To determine the effect of aging on IFN-γ‐induced MHC class II antigen expression, we produced bone marrow‐derived macrophages in vitro. In these conditions, we analyzed the effect of aging on the genomic expression of macrophages without the influence of other cell types that may be affected by aging. Although macrophages from young and aged mice showed an identical degree of differentiation, after incubation with IFN-γ, the expression at the cell surface of the IA complex and the levels of IAβ protein and mRNA were lower in aged macrophages. Moreover, the transcription of the IAβ gene was impaired in aged macrophages. The amount of transcription factors that bound to the W and X, but not to the Y, boxes of the IAβ promoter gene was lower in aged macrophages. Similar levels of CIITA mRNA were found after IFN-γ treatment of both young and aged macrophages. This shows that neither the initial cascade that starts after the interaction of IFN-γ with the receptor nor the second signals involved in the expression of CIITA are impaired in aged macrophages. These data indicate that aging is associated with low levels of MHC class II gene induction by IFN-γ because of impaired transcription. J. Clin. Invest. 107:485‐493 (2001).


Two experiments show that sex differences in the propensity to initiate negotiations may be explained by differential treatment of men and women when they attempt to negotiate. In Experiment 1, participants evaluated candidates who either accepted compensation offers without comment or attempted to negotiate higher compensation. Men only penalized female candidates for attempting to negotiate whereas women penalized both male and female candidates. Perceptions of niceness and demandingness mediated these effects. In Experiment 2, participants adopted candidates' role in same scenario and assessed whether to accept the compensation offer or attempt to negotiate for more. Women were less likely than men to choose to negotiate when the evaluator was male, but not when the evaluator was female. This effect was mediated by women's nervousness about negotiating with male evaluators. This work illuminates how differential treatment may influence the distribution of organizational resources through sex differences in the propensity to negotiate.


Iraq has been subject to a series of wars for more than fifty years, the latest one leaving large amounts of wrecked tanks, vehicles, weapons and ammunition. A considerable part of the waste has the form of, or contains, depleted uranium (DU), that is concluded to have cancerogenic effects through its radioactivity and toxicity. The DU exists in significant concentrations in areas where combat took place, mostly in and around the cities of Bagdad and Basra, the total number of particularly encountered areas being about 15. The way of long-term isolation of DU that is proposed in this paper is to construct relatively simple landfills of sandwiched contaminated soil and clay or clayey soil, covered by sand/gravel and erosion-resistant coarser material on top. The very low annual precipitation and long draught in the deserts, implying significant evaporation, means that the system of tight soil interlayered with contaminated soil, embedding wrecked military objects, minimizes percolation and release of DU, keeping it adsorbed on the finest soil particles. The clay-based material must be composed in a way that, i/ desiccation fractures are not formed in periods of long draught and ii/ not swell uncontrolled and loose strength in wet periods. The DU-contaminated soil is proposed to be scraped off and transported in closed trucks to four desert sites where landfills of the sandwich-type are proposed to be constructed.


Education plays a pivotal role in shaping the future of any nation. Researchers, pedagogists, and teachers all over the world are constantly working towards improving the process of teaching at all levels of education in order to help impart knowledge in a more effective way. One of the most fundamental branches of education is mathematics. Unless a strong foundation is laid in childhood, it becomes difficult for adults to apply mathematics to their daily lives. Mathematics is such a field that it is integrated in most of our activities. Fractions, a mathematics topic, pose significant challenges for middle school students Although the students generally understand proper fractions (i.e., the numerator is smaller than the denominator), they find it very difficult to learn improper fractions (i.e., the numerator is greater than the denominator). One cannot do away with parts of mathematics curriculum, just because the concept is hard to grasp. The solution is to come up with alternative methods to teach these concepts, such that they are easier to understand and more fun to learn. This thesis describes a digital game-based solution for teaching fractions to middle school students using iOS mobile devices, i.e., iPad, iPhone, and iPod Touch. We developed a universal iOS game, called Candy Factory, which runs on all iOS mobile devices. The game assigns the student the role of the owner of a Candy Factory and tasks the student to manufacture a candy bar to match the kind and size of a customer order from a whole candy bar that is retrieved from the warehouse. The game is created to teach fractions based on the concept of partitioning and iterating. The student performs various activities such as partitioning, iterating, and measuring to produce the candy bar to satisfy the customer requirements. The game consists of three levels, which help the student progress smoothly from easier problems to more difficult ones. The Candy Factory game, not only helps students learn the fundamentals of fractions, but also makes the learning process enjoyable.


Backround: The first episode of an afebrile seizure is a common cause of admission of children to emergency departments. Alot of tests are routinely performed for these patients. The cost of such an evaluation is high and benefits are doubtful. We conducted this study in order to evaluate the results of the tests and find out what tests are necessary for children with first unprovoked seizure. Methods: In a 7-year retrospective study files of 150 children aged between 1 month and 14 years admitted with first afebrile seizure to the pediatric ward of Rasool Akram hospital were reviewed. Reports of the brain neuroimaging studies (Ct-scan & MRI) and laboratory tests were extracted. Results: 150 patients with a mean age of 53 ± 48 months qualified for inclusion in the study. 143 (95%) of 150 children with first afebrile seizure were imaged. Ninety percent (128/143) had normal neuroimaging. Emergent computed tomography as the initial study was performed in 90% (128/143) and MRI in 10% (15/143 ). Sixty patients had both MRI and CT-scans. Clinically significant neuroimaging abnormalities were reported in only 9.7% (14/143). There was a significant relation (P<0.001) between focal seizures and abnormal neuroimaging. Children under 24 months of age were also more prone to have abnormal imaging (p<0.002). Laboratory tests including complete blood count (CBC) and chemistry panel (Na, K, Ca, BUN, Cr) were performed for all. Only two patients had low serum calcium level, later diagnosed as vitamin D resistant rickets. Conclusions: The most important aspect of management of a child after a first afebrile seizure is careful history taking and physical examination. Laboratory tests should be requested in very limited situations. Emergent brain CT-scans are recommended for children with focal seizures, abnormal findings on physical examination, presence of any predisposing factors and those under 24 months of age.


We briefly introduce the theory of perverse sheaves with special attention to the topological situation where strata can have odd dimension. This is part of a project to use perverse sheaves on the topological reductive Borel-Serre compactification of a Hermitian locally symmetric space as a tool to study perverse sheaves on the Baily-Borel compactification, a projective algebraic variety. We sketch why the decomposition theorem holds for the natural map between the reductive Borel-Serre and the Baily-Borel compactifications. We demonstrate how to calculate extensions of simple perverse sheaves on the reductive Borel-Serre compactification and illustrate with the example of Sp(4,R).


With the development of deep networks on various large-scale datasets, a large zoo of pretrained models are available. When transferring from a model zoo, applying classic single-model based transfer learning methods to each source model suffers from high computational burden and cannot fully utilize the rich knowledge in the zoo. We propose \emph{Zoo-Tuning} to address these challenges, which learns to adaptively transfer the parameters of pretrained models to the target task. With the learnable channel alignment layer and adaptive aggregation layer, Zoo-Tuning \emph{adaptively aggregates channel aligned pretrained parameters} to derive the target model, which promotes knowledge transfer by simultaneously adapting multiple source models to downstream tasks. The adaptive aggregation substantially reduces the computation cost at both training and inference. We further propose lite Zoo-Tuning with the temporal ensemble of batch average gating values to reduce the storage cost at the inference time. We evaluate our approach on a variety of tasks, including reinforcement learning, image classification, and facial landmark detection. Experiment results demonstrate that the proposed adaptive transfer learning approach can transfer knowledge from a zoo of models more effectively and efficiently.


The paper examines Karl Marx's theory of value and its implications on the contemporary capitalist economy. By doing this, the paper critically reviews the principles of Marx's value analysis by extrapolating from the writings of Karl Marx and Neo – Marxists which fits into the Marxian theory of value. The study indicates that capitalism does have an overall tendency to extract surplus value from labour provided by the workers, since it is the most malleable (influenced) of things within the confines of capitalism in the production process as noted by Marx. According to Marx, a system like capitalism, where people are coerced or forced to sell their labour in order to survive is unjust and that in the modern capitalist economy, the rate of profitability or success in production is determined by the ability to produce surplus value. In contemporary capitalist economy, during the production process, the worker uses his/her labour to produce adequate goods and services, but only receive wages enough for subsistence, hence making a surplus for the capitalist. However, the question still remains whether the labourers/workers/proletariats have a choice of selling their labour or not in order to survive in the contemporary capitalist economy as it were in orthodox capitalism? Keywords: Capitalism, Socialism, Communism, Surplus Value, Exploitation, Bourgeoisie, Proletariat, Means of Production, Modes of Production, Profits, Wage


The purpose of this review was to identify whether supplementation with prebiotics and/or probiotics help prevent the development or reduce the severity of atopic dermatitis in children less than three years of age. Since 1997, immunostimulatory supplements, such as prebiotics and probiotics, have been investigated. Various supplementations include probiotics (single strain or mix), probiotics with formula, probiotics mix with prebiotics, and prebiotics. In this narrative review, we examined 13 key articles on prebiotics and/or probiotics, and their effects on infant atopic dermatitis. Among the selected studies, a total of 3,023 participants received supplements or placebo. Eight out of the 13 (61.5%) studies reported a significant effect on the prevention of atopic dermatitis after supplementation with probiotics and/or prebiotics. Five out of the 13 (38.5%) studies indicated significant reduction in the severity of atopic dermatitis after supplementation. Based on the available studies, supplementation with certain probiotics (Lactobacillus rhamnosus GG) appears to be an effective approach for the prevention and reduction in severity of atopic dermatitis. A mix of specific probiotic strains prevented atopic dermatitis among infants. Based on studies with prebiotics, there was a long-term reduction in the incidence of atopic dermatitis. Supplementation with prebiotics and probiotics appears useful for the reduction in the severity of atopic dermatitis. Additional interventional studies exploring prebiotics and probiotics are imperative before recommendations can be made.


