IFP-C3D, a hexahedral unstructured parallel solver dedicated to multiphysics calculation, is being developed at IFP to compute the compressible combustion in internal engines. IFP-C3D uses an unstructured formalism, the finite volume method on staggered grids, time splitting, SIMPLE loop, sub-cycled advection, turbulent and Lagrangian spray and a liquid film model. Original algorithms and models such as the conditional temporal interpolation methodology for moving grids, the remapping algorithm for transferring quantities on different meshes during the computation enable IFP-C3D to deal with complex moving geometries with large volume deformation induced by all moving geometrical parts (intake/exhaust valve, piston). The Van Leer and Superbee slop limiters are used for advective fluxes and the wall law for the heat transfer model. Physical models developed at IFP for combustion (ECFM gasoline combustion model and ECFM3Z for Diesel combustion model), for ignition (TKI for auto-ignition and AKTIM for spark plug ignition) and for spray modelling enable the simulation of a large variety of innovative engine configurations from non-conventional Diesel engines using for instance HCCI combustion mode, to direct injection hydrogen internal combustion engines. Large super-scalar machines up to 1 000 processors are being widely used and IFP-C3D has been optimized for running on these Cluster machines. IFP-C3D is parallelized using the Message Passing Interface (MPI) library to distribute calculation over a large number of processors. Moreover, IFP-C3D uses an optimized linear algebraic library to solve linear matrix systems and the METIS partitionner library to distribute the computational load equally for all meshes used during the calculation and in particular during the remap stage when new meshes are loaded. Numerical results and timing are presented to demonstrate the computational efficiency of the code.


The Danube Delta town of Vilkovo is often called the 'Ukrainian Venice' because of its 40 kilometers of canals. Many of these canals, however, are rapidly filling in with silt and are often impassible by boat. Tourism entrepreneurs and town administrators have begun lobbying for funding for a large-scale canal restoration project and for the town's designation as a heritage site. Their tourism-development narratives, however, often overlook or simplify a complex set of social and environmental factors that have shaped residents' past and present relationships with the Danube River. This article counters this tendency by providing an ethnographic portrait of terrestrialization—a term I use to name the confluence of geomorphological, ecological and social change in Vilkovo—that draws on townspeople's descriptions of their dwelling practices. It combines insights from amphibious anthropology and social science literature on water infrastructure in order to pinpoint issues that need to be addressed in developing the town's tourist economy, and makes the case for including studies of terrestrialization as part of an amphibious anthropology.


[https://vimeo.com/208188696 ]Louis Henderson: Lettres du Voyant (40:00, 2013) Louis Henderson writes with his camera. In his 2013 film "Lettres du Voyant (Visionary Letters)" Henderson tells a story about Sakawa, the Ghanaian magical practice for ensuring the success of internet scamming and the extraction of minerals and data. In this excerpt, we visit three sites that directly speak of maintenance and repair and their lack thereof. First, we enter a goldmine. In these mines the colonial forces extracted precious metals in the most ignoble ways, and here we see the practice continues. Henderson descends into this mine and scans it with laser measurement technology—in a sense, generating a three dimensional data account of the forceful erosion and disrepair induced through this illicit activity. Ghana has become the site where former colonial powers have begun disposing of their discarded computers, a practice exacerbated by product development cycles that do not include repair and maintenance. Tons of corporate and private desktop setups end up in the e-waste ground we see, called Agbogbloshie. It has become an extraction site similar to a mine, with access to it controlled by overseers. There we find an industry that pieces together functioning IT equipment from the scraps. Craftsmen repair and maintain these machines, resurrect them into a corporate afterlife. Unusable parts end up in the field where raw metallurgy is used to extract rare earths and precious metals by burning mainboards and hard drives. Engulfed by this visible smoke and invisible fumes, Sakawa has emerged. In the internet cafes surrounding this area, data scrapped from old computers is used to extract credit card payments via email. Digital photographs, bank account data or email history are used in connection with ritual magic practices to haunt those at their desks that are unaware of their global repercussions or just don't know how to properly delete their personal data. The excerpt is a stark reminder that we need to be personally and politically invested in the maintenance and repair of our relations with the world. For that we will not be haunted by Sakawa, or other methods of post-colonial revenge. Instead of a short bio, we present a brief narrative account: Louis Henderson is personally connected into Ghana. His step-Grandmother is from Kumasi - where his grandfather is buried in the garden of their house - and his cousins helped him make this film. In a brief conversation leading up to the preparation of this article, Henderson spoke about some of his narrative decisions from the vantage gained by the several years that have passed since he released his film. Rather than deploying voiceover that relied upon a spoken collage of essayistic, poetic, conversational, and scientific text, Henderson now believes his future films ought to be based on a practice of listening to others. " To work through colonial history through contemporary cinema means to apply new methods of narration that incorporate listening to stories rather than telling stories. " Making cinema not for the art world or film festival world, but for the people of the world. Louis Henderson and Filipa Cesar's latest film "Sunstone" will be released in 2017. —Bernhard Garnicnig


This paper presents the architecture of an Interactive Test Tool (ITT) for interoperability testing of Cooperative Intelligent Transport Systems (C-ITS). Cooperative systems are developed by different manufacturers at different locations, which makes interoperability testing a tedious task. Up until now, interoperability testing is performed during physical meetings where the C-ITS devices are placed within range of wireless communication, and messages are exchanged. The ITT allows distributed (e.g. over Internet) interoperability testing starting from the network Transport Layer and all the way up to the Application Layer, e.g. to platooning. ITT clients can be implemented as Hardware-in-the-Loop, thus allowing to combine physical and virtual vehicles. Since the ITT considers each client as a black box, manufacturers can test together without revealing internal implementations to each other. The architecture of the ITT allows users to easily switch between physical wireless networking and virtual ITT networking. Therefore, only one implementation of the ITS communication stack is required for both development and testing, which reduces the work overhead and ensures that the stack that is used during the testing is the one deployed in the real world.


Tax exceptionalism — the view that tax law does not have to play by the administrative law rules that govern the rest of the regulatory state — has come under attack in recent years. In 2011, the Supreme Court rejected such exceptionalism by holding that judicial review of the Treasury Department's interpretations of the tax code is subject to the same Chevron deference regime that applies throughout the administrative state. The D.C. Circuit followed suit by rejecting the IRS's position that its notices are not subject to judicial review under the Administrative Procedure Act (APA). This Article calls for the demise of another instance of tax exceptionalism: the United States Tax Court's longstanding view that it is not governed by the APA.In addition to presenting the legal case against Tax Court exceptionalism, the Article explores administrative law and tax policy considerations that favor the Tax Court following traditional administrative law, including consistent application of the law, efficient allocation of resources, horizontal and vertical equity, comparative agency expertise, and a proper separation of powers. Moreover, by following administrative law principles that may be more deferential to the IRS in a particular case, the Tax Court can establish a richer dialogue with the IRS to improve agency procedures and decision-making — thus advancing tax policy's interest in protecting less sophisticated taxpayers while increasing economic efficiency. With a growing circuit conflict as to whether the Tax Court is bound by the APA, the Tax Court should reverse course now before the Supreme Court intervenes to declare the death of tax exceptionalism in yet another area of tax law.


In order to produce reliable software, it is important to have knowledge on how faults and errors may affect the software. In particular, designing efficient error detection mechanisms requires not only knowledge on which types of errors to detect but also the effect these errors may have on the software as well as how they propagate through the software. This paper presents the Propagation Analysis Environment (PROPANE) which is a tool for profiling and conducting fault injection experiments on software running on desktop computers. PROPANE supports the injection of both software faults (by mutation of source code) and data errors (by manipulating variable and memory contents). PROPANE supports various error types out-of-the-box and has support for user-defined error types. For logging, probes are provided for charting the values of variables and memory areas as well as for registering events during execution of the system under test. PROPANE has a flexible design making it useful for development of a wide range of software systems, e.g., embedded software, generic software components, or user-level desktop applications. We show examples of results obtained using PROPANE and how these can guide software developers to where software error detection and recovery could increase the reliability of the software system.


Analyses of neoliberal labor market restructuring debate whether neoliberalism is homogenizing jobs or polarizing them. Analyses of informal employment debate whether such employment is inferior, and if so, if it is typically a transition or a trap. This paper speaks to both debates, using a three time-point (2006, 2007, 2008) longitudinal survey of retail workers in the state of Tlaxcala, Mexico, to contrast workers' experiences across the spectrum of formal and informal work. Using the longitudinal data, the paper compares workers' trajectories, exploring how they make choices and navigate transitions between more formal and more informal work. A qualitative portion of the survey permits the comparison of people's aspirations and insight into how those aspirations shift overtime. Differences within formal and informal retail sectors loom as large as differences between the two sectors. For example, while formal retail workers earned more and in most cases have greater earnings growth than informal ones, much of the earnings advantage disappears when we excluded formal retail supervisors and managers and focus on rank-and-file workers. Class and gender, in addition to market position, structure differential access to better outcomes. Transitions between formal and informal work are rare in this sample, and progress toward aspirations are very limited for most subgroups. The expansion of retail chains appears to be degrading job quality among informal retail workers (through heightened competition), but without leading to better jobs for the typical employee in the chains. In addition, large numbers of job-seekers without viable alternatives are entering informal retail, once more degrading job quality through added competition.


