaction effect is highly related to crop stability. As genetic association mapping has been widely used to determine markers associated with traits of interest, stability analysis based on genetic markers/genes of importance could help develop widely adapted or specifically adapted cultivars. With linear mixed model approach, in this study we analyzed a wheat data set from the USDA Hard Winter Wheat Regional Nursery Program in 2010. The data included 32 genetic markers and 48 genotypes with three important agronomic traits: grain yield, plant height, and heading date, which were measured under multi-environments. Our results showed that four important DNA markers: Rht2, PPO18NED, Lr34JagTM, and Waxy-A1-AFC-AR2FAM, were significantly associated with all these three traits. Among these, Rht2 contributed 50.34%, 78.65%, and 53.90% of the phenotypic variation for grain yield, plant height, and heading date, respectively. Compared to their main effects, however, genotype-by-environment interaction effects were less important under these diverse environments.


Recent evidence suggests that genetic studies may contribute to a better understanding of individual susceptibility to caries. Matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs) and their tissue inhibitors have been suggested to be involved in the caries process. The purpose of this study was to determine if polymorphisms in MMP2 (rs243865), MMP9 (rs17576), MMP13 (rs2252070), and TIMP2 (rs7501477) were associated with caries. Eligible unrelated children and adolescents were evaluated using a cross-sectional design. Data on oral health habits was obtained through a questionnaire and caries data was collected by clinical examination. Genotyping of the selected polymorphisms was carried out by real-time PCR. Allele and genotype frequencies were compared between individuals with and without caries experience. Of 505 subjects, 212 were caries-free and most subjects (61.2%) had mixed dentition. Allele frequency of MMP2, MMP13 and TIMP2 was different between caries-affected and caries-free individuals, with significant association for MMP13 (p = 0.004). Mutant allele carriers for MMP13 demonstrated a significantly decreased risk for caries (OR = 0.538, 95% CI 0.313–0.926); this result remained significant after adjustment for candidate genes, type of dentition and dietary factors. Allelic and genotype frequencies of the polymorphism in MMP9 were similar in caries-affected and caries-free individuals. Genetic variations in MMP13 may contribute to individual differences in caries susceptibility. Our findings reinforce that susceptibility to caries results from gene-environment interactions.


Suicides constitute a serious public health issue worldwide. The number of suicide victims has been increasing over the years. Susceptibility to suicidal behaviour depends on the interaction of a number of factors. The reasons for taking a decision on committing suicide may objectively seem prosaic, and yet, according to the victim, cannot be resolved in any other way. Very often, it is the disease which is a risk factor for suicide. Suicidal thoughts, suicidal behaviours and suicide attempts as well as committed suicides occur far more frequently in epileptic patients than in the general population. There are many reasons for suicides committed by patients suffering from epilepsy. This paper presents basic data on epidemiology and risk factors of suicide attempts among patients with epilepsy. Risk factors in this group of patients include, inter alia, prior suicide attempts, co-morbidity of epilepsy with depression and other mental disorders, early onset (before 18 years of age), type and frequency of epileptic seizures and the use of anti-epileptic drugs, particularly in polytherapy.


The acquisition of English as a second language remains a vital necessity for business in a globalized environment. Once a particularly early pioneer of e-learning, second language acquisition has not moved with current thinking on learning and rapid technological advances in terms of platforms and devices. The focus of this paper is a much needed review of "computer assisted language learning (CALL)" with recommendations for continued research and development applied to a Spanish context. With the recent economic crisis in the Spanish economy, due to global economic pressures from 2008, there has been a dramatic drop in employment, which consequently has forced Spanish citizens to leave the country looking for work. However, the variable quality of language teaching and learning in schools has produced a deficit in skilled workers and professionals with a suitable level of working English.  These two areas of change, CALL and Spain's employability issues, mean that businesses and language academies have to tackle the deficit. This paper describes research into the potential benefits and difficulties faced by businesses and individual learners in improving English language acquisition and aims to determine whether improved use of technology could help. The global use of CALL was investigated and, within this context, research was conducted in Spain with learners of English and language academy directors to analyse the environment of computer-assisted language learning within Spain. This was a cross-sectional study using mixed methods for the purposes of triangulation of data: following a review of relevant literature, the results of a student survey and a management survey were analysed and used to develop realistic online lessons with Spanish students to test out the concepts identified in the research. The outcomes of this case study are also presented in the paper, although at this stage of the research only a very limited test has been possible. The study has focused attention on a holistic view of the environment and attitudes towards CALL from the perspective of students and managers of language academies. These issues include self-directed learning, feedback automation, English proficiency, computer competency and attitudes towards CALL. The findings are of particular importance for businesses needing a good level of English proficiency and learners and teachers using CALL.  The report concludes with recommended areas of further research into the country's potential further development and distribution of CALL. Also, it draws together the economic impact of improved English language acquisition and how Computer Assisted Language Learning could promote this positive change and attitudes.


