Detrital zircon ages from quartzite and metaconglomerate exposed in the Park Range, Front Range, and Sawatch Range of northern and central Colorado reveal new information about age and provenance trends within the Yavapai province of southwestern Laurentia and provide a critical test of regional correlations. Six samples from the three exposure areas—the Lester Mountain area in the Park Range, Coal Creek area in the Front Range, and Collegiate Peaks area in the Sawatch Range—are dominated by Paleoproterozoic detrital zircon that define a relatively narrow range of peak ages between 1772 and 1701 Ma. The unimodal character of most age spectra and the age of the dominant age-probability peaks indicate that the metasedimentary successions were derived largely from local sources within the ca. 1.78–1.70-Ga Yavapai province. Age-probability peaks between 1830 Ma and 2716 Ma are attributed to older source regions to the north and northeast such as the Trans-Hudson orogen, Black Hills, or Wyoming province. However, the percentage of older grains is relatively minor and decreases to almost zero from north to south. Maximum depositional ages constrained by the youngest age populations are 1763 Ma, 1717 Ma, and 1701 Ma for the respective localities from north to south. All of the metasedimentary successions were deformed and metamorphosed after deposition, and quartzite at one locality is intruded by ca. 1672-Ma plutons. On the basis of similarities between outcrop characteristics, structural style, and comparison of detrital zircon age spectra, we correlate the two southern localities with a regional suite of quartzite successions deposited ca. 1.70 Ga following the culmination of the Yavapai orogeny. The northern succession represents an earlier cycle of sedimentation predating ca. 1750-Ma deformation in the northern Yavapai province. The southward progression of ages is consistent with regional tectonic models for the evolution of the Paleoproterozoic accretionary provinces in southern Laurentia, and the multiple cycles of sedimentation suggest that basin formation and collapse were important processes in the tectonic evolution of the continent.


SUMMARY This is a review of the latest up to date information on Acute Liver Failure, a multi organic syndrome sometimes with a fatal outcome, if not diagnosed and treated at the right time. The review pays attention to some special features of the syndrome and all the new technical progress for a cure. There is also special mention about ALF and the main causes of ALF in the Greek population.


Intellectual property rights (IPR) concern that branch of law dealing with the regulation of the creation, protection, ownership, transfer, use, and access to intangible and tangible creations of the human mind. From its modest origins in trademarks, IPRs today traverse the gamut of copyright, patents, industrial designs, trade secrets, integrated circuits and topography, plant breeders' rights, geographic indications, and other emerging categories of IPR including folklore. The vast majority of countries across the world have IPR laws on their statute books. Beyond statutory provisions, states have also created administrative and institutional organs to deal with the manifold aspects of IPR. Intellectual property rights are often promoted as useful for stimulating and encouraging creativity, economic development, innovation, and technology transfer. Yet, for more than a century, African states have participated in IPR regimes with little or nothing to show for it in terms of economic development and transfer of technology. Like a mirage, the wondrous proms of domestic innovation and technological development recede from grasp no matter how long African states tread on the hard paths of strong IPRs regimes. Beyond the meagre harvests from its long and expensive investments in IPR institutions, personnel and statutes, the most worrisome aspect of contemporary IPR issues in Africa is that the development of more progressive IPR regimes in the continent has been resisted, indeed stunted by local actors and institutions. In some of the contemporary debates on the content, structure, and processes of modern IPR regimes, the voices of African IPR administrators and practitioners have been muted or silent. If and when they speak, they tend to champion the interests of foreign business entities at the expense of domestic concerns. For instance, controversies over manifold IPR issues such as access to crucial patented drugs, compulsory licensing, fair use in copyright, the scope of rights given to rights holders and apparent inequities of international arrangements for IPR protection, have witnessed little or no critical intervention by African IPR experts and administrators. Considering the high levels of education and experience in IPR possessed by the leading lawyers and administrators on the continent, one would expect Africa's IPR practitioners and administrators to be at the forefront marshalling the need for progressive rebirth of IPRs in the continent. Yet, on some of the most important debates of the day, they have defended their clients and espoused the case for maintenance of the status quo even when their fellow citizens bear the brunt of the unrealized proms of robust IPR laws.


Although a modular multilevel converter (MMC) is universally accepted as a suitable converter topology for the high-voltage dc transmission systems, its dc fault ride performance requires substantial improvement in order to be used in critical infrastructures such as transnational multi-terminal dc (MTDC) networks. Therefore, this study proposes a modified submodule circuit for MMC that offers an improved dc fault ride through the performance with reduced semiconductor losses and enhanced control flexibility compared to that achievable with full-bridge submodules. The use of the proposed submodules allows MMC to retain its modularity; with semiconductor loss similar to that of the mixed submodules MMC, but higher than that of the half-bridge submodules. Besides dc fault blocking, the proposed submodule offers the possibility of controlling ac current in-feed during pole-to-pole dc short-circuit fault, and this makes such submodule increasingly attractive and useful for continued operation of MTDC networks during dc faults. The aforesaid attributes are validated using simulations performed in MATLAB/SIMULINK and substantiated experimentally using the proposed submodule topology on a four-level small-scale MMC prototype.


Osteoporosis, osteoarthritis and inflammatory joint disease afflict millions of people worldwide. Inflammatory cytokines inhibit chondrocyte proliferation and induce cartilage degradation for which part of the response is mediated by PGE 2 . Excess production of PGE 2 is linked to osteoporosis and arthritis and is associated with bone and proteoglycan loss. PGE 2 also influences the IGF-I/IGFBP axis to facilitate bone and cartilage formation. Recent investigations with growing rats given butter fat and supplements of CLA demonstrated an increased rate of bone formation and reduced ex vivo bone PGE 2 production, respectively. Furthermore, the supplements of CLA isomers resulted in their enrichment in lipids of various bone compartments of animals. The effects of CLA on bone biology in rats (IGF action and cytokines) appear to be dependent on the level of n-6 and n-3 fatty acids in the diet; however, these studies generally showed that CLA decreased ex vivo bone PGE 2 production and in osteoblast-like cultures. Anti-inflammatory diets, including nutraceutical applications of CLA, may be beneficial in moderating cyclooygenase 2 (COX-2) activity or expression (influencing PGE 2 biosynthesis) and might help to reduce rheumatoid arthritis (secondary osteoporosis). This review summarizes findings of CLA on bone modeling in rats and effects on cellular functions of osteoblasts and chondrocytes. These experiments indicate that CLA isomers possess anti-inflammatory activity in bone by moderating prostanoid formation.


The CLEF 2019 ProtestNews Lab tasks participants to identify text relating to political protests within larger corpora of news data. Three tasks include article classification, sentence detection, and event extraction. I apply multitask neural networks capable of producing predictions for two and three of these tasks simultaneously. The multitask framework allows the model to learn relevant features from the training data of all three tasks. This paper demonstrates performance near or above the reported state-of-the-art for automated political event coding though noted differences in research design make direct comparisons difficult.


News outlets and foreclosure defense blogs have focused attention on the defense commonly referred to as "show me the note." This defense seeks to forestall or prevent foreclosure by requiring the foreclosing party to produce the mortgage and the associated promissory note as proof of its right to initiate foreclosure. The defense arose in two recent state supreme-court cases and is also being raised in lower courts throughout the country. It is not only important to individuals facing foreclosure but also for the mortgage industry and investors in mortgage-backed securities. In the aggregate, the body of law that develops as a result of the foreclosure epidemic will probably shape mortgage law for a long time to come. Courts across the country seemingly interpret the validity of the "show me the note" defense incongruously. Indeed, states appear to be divided on its application. However, an analysis of the situations in which this defense is raised provides a framework that can help consumers and the mortgage industry to better predict how individual states will rule on this issue and can help courts as they continue to grapple with this matter.


Abstract. A data assimilation capability has been built for the NMMB-MONARCH chemical weather prediction system, with a focus on mineral dust, a prominent type of aerosol. An ensemble-based Kalman filter technique (namely the local ensemble transform Kalman filter – LETKF) has been utilized to optimally combine model background and satellite retrievals. Our implementation of the ensemble is based on known uncertainties in the physical parametrizations of the dust emission scheme. Experiments showed that MODIS AOD retrievals using the Dark Target algorithm can help NMMB-MONARCH to better characterize atmospheric dust. This is particularly true for the analysis of the dust outflow in the Sahel region and over the African Atlantic coast. The assimilation of MODIS AOD retrievals based on the Deep Blue algorithm has a further positive impact in the analysis downwind from the strongest dust sources of the Sahara and in the Arabian Peninsula. An analysis-initialized forecast performs better (lower forecast error and higher correlation with observations) than a standard forecast, with the exception of underestimating dust in the long-range Atlantic transport and degradation of the temporal evolution of dust in some regions after day 1. Particularly relevant is the improved forecast over the Sahara throughout the forecast range thanks to the assimilation of Deep Blue retrievals over areas not easily covered by other observational datasets. The present study on mineral dust is a first step towards data assimilation with a complete aerosol prediction system that includes multiple aerosol species.


John Zachary Young (1907–1997) was a British zoologist and anatomist, pioneer of the experimental study of the cellular bases of learning and memory and of British brain science. He discovered the giant axon of the squid, which was to become the most successful experimental model for the study of the nerve impulse mechanism and of the physicochemical properties of neuron membranes. His work on learning and memory in Octopus vulgaris represents one of the earliest attempts of employing simple experimental systems in the study of complex mental functions.