A large collection of fossil decapod crustaceans from Cretaceous and Eocene rocks of Vancouver Island, British Columbia, Canada, has yielded a remarkably diverse fauna. The Cretaceous decapod fauna, including previously described and new taxa, contains 17 genera in 14 families, represented by as many as 22 species. The Eocene fauna is less robust, with 7 species and 6 genera in 6 families. This publication includes one new family; three new genera; eight new species; and nine new combinations. The decapod fauna of the Nanaimo Group supports a position for Wrangellia well north of the current position of Baja California, Mexico. The decapod fauna of the Western Interior of North America is distinct from that of west coastal North America, suggesting limited faunal exchange between the two areas. Fewer than half of the decapod genera present in British Columbia during the Late Cretaceous Period became extinct by the end of the Cretaceous, most before the Maastrichtian. Two of the Cretaceous genera and none of the Eocene genera are extant; the extant genera are both members of the Callianassidae. Of the 14 families present in Cretaceous rocks of British Columbia, five are extinct. The North Atlantic and Central Americas appear to have been areas of rapid evolutionary expansion within the Decapoda during the Cretaceous, based upon the large number of decapod families that appear to have originated there during Cretaceous time.


The most important resource any law school has is its people. Most times, you hear about the faculty students, and top administrators. But rarely do we talk about and praise our other staff-the hourly employees. Without hourly employees, most law schools would cease to function. The facilities would be ramshackle, trash would not get collected, library books would not be updated, our paychecks and benefits would not get processed, mail would not be sent or received, and the list goes on and on. Our staff members are the people who make the law school run. Displaying leadership and appreciation in these ranks is just as important as it is with the faculty, students, senior administrators, and external constituencies. As the Interim Dean, one of my goals is to increase the recognition given to hourly workers and, hopefully, to also increase employee morale. High employee morale leads to better customer service, which means happy students, faculty, administrators, alumni, and donors. At a recent conference of the Association of Legal Writing Directors, Dr. Susan Baile, a senior consultant with Franklin Covey, explained that, across professions, Gallup research has identified 12 factors that are highly correlated with a strong, vibrant work force. Organizations in which employees strongly agreed that these factors characterized their immediate work environment reported greater productivity and profitability as well as higher levels of employee retention and satisfaction. Of the 12, six are even more significant in terms of their ability to discriminate between strong and average work environments.The six top factors, in descending order, are: I know what is expected of me at work. I have the materials and equipment I need to do my work right. At work, I have the opportunity to do what I do best every day. In the last 7 days, I have received praise or recognition for doing good work. My supervisor, or someone at work, seems to care about me as a person. There is someone at work who encourages my development.These findings support what most of us know instinctively-that communication and recognition are important to building and maintaining a strong work environment.Stetson started to consciously improve its system of employee communication and recognition about two years ago. This essay explains those initial efforts and some newer initiatives that are in their infancy. The programs are divided into two categories-communication and events, and awards and recognition. After discussing these two categories, this essay will then explain how one department in particular excels because of outstanding communication and regular staff recognition.


Objective:To understand the etiology and resolution of unanticipated events in the operating room (OR). Background:The majority of surgical adverse events occur intraoperatively. The OR represents a complex, high-risk system. The influence of different human, team, and organizational/environmental factors on safety and performance is unknown. Methods:We video-recorded and transcribed 10 high-acuity operations, representing 43.7 hours of patient care. Deviations, defined as delays and/or episodes of decreased patient safety, were identified by majority consensus of a multidisciplinary team. Factors that contributed to each event and/or mitigated its impact were determined and attributed to the patient, providers, or environment/organization. Results:Thirty-three deviations (10 delays, 17 safety compromises, 6 both) occurred—with a mean of 1 every 79.4 minutes. These deviations were multifactorial (mean 3.1 factors). Problems with communication and organizational structure appeared repeatedly at the root of both types of deviations. Delays tended to be resolved with vigilance, communication, coordination, and cooperation, while mediation of safety compromises was most frequently accomplished with vigilance, leadership, communication, and/or coordination. The organization/environment was not found to play a direct role in compensation. Conclusions:Unanticipated events are common in the OR. Deviations result from poor organizational/environmental design and suboptimal team dynamics, with caregivers compensating to avoid patient harm. Although recognized in other high-risk domains, such human resilience has not yet been described in surgery and has major implications for the design of safety interventions.


Abstract. The Market Models of the term structure of interest rates, in which forward LIBOR or forward swap rates are modelled to be lognormal under the forward probability measure of the corresponding maturity, are extended to a multicurrency setting. If lognormal dynamics are assumed for forward LIBOR or forward swap rates in two currencies, the forward exchange rate linking the two currencies can only be chosen to be lognormal for one maturity, with the dynamics for all other maturities given by no–arbitrage relationships. Alternatively, one could choose forward interest rates in only one currency, say the domestic, to be lognormal and postulate lognormal dynamics for all forward exchange rates, with the dynamics of foreign interest rates determined by no-arbitrage relationships.


Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to define a typology of strategic segmentation accounting for antecedents (potentially conscious or subconscious) that influence marketing managers' practice of strategic segmentation, thereby formulating a new theoretical basis to bridge the current theory–practice literature gap in strategic segmentation.

Design/methodology/approach

Based on the resource-advantage theory, this paper defines a typology of strategic segmentation that depicts how a firm's access to imperfectly mobile resources relates to the marketing manager's assumed heterogeneity of the market and to the manager's approach to the market.

Findings

The authors postulate a typology of firms' strategic segmentation and approach to the market that is heavily influenced, and potentially limited, by the firm's available resources to effectively segment and address the market.

Research limitations/implications

The typology suggests that resource availability affects a manager's view and approach to the market. Therefore, testing of this typology should be performed to provide an empirical basis for a taxonomical foundation of strategic segmentation. Empirical testing should examine whether: resource availability is directly related to managers' views of market heterogeneity, resources are negatively correlated with market approach, market-based intelligence (customer needs) are linked to the market approach, and there is relationship between a firm's position within the typology and its long-term performance.

Practical implications

This paper provides an understanding that a manager's knowledge of resource availability may be strategically counter-productive when creating a strategic segmentation. This limitation may lead to short-run choices for segmentation and market approach. Managers should, therefore, consider their strategic goals both with and without limiting their view based on current resources.

Originality/value

This paper provides the first typology of strategic segmentation by considering theoretical foundations of business that could bridge the often-noted theory–practice gap of segmentation.


Prognostics of large composite structures is a topic of increasing interest in the field of structural health monitoring for aerospace, civil, and mechanical systems. Along with recent advancements in real-time structural health data acquisition and processing for damage detection and characterization, model-based stochastic methods for life prediction are showing promising results in the literature. Among various model-based approaches, particle-filtering algorithms are particularly capable in coping with uncertainties associated with the process. These include uncertainties about information on the damage extent and the inherent uncertainties of the damage propagation process. Some efforts have shown successful applications of particle filtering-based frameworks for predicting the matrix crack evolution and structural stiffness degradation caused by repetitive fatigue loads. Effects of other damage modes such as delamination, however, are not incorporated in these works. It is well established that delamination and matrix cracks not only co-exist in most laminate structures during the fatigue degradation process but also affect each other's progression. Furthermore, delamination significantly alters the stress-state in the laminates and accelerates the material degradation leading to catastrophic failure. Therefore, the work presented herein proposes a particle filtering-based framework for predicting a structure's remaining useful life with consideration of multiple co-existing damage-mechanisms. The framework uses an energy-based model from the composite modeling literature. The multiple damage-mode model has been shown to suitably estimate the energy release rate of cross-ply laminates as affected by matrix cracks and delamination modes. The model is also able to estimate the reduction in stiffness of the damaged laminate. This information is then used in the algorithms for life prediction capabilities. First, a brief summary of the energy-based damage model is provided. Then, the paper describes how the model is embedded within the prognostic framework and how the prognostics performance is assessed using observations from run-to-failure experiments


INTRODUCTION AND OBJECTIVE
The manufacturer for the Storz Modulith SLX-F2 lithotripter recommends treatment head exchange after 1.65 million shocks. However, there is no documentation describing longevity of the treatment head with continued usage. The objective of this study is to determine whether there is a difference in stone fragmentation effectiveness with the treatment head at the beginning versus the end of its treatment life.

METHODS
We conducted a retrospective chart review of 200 patients-50 consecutive patients treated immediately preceding, and following, two separate treatment head exchanges. Primary outcome measures were stone-free rate (no stone), total stone fragmentation (any decrease in size), and fragmentation rate ≤4 mm (decrease in size with largest residual fragment ≤4 mm), based on most recent follow-up imaging post shockwave.

RESULTS
There were no baseline characteristic differences between the pre-exchange and postexchange groups with respect to first time lithotripsy for the stone (85% vs. 77%), stone location, preoperative stenting (3% vs. 4%), mean stone density (912 hounsfield units [HU] vs. 840 HU), mean stone size (9.0 mm vs. 8.1 mm), stone location, and mean number of shocks delivered (3105 vs. 3089). Mean time to follow-up was 2.7 weeks in both groups, with most follow-up imaging consisting of a kidney ureter bladder X-ray (87% pre-exchange vs. 85% postexchange). Stone free (34% vs. 27%), total stone fragmentation (76% vs. 76%), fragmentation ≤4 mm (48% vs. 42%), re-treatment rates (38% vs. 51%), and complication rates (6% vs. 7%), were not statistically different between the pre and postexchange groups, respectively.

CONCLUSIONS
Exchanging the Storz Modulith F2 lithotripter head at the manufacturer recommended 1.65 million shocks does not affect the stone-free or fragmentation rate. If the manufacturer's recommendation for treatment head longevity is based on clinical outcomes, then there is likely room to extend this number without affecting treatment efficacy.