By writing the Amoretti as a Petrarchan sonnet sequence that leads to the marriage celebrated in the Epithalamion, Spenser faced a structural problem: not only does Petrarch's Rime sparse not contain imagery of the kind of mutual love that Spenser wanted to portray, but also the Rime was not formulated to end in a marriage. Yet a model for Spenser's revision does exist in one of Petrarch's own precursors: Ovid. Although the name "Ovid" may call to mind the amorous poet of the Amores and Ars amatoria, Ovid presented himself as an older, devoted husband in the Tristia and Epistulae ex Ponto. It is this Ovid whom I shall argue most informs Spenser's Amoretti. Brooks Otis identifies a marital Ovid emerging in the Metamorphoses, when the Roman poet takes his place "as the West's first champion of true, normal, even conjugal love." (1) In the exile poetry, Ovid defends his past life, reminding those who know him that his moral character has no connection to his art in the Ars amatoria (Tristia 1.9, especially lines 59-62) and specifically rejecting any identification with the scandalous lover in his amorous poetry (Tristia 2.349-56). As L. P. Wilkinson points out, "when in the later poems he emerges in his own person, we find him a loved and loving husband and father. We are often warned, and as often forget, that Roman erotic poets did not expect their characters to be judged from their poetry." (2) Spenser, we shall see, did not fail to recognize that Ovid's Tristia contains a model of mutuality in marriage (and, as well, of the tension between an "exile" poet and his ruler) that the New Poet could adapt to his purposes in the Amoretti. A preliminary comparison of these two works with Petrarch's Rime sparse, which critics generally regard as the mediating work between Spenser and the Ovid of the Metamorphoses, will demonstrate that Spenser, in effect, circumvents the Rime by drawing on the Tristia directly for certain marital and political examples. The first piece of evidence that we have for Spenser's knowledge and conscious use of the Tristia is sonnet 18 of the Amoretti. Spenser editors generally neglect the Tristia in the Spenser canon as a whole; in this particular instance, editors either downplay the importance of the Tristia in this sonnet or ignore it completely. (3) An examination of the relevant passages, however, reveals a closer link than has previously been seen. In his edition of Spenser's shorter poetry, Douglas Brooks-Davies notes only one textual parallel between the Amoretti and the Tristia (the aforementioned sonnet 18) in a list that includes three other possible parallels for the sonnet in question. That Tristia "parallel," however, clearly demonstrates a link between the sorrows of exile and the sorrows of love, since the hardness of the lady's heart in Spenser comes very close to Ovid's description of the hardness of exile. Spenser's sonnet 18 reads: The rolling wheel that runneth often round, The hardest steel in tract of time doth teare: and drizzling drops that often doe redound, the firmest flint doth in continuance weare. Yet cannot I with many a dropping teare, and long intreaty soften her hard hart: that she will once vouchsafe my plaint to heare, or looke with pitty on my payneful smart. But when I pleade, she bids me play my part, and when I weep, she sayes teares are but water: and when I sigh, she sayes I know the art, and when I wail she turnes hir selfe to laughter. So doe I weepe, and wayle, and pleade in vaine, whiles she as steele and flint doth still remayne. (4) The similar Tristia passage comes in Book 4, as Ovid laments the loss of his homeland: hoc dentem tenuat terram renouantis aratri, hoc rigidos silices, hoc adamanta terit; hoc etiam saeuas paulatim mitigat iras, hoc minuit luctus maestaque corda leuat. cuncta potest igitur tacito pede lapsa uetustas praeterquam curas attenuare meas. …


Many learning algorithms, especially nonparametric ones, use distance measures as a source of prior knowledge about the domain. This paper shows how the work of Baxter and Yianilos provides a formal equivalence between distance measures and prior probability distributions in Bayesian inference. The prior distribution applies either to how the data was generated or to the shape of the discrimination boundary. This perspective is useful for extending distance-based algorithms to new feature spaces and especially for learning distance measures on those spaces.


The Kentucky Transportation Research Program conducted an extended 10-month evaluation of the Acoustic Emission Weld Monitor (AEWM) in a bridge fabrication shop. That device was used to detect welding flaws during typical production of butt-welds on flanges and webs used in steel bridges. A total of 153 welds were monitored. AEWM test results were compared with visual inspection and double-blind results of conventional nondestructive testing routinely conducted on the welds. The AEWM did not miss any flaws detected visually or by nondestructive testing. Three AEWM flaw indications were confirmed by conventional nondestructive testing (radiography). A large number of AEWM indications were not related to any detected flaws (228 of 263 indications). Those were attributed to AE noise that occurs away from the weld and small flaws that were either missed or overlooked by visual and nondestructive inspection or were removed prior to inspection by normal fabrication procedures. The AEWM has shown the sensitivity to detect AWS code-rejectable defects. In part, the high number of overcalls was caused by use of excessive system sensitivity. Due to the success of the unit in detecting flaws, further development is warranted. Specific recommendations for further research are provided.


The salt tolerance of rootstocks is often assessed based on their ability to limit uptake of sodium (Na) and chloride (Cl) ions. Here, we evaluated the effects of three irrigation salinity levels (electrical conductivity of 1.2, 2.7, and 4.2 dS/m) on Cabernet Sauvignon grapes grafted on Ruggeri, Paulsen, 216/3, and 101/14 rootstocks. Growth parameters were affected by salinity level but not by rootstock, and yield was not affected by either variable. Ruggeri and 216/3 were most effective at limiting uptake and accumulation of Na and Cl in scion petioles, wood, and must. The rootstocks differentially excluded Na and Cl from vines; 216/3 and Ruggeri showed the best performance for Na and Cl, respectively. More Na than Cl accumulated in woody tissue. Mortality rates as high as 17.5% were found for poor salt-excluding rootstocks irrigated with the highest salinity water. The apparent breakdown of tolerance mechanisms, leading to salt damage and vine mortality, might be due to Na reaching critical levels in woody tissues. The ability to exclude Na and Cl from shoots and fruit was found to (a) increase wine quality by reducing concentrations of salt ions in must and wine, and (b) reduce mortality rates that result from long-term exposure to salt.


Play is a fundamental right and a vital component of the life of every child. It is an inevitable element of a child's overall development and has a direct impact on
physical, mental and social wellbeing. Through the play process, a child transforms from
childhood to a healthy adult with the required skills such as cognitive, motor,
psychological, health, education, communication and creativity to be a future citizen of a
nation. More than 2 million children live in Dhaka city, the capital of Bangladesh. It is one
of the fastest growing cities in the world but lacks children's play and recreation facilities.
Due to land scarcity, outdoor recreational spaces such as parks and playgrounds are
being encroached upon by different profitable land uses like housing, industries,
commercial and utility services. As a consequence, open space for children's play shrunk significantly and resulted in one of the lowest ratios of open space to population
in the world. As a result, the children of Dhaka city are deprived of outdoor play and
recreation provision which affects their overall physical and mental development.
This research is aimed at exploring the factors and issues from children's and adult's perspective and then recommend planning guidelines for children's play and recreation provision of Dhaka city. Both qualitative and quantitative data are collected from 846 children from the four socioeconomic
brackets and their parents in Dhaka city. For qualitative data analysis,
techniques of sorting, grouping, data-reduction etc. were used. Statistical Package for
Social Science (SPSS) was used for analysing the data from the questionnaire survey of
the outdoor play and recreation facilities users. The key research findings are:
i. children's perceptions and needs for outdoor play and recreation provision of
Dhaka city differ according to socio-economic background, age and gender;
ii. The so-called play and recreation facilities provided by the concerned
authority cater only for a fraction of the children of Dhaka city;
iii. Play and recreation facilities provided by the concerned authority cater only a
fraction of the children of Dhaka city;
iv. There is a decreasing trend in the provision of areas of outdoor play and
recreation facilities in Dhaka city;
v. The accessibility of outdoor play and recreational facilities is not the only
determining factor for the children of Dhaka city to enjoy outdoor facilities.
Lack of security, poor maintenance and inadequate play facilities and
accessories are the main reasons for not using playgrounds and parks by
children in Dhaka city;
vi. Play is not perceived as one of the priority needs for children in Dhaka city;
and
vii. planning for children's outdoor play and recreation facilities is related to child
development, child rights, city planning and social development.
Finally, the research suggests an institutional arrangement comprising professionals
from child development, city planning and social development for the planning and
implementation of the outdoor play provision, which can be used not only in Dhaka and
other cities of Bangladesh but also in other Asian cities as well.


REASONS FOR PERFORMING STUDY
Sarcoids are the commonest form of equine skin tumour. Several therapeutic measures have been described but none is considered to be universally effective. Electrochemotherapy (ECT) is a new anticancer therapy that utilises electrical field pulses to induce increased cell membrane permeability to antitumour hydrophilic drugs, such as cisplatin. The increased intracellular concentration of the drugs has a significant therapeutic benefit. The procedure has not been previously reported in a large number of horses.

OBJECTIVE
To validate ECT as a novel alternative treatment for equine sarcoids.

METHODS
A retrospective study evaluating the efficacy of cisplatin ECT in the treatment of equine sarcoids was performed. Electrochemotherapy treatments were applied under general anaesthesia at 2 week intervals with or without prior excision or debulking. Electric pulses were directly applied to the lesions following intra-tumoural injections of an aqueous solution of cisplatin.

RESULTS
One-hundred-and-ninety-four sarcoids on 34 horses, 2 ponies, 11 donkeys and one mule were treated with ECT. The 4 year nonrecurrence rate was 97.9% for animals (47/48) and 99.5% (193/194) for tumours. When ECT was used as a single treatment, a significant influence of tumour size (ρ= 0.55) on the number of treatments required for cure was shown. When prior surgery was performed, there was a significant influence (P<0.001) of the excision quality (complete or incomplete) and the healing mode (closed or open wound) on the number of treatments. The most common adverse effect was a slight oedematous reaction for lesions located on thin skin regions.

CONCLUSION AND CLINICAL RELEVANCE
Results demonstrate that ECT, with or without concurrent tumour debulking, is an effective alternative for treatment of equine sarcoids.


