Significance We examine why dominant/authoritarian leaders attract support despite the presence of other admired/respected candidates. Although evolutionary psychology supports both dominance and prestige as viable routes for attaining influential leadership positions, extant research lacks theoretical clarity explaining when and why dominant leaders are preferred. Across three large-scale studies we provide robust evidence showing how economic uncertainty affects individuals' psychological feelings of lack of personal control, resulting in a greater preference for dominant leaders. This research offers important theoretical explanations for why, around the globe from the United States and Indian elections to the Brexit campaign, constituents continue to choose authoritarian leaders over other admired/respected leaders. Across the globe we witness the rise of populist authoritarian leaders who are overbearing in their narrative, aggressive in behavior, and often exhibit questionable moral character. Drawing on evolutionary theory of leadership emergence, in which dominance and prestige are seen as dual routes to leadership, we provide a situational and psychological account for when and why dominant leaders are preferred over other respected and admired candidates. We test our hypothesis using three studies, encompassing more than 140,000 participants, across 69 countries and spanning the past two decades. We find robust support for our hypothesis that under a situational threat of economic uncertainty (as exemplified by the poverty rate, the housing vacancy rate, and the unemployment rate) people escalate their support for dominant leaders. Further, we find that this phenomenon is mediated by participants' psychological sense of a lack of personal control. Together, these results provide large-scale, globally representative evidence for the structural and psychological antecedents that increase the preference for dominant leaders over their prestigious counterparts.


The last few years have seen a surge in interest in the use of techniques from Bayesian decision theory to address problems in AI. Decision theory provides a normative framework for representing and reasoning about decision problems under uncertainty. Within the context of this framework, researchers in uncertainty in the AI community have been developing computational techniques for building rational agents and representations suited to engineering their knowledge bases. This special issue reviews recent research in Bayesian problem-solving techniques. The articles cover the topics of inference in Bayesian networks, decision-theoretic planning, and qualitative decision theory. Here, I provide a brief introduction to Bayesian networks and then cover applications of Bayesian problem-solving techniques, knowledge-based model construction and structured representations, and the learning of graphic probability models.


Cajete examines the multiple levels of meaning that inform Native astronomy, cosmology, psychology, agriculture, and the healing arts. Unlike the western scientific method, native thinking does not isolate an object or phenomenon in order to understand it, but perceives it in terms of relationship. An understanding of the relationships that bind together natural forces and all forms of life has been fundamental to the ability of indigenous peoples to live for millennia in spiritual and physical harmony with the land. It is clear that the first peoples offer perspectives that can help us work toward solutions at this time of global environmental crisis.


The theories of interaction with the environment, considered as the most important and efficient theories currently in use, especially in the local urban environment, which has become far from the interaction with the environment. From here, we note that there is a lack of knowledge about the simulation of the performance of the interaction with the local environment through a computer model in order to achieve thermal comfort for users and rationalize the use of local environmental resources. Therefore, the research presents a theoretical framework for the definition of feasibility, its potential and its applications in an attempt to reduce the gap between technological development in the world, especially in the possibilities of simulating interaction with the environment, and the local reality. It also provides a practical framework through the application of computer simulations based on the analysis of a set of theories and to find the efficiency of its performance. This application is based on the creation of a virtual model of a multi-story building before and after the application of computer simulation and trying to achieve better thermal comfort values for the occupants of the building through the use of a certain programs, most notably (Rhino, Grasshopper, RayMan). The results showed the efficiency of using computer simulation programs to achieve better thermal value for the occupants. The research led to the development of a local multi-storey building that is climate efficient by following the design mechanisms derived from the climate of the region and thus achieving a climatic environment with optimal performance according to the comfort standards Thermal.


The conception and realisation of a prototype 355nm wind lidar return signal simulator capable of simulating the Rayleigh and the Mie return signals is described. The system is based on a commercial dual wavelength 1064nm/532nm diode pumped solid state laser with a monolithic non planar ring Nd:YAG cristal resonator and LBO frequency doubling. This laser is frequency locked to a low power high stability infrared Nd:YAG laser, with frequency offset capability of ± 50 GHz. This low power laser itself is locked to a very high stability Fabry-Perot inerferometer which is located in a thermally stabilised enclosure with a temperature stability of the order of some °mK. Dynamic amplitude shaping is performed with a low voltage electro-optic modulator. Dynamic frequency shaping is performed with four acouso-optic modulators in series, enshuring no beam walk during frequency shifting. The Rayleigh return signal is generated with a pulsed Xe flash lamp spectrally shaped with a grating followed by two air spaced etalons with adapted resolutions, the second, high resolution one, is pressure fine tuned for the exact frequency adjustment with respect to the laser frequency. The combined signal is injected in a 50μm core fiber conveying the signal to the detector test station. The test results are shown.


The research work leading to the content of this thesis and to the related publications represents a novel way to analyze and characterize some aspects of the most fundamental interactions within molecules, namely through-space and through-bond interactions, which are also relevant to substituent effects. The approach and the results give quantum chemical justification for some components of the associated fundamental phenomena which are often difficult or even impossible to examine separately by experimental means. The results are obtained using well-established, thoroughly tested and verified methods of electron density shape analysis approaches, based on input electron densities obtained by various established quantum chemistry computational methods, such as Hartree-Fock, Density Functional, and Moller-Plesset methodologies. The shape analysis methods, applicable to both complete molecules and locally to molecular fragments such as functional groups, are based on two fundamental theorems of quantum chemistry: the Hohenberg-Kohn theorem and the Holographic Electron Density theorem. The first of these theorems establishes that the molecular electron density must contain all molecular properties, whereas the second of these theorems gives justification that even small molecular fragments, such as a vinyl group in our studies, can be used as a "fingerprint", fully representing all the unique intramolecular interactions within each molecule. As a consequence of these theorems, the electron density shape analysis methods, when applied to the complete electron density cloud of a target molecule, or locally to that of a molecular fragment, yield shape information which can, in principle, give highly detailed theoretical information about all molecular properties, hence, providing a suitable basis for establishing correlations with experimentally available data about various measured chemical properties. In earlier studies, such shape analysis approaches have been used in various applied fields of chemistry, such as pharmacology and toxicology.
The present study describes the use of a series of small molecules, specifically, substituted styrenes for the analysis and shape correlations involving through-bond and through-space correlations. As a consequence of their specific structural features, the chosen molecules appear as ideal candidates to study both effects separately. In spite of their specificity, the results provide some general conclusions which are likely to contribute to a better understanding of far more complex phenomena, such as some of the components contributing to the complex folding pattern of globular proteins and more general interaction problems in the emerging field of molecular design. Even in these latter fields, these two types of interactions, through-space and through-bond, play significant roles as well. The presence of aromatic rings in these styrene derivatives is very useful as through-bond transmitting media whilst the distance between the studied molecular fragments obtained after removing the ring is also nearly optimal to be used in through-space interaction studies. The structural specificities of the model molecules have played an important role in all three publications constituting the main chapters of this thesis. Therefore, there is a strong emphasis on the effect transmitting capabilities of the aromatic ring in all 3 of these papers.


The asterisk footnote, although universally deployed in legal scholarship, has been equally universally ignored by the academy as a focus of scholarly interest. As I use the term, asterisk footnote refers to the note (usually, but not always, the first one) that, inter alia, identifies the author and (usually, but not always) is indicated by an asterisk. This footnote is used by every scholar but analyzed by none. This scholarly inattention is shocking given the remarkable growth and development of the asterisk footnote over the last 40 years. This Article is the first effort to address this gaping lacuna in scholarship. It is my hope (perhaps not my expectation) that it will launch a wave of asteriskian studies that will throw new light on the legal academy. In addition to tracing the history of the asterisk footnote from its origins in the primeval scholarly ooze to its present exalted status, the Article explores its significance for the legal academy on topics ranging from wholesale acknowledgements to dedications to pets. It also considers what light the asterisk footnote can throw on questions as diverse as the proper etiquette for tributes and the democratization of scholarship.


The CWC bans the development, production, stockpiling, and use of chemical weapons by members signatories. It also requires the destruction of all chemical weapons stockpiles and production facilities. Neither the United States nor Russia will be able to meet the original CWC's deadlines for destruction of their CW stockpiles, and have been granted extensions to at least 2012. The Convention provides the most extensive and intrusive verification regime of any arms control treaty, extending its coverage to not only governmental but also civilian facilities. The Convention also requires export controls and reporting requirements on chemicals that can be used as warfare agents and their precursors. The CWC establishes the Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW) to oversee the Convention's implementation.


Abstract The present study used a Solomon four-group quasi-experimental design to examine the short-term effect of a large-scale national financial education program on children's knowledge and skills in responsible spending and performing transactions effectively. Our study included a representative sample of Dutch pupils in the fifth grade of primary school (N = 2,650). Controlling for different children-specific characteristics, results showed that the program increased pupils' knowledge and skills scores in performing transactions effectively, but not in responsible spending. The insights gained from the present study show how financial education programs that enable children to immediately apply what they learn in practice can improve children's knowledge and skills regarding certain financial competencies.


: The response to the COVID-19 pandemic has revealed how public health decisions in mass liberal democracies always reflect a political trade-off between protecting privileged groups and leaving more marginalized groups precariously exposed. Examining the "political epidemiology" of COVID-19, I focus on the ways that the lives and well-being of children are sacrificed to secure adult interests. I argue that in our efforts to protect older adults we have endangered children and abandoned the future of today's youth. This, I conclude, is indicative of a liberal preoccupation with adults and adult forms of agency, a defect that can only be adequately challenged by working toward more robust forms of democratic inclusion that include children and youth.