This chapter deals with a statistical technique for sense exploration based on distributional semantics known as word space modelling. Word space models rely on feature aggregation, in this case aggregation of co-occurrence events, to build an aggregated view on the distributional behaviour of words. Such models calculate meaning similarity among words on the basis of the contexts in which they occur and represent it as proximity in high-dimensional vector spaces. The main purpose of this study is to test to what extent word-space modelling is in principle suitable for lexical-typological work by taking a first little step in this direction and applying the method for the exploration of the seven central English temperature adjectives in three corpora representing different genres. In order to better capture and account for the potentially different senses of one and the same word we have suggested and applied a new variant of this general method, "syntagmatically labelled partitioning".


This paper presents a motivational system for an autonomous robot which is designed to regulate human-robot interaction. The mode of social interaction is that of a caretaker-infant dyad where a human acts as the caretaker for the robot. An infant's emotions and drives playa very important role in generating meaningful interactions with the caretaker, and regulating these interactions to maintain an environment suitable for the learning process (Bullowa 1979). Similarly, the learning task for the robot is to apply various communication skills acquired during social exchanges to manipulate the caretaker such that its drives are satisfied. Toward this goal, the motivational system implements drives, emotions, and facial expressions. Although the details of the learning itself are beyond the scope of this paper, this work represents an important step toward realizing robots that can engage in meaningful bi-directional social interactions with humans.


This article 1 is part of the project on 'Leadership for Learning: Challenges for Early Childhood Education and Care (ECEC) Institutions in Norway', funded by The Research Council of Norway. The publication of the full report on this project is in progress. The data in this article have a qualitative exploratory design, based on in-depth interviews with 16 directors of ECEC centers in three municipalities in Norway. The theoretical basis includes the concepts of collective professional identity and individual professional identity (Jenkins, 2004), the concepts of leadership professional identity and pedagogical professional identity, developed from Møller (2009), and leadership in "the large and the small community" (Klausen, 2001, 2013). The two questions being examined in this article were: 1) Do the directors consider themselves to be Early Childhood (EC) teachers or leaders? and 2) How does the experienced identity influence the performed leadership? The findings indicate that this sample of directors have different understandings of their identity. Some are very clear that they are leaders; others are equally clear that they are primarily EC teachers but employed in leading positions. However, several also express that they are unsure of their identity, and their level of awareness of their identification seems low. 1 This article is based on a presentation at the 5th International Leadership Research Forum Early Childhood (ILRFEC) at University of Eastern Finland, School of Applied Educational Science and Teacher Education, 9–11 December 2015.


OBJECTIVE
To evaluate the effect of Beam Hardening Correction tool (BHC) on Micro-CT images used in the diagnosis of incipient caries lesions.

METHODS
Six posterior teeth, with 6 sound proximal surfaces and 6 natural white spot lesions, were scanned using a SkyScan1174 device. Each tooth was imaged 16 times in various acquisition parameters, and reconstructed 3 times applying different levels of BHC (0, 15 and 30%). The 288 datasets were analyzed by three examiners. Gold-standard was obtained by microscopic analyses under polarized light. Area under the ROC curve was obtained for each protocol and the BHC parameter was isolated to individually observe the influence of such parameters of reconstruction.

RESULTS
Microtomographic images were accurate for the diagnosis of incipient caries lesions even when the BHC tool was not applied. Accuracy was perfect in 50 % of the protocols without BHC. When adding the artefact correction, the number of protocols that reached perfect accuracy increased to 81.25%. No difference was found between the protocols that used 15 or 30% BHC. Statistically significant differences were found only in four comparisons, and on those the images that had BHC were more accurate. Two non-BHC protocols reached accuracy scores of 0.653 and 0.881, and were improved to perfect accuracy with BHC application.

CONCLUSION
The use of the BHC tool should be encouraged when using Micro-CT to detect incipient caries lesions, especially when low-quality parameters aiming less acquisition and processing time are used.


This essay investigates how sensory perception can be cultivated as a key practice in dance improvisation performance. It looks at how artists such as Steve Paxton, Deborah Hay, and Simone Forti propose frameworks for exercising attention to perception when improvising, and how these scores can be routes towards experiencing different ways of relating to one's environment. The essay draws on Maurice Merleau-Ponty's contribution to theorizing sensory perception in bodily movement and in strands of ecological philosophy, developing the idea of 'intelligent flesh' as fundamental to both. It then uses the author's experiences of working with these artists' scores to investigate how perceptual attention can be creatively proposed, physicalized, performed, or, in Alva Noë's term, 'enacted' in improvisation.


Protozoa depend on purine salvage for nucleic acid synthesis. An abundant salvage enzyme in Crithidia fasciculata is the inosine-uridine nucleoside hydrolase (IU-nucleoside hydrolase). The enzyme was cloned by polymerase chain reaction techniques using primers corresponding to the amino acid sequences of tryptic fragments and to the miniexon of C. fasciculata. The full-length cDNA was expressed in Escherichia coli and the protein purified to > 99% homogeneity. The open reading frame encodes a protein of 315 amino acids. Enzyme purified from C. fasciculata was missing the N-terminal Met and gave a major mass peak of 34 194 amu by mass spectrometry. Predicted mass from the DNA sequence for the Met-processed enzyme was 34 196. A pET3d-IUNH construct expressed in E. coli introduced MetAla instead of MetPro at the N-terminus. Enzyme purified from this construct also had a processed N-terminus and gave predicted and observed masses of 34 168 and 34 170 amu, respectively. The amino acid sequence for IU-nucleoside hydrolase has no close relatives among the known proteins. A cDNA clone of unknown function from Leishmania major shows near identity in the N-terminal deduced amino acid sequence. Open reading frames near 1 and 47 min on the E. coli chromosome and from two yeast genomes encode for proteins of similar size with substantial amino acid identity. Mutation of His241Ala caused a 2100-fold loss in k(cat) for inosine but a 2.8-fold increase in k(cat) with p-nitrophenyl beta-D-ribofuranoside, establishing the location of the catalytic site and implicating His241 as a proton donor for leaving group activation. IU-nucleoside hydrolase from C. fasciculata and the protein expressed in E. coli were crystallized and diffract to 2.5 and 2.1 A resolution, respectively. Both belong to the P2(1)2(1)2 orthorhombic space group with unit cell parameters a = 63.5 A, b = 131.9 A, c = 90.1 A, and alpha = beta = gamma = 90 degrees. Two subunits of the tetrameric enzyme are present in the asymmetric unit. The following paper reports the X-ray crystal structure for this enzyme.


The increase in processing power and storage of computer has resulted in the growth
of digital musical files, which demands some form of organization such as
classification of the files. Typically, manual classification is used but it is expensive
both in terms of time and money.
One alternative solution is to automate musical genre classification. Existing systems
have been developed to classify Western musical genres such as pop, rock and
classical. However, adapting these systems for traditional Malay music is difficult
due to the differences in musical structures and modes. In general, the musical
structure of many genres in traditional Malay music is rhythmic and repetitive, which
is different than Western music. This study investigates the effects of factors and audio feature set combinations
towards the classification of traditional Malay musical genres. Ten traditional Malay
musical genres are introduced in this study: Dikir Barat, Etnik Sabah, Gamelan,
Ghazal, Inang, Joget, Keroncong, Tumbuk Kalang, Wayang Kulit and Zapin.
The study is conducted in three phases. The first phase investigates the factors
affecting classification of traditional Malay music: dataset size, track length, track
location, number of cross-validation folds, and classifier. The second phase
investigates the effect of feature set combinations on the classification result of
traditional Malay music. The combinations are STFT, MFCC, STFT and Beat, MFCC
and Beat, and STFT, MFCC and Beat. Following this, an automated classification
system is developed and named MAGCLAST (Musical Analysis and Genre
CLAssification System for Traditional Malay Music).
The performance of MAGCLAST against three groups human (expert, trained and
untrained) is tested in the final phase of the study. Results show that its classification
at 66.3% is comparable to MARSYAS (61%) and trained human (70.6%).
Interestingly, MAGCLAST also outperforms classification by average Malaysians,
suggesting that an automated system for classifying traditional Malay music is
certainly needed.
Additionally, a small-scale study on human classification behaviour is also done to
understand the factors that affect classification. It is hoped that the information could
be exploited to enhance existing automated genre classification system in the near
future.


In the world of globalization, it is essential for companies to be able to effectively manage their knowledge capital. Being capable to effectively create, store and retrieve institutional information is a crucial competitive advantage. Readily accessible Knowledge is needed in many business' aspect and tasks: support decision making, profile work processes, empower in-house knowledge workers (as well as external partners and clients). In this paper we focus on the importance of terminology management as one vital aspect within a corporate Knowledge Management strategy.


The generalized dual series approach, as it is applied to the mixed boundary value problems that characterize the coupling of electromagnetic energy through apertures, is described. This approach is based upon techniques borrowed from the analysis of the Riemann-Hilbert problem of complex variable theory. It allows one to obtain essentially analytical solutions to families of canonical coupling problems in separable geometries. The generalized dual series approach is illustrated with the example of the coupling of an H-polarized plane wave to a perfectly conducting infinite cylinder with an infinite axial slot enclosing a concentric impedance cylinder. This problem encompasses the coupling to an empty cylinder as well as to a cylinder enclosing a conducting wire or cable. The solution explicitly exhibits the correct behavior near the edge of the aperture, and it can handle small to large ratios of cylinder radius to wavelength without additional special considerations. The angle of incidence is arbitrary. Results are shown for a normal incidence case and for a case in which the direction of incidence coincides with the edge of the aperture. A brief comparison with related moment method results is given.