The Northern North Carolina Estuarine System (NNCES) stock of the common bottlenose dolphin (Tursiops truncatus) has a small population size and low Potential Biological Removal level (PBR). Levels of serious injury and mortality due to commercial fisheries interactions may exceed the PBR. In addition, the prior abundance estimate, from a survey in 2006, is no longer valid for computing the PBR for the stock after 2014. To obtain a new abundance estimate, we conducted a capture-mark-recapture survey of the NNCES stock in the Pamlico-Albemarle Estuarine Complex (PAEC) from 15 June to 27 July 2013. The PAEC is the primary summer habitat for the stock. We surveyed 4,779 km of trackline, encountering 128 dolphin groups. We took 30,991 photographs, from which 471 individual dolphins were identified from distinctive nicks and notches on dorsal fins. Because dolphins in the most southern portion of the summer habitat overlap with the Southern North Carolina Estuarine System (SNCES) stock in July, some photographed dolphins could have been members of the SNCES stock. We developed a decision tree to identify dolphins that may have belonged to the SNCES stock, thereby allowing us to estimate abundance using all dolphins and then excluding those that might belong to the SNCES stock. We then calculated lower (823; 95% posterior interval (PI) = 733-931) and upper (873; 95% PI = 775-989) bounds on the abundance estimate based on habitat-use assumptions from the decision tree. Both estimates were obtained using closed capture-mark-recapture models and a novel method to correct for dolphins with indistinctive fins.


Psychophysical studies show motion cues inform about shape even with unknown reflectance. Recent works in computer vision have considered shape recovery for an object of unknown BRDF using light source or object motions. This paper addresses the remaining problem of determining shape from the (small or differential) motion of the camera, for unknown isotropic BRDFs. Our theory derives a differential stereo relation that relates camera motion to depth of a surface with unknown isotropic BRDF, which generalizes traditional Lambertian assumptions. Under orthographic projection, we show shape may not be constrained in general, but two motions suffice to yield an invariant for several restricted (still unknown) BRDFs exhibited by common materials. For the perspective case, we show that three differential motions suffice to yield surface depth for unknown isotropic BRDF and unknown directional lighting, while additional constraints are obtained with restrictions on BRDF or lighting. The limits imposed by our theory are intrinsic to the shape recovery problem and independent of choice of reconstruction method. We outline with experiments how potential reconstruction methods may exploit our theory. We illustrate trends shared by theories on shape from motion of light, object or camera, relating reconstruction hardness to imaging complexity.


Five years ago Sarnoff and co-workers demonstrated in experiments with animals that electrical stimulation of one phrenic nerve could maintain adequate pulmonary ventilation for long periods of time in the absence of spontaneous respiration.1This method of respiration was termed electrophrenic respiration. Adequate bilateral pulmonary ventilation was later shown to be maintained when but one phrenic nerve is stimulated.2The series of events that leads to artificial respiration is as follows. The stimulated phrenic nerve sends impulses to the corresponding portion of the diaphragm, causing it to contract and descend; the mediastinum shifts toward the stimulated side in response to the created negative intrapleural pressure; the contralateral lung is then expanded almost to the same degree as the lung on the stimulated side. This phenomenon may be clinically applied by the use of an electrically operated stimulator called the electrophrenic respirator, which is a portable electronic device capable


Castrillo et al. demonstrated cross talk between Toll-like receptors (TLRs, which are used to recognize pathogen-associated motifs) and LXRs (liver X receptors, transcriptional regulators of cholesterol metabolism that are critical to the homeostatic response of macrophages to lipid loading), providing a mechanism whereby pathogens may contribute to cardiovascular disease. Viral and bacterial infections have long been suspected of contributing to the pathogenesis of atherosclerosis--which involves chronic inflammation as well as disordered lipid metabolism--but the mechanisms whereby innate immune responses might interact with lipid metabolism have been unclear. Castrillo et al. infected cultured murine macrophages with Escherichia coli or the influenza A virus and used Northern analysis or real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction to show that these infections inhibited the ability of LXR agonists to induce the expression of genes involved in cholesterol efflux and lipid metabolism. TLR3 and TLR4 ligands inhibited the expression of LXR-target genes (including apoE and the cholesterol transporter ABCA1), as well as the efflux of cholesterol from macrophages. The authors used cells transfected with gene reporters to show that application of TLR3 and TLR4 ligands interfered with the ability of LXR to transcriptionally activate its targets. Experiments in various gain-of-function and loss-of-function systems indicated that these effects of TLR signaling were independent of the canonical TLR pathway that involves myeloid differentiation factor 88, nuclear factor-κB activation, and interferon production, and were mediated by the transcription factor IRF3. Thus, TLR signaling, by inhibiting LXR-dependent pathways, may provide a mechanism whereby pathogens can interfere with macrophage handling of cholesterol and thereby promote atherosclerosis. A. Castrillo, S. B. Joseph, S. A. Vaidya, M. Haberland, A. M. Fogelman, G. Cheng, P. Tontonoz, Crosstalk between LXR and Toll-like receptor signaling mediates bacterial and viral antagonism of cholesterol metabolism. Mol. Cell 12, 805-816 (2003). [Online Journal]


Sams Teach Yourself Basecamp in 10 Minutes offers straightforward, practical answers when you need fast results. By working through 10-minute lessons, youll learn everything you need to know to quickly and easily get up to speed with Basecamp. 10 minutes is all you need to learn how to Choose the right subscription plan for your needs Get started fast with collaborative project management Customize your Basecamp workspace Efficiently manage people, companies, and permissions Define, populate, search, and manage projects Enter and track milestones, To Do lists, and scheduling information Use iCalendar and integrate with your companys other calendar tools Post messages and share files Collaborate with Basecamps Writeboard, Chat, and RSS tools Quickly view project activity on the Dashboard Simplify access with 37signals ID and Launchpad Extend Basecamp with reporting, charting, billing, and accounting Integrate Basecamp with the iPhone and other smartphones


In this von Karman lecture, a subject is addressed whose foundations were significantly influenced by the work of Theodore von Karman. A classic paper by von Karman and Sears first considered the determination of aerodynamic forces on an airfoil undergoing general time-dependent motion. Also, early in his career, von Karman investigated fundamental issues in structural mechanics and derived the celebrated von Karman plate equations for determining the large (nonlinear) deflections of an elastic plate under a distributed force. Finally, he authored a widely cited paper on the importance of nonlinearities for engineers and engineering. In this lecture, these themes are recalled and the current state of the art in nonlinear aeroelasticity and unsteady aerodynamics is discussed. Several of the most significant nonlinearities arising in a structure or in an aerodynamic flow field are identified. Recent and relevant theoretical and experimental studies are reviewed and future developments are projected that are expected to have a significant impact on our ability to understand and beneficially use nonlinear dynamic aeroelastic behavior


A workshop for experts in age determination of beluga whales was convened to (1) determine the number of dentinal Growth Layer Groups (GLGs) in beluga teeth and the variation therein among readers; (2) assess the deposition rate of dentinal GLGs in beluga teeth, specifically on the question of one or two GLGs per year; (3) define the appearance of dentinal GLGs in order to standardize reading methods among readers of beluga teeth; and (4) provide a consensus report with specific conclusions on deposition rate and GLG definition. Tooth specimens from ten belugas, all originally from Churchill, Manitoba, Canada, with captive histories ranging from 4 to 30 y, were the focus of the investigation. Three of these animals had medication histories of tetracycline antibiotics which "time-mark" hard tissues. Results from the inter-reader GLG comparisons, GLG counts compared with captive history, and tetracycline mark placement indicated that despite considerable problems with the inter-reader count variability, using certain assumptions, there was evidence that two GLGs per year was not possible in six of the ten specimens; however, there were some specimens for which it was clear that two GLGs per year could be feasible, and yet others where the derived estimate of age at first capture did not appear to be compatible with the most likely age for that size of animal. The conclusions were that one GLG annual deposition rate in dentine was clearly upheld in some instances but that the results were equivocal for several specimens for a variety of reasons. In light of the fact that tooth GLGs are likely to continue being the predominant method for aging in this species, the workshop members agreed on a list of seven recommendations that included, as a priority, experimental approaches that could help to standardize and validate GLG counting in age determination.


According to the concept of health promotion, health is a shared responsibility of individuals, the community, the state, and non-governmental organizations. Partnership offers great potential for addressing problems and achieving goals, but it is also associated with certain difficulties. Establishing a successful partnership requires common purpose, shared responsibilities, complementary competencies, collaboration, and mutual respect. The aim of this paper is to analyze whether partnership as a main principle of health promotion has been put into practice in the observed school community. A comprehensive medico-social survey on school health promotion was conducted from September 2012 to May 2013 over a representative sample of schools in the Pleven region of Bulgaria. Data were collected through a self-administered questionnaire among 1,280 members of the school community, interviews with school principals, and a review of the documents. Questions are directed toward the elements of the coordinated school health model. Data analysis of the presented part of the study, which examined the partnership for health promotion at school, was consistent with the methodology of the partnerships analysis tool using a specially designed checklist for evaluation. Over 90% of the investigated subjects and organizations realize the necessity of partnership. They have a clear goal to improve the well-being of the school community and a shared understanding that the benefits from partnership outweigh the exertions and costs. On the other hand, not all potential partners are included in the process of planning priorities for action. Almost half do not always have a clear idea about their responsibilities for fulfilling the goals. Both the positive and weak points of the partnership were able to be considered. The necessity for partnerships in promoting school health is recognized but difficult to transform into real action due to limited competencies and collaborations.