Fine scale temperature structures, which are commonly found in the top few meters of shallow water columns, may result in deviations of the remotely sensed night-time sea surface temperatures (SST) by the MODIS-Aqua sensor (SSTsat) from the bulk sea surface temperatures (SSTbulk) that they purport to represent. The discrepancies between SSTsat and SSTbulk recorded by temperature loggers at eight stations with bottom depths of 2 20 m around the Dongsha Atoll (DSA) between June 2013 and May 2015 were examined. The SSTsat had an average cool bias error of -0.43 ± 0.59°C. The bias error was larger in the warmer (> 26°C) waters which were presumably more strongly stratified. The root mean square error (RMSE) between SSTsat and SSTbulk, ±0.73°C, was 25% larger than that reported in the open northern South China Sea. An operational calibration algorithm was developed to increase the accuracy in the estimation of SSTbulk from SSTsat. In addition to removing the cool bias error, this algorithm also reduced the RMSE to virtually the same level as that found in the open northern South China Sea. With the application of the algorithm, in June 2015, the average SST in the lagoon of the DSA was raised by about 0.5°C to 31.1 ± 0.4°C, and the area of lagoon with SSTbulk above 31°C, the median value of the physiological temperature threshold of reef organisms, was increased by 69% to about three quarters of the lagoon. Article history: Received 22 October 2016 Revised 29 March 2017 Accepted 30 March 2017


Inverse agonists are defined by their ability to stabilize an inactive conformation of a receptor, which decreases signaling below basal levels. Azzi et al. show that β2-adrenergic receptor (β2AR) ligands are inverse agonists of G protein-mediated signaling, which decrease adenosine 3′,5′-monophosphate (cAMP), and they are partial agonists for stimulation of the extracellular signal-regulated kinase 1 and 2 (ERK1/2) mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) cascade. ERK1/2 stimulation was independent of G protein subunits Gαi and Gαs but required the nonreceptor tyrosine kinase Src. Furthermore, experiments with dominant-negative fragments of β-arrestin or β-arrestin-deficient cells indicated that stimulation of ERK1/2 by these inverse agonists required β-arrestin, a protein involved in scaffolding and receptor desensitization. However, β-arrestin and β2AR complexes were extremely difficult to detect, which suggests a transient, low-affinity interaction. These results for the β2AR are especially important in light of the use of these inverse agonists in the treatment of hypertension and heart failure, which is also characterized by cardiac hypertrophy, a result of β-adrenergic receptor signaling. This partial agonist activity of inverse agonists was also observed for other G protein-coupled receptors, which suggests that inverse agonists may actually be dual-specificity ligands with the ability to stimulate (MAPK) or to inhibit specific (cAMP) downstream pathways. M. Azzi, P. G. Charest, S. Angers, G. Rousseau, T. Kohout, M. Bouvier, G. Piñeyro, β-Arrestin-mediated activation of MAPK by inverse agonists reveals distinct active conformations for G protein-coupled receptors. Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. U.S.A. 100, 11406-11411 (2003). [Abstract] [Full Text]


Abstract.
 The Yellow-billed Loon (Gavia adamsii) is one of the rarest breeding birds in North America. Because of the small population size and patchy distribution, any stressor to its population is of concern. To determine risks posed by environmental mercury (Hg) loads, we captured 115 Yellow-billed Loons between 2002 and 2012 in the North American Arctic and sampled their blood and/or feather tissues and collected nine eggs. Museum samples from Yellow-billed Loons also were analyzed to examine potential changes in Hg exposure over time. An extensive database of published Hg concentrations and associated adverse effects in Common Loons (G. immer) is highly informative and representative for Yellow-billed Loons. Blood Hg concentrations reflect dietary uptake of methylmercury (MeHg) from breeding areas and are generally considered near background levels if less than 1.0 µg/g wet weight (ww). Feather (growrn at wintering sites) and egg Hg concentrations can represent a mix of breeding and wintering dietary uptake of MeHg. Based on Common Loon studies, significant risk of reduced reproductive success generally occurs when adult Hg concentrations exceed 2.0 µg/g ww in blood, 20.0 µg/g fresh weight (fw) in flight feathers and 1.0 µg/g ww in eggs. Contemporary mercury concentrations for 176 total samples (across all study sites for 115 Yellow-billed Loons) ranged from 0.08 to 1.45 µg/g ww in blood, 3.0 to 24.9 µg/g fw in feathers and 0.21 to 1.23 µg/g ww in eggs. Mercury concentrations in blood, feather and egg tissues indicate that some individual Yellow-billed Loons in breeding populations across North America are at risk of lowered productivity resulting from Hg exposure. Most Yellow-billed Loons breeding in Alaska overwinter in marine waters of eastern Asia. Although blood Hg concentrations from most breeding loons in Alaska are within background levels, some individuals exhibit elevated feather and egg Hg concentrations, which likely indicate the uptake of MeHg originating from eastern Asia. Feather Hg concentrations tended to be highest in individuals overwintering farthest west (closer to Asia). A retrospective analysis of museum specimens (n = 25) found a two-fold increase in Yellow-billed Loon feather Hg concentrations from the pre-1920s (as early as 1845) to the present. The projected increase in Hg deposition (approximately four-fold by 2050) along with the uncertainty of Hg being released through the thawing of permafrost and Arctic sea ice suggest that Hg body burdens in Yellow-billed Loons may increase. These findings indicate that Hg is a current and potentially increasing environmental stressor for the Yellow-billed Loon and possibly other Nearctic-Palearctic migrant birds.


This study discusses 1) the national legislative frameworks, terminologies, and criteria for the recognition of natural mineral waters and thermal waters in selected European countries (Austria, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Denmark, France, Hungary, Iceland, Italy, Lithuania, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Serbia, Slovenia, and Spain), and 2) it provides a first extensive multi-national overview of hydrogeological and hydrogeochemical characteristics of numerous water sources from those regions. Natural mineral waters are well defined and regulated in the European Union by the Directives 2009/54/EC and 2003/40/EC that are implemented by national law regulations. In contrast, no legal definition exists for thermal waters on an EU level and national definitions commonly differ or are not present. Defining thermal waters by water temperatures of at least 20 °C at the outlet is commonly found (6 out of 15 countries), but other definitions like considering the difference to the average air temperature are also present. Furthermore, no definitions on a national level are quite frequent (5 out of 15 countries), those countries preferentially refer to expert recognitions. We considered 678 natural mineral waters and 2,390 thermal waters in this study and collected information on practical use, hydrogeological settings and hydrogeochemical conditions. The comparison of the datasets shows commonalities like a predominance porous aquifers, especially sandy aquifers, and sedimentary carbonate rock aquifers (limestone, dolomite, chalk). Furthermore, natural mineral waters commonly show TDS contents of less than 1 g/l and alkaline-earth-HCO3 water types. Surprisingly, 21 % of the considered sources bear water temperatures above 20 °C and could be considered as thermal waters as well. Thermal waters – the majority (above 30 °C) is found in Hungary - usually show water temperatures between 20 and 70 °C and TDS contents between 1 and 14.5 g/l. The hydrogeochemical properties show a larger variation in contrast to natural mineral waters, but Na-(HCO3, Cl) waters seem to be most commonly found.


Northern Europe is one of the regions where more frequent and more severe storms and storm surges are expected due to climatic changes. In order to maintain an acceptable risk of flooding suitable adaptation strategies must be defined and implemented. Optimum solutions demand collaboration of different professionals and thus simple graphical means must be employed to illustrate the economic impacts of the change in risk of flooding. A case study indicates that urban drainage infrastructure capacity should be upgraded while there is currently no economic incentive to improve protection against sea surges.


Formal booking of geothermal energy reserves, for ac counting purposes or annual reporting to shareholders or portfolio management, is not yet a common practice among geothermal companies. In the petroleum industry book ing of oil and gas reserves is a routine practice, and at least two geothermal operators that are subsidiaries of petroleum companies book geothermal reserves. As in the petroleum industry, the reserves should be booked in appropriate resource uncertainty categories. To this end we propose three reserve categories with reference to the cumulative probability of exceeding the estimated reserves level: "proved" (equivalent to the 90 th percentile), "proved-plus-probable" (equivalent to the lesser of the median and most-likely values), and "proved plus probable-plus-possible" (equivalent to the 10 th percentile). However, before any reserves are booked in the proved cat egory, we believe prospects for commercial productivity from the reservoir should be demonstrated. For the purpose of booking, reserves can be expressed in kilowatt-hours and also in equivalent barrels of oil. The available methods of estimating geothermal reserves are reviewed here as regards their applicability to booking reserves: empirical methods based on analogy, volumetric reserve estimation, decline curve analysis, lumped-parameter modeling and numerical simulation of the reservoir. Of these methods, only volumetric estimation and numerical simulation are concluded to be generally suitable for book ing geothermal reserves. While numerical simulation is more sophisticated than the volumetric method, the latter can be readily conducted in a rigorously probabilistic way while the former cannot. Therefore, for booking reserves, volumetric estimation is the most practical approach. Numerical simula tion can allow refinement of the proved reserves, approximate 467 verification of the probable and possible reserves estimated by the volumetric method, and also help in portfolio management. For the purposes of annual updating of booked reserves it usually should be adequate to simply subtract the cumulative amount of energy produced from the initially estimated proved reserves while leaving the probable and possible reserve levels unchanged. Results of step-out drilling or supplemental explo ration may call for reassessment of the reservoir volume under the probable and possible categories, whereas monitoring of reservoir performance upon exploitation may indicate the need for reassessment of proved reserves. The proposed approach to booking reserves has been applied to nine producing reservoirs (located in four geothermal fields) in the Philippines, developed and operated by the Philippines National Oil Company-En ergy Development Corporation; these fields have a combined installed generation capacity of 1,100 megawatts.