Keywords:

brain;
learning and memory;
invertebrate models;
neuroscience;
medical education


Psychological tests are often used in the diagnosis and selection of individuals. The test scores themselves are typically not informative, so they are usually interpreted by comparing them with the test scores of a reference population. For intelligence tests, for example, a test score is usually compared with those of the general population of the same age as the testee. The required normed scores are obtained by estimating a statistical norming model for a range of age values, in which the raw test score distribution is related to age. To arrive at a realistic norming model, it is required to use appropriate models. In this thesis, I investigate challenges in realistic norming, such as model selection and possibly complex models with larger sampling fluctuations. I show that good model selection is possible with an automated model selection procedure. I also investigate the consequences of using a too strict versus a too flexible model, and reveal that a too flexible model is generally better. In addition, I demonstrate how uncertainty in normed scores due to sampling fluctuations can be expressed in confidence intervals. The sampling fluctuations can be decreased by increasing the normative sample size, but this is costly and not always possible in practice. I show that the sampling fluctuations can be decreased without increasing the sample size by using prior norm information in the estimation of new normed scores. This demonstrates that good model selection and efficient test norming can be used to improve psychological test score interpretation.


Radial basis ( fewer neurons) artificial neural network (ANN) models were developed for predicting the shelf life of processed cheese stored at 7-8o C. Mean square error, root mean square error, coefficient of determination and nash sutcliffo coefficient were applied in order to compare the prediction ability of the developed models. Soluble nitrogen, pH; standard plate count, yeast & mould count, and spore count were the input parameters, while sensory score was output parameter for the developed model. The developed model showed very good correlation between actual data and predicted data with high coefficient of determination and nash sutcliffo coefficient besides low root mean square error, suggesting that the developed model is quite efficient in predicting the shelf life of processed cheese.


Objectives & Background Bronchiolitis is a common diagnosis in patients presenting over the winter months. Predicting early in the patient journey the need for continued observation may improve patient flow and reduce crowding. In this study we aimed to assess the correlation between guideline derived severity of illness and initial acuity with outcome. Methods Data on 100 patients who presented to our Children's Emergency Department with a diagnosis of bronchiolitis between September 2012 and June 2013 was analysed (data was also being used for an international study on outcomes of bronchiolitis). Severity of illness (via local guidance), initial POPS (Paediatric Observation Priority Score) and patient disposition was analysed. Results 4 patients were excluded due to insufficient data, 14/96 had severity documented by the clinician and 96/96 had severity derived based on local guidelines. Figure 1 demonstrates POPS scores at the three levels of severity. Excluding patients who represented, Pearson's correlation between POPS and percentage discharged/admitted was significant (p=0.002) with r2 value of 0.72. Conclusion In this small sample initial acuity (via POPS) demonstrates an association with patient disposition and bronchiolitis severity grading. It is noted the confidence intervals are large, potentially due to an insufficient sample size or large heterogeneity presenting features of bronchiolitis. We also note generally good agreement between a clinician's subjective opinion of severity and guideline derived severity. There is the potential for POPS to reduce cognitive error when there is a discrepancy between these assessments. Figure 1


The accuracy, currency, relevance and ease of use of elec tronic information resources can be measured to provide an indication of the resource's 'product quality'. The link between product quality and electronic information resource use is, however, relatively weak. This is because product quality is only one of several influences on use. Use is better explained as a function of 'fitness for purpose': the extent to which the information resource is of appropriate quality for the situation in which it is to be used. Potential users' perceptions of fitness for purpose are formed by con venience and, most significantly, the extent to which poten tial users believe using the resource will benefit them. Several potential explanatory models of internet use, includ ing the Technology Assessment Model and the Theory of Planned Behaviour, are compared in this paper.


The rise of serverless computing provides an opportunity to rethink cloud security. We present an approach for securing serverless systems using a novel form of dynamic information flow control (IFC). We show that in serverless applications, the termination channel found in most existing IFC systems can be arbitrarily amplified via multiple concurrent requests, necessitating a stronger termination-sensitive non-interference guarantee, which we achieve using a combination of static labeling of serverless processes and dynamic faceted labeling of persistent data. We describe our implementation of this approach on top of JavaScript for AWS Lambda and OpenWhisk serverless platforms, and present three realistic case studies showing that it can enforce important IFC security properties with low overhead.


This six years study focuses on the effect of environmental factors on Willow low Tit (Parus montanus) nestling growth . For each brood, nestling growth during the growth period ( day 1-12) was related to the amount of food and temperature du ring this period as well as to the degree of synchronisa tion (timing) of breeding to the caterpi llar peak. Food abundance was estimated from the amount of caterpillar excrements (frass) fallen from birch (Betula sp.) . I also compared how growth was influenced by clutch size and hatchday each year. The only two variables that contributed to the environmental component of tarsal growth was temperature that explained 33 .2%, and relative hatch-day, which explained a further 6.0% . Temperature was the only environmental variable that explained variance in body mass, but frass explained most when temperature was excluded from the multiple regression. Temperature may influence nestling growth both directly through thermo-regulation and indirectly by e.g . effects on insect abundance. Growth rate was shown to be higher during years with a caterpillar peak than in years lacking such a peak .


As an important source of employment and a key economic pillar, tourism plays a significant role in resuming growth in the Organization of Eastern Caribbean States (OECS). This pre-feasibility assessment demonstrated that a regional ferry system could make a positive contribution to tourism competitiveness in the OECS, and that a proper feasibility assessment of a regional ferry is warranted. Demand for regional ferries is not new to the OECS, the region has had a regional ferry system in the past and there are a number of sub-regional or country-level ferry systems that are operational. In addition, there have been initial signs of interest from potential investors for financing a regional ferry. However, a lack of regional coordination as well as significant regulatory, infrastructural, and institutional challenges has affected the fate of many regional ferry proposals from potential investors. This paper serves as a background for a feasibility assessment of a regional ferry, providing evidence and preliminary data on the movement of people, cargo, prices of moving within the region, and existing fleet of ferries. It assesses competitive effects of a regional ferry vis-a-vis the cruise industry and air travel. The study draws interesting lessons from two successful regional ferry systems: the Greek ferry system and the Baltic Sea ferry system. It also provides a clear roadmap of next steps, and the criteria that should be looked at in a follow-up feasibility assessment.


ABSTRACT:
 As species' geographic ranges and ecosystem functions are altered in response to climate change, there is a need to integrate biodiversity conservation approaches that promote natural adaptation into land use planning. Successful conservation will need to embrace multiple climate adaptation approaches, but to date they have not been conveyed in an integrated way to help support immediate conservation planning and action in the face of inherent spatial uncertainty about future conditions. Instead, these multiple approaches are often conveyed as competing or contradictory alternatives, when in fact, they are complementary. We present a framework that synthesizes six promising spatially explicit adaptation approaches for conserving biodiversity. We provide guidance on implementing these adaptation approaches and include case studies that highlight how biodiversity conservation can be used in planning. We conclude with general guidance on choosing appropriate climate adaptation approaches to amend for conservation planning.


OBJECTIVE
To evaluate the prevalence of human papillomavirus (HPV) and the prognostic significance of epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR), p53, and p16 among patients with oropharyngeal carcinoma.

DESIGN
Retrospective study.

SETTING
Academic Institute of Otolaryngology, Kaohsiung, Taiwan.

PATIENTS
Two hundred seventy-four patients who were diagnosed as having oropharyngeal carcinoma underwent testing for the presence of the HPV genome in the nuclei of their tumor cells from January 1, 1992, through March 31, 2008.

INTERVENTIONS
The HPV genome was detected by performing polymerase chain reaction-based assays and in situ hybridization on tumor tissue from paraffin blocks. Immunohistochemistry staining for p16, p53, and EGFR was also performed.

MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES
We used the Fisher exact test to evaluate the correlation between the clinicopathological variables and the presence of HPV in tumor cells. Survival analysis was based on the Kaplan-Meier method.

RESULTS
We detected HPV in 45 of the 274 patients (16.4%); of these, HPV-16 and -18 were identified in 42 (93.3%) of the HPV-positive tumors. The HPV-positive oropharyngeal cancers were more likely to occur in females, nonsmoking individuals, and those who did not chew betel quid. The HPV-positive tumors significantly expressed p16 and were inversely associated with EGFR and p53 expression (all, P < .001). In addition, patients with tumor tissue that was positive for HPV (P = .008) and had negative expression of EGFR (P = .01), low expression of p53 (P = .01), and high expression of p16 (P = .04) had a better prognosis.

CONCLUSION
Our results suggest that HPV, EGFR, p53, and p16 are useful biomarkers in predicting the clinical outcomes of oropharyngeal cancer.


Comparative effectiveness research (CER) has the potential to transform the current health care delivery system by identifying the most effective medical and surgical treatments, diagnostic tests, disease prevention methods, and ways to deliver care for specific clinical conditions. To be successful, such research requires the identification, capture, aggregation, integration, and analysis of disparate data sources held by different institutions with diverse representations of the relevant clinical events. In an effort to address these diverse demands, there have been multiple new designs and implementations of informatics platforms that provide access to electronic clinical data and the governance infrastructure required for interinstitutional CER. The goal of this manuscript is to help investigators understand why these informatics platforms are required and to compare and contrast 6 large-scale, recently funded, CER-focused informatics platform development efforts. We utilized an 8-dimension, sociotechnical model of health information technology to help guide our work. We identified 6 generic steps that are necessary in any distributed, multi-institutional CER project: data identification, extraction, modeling, aggregation, analysis, and dissemination. We expect that over the next several years these projects will provide answers to many important, and heretofore unanswerable, clinical research questions.


