Intensive row-crop agriculture in the Midwestern United States has radically reduced and
fragmented wildlife habitat. In agroecosystems, the distribution of foraging raptors is influenced
by the availability of perches and prey abundance. Cover crops are a recent trend in agriculture
that could increase the abundance and distribution of raptor prey including small mammals.
However, they also benefit agricultural pest species such as voles (Microtus), which have
damaged cover-cropped soybean (Glycine max) fields in Indiana.
I tested the feasibility of attracting raptors, which are natural predators of voles, to cover-cropped fields by supplying artificial perches from which to hunt. Perches were erected at 3
different distances from the field edge: 50, 125, and 200m. Raptors used 82% of the perches,
and perch use was greatest at 200m. However, even at peak use, my best model predicted a low
probability of overall perch use for all 3 species. Although raptor perch use by itself is unlikely
to control vole populations in cover-cropped fields, artificial perches could form a valuable tool
as one part of an integrated pest management system.
I also assessed the habitat use of 4 species of raptors, American kestrel (Falco
sparverius), red-tailed hawk (Buteo jamaicensis), rough-legged hawk (B. lagopus), and northern
harrier (Circus hudsonius), testing for selection of areas near cover-cropped fields. I constructed
resource selection functions within a use-availability design to evaluate raptor habitat use with a
series of weighted logistic regression models at 2 scales (transect and landscape) and using 2
definitions of available points (random and constrained by hunting method). American kestrels
were the only species to be strongly associated with cover-cropped agricultural fields. Across
the species, random models identified potential perches, while constrained random models
identified more subtle habitat preferences not included in the random models. Modeling
resource selection with constrained random availability will work best for well-studied species
with discrete, easily mapped habitat features.
Finally, although northern harriers are important vole predators, they were unaffected by
the artificial perches and were encountered infrequently on my transects. Therefore, I collected
and dissected regurgitated pellets to analyze the diets of wintering northern harriers at communal
roosts in western Indiana. Additionally, because there is no uniformly adopted method for
determining the minimum number of individuals (MNI) contained in a pellet, I also assessed
11
whether the method used to determine MNI influenced our conclusions about pellet contents
between months and roosts. Pellet contents differed between years, months, and roost sites.
Microtus was the most commonly occurring prey group at all roosts and in both years (range: 45-
73%), but was encountered less frequently than reported by other studies in the Midwest. Other
important prey groups included Peromyscus (5-16%), Reithrodontomys (4-14%), Blarina (8-
18%), and birds (7-19%). Relative to other studies, shrews and Reithrodontomys were more
important components of harrier diets in western Indiana. The 4 methods of counting MNI
produced no discernible effects on our conclusions concerning pellet contents between months or
roosts. Northern harrier diets in western Indiana are highly flexible and likely reflect local prey
populations. Considering teeth in addition to bones may prove beneficial for pellet-based diet
studies of other diurnal raptors.


In this work we address the problem of modeling varying time duration sequences for large-scale human routine discovery from cellphone sensor data using a multi-level approach to probabilistic topic models. We use an unsupervised learning approach that discovers human routines of varying durations ranging from half-hourly to several hours. Our methodology can handle large sequence lengths based on a principled procedure to deal with potentially large routine-vocabulary sizes, and can be applied to rather naive initial vocabularies to discover meaningful location-routines. We successfully apply the model to a large, real-life dataset, consisting of 97 cellphone users and 16 months of their location patterns, to discover routines with varying time durations.


The spread of radical opinions, facilitated by homophilic Internet communities (echo chambers), has become a threat to the stability of societies around the globe. The concept of choice architecture--the design of choice information for consumers with the goal of facilitating societally beneficial decisions--provides a promising (although not uncontroversial) general concept to address this problem. The choice architecture approach is reflected in recent proposals advocating for recommender systems that consider the societal impact of their recommendations and not only strive to optimize revenue streams. However, the precise nature of the goal state such systems should work towards remains an open question. In this paper, we suggest that this goal state can be defined by considering target opinion spread in a society on different topics of interest as a multivariate normal distribution; i.e., while there is a diversity of opinions, most people have similar opinions on most topics. We explain why this approach is promising, and list a set of cross-disciplinary research challenges that need to be solved to advance the idea.


Endoreplication, also called endoreduplication, is a modified cell cycle in which DNA is repeatedly replicated without subsequent cell division. Endoreplication is often associated with increased cell size and specialized cell shapes, but the mechanism coordinating DNA content with shape and size remains obscure. Here we identify the product of the BRANCHLESS TRICHOMES (BLT) gene, a protein of hitherto unknown function that has been conserved throughout angiosperm evolution, as a link in coordinating cell shape and nuclear DNA content in endoreplicated Arabidopsis trichomes. Loss-of-function mutations in BLT were found to enhance the multicellular trichome phenotype of mutants in the SIAMESE (SIM) gene, which encodes a repressor of endoreplication. Epistasis and overexpression experiments revealed that BLT encodes a key regulator of trichome branching. Additional experiments showed that BLT interacts both genetically and physically with STICHEL, another key regulator of trichome branching. Although blt mutants have normal trichome DNA content, overexpression of BLT results in an additional round of endoreplication, and blt mutants uncouple DNA content from morphogenesis in mutants with increased trichome branching, further emphasizing its role in linking cell shape and endoreplication.


The wild bootstrap was originally developed for regression models with heteroskedasticity of unknown form. Over the past 30 years, it has been extended to models estimated by instrumental variables and maximum likelihood and to ones where the error terms are (perhaps multiway) clustered. Like bootstrap methods in general, the wild bootstrap is especially useful when conventional inference methods are unreliable because large-sample assumptions do not hold. For example, there may be few clusters, few treated clusters, or weak instruments. The package boottest can perform a wide variety of wild bootstrap tests, often at remarkable speed. It can also invert these tests to construct confidence sets. As a postestimation command, boottest works after linear estimation commands, including regress, cnsreg, ivregress, ivreg2, areg, and reghdfe, as well as many estimation commands based on maximum likelihood. Although it is designed to perform the wild cluster bootstrap, boottest can also perform the ordinary (nonclustered) version. Wrappers offer classical Wald, score/Lagrange multiplier, and Anderson–Rubin tests, optionally with (multiway) clustering. We review the main ideas of the wild cluster bootstrap, offer tips for use, explain why it is particularly amenable to computational optimization, state the syntax of boottest, artest, scoretest, and waldtest, and present several empirical examples.


Forests are important determinants of the carbon cycle, and they provide countless ecosystem services to support billions of people worldwide. Global-scale forest restoration is one of our most effective weapons in the fight against biodiversity loss, rural poverty and climate change. In this report, we generate a spatial map of tree density within the potential forest restoration areas delineated by the IUCN/WRI's "Atlas of Forest Landscape Restoration Opportunities" to estimate the potential number of trees that could be restored at a global scale. We also estimate the number of trees that might be saved by avoiding deforestation in currently forested areas. We show that the restoration areas have the capacity to support a total of 1.33 trillion trees. However, given that a considerable proportion of these areas already contain forests, we estimate that 589 billion new trees (larger than 10 cm diameter) could be restored within these areas, which would have the potential to store 65–91 Gigatonnes of carbon after reaching forest maturation. These values will increase marginally over time, as deforestation is responsible for the removal of living trees within the restoration areas. However, if only 50% or 25% of the mosaic areas (the largest of the designated restoration types) are available for reforestation, this total number will fall to approximately 360, or 246 billion trees, respectively, with corresponding decreases in potential carbon storage. Given that anthropogenic carbon emissions are currently in the order of 9–12 Gigatonnes per year, effective global-scale restoration might potentially have a valuable impact on global-scale climate mitigation over the rest of this century. This report was produced with funding from WWF-UK as part of the Trillion Trees programme with the Wildlife Conservation Society and BirdLife International


Electricity generation is both a major contributor to the root causes of environmental unsustainability and an energy source that will likely play an important role in the transition to a sustainable society. Because renewable sources of electricity generation are seen as sustainable as a group, there is a danger that investments will be made in renewable technologies that do not effectively move society towards sustainability. We propose the use of a scientific, principles-based definition of sustainability to compare current and future renewable electricity options on their sustainability potential. This study presents a pilot decision-support comparison tool, Guide for Sustainable Energy Decisions (GSED), designed to give investors, policy makers, and manufacturers strategic guidance on the most effective renewable technologies to invest in for sustainability. The tool is based on a modified version of life cycle assessment (LCA) that allows comparisons of the upstream and downstream effects of generation technologies from a whole-systems sustainability perspective. Early feedback by experts suggests that the tool has strong potential to serve as an effective comparison tool and help decision-makers make strategic investments for sustainability.