Purpose - The purpose of this extended editorial is to reflect on the journey of critical perspectives on international business over the past seven years and to look forward to future issues and potential concerns of the journal. In addition, the contents of the current issue are introduced. Design/methodology/approach - Using the form of a conversation between the journal's co-editors, the development of the journal and features of its content over the last seven years are discussed, and related to the ever changing external context. The current trends and concerns emerging in the field of international business are used to speculate on the future direction of the journal and its prospective content. Findings - By tracing key points and features of the development of the journal over the past seven years, this paper identifies a growing need for critique of international business in all its various forms, and, especially from inter, multi and trans-disciplinary perspectives. Originality/value - This is the first attempt to evaluate critical perspectives on international business. As such, it offers a foundation from which to speculate on the future development of both the journal and the field of critical studies on international business.


A correctional institution to incarcerate people is indispensable for every social system in the world since crime and criminals are seen in all the cultures in human history. A prison is a place of punishment in which people who violate the law are penalised as per the Indian Penal Code. The history of prison in India and constant changes in various prison conditions reflect the varying social attitude towards crime, prison and prison inmates. NCRB estimates that there are 36,900 to 3,84,700 prisoners in India and more than 10 million people all over the world (Jain, 2014). It is a known fact that a prison is a place people least prefers to visit. Life inside a prison is traumatic, stressful and a lot of mental health problems are observed inside the prison (Tosh, 1982; Janetius & Mini, 2013; Bartol & Bartol, 2014). Suicides in prison are also a global phenomenon. In 2014, prisons in England alone had 82 suicides. In India, the average annual death rate inside the prison is 375 but the reported suicide rate is less than 20 percent (Jain, 2014). Although social workers are employed in every prison, a variety of mental health service is offered mainly by social workers, psychologists and other service personnel from NGOs and other institutions in an unorganised way that reduces the stress, depression and other mental health problems of prison inmates. This empirical study describes the situation of prisoners and various causes of mental health problems, with the special reference to suicides, and evaluates the various services offered and proposes an Evidence-Based Peer-help counselling Model for suicide prevention in the prison.


ABSTRACT The mature arenavirus envelope glycoprotein GPC is a tripartite complex comprising a stable signal peptide (SSP) in addition to the receptor-binding (G1) and transmembrane fusion (G2) subunits. We have shown previously that SSP is a key element in GPC-mediated membrane fusion, and that GPC sensitivity to acidic pH is modulated in part through the lysine residue at position 33 in the ectodomain loop of SSP (J. York and J. H. Nunberg, J. Virol. 80:7775-7780, 2006). A glutamine substitution at this position stabilizes the native GPC complex and thereby prevents the induction of pH-dependent membrane fusion. In efforts to identify the intersubunit interactions of K33, we performed alanine-scanning mutagenesis at charged residues in the membrane-proximal ectodomain of G2 and determined the ability of these mutations to rescue the fusion deficiency in K33Q GPC. Four second-site mutations that specifically complement K33Q were identified (D400A, E410A, R414A, and K417A). Moreover, complementation was also observed at three hydrophobic positions in the membrane-spanning domain of G2 (F427, W428, and F438). Interestingly, all of the complementing mutations restored wild-type pH sensitivity to the K33Q mutant, while none themselves affected the pH of membrane fusion. Our studies demonstrate a specific interaction between SSP and G2 that is involved in priming the native GPC complex for pH-induced membrane fusion. Importantly, this pH-dependent interaction has been shown to be vulnerable to small-molecule compounds that stabilize the native complex and prevent the activation of membrane fusion. A detailed mechanistic understanding of the control of GPC-mediated membrane fusion will be important in guiding the development of effective therapeutics against arenaviral hemorrhagic fever.


This paper examines official country selection and resource allocation of German aid after the end of the Cold War and embeds the analysis into the broader debate about German foreign policy. Based on new data, we take into account several peculiarities of the German aid system. Overall, we find that neediness and democracy levels of recipients have been guiding principles in both country selection and resource allocation. Nevertheless, geostrategic considerations and the avoidance of conflict-affected countries have also impacted on country selection but less on resource allocation. Moreover, non-linear estimation techniques identify a relatively high threshold of income levels, below which the poverty orientation disappears – a finding that refines previous studies identifying a middleincome-country bias of German aid allocation. Finally, official selection decisions to concentrate aid on a reduced number of countries did not have the intended concentration effect. This strong path dependency and development orientation is compatible with research that sees German foreign policy after reunification as being subject only to very gradual changes and led by the role model of a civilian power.