Background: An adaptive mechanism in plant roots is initiated in the event of nitrogen and potassium deficiency, and it facilitates the active uptake of these elements in order to ensure plant growth and survival in stress conditions. Signaling and transduction of signals in response to changing nitrogen and potassium concentrations is a complex process, affected by interactions between various gene expression products, and often subjected to modifications. Results: In order to identify genotypic differences between phenotypes of two populations of recombinant inbred rye lines (153/79-1 x Ot1-3 and Ot0-6 x Ot1-3) in response to nutrition stress caused by nitrogen and potassium deficiency at the seedling stage, bulk segregant analysis was utilized. Identification of genotypic differences between and within pooled DNA samples involved 424 RAPD, 120 ISSR primers and 50 combinations of R-ISSR. Identified markers were sequenced and converted to SCAR, attributing to them unique ESTs annotations, and chromosomal ones to selected localizations. Significant relationships with the examined trait were described for nine and eight RAPD markers, four and five ISSR, one and three R-ISSR markers for population 153/79-1 x Ot1-3 and Ot0-6 x Ot1-3, respectively. Sequences identified for the rye genome were characterized by a uniqueness and a similarity to the sequence of aquaporin PIP1, a gene encoding protein related to the function of the transcription factor in plant response to iron deficiency and the putative ethylene-responsive transcription factor, cytosolic acetyl-CoA carboxylase, HvHKT1 transporter, as well as HCBT proteins. Conclusion: Identified molecular markers differentiating rye genotypes of extreme response of root system on nitrogen and potassium deficiency play a significant role in systemic plant response to stress, including stress caused by nitrogen and potassium deficiency. They may constitute a system facilitating selection, and together with the material they are described in, they may be a starting point for research on mechanisms of sensing and transduction of signal across the plant.


We consider the least-square regression problem with regularization by a block 1-norm, i.e., a sum of Euclidean norms over spaces of dimensions larger than one. This problem, referred to as the group Lasso, extends the usual regularization by the 1-norm where all spaces have dimension one, where it is commonly referred to as the Lasso. In this paper, we study the asymptotic model consistency of the group Lasso. We derive necessary and sufficient conditions for the consistency of group Lasso under practical assumptions, such as model misspecification. When the linear predictors and Euclidean norms are replaced by functions and reproducing kernel Hilbert norms, the problem is usually referred to as multiple kernel learning and is commonly used for learning from heterogeneous data sources and for non linear variable selection. Using tools from functional analysis, and in particular covariance operators, we extend the consistency results to this infinite dimensional case and also propose an adaptive scheme to obtain a consistent model estimate, even when the necessary condition required for the non adaptive scheme is not satisfied.


Households are increasingly addressed as a focus of environmental policy, with varying degrees of success in achieving more sustainable outcomes at the domestic level. Part of the problem is black boxing, in which the inherent complexity of households tends to be taken for granted. Here we draw on cultural environmental research to put forward a more sophisticated conceptualisation – the connected household approach. The connected household framework uses the themes of governance, materiality and practice to illustrate and explain the ways everyday life, and the internal politics of households, are connected to wider systems of provision and socioeconomic networks. We introduce 'zones of friction' and 'zones of traction' to illustrate different pathways of connection between the spheres. Friction and traction can help decision-makers think through the possibilities and constraints of working at the household scale. The approach is illustrated using the example of water, with a focus on the variable success of water tanks in reducing mains water consumption during the millennium drought.


The aim of this work was to study the age-related special features of EMG parameters of the back muscles in patients at the age of 6-18 years with I-II degree scoliosis. 26 patients were at the age of 7.5±0.57 years; 39 – at the age of 12.9±0.28 years; 29 – 16.6±0.5 years. The functional condition of lumbar muscles was evaluated by EMG values of m. erector spinae. It has been established the increase of maximal EMG power, that of mean EMG frequency and EMG fast waves/slow waves ratio, as well as the decrease of mean maximal EMG amplitude and m. erector spinae EMG mean power/mean frequency ratio is observed in muscles both to the left and to the right from the spine with age in children with I-II degree scoliosis. A spurt of the change in the parameters mentioned above takes place within the age-related range of 6-10 years and that of 10-14 years. Subsequently, as far as the children tested grow older, the rate of the parameter change becomes slower. It has been established for all age-related groups, that EMG maximal amplitude and EMG mean power/mean frequency ratio is higher, while EMG mean maximal power, EMG mean frequency, EMG fast waves/slow waves ratio in m. erector spinae is lower on the spine right side with respect to the left one in patients with I-II degree scoliosis of the spine.


Based on an exhaustive literature review, this paper presents an overview of the evolution of different methods useful for defining competitive intelligence needs, where the information helps the firm to justify its strategic decisions, the analysis of the early warning topics and the elements of the competitors' environment and the actors influencing the organization or its value system, and their categorization. These findings are part of a doctoral study aiming at identifying the usefulness of data coming from open intelligence. The researcher presents, on one hand, a categorization of competitive intelligence needs, and on the other hand, a synthesis model that assists managers in defining competitive intelligence needs. It also aims to show how to foster innovation.


The predicted cycling of the whole ocean through hydrothermal plumes is comparable to the mixing time of the oceans (few thousand years). Hence, understanding hydrothermal plume processes is crucial if their impact on the global geochemical cycles of elements is to be assessed. One of the most important processes that has been demonstrated to modify the gross chemical flux from venting to the oceans is the oxidative precipitation of dissolved Fe (II). It has been hypothesised that this might vary significantly from one ocean basin to another along the path of thermohaline circulation. To test that hypothesis, hydrothermal plume samples were collected from the first confirmed hydrothermal vent fields in the Indian Ocean, at Kairei and Edmond, close to the Rodriguez Triple Junction, during the RRS Charles Darwin cruise CD128 in 2001. The samples were analysed to determine the concentrations of dissolved iron and manganese and particulate Fe, Mn, Al, Ca, Mg, Cu, Zn, P, V, As, Y and the rare earth elements. For a subset of the samples, the concentrations of Fe, Mn, Cu and P in different size fractions of the particulate phase were also measured. Dissolved Fe and Mn concentrations are high in the Kairei and Edmond hydrothermal plumes compared to Atlantic and Pacific hydrothermal plumes previously studied. Particulate Fe concentrations are also high while particulate Mn concentrations remain low throughout the plume. Of the total (i.e. particulate plus dissolved) Fe which emerges from the vents, approximately 20-30% is lost from the plume via the removal of Fesulfide phases formed early in the buoyant plume. Further loss of Fe due to the oxidation and formation of particulate Fe-oxide phases results in a total Fe loss of 50-70%. For the very young non-buoyant plume samples, there is very little in situ particulate Fe present. The behaviour of the chalcophile elements (Cu, Zn, Cd and Pb), elements which exist as oxyanions in seawater (P, V and As), as well as the rare earth elements and Y are consistent with previous studies of elemental behaviours in hydrothermal plumes in the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans. The observed behaviours of these elements with respect to particulate Fe suggests that the differing Fe (II) oxidation rates between ocean basins do not impact the processes taking place within hydrothermal plumes. In addition, fractionation of Fe, Mn, Cu and P in the Edmond hydrothermal plume between the dissolved, colloidal and fine and coarse particulate phases shows consistency with previous conclusions based on only one of these phases. The P/Fe and V/Fe ratios of the hydrothermal particulate samples are intermediate to those of particulate samples from the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans suggesting that as previously hypothesised, these ratios are dependent on dissolved ambient phosphate concentrations. Hence, there remains the potential to use these ratios from sediment cores as paleo-proxies for dissolved phosphate concentrations.


It is widely recognized that although Jean-Jacques Rousseau mainly uses the idea of alienation in the sense of giving away or selling, ' his presentation of man in society foreshadows, to some extent, the concept of alienation as it is elaborated by Hegel and Marx. Friedrich Engels was the first to identify Rousseau as a precursor of Marx, detecting a dialectical interpretation of history in Rousseau's depiction of man's political development in the Discourse on Inequality. He argues that the revolutionary stages of that development perform "a negation of negation."2 On the one hand, the institutional and governmental changes of history alienate man from the equality and independence of nature, finally leading to an extreme situation of slavery and despotism, and, on the other, by making all men equal again through their common enslavement, they provide the conditions necessary for man to unite in order to overcome that oppression and reach a higher state of unity. Engels believes that, for Rousseau, that unity is to be found in the principles of the Social contract. While his reading importantly emphasizes, as Jean Starobinski remarks, the coherence of Rousseau's political thought, it is important to remember that Rousseau insists on the hypothetical character of his account of history and therefore conceives revolutionary change as a mere possibility rather than as a predetermined outcome.3 Marx, for his part, did not share Engel's reading of the Discourse, preferring to read Rousseau, like Hegel, as a philosopher of the Enlightenment committed to the abstract natural rights of man, whose realization, during the course of the French Revolution, marked the political victory of the bourgeoisie.4 Both Starobinski and Bronislaw Baczko, while not wishing to present Rousseau as a Marxist before the fact, implicitly question Marx's account of him, suggesting the deep connection between his conception of history as a series of class struggles checked by the rule of capitalist ideology and Rousseau's depiction, in the second part of the Discourse, of the development of private property and social inequality.5 They argue that Rousseau does not necessarily provide a philosophical or sociological theory of alienation, but a phenomenological description of social man's alienated condition. Man's alienation comes from what they view as the inauthentic world of appearances where man can only perceive himself and define his needs and desires through the medium of others. Man becomes estranged from the immediacy and autonomy of his natural existence to live totally externalized in the gaze of his fellow men. Starobinski highlights the correlation between man's moral alienation and his economic progress: man's loss of control over the product of his labor coincides with his progressive loss of autonomy and increasing subjection to the will of others. In line with a Marxist interpretation, both Starobinski and Baczko interpret civil man's alienation as an "accidental" phenomenon resulting from social corruption and depravity. They consequently identify in Rousseau's political writings a desire to transcend our alienated state and reach a mode of community that recovers, on a rational and conventional basis, the immediacy and transparency of the irretrievable state of nature. While fully acknowledging the significant parallels that exist between Rousseau and Marx, this article aims to demonstrate how Rousseau's depiction of the human condition perhaps approximates more to the reworking and transformation of Marx's concept of alienation provided by Jacques Lacan and subsequently developed by Slavoj Eizek. It is the key differences between the social and political theories of Rousseau and Marx that link Rousseau more closely to these twentieth century thinkers. First, unlike Marx, as Robert Wokler affirms, Rousseau gives great importance to language as determinant of man's behavior and identity, seeing his alienation in the unstable and ambiguous realm of signs as the condition of his insertion into the social. …


Prior studies indicate that the application of organisational knowledge in computer security has potential benefits. Despite this, it appears that many organisations engage external consultants to develop their computer security policies. It appears that prior studies while supporting the concept of external security consultants to some extent in organisations, also question the effectiveness of such external expertise in terms of performance in computer security. This study examined the role of organisational knowledge in the management of computer security in organisations. A conceptual model based on Rivard et al (1997) was developed with seven constructs. An instrument with 30 questions was prepared and 19 organisations with security procedures were surveyed. The results indicate that there is a negative correlation between external knowledge and the use of policies and procedures, indicating that these policies are not well integrated with the requirements of organisations. Further, the outcome of the study also indicates that organisations are satisfied with the use explicit knowledge available in organisations for the development of computer security policies. In essence, this study concluded that currently the organisational knowledge has a limited role in computer security.