Abstract Hyperhomocysteinemia is a risk factor for neurodegeneration, and binding of copper by homocysteine is a putative underlying mechanism. As mutations of the copper-dependent superoxide dismutase are observed in familial ALS, we tested whether genetic variants with influence on homocysteine metabolism are associated with ALS. We compared the frequency of seven variants of genes involved in homocysteine metabolism in 162 patients with sporadic ALS and 162 controls who did not significantly differ in age (t = 1.27, p = 0.205) and gender (χ2 = 2.48, p = 0.115) using binary regression analysis. Results showed that the variant MTHFR c.677C>T was significantly associated with ALS, i.e. the T-allele was more frequent among patients. Explorative regression analysis revealed that MTHFR c.677C>T was not associated with spinal ALS, but with bulbar onset: CC/CT/TT in patients 0.33/0.51/0.16 versus 0.50/0.44/0.06 in controls; Wald = 5.73, p = 0.017. In addition, DHFR c.594+59del19bp was not associated with spinal, but with bulbar onset: del,del/del,ins/ins,ins in patients 0.16/0.67/0.18 versus 0.11/0.52/0.37 in controls; Wald = 5.02, p = 0.025. The other variants did not show significant associations. In summary, the variants MTHFR c.677C>T and DHFR c.594+59del19bp are involved in homocysteine metabolism. Homocysteine is neurotoxic and binds copper. Thus, the individual variability of homocysteine metabolism, e.g. due to genetic variants, may contribute to the vulnerability of ALS.


We address the mechanism design problem of an exchange setting suitable make– take fees to attract liquidity on its platform. Using a principal–agent approach, we provide the optimal compensation scheme of a market maker in quasi‐explicit form. This contract depends essentially on the market maker inventory trajectory and on the volatility of the asset. We also provide the optimal quotes that should be displayed by the market maker. The simplicity of our formulas allows us to analyze in details the effects of optimal contracting with an exchange, compared to a situation without contract. We show in particular that it improves liquidity and reduces trading costs for investors. We extend our study to an oligopoly of symmetric exchanges and we study the impact of such common agency policy on the system.


We have observed significant variation in the dielectric parameters (i.e., dielectric constant e′ and dielectric loss e′′) and a.c. conductivity after exposure of novel multi-component STSC ChGs to laser light of different wavelengths. The photo-dielectric effect (i.e., a variation in e′ and dielectric loss e′′ due to laser irradiation) varies with variation in the wavelength of the laser light used. Thermally activated a.c. conduction is also affected by exposure to laser light. The a.c. conductivity σac and the associated activation energy Eac are increased appreciably after laser exposure. The possible mechanism of laser-induced photo-dielectric effects is also discussed in terms of a duo-dielectric capacitor model as a consequence of the creation of an interface after laser exposure. A new approach (persistent photo-dielectric effects) has been suggested for the explanation of the observed results.


This piece seeks to extend Jacques Derrida's and Cary Wolfe's explorations of posthumanism and the production of 'the human' as divided and removed from its embedding within the world. It does so in order to shift the focus of animal welfare ethics away from specific practices and behaviours towards a fundamental reconceptualisation of animal/human relationships. Cary Wolfe's work questions the fundamental tenets of the construction of the human through ocular domination. This vision-as-mastery permits the capacity for truth and control to be extended from the human self to all other beings. Vision, however, is a fundamentally flawed sense. In the process of acknowledging this flaw and the capacities of other beings to know and to know us in ways we are entirely unable to comprehend, human supremacy is dissolved. This dissolution of supremacy and of the intrinsic relationship between the human and visuality-as-mastery facilitates a reorientation of the human as embedded within living and non-living systems. Derrida explores the relationships between 'the human' and 'the animal' and suggests that in the process of seeing one another's vulnerability, a re-adjustment of current oppressive ethical considerations of non-human animals can occur. From here there is another avenue that increases the parameters for ethical consideration: that of mutual recognition. In deconstructing the parameters of 'the human' through questioning the very reliability of its perception of the world, the 'I', the self, fails to exist. With this lack of existence, the reliance on external recognition by other beings permits some semblance of solidity in the wash of connections between the 'self ' and the world. It is these connections, these permeable boundaries that should be prized above all others. And with this the act of reducing these boundaries and connections is a process of reducing the self, a process not enacted lightly. This reconceptualisation of relations between beings, between 'animals' and 'humans', creates a fundamental shift away from oppression and towards a valuing of extended networks of the self; this is where animal rights dialogue should be focusing.


To be tractable and robust to data noise, existing metric learning algorithms commonly rely on PCA as a pre-processing step. How can we know, however, that PCA, or any other specific dimensionality reduction technique, is the method of choice for the problem at hand? The answer is simple: We cannot! To address this issue, in this paper, we develop a Riemannian framework to jointly learn a mapping performing dimensionality reduction and a metric in the induced space. Our experiments evidence that, while we directly work on high-dimensional features, our approach yields competitive runtimes with and higher accuracy than state-of-the-art metric learning algorithms.


Statutory interpretation involves the reconstruction of the meaning of a legal statement when it cannot be considered as accepted or granted. This phenomenon needs to be considered not only from the legal and linguistic perspective, but also from the argumentative one - which focuses on the strategies for defending a controversial or doubtful viewpoint. This book draws upon linguistics, legal theory, computing, and dialectics to present an argumentation-based approach to statutory interpretation. By translating and summarizing the existing legal interpretative canons into eleven patterns of natural arguments - called argumentation schemes - the authors offer a system of argumentation strategies for developing, defending, assessing, and attacking an interpretation. Illustrated through major cases from both common and civil law, this methodology is summarized in diagrams and maps for application to computer sciences. These visuals help make the structures, strategies, and vulnerabilities of legal reasoning accessible to both legal professionals and laypeople.


Peripheral neurotoxicity is a major complication associated with the use of chemotherapeutic agents such as platinum compounds, taxanes and vinca alkaloids. The neurotoxicity of chemotherapy depends not only on the anticancer agent(s) used, the cumulative dose and the delivery method, but also on the capacity of the nerve to cope with the nerve-damaging process. The sensory and motor symptoms and signs of neurotoxicity are disabling, and have a significant impact on the quality of life of cancer patients. Moreover, the risk of cumulative toxicity may limit the use of highly effective chemotherapeutic agents. Therefore, prophylaxis and treatment of peripheral neurotoxicity secondary to chemotherapy are major clinical issues. Acetyl-L-carnitine (ALC), the acetyl ester of L-carnitine, plays an essential role in intermediary metabolism. Some of the properties exhibited by ALC include neuroprotective and neurotrophic actions, antioxidant activity, positive actions on mitochondrial metabolism, and stabilisation of intracellular membranes. ALC has demonstrated efficacy and high tolerability in the treatment of neuropathies of various aetiologies, including chemotherapy-induced peripheral neuropathy (CIPN). In several experimental settings, the prophylactic administration of ALC prevented the occurrence of peripheral neurotoxicity commonly induced by chemotherapeutic agents. In animal models of CIPN, ALC administration promoted the recovery of nerve conduction velocity, restored the mechanical nociceptive threshold, and induced analgesia by up-regulating the expression of type-2 metabotropic glutamate receptors in dorsal root ganglia. These results, plus the favourable safety profile of ALC in neuropathies of other aetiologies, have led to the effects of ALC on CIPN being investigated in cancer patients. Preliminary results have confirmed the reasonably good tolerability profile and the efficacy of ALC on CIPN. The present studies support the use of ALC in cancer patients with persisting neurotoxicity induced by paclitaxel or cisplatin treatment.


Tympanomastoid surgery constitutes the vast majority of procedures performed by otologists. Intra-operatively, identifying the facial nerve is always a challenge. We present an unusual case of fibrous connective tissue mimicking a facial nerve variant during cholesteatoma surgery. The variant was inadvertently damaged during surgery, and we feared devastating complications; however, the pathology revealed that it was not the actual facial nerve. This case is important, in that it serves as a reminder for otologists to be aware of the many possible presentations of the facial nerve in otologic surgery.


Abstract Field collections at more than 2900 sites and the examination of many museum collections and literature allowed me to map the historical and current distribution of several freshwater molluscan faunal groups in the Intermountain region of the United States (Great Basin, Colorado River drainage basin, and upper Snake River sub-basin). Historical and current records show that Margaritifera falcata, Anodonta californiensis, and Ferrissia rivularis have drainage-specific distributions, while Valvata utahensis has a specific drainage pattern, and V. californica (new combination) has a dispersed pattern. Shell morphometric data of Valvata and Ferrissia show extensive shell variation between and within populations. Current surveys show that these molluscan populations have been reduced since the colonization by European descendants over the last 150 years. Margaritifera falcata was found to be extirpated from eastern California, Nevada, and Utah and was common in only 1 stream. Anodonta californiensis populations of 10 or more individuals occurred in only 2 of 13 drainages, as well as in 1 isolated spring. Valvata californica was extirpated in 7 of 10 lakes. Ferrissia rivularis was very rare in 6 of 12 drainages. Range declines among these fauna are thought to be related to alterations of habitat caused by grazing, irrigation, and urbanization, as well as the intensive management of sport fish in these waters.