Brine-issuing vents have been observed at 1,920 m water depth on top of Green Knoll, an isolated salt diapir rising seaward of the Sigsbee Escarpment in the northern Gulf of Mexico. The brines are seven times saltier than ambient sea water. Their venting, both by lateral flow and by diffusion upward through the underlying sediments, gives rise to drainage patterns similar to braided streams. Brine transport pathways are floored by unindurated red-orange deposits similar to the iron oxide deposits of the Red Sea brine pools. The relations between major and minor constituents (Na, K, Cl, SO{sub 4}, Br, and Li) and the {delta}{sup 18}O compositions indicate that brines are formed by congruent sea-water dissolution of the underlying Louann salt containing a mixture of halite, sylvite, and anhydrite. Net removal of Mg corresponding to a proportional increase in Ca suggests that dolomitization is active in the subsurface. Ferrous iron is extracted from the salt diapir and precipitated as ferric hydroxide on floors of drainage networks during the venting and mixing of the brines with the oxygen-rich ambient water. The Green Knoll brines, whose chemistry is uncompromised by severe diagenetic overprints, could serve as an end-member analogue for formation waters that havemore » acquired complex chemical histories during their long migration in sedimentary basins.« less


According to the Government of the Amur region, tax collection from the implementation of investment projects was tightly controlled from 2016, because of the region's high debt load. This situation requires assessing the acceptability of the level of regional tax burden for business entities. The purpose of this paper is to develop a model for assessing the level of regional tax burden, taking into account the implementation of the largest investment projects in the territory. The main hypothesis of this paper consists, firstly, in the existence of tax burden, which is acceptable for regional economic entities. Secondly, this level of tax burden ensures the growth of fiscal revenues for the budget. We proposed to assess the level of tax burden on the basis of a three-factor linear heterogeneous production function, taking into account certain economic indicators of the largest investment project — "Construction of the Vostochny Ðiosmodrome†. The concept of the Laffer curve serves as a research methodology. According to our calculations, since 2011, the tax burden in the Amur region has a clear tendency to increase. At the same time, from 2007 to the present time, the tax burden exceeds its maximum permissible value and constrains economic growth in the region. If this trend continues, by 2018 tax revenues from the territory of the region will be on the verge of reduction. The obtained results show that the tax burden in the Amur region in 2017 is 16.81 %. To stimulate the activities of economic entities in the region, and as a consequence, to increase the GRP of the region, it is necessary to reduce the level of taxation by 4.77 percentage points (to 12.04 %), Thus, the current economic situation requires to change the course of regional taxation policy to a more liberal attitude towards taxpayers. Otherwise, soon the budget of the Amur region may fail to receive a part of revenues, as the region's economic entities will not be able to meet their tax obligations in full and on time. The results of this study can be applied by the authorities of the Russian Federation and the Amur region for the development and adjustment of the main settings of tax policy.


ABSTRACT Aim: In locally advanced breast cancer pts (≥pN2), adjuvant iddETC resulted in superior disease-free (DFS) and overall survival (OS) compared to conventionally dosed EC > Tq3w (AGO-ETC; Mobus JCO 2010). In the GAIN trial, iddETC was compared to a 4-drug dose-dense regimen with capecitabine (ddEC > TwX). Using the GAIN data, here we want to confirm the iddETC-results of the AGO-ETC trial with regard to DFS, OS, and toxicity. Methods: In the AGO-ETC trial (1998-2003) 681 of 1,284, and in GAIN (2004-2008) 1,498 of 3,023 pts were treated with iddETC. Pts were included in AGO-ETC if ≥pN2 and in GAIN if ≥pN1; median number of positive nodes was 8 and 5, respectively; all other inclusion criteria were comparable. Median follow-up was 62 and 74 months, respectively, in both trials primary end point was DFS. IddETC consists of a sequence of 3 x E 150mg/m2, 3 x T 225 mg/m2, and 3 x C 2,5 g/m2 q2w, with primary G-CSF support. After 40% accrual in GAIN, a reduced dose of C (2,0 g/m2) and antibiotic prophylaxis was implemented. Pts were randomly assigned to anemia prophylaxis with ESF in AGO-ETC, and to adjuvant ibandronate in GAIN (von Minckwitz JCO 2013). Results: In the iddETC-arm of AGO-ETC, 5y-DFS was 70% (95% CI 68% - 75%) and 5y-OS was 82% (95% CI, 79%to 85%). Comparing to conventional EC > Tq3w, HR for DFS was 0.69 (95% CI, 0.57 - 0.84). In GAIN, 5y-DFS was 80% (95% CI 78% - 82%) and 5y-OS was 85%. DdEC > TwX was not superior to iddETC. Evaluating GAIN pts with ≥pN2 (n = 923) separately, in order to match with the AGO-ETC inclusion criteria, results were comparable: 5yr-DFS was 75% (95% CI 72% - 78%) and 5y-OS was 85% (95% CI 83% - 88%). In AGO-ETC, 47 pts (7%) had at least one episode of febrile neutropenia during iddETC, no toxic death was observed. In GAIN, three pts (0,2%) died from therapy related septicaemia during iddETC. In both trials, paclitaxel induced neuropathy was in the expected range, and no grade 3 congestive heart failure occurred. Treatment induced MDS/AML was rare in both, AGO-ETC (0,6%) and GAIN (0,3%). Conclusions: We consistently show high efficacy of adjuvant iddETC for node-positive breast cancer pts (≥pN2) in two consecutive prospective trials: DFS and OS-results were superior to those with conventionally dosed therapy. In the reported studies, iddETC was feasible without excessive toxicity. We suggest to add iddETC to the group of preferred regimens in current guidelines. Disclosure: C. Thomssen: has received compensated honoraria for presentations and participating in advisory boards from Roche, Amgen, Pfizer; G. von Minckwitz: has received research funds from Roche, BMS, Amgen, Speaker and consultancy honoraria from Roche and Amgen; H. Tesch: has received compensated honoraria from Roche; N. Harbeck has received compensated honoraria from Roche; V. Muller: has received speaker honoraria from Amgen, Celgene, Glaxo Smith Kline, Pierre-Fabre, Roche, Jannsen-Cilag I. Bauerfeind: speakers honoraria from Amgen and Bristol Myers Squibb; S. Loibl: has received compensated honoraria for presentations and participating in advisory boards from Roche, Amgen V. Moebus: has receivedCompensated honoraria from Amgen, Jannsen-Cilag, Roche for presentations and participation in advisory boards. All other authors have declared no conflicts of interest.


Jerome (Eusebius Sophronius Hieronymus), ca. 345 420, of Stridon, Dalmatia, son of Christian parents, at Rome listened to rhetoricians, legal advocates, and philosophers, and in 360 was baptized by Pope Liberius. He travelled widely in Gaul and in Asia Minor; and turned in the years 373 379 to hermetic life in Syria. Ordained presbyter at Antioch in 379 he went to Constantinople, met Gregory of Nazianzus and advanced greatly in scholarship. He was called to Rome in 382 to help Pope Damasus, at whose suggestion he began his revision of the Old Latin translation of the Bible (which came to form the core of the Vulgate version). Meanwhile he taught scripture and Hebrew and monastic living to Roman women. Wrongly suspected of luxurious habits, he left Rome (now under Pope Siricius) in 385, toured Palestine, visited Egypt, and then settled in Bethlehem, presiding over a monastery and (with help) translating the Old Testament from Hebrew. About 394 he met Augustine. He died on 30 September 420. Jerome s letters constitute one of the most notable collections in Latin literature. They are an essential source for our knowledge of Christian life in the fourth fifth centuries; they also provide insight into one of the most striking and complex personalities of the time. Seven of the eighteen letters in this selection deal with a primary interest of Jerome s: the morals and proper role of women. The most famous letter here fervently extols virginity.


Women represent a large part of the 2.5 billion people who depend on lands managed through customary, community-based tenure systems and are especially reliant on commons for their lives and livelihoods. They have very often limited and unsecured access to land and natural resources and tend to be excluded from decisions concerning them. Far from representing a homogenous group, they face varying challenges that are the result of multiple and intersecting forms of discrimination, whereby gender dynamics intersect with other characteristics, such as age, disability, ethnic origin, or socioeconomic status. Peasant and indigenous women, in many instances, face the compounded impact of the lack of recognition and violation of the collective rights of their communities, which is often the legacy of histories of colonization, conquest, dispossession and discrimination, and patriarchal norms, exacerbated by neoliberalism and the commodification of land and natural resources. The nexus between individual and collective rights is one of particular importance, but has received limited attention, including as regards the gendered effects of human rights violations of collective rights. In the present article, the nexus between collective and individual rights of peasant and indigenous women is illustrated by considering the experience surrounding the recognition and implementation of collective rights to land in Sub-Saharan Africa and the impact on women's right to land. The article argues that peasant and indigenous women's right to land is best protected through interventions aimed at guaranteeing both their collective and individual rights. There is a need to take into account and address simultaneously the barriers that indigenous and peasant women face with regard to their collective as well as their individual rights. These barriers include those ascribed to the discrimination and social, economic and political marginalization suffered by their peoples and communities, as well as those related to patriarchal power structures within and outside them. Addressing these barriers requires the respect, protection and fulfillment of both collective and individual human rights of women and a careful analysis of the interaction between these rights.


This research-methods case study shares some practical and methodological reflections on doing sensitive research with participants who are typically underrepresented. We focus specifically on the challenges researchers facing during recruitment and data collection. We reflect on the opportunities and challenges created by engaging with gatekeepers to access "hard to reach groups," particularly within the context of sensitive research. We also offer practical examples and solutions to help ensure that research interviews are conducted in an accessible and inclusive way. These challenges and solutions are illustrated by examples from a recently completed research project on how domestic abuse affects disabled women's access to maternity care. Disabled women (women with a long-term health condition or impairment) are at significantly higher risk of experiencing domestic abuse (physical, emotional, sexual, or financial abuse from an intimate partner) than nondisabled women. Pregnancy is a particularly vulnerable period for all women experiencing domestic abuse, but internationally, very few studies have explored how domestic abuse affects disabled mothers. Both disability and domestic abuse are associated with late or poor access to maternity services, and the aim of our study was to understand the particular barriers and facilitators to accessing care when disability and domestic abuse coexist. The study took place during 2012-2014 and involved three phases: a systematic review, interviews with women, and focus groups with maternity care practitioners. The learning from our study is relevant and useful to anyone planning and doing sensitive research with underrepresented populations.