This paper describes the use of the CliCrop model in the context of climate change general assessment modeling. The MIT Integrated Global System Model (IGSM) framework is a global integrated assessment modeling framework that uses emission predictions and economic outputs from the MIT Emission Prediction and Policy Analysis (EPPA) model and earth system modeling predictions from the IGSM to drive a land system component, a crop model (CliCrop) and a Water Resource System (WRS) model. The global Agriculture and Water System are dependant upon and interlinked with the global climate system. As irrigated agriculture provides 60% of grains and 40% of all crop production on 20% of global crop lands and accounts for 80% of global water consumption, it is crucial that the agricultural-water linkage be properly modeled. Crop models are used to predict future yields, irrigation demand and to understand the effect of crop and soil type on food productivity and soil fertility. In the context of an integrated global assessment, a crop water-stress and irrigation demand model must meet certain specifications that are different for other crop models; it needs to be global, fast and generic with a minimal set of inputs. This paper describes how CliCrop models the physical and biological processes of crop growth and yield production and its use within the MIT Integrated Global System Model (IGSM) framework, including the data inputs. This paper discusses the global data bases used as input to CliCrop and provides a comparison of the accuracy of CliCrop with the detailed biological-based crop model DSSAT as well as with measured crop yields over the U.S. at the country level using reanalyzed weather data. In both cases CliCrop performed well and the analysis validated its use for climate change impact assessment. We then show why correctly modeling the soil is important for irrigation demand calculation, especially in temperate areas. Finally, we discuss a method to estimate actual water withdrawal from modeled physical crop requirements using U.S. historical data.


A justification for lengthier stays in prison stems from the belief that spending more time in prison reduces recidivism. Extant studies, however, have provided limited evidence for that belief and, indeed, suggest the effect of time served may be minimal. Few studies have employed rigorous methodological approaches, examined time spans of more than one to two years, or investigated the potential for the relationship between recidivism and time served to be curvilinear. Drawing on prior scholarship, this paper identifies three sets of hypotheses about the functional form of the time served and recidivism relationship. Using generalized propensity score analysis to examine data on 90,423 inmates released from Florida prisons, we find three patterns: greater time served initially increases recidivism but then, after approximately one year, decreases it, and, after approximately two years, exerts no effect; estimation of the effects associated with durations of more than five years are uncertain. The results point to potential criminogenic and beneficial effects of time served and underscore the need to identify how varying durations of incarceration affect recidivism.


Abstract
The Chinese government says that it supports the notion of international diversity of political-economic systems. This should not be regarded as mere propaganda. Apart from a brief period during the Cultural Revolution, China never was interested in exporting its ideology or in trying to turn other countries into a replication of itself. It is unlikely that China will change its attitude in this regard, even as it emerges as a new superpower. On the contrary: as it becomes more influential at the multilateral level, it is likely that China will promote political-economic diversity as a major norm in international relations. This would limit the ability of the west to promote liberal democracy and economic liberalism through multilateral institutions, and perhaps even bilaterally. One of the effects of this process would be that the competitive advantage of Chinese companies in developing countries increases vis-a-vis western firms. This would accelerate the power shift in the developing world towards China from the west.

Policy Implications
• In the years ahead China is likely to push international diversity as a major norm in international relations.
• China's drive towards international diversity challenges the western support for economic and political liberal values in international relations.
• The more China succeeds in making the institutions of global governance ideologically 'neutral' (i.e., not representing liberal values and thereby favouring the Chinese position vis-a-vis the west), the more difficult it becomes for the US and its western partners to use these institutions to export liberal democracy and economic liberalism to the developing world.
• It will be increasingly difficult for western firms to compete with their Chinese counterparts in developing countries. This strengthens Chinese economic - and therefore political - influence in the developing world vis-a-vis western influence.


these characteristics in nonclinical samples. Study Design : We compared lifetime prevalence, age of onset, and phenomenology of hallucinations as assessed with the Questionnaire for Psychotic Experiences between samples of nonclinical participants used from the Netherlands ( N = 2999) and Qatar ( N = 2999). While participant recruitment differed between the 2 countries, the samples were relatively equal in terms of demographic factors. Study Results : Our findings indicate that the lifetime prevalence of tactile and olfactory hallucinations are the same across countries. However, the prevalence of auditory hallucinations (AH) and visual hallucinations (VH) were twice as high in the Dutch sample. The reported age of onset for auditory and tactile hallucin-ations was younger for the Dutch sample. Findings from the measurement invariance supported cross-cultural comparisons with exception for duration, distress, and insight. Qatar's and Dutch participants reported similar valence and extent of interaction with AH and VH. However, compared to those in the Netherlands, participants from Qatar reported significantly more impact on daily functioning and a higher prevalence of receiving commands from hallucinations in the past week. Conclusions : While AH and VH were more often reported in the Dutch sample, participants in Qatar generally had higher mean factor scores for past week AH and VH than in the Netherlands. The phenomenology of hallucinations in the Qatar sample was of greater clinical relevance, with potentially important implications for early screening and prevention.


ABSTRACT Three vancomycin-dependent clinical isolates of Enterococcus faecalis of the VanB type were studied by determining (i) the sequence of the ddl gene encoding the hostd-Ala:d-Ala ligase and thevanSB-vanRB genes specifying the two-component regulatory system that activates transcription of the vanB operon, (ii) the level of expression of resistance genes by using dd-dipeptidase activity as a reporter, and (iii) the proportions of the peptidoglycan precursors synthesized. Each strain had a mutation in ddlleading to an amino acid substitution (D295 to V; T316 to I) or deletion (DAK251-253 to E) at invariant positions ind-Ala:d-Ala,d-Ala:d-Lac, andd-Ala:d-Ser ligases. These mutations resulted in impaired host d-Ala:d-Ala ligases since only precursors terminating in d-Ala-d-Lac were synthesized under vancomycin-inducing conditions. Two types of vancomycin-independent revertants of one isolate were obtained in vitro after growth in the absence of vancomycin: (i) vancomycin-resistant, teicoplanin-susceptible mutants had a 6-bp insertion in the hostddl gene, causing the E251-to-EYK change that restoredd-Ala:d-Ala ligase activity, (ii) constitutive vancomycin-resistant, teicoplanin-resistant mutants had substitutions (S232 to F or E247 to K) in the vicinity of the autophosphorylation site of the VanSB sensor and produced exclusively precursors ending in d-Ala-d-Lac. Vancomycin- and teicoplanin-dependent mutants obtained by growth in the presence of teicoplanin had an 18-bp deletion in VanSB, affecting residues 402 to 407 and overlapping the G2 ATP binding domain. The rapid emergence of vancomycin-independent revertants in vitro suggests that interruption of vancomycin therapy may not be sufficient to cure patients infected with vancomycin-dependent enterococci.


Objective To assess differences between cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk estimation methods when applied to a black UK population. Design Cross-sectional study. Setting 51 GP practices in Lambeth, south-east London. Patients 26 370 black and 52 288 white registered patients aged 40–74 years. Main outcome measures 10-year CVD risk score estimates derived using Framingham, QRISK2, ASSIGN and ETHRISK algorithms. κ measures of agreement between risk scores and age-adjusted black/white mean risk ratios (RR) derived for each score. Results There was a moderate agreement between the various risk scores for the black population (pooled κ 0.59 (95% CI 0.57 to 0.61) for men and 0.42 (95% CI 0.39 to 0.46) for women). For the white population, agreement was significantly improved (pooled κ 0.74 (95% CI 0.73 to 0.76) for men and 0.51 (95% CI 0.49 to 0.54) for women). Except for QRISK2, each method consistently overpredicted the CVD risk for the black population in comparison with national (Health Survey for England) prevalence figures. QRISK2 estimates were the least divergent from national data, giving a black/white mean RR of 0.73 (95% CI 0.71 to 0.74) for men and 0.85 (95% CI 0.83 to 0.87) for women. Conclusions The choice of risk estimation method does make a difference to estimates of CVD risk for black patients. The QRISK2 method, which incorporates ethnicity as a risk factor, appears to have the best fit with national data for this population.


In a federal system of government, why did the U.S. national government wait until 1882 to take over control of immigration policy from the states and localities? This phenomenon is especially curious since the control of entry/exit into and across a nation's borders is so fundamental to the very definition of a state. Is it because the American state was too weak to do so, or specifically that the national government lacked administrative capacity to handle immigration until the late twentieth century? I argue that the delay of the national government taking over immigration was not due to a lack of administrative capacity. Instead, there were regionally specific reasons that the states preferred to retain control of migration policy. In the northern seaboard states, the priority was excluding the poor, sick, and criminal, who, if admitted, would pose social and economic burdens on those states. In the South, the motivation was preserving slavery and guarding against slave insurrections. The national government could not take over migration policy until a series of political events uncoupled slavery and migration policy in the South, and the federal government assumed financial responsibility for screening poor, sick, and criminal immigrants in the North.