Abstract Approximately 50% of world's hydrocarbon resources lay in carbonate reservoirs. The main challenges involved in producing them are their natural complexity and strong geological heterogeneities. To help reducing these uncertainties, Total Research Center in Qatar (TRC-Q), as QSTP member, conducts research around two important activities, namely, acid stimulation and petroleum geochemistry. Acid Stimulation: Matrix Acid Stimulation is a technique used to increase production from Oil and Gas wells by injecting acid that creates wormholes at the reservoir-wellbore interface. Targeted wells are in carbonate reservoirs from Qatar and the Middle East. To help improving its expertise and that of its partners, TRC-Q runs a research project using Total Group's expertise along with testing facilities, and collaboration with local partners. The testing activities focus mainly on coreflooding with live acids in reservoir conditions. Experimental results help to select acid recipes, elaborate engineering design and feed simulation tools. The final objective is to transfer operational guidelines to local partners thanks to better insights in carbonate acidising. Experiments have started with acid core-flooding tests. Results show the respective ability of various acid recipes to stimulate rock samples with different permeabilities. Petroleum Geochemistry: Petroleum geochemistry plays an important role in many areas of hydrocarbons' exploration and production. An important aspect of reservoir management consists of inferring the geological continuity within a reservoir to help the placement of additional wells. Determination of reservoir continuity, commingling of hydrocarbons from different sources and production allocation are possible by using different petroleum geochemical techniques known as Hydrocarbon Fingerprinting. TRC-Q leading edge research provides high-end analytical expertise in petroleum geochemistry. TRC-Q laboratories have installed state-of-the-art analytical instruments capable of precision measurements in chromatography of liquid and gaseous samples as well as stable isotopes in solid, liquid and gaseous samples. With both research and industry applications, the new laboratories provide an excellent environment for all petroleum geochemistry needs, especially, but not only, hydrocarbon fingerprinting, to differentiate samples derived from different producing horizons. Both acid stimulation and geochemistry labs are also used to train and develop local staff on these important petroleum technologies.


From a historical point of view, the new understanding of the relationship between the Catholic Church and the Jewish people was the catalyst for the Second Vatican Council to elaborate a declaration on the non-Christian religions. This is not a mere accident. The Jewish-Christian relationship does, even from a systematic point of view, play a paradigmatic, critical and corrective function for a Christian theology of religions. It has a character sui generis , for Judaism constitutes the Other within Christian self-identity. The Jewish-Christian relationship helps to formulate the meaning of the particular in the discussion of the universal Christian claim of truth and salvation when facing other religions. Furthermore, it prevents a theology of religion from sliding into abstract, non-historical and purely speculative definitions. Normally, Christology and especially the theology of Incarnation guarantees it, but they have to be linked themselves back to the messianic idea of Judaism and the history of salvation where the Church itself recognizes the unrevoked covenant between God and Israel. Only a theology of religions that recognizes the lasting challenge of the Jewish faith for Christian identity will have overcome anti-Judaism at its roots.


An experimental study of the effect of strain rate on the stability of granular soils at high pressures has shown that there is no apparent effect on the location of the instability line. However, during undrained triaxial compression tests the deviator stress, effective stress path, effective stress friction angle, and pore pressures are significantly affected by changes in strain rate. Strain rate effects during drained triaxial compression tests are also presented, but do not appear to be as significant as in undrained tests.


This study investigates the effect of organic nutrient perturbation on the dynamics of marine microbial communities, adopting three different approaches. A field study was conducted on the west coast of Scotland, in two contrasting locations, including a fish farm anticipated as a point source of organic nutrients. Data collected from the stations sampled revealed that the marine microbial communities were highly dynamic. The comparison of the physico-chemical and biological variables measured at each station indicated that the abundances, diversities and productions of planktonic micro-organisms varied in time and space. These marine microbes also demonstrated strong ecological interactions such as competition or predation. The dissolved organic matter (DOM) was revealed to originate from various sources with production by phytoplankton being dominant. Laboratory based experiments were conducted to complement field observations and test different hypotheses, such as the effect of substrate organic stoichiometry on the growth of bacteria and their grazers, the effect of DOM produced by nutrient-stressed phytoplankton on the bacterioplankton dynamics or the factors limiting the natural microbial communities. These experiments highlighted the key role of bacteria within the microbial loop, efficiently regenerating DOM into inorganic nutrients, the importance of the quality and stoichiometry of the DOM in controlling bacterial growth. Additionally in these experiments, the manipulation of size-fractionated microbial food webs revealed the importance of micro-grazers in controlling the bacterioplankton dynamics. Finally, mathematical modelling was used to synthesise the field and experimental observations and to simulate ecological interactions concurrent to organic nutrient variations. An existing model was modified to include the bacterioplankton component as well as a more adequate DOM pool representation.


Our current dietary pattern especially animal source food (ASF), has a strong impact on the environment. Furthermore, in Europe, daily consumption of ASF protein is above dietary recommendation, resulting in an increased risk of chronic non-communicable diseases.The aim of this deliverable was to identify innovations that together can result in a pathway towards sustainable nutrition security by combining production-side strategies (reducing the environmental impact per kg of ASF produced), consumption-side strategies (changing consumption patterns of humans by reducing or replacing ASF), and the circular strategie, (focus on improving the circularity of the food system, and avoiding feed-food competition, and lies in between the production and consumption-side strategies). The paper identifies a set of innovations that has the potential to deliver a pathway towards sustainble healthy diets. These innovations comprise: including insects in livestock and fish feed; reducing meat intake and replacing beef with other ASF products including fish, and including novel protein source e.g. in-vitro meat; a circular strategy centred around using products unfit for human consumption in livestock feed. Data is presented that supports the assessment of the impact of these innovation options on the contribution of ASF in a sustainable and healthy diet, using the SUSFANS toolbox. Similar to this the role of captured seafood - fishing at equilibrium (sustainable yields)- in a suitable diet will be assessed.


Biorefining of plant feedstocks into fuels and specialty chemicals, using biological conversion, requires the solubilization of lignocellulosics into simpler oligomeric compounds. However, non-pretreated woody biomass has shown high resistance to hydrolysis by cellulolytic microbes or purified cellulases. We investigate the limited solubilization of Populus deltoides by the cellulolytic thermophile Clostridium thermocellum in the absence of solute inhibitors. Compared to control samples, fermented poplar revealed that the hydrolysis of carbohydrates in secondary cell walls ceased prematurely as the presence of lignin increased at the surface. In quantitative fluorescence colocalization analysis by confocal laser scanning microscopy, the Manders' coefficient of the fractional overlap between lignin and cellulose signals increased from an average of 0.67 to a near-maximum of 0.92 in fermented tissue. Chemical imaging by time-of-flight secondary ion mass spectrometry revealed a 49% decline in surface cellulose and a compensatory 30% and 11% increase in surface S- and G-lignin, respectively. Although 72% of the initial glucan was still present in the lignocellulose matrix of this feedstock, subsequent treatments with cell-free purified cellulases did not significantly restore hydrolysis. This confirmed that biomass surfaces had become non-productive for the C. thermocellum hydrolytic exoproteome. This study provides direct evidence for an explicit definition of feedstock recalcitrance, whereby depletion of surface carbohydrate increases lignin exposure which leads to inhibition of enzyme activity, while the bulk residual biomass retains significant undigested carbohydrate content. The analysis presented here establishes a novel method for the quantitation of lignocellulose recalcitrance.


Summary

The ploidy level of 10 diploid and 10 induced triploid tench, Tinca tinca, was verified using flow cytometry to determine relative DNA content of DAPI-stained erythrocyte nuclei. The C-value (haploid nuclear DNA content; pgDNA nucleus−1) of these same individuals was determined by means of Feulgen image analysis densitometry, in comparison to the chicken (Gallus gallus domesticus; 1.25 pg P < 0.05) standard, using three different approaches. Highly similar mean C-values were obtained, thus confirming the possibility of using tench blood as a frequently used standard in European pond aquaculture for ploidy determination in fishes.