Neural networks (NNs) are attractive for nonlinear impairment compensation applications in communication systems, such as optical fiber nonlinearity, nonlinearity of driving amplifiers, and nonlinearity of semiconductor optical amplifiers. Without prior knowledge of the transmission link or the hardware characteristics, optimal parameters are completely constructed from a data-driven approach by exploring training datasets, once the NN structure is given. On the other hand, due to computational power and energy consumption, especially in high-speed communication systems, the computational complexity of the optimized NN needs to be confined to the hardware, such as FPGA or ASIC without sacrificing its performance improvement. In this paper, two approaches are presented to accommodate the NN-based algorithms for high-speed communication systems. The first approach is to reduce computational complexity of the NN-based nonlinearity compensation algorithms on the basis of weight pruning (WP). WP can significantly reduce the computational complexity, especially because the nonlinear compensation task studied here results in a sparse NN. The authors have studied an enhanced approach of WP by imposing an additional restriction on the selection of non-zero weights on each hidden layer. The second approach is to implement NNs onto a silicon-photonic integrated platform, enabling power efficiency to be further improved without sacrificing the high-speed operation.


The Indigenous Sky Stories Program may have the potential to deliver significant and long-lasting changes to the way science is taught to Year 5 and 6 primary school students. The context for this article is informed by research that shows that educational outcomes can be strengthened when Indigenous knowledge is given the space to co-exist with the hegemony of current western science concepts. This research presents a case study of one primary school involved in the Indigenous Sky Stories Program. It showcases how teachers and students worked in conjunction with their local community to implement the program. The results suggest that introducing cultural sky stories into the science program, engaged and primed Year 5 and 6 students to seek out additional sky stories and to investigate the astronomical content mapped to the National Science Curriculum. The involvement of Aboriginal elders and community enriched the experience for all involved. The integrated science program appears to generate positive engagement for both Indigenous students and their non-Indigenous peers. Additionally, the program provided a valuable template for teachers to emulate and which can act as a model for the requirement to include Indigenous perspectives in the new National Science Curriculum.


This article examines the problems of the single currency in light of the organization of labour relations in the Member States and their interaction with monetary policies. Continental (western) Europe consists of two very different systems of employment and labour relations, roughly coinciding with 'coordinated market economies' in the north-west of the continent, and 'Mixed Market Economies' in the south. These differences in employment relations and wage-setting systems implied that, against the background of a relatively restrictive one-size-fits-all monetary policy in place since 1999, the north-west of the continent systematically improved its competitiveness, while the south lost competitiveness in parallel. Small differences between the two groups of countries at the start of EMU thus were accentuated and, against the background of low growth and an almost closed E(M)U economy, the northern coordinated market economies accumulated current account surpluses while the GIIPS (Greece, Italy, Ireland, Portugal and Spain) ran into severe balance of payments problems in 2010 and 2011.


In this article we provide the results of statistical investigation of the day-of-the-week effect in emerging stock markets. This effect means that significant differences of stock return is observed on the different days of the week (usually the first and the last trading days). The empirical analysis was made by using stock return data of Vilnius Stock Exchange, as of a case of emerging stock market. The majority of research works provide results of application of traditional methods of statistical analysis. In this work the anomaly is investigated by applying discriminant analysis technique, which indicated the day-of-the-week effect with better sensitivity. The research results revealed the best financial predictors, which could detect the day-of-the-week effect and help to implement profitable trading strategy. The evaluation of research outcomes proved better effectiveness of application of the discriminant analysis for achieving significant confirmation of influence of the day-of-the-week effect in more cases of stock return data, than by applying traditional statistical analysis methods.


This paper presents model validation results for the latest version release of the FALL3D atmospheric transport model. The code has been redesigned from scratch to incorporate different categories of species and to overcome legacy issues that precluded its preparation towards extremescale computing. The model validation is based on the new FALL3D-8.0 test suite, which comprises a set of four real case studies that encapsulate the major features of the model; namely, the simulation of long-range fine volcanic ash dispersal, volcanic SO2 dispersal, tephra fallout deposits and the dispersal and deposition of radionuclides. The first two test suite cases (i.e. the June 2011 Puyehue-Cordón Caulle ash cloud and the June 2019 Raikoke SO2 cloud) are validated against geostationary satellite retrievals and demonstrate the new FALL3D data insertion scheme. The metrics used to validate the volcanic ash and SO2 simulations are the structure, amplitude and location (SAL) metric and the figure of merit in space (FMS). The other two test suite cases (i.e. the February 2013 Mt. Etna ash cloud and associated tephra fallout deposit, and the dispersal of radionuclides resulting from the 1986 Chernobyl nuclear accident) are validated with scattered ground-based observations of deposit load and local particle grain size distributions and with measurements from the Radioactivity Environmental Monitoring database. For validation of tephra deposit loads and radionuclides, we use two variants of the normalised root-mean-square error metric. We find that FALL3D-8.0 simulations initialised with data insertion consistently improve agreement with satellite retrievals at all lead times up to 48 h for both volcanic ash and SO2 simulations. In general, SAL scores lower than 1.5 and FMS scores greater than 0.40 indicate acceptable agreement with satellite retrievals of volcanic ash and SO2. In addition, we show very good agreement, across several orders of magnitude, between the model and observations for the 2013 Mt. Etna and 1986 Chernobyl case studies. Our results, along with the validation datasets provided in the publicly available test suite, form the basis for future improvements to FALL3D (version 8 or later) and also allow for model intercomparison studies.


In the context of the effective field theory of dark energy (EFT) we perform agnostic explorations of Horndeski gravity. We choose two parametrizations for the free EFT functions, namely a power law and a dark energy density-like behaviour on a non trivial Chevallier-Polarski-Linder background. We restrict our analysis to those EFT functions which do not modify the speed of propagation of gravitational waves. Among those, we prove that one specific function cannot be constrained by data, since its contribution to the observables is below the cosmic variance, although we show it has a relevant role in defining the viable parameter space. We place constraints on the parameters of these models combining measurements from present day cosmological datasets and we prove that the next generation galaxy surveys can improve such constraints by one order of magnitude. We then verify the validity of the quasi-static limit within the sound horizon of the dark field, by looking at the phenomenological functions $\mu$ and $\Sigma$, associated respectively to clustering and lensing potentials. Furthermore, we notice up to $5\%$ deviations in $\mu, \Sigma$ with respect to General Relativity at scales smaller than the Compton one. For the chosen parametrizations and in the quasi-static limit, future constraints on $\mu$ and $\Sigma$ can reach the $1\%$ level and will allow us to discriminate between certain models at more than $3\sigma$, provided the present best-fit values remain.


Owing to the higher expected returns and surging economic growth, the CEE region with its emerging and dynamically developing real estate markets used to be a centre of active international real estate investment. After the crisis of 2008, however, many investors have become more cautious and selective with regard to investing in this region, and often display reluctance to enter those previously deemed among the most attractive real estate markets. This is particularly due to the substantial uncertainty and foreignness implied by international investment per se, as well as the increased risks inherent in these markets and intensified by the crisis. A growing body of literature on real estate investment risks offers limited research on CEE countries in this respect. This study sets out, therefore, to identify, structure and analyse the major risks of investing in real estate, with a particular focus on the CEE region, in order to see if they are large enough to hinder further investment into these markets.


Stenotrophomonas maltophilia and Burkholderia cepacia complex (Bcc) have been increasingly recognized as relevant pathogens in hospitalized, immunocompromised and cystic fibrosis (CF) patients. As a result of complex mechanisms, including biofilm formation and multidrug resistance phenotype, S. maltophilia and Bcc respiratory infections are often refractory to therapy, and have been associated with a worse outcome in CF patients. Here we demonstrate for the first time that N-acetylcysteine (NAC), a mucolytic agent with antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties, may exhibit antimicrobial and antibiofilm activity against these pathogens. The antimicrobial and antibiofilm activity of high NAC concentrations, potentially achievable by topical administration, was tested against a collection of S. maltophilia (n = 19) and Bcc (n = 19) strains, including strains from CF patients with acquired resistance traits. Minimum Inhibitory Concentrations (MICs) and Minimum Bactericidal Concentrations (MBCs) ranged from 16 to 32 mg/ml and from 32 to >32 mg/ml, respectively. Sub-MIC concentrations (i.e., 0.25 × MIC) slowed down the growth kinetics of most strains. In time-kill assays, 2-day-old biofilms were more affected than planktonic cultures, suggesting a specific antibiofilm activity of NAC against these pathogens. Indeed, a dose- and time-dependent antibiofilm activity of NAC against most of the S. maltophilia and Bcc strains tested was observed, with a sizable antibiofilm activity observed also at 0.5 and 1 × MIC NAC concentrations. Furthermore, at those concentrations, NAC was also shown to significantly inhibit biofilm formation with the great majority of tested strains.


Background Millennials, or Generation Y, represent one of today's most prominent age cohorts: with their increasingly stronger purchasing power and importance in the global economic landscape, it is no wonder that marketers are striving to find new ways to appeal to the taste of this peculiar generation of consumers. Among the various modern research fields in business, one in particular is offering incredibly interesting insights to both scholars and professional marketers: the concept of nostalgia proneness in consumer behavior. While several studies examine the dynamics of this phenomenon, none of them so far examined the impact of nostalgia proneness in shopping behavior, especially examining the dynamics on a sample of Generation Y consumers. Purpose This study was conducted in order to explore the dynamics of nostalgia proneness, linking the constructs to both desire for uniqueness and shopping behavior, using the framework provided by the Consumer Styles Inventory (Sproles & Sproles, 1990). Method After a theoretical review on the matter, several hypotheses and a conceptual model were developed to serve as the core framework of the quantitative analysis. The data, obtained from a convenience sample of 222 respondents, were subsequently examined using several statistical techniques (ANOVA, correlation and factor analysis), with the intent to test the hypotheses and shed light on the research questions. The outcome was then presented and interpreted using both the theoretical background and other complementary relevant literature. Conclusion The results showed a positive relationship between nostalgia proneness and desire for uniqueness, with both variables being further connected to several shopping traits of the Generation Y consumer. The cluster and factor analysis eventually showed patterns that could be interpreted using the theory of hedonic and utilitarian shopping motivations.