Interstitial cystitis (IC) is a poorly understood chronic bladder disorder that is generally characterized by bladder discomfort and increased urination urgency and frequency. Vitamin D levels are associated with bladder pathology, and both rat and human bladders express receptors for vitamin D3. Vitamin D significantly reduced edema and bladder wall leukocyte infiltration in a IC animal model. Genetic studies have provided the opportunity to determine which proteins link vitamin D to IC pathology (i.e., the major histocompatibility complex (MHC) class II molecules, the transcription factor nuclear factor kappa B (NF-κB), RANTES (regulated on activation, normal T cell expressed and secreted), epidermal growth factor (EGF), transforming growth factor beta (TGF-β) family, and vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF)). Vitamin D also exerts its effect on IC through non-genomic factors, i.e., Bacillus Calmette-Guerin (BCG) vaccination, mast cells and histamine, prostaglandins (PGs), reactive oxygen species (ROS), and inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS). Conclusion: Vitamin D may have a beneficial role in IC. Calcitriol is best used for IC because it is the active form of the vitamin D3 metabolite, and it modulates inflammatory cytokine expression. Further investigation with calcitriol in IC patients is needed.


Build reading skills with these readers theatre scripts of charming folktales and fables from around the world. Each of the 20 reproducible scripts has been evaluated using the Flesch-Kincaid Readability Scale and grouped into first, second, or third grade readability levels. The author includes specific suggestions for presentation, props, and delivery, plus a book list of related illustrated books. Sample Tales: Jack and the Beanstalk (English) The Lion and the Mouse (Greek) The Old Woman and Her Pig (English) The Three Billy Goats Gruff (Scandinavian) The Tortoise and the Hare (Greek) Baba Yaga (Russian) Little Red Riding Hood (German) The Ugly Duckling (Danish).


It is challenging to develop a cross-platform application, that is, an application that runs on multiple platforms. It requires not only code reuse but also an individual building or compilation for each platform, possibly with different development tools. In this paper, we show a simple approach for creating a cross-platform application using Maven, a build tool. We configure a cross-platform development environment by composing a set of platform-specific tools or integrated development environments (IDE's). The key idea of our approach is to use Maven to immediately propagate changes made using one platform tool, or IDE, to other platforms. For this, we decompose an application into platformindependent and platform-dependent parts and make the individual tools and IDE's share the platform-independent part in the form of a reusable component or library. We explain our approach in detail by creating a sample application that runs on the Java platform and the Android platform. The development environment consists of IntelliJ IDEA (for Java) and Android Studio. Our approach provides a way to set up a custom, cross-platform development environment by letting software developers pick platform-specific tools of their choices. This helps maximize code reuse in a multi-platform application and creates a continuous integration environment.


Coasts contain a disproportionate share of the world's population, reflecting historical advantages, but environmental change threatens a reversal of coastal fortune in the coming decades as natural disasters intensify and sea levels rise. This thesis considers whether large infrastructure investments should continue to favour coastal areas. I use a dynamic spatial equilibrium framework and detailed georeferenced data from Vietnam to examine this issue and find evidence that coastal favouritism has significant costs. Road investments concentrated in coastal regions between 2000 and 2010 had positive returns but would have been outperformed by allocations concentrated further inland even in the absence of sea level rise. Future inundation renders the status quo significantly less efficient. Under a central sea level rise scenario, welfare gains 72% higher could have been achieved by a foresighted allocation avoiding the most vulnerable regions. The results highlight the importance of accounting for the dynamic effects of environmental change in deciding where to allocate infrastructure today.


This paper investigates an overlap in function between object fronting and passivization in Old English, based on observations that these constructions in Present-day English and Present-day verb-second languages both perform a function of restoring the unmarked given-before-new order of information in a sentence. A study of the information status of the relevant elements in these constructions in Old English shows that the majority of examples indeed show given-before-new order. Quantitative data on the frequencies of these constructions in later periods provide suggestive evidence that as object fronting is lost in the Middle English period, the use of passives increases. This, in turn, suggests that the information-structural function remains constant while syntactic options to express it change.