Restorative practices now appeal to the contemporary politician. Policies and practices are being reformed using the paradigm of restorative justice. However, little research has been done on its historical roots. Many have even claimed that restorative practices do not have a history at all. Through a review of historical and contemporary sources, this article challenges this claim. The paper provides a brief historical account of restorative practices stretching from the acephalous societies until the 1970s. Four eras are identified in the fall and rise of restorative justice through time. A historical debate and further academic research on restorative justice is warranted. The implications of a more informed understanding of the history of restorative practices are significant for their implementation in contemporary society.


The mysterious quatrains of the sixteenth-century French astrologer Nostradamus have long proved captivating for their predictions. Nostradamus has been credited with anticipating the Great Fire of London, the rise of Adolf Hitler, and the September 11 terrorist attacks. Today, as the world grapples with financial meltdowns, global terrorism, and environmental disasters - as well as the Mayan prediction of the apocalypse on December 12, 2012 - his prophecies of doom have assumed heightened relevance. How has "The Prophecies" outlasted most books from the Renaissance? This edition considers its legacy in terms of the poetics of the quatrains, published here in a brilliant new translation and with introductory material and notes mapping the cultural, political, and historical forces that resonate throughout Nostradamus' epic, giving it its visionary power.


Tourism is the world's largest industry, and ecotourism is rapidly emerging as its fastest growing segment. As interest in nature travel increases, so does concern for conservation of the environment and the well-being of local peoples and cultures. Appalachia seems an ideal destination for ecotourists, with its rugged mountains, uniquely diverse forests, wild rivers, and lively arts culture. And ecotourism promises much for the region: protecting the environment while bringing income to disadvantaged communities. But can these promises be kept? "Ecotourism in Appalachia" examines both the potential and the threats that tourism holds for Central Appalachia. The authors draw lessons from destinations that have suffered from the "tourist trap syndrome," including Nepal and Hawaii. They conclude that only carefully regulated and locally controlled tourism can play a positive role in Appalachia's economic development.


BACKGROUND
Professional biobanks become increasingly important for fostering personalized medicine. While setting up and operating a high-quality collection of biomaterial specimens, biobank managers must face several challenges concerning quality management.

OBJECTIVES
Designing and implementing a data management, which ensures patient's privacy and simultaneously provides researchers with all relevant patient information, is particularly demanding. The requirements of all involved stakeholders must be considered without impairing the biobank's efficiency.

METHODS
To link biomaterial samples to medical data documented in different contexts, an asymmetric encryption scheme with pseudonymization for existing clinical identifiers was implemented.

RESULTS
The presented pseudonymization scheme allows establishing a comprehensive flow for pseudonymized data for biomaterial samples.

CONCLUSION
Most of the content stored in clinical databases, except for personally identifying data, can be evaluated, combined with individually documented medical data and associated this to a biomaterial sample without revealing personally identifying data.


The main objective of the present study is to analyse the implications of shifting from free allocation to auctioning of EU ETS allowances (EUAs) for the power sector in the Netherlands. In order to achieve this objective, this study has used three methodological approaches, including theoretical, empirical and model analyses of the impact of free allocations versus auctioning of EUAs on the power sector, notably in the Netherlands. In addition, as Combined Heat and Power (CHP) plays a major role in the electricity sector of the Netherlands, the present study also pays some particular attention to the implications of shifting from free allocation to EUA auctioning for the CHP sector in the Netherlands.


WNK1-dependent phosphorylation of an ion transporter ensures that immature neurons are stimulated, rather than inhibited, by the neurotransmitter GABA. This Podcast features an interview with Kristopher Kahle, author of a Research Article that appears in the 30 June 2015 issue of Science Signaling, about how the kinase WNK1 helps ensure that the neurotransmitter GABA stimulates rather than inhibits neuronal activity in immature neurons. The neurotransmitter GABA causes immature neurons to depolarize, which provokes firing. In mature neurons, GABA instead causes the cells to hyperpolarize, which suppresses firing. Whether GABA causes depolarization or hyperpolarization depends on the concentration of Cl- inside the neurons. After birth, the concentration of Cl- inside neurons decreases, which switches GABA signaling from being excitatory to being inhibitory. Friedel et al. demonstrate that the kinase WNK1 phosphorylates and inhibits the K+-Cl- cotransporter KCC2 to help immature neurons maintain a high intracellular chloride concentration so that GABA stimulates, rather than inhibits, these neurons. Listen to Podcast


Abstract In this paper, we investigate the problem of how to combine operational losses collected from various banks of different sizes and loss reporting thresholds in order to estimate the distribution of operational loss severities for a bank of a given size. We model the severity of operational losses by using the extreme value theory to account for the reporting bias of the external data, and a regression analysis based on the GAMLSS framework to model the scaling properties of operational losses. In contrast to previous studies on the scaling problem, our analysis gives particular emphasis to the scaling properties of the tail of the loss distribution. Contrary to existing knowledge, we find that the size of a bank is an important determinant of the severity of operational losses and that the tail index of the distribution is negatively correlated with the size of the bank. The results indicate that for very large banks, distribution of the operational loss severity can be extremely heavy tailed (i.e. tail index less than 1), a finding which have significant implications for capital calculation as well as for risk management. Furthermore, we also demonstrate that the capital estimates provided by our model is consistent with the industry standards and the model can be used by individual banks to simulate data to complement their internal data.


Plastic explosives, such as Semtex and C4, are commonly used explosive mixtures. The differentiation and detection of the plasticizers within these mixtures could provide information for anti-terrorism and combat activities. In this study, we demonstrate a strategy of using cross-reactive serum albumin proteins to differentiate and detect the plasticizers found within these explosive mixtures. With our sensing ensemble, comprised of serum albumins, fluorescent indicators and an additive, we successfully classified the five plasticizers found within Semtex and C4 using linear discriminate analysis, and differentiated simulated Semtex and C4 mixtures based on surrogates of the explosive material(s) and the plasticizer composition in these samples. Finally, we have shown the utility of this type of cross-reactive array for real life use in a battlefield setting by examining these mixtures in the presence of soil contamination.


Abstract. This work is part of LandSense European H2020 project aiming to build a citizen platform for monitoring Land Use and Land Cover (LULC) data by integrating different types of information such as citizens-contributed data and proposing a set of services (Matheus et al., 2018). One of the pilot studies proposed in LandSense is to monitor urban dynamics to complement authoritative data sources. In this context, one of the goals of the French Mapping Agency (IGN France) is to study the potential of volunteered geographic information (VGI) (Goodchild, 2007) to enrich and update LULC authoritative database by engaging with citizens and several public authorities. The targeted database is OCS-GE containing LULC data (vector polygons) which is produced by IGN France for a 1 : 5.000 scale use. A specificity of OCS-GE database is that both classes LU and LC are assigned to each polygon. Two distinct nomenclatures are in fact defined, each one containing three hierarchical levels. Though in the database, some of the classes are merged due to lack of in-situ information. It is especially the case for some LU classes. Another characteristic is that the database is dated (i.e. represents LULC at a given year) without intermediate versions between two releases (generally every 3 years). Thus, in this context three needs are identified:Detect LULC changes in order to facilitate updates in the next dated version of OCS-GE.Improve LULC data by dividing the merged classes in the database to better match the nomenclature.Update LULC data corresponding to the year of the OCS-GE (for the moment 2013 and 2016).


As part of the National Fire and Fire Surrogate Study, we measured the short-term effects of different fuel- management practices on leaf litter decomposition and soil respiration in loblolly pine stands on the upper Piedmont of South Carolina. These stands had been subjected to a factorial arrangement of experimental fuel-management treatments that included prescribed burning, selective thinning, and a combination of thinning and burning. First-year results indicated that decomposition of leaf litter was significantly slower in thinned stands than in burned or control stands, and that nitrogen dynamics were variable over time in thinned and burned stands relative to controls. Soil respiration was lower in burned stands than in control or thinned stands, possibly due to fire-induced reductions in potentially mineralizable carbon pools in the forest floor. These results suggest that carbon and nitrogen dynamics are significantly altered by thinning and burning, but these alterations are manifested in fundamentally different ways.


Background: Caesalpinia bonduc (L.) Roxb are traditionally used in Indonesia to treat various diseases, but still limited study about different part of this plant. Objective: The aim of this study was to screen the phytochemicals, to evaluate the total flavonoid and total phenolic contents as well as antioxidant activity of ethanol extract of root, stem, leaves, and seed kernel of C. bonduc. Methods: Each part of plant were extracted by reflux using 70% ethanol as the solvent for 2 h and repeated 3 times. Total flavonoid content was determined by aluminium chloride colorimetric assay on 415 nm. Total phenolic content was determined with Folin-Ciocalteu 1:4 on 765 nm using microplate reader. Antioxidant activity was determined using 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) free radical scavenger methods. Results: Phytochemical screening showed that all of samples positively contain flavonoid and saponin. Total flavonoid content was the highest in leaf and the lowest in root whereas total phenols content was highest in leaf and the lowest in seed kernel. The crude extracts displayed DPPH free radical scavenging activity with highest value in leaf extract followed by root, stem, and seed kernel. Conclusion: The 70% ethanol leaf extract of C. bonduc showed the highest yield, total flavonoid content and total phenolic content among other parts investigated. Moreover, leaf extract has highest DPPH free radical scavenging activity (79.802 μg/ml) which could be related to its higher phenolic content.