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Parents of children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) may have difficulty engaging their children through play, thus affecting the parent–child relationship and parental self-efficacy. This study intended to examine children's sensory profile and adults' playfulness as predictors of parental self-efficacy. A total of 136 parents of children ages 3–7 yr completed the Short Sensory Profile, the Playfulness Scale for Adults, and the Tool to Measure Parenting Self-Efficacy. For the parental couples of children with ASD, the most relevant predictor of general parental self-efficacy was the child's sensory profile. However, adult playfulness resulted in the most relevant predictor of emotional parental self-efficacy. Findings suggest the importance of considering play as a relevant co-occupation that must be acknowledged when intervening with families of children with ASD and considering the child's sensory modulation abilities, as well as parents' playfulness and sense of self-efficacy, as potential outcomes when designing and evaluating treatment programs.


Datua brevirostris Lallemand, 1959 is transferred to the genus Egregia Chew Kea Foo, Porion & Audibert, 2011 in the Aphaeninae and the new combination Egregia brevirostris (Lallemand, 1959) comb. nov. is proposed. Egregia marpessa Chew Kea Foo, Porion & Audibert, 2011, the type-species of the genus Egregia , is synonymized with Egregia brevirostris (Lallemand, 1959). A second species, Egregia laprincesse sp. nov. is described from Sumatra, extending the distribution of the genus hitherto recorded only from Borneo. Distribution maps and an identification key are provided. The male genitalia of E. brevirostris are illustrated and described. The genus Datua Schmidt, 1911 now contains a single species, D. bisinuata Schmidt, 1911.


BP Australia Limited (BP) leased Lots 33 and 34 located at the corner of Durlacher and Waldeck Street in Geraldton, Western Australia from August 1957 to February 2003. The Site, known at "Junction Auto's" was sold to Clarisse Holdings (Sovereign Petroleum) in February 2003, with BP later acquiring Sovereign Petroleum and retaining liability to remediate the Site to comply with commercial/industrial use screening criteria.

In April 2007, the Site was closed for decommissioning and remedial works, inclusive of the removal of petroleum infrastructure, excavation to a maximum depth of 6.5m BGL, removal of impacted soil, backfilling of clean soil and validation soil samples were completed. The validation samples collected, with the exception of two, were all 'non detect'.

Since decommissioning, the Site has been monitored both on-site and off-site under the bi-annual groundwater monitoring program. Four wells along the North-Western side of the Site continue to yield high TPH/BTEX levels, sheens and strong odours.

After reviewing all available historical soil and groundwater data, the source of contamination was found to be along the North-Western border.

 BP intends to sell the Site for residential development and as such the Site must be remediated. Modelling using BIOSCREEN indicates that contamination above guidelines will remain after 10 years if there is no source removal.

A number of techniques were examined for remediating the residual contamination; in-situ chemical oxidation (ISCO) was scored the highest through a screening matrix.

It is recommended that 1680kg Klozur® CR is required to remove the contamination source and according to the BIOSCREEN modelling, after 5 years the residual plume will be degraded.This project investigation of the torque speed curve was completed and provided an insight into the torque speed characteristics of the Lab-Volt machines. It provides a basis for further experimentation and comparison with other methods available for determining the machine characteristics.


A competitive ELISA procedure for the detection of Escherichia coli heat stable enterotoxin (ST) with monoclonal antibody has been developed. This test is 10 times more sensitive than the suckling-mouse bioassay and it is specific, simple and cheap. A set of 882 strains of E. coli isolated from man were tested both by ST-ELISA and suckling-mouse bioassay, the latter serving as the reference method. Positive results in both tests were obtained with 152 strains. The remaining strains gave negative results in both tests, with the exception of two strains, known to be ST producers, that gave negative results in the suckling-mouse assay, but gave positive results by the ELISA method.


Malignant neoplasias have a major impact on the population's health, as in 2016 over 8.9 million individuals died in the entire world due to this pathology. On the other hand, cancer incidence is increasing worldwide, with an estimated growth rate of approximately 70% for the next two decades. This incidence translates into a significant increase in disability-adjusted life years (DALY) and mortality, especially in developing countries. This article reviews some of the new approaches adopted in recent years for the management of patients with gastrointestinal neoplasia. To identify relevant articles, we have used the PubMed/Medline and Web of Science electronic databases.


Some plasma membrane sensors that recognize nutrients, such as amino acids and sugars, structurally resemble the transporters, yet apparently lack transport function. Wu et al. provide evidence for a model in which the Saccharomyces cerevisiae amino acid sensor Ssy1 has an outward-facing conformation that binds extracellular ligands, which stimulates signaling, and an inward-facing conformation that binds intracellular ligands, which inhibits signaling. When yeast were grown under conditions that increased intracellular leucine, the dissociation constant for extracellular leucine or phenylalanine was increased, that is, higher concentrations of extracellular ligand were required to stimulate processing of the Stp1 transcription factor that is downstream of Ssy1. Based on the data, the authors present a model that predicts that the concentration ratio across the plasma membrane, not just the extracellular ligand concentration, is sensed. B. Wu, K. Ottow, P. Poulsen, R. F. Gaber, E. Albers, M. C. Kielland-Brandt, Competitive intra- and extracellular nutrient sensing by the transporter homologue Ssy1p. J. Cell Biol. 173, 327-331 (2006). [Abstract] [Full Text]


This research pursued the conceptualization and real-time verification of a system that allows a computer user to control the cursor of a computer interface without using his/her hands. The target user groups for this system are individuals who are unable to use their hands due to spinal dysfunction or other afflictions, and individuals who must use their hands for higher priority tasks while still requiring interaction with a computer.
The system receives two forms of input from the user: Electromyogram (EMG) signals from muscles in the face and point-of-gaze coordinates produced by an Eye Gaze Tracking (EGT) system. In order to produce reliable cursor control from the two forms of user input, the development of this EMG/EGT system addressed three key requirements: an algorithm was created to accurately translate EMG signals due to facial movements into cursor actions, a separate algorithm was created that recognized an eye gaze fixation and provided an estimate of the associated eye gaze position, and an information fusion protocol was devised to efficiently integrate the outputs of these algorithms.
Experiments were conducted to compare the performance of EMG/EGT cursor control to EGT-only control and mouse control. These experiments took the form of two different types of point-and-click trials. The data produced by these experiments were evaluated using statistical analysis, Fitts' Law analysis and target re-entry (TRE) analysis.
The experimental results revealed that though EMG/EGT control was slower than EGT-only and mouse control, it provided effective hands-free control of the cursor without a spatial accuracy limitation, and it also facilitated a reliable click operation. This combination of qualities is not possessed by either EGT-only or mouse control, making EMG/EGT cursor control a unique and practical alternative for a user's cursor control needs.


Streams of events appear increasingly today in various Web applications such as blogs, feeds, sensor data streams, geospatial information, on-line financial data, etc. Event Processing (EP) is concerned with timely detection of compound events within streams of simple events. State-of-the-art EP provides on-the-fly analysis of event streams, but cannot combine streams with background knowledge and cannot perform reasoning tasks. On the other hand, semantic tools can effectively handle background knowledge and perform reasoning thereon, but cannot deal with rapidly changing data provided by event streams.
 To bridge the gap, we propose Event Processing SPARQL (EP-SPARQL) as a new language for complex events and Stream Reasoning. We provide syntax and formal semantics of the language and devise an effective execution model for the proposed formalism. The execution model is grounded on logic programming, and features effective event processing and inferencing capabilities over temporal and static knowledge. We provide an open-source prototype implementation and present a set of tests to show the usefulness and effectiveness of our approach.


The large working sets of commercial and scientific workloads stress the L2 caches of Chip Multiprocessors (CMPs). Some CMPs use a shared L2 cache, to maximize the onchip cache capacity and minimize misses. Others use private L2 caches, replicating data to limit the delay due to global wires and minimize cache access time. Recent hybrid proposals strive to balance latency and capacity, but use simple, static rules that are not robust to changes in workload behavior and system configuration. This paper studies alternative L2 cache designs for an 8-processor CMP system and shows that two previous selective-replication mechanisms actually degrade performance up to 13%, for some combinations of scientific and commercial workloads and system configurations. We propose the Adaptive Selective Replication (ASR) mechanism that dynamically monitors workload behavior to control replication. ASR replicates read-only blocks only when it estimates the benefit of replication (lower L2 hit latency) exceeds the cost (more L2 misses). Full-system simulation results show that ASR provides robust performance: decreasing runtimes by as much as 31% versus shared caches, 33% versus private caches, and 27% versus CMP-NuRapid and Victim Replication. Furthermore, while ASR does not improve the performance of all workloads on all system configurations, it almost always performs as well as the best alternative.


Long waves are generated and transform when short-wave groups propagate into shallow water, but the generation and transformation processes are not fully understood. In this study we develop an analytical solution to the linearized shallow-water equations at the wave-group scale, which decomposes the long waves into a forced solution (a bound long wave) and free solutions (free long waves). The solution relies on the hypothesis that free long waves are continuously generated as short-wave groups propagate over a varying depth. We show that the superposition of free long waves and a bound long wave results in a shift of the phase between the short-wave group and the total long wave, as the depth decreases prior to short-wave breaking. While it is known that short-wave breaking leads to free-long-wave generation, through breakpoint forcing and bound-wave release mechanisms, we highlight the importance of an additional free-long-wave generation mechanism due to depth variations, in the absence of breaking. This mechanism is important because as free long waves of different origins combine, the total free-long-wave amplitude is dependent on their phase relationship. Our free and forced solutions are verified against a linear numerical model, and we show how our solution is consistent with prior theory that does not explicitly decouple free and forced motions. We also validate the results with data from a nonlinear phase-resolving numerical wave model and experimental measurements, demonstrating that our analytical model can explain trends observed in more complete representations of the hydrodynamics.