Radio-frequency based wireless communications have revolutionized our society. Thanks to important wireless communication technologies such as Wi-Fi, LTE, and so on, people can enjoy high data rate and pervasive connections while surfing the Internet. However, new challenges are rising in today's wireless networks. Increasing capacity demands are requiring more bandwidth and various wireless radio technologies are exacerbating the spectrum problem. New technologies and paradigms are needed to meet these demands. In this thesis, I investigate two technologies towards this direction: Visible Light Communication (VLC) and Device-to-Device (D2D) communication systems.
In VLC, transmitters modulate the light intensity of Light Emitting Diodes (LEDs) to send information. Receivers detect these light changes and decode them into data. Although more and more researchers are becoming interested in VLC, the lacking of an open-source platform for VLC research is preventing the fast evolution of VLC. To solve this problem, I design, implement, and evaluate the first open-source platform OpenVLC for embedded VLC research. OpenVLC employs cost-efficient and off-the-shelf optical components and electronics to provide a research platform. The software solutions are developed as a Linux driver and can be easily connected to the TCP/IP layers. This allows for the adoption of various Linux diagnostic tools to evaluate the VLC's properties and performance. Based on OpenVLC, I propose a new MAC protocol that enables the intra-frame bidirectional transmissions in networks of visible LEDs. The method adopts only a single LED at each node for both transmission and reception. Through this proposed method, the system's throughput can be greatly improved and the hidden-node problem can be strongly alleviated. Motivated by the envision of the Internet of lights, I study how to provide stable visible light links in VLC. I identify the limitations and trade-off of two different types of optical receivers (photodiode and LED), and design and implement a new optical data link layer
that is resilient to dynamic environments.
On the other hand, to meet the increasing demands, small cells are proposed and deployed in latest cellular networks. As a result, the number of users served by each cell is decreasing.
As the opportunistic gain increases as a concave function of active users, in small cells and when dynamic traffic load are considered, the opportunistic gain will lost. To recoup the opportunistic gain, I propose a base-station transparent method based on D2D communication to dispatch
traffic among devices. Dynamic programming is used to find the optimal dispatching policy. The results show this method can improve the average packet transfer delay greatly. To increase the opportunistic gain by a further step, I propose a base-station initiated policy to solve the same problem. An algorithm is therefore designed and implemented, and its performance shows that it can reduce the frame loss ratio significantly.


This paper, initially prompted by the puzzles raised from the atypical emergence of charismatic politics in the otherwise ordinary political system that our contemporary democracy is supposed to be, seeks to bring political charisma back into the study of comparative politics by reconstructing the concept and rendering it applicable to empirical research. Unlike previous approaches, which have suffered from either individual or structural reductionism, the present study examines charisma as a pure power term by focusing on what makes it appear in ordinary democratic politics as an extraordinary phenomenon, namely, its personal (as opposed to impersonal) character of leadership and the pursuit of a politically radical (as opposed to moderate) program. Accordingly, political charisma is defined as a distinct type of legitimate leadership that is personal and aims at the radical transformation of an established institutional order. Such an understanding of political charisma enables us to further analyze the core features of charismatic leadership and construct an index of charismaticness ready to be put under comparative empirical investigation. Sampling from postwar and contemporary European politics, a number of charismatic leaders are examined and then contrasted to non-charismatic ones. It is argued that, once reclaimed for political science, charisma may prove a useful concept with surprising analytical potential. Renewed interest in political charisma is expected to offer valuable clues in such important research areas as political leadership, populism, and contentious politics.


Financial crisis can trigger policy reversals, i.e. they can lead to a process of re- regulation of financial markets. Using a recent comprehensive dataset on financial liberalization across 94 countries for the period between 1973 and 2015, we formally test the validity of this prediction for the member states of the European Union as well as for a global sample. We contribute by (a) using a new up-to-date dataset of reforms and crises and (b) subjecting it to a combination of difference-in-differences and local projection estimations. In the global sample, our findings consistently confirm that crises lead to a reversal of liberal reforms, suggesting that governments react to crises by re-regulating financial markets. However, in a dynamic setting with impulse-responses, we also find that these new regulations are only temporary and a liberalization process restarts a few years after a financial crisis. One decade later, financial markets have returned to their pre-crisis level of liberalization. In the EU sample, however, we do not find sufficient evidence to support these observations.


From The Office to the Classroom: Computer Simulations and Student Engagement in Advanced Composition Lauren Fine Department of English, BYU Master of Arts Higher education professionals are always seeking new and better ways to prepare students for life after college—a goal that requires not only providing knowledge and experience in their chosen field, but also helping them stay engaged in the process. Recently, computer based simulations have magnified role playing and case study techniques that have been used in classrooms for many years. These simulations have found great success in many settings, including engineering, business, and medicine, but there have been very few computer simulations designed for writing classes. Given that some of the greatest challenges in such classes are teaching students to respond to a context, write to an audience, and stay engaged in the process, simulations have great potential to improve pedagogy in writing classes by providing a more authentic and engaging context. In this pilot study of a computer simulation designed for technical writing classes, we examined how the simulation affected these factors (authenticity and engagement). We combined qualitative and quantitative methods, doing surveys in three classes (the class using the simulation and two classes with other pedagogies) and focus groups with the simulation class. While the results of the survey were rather inconclusive, the surveys and focus groups combined taught us two main lessons: (1) the simulation needs to be believable to be effective—making it too much like a game can backfire with some students, and (2) students remain more interested when the simulation is complex and leaves them some autonomy concerning what happens. While not necessarily groundbreaking, knowing what worked and what didn't in our simulation can provide valuable insights for future simulation designers.


Some 15 million people in England have a long-term condition (LTC) but there is concern about whether or not the NHS meets their needs. To address this, consecutive governments have developed policies aimed at improving service delivery and patient and public engagement and involvement (PPEI). There has been little research that examines the impact or benefit of PPEI in commissioning. This project explored the role and impact of PPEI in commissioning for people with LTCs. The research was undertaken during a period of substantial change in the English NHS, which enabled us to observe how the NHS reforms in England impacted on approaches to PPEI. The aim was to examine how commissioners enable voice and engagement of people with LTCs and identify what impact this has on the commissioning process and pattern of services. Our specific objectives were to (1) critically analyse the relationship between the public/patient voice and the impact on the commissioning process; (2) determine how changes in the commissioning process reshape local services; (3) explore whether or not any such changes in services impact on the patient experience; (4) identify if and how commissioners enable the voice and engagement of people with LTCs; and (5) identify how patient groups/patient representatives get their voice heard and what mechanisms and processes patients and the public use to make their voice heard. We used a case study design examining the experience of PPEI in three LTC groups - diabetes, rheumatoid arthritis and neurological conditions - through three in-depth case studies. Our approach involved reviewing practice across the UK and then focusing on three geographical areas to examine practices of commissioning health care for people with LTCs, approaches to PPEI, patterns of services for people with LTCs and the activities of local patient and voluntary organisations for people with LTCs. The research had five phases and involved participatory and interactive methods of data collection and analysis. We identified two key areas where improvements to practice in relation to PPEI can be made. The first relates to the framework or infrastructure arrangements for PPEI and how PPEI can be supported in the NHS and other organisations. To combat short-termism and the fragility of PPEI activities, sufficient resources need to be invested in developing shared understandings and sustaining relationships and infrastructures. The second area of action relates to the process for PPEI and how it should be undertaken. Action needs to be taken by organisations at both national and local levels. PPEI is a circular process and, in itself, extremely fragile. This circular process can be 'virtuous' - successful engagement leads to improved involvement and outcomes. However, where involvement is tokenistic or ends, patients and the public become disengaged and less involved and can be described as a 'vicious circle'. In addition, we identified a number of key methodological issues and areas for further research that should be considered by research funders and researchers undertaking research in the area of PPEI, including a need for research on PPEI with young people. The National Institute for Health Research Health Services and Delivery Research programme.


Mindfulness-based interventions in organizations offer the potential to build individual and organizational resilience, engage employees and address workplace stress. Mindfulness in the Workplace is a practical guide written for practitioners who want to learn how mindfulness can be used as a change management and organizational development strategy. Drawing from the latest research evidence from neuro- and behavioural science, Mindfulness in the Workplace offers a framework and guidance on how to start evolution- not revolution- in the organization. It ensures the greatest chance of success, showing how to identify the key stakeholders and work with them on understanding the power of a mindfulness initiative, how to identify a mindfulness champion, adapt the language of mindfulness to the context of the organization, establish metrics, and measure return on investment.

 Mindfulness in the Workplace proposes that HR and OD professionals are best placed to understand the complexity of implementing change in organizational systems and, therefore, the practice of mindfulness need to be brought in-house, even if they bring in external mindfulness coaches to train their leaders. Case studies including Capital One Finance and the NHS Mental Health Trust cover the reasoning behind these initiatives, how they were planned, the barriers they faced, the lessons learned, and their results. This book offers a forum for HR and OD practitioners to hear from other practitioners who have implemented organizational mindfulness-based interventions using change management principles so that they can understand how they might be applied to their own practice and their own organizations.


Recently, phosphorene, a novel two-dimensional nanomaterial with a puckered surface morphology, was shown to exhibit cytotoxicity, but its underlying molecular mechanisms remain unknown. Herein, using large scale molecular dynamics simulations, we show that phosphorene nanosheets can penetrate into and extract large amounts of phospholipids from the cell membranes due to the strong dispersion interaction between phosphorene and lipid molecules, which would reduce cell viability. The extracted phospholipid molecules are aligned along the wrinkle direction of the phosphorene nanosheet because of its unique puckered structure. Our results also reveal that small phosphorene nanosheets penetrate into the cell membrane in a specific direction which is determined by the size and surface topography of phosphorene and the thickness of the membrane. These findings might shed light on understanding phosphorene's cytotoxicity and would be helpful for the future potential biomedical applications of phosphorene, such as biosensors and antibacterial agents.