ABSTRACT In this paper we deal with Hobbes's elucidation of the political conflict caused by rebellious groups. First of all, we attempt to prove that groups are important characters in Hobbesian antagonisms. Secondly, it will be argued that the isomorphic structure that underlies all associations is vital to account for these disputes. To wit, the fact that minor corporate bodies are 'similar' vis à vis the State leaves a lengthy flank open to rebellion, since this homology may encourage their leaders to compare themselves with the sovereign and to challenge his or her power. Whereas the inclusion of this trait may seem at face value paradoxical to Hobbes's absolute order project, we shall contend that it is actually a way of ascribing responsibility to the leaders of rebellious groups. Furthermore, as a subsidiary hypothesis, it will be claimed that the centrality of the theory of represented corporations is a result of Hobbes's aim to erase, not rebellion as such, but only its tumultuous setup.


ABSTRACT This study takes a valuation perspective to study how and where products and innovations are gaining 'economic significance' in the contemporary economy. Building on a recent research stream in economic geography and urban and regional studies, it highlights that the economic value of many products is not formed within production systems alone, but relies on co-constructed connections between production and consumption systems, playing out across multiple geographies. It distinguishes between three types of economic valuation pathways – namely technical, experiential and identity-based – which although analytically distinct may actually build and reinforce one another. This approach is empirically illustrated with the case of the surf-related economy in the city of San Sebastian (Basque Country, Spain), which is used to make a broader point about the growing relevance of a valuation approach to understand competitive advantage and economic renewal in localized production systems.


We present observations of the Auriga–California Molecular Cloud (AMC) at 3.6, 4.5, 5.8, 8.0, 24, 70, and 160 μm observed with the IRAC and MIPS detectors as part of the Spitzer Gould Belt Legacy Survey. The total mapped areas are 2.5 deg2 with IRAC and 10.47 deg2 with MIPS. This giant molecular cloud is one of two in the nearby Gould Belt of star-forming regions, the other being the Orion A Molecular Cloud (OMC). We compare source counts, colors, and magnitudes in our observed region to a subset of the SWIRE data that was processed through our pipeline. Using color–magnitude and color–color diagrams, we find evidence for a substantial population of 166 young stellar objects (YSOs) in the cloud, many of which were previously unknown. Most of this population is concentrated around the LkHα 101 cluster and the filament extending from it. We present a quantitative description of the degree of clustering and discuss the relative fraction of YSOs in earlier (Class I and F) and later (Class II) classes compared to other clouds. We perform simple SED modeling of the YSOs with disks to compare the mid-IR properties to disks in other clouds and identify 14 classical transition disk candidates. Although the AMC is similar in mass, size, and distance to the OMC, it is forming about 15–20 times fewer stars.


The initiation phase is the rate-limiting step in protein synthesis where messenger ribonucleic acid (mRNA), initiator-transfer RNA (tRNA) and ribosomal subunits are assembled together in the presence of specific initiation factors. This process is the target for a diverse subset of antibiotics that inhibit the initiation step in a variety of different ways. Dissecting the mechanism of action of these antibiotics has provided insight not only into their inhibitory action but also into the process of translation initiation itself. With the dramatic increase in resistance of bacterial strains to many clinically relevant antibiotics, the discovery of improved inhibitors is becoming more important. Because the known initiation inhibitors bind to distinct regions of the ribosome compared with clinically used antibiotics, revisiting the initiation inhibitors may open new avenues to the development of novel antimicrobial agents.

Key Concepts:

Initiation of protein synthesis in bacteria operates through a 30S pre-initiation complex.

Aurintricarboxylic acid is a nonspecific compound that in vitro at least can prevent translation initiation by perturbing binding of mRNA to the small ribosomal subunit.

Kasugamycin binds within the path of the mRNA on the small subunit to prevent correct interaction between initiator tRNA and start codon to prevent translation initiation.

Binding of edeine to the small subunit induces base pair formation between G795 and C693 and prevents binding of initiator tRNA to the small subunit.

Pactamycin binds in the E-site in the path of the mRNA and prevents the first translocation reaction in a tRNA-dependent fashion.

Evernimicin binds to the large subunit and prevents IF2-dependent formation of the 70S initiation complex.

The tetrapeptide GE81112 binds to the 30S subunit to inhibit 30S initiation complex formation.

Antibiotics that inhibit translation also induce ribosomal assembly defects.

Keywords:

antibiotics;
initiation;
ribosomes;
RNA;
antibiotic resistance


The Google Accelerated Mobile Pages (AMP) project has gained lot of interest from content providers as a means to improve user experience. It introduces a number of innovations to streamline the downloading, parsing and rendering of pages. Google recently announced the hosting of more than 2B+ web pages, covering more than 900K domains. Due to the constrained nature of Internet connectivity in developing regions, AMP offers particularly exciting potential for improving web user experience in these countries. This paper provides a first look at Google's AMP performance in Africa. We start by outlining the current web infrastructure provisioning in Africa, using local news websites as a case study. Discovering a sparse and low performance environment, we then evaluate the benefits that AMP can introduce in terms of accessibility to local content in developing regions. This study reveals that in Africa, AMP is able to reduce page load time and page size by a factor of 3 and 8 respectively. However, AMP is not a neutral technology as the search engine favours content that is using Google AMP. This raises an important question of search neutrality.


The Drosophila Prat gene encodes phosphoribosylamidotransferase (PRAT), the enzyme that performs the first committed step of the de novo purine nucleotide biosynthesis pathway. Using information from amino acid sequence alignments of PRAT from other organisms, a polymerase chain reaction-based approach was employed to clone Prat. Amino acid sequence alignment of Drosophila PRAT with PRAT from bacteria, yeast, and vertebrates indicates that it is most identical (at least 60%) to the vertebrate PRATs. It shares putative amino-terminal propeptide and iron-binding domains seen only in Bacillus subtilis and vertebrate PRATs. Prat was localized to the right arm of chromosome 3 at polytene band 84E1-2. Owing to the fact that this region had been well characterized previously, Prat was localized to a 30-kilobase region between two deficiency breakpoints. By making the prediction that Prat would have a similar "purine syndrome" phenotype as mutations in the genes ade2 and ade3, which encode enzymes downstream in the pathway, five alleles of Prat were isolated. Three of the alleles were identified as missense mutations. A comparison of PRAT enzyme activity with phenotype in three of the mutants indicates that a reduction to 40% of the wild-type allele's activity is sufficient to cause the purine syndrome, suggesting that PRAT activity is limiting in Drosophila.


The objective of the thesis is to study, through a critical constructivist analysis, the conception and practice of security by humanitarian international aid agencies (IAAs), with particular reference to their relation with private military and security companies (PMSCs).
The research provides a qualitative analysis of humanitarian security, which is defined as the practice of safely accessing vulnerable populations for humanitarian purposes. Its methodology relies on semi-structured interviews, including in Afghanistan and Haiti; participant observation; and a literature review. The thesis' critical constructivist approach implies studying the co-constitution of aid organizations' identity and interests. It argues that IAAs' identity and approaches to security are mutually shaped. It does so by first highlighting dominant discourses framing aid agencies' identity and processes by which particular views are reproduced. It then identifies the dominant representations in security management and reveals how they relate to IAAs' identity.
The thesis defines three ideal–types of IAAs (Deontological, Solidarist and Utilitarian) and of PMSCs (Guarding, Unarmed, and Weaponised). This typology allows a dissecting of IAAs' different conceptions and practices of security, and the conditions under which each type of IAA employs PMSCs. The research reveals that an aid agency's identity forms the basis of its approach to security. Identity and security, are however, not stable but dynamic and in a constant process of interaction with each other. The thesis then offers a study of these dynamic processes, with a focus on agents.
The thesis delves into the implications of the research for the concept of security and reveals how humanitarian security embodies IAAs' distinctive baggage. It suggests that IAAs require a more comprehensive understanding of how their identity and practices affect their security. The thesis' original contribution is two-fold: it represents the first critical constructivist study of humanitarian security practices and is the first research to study humanitarian organizations as referent objects of security.