This study offers a comprehensive overview of post-millennial Indian (English) and Latin American crime fiction. Drawing on genre theory and the field of literature & globalization, Neele Meyer examines the history of crime fiction and traces similar developments in the book markets in these largely disconnected regions.
In an analysis of the characteristics of the genre, the author studies the works of 17 writers from India, Argentina and Chile focusing on aspects like detective figures (particularly women detectives or journalists), the plot structure, intertextuality, settings or the impact of media and technology. The analysis shows that authors consciously choose the globally circulating genre and modify it as "social commentaries" to accommodate economic or social transformations. Neele Meyer challenges the idea that the global presence of the genre leads to homogenization and argues that global circulation of crime fiction in the Global South is a 'glocal' phenomenon that reflects the heterogeneous outcomes of processes of globalization.


This report presents the research findings of the Justice Delivered Locally (JDL) initiative of Solomon Islands' Ministry of Justice and Legal Affairs, which was supported by the World Bank's Justice for the Poor (J4P) program. JDL supports the Solomon Islands Government (SIG) policy of reinvigorating local-level justice systems. This is based on an understanding that developmentally important local governance and conflict management capacities (both state and non-state) have been significantly weakened since 1978, the post-independence era, and were not rebuilt even after the period of violent conflict and social disorder known as the 'tension' (1998-2003). Overall, the research indicates that rural citizens by and large prefer to use locally based, non-state systems to address disputes. These local non-state systems, where functioning, are generally seen as culturally relevant, responsive to local needs, accessible, and well understood. However, these local kastom systems, typically associated with 'traditional' authority exercised by chiefs, are under immense stress owing to larger processes of change and newer types of conflict. While there is considerable geographical variation, in some places local systems have broken down altogether. This is due in part to the entanglement of chiefs and local leaders in parochial and self-interested power struggles, especially in the context of natural resource development, particularly logging. This paper is the fourth in a series that has been produced under the JDL initiative. Forthcoming is a fiscal and institutional analysis of local courts, customary land appeal courts, and magistrates' courts, and a final note synthesizing policy recommendations from all of these components. While this work was undertaken under the purview of the Ministry of Justice and Legal Affairs, the findings and analysis presented herein represent the views of the JDL researchers and do not necessarily reflect the views of the SIG.


Seawater cultures were conducted in large volume (36 1) gas impermeable tri-laminate bags for the purpose of empirically deriving bacterial growth efficiency (BGE) and carbon conversion factors (CCF) in the south central Ross Sea. This experimental design allowed for concomitant measurements of metabolic reactants (loss of total and dissolved organic carbon [TOC and DOC]) and products (gain of total carbon dioxide [TCOz] and bacterial biomass) to be made from a single incubation vessel. Some previous studies have relied on proxy measurements (e.g. 02, 3H-thymidine incorporation and cell abundance) to determine BGE and CCF rather than direct carbon measurements. Our experimental design enabled a complete carbon budget to be constructed and eliminated variability associated with normally employed parallel bottle incubations. Uhlization of TOC was well balanced by the production of TC02, in 7 of 8 experiments, validating the use of tri-laminate bags for measuring microbial respiration. In 3 experiments, where TOC, DOC, TCOz and bacterial biovolume were directly measured, carbon mass balance yielded BGE estimates of 12, 32 and 38% and bacterial CCF of 77, 95 and 134 fg C pm-3. In experiments where independent DOC measurements were not made we used our empirically derived CCF values to determine bacterial carbon production and calculated DOC concentrations and BGE for these remaining experiments. The BGE derived from all the bag experiments conducted throughout the austral spring and summer 1995-1997 ranged from 9 to 38%. Our experimental design and carbon mass balance approach could be applied to other aquatic systems to empirically derive the BGE and CCF, factors essential for determining carbon flux through bacterioplankton.


Abstract
The neutralization of Rickettsia typhi toxin observed in preliminary studies with normal human serum prompted further investigations on the prevalence and nature of the neutralizing activity. As shown by toxin neutralization (TN) tests in mice with toxic suspensions of rickettsiae, serum of 50% of 207 normal persons had titers of 1:32 or greater against R. typhi toxin, regardless of age or residence in the United States. Within this group were 35 persons less than 20 years old who had never received typhus vaccine, and who resided in a typhus-free area (Montana). Serum from all of 25 normal monkeys had titers of 1:512 or greater. With three exceptions, serum specimens positive in murine TN tests did not neutralize toxin of epidemic typhus or react in complement-fixation or microagglutination tests with murine or epidemic typhus antigens. Serum of normal burros, horses, sheep, goats, rabbits, and chickens did not neutralize toxins of either murine or epidemic typhus. The neutralizing factor in serum from normal monkeys was not affected by treatment with potassium periodate or trypsin, but could be completely precipitated by 50% saturation with ammonium sulfate or by acetone. These findings suggest that the murine TN substance detected in the primate serum was of nonspecific origin, not the result of exposure to R. typhi or Rickettsia prowazekii, and must be considered in evaluating the significance of the TN test as a diagnostic procedure.


Background Deep vein thrombosis (DVT) is 10 times more prevalent in HIV and AIDS patients than in the general population and is more common in patients with severe immune suppression (CD4 < 200 cells/mL). Opportunistic infections render HIV and AIDS patients susceptible to a hypercoaguable state, including lower protein S levels. Aim and setting To present the profile of HIV and AIDS patients who developed DVT in the primary care wards of Dr. George Mukhari Academic Hospital (DGMAH), Garankuwa. Methods Cross-sectional study of clinical records of admitted HIV and AIDS patients without DVT to the primary care wards, DGMAH, from 01 February 2010 to 31 January 2011. Results Two hundred and twenty-nine patients were admitted and 17 (7.4%) developed DVT. Of those that developed DVT, eight (47%) had infection with tuberculosis (TB), four (24%) had pneumonia and four (24%) had gastroenteritis. The risk of developing DVT was 8/94 (8.5%) in those with TB, 4/53 (7.5%) in those with gastroenteritis and 4/75 (5.3%) in those with pneumonia. The mean duration of stay was 14.1 days in those with DVT versus 4.0 days in those without. Conclusion HIV (and AIDS) is a hypercoaguable state and the risk of DVT is relatively high in patients with opportunistic infections. HIV and AIDS patients who are admitted to hospital with opportunistic infections may benefit from anti-thrombotic prophylaxis and further studies are needed to evaluate this.


Extraction of sugar is the rate-limiting step in converting unpretreated biomass into value-added products through microbial fermentation. Both anaerobic fungi and anaerobic bacteria have evolved to produce large multi-cellulase complexes referred to as cellulosomes, which are powerful machines for biomass deconstruction. Characterization of bacterial cellulosomes has inspired synthetic "designer" cellulosomes, consisting of parts discovered from the native system that have proven useful for cellulose depolymerization. By contrast, the multi-cellulase complexes produced by anaerobic fungi are much more poorly understood, and to date their composition, architecture, and enzyme tethering mechanism remain unknown and heavily debated. Here, we compare current knowledge pertaining to the cellulosomes produced by both bacteria and fungi, including their application to synthetic enzyme-tethered systems for tunneled biocatalysis. We highlight gaps in knowledge and opportunities for discovery, especially pertaining to the potential of fungal cellulosome-inspired systems.


Relying on the framework provided by Schwartz's theory of personal values, we investigated whether values can help explain prosocial behaviour. We first distinguished value-expressive behaviours from value-ambivalent behaviours. The former are compatible with primarily one value or with congruent values, the latter with mutually conflicting values. In Study 1, an analysis over all 41 (39 unpublished) samples in which we measured personal values and prosocial behaviour in monetarily incentivized strategic interactions (N = 1289; data collected between 2007 and 2010 in China, Finland, Germany, Israel, and the West Bank) supported our idea that personal values, universalism in particular, predict value-expressive (prisoner's dilemma cooperation and trust game back-transfers) but not value-ambivalent behaviours (trust game transfers and ultimatum game proposals and responses). Study 2 (N = 56) focused on dictator game behaviours, which we expected and found to be strongly value-expressive. The findings contribute to the ongoing discussion on whether and under which circumstances values shape behaviour. Copyright © 2013 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.