I paint a portrait to undo a person. I achieve this by painting representations of them in acrylic paint on top of wax that is then melted away. All of the brushed-on material remains but it no longer resembles the person. Some of them are men who abuse their power, some are archetypes of masculinity. They have constructed themselves to be something that they are not and they are falling apart. Removing the picture of someone is not the same as actually removing them, these men remain in our lives. We do not want to see representations of them so this process only changes how we view them. It points to the collapse of the white male identity as it has been currently constructed. If we can see them changed, but not gone, then we might begin to construct something new out of what remains. Thesis draft 7.8 Turek


This paper attempts to bring to design dialogue an expanded meaning of the term "commodity" by revealing its presence and discussion in other disciplines. Particularly germane to design are the notions of commodity fetishism and commodity aesthetics outlined by Karl Marx and Wolfgang Haug. Experiments in generating innovative forms largely perceived as imperative creative exercises in design are, according to Marxist thought, merely attempts to valorize capital. The redesign of product forms is labeled by Marxists as 'aesthetic aging,' and referred to as an activity with the sole purpose of forcefully outdating existing products. Also critical is the notion discussed by Marx, and later by Walter Benjamin, that human (and maybe robotic) labor-power expended in the making of the commodity is invisible to the consumer, thereby degrading as a value. By referring to a commodity as a product (a visible, tangible termination of the process of design and manufacture), designers align themselves at the other extreme of this idea. Modernist thinking emphasized the visibility of function and means of manufacturing of products, revealing an interesting antithesis. Theodor Adorno likens the production of culture to that of mass-produced objects. He therefore portrays the commodity as a metaphor for culture by equating its means of generation, which relies on standardized industry, to that of cultural production. Not habituated to fundamental discussions of capitalism and political economy, the debate of design history can gain from the inclusion of such material, as it will challenge existing definitions of objects, encouraging designers to engage in a broader dialogue.


A number of studies have found that teachers are prone to leave schools serving high proportions of low-achieving, low-income, and minority students for more economically and educationally advantaged schools. In schools with very high turnover rates, this can pose a number of challenges, including lack of continuity in instruction, lack of adequate teaching expertise for making curriculum decisions and providing support and mentoring, and lost time and resources for replacement and training. If high rates of turnover are caused largely by student characteristics, then policy strategies to correct the problem are limited. However, due to data constraints, little research has sought to disentangle the effects of student demographic factors from occupational factors such as salaries and working conditions that may also influence turnover and are amenable to policy interventions. Using California teacher survey data linked to district data on salaries and staffing patterns, this study examines a range of school conditions as well as demographic factors and finds that high levels of school turnover are strongly affected by poor working conditions and low salaries, as well as by student characteristics. Although schools' racial compositions and proportions of low-income students predict teacher turnover, salaries and working conditions-including large class sizes, facilities problems, multitrack schools, and lack of textbooks-are strong and significant factors in predicting high rates of turnover. Furthermore, when these conditions are taken into account, the influence of student characteristics on turnover is substantially reduced.


In order to construct accurate proposers for Metropolis-Hastings Markov Chain Monte Carlo, we integrate ideas from probabilistic graphical models and neural networks in an open-source framework we call Lightweight Inference Compilation (LIC). LIC implements amortized inference within an open-universe declarative probabilistic programming language (PPL). Graph neural networks are used to parameterize proposal distributions as functions of Markov blankets, which during "compilation" are optimized to approximate single-site Gibbs sampling distributions. Unlike prior work in inference compilation (IC), LIC forgoes importance sampling of linear execution traces in favor of operating directly on Bayesian networks. Through using a declarative PPL, the Markov blankets of nodes (which may be non-static) are queried at inference-time to produce proposers Experimental results show LIC can produce proposers which have less parameters, greater robustness to nuisance random variables, and improved posterior sampling in a Bayesian logistic regression and $n$-schools inference application.


Inverse spectral problems for elliptic operators and fractal drums on a difference equation with last conditions the estimates of Eigenvalues for Laplace operator on second order linear differential systems periodic/quasiperiodic solutions of second order Duffing's equations positive radial solutions to nonlinear boundary value problems for semilinear elliptic problems on the uniqueness of solution of integral equations the asymptotic expansion for spline-on-spline collocation of nonlinear two point boundary problem stability of nonlinear measure differential large scale systems with impulsive effect on the existence of symmetric periodic solutions of a differential difference equation stochastic perturbations of dynamical systems the measure properties of a class of general subordinators and the random re-orderings of the Cantor set oscillation theorems for certain first-order nonlinear neutral differential equations direction and stability of bifurcating periodic solutions in predator-prey systems with discrete delay five-dimensional cooperative systems with every equilibrium stable some problems of optimal control and estimation for stochastic hereditary systems numerical analysis of some stochastic suboptimal controlled systems bifurcations of a class of nongeneric quadratic Hamiltonian systems under quadratic perturbations generaic Hamiltonian systems with small perturbations dimensions of measure supported on generalized MW construction contributions to the theory of optimal stochastic controls higher order abstract Cauchy problems in locally convex spaces Ekeland's variational principle and maximum principle of time-delay system stability problems of impulsive systems temporal and spatial pattern formations Pth moment exponential stability of large-scale stochastic delay systems in hierarchical form.