Two mechanisms have been proposed for the build-up of detonation by solid explosives: (a) In the self-heating mechanism, when heat is evolved during thermal decomposition of the explosive faster than it can be conducted away, the temperature of the mass and the consequent rate of decomposition rise more and more. Ultimately the whole mass deflagrates more or less violently. The mathematical condition for self-heating has been formulated, but experiments show that a further condition is required for transition from deflagration to detonation, which has not yet been formulated mathematically. (b) In the mass-flow mechanism, when the gas evolved during chemical decomposition of the explosive becomes comparable with the molecular mass flow required for stable detonation in the explosive, thermal decomposition changes into detonation. To test these mechanisms measurements of delay to detonation were made with loose masses of lead azide, both Service and dextrinated, ranging from 10 to 200 mg. using previously described apparatus. The azides were wetted with measured volumes of liquids with various boiling points, including: water, benzene, quinoline, diethylene glycol, glycerol, dibutyl phthalate, benzyl benzoate, nujol, tricresyl phosphate, and the effect on the detonation was observed. Mixtures of benzene with nujol and with dibutyl phthalate were also investigated. Comparative measurements were made on the deflagration of cyclonite in the same apparatus, both dry and with added liquids. The effect of liquids on the detonation of lead azide when heated was found to belong broadly to one of two classes: (i) For liquids with the boiling points considerably below the temperature at which the test was being carried out, detonation followed after a longer delay than in the absence of liquid. There was evidence that the liquid first evaporated, and then normal detonation of the azide grains took place in the vapour phase thus formed. This behaviour was shown by the following liquids: liquid b.p. (°C) azide range of testing temperatures (°C) benzene 80 dextrinated 270-340 Service 325-350 water 100 dextrinated 270-340 Service 310-370 quinoline 238 dextrinated 300-350 diethylene glycol 244 dextrinated Service 260-350 320-360 A noteworthy feature was that the threshold detonation temperature was lower when the grains of azide were surrounded by various vapours in place of air (see also tables 22 and 24). azide vapour lowering of threshold temperature compared with air 10 mg. dextrin benzene 23° water 30° diethylene glycol 22° dibutyl phthalate (raised 5°) 10 mg. Service benzene no effect water (raised 3°) diethylene glycol 5° dibutyl phthalate 6° (ii) For liquids with boiling points considerably above the temperature of test, no detonation was observed. However, under certain circumstances a new phenomenon was observed, in that the lead azide 'deflagrated' in a manner closely resembling the behaviour of the (self-heating) deflagration of an explosive such as cyclonite. This is quite different from the sharp detonation obtained with loose azide in air, when the masses are small. When the boiling point was in the neighbourhood of the testing temperature, or with mixtures of liquids with boiling points above and below the testing temperature, both classes of behaviour were observed, according to the conditions of test. Further, the temperature coefficient of the induction period for azide wetted with these intermediate liquids suggested that detonation occurred after the liquid had been displaced by nitrogen produced by thermal decomposition of some of the lead azide. From the experimental results, it is concluded that (a) With the masses used, lead azide will detonate only when the grains are surrounded by gas or vapour. (b) Lead azide can deflagrate by a self-heating mechanism even under conditions where it will not detonate, e.g. when wetted by a liquid of very high boiling point such as tricresyl phosphate. These conclusions support the view that the 'normal' mechanism of detonation of lead azide is controlled not by self-heating but by some process such as mass flow. When this normal mechanism fails to operate explosion may still occur by self-heating.


Abstract This paper explores the link between exports and total factor productivity (TFP) in Brazilian manufacturing firms over the period 2000–2008. The Brazilian experience is instructive as it is a case of an economy that expanded aggregate exports significantly, but with stagnant aggregate TFP growth. The authors first estimate firm-level TFP under alternative assumptions (exogenous and endogenous law of motion for productivity) following Wooldridge's (On estimating firm-level production functions using proxy variables to control for unobservables, 2009) GMM procedure. In turn, they use stochastic dominance techniques to assess whether the ex-ante most productive firms are those that start exporting (selfselection hypothesis). Finally, they test whether exporting boosts firms TFP growth (learningby- exporting hypothesis) using matching techniques, to control for the possibility that selection into exports may not be a random process. Their results confirm the self-selection hypothesis and show that starting to export yields an extra TFP growth that emerges since a firm's first year of exporting but lasts only one year. Further, this extra TFP growth is much higher under the assumption of an endogenous law of motion for productivity, which reinforces the importance of accounting for firm export status to study the evolution of productivity.


Radiographs of 277 living individuals were assessed via a numerical scoring system to determine the timing of appearance and degree of fusion between the proximal epiphysis of the fifth metatarsal and its diaphysis. The epiphysis was observed to first appear in females at 8 years and 10 years in males and fuse by 14 years in females and 15 years in males. When assessing the level of agreement of category assignment, inter‐observer agreement was 78% for females and 64% for males whereas intra‐observer agreement was 77% for females and 86.1% for males. These results suggest that the maturation of the proximal epiphysis of the fifth metatarsal may be of value in age estimation in the child and that the scoring system is sufficiently robust to merit continued investigation. Previously this epiphysis has been considered an inconstant feature, but this research confirmed its presence in all individuals studied.


Stay interviews prevent exit interviews! You can't afford to lose them. They're your stars and your solid citizens. You wonder if they're happy in your organization—and what might keep them there. To find out, you could:A. Conduct a survey—then try to guess who said what.B. Take note of their latest tattoos. Is your company logo among them?C. Ask, "What will keep you here?"The correct answer is C. It's the opening line of a great stay interview, and it could make the difference between keeping and losing your best people. Worried that your talented people will want things you can't deliver, like more money or a big promotion? Beverly Kaye and Sharon Jordan-Evans have a simple four-step process for dealing with that. Not sure how to get started? They provide dozens of suggested questions and icebreakers. Think you don't have time? They offer all kinds of creative time-saving options for where, when, and how you can do stay interviews.


Transitions refer to periods when people experience a change in their everyday routine (Zittoun et al., 2003). In the course of education, such transitions occur as people move into different stages of their learning (Hviid & Zittoun, 2008). Previous investigations of transition in higher education have highlighted aspects such as perceived academic competence, motivation and social and personal identity as important in the process (Fazey & Fazey, 2001; Maunder et al, 2010). Understanding students' higher education transition experiences can 1) provide insight into how learners experience their educational journey and 2) benefit institutions in their induction and support processes. The aim of this investigation therefore was to explore how do undergraduate psychology students talk about their experiences of transition in higher education.


Purpose: The heavy chain of the CD98 protein (CD98hc) is encoded by the SLC3A2 gene. Together with the light subunit LAT1, CD98hc constitutes a heterodimeric transmembrane amino acid transporter. High SLC3A2 mRNA expression levels are associated with poor prognosis in patients with head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) treated with radiochemotherapy. Little is known regarding the CD98hc protein–mediated molecular mechanisms of tumor radioresistance. Experimental Design: CD98hc protein expression levels were correlated with corresponding tumor control dose 50 (TCD50) in HNSCC xenograft models. Expression levels of CD98hc and LAT1 in HNSCC cells were modulated by siRNA or CRISPR/Cas9 gene editing. HNSCC cell phenotypes were characterized by transcription profiling, plasma membrane proteomics, metabolic analysis, and signaling pathway activation. Expression levels of CD98hc and LAT1 proteins were examined by IHC analysis of tumor tissues from patients with locally advanced HNSCC treated with primary radiochemotherapy (RCTx). Primary endpoint was locoregional tumor control (LRC). Results: High expression levels of CD98hc resulted in an increase in mTOR pathway activation, amino acid metabolism, and DNA repair as well as downregulation of oxidative stress and autophagy. High expression levels of CD98hc and LAT1 proteins were significantly correlated and associated with an increase in radioresistance in HNSCC in vitro and in vivo models. High expression of both proteins identified a poor prognosis subgroup in patients with locally advanced HNSCC after RCTx. Conclusions: We found that CD98hc-associated signaling mechanisms play a central role in the regulation of HNSCC radioresistance and may be a promising target for tumor radiosensitization.


Whereas optimists see the so-called Arab Spring as similar to the revolutions of 1989, and likely to bring about democratic rule, skeptics fear that protest bringing down dictators may simply give way to new dictatorships, as in the Iranian revolution. Existing research on transitions has largely neglected the role of protest and direct action in destabilizing autocracies and promoting democracy. We argue that protest and direct action can promote transitions in autocracies, and that the mode of direct action, that is, whether violent or nonviolent, has a major impact on the prospects for autocratic survival and democracy. We present empirical results supporting our claim that nonviolent protests substantially increase the likelihood of transitions to democracy, especially under favorable international environments, while violent direct action is less effective in undermining autocracies overall, and makes transitions to new autocracies relatively more likely.