800x600 The Concise Introduction to Modern SOA: High-Value Approaches, Innovative Technologies, Proven Use Cases After a decade of innovation in technology and practice, SOA is now a mainstream computing discipline, capable of transforming IT enterprises and optimizing business automation. In Next Generation SOA, top-selling SOA author Thomas Erl and a team of experts present a plain-English tour of SOA, service-orientation, and the key service technologies being used to build sophisticated contemporary service-oriented solutions. The starting point for todays IT professionals, this concise guide distills the increasingly growing and diverse field of service-oriented architecture and the real-world practice of building powerful service-driven systems. Accessible and jargon-free, this book intentionally avoids technical details to provide easy-to-understand, introductory coverage of the following topics: Services, service-orientation, and service-oriented computing: what they are and how they have evolved How SOA and service-orientation change businesses and transform IT culture, priorities, and technology decisions How services are defined and composed to solve a wide spectrum of business problems Deep implications of the service-orientation paradigm--illuminated through an annotation of the classic SOA Manifesto Traditional and contemporary service technologies and architectures How clouds and virtualization support the scalability and reliability of services-based solutions SOA-based industry models, from enterprise service to global trader A detailed case study: how real enterprises bring together contemporary SOA practices, models, and technologies Next Generation SOA will be indispensable to wide audiences of business decision makers and technologists--including architects, developers, managers, executives, strategists, consultants, and researchers. Normal 0 false false false EN-US X-NONE X-NONE Microsoft Internet Explorer 4


1. Calcium release from stores via inositol trisphosphate (InsP3) activation of intracellular Ca2+ receptor‐channels is thought to have a role in regulating the excitability of cerebellar Purkinje neurones. The kinetic characteristics of InsP3 receptor activation in Purkinje neurones are reported here. 2. InsP3 was applied by flash photolysis of caged InsP3 during whole‐cell patch clamp. Ca2+ flux into the cytosol was measured with a low‐affinity fluorescent Ca2+ indicator and by activation of Ca(2+)‐dependent membrane conductance. 3. InsP3 produced Ca2+ release from stores with an initial well‐defined delay (mean, 85 ms at 10 microM InsP3), which decreased to less than 20 ms at high InsP3 concentrations. 4. The rate of rise of free [Ca2+], which provides a measure of Ca2+ efflux and InsP3 receptor activation, increased with increasing InsP3 concentration in each cell and had a high absolute value of up to 1400 microM s‐1 at 40 microM InsP3. The period of fast efflux was brief, inactivating in 25 ms at low and in 9 ms at high InsP3 concentration. 5. Peak free [Ca2+] was high (mean, 23 microM with a pulse of 40 microM InsP3) and increased with InsP3 concentration up to 80 microM InsP3 tested here. 6. Experiments with a flash‐released, stable 5‐thio‐InsP3 confirm that the low InsP3 sensitivity of Purkinje neurones does not result from metabolism of InsP3. 7. The low functional affinity and fast activation by InsP3 suggest a difference in InsP3 receptor properties from non‐neuronal cells tested in the same way. The large Ca2+ efflux and high peak [Ca2] probably result from high InsP3 receptor‐channel density. 8. Elevated cytosolic [Ca2+] produced by Ca2+ influx through plasmalemmal Ca2+ channels strongly suppressed InsP3‐evoked Ca2+ release from stores. Rapid termination of InsP3‐evoked efflux results mainly from inhibition by high [Ca2+]. 9. The fast InsP3 activation kinetics and rapid, strong inactivation by Ca2+ influx suggest that interactions between InsP3‐mediated and membrane Ca2+ signalling could occur on a time scale compatible with neuronal excitation.


The break-up of continents at magma-poor rifted margins is a complex yet little understood process accounting for intricate interactions between tectonic and magmatic processes. Whereas high-resolution seismic data may resolve the first-order architecture of ocean–continent transitions (OCTs), direct access to rocks remains limited to deep-sea drilling. In this study, we combine seismic observations from the East Antarctica margin (Geoscience Australia Survey 228) with field observations from the Bracco–Levanto area (Northern Apennines, Italy), representing modern and fossil examples of ultra-distal magma-poor rifted margins respectively. The combination of detailed structural mapping and petrological studies from fossil examples with architectural features observed in seismic sections from present-day OCTs enables to bridge the different observation scales. Field evidence indicates that the magmatic budget is not zero, as magma is present throughout the exhumation process. Extensional detachment faults that exhumed serpentinized mantle and deep-seated gabbro intrusions are truncated by later high-angle normal faults, which most probably acted as feeders for the emplacement of massive syn-extensional basalts. These observations suggest a polyphase tectonic and magmatic evolution of the ultra-distal margin prior to the formation of the first true oceanic crust, which can be studied in detail only by combining seismic and outcrop observations.


City logistics is a young research area. It has undergone over three decades of development since its conception in the last century. It is believed to have the potential to support the realisation of building up sustainable cities. After successful development during the last three decades, China has been seeking a more healthy economic growth model relying on urbanisation and domestic consumption. This is because one billion citizens are expected to be living in Chinese cities by 2030. Logistics has hereby been given the mission to assist this transition of the economic growth model by establishing a reliable goods supply on one hand, and improving citizens' quality of life on the other – all in a way that develops sustainable urbanisation. This thesis thus addresses this issue, aiming to examine whether the concept of city logistics is suitable and applicable for China's cities to build a sustainable urbanisation. In order to provide a reliable answer to the above-raised question, the thesis is designed in a structural way and consists of several interrelated parts in sequence. After the introduction of the research background and questions, the thesis begins with an exploration of city logistics, both in theory and in practice. The findings of this part include the conceptual framework of city logistics, an extensive list of city logistics solutions and an elaboration of the urban consolidation centre solution. Together these findings present a comprehensive discussion and lay the foundation for the empirical study of city logistics in China. The thesis then shifts focus from city logistics in general to China. The results of a macro-environment analysis indicate that city logistics must operate within complex surroundings abundant in challenges and opportunities, which require joint effort both from the private and public sector in a shared work process. An empirical study is conducted in the selected city of Chengdu. Following a situational analysis, a visionary master plan is recommended for developing a city logistics system consisting of four building blocks that are functionally inter-related. In respect to implementing the city logistics system and any related solutions, it is of utmost importance to study the attitudes of users of city logistics services. Therefore, an empirical study using the technique of partial least squares path modelling is carried out in order to determine the influential factors and their impacts. The results confirm the proposed path model and indicate valuable implications for cities and managers implementing the solution of an urban consolidation centre. The rest of the thesis focuses on the investigation of the solution of an urban consolidation centre from a corporate perspective. It employs the approach of business case analysis and investigates its commercial feasibility. Although the results, namely the net profit figure (0.9%), yielded during the study, is lower than the predicted outcome, the study can help cities and managers acknowledge the reality of implementing an urban consolidation centre from a commercial viewpoint. A series of measures is also recommended to help find ways to increase the profitability of the centre to facilitate a successful implementation. To sum up, the findings from the individual parts work together to provide a consolidated answer to the overriding research question.


Mediation and peacekeeping are commonly used tools to manage conflict. To what extent are they complementary and effective instruments for ending violent conflicts? Generally, they are seen as distinct tools: mediation aims to facilitate negotiated settlements, while the goal of peacekeeping is to prevent agreements from collapsing. However, peacekeeping and mediation regularly occur simultaneously. Arguably, peacekeeping operations rely on continuing political processes, while peacekeepers create a context favorable for mediation and provide a valuable source of independent information. Using a variety of model specifications, including selection models, empirical evidence supports that (a) mediation rather than peacekeeping is key to halting hostilities, (b) mediation and peacekeeping are largely complementary, but (c) this complementarity is conditional: in the post-Cold War period, transformative peacekeeping boosted the effectiveness of mediation to halt civil wars. There is no evidence that peacekeeping on its own matters for ending conflict. Finally, counterfactual analysis shows the substantial impact of mediation and peacekeeping on the frequency of conflict.


Scholars largely support the concept of choice in family form. But while scholars largely agree on this abstract goal, they do not agree on which legal rules best further that end. Take the issue of economic rights for nonmarital partners. The conventional doctrine treats nonmarital partners as legal strangers. No rights arise out of their relationship. Like other legal strangers, they can alter this default rule by entering into an agreement to share. But unless they do so, the parties have no obligations to each other. The dominant scholarly defense of this rule sounds in the register of family autonomy, that is, respect for choice in family form.

This Article accomplishes two key goals. First, it offers a novel lens through which to reconsider how best to promote meaningful choice in family form. By carefully mining another area of nonmarriage law, the law of nonmarital parentage, this Article demonstrates that the conventional doctrine undermines rather than furthers that goal. To make that choice a meaningful one, the law must recognize and respect a range of different types of families that people have chosen to create.

Second, this Article draws on nonmarital parentage law, as well as the almost entirely overlooked body of what I call "interstitial marriage cases," to demonstrate that courts are capable of applying more capacious rules that give effect to chosen families. In this way, marriage-related developments can be utilized to expand rather than to forestall the law of nonmarriage.


The past five decades have seen a remarkable convergence in the economic roles of men and women in society. Yet, persistently large gender gaps in terms of labor supply, earnings, and representation in top jobs remain. Moreover, in countries like the U.S., convergence in labor market outcomes appears to have slowed in recent decades. In this article, we focus on the role of children and show that many potential explanations for the remaining gender disparities in labor market outcomes are related to the fact that children impose significantly larger penalties on the career trajectories of women relative to men. In the U.S., we document that close to two-thirds of the overall gender earnings gap can be accounted for by the differential impacts of children on women and men. We propose a simple model of household decision-making to motivate the link between children and gender gaps in the labor market, and to help rationalize how various factors potentially interact with parenthood to produce differential outcomes for men and women. We discuss several forces that might make the road to gender equity even more challenging for modern cohorts of parents, and offer a critical discussion of public policies in seeking to address the remaining gaps.