In this paper we investigate the use of brain signatures as a possible biometric authentication technique. Research on brain EEG signals has shown that individuals exhibit unique brain patterns for similar tasks. In this paper we use brain EEG signals recorded during the performance of three mental tasks to identify six individuals. PSD features using Welch algorithm is extracted from the EEG Beta waves. A feed forward neural classifier is used to identify the six individuals. The performance of the neural network is appreciable with an average accuracy of 94.4 to 97.5%. Results validate the usage of brain signatures as a possible modality for biometric verification.


The Protagoras features the first known venture into detailed textual interpretation in the Western intellectual tradition.Yet if Socrates is to be taken at his word at the close of his hermeneutic contest with Protagoras, this venture is to be regarded as a playful demonstration of the worthlessness of texts for aiding in the pursuit of knowledge. This essay is an attempt to view Socrates' puzzling remarks on this point within their dramatic and historical contexts. I argue that, far from having us lay our inherited texts aside, we can find in the Protagoras a reorientation to the linked activities of reading and dialogue, where we need not be forced to choose between merely using our own unaided voices and relying upon the (textual) voices of others in the project of philosophic education.


Thomas Covington Dent left a legacy larger than his published works. He left a legacy of caring, nurturing, passionate involvement in the grooming of writers and the organizations that support them. His work with the Umbra Workshop in the New York of the early 1960s, his efforts to sustain the Free Southern Theatre (FST) writing workshop that became Blkartsouth in the late sixties and seventies, and his Herculean efforts to keep a group of Black writers workshopping in New Orleans through the Congo Square Writers' Union in the 1980s all speak to a passion he expressed best in the closing lines of the preface to his first book of poetry, Magnolia Street. Invoking both his mentor and friend, South African poet Keorapetse Kgositsile, and his own passion for writing, Tom wrote, "Maybe someday I can pass on to someone else struggling to gain confidence in this passionate work something of what Kgositsile has bequeathed to me" (Preface). As peers, proteges, and friends readily attest, Tom succeeded in sharing his passion and bolstered many a floundering confidence. "He was the bourbon among us," Ishmael Reed, a former Umbra member, told me as we commiserated over our loss late in the summer of 1998. We talked about Tom's uncanny way of handling people and situations and the New York Umbra group: "We met at Tom Dent's apartment and often the meetings would turn into free-for-alls. We were very sensitive to criticism and one could always feel the ego power sizzling in the room like a downed electrical wire. Dangerous. Among our members were those who would go on to establish international reputations" (20 July 1998). Included were Lorenzo Thomas, David Henderson, Calvin Hernton, N. H. Pritchard, Askia Toure, Charles and Raymond Patterson. Reed's memories place Tom at the center of sane and sound handling of these fiery gatherings. He also elaborated on his bourbon comment: "I didn't know at the time, that Dent was a product of the African-American aristocracy, and he never let on about his origins" (3 Dec. 2001). The Black Collegian Online echoes Reed's observations about Tom's background, "Tom's father was president of Dillard University and Tom was groomed to become a major figure in the Black professional world" (par. 2). His mother, long before the feminist movement or the civil rights movement, was a concert pianist. Tom's family believed in service to the community, to the race. It was clear that they never quite expected their "how to conduct a worthy life" lessons to manifest in the organization of an arts movement widely associated with the radical thinking and behavior of the Black Power movement. About Tom, we in the New Orleans Congo Square crowd would occasionally wonder how anyone could seem so regal and yet be unfalteringly earthbound at the same time. How could anyone do so much while seeming to do so little, without undue external frenzy? Sometimes enigmatic friend and mentor, he was poet, writer, journalist, administrator, PR man, producer, community organizer, raconteur extraordinaire, and to many, just "Tom." When hundreds of people came for his funeral services, from near and as far away as Africa via New York, his brother commented, "It's like he was famous or something." We were always convinced that if he were not, he was one of the few people we knew whose work deserved fame. He was only 66 at his death. His mother, over 90 then, was inconsolable. Since Tom's death we have had time to review his life's work, his expressed intentions, and many actual outcomes. Tom taught by example. For many of us he was the only person we knew actually living the "writing life." He devoted hours to discussion, analysis, and the importance of precision in intention. Reed outlined a system of beliefs that defined Umbra: "Umbra changed all of us and I think that if one person was the spearhead behind the whole thing, it was Tom. One thing all of us in Umbra shared was contempt for the middle class. …