Spectrally-efficient optical communications systems employ polarization division multiplexing (PDM) as a practical solution, in order to double the capacity of a fiber link. Polarization demultiplexing can be performed electronically, using polarization-diversity coherent optical receivers. The primary goal of this paper is the optimal design, using the maximum-likelihood criterion, of polarization-diversity coherent optical receivers for polarization-multiplexed optical signals, in the absence of polarization mode dispersion (PMD). It is shown that simultaneous joint estimation of the symbols, over the two received states of polarization, yields optimal performance, in the absence of phase noise and intermediate frequency offset. In contrast, the commonly used zero-forcing polarization demultiplexer, followed by individual demodulation of the polarization-multiplexed tributaries, exhibits inferior performance, and becomes optimal only if the channel transfer matrix is unitary, e.g., in the absence of polarization dependent loss (PDL), and if the noise components at the polarization diversity branches have equal variances. In this special case, the zero-forcing polarization demultiplexer can be implemented by a 2 ? 2 lattice adaptive filter, which is controlled by only two independent real parameters. These parameters can be computed recursively using the constant modulus algorithm (CMA). We evaluate, by simulation, the performance of the aforementioned zero-forcing polarization demultiplexer in coherent optical communication systems using PDM quadrature phase shift keying (QPSK) signals. We show that it is, by far, superior, in terms of convergence accuracy and speed, compared to conventional CMA-based polarization demultiplexers. Finally, we experimentally test the robustness of the proposed constrained CMA polarization demultiplexer to realistic imperfections of polarization-diversity coherent optical receivers. The PMD and PDL tolerance of the proposed demultiplexer can be used as a benchmark in order to compare the performance of more sophisticated adaptive electronic PMD/PDL equalizers.


Machine learning techniques have led to broad adoption of a statistical model of computing. The statistical distributions natively available on quantum processors are a superset of those available classically. Harnessing this attribute has the potential to accelerate or otherwise improve machine learning relative to purely classical performance. A key challenge toward that goal is learning to hybridize classical computing resources and traditional learning techniques with the emerging capabilities of general purpose quantum processors. Here, we demonstrate such hybridization by training a 19-qubit gate model processor to solve a clustering problem, a foundational challenge in unsupervised learning. We use the quantum approximate optimization algorithm in conjunction with a gradient-free Bayesian optimization to train the quantum machine. This quantum/classical hybrid algorithm shows robustness to realistic noise, and we find evidence that classical optimization can be used to train around both coherent and incoherent imperfections.


For a long time, the territory's development has been associated to the growth of a geographic area according to an endogenous perspective, namely the growth depends on the improvement of existing local resources. Nowadays, in order to investigate the development of the territory and its entrepreneurial pattern, an external perspective is required. The main aim of this paper is to investigate the ability of a community of practices to develop a territory's innovative potentialities. In a new external approach, as depicted in the case study, the development of innovation in a territory relies on the interconnections between short and long relationships through which actors can share resources to generate innovative solutions. The research investigates the community of practices generated by ComoNExT Innovation Hub characterized by open borders. In an internal perspective, the Innovation Hub sustains the growth of the community of new ventures in it located and tenants of the Hub. In a wider perspective, the Innovation Hub promotes best practices sharing in the Innovation area with the firms belonging both to its territory and to different ones. The Innovation Network, as findings outline, can thus create value for each actor and for the whole territorial system, also influencing the entrepreneurial pattern.


Typical measurement probe deployment systems on sounding rockets employ hinged booms which extend the probes away from the rocket. This configuration often has a significant mass and may require a considerable amount of the rocket's valuable payload volume. In an effort to reduce both mass and volume, the DIT Space Research Group have designed a light weight carbon fibre telescopic boom system, compatible with measurement probes commonly used in upper atmosphere research. Our design has been selected to be tested on a suborbital space flight onboard the REXUS 9 sounding rocket in March 2011. The purpose of this test is to characterise the boom system in-situ and increase its Technology Readiness Level (TRL). The system is capable of deploying a boom with a mock electromagnetic field (E-field) probe to a length of 1.63m ±0.5%. The mock probe will be attached to the distal end of the boom and will house six LEDs, which emit light at a wavelength of 620 nm. A filtered camera measurement system will gather this light allowing the boom deployment length, deflection and amplitudes of any displacement due to vibration to be measured and recorded. An accelerometer mounted in the probe will monitor vibration frequencies. The boom will deploy from the rocket at an altitude of approximately 70Km and will be jettisoned before re-entry. All data obtained during the flight will be stored on a solid state memory device and then recovered for post flight analysis. A downlink to a ground station will provide a live TV feed of boom deployment and jettison. The entire system has a mass budget of less than 4kg and can be contained in a rocket module of 348 mm diameter and 220 mm height.


To reveal the late Quaternary paleoenvironmental changes at the Antarctic continental margin, we test a lithostratigraphy, adjusted to a stable isotope record from the eastern Weddell Sea. The stratigraphy is used to produce a stacked sedimentological data set of eleven sediment cores. We derive a general model of glacio marine sedimentation and paleoenvironmental changes at the East Antarctic continental margin during the last two climatic cycles (300 kyr).The sedimentary processes considered include biological productivity, ice-rafting, current transport, and gravitational downslope transport. These processes are controlled by a complex interaction of sea-level changes and paleoceanographic and paleoglacial conditions in response to changes of global climate and local insolation. Sedimentation rates are mainly controlled by ice-rafting which reflects mass balance and behaviour of the Antarctic ice sheet. The sedimentation rates decrease with distance from the continent and from interglacial to glacial. Highest rates occur at the very beginning of interglacials, i.e. of oxygen isotope events 7.5, 5.5, and 1.1, these being up to five times higher than during glacials.The sediments can be classified into five distinct facies and correlated to different paleoenvironments: at glacial terminations (isotope events 8.0, 6.0, and 2.0), the Antarctic cryosphere adjusts to new climatic conditions. The sedimentary processes are controlled by the rise of sea level, the destruction of ice shelves, the retreat of sea-ice and the recommenced feeding of warm North Atlantic Deep Water (NADW) to the Circumpolar Deep Water (CDW). During peak warm interglacial periods (at isotope events 7.5, 7.3, 5.5., and 1.1), the CDW promotes warmer surface waters and thus the retreat of sea-ice which in turn controls the availability of light in surface waters. At distinct climatic thresholds local insolation might also influence sea-ice distribution. Primary productivity and bioturbation increase, the CCD rises and carbonate dissolution occurs in slope sediments also in shallow depth. Ice shelves and coastal polynyas favour the formation of very cold and saline Ice Shelf Water (ISW) which contributes to bottom water formation. During the transition from a peak warm time to a glacial (isotope stages 7.2-7.0, and 5.4-5.0) the superimposition of both intense ice-rafting and reduced bottom currents produces a typical facies which occurs with a distinct lag in the time of response of specific sedimentary processes to climatic change. With the onset of a glacial (at isotope events 7.0 and 5.0) the Antarctic ice sheet expands due to the lowering of sea-level with the extensive glaciations in the northern Hemisphere. Gravitational sediment transport becomes the most active process, and sediment transfer to the deep sea is provided by turbidity currents through canyon systems. During Antarctic glacial maxima (isotope stages between 7.0-6.0, and 5.0-2.0) the strongly reduced input of NADW into the Southern Ocean favours further advances of the ice shelves far beyond the shelf break and the continous formation of sea ice. Below ice shelves and/or closed sea ice coverage contourites are deposited on the slope.


The legend of the difficulty of Schoenberg's Violin Concerto (1936) originates in Jascha Heifetz's supposed declaration of it as "unplayable." Since then, the question of what was so formidable about this work has not been adequately addressed. How various technical difficulties of the work have been surmounted by other violinists can be documented by analyzing specific "impossibilities" in the violin part and examining recordings made between 1954 and 2008. The true reasons for Heifetz's refusal to play this concerto lie in the fundamental incompatibility between the modernist ideology of performance as "objective" interpretation and the romantic virtuoso tradition epitomized by Heifetz. The lack of acceptance for Schoenberg's work, when considered alongside contemporary violin concertos (Bartok, Stravinsky, etc.), can be seen to stem from the composer's rejection of idiomatic writing for violin as a consequence of rejecting tonality and the conspicuous absence of a soloist muse.


The feasibilities of using interferometric and chromascopic techniques in the diagnostics of phase singularities and in the study of a phase structure of the field in their vicinity are demonstrated. The peculiar evolution of singularities into caustics produced by phase elements of singularity-generating objects of spherical and cylindrical shape are studied.


The full-scale financial crisis in Russia erupted in August 1998 made a blow to the President Lukashenko domestic and foreign policy. However, a year-by-year worsening of the domestic economy due to maintaining a system of command economy led to a crisis in Belarus already in the first quarter of 1998. The crisis in Russian spilling over through trade channel only additionally aggravated economic situation in Belarus. The paper briefly characterizes the economic system in Belarus prior to the first quarter of 1998 and then analyzes consequences of the Russian financial crisis on the Belarussian economy.


The basic objective of this study is to analyze the perception or opinion of Insured on the services provided by the insurers, agents and surveyors in Pokhara valley. Study shows 71.57 percent respondents agreed insurance creates awareness among people. Similarly, 73.53 percent respondents agreed it also provides social security. Regarding interest rates on loan, 57.43 percent respondents are indifferent on their opinion that whether the rate of interest on loan is cheaper or not but 30.69 percent are agreed that interest on loan is cheaper. Sixty-six point six seven percent respondents are neutral that payment of loan installment is easier or not but 22.22 percent opined installment payment is easier in insurance companies. In the context of satisfactoriness of insurance services, 50.49 percent respondents agreed that services of insurance companies are satisfactory. Out of 92 respondents, 71.74 percent argued that they are satisfied with the services of insurance agents and 28.26 percent are not satisfied. Of the total respondents, 35.89 percent agreed on the performance of insurance surveyors is satisfactory and free of bias. But 33.33 percent respondents on the other are neutral about the performance and behavior of surveyors. On the whole, the above facts imply that the perception of insureds towards insurance services is satisfactory in Pokhara valley. Repositioning Vol.1(1) 2016: 23-36


Over the past few years, lead halide perovskites have emerged as a class of dominant semiconductor materials in the photovoltaic (PV) field with an unprecedented sharp enhancement of power conversion efficiencies (PCEs) up to 22.1%, as well as in other promising optoelectronic applications due to their extraordinary and unique properties. However, the lead toxicity and long-term stability of these lead-based perovskites have raised considerable concerns for their real applications. Exploration of potentially low-toxic metal halide perovskite materials becomes one of the significant pivotal challenges in this century for PV, optoelectronic, and other unexplored applications. In this review, we summarize the recent progress on the development of low-toxic metal halide perovskites with a particular focus on their structures and properties, and discuss their potential applications in PV and optoelectronic devices. Moreover, we suggest current challenges and future research directions with the goal of stimulating further research interest and potential applications.