Abstract Background This study aimed to examine the efficacy of combining paroxetine and mirtazapine v. switching to mirtazapine, for patients with major depressive disorder (MDD) who have had an insufficient response to SSRI monotherapy (paroxetine) after the first 2 weeks of treatment. Methods This double-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled, three-arm study recruited participants from five hospitals in China. Eligible participants were aged 18–60 years with MDD of at least moderate severity. Participants received paroxetine during a 2-week open-label phase and patients who had not achieved early improvement were randomized to paroxetine, mirtazapine or paroxetine combined with mirtazapine for 6 weeks. The primary outcome was improvement on the Hamilton Rating Scale for Depression 17-item (HAMD-17) scores 6 weeks after randomization. Results A total of 204 patients who showed early non-response to paroxetine monotherapy were randomly assigned to receive either mirtazapine and placebo (n = 68), paroxetine and placebo (n = 68) or mirtazapine and paroxetine (n = 68), with 164 patients completing the outcome assessment. At week 8, the least squares (LS) mean change of HAMD-17 scores did not significantly differ among the three groups, (12.98 points) in the mirtazapine group, (12.50 points) in the paroxetine group and (13.27 points) in the mirtazapine plus paroxetine combination group. Participants in the paroxetine monotherapy group were least likely to experience adverse effects. Conclusions After 8 weeks follow-up, paroxetine monotherapy, mirtazapine monotherapy and paroxetine/mirtazapine combination therapy were equally effective in non-improvers at 2 weeks. The results of this trial do not support a recommendation to routinely offer additional treatment or a switch in treatment strategies for MDD patients who do not show early improvement after 2 weeks of antidepressant treatment.


Families who care for schizophrenia suffer stress and lose the ability to treat. Family stress can be mediated by resilience. Objective: This study aimed to develop a family resilience model based on family-centred nursing for persons with schizophrenia. This study used a mixed-method cross-sectional approach. The population was a family of caregivers for persons with schizophrenia at Mental Hospital in Surabaya, Indonesia. The respondents were 137 families recruited by simple random sampling. Variables include family factors, risk factors, protective factors, patient factors, family stress, family resilience and family ability to care for persons with schizophrenia. The data were collected using questionnaires and then analysed with partial least squares. The statistical results afforded material for focus group discussions with six families and 10 health workers (psychiatrists, psychologists and nurses) in order to improve the model. The result showed family stress was influenced by family factors (path coefficient = -0.145; t = 2.26), risk factors (path coefficient = 0.753; t = 16.7) and patient factors (path coefficient = 0.159; t = 3.23). Family resilience is influenced by risk factors (path coefficient = 0.316; t = 2.60), protective factors (path coefficient = 0.176; t = 2.22) and family stress (path coefficient = 0.298; t = 2.54). Family resilience affects the family ability to treat persons with schizophrenia (path coefficient = 0.366; t = 5.36). The family resilience model increases family capability by 13.4%. The model helps families through stress management by controlling the burden and stigma so that families are able to survive, rise, growing stronger and be better at caring for persons with schizophrenia.


In this article, the author examines how school- and district-level racial/ethnic and socioeconomic compositions influence schools' use of different types of criminalized and medicalized school discipline. Using a large data set containing information on over 60,000 schools in over 6,000 districts, the authors uses multilevel modeling and a group-mean modeling strategy to answer several important questions about school discipline. First, how do school- and district-level racial and ethnic compositions influence criminalized school discipline and medicalization? Second, how do levels of school and district economic disadvantage influence criminalized school discipline and medicalization? Third, how does district-level economic disadvantage moderate the relationship between school racial/ethnic composition and criminalized school discipline and medicalization? The results generally support hypotheses that schools and districts with relatively larger minority and poor populations are more likely to implement criminalized disciplinary policies, including suspensions and expulsion or police referrals or arrests, and less likely to medicalize students through behavioral plans put in place through laws such as Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act and the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act. However, results from cross-level interaction models suggest that district-level economic disadvantage moderates the influence of school racial composition on criminalized school discipline and medicalization.


The present study aimed at probing into the use of lexical cohesion sub-devices in English short story books written by native English and Iranian authors. To this end, the researcher selected two short stories, i.e. Joseph Conrad and Simin Daneshvar as the native and Iranian corpus of the study respectively. Then, he used Halliday and Hassan's (1976) taxonomy of lexical cohesion for analyzing the samples of lexical cohesion was used. After collecting the data from the two sets of corpora, the researcher estimated the frequency and density of lexical cohesion ties. The results indicated that there was a statistically significant difference in the use of lexical ties in two corpora. In addition, the results revealed that in native English short story book the density of lexical ties was more than in the Iranian short story book. The findings have several implications for language instructors, university students and Iranian authors.


Rapid reduction in natural resources as a consequence to the expanded urbanization, global warming and reduced natural habitat posed a considerable threat to the sustainability of traditional medicine. Being completely dependent upon natural resources like herbs, minerals and animal products, traditional medicine would possibly rank first in order of extinction of heritage if an alternative way is not considered well in time. In reference to the use of animal products, Ayurveda presents some unique examples where animals are used without causing harm to them and so without posing a threat to their existence. In the current context, when natural resources are facing a threat to their existence, a revisit to these ideas may give us a new insight to refine our look at natural resources used in traditional medicine.


This manual is an excellent and comprehensive review of current knowledge on the psychopharmacology of addictive disorders. It consists of 10 chapters; nine address one class of substances each, and the tenth focuses on psychosocial treatments. Chapters are written by experts with extensive backgrounds in addiction treatment and research and include sections on the history and epidemiology of addictive disorders, diagnosis, pharmacokinetics, pharmacodynamics, neuropharmacology, treatment outcome, and other topics of interest to clinicians, researchers, administrators, and students. Extensive reference lists are found at the end of each chapter and include the most current as well as some of the older, important studies, with a few reaching back into the 1950s and 1960s. The chapter on psychosocial treatments is OK but does not have the depth and breadth of the others; it does not provide much historical information and misses points on therapist differences, psychiatric severity, the impact of the control condition on study outcome, the value of drug counseling, and the role of these treatments in HIV risk reduction. I found the chapter on hallucinogens particularly interesting; there are so many of them with such varied "street" names and possible effects. I have always wondered why so many people have been so willing to take so many drugs with such profound, unpredictable, and potentially toxic effects. This comprehensive, systematically organized manual is the best summary I have read on pharmacotherapies for the different addictive disorders and their various states of intoxication, withdrawal, and relapse prevention. The volume of work that has been done is impressive, as is the dispassionate way in which the data are presented. The end result is a manual of great depth and breadth that strikes an excellent balance between the scientific basis for using pharmacotherapies to treat addictive disorders and the results of treatment outcome studies and practical aspects of treatment. This manual is a valuable resource for those whose primary interest is research, treatment, or simply learning about the psychopharmacology of addiction.


Let n points be placed uniformly at random in a subset A of the plane. A point is said to be maximal in the configuration if no other point is larger in both coordinates. We show that, for large n and for many sets A, the number of maximal points is approximately normally distributed. The argument uses Stein's method, and is also applicable in higher dimensions.


The popular notion of creativity in schools is that of the creative arts student or the creative writer, yet creativity can be utilised as a particular way of thinking with regards to producing information and learning at school which can be applicable across curriculum areas. Many traits and characteristics of gifted students overlap those of creative students as identified in the literature. This paper includes examples of techniques teachers can employ in developing creativity within their classroom, with a particular focus on visual arts using The Dynamic Creativity Process Model. This model is designed to be used across the curriculum as a holistic approach to enhancing creativity and the artistic potential of gifted students. The model supports student learning using divergent and convergent thinking and encourages higher-order thinking, integration, intuition and evaluation.


Abstract This guidance defines the process for handling applications on new or modified stunning methods and the parameters that will be assessed by the EFSA Animal Health and Welfare (AHAW) Panel. The applications, received through the European Commission, should contain administrative information, a checklist of data to be submitted and a technical dossier. The dossier should include two or more studies (in laboratory and slaughterhouse conditions) reporting all parameters and methodological aspects that are indicated in the guidance. The applications will first be scrutinised by the EFSA's Applications Desk (APDESK) Unit for verification of the completeness of the data submitted for the risk assessment of the stunning method. If the application is considered not valid, additional information may be requested from the applicant. If considered valid, it will be subjected to assessment phase 1 where the data related to parameters for the scientific evaluation of the stunning method will be examined by the AHAW Panel. Such parameters focus on the stunning method and the outcomes of interest, i.e. immediate onset of unconsciousness or the absence of avoidable pain, distress and suffering until the loss of consciousness and duration of the unconsciousness (until death). The applicant should also propose methodologies and results to assess the equivalence with existing stunning methods in terms of welfare outcomes. Applications passing assessment phase 1 will be subjected to the following phase 2 which will be carried out by the AHAW Panel and focuses on the animal welfare risk assessment. In this phase, the Panel will assess the outcomes, conclusions and discussion proposed by the applicant. The results of the assessment will be published in a scientific opinion.