The association between loneliness and excessive internet use among secondary school students was examined. One hundred and sixty seven secondary school students were administered a questionnaire for some demographic questions and UCLA for determining their loneliness levels. The results showed that the secondary school students who reported greater hours of engagement on the Internet have higher loneliness levels than the average users. ********** The estimated number of Internet users in the world for June 30,2008 is 1,463,632,361 and the penetration is 21.9%, based on the world population estimate of 6,676,120,288 persons for mid-year 2008 (internet World Stats, 2008). Internet use and the number of users in Turkey have also increased in every part of life ranging teenagers to older individuals. According to the results of the "ICT usage survey on households and individuals" carried out by Turkish Statistical Institute in 2007, this dramatic increase has been clearly underlined. The statistics shows that 18.94% of households have access to the internet at home, and the proportion of all the individuals in 14-74 age groups is 29.46% and internet use is 26.67%. The dramatic increase can be clearly seen when these statistics have been compared to the results of the same survey conducted in 2005 that only 8.66% of households have access to internet, the proportion of all the individuals in 14-74 age groups is 17.65%, and internet use is 13.93%. This figure that nearly doubles in two years time proves that individuals in Turkey have a great interest and willingness to the use of new information and communication technologies. By considering, the age group proportion of computer use and internet use of individuals is the highest in 16-24 age groups; 34.08% and 27.80% respectively (TURKSTAT, 2007). 16-24 age group comprises the students at the age of secondary education and university in Turkey; so it is necessary that internet is used to get information and make project on studies about school and to do homeworks by students. In their attempts, students are encouraged also by their teachers in accord with the constructivist learning approach implemented at schools. On the other hand, they are already expected to participate in social activities like playing online games or chatting to spend their leisure times or to have fun. All these activities of any such kind will not cause problem as long as the internet is used carefully. However, there will be some troubles in private life or in business or school lives if the usage of internet exceeds, no matter what the purpose is. This case indicates the internet addiction, described by Young (1996).As stated, the internet addiction starts at younger ages than the drug addiction and includes the risk group of those between 12 and 18 (Ozturk, Odabasioglu, Eraslan, Genc & Kalyoncu, 2007). The heavy increase in internet usage of those especially between 16 and 24 causes many problems as well because of their ages. Therefore, it is of great importance that the internet usage of the people in this age group is scrutinized. In the studies carried out lately (Chak & Leung, 2004; Ebeling-Witte, Frank, & Lester, 2007; Ozcan & Buzlu, 2007; Weiser, 2001), the relationship between internet usage, internet addiction or problematic internet use in private, and various social or psychological factors are reviewed. One of the matters in question is about whether internet alienates its users from society and leads to isolation. There are studies which show that those often using internet are at low level of loneliness-social loneliness in particular (Moody, 2001; Shaw & Gant, 2002), and that, on the other hand, some other studies show that those using internet excessively are at high level of loneliness-emotional loneliness in particular (Caplan, 2003; Engelberg & Sjoberg, 2004). Therefore, the relationship between excessive internet use and loneliness need to be still studied on. …


For diffeomorphisms of smooth compact finite-dimensional manifolds, we consider the problem of how fast the number of periodic points with period $n$ grows as a function of $n$. In many familiar cases (e.g., Anosov systems) the growth is exponential, but arbitrarily fast growth is possible; in fact, the first author has shown that arbitrarily fast growth is topologically (Baire) generic for $C^2$ or smoother diffeomorphisms. In the present work we show that, by contrast, for a measure-theoretic notion of genericity we call "prevalence", the growth is not much faster than exponential. Specifically, we show that for each $\rho, \delta > 0$, there is a prevalent set of $C^{1+\rho}$ (or smoother) diffeomorphisms for which the number of periodic $n$ points is bounded above by $\exp(C n^{1+\delta})$ for some $C$ independent of $n$. We also obtain a related bound on the decay of hyperbolicity of the periodic points as a function of $n$, and obtain the same results for $1$-dimensional endomorphisms. The contrast between topologically generic and measure-theoretically generic behavior for the growth of the number of periodic points and the decay of their hyperbolicity show this to be a subtle and complex phenomenon, reminiscent of KAM theory. Here in Part I we state our results and describe the methods we use. We complete most of the proof in the $1$-dimensional $C^2$-smooth case and outline the remaining steps, deferred to Part II, that are needed to establish the general case.

The novel feature of the approach we develop in this paper is the introduction of Newton Interpolation Polynomials as a tool for perturbing trajectories of iterated maps.


Nature conservation planning tends to be driven by models based on Western norms and science, but these may not represent the cultural, philosophical and religious contexts of much of Asia. This book provides a new perspective on the topic of sacred natural sites and cultural heritage by linking Asian cultures, religions and worldviews with contemporary conservation practices and approaches.