Strains with complete morphological match to Pleurocapsa fuliginosa and P. minor were isolated from Oahu, with another strain matching P. minor isolated from a wet rock face in Utah. Phylogenetically these baeocyte and pseudofilament producing strains fell in a single well-supported clade among a number of pleurocapsalean strains.  They were sister to a clade of baeocyte-producing strains that lack the ability to form psuedofilaments and likely belong in an as-yet-to-be-described genus. Strains putatively named Pleurocapsa are scattered throughout the Pleurocapsales and Chroococcales, indicating a need for clear definition of the genus so that revisionary work and alpha-level taxonomy can move forward. To satisfy this need, P. fuliginosa HA4302-MV1 and P. minor HA4230-MV1 were chosen as neotype and epitype, respectively, establishing the genus based on molecular sequence data. In addition to the distinctive morphology of the genus, all Pleurocapsa species for which 16S-23S ITS regions are available have an unusually long, branched D5 helix at the termination of the ITS region. The sister clade of strains that lack the ability to form pseudofilaments also possess an unusually long and branched D5 helix as well, suggesting that this feature of the ITS region may be a family-level synapomorphy.


Hormone replacement therapy is still a popular and most effective treatment for vasomotor symptoms and bone loss prevention in the postmenopause but it is not without risks. This has driven many climacteric women to seek for alternatives, chiefly natural products. Phytoestrogens containing soy or red clover preparations, however, when taken at the recommended daily doses, proved to be ineffective to ameliorate climacteric complaints and to prevent osteoporosis. Cimicifuga racemosa (CR) preparations, on the other hand, have been shown to ease climacteric distress. CR extracts are traditionally used to ease climacteric complaints and a number of double-blind placebo-controlled studies have demonstrated this effect. Low or intermediate doses, however, are more effective than high doses. CR extracts do not contain estrogenic compounds: they exert their efficacy through mechanisms linked to the presence of dopaminergic, noradrenergic, serotoninergic and GABA-ergic acting substances, but no estrogenic activity can be expected. There is a widespread, but false, belief that the efficacy of CR preparations is linked to the presence of phytoestrogens in the plant. This review aims at summarizing the available in vitro and in vivo evidence showing that compounds in CR extracts do not bind to oestrogen receptors and thus do not exert any estrogenic effects in the uterus and mammary gland, as shown in vivo in experiments on ovariectomized rats and clinically in postmenopausal women. Studies in ovariectomized rats and in women suffering from climacteric complaints have indicated that substances with neurotransmitter-like activities affect beneficially postmenopausal symptoms such as hot flushes. Some of these compounds, such as triterpenes with GABA-ergic activity and a serotonin analogue, are present and have been identified in the CR extracts. Authors conclude that these activities explain most likely the beneficial effects of CR extracts on climacteric complaints.


The purpose of this study is to identify and analyze the relationships that exist between mathematics anxiety and nurse self-efficacy for mathematics, and the medication calculation performance of acute care nurses. This research used a quantitative correlational research design and involved a sample of 84 acute care nurses, LVNs and RNs, from a suburban private hospital. the participants filled out a Mathematics Anxiety Scale, a Nurse Self-Efficacy for Mathematics Scale and also completed a 20-item medication calculation test. Significant practical and statistical relationships were discovered between the variables utilizing multiple linear regression statistics and commonality analysis. As the Nurse's Mathematics anxiety score increased the scores on the medication test decreased and the scores on nurse self-efficacy for mathematics scale also decreased. the demographic item of "Hours a nurse worked in one week" had the greatest significance. the more hours a nurse worked the lower their score was on the medication calculation test. This study agrees with others that nurses are not good at mathematics. This study also correlated that as the number of hours worked increased so did the medication calculations errors. and many nurses have a measurable level of anxiety about mathematics and dosage calculations and this may influence calculation ability. Suggestions for further research include refinement of instruments used in study, further differentiation of barriers to successful medication calculation performance, and testing of interventions used to teach, train and evaluate accurate medication administration in nurses.


Adaptive optics has become a valuable tool for correcting minor optical aberrations in applications such as astronomy and microscopy. However, due to the limited resolution of both the wavefront sensing and the wavefront correction hardware, it has so far not been feasible to use adaptive optics for correcting large-scale waveform deformations that occur naturally in regular photography and other imaging applications. In this work, we demonstrate an adaptive optics system for regular cameras. We achieve a significant improvement in focus for large wavefront distortions by improving upon a recently developed high resolution coded wavefront sensor, and combining it with a spatial phase modulator to create a megapixel adaptive optics system with unprecedented capability to sense and correct large distortions.


Objective: Monogenic diabetes is a heterogeneous disease that causes functional problems in pancreatic beta cells and hyperglycemia. The aim of this study was to determine the clinical and laboratory features, the admission characteristics and distribution of monogenic form of diabetes in childhood in Turkey. Methods: Patients aged 0-18 years, who were molecularly diagnosed with monogenic diabetes, and consented to participate, were included in the study. Results: Seventy-seven (45.6%) female and 92 male cases with a mean age of 8.18±5.05 years at diagnosis were included. 52.7% of the cases were diagnosed with monogenic diabetes by random blood glucose measurement. The reason for genetic analysis in 95 (56.2%) of cases was having a family member diagnosed with diabetes under the age of 25. At the time of diagnosis, ketone was detected in urine in 16.6% of the cases. Mean hemoglobin A1c on admission, fasting blood glucose, fasting insulin, and c-peptide values were 7.3±2.1%, 184.9±128.9 mg/dL, 9.4±22.9 IU/L, 1.36±1.1 and ng/L respectively. GCK-MODY was found in 100 (59.2%), HNF1A-MODY in 31 (18.3%), and variants in ABCC8 in 6 (3.6%), KCNJ11 in 5 (3%), HNF4A in 2 (1.2%), and HNF1B in 2 (1.2%). Conclusion: Recent studies have indicated HNF1A-MODY is the most frequent of all the MODY-monogenic diabetes cases in the literature (50%), while GCK-MODY is the second most frequent (32%). In contrast to these reports, in our study, the most common form was GCKMODY while less than 20% of cases were diagnosed with HNF1A-MODY.


Researchers Discover New Gene Regulation Mechanism: Messenger RNA "Cut and Run" scheme provides rapid stress response Cold Spring Harbor, NY, Oct. 20 -- Researchers at Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory have discovered a new kind of messenger RNA molecule that is converted from non-protein coding status to protein coding statusin response to cellular stress such as viral infection. The discovery reveals a "cut and run" mechanism that is likely to control the expression of many genes in humans and other organisms. A deeper understanding of this mechanism is predicted to have broad implications for biology and biomedical research. The central dogma of molecular biology holds that the DNA of genes is "transcribed" into messenger RNA and messenger RNA is "translated" into protein. The regulation of transcription and translation ultimately determines whether particular genes are switched on to produce protein, or switched off. Once they are made, most messenger RNA molecules are exported from the cell nucleus to the cytoplasm andare then used in the cytoplasm as templates for the production of protein. However, a few years ago, Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory scientists led by Dr. David Spector noticed that under standard growth conditions, a particular population of messenger RNA molecules lingered in the nucleus indefinitely--in structures they call "nuclear speckles"--and never reached the cytoplasm. " We thought that these messenger RNAs must be doing something interesting by hanging around in the nucleus, but at the time we didn't have a way of finding out what that might be," says Spector. "Why would they be produced if they would never be used?" Then one of Spector's graduate students developed a method for purifying speckles. That allowed the researchers to identify not only the many different protein components of speckles, but also the messenger RNAs that are the basis of the new study, published in the October 21, 2005 issue of the journal Cell. The study--spearheaded by Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory postdoctoral fellow Dr. KannanganattuPrasanth--identified the first such messenger RNA: one transcribed from a mouse gene called mCAT2 that encodes a cell surface receptor. " The first clue came when we found that the mCAT2 gene encodes two different kinds of messenger RNAs; the standard protein coding version that's exported to the cytoplasm as usual, and an atypical version that remains in the nucleus," says Spector. "But the big clue came when we thought about what the mCAT2 receptor does and why the mCAT2 gene would encode a messenger RNA that stays in the nucleus." The scientists learned from the work of others that the mCAT2 receptor is involved in the production of nitric oxide, and that nitric oxide production is stimulated by various stress conditions including wound healing and viral infection. " That told us that when cells are stressed, maybe the atypical messenger RNA is released from the nucleus, exported to the cytoplasm, and translated into protein, thus circumventing the time-consuming process of producing new messenger RNA and providing a rapid response to viral infection or other stresses," says Spector. To test this idea, the researchers mimicked the effect of viral infection by treating cells with interferon. Sure enough, they discovered that the atypical mCAT2 messenger RNA in the nucleus was rapidly cleaved in response to interferon treatment, and that the protein coding portion of the molecule was then quicklyexported to the cytoplasm and translated into protein (see illustration). " This 'cut and run' mechanism is a completely new paradigm of gene regulation, so studying it will keep us busy for a while. But we already suspect that there is going to be a large family of genes regulated in this way," says Spector. In addition to Spector, Prasanth, and their colleagues at Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory, researchers at ISIS Pharmaceuticals (Carlsbad, CA) were involved in the study, which was funded by the National Institutes of Health (NIGMS, NCI) and the Louis Morin Charitable Trust.