Indian polity is under severe strain. Faith of the people in the quality, integrity and efficiency of governmental institutions stands seriously eroded. They turn to the judiciary as the last bastion of hope. But of late, even here things are getting increasingly disturbing and one is unfortunately no more in a position to say that all is well with the judiciary. The independence and impartiality of the judiciary is one of the hallmarks of the democratic system of the government. Only an impartial and independent judiciary can protect the rights of the individual and can provide equal justice without fear and favor. The constitution of India provides many privileges to maintain the independence of judiciary. If the Preamble to our Constitution be regarded as the reflection of the aspirations and spirit of the people, then one thing that even a layman will note is that among the various goals that the Constitution-makers intended to secure for the citizens, "JUSTICE- Social, Economic & Political" has been mentioned before the rest." Judge Jerome frank wrote, "In a democracy, it can never be unwise to acquaint the public with the truth about the workings of any branch of government. It is wholly undemocratic to treat the public as children who are unable to accept the inescapable shortcomings of manmade institutions…The best way to bring about those eliminations of our judicial system which are capable of being eliminated is to have all our citizens informed as to how that system now functions. It is a mistake, therefore, to try to establish and maintain, through ignorance, public esteem for our courts." Judicial independence ensures that powerful people must conform to law. Need of judicial independence is not for the judges, but for the people. Judges have important social role in the preservation of the liberty. However, independence of judiciary is not absolute it should not be construed in the manner to confer immunity from the demands of justice for misdeeds or to protect a judge from investigation and censure for a valid charge. Independence emphasizes institutional autonomy, not any claims to similar autonomy by actors within the institutional structure. Nevertheless the advocates of independence observe the judges should not be held accountable for following the rule of law. This canvasses a picture of conflict between judicial independence and judicial accountability but they are inseparable and not inconsistent with each other in fact, they nourish each other.
India is said to have the most powerful and independent judiciary in the world. Unlike many countries with Federal Constitution, India has a single integrated, hierarchical judicial system, and it owes its origin to the British India. What we seek to do in this project is to focus on the question - "What is the need for judicial accountability and transparency?" analyzing it in the light of various factors and recent instances.


Tourmaline is nature's perfect forensic mineral. From a single grain, the full geological past of its host rock can be reconstructed, including the pressure–temperature path it has taken through the Earth and the changing fluid compositions it has encountered. Tourmaline is able to provide this record owing to its compositional and textural sensitivity to the environment in which it grows, and is able to preserve this record because element diffusion in its structure is negligible. Furthermore, tourmaline has an exceptionally broad stability range, allowing it to record conditions in igneous, sedimentary, metamorphic, and hydrothermal settings. As our mineralogical and geochemical tools advance, we are able to interrogate tourmaline's memory with increasing precision, making tourmaline a truly powerful indicator of conditions in the Earth.


Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to identify attributes and practices that are salient for effectiveness in middle- and senior-level service leadership positions.

Design/methodology/approach
Critical incident interviews were conducted with 17 key informants, who were service leaders in various service sectors in Hong Kong, and with ten stakeholders.

Findings
Grounded theory analysis generated a 7 Cs model with seven categories of service leadership attributes and practices: character, choreography, care, creativity, charisma, collaborating and competence self-improvement, and 24 constituent concepts. There was concordance between pairs of key informants and stakeholders.

Research limitations/implications
Further research could investigate the impact on frontline service leaders' performance if one or more of the 7 Cs are perceived to be absent or deficient among leaders at more senior levels, and whether there are acceptable substitutes for particular Cs.

Practical implications
The 7 Cs model identifies service leadership attributes and practices across diverse sectors.

Originality/value
The 7 Cs model provides a map for orienting the developmental preparation of individuals, who are aspiring to become middle- and senior-level leaders in economies that have become highly dependent on service.


The Sick building syndrome (SBS) is a complex symptomology of individuals related to the adverse effects of indoor environment on health. Although almost any workplace can be affected it is most often associated with the office environment. The causes of SBS are not well understood, no single factor or agent has been identified. Some studies have indicated that SBS may be a result of multiple factors, including chemical, biological, physical, psychosocial, and occupational variables. One such variable, environmental tobacco smoke, has not been properly investigated as a contributing cause, and may be related to chemical sensitivity (CS). Some authors consider that victims of the SBS may be an example of chemical sensitivity and further that some CS patients become sensitive to electromagnetic fields (EMF) or electromagnetic radiations (EMR). The aim of this study is to investigate the effects of these potentially contributing factors to the sick building syndrome. 722 people in fifteen buildings with different ventilation systems were investigated via self-administrated questionnaires, in which data of SBS symptoms and ETS exposure and other information were collected. The results indicated that the combination of ETS exposure and working in air-conditioned office buildings contributed to the SBS symptoms in both uni-variate analysis, and multiple regression analysis, but neither of these variables individually has a significant effect on SBS. The contribution of environmental tobacco smoke is therefore considered to be small, but may be a contributing factor when taken together with other variables with air-conditioned buildings. In order to test the possible effects of electromagnetic fields on chemical sensitivity, 47 patients (19 sensitive to both electromagnetic fields and chemicals and 28 sensitive to chemicals only), and 34 controls were tested with sinusoidal uniform magnetic fields using Helmhotz coils in a single-blinded design study. The effects of exposure were tested by measurement of a number of physiological variables. Short time exposure to weak uniform sinusoidal magnetic fields at extremely low frequencies did not trigger more symptoms in chemical sensitivity patients than in controls. Significant changes in blood pressure and some parameters of pupil light reflexes were found in both CS patients and controls. Results indicate that ELF electromagnetic radiation may have an excitation effects on the sympathetic nervous system; however neither electrically sensitive nor chemically sensitive patients were more sensitive in these effects than controls. The contribution of tobacco smoke and ELF electromagnetic radiation to the cause of sick building symptoms needs further quantitative investigations.


—Analysis of the geologic structure of the Hettangian–Aalenian deposits of the Ust'-Tym megadepression was carried out. The history of the formation of traps in the Hettangian–Aalenian complex has been reconstructed on the basis of a comprehensive interpretation of seismic materials and deep-drilling data. The oil and gas potential has been estimated. The time of the subsidence of the Togur Formation into the oil window has been determined, and the history of the generation of liquid hydrocarbons (HC) by the organic matter (OM) of the Togur Formation has been reconstructed.
 The Lower Jurassic and Aalenian deposits overlap the rocks of the pre-Jurassic basement with disagreement and are distributed almost over the entire study area. The complete section of the Hettangian–Aalenian deposits is in the most submerged parts of the territory. The section includes the Urman, Togur, and Salat/Peshkov Formations and the lower Tyumen Subformation. Three oil and gas subcomplexes—Hettangian–Early Toarcian (U16–17), Toarcian–Aalenian (U15), and Aalenian (U11–14) — are distinguished within the Hettangian–Aalenian sediments.
 Closed positive structures that can serve as hydrocarbon traps have been identified in each of the subcomplexes. Positive structures developed in the Jurassic, Berriasian–Early Aptian, and Aptian–Albian–Turonian time were inherited and finally formed at the post-Turonian stage only. The authors carried out a quantitative assessment of the total oil resources of the D0 category for all promising objects, taking into account the success rate.
 The heterogeneous organic matter of the Togur Formation is the main source of hydrocarbons in the Hettangian–Aalenian complex. The Togur Formation began to enter the oil window (OW) about 115–110 Ma and fully entered it about 5 Ma. The escape of rocks from the zone of the oil window began about 48 Ma and still continues.
 The history of the generation of liquid hydrocarbons by the organic matter of the Togur Formation has been reconstructed for types II and III of kerogen. For type II, the generation began about 94 Ma, at the beginning of the Late Cretaceous (Cenomanian), and for type III, it began in Turonian time (89.8 Ma). The most significant volumes of liquid HC were generated in the last 5 Myr.
 Potential hydrocarbon traps existed throughout the generation process, which allowed accumulation of the generated hydrocarbons in the Hettangian–Aalenian complex. Comparison of the estimated oil resources of the D0 category in the traps of the Hettangian–Aalenian complex with the volumes of generated hydrocarbons leads to the conclusion that the traps might have been filled. The results obtained in the course of the study suggest that the Hettangian–Aalenian complex is oil- and gas-promising and the Togur Formation is the main source of hydrocarbons.


The revolutionary events of January and February 2011 opened the door for democratic transition in Egypt, but the road to a stable and sustainable democracy will be long and full of challenges. However, the macroeconomic environment post-revolution has become increasingly worrying as a result of past fiscal and monetary imbalances, revolution-induced shocks and unstable politics. This inability to address pressing economic challenges may hurt the nascent and fragile Egyptian democracy.


Introduction: Overweight currently has become a major global burden. Salmon is one of the major sources for fish oil to treat inflammatory related cardiovascular diseases. Yellow-stripe scad (YSS) on the other hand, is a local Malaysian fish which can be a good substitute for salmon; however, the therapeutic effects of YSS is still unclear. Objective: Therefore, this study compared the nutritional values EPA+DHA of YSS and salmon on body mass index (BMI), leptin and activation markers for both platelet and endothelial cell. Methods: Healthy overweight Malaysian adults (n=45), aged 21-55  years old, were recruited for 6-months cross-over trial study. They were randomised equally to receive eight weeks of either steamed whole YSS fish or salmon fillet, for three days per week, obtaining approximately 7000 mg EPA+DHA weekly. The diets were switched after an eight-week washout period. Baseline dietary fish intakes were similar in the two groups. Both YSS and Salmon elevated EPA+DHA level of  leptin, platelet  and endothelial cell phospholipid membrane (data not shown). Body mass index (BMI), serum leptin and biomarkers of platelet and endothelial cell activation (sCD40L, P-selectin, IL-1?, vWF and VCAM-1) were evaluated.  Results: The comparison of data indicated no significant difference was observed after the treatment with YSS and salmon on pre and post BMI (p>0.05). However, there were significant differences observed in serum leptin for YSS-baseline group I and salmon-baseline group II (p 0.05). Significant decreased were also observed in serum vWF and VCAM-I in salmon/baseline group II (p 0.05).


Abstract:Fuji (wielding the planchette, or spirit writing) was in vogue among Ming-Qing literati, and its influence extended into modern times. Existing studies focus on this popular divination itself or on men's writings related to this practice. This article, instead, explores the poetry and prose of a female writer, Qian Xi, and her writing activities associated with this divination. Qian claims that the spirits she communicated with include several female immortals and her deceased husband. Some of the questions the author explores are: What are the characteristics of Qian's writings? What inspired Qian to participate in spirit writing? What role did this practice play in Qian's life and writing? Regarding the emotions, thoughts, and works of Qian, what types of information can spirit writing and corresponding poetic and prosaic compositions provide? Instead of simplifying and disregarding the ritual of wielding the planchette as bizarre, superstitious, or even mad, the author argues that it played a meaningful role in shaping Qian's literary images and enhancing her literary productivity. More important, Qian Xi's strategies of using spirit writing to stimulate her literary creations was significant in meeting her emotional needs, highlighting her identity as a talented woman, and demonstrating the worth of her very existence.