There is a highly significant relationship between semen quality and the percentage of fertilized ova and transferable embryos in superovulated donors (Stroud B and Hasler JF 2006 Theriogenology 65, 65-76). Computer-assisted sperm analysis (CASA) provides an objective and highly repeatable system for sperm analysis. It has been observed that linearity (LIN) measured by CASA has a high correlation with fertility (Foote RH et al. 1998 Theriogenology 49, 871-879). In the present report, retrospective analysis was done to determine the effect of sperm linearity as assessed by CASA on the number of ova and viable embryos recovered from superstimulated cows. This research was carried out using different breeds of donors (n = 150, 80% Angus) during the last 5 years in an embryo transfer center in Buenos Aires province, Argentina. Donors with a CL received an intravaginal progesterone device (DIB®, Syntex, Buenos Aires, Argentina), 2 mg of 17? estradiol, and 50 mg of progesterone (Rio de Janeiro, Brazil), i.m. on the same day. On Day 4 after DIB® insertion, superstimulatory treatment was initiated as a decreasing dose regimen of FSH i.m. (Pluset®, Callier, Spain, or Folltropin®, Bioniche Animal Health, Inc., Belleville, Ontario, Canada) every 12 h during 4 days. On Day 6, DIB® devices were removed and cows were administered cloprostenol (2 mL) twice at 12-h intervals. When estrus was detected, donors received GnRH (2 mL i.m. Dalmarelin®, Von Franken, Buenos Aires, Argentina) and were inseminated 12 and 24 h thereafter. Semen was thawed in a water bath at 37°C for 1 min. Before insemination, every semen dose was evaluated for motility characteristics using the IVOS Sperm Analyzer (Hamilton Thorne Biosciences, Beverly, MA, USA). Two chambers of 20-(im depth and 5 fields per chamber were analyzed (30 frames/0.5 s for each field). According to CASA results, 3 groups were defined based on LIN: Group 1 = <50%; Group 2 =≥50% and <60%; and Group 3 =≥60%. Seven days later, embryo collection was performed and ovarian response was evaluated by transrectal ultrasonography to assess number of CL + anovulatory follicles. Ova/embryos were evaluated and classified according to the IETS manual. Kruskal-Wallis test was used to compare variables among groups, and results are shown in Table 1. There was a significant difference between Groups 1 and 3 for total number and percentage of viable embryos. More embryos were recovered from donors inseminated with higher LIN semen. Also, there was a significant difference between Group 1 and both Groups 2 and 3 in the number of total fertilized ova, percentage of fertilized ova, and percentage of unfertilized ova. The present results suggest that insemination of donors with semen of high LIN results in higher fertilization rates and number of viable embryos. Table 1.Number of fertilized ova and viable embryos of donor cows inseminated with semen with different linearity


1. Twenty four Cr-resistant (CMBL Crl-Cr24), six copper resistant (CMBL Cul Cu6), six cadmium resistant (CMBL Cdl-Cd6), six mercury resistant (CMBL HgI-Hg6) and eight lead resistant (CMBL Pbl-Pb8) bacteria were isolated from industrial wastewater from Kasur tanneries. In addition, eight Cr-resistant (CMBL Y Cr1-Cr8), six copper resistant (CMBL Y Cul-Cu6), eight cadmium resistant (CMBL Y Cd1-Cd8), six mercury resistant (CMBL Y Hg1-Hg6) and six lead resistant (CMBL Y Pb1-Pb6) yeasts were also isolated. Four species of ciliate protozoan were also found to be dominant in the wastewater samples of tanneries viz., Stylonychia, Hypotrich, Paramecium and Vorticella.

2. Chromium resistant bacterial and yeast isolates could resist 0.9-2.0 and 1.0-2.0 mg/mL of Cr+6, respectively, whereas the protozoa could tolerate 50-70 ug/mL of Cr+6. The isolated bacteria could also tolerate 1.3-2.2 mg/mL of Cu+2, 0.5-0.6 mg/mL of Cd+2, and 0.4-0.5 mg/mL of Hg+2 and 1.7-3.0 mg/mL of Pb+2. The yeast isolates, likewise, tolerated 1.5-2.0 mg/mL of Cu+2, 0.8-1.0 mg/mL of Cd+2, 0.6-0.7 mg/mL of Hg+2 and 3.5-4.0 mg/mL of Pb+2. The protozoa tolerated 20-25 mg/mL of Cu+2, 40-45 mg/mL of Cd+2, 2025 mg/mL of Hg+2 and 65-75 mg/mL of Pb+2.

3. The cross resistance of above bacteria and yeast selected on Cr+6, Cd+2, Cu+2, Pb+2 and Hg+2 were determined against other heavy metals such as C0+2, Cr+6, Hg+2, Cu+2, Cd+2, Pb+2 Ni+2 and Zn+2. Chromium resistant bacterial isolate (CMBL-Crl7) showed maximum resistance against Cr6+ (2.0 mg/mL) and minimum resistance against Hg2+ (0.2 mg/mL). Copper resistant bacterial isolate (CMBL-Cul) showed maximum resistance against Cu+2 (1.7 mg/mL), Cr+6 (1.6 mg/mL) and Pb+2 (1.3 mg/mL) and minimum resistance against Cd+2 and C0+2 (each 0.3 mg/mL). The lead resistant bacteria (CMBLPb8) showed maximum resistance against Pb+2 (2.9 mg/mL) and minimum resistance against Hg+2 (0.2 mg/mL). Chromium resistant yeast isolates, CMBL Y -Crl, Cr4 and Cr8, showed maximum resistance against Cr+2 (2.0 mglmL) and minimum against Hg+2 (O.2mglmL). The lead resistant yeast, CMBL Y Pb 2 and Pb3, could tolerate 4.0 mg/mL of Pb+2 and showed minimum resistance against Hg+2 (0.2mglmL).

4. On the basis of various biochemical tests, 24 Cr++6 resistant, 6 Cu+2 resistant, 6 Cd+2 resistant, 6 Hg+2 resistant and 8 Pb+2 resistant bacterial isolates were identified. Besides that 8 Cr+6 resistant, 6 Cu+6 resistant, 8 Cd+2 resistant, 6 Hg+2 resistant and 6 Pb+2 resista11t yeast isolates were identified.

5. The most suitable temperature for all the heavy metal resistant bacterial isolates was found to be 37°C for optimum growth. Some Cr-resistant and Cu-resistant isolates showed optimum growth at 30°C. The optimum pH for bacterial isolates ranged between 7.0-7.5, whereas, it ranged between 5.5-6.5 for yeast isolates. The suitable temperature for all the metal resistant yeast isolates was 30°C.

6. In order to locate the heavy metal processing gene, the bacterial isolates were cured of plasmid and then tested for heavy metal resistance characteristics. In addition, competent cells of Ecoli C600 were transfom1ed with the plasmids isolated from the resistant strains to see if the metal resistance property was transferred to Ecoli strain. All the bacterial isolates were found to have 23 Kb plasmids. The bacterial isolates were cured of plasmids using ethidium bromide. The success rate of curing of Cr+6, Cu+2, Cd+2 and Hg+2 resistant isolates was 70-100%, while Pb+2 resistant isolates could not be cured of the heavy metal resistance characteristic. To confirm "the location of Cr+6, Cd+6, Cu+2, Pb+2 and Hg+2 processing gene on plasmids, the competent cells of E. coli C600 were transformed with plasmids of bacterial isolates. Colonies appeared after 24 hours on selective plates containing 100 mg/mL of Cr+6, Cd+2, Cu+2, Pb+2 and Hg+2. It was concluded from these experiments that heavy metal resistance genes were located on plasmid, except for that of Pb+2 which was located on the chromosomes as well as the plasmid.

7. The metal resistant microorganisms, isolated from the industrial wastewater, were evaluated for their metal processing capability viz., bio-adsorption and bio-absorption. (i) Chromium resistant bacterial and yeast isolates could remove' 65-82% Cr+6 from the medium after 72 hours of incubation. Copper resistant bacterial and yeast isolates could remove 70-82% and 60-75% of Cu+2, respectively, from the medium after 72 hours of incubation. Cadmium resistant bacterial and yeast isolates could remove 7476% and 76-82% of Cd+2, respectively, from the medium after 72 hours of incubation, while mercury resistant bacterial isolates could remove 70-73% and 80% of Hg+2 respectively, from the medium after 72 hours of incubation. The lead resistant bacterial isolated removed 65-82% and yeast isolates removed 75-85% of Pb+2 from the medium after 72 hours of incubation. The ciliate protozoans Stylonychia and Hypotrich were able to remove 80% of Cr+2 from the medium, while Paramecium and Vorticella could remove 75% of Cr+2 each, after 96 hours of incubation.

The removal of Cd+2 Cu+2, Hg+2 and Pb+2 from the culture medium by Stylonychia was 66%, 65%, 58% and 80%, respectively; while Hypotrich and Paramecium could remove 65%, 60%, 50% and 75% ofCd+2, Cu+2, Hg21 and Pb+2, respectively, after 96 hours of incubation. Vorticella could remove 70%, 60%, 70% and 85% of Cd21, CU21, Hg2+ and Pb2+, respectively, after 96 hours of incubation.

(ii) When microorganisms were used in different combinations, metal processing ability was apparently not much affected. The cadmium (CMBL-Cd3 and CMBL Y -Cd8) and copper resistant bacteria and yeast (CMBL-Cu 1 and CMBL Y -Cu3) could remove 86% of Cd+2 and Cu+2 after 48 hours of incubation. Chromium resistant bacteria and yeast (CMBL-Crl7 and CMBL Y -Crl) removed 78% of Cr+6. Mercury resistant bacteria and yeast (CMBL-Hg l and CMBL Y-Hg2) removed 74% of Hg+2. Lead resistant bacteria and yeast (CMBL-Pb8 and CMBL Y -Pb3) removed 90% of Pb+2 after 48 hours of incubation.

(iii) Chromium resistant yeast and protozoa (CMBLY -CrI and Hypotrich) removed 82% Cr+2, lead resistant yeast and protozoa (CMBL Y -Pb3 and Stylonychia) removed 88% of Pb+2, mercury resistant yeast and protozoa (CMBL Y-Hg2 and Paramecium) removed 77% of Hg+2, cadmium resistant yeast and protozoa (CMBLYCd8 and Vorticella) removed 78% of Cd21 and copper resistant yeast and protozoa (CMBLY -Cu3 and Paramecium) removed 821Yo of Cu2+ after 96 hours of incubation. (iv) In the case of bacteria and protozoa combination, the Cr+6 (CMBL-Cr17 and Hypotrich) and cadmium (CMBL-Cd3 and Vorticella) resistant bacteria and protozoa removed 82% of Cr+6 and Cd+2 respectively, copper (CMBL-Cul and Paramecium) and mercury (CMBL-Hg I and Paramecium) resistant bacteria and protozoa removed 85% of Cu+2 and Hg+2. The lead resistant bacteria and protozoa (CMBL-Pb8 and Stylonychia) removed 83% of Pb+2 after 96 hours of incubation.