Biphasic calcium phosphate (BCP) ceramics, a mixture of hydroxyapatite (HAp) and beta-tricalcium phosphate (β-TCP), of varying HAp/β-TCP ratios were prepared from fine powders. Porous BCP ceramic materials with HAp/β-TCP weight rations of 20/80, 40/60, and 80/20 were prepared. In this study, the bioactivity is reduced at a larger HAp content rate, which is likely related to the high driving pore for the formation of a new phase, and the reaction rate was proportional to the β-TCP. The porous BCP ceramics having a bigger porosity rate can easily under up dissolution. The powder having a larger β-TCP content rate can easily generate a new phase. The dissolution results confirmed that the biodegradation of calcium phosphate ceramics could be controlled by simply adjusting the amount of HAp or β-TCP in the ceramics and porosity rate.


By using the wavelet transform, we develop a hierarchical planar curve descriptor that decomposes a curve into components of different scales so that the coarsest scale components carry the global approximation information while the finer scale components contain the local detailed information. We show that the wavelet descriptor has many desirable properties such as multiresolution representation, invariance, uniqueness, stability, and spatial localization. A deformable wavelet descriptor is also proposed by interpreting the wavelet coefficients as random variables. The applications of the wavelet descriptor to character recognition and model-based contour extraction from low SNR images are examined. Numerical experiments are performed to illustrate the performance of the wavelet descriptor.


In lieu of an abstract, below is the first paragraph of the paper. Because language is so intangible, changes over time are not only unavoidable, they also are common and expected. Language is not the same today as it was when it originated; it is not the same today as it was last week. Phrases become "so yesterday" and expressions from a hundred years ago have been entirely eliminated from our language. There are many reasons for changeculture, technology, events in historybut the most influential catalyst for change in today's era is technology. Things like email, texting, and Facebook have led to new words forming, new grammatical changes, and other modifications that are both subtle and noticeable. Technology could eventually help the language become easier to follow, growing similar to other languages, and stray away from the numerous irregularities that we all struggle to master. Language, though. Is constantly evolving with culture, and as technology becomes a larger and more influential part of our culture, it also becomes a larger and more influential part of the English language. This article is available in The Review: A Journal of Undergraduate Student Research: http://fisherpub.sjfc.edu/ur/vol13/iss1/9 how it is changing due to technology. He refers to the language of texting as "textspeak", and explains why textspeak differs from traditional English in the following examples: "The Language of Texting: Altering English or a Language of its Own?"


In 2012, the United Nations (UN), identified chlorhexidine as a Life-saving Commodity and called for the development of a chlorhexidine product suitable for the prevention of omphalitis (umbilical cord infection) in developing countries. In response, GlaxoSmithKline (GSK) set out to develop a chlorhexidine digluconate 7.1% w/w gel, in partnership with Save the Children. The vision was to develop a gel which could pass a stringent regulatory review thereby assuring a safe, effective, and quality product. Review under the European Medicines Agency's (EMA) Article 58 pathway was pursued, with accelerated assessment granted. The regulatory dossier compiled literature-based evidence for clinical efficacy and safety, supplemented by GSK-generated in-vitro studies and a full CMC data package to support the quality. No new clinical trial data or in vivo non-clinical study data were submitted. A positive opinion from the EMA was received in 2016. The time from the initial UN call to EMA Positive Opinion was 3 years and 7 months.


The Jovian Auroral Distributions Experiment aboard Juno observed accelerated proton populations connected to Io's footprint tail aurora. While accelerated electron populations have been previously linked with Io's auroral footprint tail aurora, we present new evidence for proton acceleration due to Io's Alfvénic interaction with Jupiter's magnetosphere. Separate populations were accelerated above the Io torus and at high latitudes near Jupiter. The timing suggests the acceleration is due to Alfvén waves associated with Io's Main Alfvén Wing. The inferred high‐latitude proton acceleration region spans 0.9–2.5 Jovian radii in altitude, comparable to the expected location for electron acceleration, and suggests the associated Alfvén waves are able to accelerate electrons and protons in similar locations. The proton populations magnetically connected to Io's orbit are recently perturbed, equilibrating with the nominal torus plasma population on a timescale smaller than Io's System III orbital period of ~13 h, likely due to wave‐particle interactions. The tail populations are split into a wake‐like structure with distinct inner and outer regions, where the inner region maps to an equatorial width nearly identical to the diameter of Io. The approximately symmetric surrounding outer regions are each slightly smaller than the central region and may be related to Io's atmospheric extent. The nominal, corotational torus proton population exhibits energization throughout all regions, peaking at the anti‐Jovian flank of the inner core region mapping to Io's diameter. These proton observations suggest Alfvén waves are capable of accelerating protons in multiple locations and provide further evidence that Io's Alfvénic interaction is bifurcated.


Human serum albumin (HSA) inhibits endothelial apoptosis in a highly specific manner. CNBr fragmentation greatly increases the effectiveness of this activity, suggesting that this type of protection is mediated by a partially cryptic albumin domain which is transiently exposed by intramolecular movement. Advanced glycation end-product (AGE) formation in HSA greatly reduces its intra-molecular movement. This study aimed to determine if this inhibits the anti-apoptotic activity of HSA, and if such inactivation could be reversed by CNBr fragmentation. HSA-AGE was prepared by incubating HSA with glucose, and assessed using the fructosamine assay, mass spectrometry, SDS-PAGE and fluorometry. Low levels of AGE in the HSA had little effect upon its anti-apoptotic activity, but when the levels of AGE were high and the intra-molecular movement was reduced, endothelial cell survival was also found to be reduced to levels equivalent to those in cultures without HSA or serum (p > 0.001). Survival was restored by the inclusion of native HSA, despite the presence of HSA with high levels of AGE. Also, CNBr fragmentation of otherwise inactive HSA-AGE restored the anti-apoptotic activity for endothelium. Apoptosis was confirmed by DNA gel electrophoresis, transmission electron microscopy and fluorescence-activated cell sorting analysis, and there was no evidence for direct toxicity in the HSA-AGE preparations. The results are consistent with the proposed role of intra-molecular movement in exposing the anti-apoptotic domain in HSA for endothelium. The levels of AGE formation required to inhibit the anti-apoptotic activity of HSA exceeded those reported for diabetes. Nonetheless, the data from this study seems to be the first example of reduced protein function due to AGE-restricted intra-molecular movement.


Hypoxia has been shown to exacerbate the performance loss during Maximal Intensity Intermittent Exercise (MIIE). However, the effect of hypoxia on the development of central and peripheral mechanisms of fatigue during MIIE is unknown. The aim of the study is to explore the development of both central and peripheral fatigue during multiple bouts of MIIE under varying severity levels of hypoxia. On separate days, 14 healthy men performed four bouts of 6 x 5 maximal intensity, isokinetic leg extensions at 300°/s (15 s passive rest separating reps, 100 s separating sets) under normoxia (simulated altitude/fraction of inspired 02: 0m/0.21%), moderate (3000m/14.4%), and severe hypoxia (5400m/10.1%). Neuromuscular assessments which included electromyography and measurements of voluntary and evoked contractions of the knee extensors were conducted immediately pre and post each bout of exercise. Performance loss was dependent on the severity of hypoxia with a main effect of condition on the mean peak power during each bout of exercise (p<.005) and the percent decrement in mean peak power across each bout (normoxia; 2.9 ± 1.3 %, moderate hypoxia; 5.2 ± 1.5 %, severe hypoxia; 10.3 ± 2.0 %, p=<.01). Despite a main effect of time, the reduction in RMS activity was not different between conditions (-10.4% all conditions compounded). Maximal voluntary contraction force, % voluntary activation and potential twitch force (Q,tw,pot) all decreased across time (p=<.05), with the end exercise percent reduction in Q,tw,pot being greater in severe hypoxia compared to normoxia (41.3 ± 3.0 % v 28.0 ± 3.2 % p=<.05). In conclusion, performance decrements during maximal intermittent dynamic leg extensions are exacerbated by hypoxia and result from both central and peripheral adjustments. However, central adjustments do not appear to limit excessive development of peripheral fatigue below a critical threshold.


Significance The subsiding flow of the atmospheric Hadley circulation controls dry conditions over vast subtropical bands where the main arid regions of the globe reside. In the context of future changes in the atmospheric hydrological cycle, understanding precipitation changes in the subtropics is of particular importance given the scarcity of water resources in these locations. A major puzzle arises when contrasting the drier conditions in the subtropics predicted by climate models under global warming scenarios against the wetter conditions seen in reconstructions of past warm climates, including the warm, ∼400 ppm CO2, Pliocene. Our modeling results address this puzzle and highlight the importance of correctly predicting how the meridional temperature gradient between the tropics and the subtropics will change with global warming. During the warm Miocene and Pliocene Epochs, vast subtropical regions had enough precipitation to support rich vegetation and fauna. Only with global cooling and the onset of glacial cycles some 3 Mya, toward the end of the Pliocene, did the broad patterns of arid and semiarid subtropical regions become fully developed. However, current projections of future global warming caused by CO2 rise generally suggest the intensification of dry conditions over these subtropical regions, rather than the return to a wetter state. What makes future projections different from these past warm climates? Here, we investigate this question by comparing a typical quadrupling-of-CO2 experiment with a simulation driven by sea-surface temperatures closely resembling available reconstructions for the early Pliocene. Based on these two experiments and a suite of other perturbed climate simulations, we argue that this puzzle is explained by weaker atmospheric circulation in response to the different ocean surface temperature patterns of the Pliocene, specifically reduced meridional and zonal temperature gradients. Thus, our results highlight that accurately predicting the response of the hydrological cycle to global warming requires predicting not only how global mean temperature responds to elevated CO2 forcing (climate sensitivity) but also accurately quantifying how meridional sea-surface temperature patterns will change (structural climate sensitivity).