Most intertextuality in classical poetry is unmarked, that is, it lacks objective signposts to make readers aware of the presence of references to existing texts. Intergeneric relationships can pose a particular problem as scholarship has long privileged intertextual relationships between works of the same genre. This paper treats the influence of Latin love elegy on Lucan's epic poem, Bellum Civile, by looking at two features of unmarked intertextuality: frequency and distribution. I use the Tesserae project to generate a dataset of potential intertexts between Lucan's epic and the elegies of Tibullus, Propertius, and Ovid, which are then aggregrated and mapped in Lucan's text. This study draws two conclusions: 1. measurement of intertextual frequency shows that the elegists contribute fewer intertexts than, for example, another epic poem (Virgil's Aeneid), though far more than the scholarly record on elegiac influence in Lucan would suggest; and 2. mapping the distribution of intertexts confirms previous scholarship on the influence of elegy on the Bellum Civile by showing concentrations of matches, for example, in Pompey and Cornelia's meeting before Pharsalus (5.722-815) or during the affair between Caesar and Cleopatra (10.53-106). By looking at both frequency and proportion, we can demonstrate systematically the generic enrichment of Lucan's Bellum Civile with respect to Latin love elegy.


Ongoing efforts in our laboratories focus on design of optical reporters known as fluorescent false neurotransmitters (FFNs) that enable the visualization of uptake into, packaging within, and release from individual monoaminergic neurons and presynaptic sites in the brain. Here, we introduce the molecular probe FFN246 as an expansion of the FFN platform to the serotonergic system. Combining the acridone fluorophore with the ethylamine recognition element of serotonin, we identified FFN54 and FFN246 as substrates for both the serotonin transporter and the vesicular monoamine transporter 2 (VMAT2). A systematic structure-activity study revealed the basic structural chemotype of aminoalkyl acridones required for serotonin transporter (SERT) activity and enabled lowering the background labeling of these probes while maintaining SERT activity, which proved essential for obtaining sufficient signal in the brain tissue (FFN246). We demonstrate the utility of FFN246 for direct examination of SERT activity and SERT inhibitors in 96-well cell culture assays, as well as specific labeling of serotonergic neurons of the dorsal raphe nucleus in the living tissue of acute mouse brain slices. While we found only minor FFN246 accumulation in serotonergic axons in murine brain tissue, FFN246 effectively traces serotonin uptake and packaging in the soma of serotonergic neurons with improved photophysical properties and loading parameters compared to known serotonin-based fluorescent tracers.


Previous molecular analyses of human astrocytomas have identified many genetic changes associated with astrocytoma formation and progression. In an effort to identify novel gene expression changes associated with astrocytoma formation, which might reveal new potential targets for glioma therapeutic drug design, we used the B8-RAS-transgenic mouse astrocytoma model. Using multiplex gene expression profiling, we found that growth-associated protein 43 (GAP43) RNA and protein expression were lost in select human and mouse glioma cell lines. In this study, we demonstrate that re-expression of GAP43 in deficient C6 glioma cells results in growth suppression in clonogenic assays, as well as in multiple independently derived C6 glioma cell lines in vitro. GAP43-expressing C6 cells also exhibit reduced tumor growth as s.c. explants in immunocompromised mice in vivo. In addition, GAP43-expressing C6 clones demonstrate impaired cell motility and increased homophilic aggregation. GAP43 re-expression is also associated with reduced mitogen-activated protein kinase and AKT activation in C6 cells, suggesting that GAP43 functions as a novel glioma growth suppressor by modulating mitogenic signaling pathways.


504 specimens of age composition of age composition of Mugil cephalus caught from Akgol- Paradeniz Lagoon ranged between I.-VII. ages. According to the ages Mugil cephalus groups dispersion were determined that individuals in III years old were dominant ( % 29,76 ). The Mugil cephalus specimens consist of % 52.33 female and % 46.67 male. Average fork lenght for III.. years age is 293,79 mm. and average weight of them is 31, 47 g.. Maximum annual lenght increase is 62,13 mm. for III. age group and maximum annual weight increase is 263,73 g. for VII. age group were determined.


We analyze the impact of energetic particle precipitation on the stratospheric nitrogen budget, ozone abundances and net radiative heating using results from three global chemistry-climate models considering solar protons and geomagnetic forcing due to auroral or radiation belt electrons. Two of the models cover the atmosphere up to the lower thermosphere, the source region of auroral NO production. Geomagnetic forcing in these models is included by prescribed ionization rates. One model 5 reaches up to about 80 km, and geomagnetic forcing is included by applying an upper boundary condition of auroral NO mixing ratios parameterized as a function of geomagnetic activity. Despite the differences in the implementation of the particle effect, the resulting modeled NOy in the upper mesosphere agrees well between all three models, demonstrating that geomagnetic forcing is represented in a consistent way either by prescribing ionization rates or by prescribing NOy at the model top. Compared with observations of stratospheric and mesospheric NOy from the MIPAS instrument for the years 2002–2010, 10 the model simulations reproduce the spatial pattern and temporal evolution well. However, after strong sudden stratospheric warmings, particle induced NOy is underestimated by both high-top models, and after the solar proton event in October 2003, NOy is overestimated by all three models. Model results indicate that the large solar proton event in October 2003 contributed about 1–2 Gmol (10 mol) NOy per hemisphere to the stratospheric NOy budget, while downwelling of auroral NOx from the upper mesosphere and lower thermosphere contributes up to 4 Gmol NOy. Accumulation over time leads to a constant particle15 induced background of about 0.5–1 Gmol per hemisphere during solar minimum, and up to 2 Gmol per hemisphere during solar maximum. Related negative anomalies of ozone are predicted by the models nearly in every polar winter, ranging from 10– 50% during solar maximum to 2–10% during solar minimum. Ozone loss continues throughout polar summer after strong solar proton events in the Southern hemisphere and after large sudden stratospheric warmings in the Northern hemisphere. During mid-winter, the ozone loss causes a reduction of the infrared radiative cooling, i.e., a positive change of the net radiative heating 20 (effective warming), in agreement with analyses of geomagnetic forcing in stratospheric temperatures which show a warming in the late winter upper stratosphere. In late winter and spring, the sign of the net radiative heating change turns to negative (effective cooling). This spring-time cooling lasts well into summer and continues until the following autumn after large solar proton events in the Southern hemisphere, after sudden stratospheric warmings in the Northern hemisphere.


Results of an International Survey among Transport Experts and Specialists Maglev.
With the aim of tracking current trends in the market perspectives of magnetic levitation, or maglev technologies, the non-profit International Maglev Board conducted a primary study in the spring of 2018 among maglev specialists and transportation professionals. More than 1 000 professionals took part in the survey. Main topics of the study are questions comparing the suitability of conventional wheel-on-rail and maglev technologies according to application areas. Predicted opportunities and developments in maglev technology, acceptance issues and research needs are analyzed. The results are broken down by expertise and nationality of the participants. This short version presents selected findings of the survey in compressed form.
Background: There is an obvious need for information on international trends in the application of Maglev transport technologies. The study attempts to grasp the global dimension of magnetic levitation developments in a structured way.
Aim: To track current trends in magnetic levitation transport system innovation. Identify perspectives, research tasks and implementation barriers. Comparison of magnetic levitation systems with steel wheel systems. Analysis of the key topics of the debate.
Methods: Primary study in spring 2018 among 1 058 maglev specialists and transport experts. Internet-based online survey.
Results: The ratings vary greatly according to the expertise and origin of the respondents. In certain fields of application, wheel-rail systems remain the preferred transport technology. But in certain other fields of application, maglev technologies have become preferred over conventional steel-wheel-rail by a majority of transport professionals. This is particularly the case for high-speed maglev transport and for the new application of maglev elevators in buildings. At the same time, many respondents see a continuing need for research.
Conclusion: Overall, there is a differentiated picture. Respondents from North and South America, Russia and Asia are on average particularly open to an implementation of certain maglev technologies.


Smoking is a highly prevalent addiction present worldwide, especially in India. It not only affects the pulmonary system but also has a major impact on oral health. Periodontal disease comprises a range of polymicrobial infectious diseases such as gingivitis and periodontitis that affect the tooth-supporting structures. Smoking has been identified as a risk factor for periodontal disease progression and can also alter treatment response. This study aims at associating the type of tobacco use and periodontal disease progression. This retrospective study was conducted among 500 patients using their records from the Department of Periodontics, Saveetha Dental College and Hospitals, Chennai from June 2019-April 2020 and patients who had smoking habits were identified. Data regarding their age, gender, type of tobacco use and periodontal status were collected and then subjected to statistical analysis. Microsoft Excel 2016 data spreadsheet was used to collect data and later exported to the Statistical Package for Social Science for Windows (SPSS version 20.0,IL,Chicago,USA) for analysis. The results of the study showed that among the patients with smoking habits, individuals within the age group of 25-35 years (31.4%) showed the highest prevalence of tobacco use whereas people among 65-75 years (1.2%) had the least. Majority of the smokers were diagnosed with periodontitis (84.4%), followed by gingivitis (12.4%) but diagnosis of healthy gingiva was very rare (3.2%). Smokeless form of tobacco was commonly used (61.2%). There was a male predominance (94.2%). Smoking, especially the type of tobacco used and severity of periodontal disease was found to have a strong association (p=0.000). The study draws attention to the fact that tobacco usage has a negative impact on oral health and can lead to periodontitis.


Ion chromatography is a widely used technique to analyse ice cores for ions like Na, NH4, K, Mg, Ca, F, MSA, Cl, NO3 and SO4 that are present in polar ice cores at ppb level. By using sample pre-concentration and an optimised separation technique we have been able to detect Li in ice core samples in concentrations as low as 0.0001 μeq·kg or 0.7 ppt by ion chromatography. During routine analysis of ions in ice cores, the lithium content has been evaluated and recorded. The IC technique used in these measurements and some exemplary IC data from the GRIP (Greenland Ice Core Project) and the NGRIP (North Greenland Ice Core Project) ice cores will be presented. By these data we introduce Li concentration as a new parameter in the analysis of ice cores. Like other ions Li reflects climatic changes and shows seasonal cycles. On the basis of the geochemistry of lithium we suggest that Li measured in the Greenland ice cores is derived from mineral dust. However data from the NGRIP ice core that represents the 8.2 ka BP Holocene cold event show a strong Li signal that does not correlate with any other ionic component measured. This means that the lithium content in ice cores is a signal with its own pattern, which is not yet understood.