Abstract Summary
Preliminary data have been presented on a new and economically important nematode disease of captive monkeys. The parasite is described, and considered to be identical with Protospirura muricola, which is normally parasitic in the stomach of rats. Three monkeys (Cebus capucinus, Ateles dariensis, and Aotus zonalis) are recorded as new hosts for this parasite.
Most of the fatalities from protospiruriasis have occurred among the Cebus monkeys, whose dietary habits are especially favorable to the acquisition of heavy worm burdens. Normally, the worms live in the esophagus and stomach; rarely they were encountered in the duodenum and body cavity. Injury to the host is the result of obstruction, tissue invasion, pressure action, and secondary infection.
The cockroach, Leucophaea maderae (F.), serves as intermediate host. The infective larvae are contained in cysts which are found mainly in the thorax around the crop and at the bases of the large muscles of the first pair of legs. The morphology of this larva is described.
A reduction in cockroach population was suggested as a preventive measure.


Recently, there are many people who ignore health concerns especially in their eating habits. This has made the number of diseases found in society, especially non-communicable diseases (NCDs) such as diabetes, hypertension, and cancer drastically increase every year. The number of patients having these diseases, could be reduced by paying more attention to the food that they eat and nutrition that they receive. Accordingly, the researchers would like to propose FoodForCare, an Android application for self-care with healthy food. The main purpose is to help users have better eating habits and a healthier lifestyle. FoodForCare provides functions for users to keep their daily personal health and food records of food intake. The users can see an analysis of nutrition and calories per day and whether it is sufficient or not. This application can give an overview on food calories and nutrition so that they can eat wisely. Finally, the development of this application hopes to help Thai people in order to manage their total nutrition and calories taken for a healthier lifestyle and will directly decrease the number of people who are getting diseases caused from a disorder of food and nutrition.


Recent debate in Higher Education (HE) has attempted to identify the legitimate components at the core of academic scholarship. Teaching and research, are recognized activities of modern academia; although their nexus is at times questioned. This paper seeks to understand the role of a rising academic activity, academic consultancy, and to portray its impact onto HE. A two-stage research design including a web-based survey and semi-structured interviews was implemented to gather the experiences and perceptions of academics in information technology/information systems/information management (IT/IS/IM) in the United Kingdom (UK). The findings reveal that the majority of consultancy activities undertaken by the study participants are of small scale, of technical nature and in areas strongly related to the research interest of the academics in questions. Although a shared understanding of what consultancy is can be found among academics, the perception of how consultancy impacts teaching practices and research differs significantly within research-led or teaching-led universities. Such findings are significant as they portray entrepreneurship as a contributing factor that may help universities to shape their policy, culture and structure.


Brain storm optimization (BSO) is a young and promising population-based swarm intelligence algorithm inspired by the human process of brainstorming. The BSO algorithm has been successfully applied to both science and engineering issues. However, thus far, most BSO algorithms are prone to fall into local optima when solving complicated optimization problems. In addition, these algorithms adopt complicated clustering strategies, such as K-means clustering, resulting in large computational burdens. This paper proposes a simple BSO algorithm with a periodic quantum learning strategy (SBSO-PQLS), which includes three new strategies developed to improve the defects described above. First, we develop a simple individual clustering strategy that sorts individuals according to their fitness values and then allocates all individuals into different clusters. This reduces computational burdens and resists premature convergence. Second, we present a simple individual updating strategy by simplifying the individual combinations and improving the step size function to enrich the diversity of newly generated individuals and reduce redundancy in the pattern for generating individuals. Third, a quantum-behaved individual updating with periodic learning (QBIU-PL) strategy is developed by introducing a quantum-behaved mechanism into SBSO-PQLS. QBIU-PL provides new momentum, enabling individuals to escape local optima. With the support of these three strategies, SBSO-PQLS effectively improves its global search capability and computational burdens. SBSO-PQLS is compared with seven other BSO variants, particle swarm optimization, and differential evolution on CEC2013 benchmark functions. The results show that SBSO-PQLS achieves a better global search performance than do the other nine algorithms.


Vinyl ester resins are being used extensively as matrices in fiber-reinforced polymer composite materials, but their use as a structural adhesive has been limited. Initial studies investigating the durability of a vinyl ester as a wood adhesive showed unsatisfactory performance in comparison with other adhesives. In this work, the glass-transition temperatures (Tg's) of a vinyl ester and a E-glass/vinyl ester composite material, fabricated by the Composites Pressure Resin Infusion System, were determined with dynamic mechanical thermal analysis. The results indicated that the resin cured under ambient conditions had a much lower Tg (∼60°C) than the postcured material (∼107°C). This suggested undercuring, that is, incomplete crosslinking, of the resin when it was cured at room temperature. E-glass/vinyl ester samples, however, showed virtually no difference in Tg between room-temperature-cured and postcured samples. The exact reasons for this are not currently known but are thought to be both mechanical and chemical in nature. On the basis of the findings presented in this article, it can be concluded that if this vinyl ester resin is to be used as a structural adhesive, postcuring or formulation to ensure a high degree of crosslinking under ambient conditions is necessary. © 2005 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci 97: 2221–2229, 2005


Two of the most widely adopted models of human resource management are the hard and soft versions. These are based on opposing views of human nature and managerial control strategies. The hard model is based on notions of tight strategic control, and an economic model of man according to Theory X, while the soft model is based on control through commitment and Theory Y. We argue that because these assumptions are so divergent, they cannot both properly be incorporated within a single model of human resource management. Eight in-depth case studies were carried out, involving questionnaires, interviews and focus groups in order to find out whether organizations were practising either form of HRM. We found that no pure examples of either form existed. The paper concludes that the rhetoric adopted by Ae companies frequendy embraces the tenets of the soft, commitment model, while the reaUty experienced by employees is more concerned with strategic control, similar to the hard model. This distinction between rhetoric and reality needs to be taken into account in conceptualizations of human resource management.


Professor Gugliuzza's article, Rethinking Federal Circuit Jurisdiction, 1 is a massive piece of scholarship inquiring into the jurisdiction of the United States Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit and proposing jurisdictional remedies in the hope of curing the Federal Circuit's problem with patent law. Specifically, Professor Gugliuzza proposes to transfer much of the subject-matter jurisdiction of the Federal Circuit other than its exclusive patent jurisdiction to other courts and to fill the resulting void with appealed nonpatent cases, particularly commercial cases that involve business and economic issues, for example antitrust cases, 2 in the hope that the Federal Circuit will thereby become educated in the economics of innovation and establish patent law doctrines that foster innovation and avoid establishing patent law doctrines that impede and diminish innovation. 3


In light of a high HIV/AIDS prevalence rate among women in Zimbabwe, this study sought to
assess the extent to which the Zimbabwe Women's Resource Centre and Network (ZWRCN)
was effective in disseminating HIV/AIDS information to combat the pandemic among women.
Literature reviewed that in as much as information was crucial in the fight against HIV/AIDS;
there are other strategies that should be employed in combating HIV/AIDS to complement
information dissemination activities such as economic empowerment of women and promotion
of gender equality. The evaluation research design was used to accomplish the research
objectives. The population of the study consisted of thirty-five women and five ZWRCN staff.
Thirty out of the thirty-five women responded to a questionnaire whilst three out of five
ZWRCN staff members responded to an interview. The study revealed that most women did not
have access to HIV/AIDS information they needed. Where such information was available, it
was not based on formal needs assessment, hence, mostly irrelevant. The study recommended the
ZWRCN to engage in effective needs assessment as well as partnering with other organisations
whose mandate was gender and HIV/AIDS. The expected outcome of this recommendation was
hoped to ensure the reversal of the pandemic among women. Of major importance was the
introduction of outreach programmes where officers would collect, document and provide access
to the needed information.


Salinity is one of environmental stresses in the world and especially in arid lands and desert that reduces production of plants and it is important to choose salt-resistant plants in all life stages, especially germination. The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of seed source (provenance ) on germination and morphological traits of Amygdalus elaegnifolia saplings undersalt stress. The experiment was carried out as factorial in completely randomized design withthree replicates. Seed source (FereydonShahr, Kazeron and Semirom) and salinity treatment withfour levels (0, 1.5, 3 and 5 dSm -1 ) using NaCl were considered as first and second factors, respectively. The measured variables were germination percentage, germination rate, vigor index, shoot length, radicle length, shoot wet weight, radicle wet weight, shoot dry weight, radicle dry weight, total leaf number, and radicle length/shoot length. The results of analysis of variance and mean comparison showed that salinity made significant differences in most of the investigated traits of Amygdalus elaegnifolia. In the control treatment of salinity, significant differences were found among the studied seed sources but the effect of seed sources was not significant in the other levels of salinity. In general, Fereydunshahr was the best of all studied provenances in non-saline conditions (control treatment).