(v) The Cr+6 (CMBL-Cr17, CMBLY-Crl and Hypotrich) and copper (CMBL CuI CMBL Y -Cu3 and Paramecium) resistant microorganisms, used as consortia, removed 90% of Cr+2 and Cu+2 from the medium. A consortium of cadmium (CMBL Cd3, CMBLY-Cd8 and Vorticella) and mercury (CMBL-Hg I, CMBLY-Hg2 and Paramecium) resistant bacteria, yeast and protozoa removed 88% of Cd+2 and Hg2. The lead resistant bacteria, yeast and protozoa (CMBL-Pb8, CMBLY -Pb3 and Stylonychia) removed 95% of Pb+2 after 96 hours of incubation.

It was concluded that bacteria, yeast and protozoa showed higher MICs against Cr+6, Cd+2, Cu+2 Hg+2 and Pb+2. They however, showed multiple resistances to other metals such as COH, Ni+2 and Zn+2. The genes for Cr+6, Cd+2, Cu+2 and Hg+2 resistances are located on plasmid. In the case of different combinations, bacteria and yeast individually and in combinations are the best candidates for the removal of various heavy metals from the industrial wastewater.


Barnacles are sessile macro-invertebrates, found along rocky shores in coastal areas worldwide. The euryhaline bay barnacle Balanus improvisus (Darwin, 1854) (= Amphibalanus improvisus) can tolerate a wide range of salinities, but the molecular mechanisms underlying the osmoregulatory capacity of this truly brackish species are not well understood. Aquaporins are pore-forming integral membrane proteins that facilitate transport of water, small solutes and ions through cellular membranes, and that have been shown to be important for osmoregulation in many organisms. The knowledge of the function of aquaporins in crustaceans is, however, limited and nothing is known about them in barnacles. We here present the repertoire of aquaporins from a thecostracan crustacean, the barnacle B. improvisus, based on genome and transcriptome sequencing. Our analyses reveal that B. improvisus contains eight genes for aquaporins. Phylogenetic analysis showed that they represented members of the classical water aquaporins (Aqp1, Aqp2), the aquaglyceroporins (Glp1, Glp2), the unorthodox aquaporin (Aqp12) and the arthropod-specific big brain aquaporin (Bib). Interestingly, we also found two big brain-like proteins (BibL1 and BibL2) constituting a new group of aquaporins not yet described in arthropods. In addition, we found that the two water-specific aquaporins were expressed as C-terminal splice variants. Heterologous expression of some of the aquaporins followed by functional characterization showed that Aqp1 transported water and Glp2 water and glycerol, agreeing with the predictions of substrate specificity based on 3D modeling and phylogeny. To investigate a possible role for the B. improvisus aquaporins in osmoregulation, mRNA expression changes in adult barnacles were analysed after long-term acclimation to different salinities. The most pronounced expression difference was seen for AQP1 with a substantial (>100-fold) decrease in the mantle tissue in low salinity (3 PSU) compared to high salinity (33 PSU). Our study provides a base for future mechanistic studies on the role of aquaporins in osmoregulation.


The popularity of formative assessment has increased since the publication of work by Black and Wiliam in 1998. Even though it is a useful teaching tool, in most cases it has only been possible to use it for students with high levels of cognitive and communicative ability. The aim of this article is to propose a modified, personalisable model of formative assessment for non-verbal students with autism and severe learning difficulties. Five students with autism and severe learning difficulties participated in systematic video observations over a period of eight weeks, during which student behaviour and attainment were recorded. The behaviour checklist gave an accurate representation of the students' level of engagement and predicted attainment, but differences in passive learning objectives (those requiring passive co-operation) and active ones (those requiring active contribution) were noted. The introduction of engaging resources improved engagement, but tangible rewards had a negative effect on attainment. Praise had a positive effect on engagement and attainment.


For courses in computer crime. A complete, easy-to-understand introduction to computer crime Cyber Crime and Cyber Terrorism is a comprehensive introduction to the acts and theories of cyber crime, cyber terrorism, and information warfare. Assuming no prior knowledge of technology, the authors cover the types of crimes and terrorist acts committed using computer technology, theories addressing hackers and other digital criminals, and investigative, research, and legal strategies targeting these acts. Like no other on the market, the text bridges the gap between criminal justice knowledge and the technical issues that arise during investigations of cyber crime. The 4th edition adds material on new technologies and trends, plus updated review questions and activities.


Should lenders be made liable for environmental damages caused by their customers? In a recent paper Pitchford studied the case where the customer is a wealth-constrained manager-owned firm. He argued convincingly that a joint liability of lender and firm may reduce the firm's incentive to prevent an environmental damage and may therefore be socially harmful. However, his argument hinges on the assumption that the lender has no bargaining power and makes 0-profits in a contract. In this paper we study all possible optimal contracts between the borrower and the lender. In particular we study the case where the lender has all the bargaining power. We use the weighted Nash-bargaining solution to handle both cases in a unified framework. The results for the case where the lender has a high bargaining power differ substantially from Pitchford's findings. Then a joint liability rule is socially preferable to single liability of the firm. In fact, often it is optimal to require a liability above the actual costs of a damage or to set it so high that it extracts all potential profits from the project


The complete literature of homocapsaicin, one of the spicy principals of chilli pepper (Capsicum spp.), is reviewed and analysed. Name, structure, and topic searches in Chemical Abstracts and other relevant databases, conducted in September 2006, found 74 references to the homocapsaicin isomers. Nearly all resulted from searches on homocapsaicin or homocapsaicin I or 7-decenamide, N-[(4-hydroxy-3-methoxyphenyl)methyl]-9-methyl, (7E)-, names treated, unfortunately, as synonyms by Chemical Abstracts. A mere nine citations were linked to the 6-ene homocapsaicin isomers. Of the 74 citations, 28 did not refer to a specific homocapsaicin isomer and another 27 provided no evidence for their particular structural assignments. Consequently, the name 'homocapsaicin isomer', meaning a homocapsaicin isomer with unspecified positions of the double bond and methyl group along the acyl chain, would be a more accurate indexing term for the majority (74%) of the literature. Only nine journal articles described analytical studies with convincing evidence for the existence of specific homocapsaicin isomers. These studies found (E)-6-ene-8-methyl homocapsaicin and (E)-6-ene-9-methyl homocapsaicin, but not the (E)-7-ene-9-methyl isomer, in chilli peppers. The need, relevant to all the capsaicinoids, for new nomenclature, better indexing, more accurate identification of isomers, and available chemical standards is presented, and suggestions for improvements are made. Copyright © 2007 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.


Theoretically, encouraging apologies early in the criminal process may be a laudable goal given the potential benefits of apologies to victims, offenders, and communities. But empirically, the growing literature on apologies in psychology and law raises important questions about whether apologies -- when made prior to sentencing -- would lead to more favorable results for the offender. Given the overwhelming portion of cases that are resolved through guilty pleas, we argue that most defendants are unlikely to participate in pre-sentencing remorse or apology rituals without regard to the effect of the apology on plea bargaining outcomes. Mindful of recent scholarship on apologies in both law and psychology, we consider the role of apologies in plea bargaining and theorize about the ways in which apologies might affect plea negotiations. We conclude that, contrary to the assertion that apologies would lead to more favorable plea bargained outcomes for defendants, the nature of plea negotiation renders this result unlikely.


By employing the composite analysis and using daily data from the National Center for Environmental Prediction/National Center for Atmospheric Research reanalysis and precipita- tion records at 743 stations in China, the anomalous circulation patterns for the regional mean daily precipitation extreme (DPE) events over the middle and lower reaches of Yangtze River (MLRYR) in June, July and August of the boreal summer during the period from 1979 to 2008 were investigated. This analysis determined that there have been 93 DPE events in the past 30 yr. Two types of anomalous circulation patterns were revealed in association with these DPE events. A Type I circulation pattern demonstrates an anomalous cyclone over MLRYR and an anomalous anticyclone in the South China Sea (SCS) and tropical northwestern Pacific Ocean (NWP) in the lower troposphere. An anomalous anticyclone in the upper troposphere exists in the region south of the MLRYR. The water vapor is transported not only from the Bay of Bengal, the SCS and the NWP, but also from areas northwest of the MLRYR. The apparent heating anomalies are favorable for intensifying the anomalous vertical meridional circulations in East Asia. The pattern of sea surface temperature anomalies (SSTAs) in the Indo-Pacific sector looks similar to the SSTA pattern during the maturing and decaying phases of El Nino episodes. Of the 93 DPE events 16 were induced by a Type II circulation pattern. This pattern looks largely different from the Type I pattern in aspects of distributions of anomalous winds, divergence, water vapor sources, thermal forcings and SSTAs. These results will help us understand the occurrences of DPE events in the MLRYR.


The current exponential growth of the Internet precipitates a need for new tools to help people cope with the volume of information. To complement recent work on creating searchable indexes of the World-Wide Web and systems for filtering incoming e-mail and Usenet news articles, we describe a system which helps users keep abreast of new and interesting information. Every day it presents a selection of interesting web pages. The user evaluates each page, and given this feedback the system adapts and attempts to produce better pages the following day. We present some early results from an AI programming class to whom this was set as a project, and then describe our current implementation. Over the course of 24 days the output of our system was compared to both randomly-selected and human-selected pages. It consistently performed better than the random pages, and was better than the human-selected pages half of the time.


People lie, mislead, and bullshit in a myriad of ways. Visualizations, as a form of communication, are no exception to these tendencies. Yet, the language we use to describe how people can use visualizations to mislead can be relatively sparse. For instance, one can be "lying with vis" or using "deceptive visualizations." In this paper, we use the language of computer security to expand the space of ways that unscrupulous people (black hats) can manipulate visualizations for nefarious ends. In addition to forms of deception well-covered in the visualization literature, we also focus on visualizations which have fidelity to the underlying data (and so may not be considered deceptive in the ordinary use of the term in visualization), but still have negative impact on how data are perceived. We encourage designers to think defensively and comprehensively about how their visual designs can result in data being misinterpreted.