The doctoral dissertation considers the existence of non-competitive wage premia in Great
Britain. The research aims to confront the predictions of certain approaches to wage
determination with microeconomic data for Great Britain. In so doing, the analysis is
mindful of the importance of economic theory in order to provide a basis for empirical work
undertaken, which in turn should ideally be focused upon policy-oriented issues.
In addressing the issue of Wage Premia in the British Labour Market, the Thesis also
acknowledges the importance of employing large microeconomic datasets in order to
understand an issue which is essentially concerned with microeconomic behaviour. To this
end, the Thesis employs data at the level of the individual, the establishment and the firm in
the British labour market, carrying out both cross-sectional and longitudinal analyses. Noncompetitive
wages have significant implications for performance alongside wages
themselves. Partly as a result, a concern of the author was to go beyond estimation of wage
equations with additional explanatory variables, in order to consider these aspects of
performance directly. The empirical work reflects this.
In a sense, the body of research traces the three stages of development of the
empirical literature on non-competitive wages. This begins with a study of the wages
received by individual workers according to their industry affiliation. Competitive theory
predicts that contingent upon levels of human capital and non-pecuniary benefits, individuals
working in different industries should earn equal amounts: a law of one-price prevails. The
analysis therefore attempts to detect the presence of non-competitive rents. Further, the
notion that such differentials are non-competitive suggests a relation between their magnitude
and industry profitability. The study represents the first attempt to relate industry
differentials to measures of industry ability-to pay for Great Britain.
Second, a cross-sectional study of turnover and wages is concerned with the issue of
whether an employer may voluntarily pay wages above a market-clearing level in order to
prevent employees from quitting the place of work. The paper provides the first
microeconomic evidence of wage as well as union effects upon turnover at British
establishments.
Third, the issue of whether the forces of wage determination may differ between
levels of the firm is considered, focusing upon the employee-executive distinction. Two
chapters, employing a large panel of UK companies consider this issue by examining the
determination of company-level wages (Chapter 5) and company financial performance
(Chapter 6).
At the time of writing, one of the most contentious issues in the area of wage
determination in the British labour market refers to the pay of public sector employees and
how this compares to that of the private sector. In Chapter 7, among the first individual-level
estimates of the differential associated with employment in the public sector for Great Britain
are provided.
Finally, the Thesis draws out the policy implications of efficiency wages. Efficiency
Wage theory represents one of the main schools of thought regarding the existence of noncompetitive
wage premia. The issues which arise strike at the core of labour market and
industrial policy-making and include unemployment and minimum wage legislation.


A precise free‐field calibration system of type LS2 microphones by the reciprocity technique is proposed. A source and a receiver microphone are each attached to a cylinder of 1/2 in. diameter, respectively, and the cylinders are set up perpendicularly at the center of the anechoic room. The output voltage of the receiver microphone and the input voltage of the source microphone are measured by an FFT analyzer, and the frequency transfer functions are averaged to improve the signal‐to‐noise ratio. To reduce the influence of the disturbing reflections in the anechoic room, the gating technique is adopted. Values for the position of the acoustic centers of MR112 microphones were measured by two methods—gating and conventional. The uncertainty of the values by the gating method was less than by the conventional method.


Interpretation is a familiar feature of law and legal practice. For some legal theorists, interpretation is a central - even foundational - aspect of law. I argue that interpretation is a parasitic activity in legal practice. In other words, I want to disagree with those who make the case for interpretation as a basic or fundamental feature of law. While interpretation is certainly an important element of legal practice, it is an activity that depends upon existing and widespread agreement among legal practitioners with respect to most features of legal practice. In short, interpretation is not the firmament of law. The need for interpretation arises from the firmament of praxis. That is, interpretation in law arises from established forms of action that all participants recognize and employ whenever they make, appraise, and adjudicate claims about the state of the law. Interpretation is grounded in a distinct form of discursive action that we recognize as legal in nature. Thus, before we can truly understand the role of interpretation in law, we must first explicate the particular form of understanding we identify as legal. Only with a clear view of the nature of understanding in law can we then properly explicate the nature and scope of interpretation in law. When we look at how participants in law engage in interpretation, the activity can best be described by three general principles. These principles capture what it is that lawyers do when they, of necessity, interpret the law.


In this study, I adapt a methodology from the field of ecocriticism to explore the physical world depicted in Gen. 2:4b–3:24. I challenge traditional dualistic interpretations of the text in Christian theological tradition and wider Western culture which have heavily influenced ecocritical thinking and have typically characterized the garden of YHWH as a bounteous paradise and the land outside the garden as a barren wilderness latterly corrupted by sin. I argue that the "wilderness" of Gen. 2:4b–3:24 is ultimately just as capable of supporting life as the garden of YHWH. I also suggest that the garden of YHWH is significantly different in appearance to the sumptuous royal gardens of Western Asian tradition to which it has previously been compared, and propose that a vegetal border delineates the garden of YHWH from the surrounding land. Finally, I find that natural resources play a significant role in the narrative; indeed Gen. 2:4b–3:24 pivots around the consumption of a natural resource, the produce of the tree of knowledge of good and evil. Through the application of an ecocritical reading methodology, I offer original insight into the physical world depicted in this well-known and highly influential text. In doing so, I hope to demonstrate both the value of dialogue between the fields of biblical studies and ecocriticism, and the potential for further ecocritical studies of biblical texts to follow.