This paper presents some preliminary findings about contact between the aged and their children based on a new survey of the aged and their children, entitled The Hebrew Rehabilitation Center for the Aged-NBER (HRC-NBER) Child Survey. Data on extended families is quite limited. The HRC-NBER Child Survey represents one of the few attempts to collect economic and demographic data on the elderly and their children. While these data will be used in future,research to test structural models of the living arrangements, the purposes of the current paper are to describe the survey and to examine contact between the elderly and their children. While our findings are preliminary and will be updated and expanded as we receive more data, it appears that a significant minority of the elderly, many of whom need assistance with the activities of daily living, have either no children or have only limited contact with their children. Contact between children and the vulnerable elderly appears to be less than that between children and the nonvulnerable elderly, and the amount of contact between children and the institutionalized elderly seems the least of all. In addition, although many of the parents in our data are very poor, financial support from children to parents, other than in the form of shared housing, is uncommon. The impression given by these data is that many of the elderly are very well cared for by their children, while a significant minority either have no children or have no children who provide significant time or care. Some of the findings for this sample are striking: (1) over a fifth of the elderly have no children. (2) over one half of the elderly either do not have a daughter or do not have a daughter who lives within an hour of them. (3) over half of single elderly males and females and over two fifths of vulnerable single elderly males and females live completely alone. (4) of the elderly who have children, fewer than a quarter live with their children. (5) a small fraction of elderly with children hear from them at most on a yearly basis. (6) almost 10 percent of the children of the elderly have at most yearly contact. (7) financial assistance from children to the elderly, even in cases where the elderly are quite poor, is extremely rare. (8) in a typical month over a quarter of elderly who have children do not physically spend time with their children.


In the 1990s the world witnessed the Information Technology (IT) revolution, which entirely changed the paradigm of the global economy. IT has since continued to develop and mobile platforms have become one of the most important markets, represented by the rise in e-commerce and the sharing economy. At the 2016 World Economic Forum, Klaus Schwab emphasized the rapid pace of technology advancement and used the phrase "Fourth Industrial Revolution" to illustrate how such advanced technologies are being applied to change the business paradigm once again. In the fourth industrial revolution, technological innovations are applied to manufacturing systems to enable the mass customization of various products. Governments, especially in advanced economies, are striving to adjust to this change in the paradigm and environment of business. This brief focuses on policies implemented in response to the fourth industrial revolution unfolding within major advanced economies such as the U.S., Germany and Japan, and their implications for the Korean government.


Critical linguistics, an area of study within linguistics that has developed since the 1970s, is discussed. Critical linguistics argues that different groups, societies, and ideologies have different understandings of reality because they classify and categorize with and through language in different ways. Therefore, meaning is not something contained within the words of discourse (that is, literature) but has to be formed within each user of the language. This concept is illustrated in the analysis of a simple English sentence, analyzed as it would be perceived and classified by the reader/"critic." It is proposed that heretofore, linguistic theory has focused too narrowly on understanding the system of language, resulting in too little attention paid to formation of meaning in discourse analysis. The apparent subjectivity of this kind of analysis, criticized by some, is seen as an essential element of understanding. It is argued that this new perspective calls fr.r a reconsideration of language teaching methodology, stressing the connections between linguistic structure and social structure and viewing language as ideology applicable to analysis of all forms of discourse. (MSE) AA**************************************************** * Reproductions supplied by EDRS are the best that can be made * * from the original document. * *********************************************************************** LANGUAGE, LITERATURE, AND CRITICAL PRACTICE


Europe needs improved competitiveness to escape the current economic malaise, so it might seem surprising that there is no common European definition of competitiveness, and no consensus on how to consistently measure it. To help address this situation, this Blueprint provides an inventory and an assessment of the data related to the measurement of competitiveness in Europe. It is intended as a handbook for researchers interested in measuring competiveness, and for policymakers interested in new and better measures of competitiveness. MAPCOMPETE has been designed to provide an assessment of data opportunities and requirements for the comparative analysis of competitiveness in European countries at the macro and the micro level. Visit www.mapcompete.eu to find out more about the project. The project's final conference will take place in May 2015.


The aim of this research is to investigate the current situation and the challenges facing the Palestinian economic development. The study will examine the hypothesis that economic development is not possible due to major obstacles facing the Palestinian economy. Some of these obstacles are exogenous: (The Israeli Obstacles, Dangers of decreasing the International Aids and Risk of continuous American Policy). The others are endogenous: (the absence of a comprehensive development visions and strategy. To the extant that many Palestinians perceive the PNA as corrupt and inefficient, Bureaucracy; stumble and nepotism, Labor Force and Problems of Investment and Creating Business). While the fundamental constrain to development of Palestinian economy related to the fact that Palestinian people do not have a real state; The Palestinian Territory is treated as a politically independent, as though it is the Palestinian aspirations, but the fact on the ground is different. The Palestinian territory has effectively remained since 1967, and even since the signing of the Oslo agreement in 1993, under the economic and political control of Israel. Not surprisingly, the Palestinian economy therefore depending on the Israel's criteria that can regulate in the light of its own sovereign interests. Assuming the removal of these obstacles, what will happen to the process of economic development? Various scenarios will be examined, under the assumption that some of these obstacles will be removed. What is the possible impact of removing some of these obstacles? The study will focus on major issues such as recent economic performance, the prospect of cooperation in the region


The thesis reviews structural and chemical properties of complex zinc, magnesium and beryllium hydrides. Least is known about complex zinc hydrides and this thesis records the results of a range of reactions between zinc dihydride and substrates containing acidic protons or unsaturated bonds. Zinc dihydride reacts with compounds containing N-H,O-H,S-H and P-H bonds. The hydride products ranged from dimers, in cases where intramolecular steric effects allowed this, to polymers where intramolecular coordination bonds could not be formed e.g. [m-Me[2]NC[6]H[4]OZnH][n]. Several unusual complex zinc hydrides were obtained, where the reacting substrate appeared to undergo condensation before reacting with the zinc dihydride e.g. a product with a stoichiometry of (C[9]H[17]O)[2]ZnH was obtained from the reaction of zinc dihyaride with camphor.Zinc dihydride was found to react unexpectedly with diethylamine. The expected product, (Et[2]NZnH)[x], was not obtained. Instead, a coordination polymer, [Et[2]NHZnH[2]] , was obtained. Attempts at trapping a monomeric Species from the reaction, using N,N,N;N'-tetramethylethylene-diamine failed. Zinc dihydride was found to undergo exchange with zinc chloride in the presence of donor solvents to give chlorozinc hydride complexes. In general, the structural features exhibited by complex zinc hydrides were, as expected, terminal zinc hydrogen bonds and four coordinate zinc in a tetrahedral environment. The reactivity of complex zinc hydrides towards ketones was intermediate to that of lithium tetrahydridoaluminate and zinc dihydride. This was explained on the basis of steric hindrance and electronic repulsion in the transition state. Addition of hydride took place at the carbonyl group in trans-cinnamaldehyde rather than at the alkene, while with phenylacetylene, matters were complicated by competing elimination reactions. Product distribution was controlled by steric effects in the complex zinc hydrides. A possible mechanism for the addition of [Me[2]NC[2]H[4]OZnH][2] to trans-2-pentene was advanced on the basis of kinetic experiments.


In this paper, I try to strike a brief balance concerning the discussion between Goldthorpe and his critics appeared in the second issue of Sociologica. After examining the main criticisms presented to Bourdieu's concept of cultural capital, I maintain that this notion is still a useful devise to construct a general theory of social stratification. Surely, the concept – especially in its first formulation in 1970 – lacks precision and is pervaded to a certain extent by ideological biases. Nevertheless, Bourdieu's theory of social mobility places power as the central key to sociological analysis, and this aspect makes his approach a valuable and fruitful contribution.


Severe malaria is a global problem, claiming at least 1 million lives annually. Few adequately powered clinical studies have been directed at improving the management of severe malaria over the years, but this situation is slowly changing. The antimalarial treatment of severe disease is being transformed by the development and deployment of the water-soluble artemisinin derivative artesunate. Parenteral artesunate is now the treatment of choice in low-transmission areas and in the 2nd and 3rd trimesters of pregnancy, and research is underway into whether it should replace quinine as the treatment of choice in African children. Development of good manufacturing practice (GMP) formulations should make parenteral artesunate more widely available in the near future. The development of artesunate suppositories offers another exciting prospect, the ability to treat patients with severe disease in remote rural settings, delaying the evolution of disease and buying them time to reach a health care facility. No adjunctive therapy has been shown to improve the outcome of severe malaria, but most studies have been underpowered. Future trials of interventions shown to be promising in pilot studies should be large and adequately powered. This will require multi-center designs and necessitate close collaboration between groups, as well as agreement on the research agenda. We suggest a list of candidate interventions for debate.