The amount of bioavailable active substance is essential in demonstrating therapeutic drug efficacy. In vitro technique regarding the comparison of released quantity of active substance from drug can be a relevant anticipation test for in vivo drug characteristics. Comparison is usually conducted between test generic drug and a referent, innovative product (1). This comparative study shows the release of nitrazepam content from preparations Trazem® tablets 5 mg (Bosnalijek - test product) and Mogadon® tablets 5 mg (ICN Iberica S.A., Barcelona, Spain - referent product). Based on the results obtained from the analysis, similarity factor f2 may be calculated. It is a parameter that, according to FDA guidelines (US Food and Drug Administration), measures similarity of dissolution profiles between two preparations. When two dissolution profiles are identical, f2 = 100. In case when f2 value ranges between 50 and 100, FDA defines that such two dissolution profiles may be considered similar (2).


A number of real-world applications require comparison of entities based on their textual representations. In this work, we develop a topic model supervised by pairwise comparisons of documents. Such a model seeks to yield topics that help to differentiate entities along some dimension of interest, which may vary from one application to another. While previous supervised topic models consider document labels in an independent and pointwise manner, our proposed Comparative Latent Dirichlet Allocation (CompareLDA) learns predictive topic distributions that comply with the pairwise comparison observations. To fit the model, we derive a maximum likelihood estimation method via augmented variational approximation algorithm. Evaluation on several public datasets underscores the strengths of CompareLDA in modelling document comparisons.


ABSTRACT Chronic myeloid leukemia (CML) is derived from a stem cell, and it is widely accepted that the existence of leukemia stem cells (LSCs) is one of the major reasons for the relapse of CML treated with kinase inhibitors. Key to eradicating LSCs is to identify genes that play a critical role in survival regulation of these stem cells. Using BCR-ABL-induced CML mouse model, here we show that expression of the stearoyl-CoA desaturase 1 (Scd1) gene is downregulated in LSCs and that Scd1 plays a tumor-suppressive role in LSCs with no effect on the function of normal hematopoietic stem cells. Deletion of Scd1 causes acceleration of CML development and conversely overexpression of Scd1 delays CML development. In addition, using genetic approaches, we show that Pten, p53, and Bcl2 are regulated by Scd1 in LSCs. Furthermore, we find that induction of Scd1 expression by a PPARγ agonist suppresses LSCs and delays CML development. Our results demonstrate a critical role for Scd1 in functional regulation of LSCs, providing a new anti-LSC strategy through enhancing Scd1 activity.


The translation equivariance of convolutional layers enables convolutional neural networks to generalize well on image problems. While translation equivariance provides a powerful inductive bias for images, we often additionally desire equivariance to other transformations, such as rotations, especially for non-image data. We propose a general method to construct a convolutional layer that is equivariant to transformations from any specified Lie group with a surjective exponential map. Incorporating equivariance to a new group requires implementing only the group exponential and logarithm maps, enabling rapid prototyping. Showcasing the simplicity and generality of our method, we apply the same model architecture to images, ball-and-stick molecular data, and Hamiltonian dynamical systems. For Hamiltonian systems, the equivariance of our models is especially impactful, leading to exact conservation of linear and angular momentum.


The tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-related apoptosis-inducing ligand (TRAIL/Apo2L) is thought to regulate cell death events in the immune system through DR4 and DR5, members of the TNF receptor superfamily. Like other death receptors including Fas and TNFR, DR4 and DR5 have death domains in their cytoplasmic tails that recruit proteins to initiate a cell death signaling cascade. However, unlike Fas and TNFR, the mechanism by which DR4 and DR5 elicit apoptosis has not been clear. Sprick et al. and Kischel et al. attribute the confusion to studies based on overexpression of proteins. The two groups analyzed endogenous receptors and signaling protein in B and T cell lines and report that DR4 and DR5 recruit a death-inducing signaling complex that includes the adaptor molecules FADD and caspase-8, molecules utilized by both Fas and TNFR. However, DR4 and DR5 do not utilize the adaptors TRADD or RIP, which are also used by TNFR. Sprick et al. show that cells deficient in FADD or caspase-8 were resistant to TRAIL-induced apoptosis. Kischel et al. also clarify that TRAIL/Apo2L causes DR4 and DR5 to form heteromeric complexes and both groups demonstrate that hetero- and homomeric receptor complexes use the same signaling mechanism. Hence, the physiological conditions used in these studies indicate that DR4 and DR5 operate most similarly to Fas. Sprick, M.R., Weigand, M.A., Rieser, E., Rauch, C.T., Juo, P., Blenis, J., Krammer, P.H., and Walczak, H. (2000) FADD/MORT1 and caspase-8 are recruited to TRAIL receptors 1 and 2 and are essential for apoptosis mediated by TRAIL receptor 2. Immunity 12: 599-609. [Online Journal] Kischel, F.C., Lawrence, D.A., Chuntharapai, A., Schow, P., Kim, K.J., and Ashkenazi, A. (2000) Apo2L/TRAIL-dependent recruitment of endogenous FADD and caspase-8 to death receptors 4 and 5. Immunity 12: 611-620. [Online Journal]


Anomaly detection is being regarded as an unsupervised learning task as anomalies stem from adversarial or unlikely events with unknown distributions. However, the predictive performance of purely unsupervised anomaly detection often fails to match the required detection rates in many tasks and there exists a need for labeled data to guide the model generation. Our first contribution shows that classical semi-supervised approaches, originating from a supervised classifier, are inappropriate and hardly detect new and unknown anomalies. We argue that semi-supervised anomaly detection needs to ground on the unsupervised learning paradigm and devise a novel algorithm that meets this requirement. Although being intrinsically non-convex, we further show that the optimization problem has a convex equivalent under relatively mild assumptions. Additionally, we propose an active learning strategy to automatically filter candidates for labeling. In an empirical study on network intrusion detection data, we observe that the proposed learning methodology requires much less labeled data than the state-of-the-art, while achieving higher detection accuracies.


The work described herein emphasizes a new fiber-based approach to modeling the response of structural frames subjected to realistic fire conditions. The proposed approach involves the development and validation of two finite elements that can be used collectively to simulate the thermal and mechanical response of structural frames at elevated temperatures. To model the thermal response, a special-purpose fiber heat transfer element is introduced. The first of its kind, the fiber heat transfer element uses a combination of finite element and finite difference methods to provide an accurate and highly efficient solution to the three-dimensional thermal problem. To simulate the mechanical response, a flexibility-based fiber beam-column element is used. The element presented here extends the formulation of Taucer et al. (1991) to include thermal effects, geometric nonlinearities, and residual stresses. Both fiber elements are implemented in ABAQUS (2007) using the user-defined element (UEL) subroutine. The element formulations are verified by analyses of benchmark experimental tests and comparisons with traditional finite elements. Results indicate that both elements offer superior accuracy and computational efficiency when compared to traditional methods of analysis. Analyses of structures subjected to nonuniform heating emphasize the advantages of the fiber-based approach. To demonstrate a realistic application of the proposed approach, the work concludes with an investigation of the response of unprotected steel beams subjected to localized fires. Because realistic fires are considered, the treatment of strain reversal upon cooling is also addressed. The analyses are used to demonstrate that the standard fire test is generally unconservative at predicting the time at failure of a structure subjected to realistic fire conditions, since failure depends more on the evolution of temperatures within the steel beams than the duration of fire exposure. The analyses also show that critical temperatures from the standard fire test are conservative and thus offer a better means for predicting failure in steel structures within the scope of the standard fire test.


A substantial evidence base supports a direct association between low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) levels and morbidity and mortality from cardiovascular disease (CVD).1 Meta-analyses of the many randomised controlled clinical trials (RCTs) suggest that the clinical impact is directly related to the magnitude of reduction and achieved levels of LDL-C.2 Together, these findings support a causal relationship leading to the mantra 'Lower is Better' with regard to LDL-C-lowering for CVD prevention. However, the vast majority of these RCTs were studies of statin therapy versus placebo or higher intensity versus standard doses of statins.

Ezetimibe inhibits cholesterol absorption by blocking Niemann-Pick C1-Like 1 (NPC1L1) protein on intestinal epithelial cells.3 The standard clinical dose of 10 mg/day consistently lowers LDL-C by 10–20% even in combination with statin.4 Its use in hypercholesterolaemia has been endorsed by a National Institute for Health and Care Excellence Health Technology Appraisal and is recommended in several national and international guidelines. However, these recommendations are based on modelling the impact of LDL-C reduction on clinical events in the absence of outcome studies. Recent negative RCTs with other lipid modifying therapies, including niacin, fibrates and cholesteryl ester transfer protein (CETP) inhibitors, question the received wisdom of extrapolating results from one drug class to another. The IMPROVE-IT study in acute coronary syndrome (ACS) patients is the only outcome trial directly evaluating ezetimibe in addition to statin. This will complete later this year and should report shortly thereafter. Ezetimibe is a safe, well-tolerated drug and has been extensively prescribed worldwide. Thus, considerable real world data are available to shed light on whether this alternative LDL-C management strategy might improve clinical outcomes.

To this end, Pauriah et al 5 have conducted an interesting study investigating all-cause mortality in UK patients surviving their first acute myocardial infarction. They identified 9597 patients …