Through a series of three standalone yet related essays, this thesis theorizes effects of the government administration context in developing countries on situated IT-enabled practices. It develops arguments on the capacity of the institutional logics perspective for explaining complex interactions between the broader social context and IT-enabled practices carried out by situated actors in the public administration of developing countries. We theorize IT-enabled rationalization—a process through which inefficiencies, and dysfunctional institutionalized practices are transformed through IT—as the hybridizing outcomes from the resolutions in practice of often incompatible institutional logics of administration with those introduced by IT. Through a case study of IT modernization initiatives at Ghana's customs organization, these arguments are developed by identifying historically formed administration logics and the consequences of their interplay with idealtypic public administration logics introduced through IT. We find that rather than forcing out dysfunctional practices and replacing them with IT-driven ones i.e., replacing old logics with new, as is often an implicit goal of IT adoption in such settings, the two sets of incompatible logics are instead comingled in practice through a process identified as blending. This suggests that IT adoption in the public administration of developing countries might enable rationalization, although not independently of countervailing broader institutional context.


With the rapid development of Internet, the role of the Java virtual machine technology is also becoming increasingly important. First of all, the Java virtual machine for the underlying implementation of cross-platform, for the implementation of the underlying heterogeneous system shielding the details of the infrastructure. Second, the implementation of the Java virtual machine can according to the different application scenarios and the underlying infrastructure do different optimization, and transparent to upper layers at the same time, to achieve the same code compile once, in a different environment to realize the execution efficiency of the optimization. In addition, the Java virtual machine to provide automatic memory management, garbage collection mechanism and characteristics of dynamic link completely, can effectively reduce the complexity of the design and implementation of the large system. The Java virtual machine because of its many excellent properties, are out of pure Java language execution environment, the role of general platform as the next generation. Based on migration of thread are studied in this paper to realize distributed Java virtual machine, on the basis of theoretical issues, the design and implementation of a typical representative system are analyzed, put forward in the Java virtual machine level to realize distributed computing framework based on the migration of threads, realized the distributed prototype single Java virtual machine, and to actually use performance test and evaluation, main work includes: the thread of distributed Java virtual machine migration mechanism; Task migration when the load balancing strategy; Across nodes of transparent access to distributed Java heap; Java thread synchronization mechanism under distributed environment; Under the distributed environment of automatic memory management and garbage collection; Single Java performance test and evaluation.


Sinusoidal endothelial cell injury plays a pivotal role in anoxia/reoxygenation liver damage. However, the mechanisms culminating in anoxia/reoxygenation endothelial cell injury remain unclear. Our aims were to determine whether anoxia/reoxygenation injury of sinusoidal endothelial cells causes mitochondrial dysfunction. In cultured rat liver sinusoidal endothelial cells, the mitochondrial membrane potential, cytosolic free calcium and cytosolic pH were quantitated by means of fluorescent probes and multiparameter digitized video microscopy. Cell viability was measured on the basis of lactate dehydrogenase release, and ATP was quantitated with a luciferin/luciferase assay. Mitochondrial membrane potential was stable during 90 min of aerobic perfusion. After 60 and 90 min of anoxia, mitochondrial membrane potential decreased gradually to 97% ± 6% and 79% ± 7% of the basal value, respectively. However, mitochondrial membrane potential decreased abruptly with reoxygenation after 60 min of anoxia to 45% ± 12% of the basal value and did not recover over 30 min of aerobic perifusion. Loss of mitochondrial membrane potential could not be attributed to changes of cytosolic free calcium, cytosolic pH, nitric oxide generation or activity of poly(ADP‐ribose) polymerase. The antioxidants TEMPO (2,2,6,6‐tetramethylpiperidine‐N‐oxyl) and Trolox (6‐hydroxy‐2,5,7,8‐tetramethyl‐chroman‐2‐carboxylic acid) protected against both loss of mitochondrial membrane potential and cell viability. In contrast, reduced glutathione depletion by diethyl maleate or phorone potentiated mitochondrial depolarization and cell killing. Cyclosporine plus trifluoperazine also protected against loss of mitochondrial membrane potential and cell killing, suggesting that the mitochondrial membrane permeability transition was responsible for these events. Cytoprotection correlated better with preservation of the mitochondrial membrane potential than with cellular ATP levels. These data demonstrate that mitochondrial dysfunction is a critical event in anoxia/reoxygenation injury of liver sinusoidal endothelial cells, which can be therapeutically targeted. (Hepatology 1994;20:177–185.)