In the May 1995 issue of the Journal, Kanavakis et al' described three cystic fibrosis (CF) compound heterozygotes for the mutation 3272-26A--G. The patients had a mild clinical phenotype as indicated by advanced age of diagnosis, absence of pancreatic insufficiency, and absence of or mild obstructive lung disease.' However, we found during the investigation of 100 French adult CF patients, one compound heterozygous AF508/327226A-+G male patient with a severe type of CF. This mutation 3276-26A-+G in intron 17a was detected by denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis and was identified by direct sequencing.2 In this CF patient, pneumothorax appeared in the neonatal period and bronchitis and sinusitis were frequent from the age of 10 months. CF was diagnosed only at the age of 8 years by a positive sweat test associated with pulmonary function abnormalities. There was no evidence of pancreatic insufficiency or other gastrointestinal symptoms, but the patient developed severe nasal polyposis. At the age of 16 years, typical prominent CF problems included chronic airways infection with Staphylococcus aureus and Pseudomonas aeruginosa. Forced vital capacity was 32% of theoretical values and forced expiratory volume in one second was 28% of theoretical values. He was admitted to hospital at the age of 21 years because of pulmonary decompensation and died a few months later. This case shows that, in contrast to earlier reports, the 3276-26A-+G mutation, which creates an alternative cryptic acceptor splice site that competes with the normal acceptor splice site during RNA processing and probably reduces splicing from the correct site, may lead to severe cystic fibrosis.'3 The explanation for these conflicting results may be resolved by RNA studies. Environmental, genetic, and medical factors can influence the clinical course and it is very difficult to predict the severity of the damage in the different tissues. This case illustrates again that the presence of any specific CFTR mutation offers little in the way ofa prognostic indicator in the individual patient.45


Background: Inmates and ex-inmates might represent a 'biologically damaged'
population, having a disproportionately high burden of disease when compared to the
general community. Moreover, people living with HIV might be considered a 'special
population' within the carceral setting, having increased access to medical, social, and
fiscal resources when compared to the general inmate population. This research
investigates the role of medical, welfare, and penal systems as they frame the 'lived
experience' of HIV-positive inmates. More generally, this research explores the social
relationships between inmates and various security and medical personnel as they
negotiate for individual health and agency.
Methods: Ethnographic research explored the 'lived experience' of 34 HIV-positive
male and female inmates as they moved through a state jail / prison system and back to
the public community. For about 12 months during 2011- 2012, 77 semi-structured
interviews and participant observations were conducted across seven penal facilities
and community-based organizations in New England, United States. Participants
(N=72): short- and long-term inmates in jail / prison (n=26); prison healthcare
providers (n=14); correctional officers and administrators (n=17); ex-inmates and
family of inmates (n=9), and physicians and social workers (n=6). Analysis and
interpretation of data involved interview transcription and thematic content analysis
through coding with Nvivo 9 software.
Results: Inmates' social relationships with staff were often centred on the coproduction
of a particular form of 'violence', which I conceptualise as 'degradation.'
Inmate recidivism and engagement in self-inflicted degradation (e.g. swallowing razor
blades, urinating in one's cell, faking medical symptoms) may be considered a
behavioural and social tactic used to gain agency within prison, as well as access to
community-based welfare and medical institutions upon re-entry into the public
community. In prison, practices of degradation might be most visible through a
common social interaction of 'prison games.' I interpret prison games to involve
inmates' deployment of 'abjectionable' and anti-social behaviour for social and capital
gains while prison staff attempt to manage this behaviour. Collectively, the practice of
degradation might provide insight into a 'degraded citizenship' experienced by millions
of people who pass through a U.S. jail or prison each year.


Experiments were performed to determine the mechanism by which limpets attach to the substratum. Pressure measurements were made under the feet of three species of limpets as they were forcibly detached from the substratum. These measurements show that limpets actively decrease the pressure under their feet, and in almost every case this pressure decrease can account for all of their tenacity. The results are the same whether the pressure transducer is flush with the surface or connected to the surface via a tube. The tenacity of limpets is dependent on ambient pressure, as predicted for a suction mechanism. Leaks disrupt the attachment of limpets. Thus, for at least an hour after they have been moving, suction appears to be the primary attachment mechanism of limpets. Limpets using suction often have tenacities greater than 0.1MN m − 2, which corresponds to pressures under the foot lower than OMPa. If limpets have more than a few hours to attach, approximately 30% of them form a different, stronger attachment that appears to be based on glue. These limpets remain stationary for extended periods. It is hypothesized that limpets in the field alternate between the use of suction and glue, depending on their need for mobility.


Earn your CPD points online! Questions are based on papers published in this issue of JMIRO. RANZCR Fellows can claim CPD points by reading the papers and answering the questions below. CPD points can only be gained by answering the questions online at the 'CPD+' website. To register for this CPD activity log into the members' area of the College website at http://www.ranzcr.edu.au/ research/jmiro/jmiro-cpd-portal. You only need to register once through the College website. You will then be able to log on directly to the 'CPD+' website for all future visits. One CPD point is awarded for successful completion of each set of five multiple-choice questions. To substantiate claimed CPD points, a record of this activity may be printed from the 'CPD+' website.


To what extent is populist rule associated with a decline in press freedom and freedom of expression? Populist rule refers to government headed by charismatic leaders who seek to gain and retain power by mobilizing mass constituencies that are typically free of other political attachments. Populism in this sense matters for two reasons: (1) controlling the media is a core objective of populists compared with other types of political leaders, who can rely on other organizational links to supporters; and (2) the interests of populist parties are virtually equivalent to the interests of party leaders, which means that populists face different time horizons and constraints on their behavior than the leaders of more deeply institutionalized parties. Using cross-national data on up to ninety-one countries from 1980 to 2014, this paper tests whether populist rule is associated with the erosion of press freedom and freedom of expression relative to other types of government and whether any effect is conditional on the ideology of the populist government in question. It finds that populist rule is associated with a decline in most measures of media freedom relative to programmatic party rule. However, this effect is lessened for right-leaning populist governments.


The goal of this study was to develop ecofriendly bioplastics, which could be applicable in beverage packaging, by synthesizing furan-based co-polyesters and incorporating them into bottles. The furan-based co-polyesters were synthesized by a two-step melt polycondensation reaction using ethylene glycol (EG), 1,4-cyclohexanedimethanol (CHDM), and dimethyl furan dicarboxylate (DM-FDCA). The incorporation of CHDM into the main chain of polymers has been found to increase the chain mobility due to its ring-conformational transition, and it also affects the co-polyesters. The co-polyesters show not only high elongations at break, but also improved Izod impact strengths compared to that of pure poly(ethylene furanoate) (PEF). Despite these characteristics, however, the molecular weights of the co-polyesters were not sufficient for manufacturing purposes. Thus, some samples were further reacted in the solid state by solid state polymerization (SSP) to generate higher-molecular-weight polymers. The crystallization kinetics of the co-polyesters prepared were analyzed to determine the reaction parameters, and the sample whose intrinsic viscosity was greater than 1.0 dL g−1 was successfully processed into bottles. The bottles prepared had higher O2-barrier properties and lower acetaldehyde contents than those of commercially available PET bottles. The results obtained so far show that furan-based co-polyesters can be used for food-packaging applications.


California's Criminal Justice Realignment Act passed in 2011 shifted vast discretion for managing lower-level offenders from the state to the county, allocated over $2 billion in the first 2 years for local programs, and altered sentences for more than 100,000 offenders. Despite the fact that it is the biggest penal experiment in modern history, the state provided no funding to evaluate its overall effect on crime, incarceration, justice agencies, or recidivism. We provide a framework for a comprehensive evaluation by raising 10 essential questions: (1) Have prison populations been reduced and care sufficiently improved to bring prison medical care up to a Constitutional standard? (2) What is the impact on victim rights and safety? (3) Will more offenders participate in treatment programs, and will recidivism be reduced? (4) Will there be equitable sentencing and treatment across counties? (5) What is the impact on jail crowding, conditions, and litigation? (6) What is the impact on police, prosecution, defense, and judges? (7) What is the impact on probation and parole? (8) What is the impact on crime rates and community life? (9) How much will realignment cost? Who pays? (10) Have we increased the number of people under criminal justice supervision?


In 2018, four years after the Motor City went bankrupt, Detroit reentered the municipal securities market and issued new debt. The bond offer is both indicative of the city's financial turnaround and is counter to the theory that bankrupted municipalities will be punished by markets with prohibitively expensive interest rates post-bankruptcy. This Article examines chapter 9 of the Bankruptcy Code, and the ramifications for bankrupted municipalities as they reenter the municipal securities market.


Everyday aesthetics aims to illuminate the rich aesthetic dimensions of our lives that have been neglected in the modern Anglo-American art-centered aesthetic discourse. Artification, a new concept and practice, encourages us to experience various aspects of our lives normally not associated with art or aesthetics, such as business, education, and medical practice, from an artistic viewpoint. Both discourses are helpful in sharpening our aesthetic sensibility and enriching our aesthetic life. However, precisely because the aesthetic dimension of our lives exerts a considerable power in shaping our lives and the world, we need to cultivate aesthetic literacy and a vigilant attitude toward the use of this power. I argue against the indiscriminate and uncritical adoption of artification by exploring the ways in which the artification strategy can undermine the intended purpose and the value of art in a workaday environment and organizational practice.


The regime of authoritarian neoliberalism is underway. In contemporary political economy of governance, this regime has been construed as a crisis response of the capitalist class to manage the conflict-ridden consequences of economic globalization; and, as an ideological project of a section of the ruling elites to justify the embedding of market-oriented development processes in a politically repressive government institution. To contribute to recent scholarship attempts at defining the character and tendencies of this emergent regime, the article traces one of its key ideological antecedents from Carl Schmitt's earlier formulation for a "strong state, free economy". It then presents a survey of how this concept articulating the compatibility of authoritarianism and capitalism has manifested in related theories and actual policies since the long twentieth century – notably in: German ordoliberalism, Thatcherism and Reaganomics, the Kirkpatrick Doctrine and Political Development Theory, the Asian Values discourse, and the Effective State and Good Governance agendas. The governing authority in this regime can be called an authoritarian-neoliberal state.