The Tartu Poudrette factory or Why the Water Supply System in Tartu was constructed so late At times the sanitary problems grew quite grave in the fast growing cities of the 19th century. Technology and medicine also developed swiftly but it was not always that the different fields provided support to each other at the right time and according to necessity. The University of Tartu is known as an innovative centre of medicine. The city had been studied by chemists (e.g., the research on the wells of Tartu by Carl Schmidt), physicians (medical topography already since the early 19th century), demographers (biostatisticians),etc. Considering this, it is somewhat surprising that the sanitary conditions in Tartu were rather poor at length even for those times. The University constructed its own water supply system already in 1889 but institutions and classes were unable to reach an agreement with regard to the city water supply. The newly emergent body of active Estonians responsible for building the grand and modern Vanemuine theatre house was willing to live in quite modest conditions in view of hygiene. In order to solve the city's issue of human waste a Poudrette factory was built on the territory of the Jaama city estate in 1866. This solution was somewhat outdated already then. The factory produced a fertilizer mix of dry night soil, which sold quite well. Gustav Post, the lessee and later owner, became a rich man. The factory was municipalized even before WW I and it developed to be a substantial source of income for the city in independent Estonia. Tartu was the only city in Estonia where this part of the city's economy brought a profit. This is likely one of the reasons why a water supply system that covered the entire city was built only in the 1930s in Tartu.


Paleomagnetic and /sup 40/Ar//sup 39/Ar dating studies of Late Proterozoic metamorphic rocks from the Carolina slate belt were undertaken to gain insight into the history of this suspect lithostratigraphic terrane. Geochronological data suggest a peak metamorphic age of ca. 455 Ma and a later thermal overprint at ca. 185 Ma. Thermal demagnetization indicates two magnetization components. A low-temperature component yields a pole close to 180-190 Ma segments of the North American apparent polar wander path. A high-temperature component postdates folding and is inferred to have been acquired at ca. 455 Ma (corresponding paleomagnetic pole is lat 20/sup 0/N, long 80/sup 0/E). Although paleomagnetic data from the Carolina slate belt remain too ambiguous for construction of a unique polar wander path, consideration of available paleolatitudes suggests that the terrane may have been proximal to cratonic North America after ca. 455 Ma. This result contrasts markedly with high southerly Ordovician paleolatitudes inferred from paleomagnetic studies within central and northern Appalachian terranes.


Context and Intention in the Process of Activity: A new topology of motivation. The problem of unexpected diversions in the course of activity is illustrated by a survey on office-work; addressing the question « Why are we doing things that we ourselves consider to be unimportant, at a time when we have other more important things to do? » This is puzzling for classical psychological theories. Starting from this very ordinary, everyday example of office work, this article addresses the general question of the mechanisms which determine activity. We present a critical analysis of the literature on motivation, with its dominant paradigms (homeostasis, expected utility) and the theory of cognitive attractors. The analysis of their limitations shows the need to take into account several levels in the determination of activity. We consider the classical constraints of the context, the level of the subject himself, but also the organs which constitute the subject and the organisms which the subject belongs to. We postulate that the subject, at every moment, follows several motives at the same time. Our framework is hence larger than that of the theories of decision-making which presuppose a single predefined problem-space. In order to solve this complex problem, we propose a new topology of motivation based on the Spinoza's notion of conatus, which we operationalize after demonstrating its biological basis in an evolutionary perspective. This topology is presented in two forms: extensional (the successive logical levels of control over environmental resources, corresponding to expectations); and in intensional (considering the subject as a series of nested entities, from his own organs to the super-organisms in which he participates. A new and wider definition of the notion of "subject" makes it possible to apply the notion of conatus to super-organisms such as business corporations. In this new framework, the issue of choosing an activity track becomes a situated arbitration of the attentional, psychical and motor resources of the subject between the various forms of conatus which are vying for satisfaction. We show how the phenomenon of diversion in the course of office-work can be understood as the result of the super-organism (here the corporation) using human basic mechanisms which give priority to the salient features of the situation, in order to facilitate the satisfaction of the super-organism own basic needs, especially administrative.


The purpose of this study was to provide a more complete picture of lesbians in sport by investigating the perceptions and experiences of lesbian intercollegiate coaches. Fifty-two self-identified lesbian head and assistant coaches from NCAA Divisions I, II, III, and the NAIA, and representing a multitude of sports, completed online surveys and open-ended questions pertaining to their lives at work and outside of work. The findings showed that lesbian intercollegiate coaches' perceptions of organizational support positively related to their degrees of disclosure of lesbian identity, job satisfaction, and life satisfaction. Participants reported fairly high scores on the surveys, indicating that the sample worked in supportive environments and also exhibited positive levels of job and life satisfaction. The findings suggested that attitudes towards lesbians within intercollegiate athletics have become more tolerant than was depicted in the previous literature. Coaches explained that they monitored behaviors related to the disclosure of their lesbian identities, and this indicated that coaches remain aware of homonegativism and the potential for facing discrimination due to sexual orientation. The results suggested that organizational support is related to disclosure, job satisfaction, and life satisfaction, and that has implications for coach well-being and effectiveness. This research adds to our understanding of the organizational climate within college athletics, perceptions of coaches, and disclosure of lesbian identity, and how those factors shape the experiences of lesbian intercollegiate coaches.


Before Indonesia elected a new president and Indonesian troops made their long-overdue exodus from East Timor to give way to the former Portugese colony's statehood, Dr. Jose Ramos Horta anticipated his people choosing independence over autonomy. During his visit at the Asian Center, University of the Philippines-Diliman, on July 28, 1999, Dr. Horta shared his hopes for a tiny nation-to-be and saw a promising future for his people if only given the chance to live in peace.


The simultaneous learning of a phonological map from inputs to outputs and a lexicon of phonological underlying forms has been a focus of several research efforts (Jarosz 2006; Apoussidou 2007; Merchant 2008; Merchant & Tesar 2008; Tesar 2014). One of the numerous challenges is that of computational efficiency, which led to the investigation of learning with output-driven maps (Tesar 2014). Prior work on learning with output-driven maps has focused on systems in which the only disparities between inputs and outputs were segmental identity disparities (differences in the value of a feature). Inclusion of segmental insertion and deletion disparities exacerbates computational concerns, as it increases the number of possible correspondence relations between an input and an output, and makes the space of possible inputs for a word infinite due to the possible presence of an unbounded number of deleted segments. We propose an extension of that earlier work to handle phonologies that permit insertion and deletion, and evaluate the proposal by applying it to cases in Basic CV Syllable Theory (Jakobson 1962; Clements & Keyser 1983; Prince & Smolensky 2004). First, we propose that a learner represent information about the possible presence/absence of a segment in an underlying form via a presence feature. The presence feature can be set using the same inconsistency detection method that has previously been used to set other segmental features. This allows the learner to combine evidence from paradigmatically related words in a single compact representation. Second, we propose that the learner only consider for underlying forms segments that surface in at least one surface realization of the morpheme. This approach is justified by the structure of output-driven maps, and avoids the potential for an unbounded number of possibly deleted segments in an underlying form. A proof is given for the validity of the method for avoiding unbounded deletion. The resulting learner is able to learn some grammatical regularities about segmental insertion and deletion; this is shown via two manual step-by-step applications of the algorithm. Verificatory simulations for learning the entire typology of Basic CV Syllable Theory are left to work in the near future.


ABSTRACT This paper highlights one key finding from a larger study where researchers utilised in-depth phenomenological interviews to explore the experiences and perspectives of public school teachers who espouse a disability studies in education (DSE) and social justice teaching identity. It specifically describes the relationship found between a lack of support for DSE teaching identities and educators' choice to leave public school teaching. It highlights how the lack of consistent and authentic administrative and institutional support for teachers underlying beliefs led the majority of the participants to feel increasingly isolated from their schools, and in their work as teachers. Thus, the paper describes the specific emotions and seclusion participants experienced in attempting to enact their commitments to DSE, which in turn exacerbated participants' understanding of their place in their particular school systems and in schooling more broadly. Finally, it describes participants' desires to leave public schooling and plans for continued DSE practice.


Research suggests that lead climbing is both physiologically and psychologically more stressful than top rope climbing for intermediate performers. This observation may not be true for advanced climbers, who train regularly on lead routes and are accustomed to leader falls. The aim of this study was to compare the psychophysiological stresses of lead and top rope on‐sight ascents in advanced rock climbers. Twenty‐one climbers (18 men and three women) ascended routes near or at the best of their ability (22 Ewbank). Psychological stress was measured preclimb using the Revised Comparative State Anxiety Inventory (CSAI‐2R). Plasma cortisol was sampled at six intervals. The volume of oxygen (VO2) and heart rate (Hr) were measured throughout the climbs. No significant differences were found in self‐confidence, somatic, or cognitive anxiety between the conditions lead and top rope. No significant differences in plasma cortisol concentration were found between any time points. No significant relationships were found between cortisol and any CSAI‐2R measures. No significant differences were found between conditions for VO2 or blood lactate concentration. During the lead climb, Hr was significantly elevated during the last part of the route. Findings suggest that advanced rock climbers do not find lead climbing to be more stressful than top rope climbing during an on‐sight ascent.