We propose a criterion of approximate incentive compatibility, strategy-proofness in the large (SP-L), and argue that it is a useful second-best to exact strategy-proofness (SP) for market design. Conceptually, SP-L requires that an agent who regards a mechanism's "prices" as exogenous to her report—be they traditional prices as in an auction mechanism, or price-like statistics in an assignment or matching mechanism—has a dominant strategy to report truthfully. Mathematically, SP-L weakens SP in two ways: (1) truth-telling is required to be approximately optimal (within epsilon in a large enough market) rather than exactly optimal, and (2) incentive compatibility is evaluated ex interim, with respect to all full-support i.i.d. probability distributions of play, rather than ex post with respect to all possible realizations of play. This places SP-L in between the traditional notion of approximate SP, which evaluates incentives to manipulate ex post and as a result is too strong to obtain our main results in support of SP-L, and the traditional notion of approximate Bayes-Nash incentive compatibility, which, like SP-L, evaluates incentives to manipulate ex interim, but which imposes common knowledge and strategic sophistication assumptions that are often viewed as unrealistic.


State accountability systems have been a primary school reform initiative in the U.S. for the past twenty years, but often produce unintended negative consequences. In 2004, the Texas Education Agency (TEA) implemented the Performance Based Monitoring and Analysis System (PBMAS) which included an accountability indicator focused on the percentage of students found eligible for special education under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA), the nation's special education law. From 2004 through 2016, the percentage of students found eligible for special education in Texas declined significantly, while the national rate held constant. Eventually, the U.S. Department of Education (ED) investigated TEA and the statewide implementation of IDEA. The purpose of this study is two-fold: (a) to evaluate the potential impact of the the PBMAS indicator on manipulation of special education identification practices; and (b) to describe how the indicator may have influenced school and district personnel. We highlight several concerning trends in state and district data and, through an analysis of publicly available reports from the ED, show how district and school personnel knowingly and unknowingly acted in ways that delayed and denied special education to potentially eligible students. We conclude with recommendations for TEA and implications for future research and policy.


Methoxamine elicits a rapid accumulation of adenosine 3',5'-monophosphate (cyclic AMP) in rat cerebral cortical slices with maximal effects at 100 muM. The accumulations of cyclic AMP elicited by this amine are completely blocked by the alpha adrenergic antagonists, phenoxybenzamine and dihydroergokryptine, partially blocked by the alpha antagonist, phentolamine, and unaffected by the beta blocking agent, propranolol, or by the local anesthetic, tetracaine. The magnitude of the accumulations of cyclic AMP elicited by methoxamine in cerebral cortical slices of four rat strains (F-344, ACI, BUF, and Sprague-Dawley) exhibit a strong negative correlation with spontaneous motor activity and a positive correlation with the magnitude of norepinephrine-elicited accumulations of cyclic AMP. The stimulatory interaction of methoxamine with alpha adrenergically regulated cyclic AMP-generating systems differs from the interaction of norepinephrine with alpha receptors as evidenced by the following observations: 1) the stimulatory effects of methoxamine and norepinephrine are nearly additive; 2) the stimulatory effects of methoxamine and adenosine are nearly additive, whereas the effects of norepinephrine and adenosine are much more than additive. Methoxamine, however, does not increase further the magnitude of accumulation of cyclic AMP elicited by a combination of norepinephrine and adenosine. The results are consonant with the interaction of methoxamine with alpha adrenergic receptors which are normally activated by norepinephrine only to a marginal extent. However, in the presence of adenosine, these receptors are now sensitive to activation by norepinephrine.


Neural networks often exhibit emergent behavior, where qualitatively new capabilities arise from scaling up the amount of parameters, training data, or training steps. One approach to understanding emergence is to find continuous \textit{progress measures} that underlie the seemingly discontinuous qualitative changes. We argue that progress measures can be found via mechanistic interpretability: reverse-engineering learned behaviors into their individual components. As a case study, we investigate the recently-discovered phenomenon of ``grokking'' exhibited by small transformers trained on modular addition tasks. We fully reverse engineer the algorithm learned by these networks, which uses discrete Fourier transforms and trigonometric identities to convert addition to rotation about a circle. We confirm the algorithm by analyzing the activations and weights and by performing ablations in Fourier space. Based on this understanding, we define progress measures that allow us to study the dynamics of training and split training into three continuous phases: memorization, circuit formation, and cleanup. Our results show that grokking, rather than being a sudden shift, arises from the gradual amplification of structured mechanisms encoded in the weights, followed by the later removal of memorizing components.


Background Neutropenia increases the risk of infection, but it is unknown if this also applies to lymphopenia. We therefore tested the hypotheses that lymphopenia is associated with increased risk of infection and infection-related death in the general population. Methods and findings Of the invited 220,424 individuals, 99,191 attended examination. We analyzed 98,344 individuals from the Copenhagen General Population Study (Denmark), examined from November 25, 2003, to July 9, 2013, and with available blood lymphocyte count at date of examination. During a median of 6 years of follow-up, they developed 8,401 infections and experienced 1,045 infection-related deaths. Due to the completeness of the Danish civil and health registries, none of the 98,344 individuals were lost to follow-up, and those emigrating (n = 385) or dying (n = 5,636) had their follow-up truncated at the day of emigration or death. At date of examination, mean age was 58 years, and 44,181 (44.9%) were men. Individuals with lymphopenia (lymphocyte count < 1.1 × 109/l, n = 2,352) compared to those with lymphocytes in the reference range (1.1–3.7 × 109/l, n = 93,538) had multivariable-adjusted hazard ratios of 1.41 (95% CI 1.28–1.56) for any infection, 1.31 (1.14–1.52) for pneumonia, 1.44 (1.15–1.79) for skin infection, 1.26 (1.02–1.56) for urinary tract infection, 1.51 (1.21–1.89) for sepsis, 1.38 (1.01–1.88) for diarrheal disease, 2.15 (1.16–3.98) for endocarditis, and 2.26 (1.21–4.24) for other infections. The corresponding hazard ratio for infection-related death was 1.70 (95% CI 1.37–2.10). Analyses were adjusted for age, sex, smoking status, cumulative smoking, alcohol intake, body mass index, plasma C-reactive protein, blood neutrophil count, recent infection, Charlson comorbidity index, autoimmune diseases, medication use, and immunodeficiency/hematologic disease. The findings were robust in all stratified analyses and also when including only events later than 2 years after first examination. However, due to the observational design, the study cannot address questions of causality, and our analyses might theoretically have been affected by residual confounding and reverse causation. In principle, fluctuating lymphocyte counts over time might also have influenced analyses, but lymphocyte counts in 5,181 individuals measured 10 years after first examination showed a regression dilution ratio of 0.68. Conclusions Lymphopenia was associated with increased risk of hospitalization with infection and increased risk of infection-related death in the general population. Notably, causality cannot be deduced from our data.


Since the contributions to this Special Issue consist of relatively brief statements, the Editorial Board of Konturen has decided to forego abstracts this time around. Please click on "html" or "pdf" below for the full document of this essay.


3-D vertically aligned few-layered graphene (FLGs) nanoflakes synthesised using microwave plasma enhanced chemical vapour deposition are melt-impregnated with partially reduced graphene oxide-sulfur (PrGO-S) nanocomposites for use in lithium–sulfur batteries. The aligned structure and the presence of interconnected micro voids/channels in the 3-D FLG/PrGO-S electrodes serves as template not only for the high sulfur loading (up to 80 wt%, areal loading of 1.2 mg cm−2) but also compensates for the volume changes occurring during charge–discharge cycles. The inter-connectivity of the electrode system further facilitates fast electronic and ionic transport pathways. Consequently, the binder-free 3-D FLG/PrGO-S electrodes display a high first-cycle capacity (1320 mA h g−1 at C/20), along with excellent rate capability of ∼830 mA h g−1 and 700 mA h g−1 at 2C and 5C rates, respectively. The residual functional groups of PrGO (–OH, –C–O–C– and –COOH) facilitate fast and reversible capture of Li+ ions while confining the polysulfide shuttles, thus, contributing to excellent cycling capability and retention capacity. The 3D electrodes demonstrate excellent capacity retention of ∼80% (1040 mA h g−1 at C/10) over 350 charge–discharge cycles. Comparatively, the 2-D planar PrGO-S electrodes displayed poor electronic conductivity and can only provide 560 mA h g−1 after 150 cycles, thereby further highlighting the vital role of the electrode morphology in improving the electrochemical performance of Li–S batteries.


Background: Studies have shown that overweight and underweight can contribute to fertility problems. There is a significant
paucity of data in the Indian context regarding the effect of body mass index (BMI) on infertility in women. Aims and
Objective: To find the association of BMI with primary and secondary infertility among infertile women in Mangalore.
Materials and Methods: This cross-sectional study included 204 infertile women (18–45 years) from a tertiary care hospital
in Mangalore. Primary and secondary infertility were classified based on the infertility definitions of the World Health
Organization. Weight and height were used to calculate BMI (kg/m2). Result: This study showed that infertile women with
overweight were maximum 87 (42.65%), followed by women with normal BMI 85 (41.67%), underweight 17 (8.33%), and
obese 15 (7.35%). Of 204 infertile women, 137 (67.2%) had primary infertility and 67 (32.8%) had secondary infertility. Of
137 women with primary infertility, 12 (8.8%) were underweight, 55 (40.1%) were normal BMI, 62 (45.3%) were overweight,
and 8 (5.8%) were obese. Of 67 women with secondary infertility, 5 (7.5%) were underweight, 30 (44.8%) were normal BMI,
25 (37.3%) were overweight, and 7 (10.4%) were obese. Deviation of weight from normal BMI was more in primary infertility
(59.9%) than in secondary infertility (55.2%). Conclusion: Both overweight and underweight is a preventable risk factor for
infertility and precautionary measures to manage them may be an effective means of reducing the risk of infertility and other
associated disorders. Future studies are needed to understand if correction of weight improves fertility in these women.


Dolphinfish fishing with Fish Aggregating Devices (FADs) and purseseine nets is normally practised everywhere in Sicily and the Pelagic Archipelago. The fishing season starts in July when the FADs are placed and finishes in December. In the 1996 fishing season, in 5 sample ports, catches and fishing effort were taken through interviews during landing, fishing running costs were taken by interviewing fishermen and prices per kilos paid to fishermen were taken through direct observation. Catches, costs and profits per sample port, per week and for the entire fishing season were then calculated or estimated. Though it is freshly marketed only in Sicily, the resource would appear to provide a lucrative activity.


Self-assembly of ordered structures, a few nanometers wide, has been observed on many interfaces critical to new nanotechnologies. They are thought to arise because of a delicate balance between long-range strain field interactions and short-range chemical forces that stabilizes these structures. However, a detailed understanding of the driving forces does not exist. In this article, I will show how to identify and control these interactions that have the potential to surpass standard patterning technologies and thus, to lead the way to higher density magnetic storage, more selective catalytic materials, higher sensitivity chemical sensors, and perhaps, quantum computers. Wellordered networks of misfit dislocations that form in monolayer-high strained metal films can be used as templates to grow two-dimensional nano-arrays of largescale order and size uniformity in thermal equilibrium. Unique real-time measurements of the dynamics of selfassembled nano-arrays grown on silver and copper films on Ru(0001) and other metal surfaces using a variabletemperature scanning tunneling microscope (STM) will be presented. The results will guide the development of new dynamic models to describe the evolution of nanoscale structures on surfaces. In particular, vacancy islands formed during roomtemperature (RT) exposure to sulfur of a submonolayer Ag film on Ru(0001) order spontaneously to form a triangular lattice at an island area fraction just above 20%. A normal mode decomposition of the thermal vibrations of this vacancy island crystal, measured with timeresolved scanning tunneling microscopy, obtains Lame coefficients in the range of 10 (N/m). I will show that these estimates are consistent with stabilizing forces derived from long-range elastic interactions between the islands.


Background The minimal physical activity intensity that would confer health benefits among adolescents is unknown. The purpose of this study was to examine the associations of accelerometer-derived light-intensity (split into low and high) physical activity, and moderate- to vigorous-intensity physical activity with cardiometabolic biomarkers in a large population-based sample. Methods The study is based on 1,731 adolescents, aged 12–19 years from the 2003/04 and 2005/06 National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey. Low light-intensity activity (100–799 counts/min), high light-intensity activity (800 counts/min to <4 METs) and moderate- to vigorous-intensity activity (≥4 METs, Freedson age-specific equation) were accelerometer-derived. Cardiometabolic biomarkers, including waist circumference, systolic blood pressure, diastolic blood pressure, HDL-cholesterol, and C-reactive protein were measured. Triglycerides, LDL- cholesterol, insulin, glucose, and homeostatic model assessments of β-cell function (HOMA-%B) and insulin sensitivity (HOMA-%S) were also measured in a fasting sub-sample (n = 807). Results Adjusted for confounders, each additional hour/day of low light-intensity activity was associated with 0.59 (95% CI: 1.18–0.01) mmHG lower diastolic blood pressure. Each additional hour/day of high light-intensity activity was associated with 1.67 (2.94–0.39) mmHG lower diastolic blood pressure and 0.04 (0.001–0.07) mmol/L higher HDL-cholesterol. Each additional hour/day of moderate- to vigorous-intensity activity was associated with 3.54 (5.73–1.35) mmHG lower systolic blood pressure, 5.49 (1.11–9.77)% lower waist circumference, 25.87 (6.08–49.34)% lower insulin, and 16.18 (4.92–28.53)% higher HOMA-%S. Conclusions Time spent in low light-intensity physical activity and high light-intensity physical activity had some favorable associations with biomarkers. Consistent with current physical activity recommendations for adolescents, moderate- to vigorous-intensity activity had favorable associations with many cardiometabolic biomarkers. While increasing MVPA should still be a public health priority, further studies are needed to identify dose-response relationships for light-intensity activity thresholds to inform future recommendations and interventions for adolescents.


The commercially available solar cells suffer from low efficiency and high cost. This would avoid presence of solar cells as a secure energy resource in the market. Problems stem from two facts. Firstly, band gap of materials deployed for cell fabrication do not match the solar spectrum. Secondly, harvesting all the generated electrons is imperfect due to presence of many non-radiative recombination processes and, thermalization of electrons. To transcend these deficiencies, third generation of solar has been introduced. This new generation renders a whole new concept both in design and materials of solar cells scope. One of new introduction to solar cell field is Quantum Dot (QD). QD offers a broad range of tunability. The optical and electrical properties of QDs can be altered by choice of material, size and shape; therefore; they have great potential for high efficiency cell fabrication. QDs are mainly grown via MBE or synthesized via Colloidal solutions. QDs could be integrated as a part of one of new and promising third generation cells, named Intermediate Band Solar Cells. QDs could be employed as the intermediate level. If MBE is the selected method for cell fabrication, QDs would grow in a matrix of barrier material accompanied with a wetting layer. Wetting layer would disturb the ideal condition predicted in theory for gaining the high efficiency. To study how wetting layer would affect IB performance two sets of simulations have been carried out. One part is done with COSMOL. In this part different number of QDs layers have been simulated with and without wetting layer. The result showed that parasitic effect of wetting layer could not be eliminated large stacs of QD are stacked together, to achieve the promised efficient wetting layer should be eliminated from the system. In MATLAB part QDs have been approximated with simple cuboid. The main aim in this part was to compare how the result of taking into the account the real shape differs from a simple approach which has been the most reported the most in literature. If all the restrains on achieving high efficiency of IBSC are met, still one major drawback remains and, that is high cost of MBE process. This would hinder mass production of IB cell. One possible potential method to gradually replace MBE can be Colloidal QDs. Colloidal QDs are fairly low cost and easy to fabricate. In this work, colloidal crystal growth was examined. The best condition for monolayer deposition was obtained and, the feasibility of crystal growth was demonstrated. additionally, There was an attempt to grow more than one layer and investigate result of embedding QDs in a barrier of another


Objectives
Previous studies revealed that the combination of anthocyanins and prebiotics had protective effects on gut health. In this study, we observed the response of oral consumption of a blend of prebiotics and anthocyanins (hereafter called Balance + ) on the gastrointestinal (GI) function of human volunteers. Skin status was also evaluated as a secondary indication.

Methods
A total of 42 subjects (11 males and 31 females) with complaints of mild to moderate GI discomfort were recruited and provided a daily dose of 9.6 g/day of Balance + for 10 weeks. IBS-SSS and IBS-QOL questionnaires were used to evaluate GI function and quality of life of the subjects. An internally designed "Skin status questionnaire" was used to evaluate self-perception of skin conditions. Questionnaires were collected at the baseline, week-1, week-5, and week-10 after consumption.

Results
A total score of GI discomfort derived from the validated GI questionnaires revealed an improvement of GI issues compared with baseline after 5 and 10 weeks consumption of Balance + in most, but not all, symptoms. For example, satisfaction of bowel movement was improved significantly at week 1, 5, and 10; frequency of abdominal pain occurrence was decreased at week 5 and 10; abdominal symptoms affecting daily life were significantly reduced at week 5 and 10. While abdominal pain was generally improved, the improvement was not statistically significant. Moreover no changes were found in abdominal distension. The survey also revealed that quality of life was improved significantly after consumption of Balance + and subjects were less concerned about psychological reactions relevant to abdominal discomfort. Interestingly, according to our questionnaire, general skin condition was also positively impacted after Balance + consumption. Subjects were asked to self-evaluate 7 general skin attributes including dry skin, dark skin or dark patches, sensitive skin, acne, coarse pores, fine wrinkles, and couperose skin. The self evaluation of such general skin conditions revealed improvement after 10 weeks consumption of Balance + . No severe adverse effects were found except for some mild abdominal response, e.g., abdominal pain and distension in 7.1% and 9.5% of individuals studied respectively.

Conclusions
Balance + consumption may help regulate human GI system, help improve the self-perception of quality of life as well as skin conditions that may be relevant to GI status.

Funding Sources
Nu Skin Research Funding.

Supporting Tables Images and/or Graphs


Defenders of the political question doctrine sometimes observe that the lack of a judicial remedy for a constitutional violation does not deprive injured parties of all remedy, because injured parties can pursue a political or an electoral remedy - they can seek relief at the ballot box or in the political process. This essay criticizes that argument. Political and electoral remedies for constitutional violations are ineffective for important practical and theoretical reasons that grow out of the different structures of the judicial, political, and electoral processes. The judicial process focuses each case on a particular issue; candidates in elections always represent a package of positions on many issues, so that voters do not actually have an opportunity to vote for or against a particular, allegedly unconstitutional action. The judicial process produces reasons for its decisions; the electoral process produces only an inscrutable result, so that even if voters managed to defeat a candidate because of unconstitutional action, no one could really know it. The judicial process operates within a system of precedent; political battles may have to be fought afresh each election cycle. The judicial process is mandatory; legislatures may choose to ignore political agitation. Finally, the judicial process operates according to law; the political and electoral processes are majoritarian and are not likely to be good vehicles for enforcing constraints on majoritarianism. These differences between the judicial, political, and electoral processes demonstrate the error of arguing that the political and electoral processes provide an adequate substitute for a judicial remedy. They also show that the political insulation of judges, although very important, is only one factor supporting the institution of judicial review. Judicial review also rests on the distinctive features of the judicial process: that it is focused, that it is mandatory, that it articulates norms explicitly, and that it operates within a system of precedent. Defenders of the political question doctrine must explain not only why we should entrust constitutional questions to officials not insulated from politics, but why we should entrust them to a process lacking these other, vital features of judicial review.