Although invertebrates are known to sense and show behavioral responses to concentrations of CO2 similar to those in Earth's atmosphere, it has been unclear whether the mammalian olfactory system also can sense such amounts of CO2. Hu et al. describe a set of olfactory neurons that appear to allow detection of concentrations of CO2 about 70% greater than those in air. The neurons express carbonic anhydrase II, which catabolizes CO2 and appears to be required as part of the sensing mechanism. J. Hu, C. Zhong, C. Ding, Q. Chi, A. Walz, P. Mombaerts, H. Matsunami, M. Luo, Detection of near-atmospheric concentrations of CO2 by an olfactory subsystem in the mouse. Science 317, 953-957 (2007). [Abstract] [Full Text]


Diffractive elements that modulate both the amplitude and the phase of an optical field are designed with use of an iterative Fourier-transform algorithm with gradual amplitude clipping at the plane of the element. Unlike phase-only diffractive elements, these complex-amplitude modulating elements do not generate noise outside the signal window W, and their diffraction efficiencies are comparable to the efficiencies of phase-only elements with a noiseless frame around W. Encoding techniques of the complex amplitude into variations of the diffraction efficiency and phase of the zeroth order of a carrier grating are introduced: the shape and the depth of a substructure within each rectangular pixel are modulated. Approximate and rigorous diffraction calculations are performed to compare different substructuring schemes, which all deflect the noise far away from W but differ, for example, in the manner in which this noise is distributed in the signal plane.


Based on a solid foundation of the healing properties of good nutrition, this book empowers readers with the information they need to make the best choices and to gain control over their total health and well-being - physical, emotional, and spiritual. While addressing the specific needs of those with a diagnosis of cancer, Varona explores the key factors that science and experience have shown to influence the path of prevention and recovery. Grounded in documented research from leading medical institutions - along with studies of the world's healthiest populations - nutrition educator Verne Varona has developed a breakthrough nutritional and lifestyle programme for immunity building and cancer prevention and recovery. This book provides detailed diet and lifestyle modifications that will reinforce the body's immunity and reduce cell-damage to an absolute minimum. While the bulk of this book is devoted to physical nutrition, eating the right foods is not the whole picture. No matter what course of treatment a patient may choose, clinical research and anecdotal testimony have shown that those who have embraced a range of self-healing choices not only see a positive impact on their physical and psychological well-being but inevitably enhance their chances of survival. The most influential of these choices are: life purpose; positive attitude; managing stress; sense of humor; love and social support; emotional expression; and faith. Along with good nutrition, a healthy lifestyle, and physical exercise, these choices contribute to a more comprehensive and complete healing.


One of the major degradation problems in concrete structures is chloride initiated reinforcement corrosion resulting in cracked, spalled and delaminated concrete. Thesedamages are repaired for large amounts of money and because of high repair costs it is important to perform durable repairs. This thesis work has included interviews, laboratory and field studies in the area of concrete repairs. The interviews were held mainly with bridge engineers at the Swedish Road Administration and Banverket (the Swedish Railway Administration). The questions asked tothese people were about their experience in the field of concrete repairs. The objective withthe interview study was to collect knowledge and experience about concrete repair at these two governmental authorities. The main objective of the laboratory study was to investigate chloride transport in the transition zone between a chloride contaminated substrate concrete and an initially chloride free repair concrete by establishing chloride profiles. The second objective was to detect any reinforcement corrosion in relation to the transition zone. The reinforced laboratory specimens with premixed chlorides (1 or 4 wt % per cement) in the substrate concrete have been exposed during 13 years either outdoors or in a climate chamber with relative humidity of 80 %. The main results show that reinforcement corrosion occurred in and near the transition zone in local active areas with passive areas between, macrocell corrosion, and that the chlorides are transported from the contaminated substrate concrete into the repair concrete. Three different repaired concrete structures, one road bridge, one pedestrian bridge and one parking structure, were investigated in the field study. All three structures are treated with deicing agents in the winter time. The objective with the field study was to investigate if the same phenomenon can be observed as in the laboratory study. The main conclusions, from the investigation on drilled cores from each structure, are that chlorides in contaminated substrate concrete can be transported into a repair concrete and reinforcement corrosion may occur in the transition zone between the two different materials. The results are in accordance with the results in the laboratory study. It was also seen that a repair concrete with relative low w/cratio may reduce the ingress of external chlorides. Finally, the results in this thesis indicate that there is a risk for reinforcement corrosion in the vicinity of the transition zone between repair concrete and a substrate concrete which must be considered in concrete repair work. For example the chloride content around a repair must not exceed a certain level when a repair is performed. The chloride transport into the repair concrete can be useful to transport chlorides and reduce the content of chlorides in the substrate concrete. The advantages with this are that the amount of removed contaminated substrate concrete can be minimized and the risk for corrosion in the substrate concrete is lower. If the repair concrete is reinforced with conventional black steel there may on the other hand be a risk for corrosion in the repair concrete instead if high levels of chlorides are transported. Also external exposure of chlorides must be considered for the risk of corrosion in the repair material. Further research is needed about when different corrosion mechanisms and chloride diffusion mechanisms occur in reinforced concrete repairs. The experience from the used analyzing methods in the laboratory investigations are possible to use in coming research projects in the field of concrete repair. The next step after this thesis work should be in order to increase the understanding of the repaired concrete system including the important compatibility issues, the author believes that the most fruitful way consists of further laboratory investigations, field studies and optimisation of the repair material.


The processes of phase formation and transformation in crystallised amorphous metallic
materials can be investigated using a wide variety of techniques. Time and temperature
resolved neutron and x-ray scattering offers an insight into these processes in-situ often
highlighting the formation of metastable and unreported phases. In this work, time- and
temperature-resolved synchrotron x-ray diffraction and small angle neutron scattering
studies are complemented with differential scanning calorimetry and transmission
electron microscopy to gain a complete insight into the crystallisation and subsequent
phase formation and transformation in two Fe-based metallic glasses: Cogo-xFe x B2o, x =
20, 40 of current technological importance, and the Y-Fe system of academic interest.
In Co4oFe4oB2o time resolved synchrotron x-ray diffraction shows that a a-(Co,Fe) solid
solution is formed in isolation irrespective of isothermal temperature treatment. In
contrast, temperature resolved synchrotron x-ray diffraction indicates a two-stage
crystallisation process; primary cc-(Co,Fe) phase formation is followed by polymorphic
crystallisation of (Co,Fe)2B. The Johnson-Mehl-Avrami-Kolmogorov (JMAK) model
for isothermal phase transformation kinetics indicates one-dimensional growth with a
decreasing nucleation rate for the isolated a-(Co,Fe) solid solution.
In a direct comparison, Co6oFe2oB2 o, is shown to undergo multi-phase crystallisation
during both isothermal and continuously heated temperature profiles. The JMAK
model is in agreement to those for Co4oFe4oB2o, i.e. one dimensional growth with a
decreasing nucleation rate.
Secondly the Rare-Earth Transition Metal YeyFess is shown to crystallise from
elemental Y to the YFe2 Laves phase via a novel 'YFe' phase with suggested structure
P6/mmm, a = 12.72A and c = 8.00A. Small angle neutron scattering data modelled to a
Lorentzian with variable power is in agreement with previously published kinetic
neutron diffraction and small angle scattering data highlighting the temperature and
time dependence of a critical scattering event evident at the point where the whole
sample crystallises.
xiv


This chapter tackles the issue of Serious Games (SGs) curriculum integration approached from different perspectives (different levels, subject areas, instructional contexts, pedagogies, views, and visions over what it is already in practice and what is yet to be implemented). In light of the title of this book, it refers to Game-Enhanced Learning and not simply to game-based learning, thus supporting the concept that games can really contribute to improving and enhancing both collaborative and individual learning processes. The chapter is meant to trigger reflections on the potential of Serious Games in the present learning/teaching panorama and to explore how SGs can be considered suitable tools for sustaining the development of some relevant skills required to live and be proactive actors in the Knowledge Society, namely the so-called 21st Century Skills. Further, key challenges in the field of game-enhanced learning, with particular regard to pedagogical aspects are also in-depth explored by emphasizing the important role of teachers as to the choice of the SGs, their deployment, and the overall conduction of learning experiences.


In our post-welfare society, health is increasingly viewed as a commodity and individuals are defined as 'health care consumers'. At the same time, the notion that the state should care for the health of its citizens is being replaced by an expectation that citizens should play a more active role in caring for themselves. These developments are by no means uncontentious. Consuming Health explores the diverse meanings and applications of the term 'consumer' in the field of health care and the implications for policy-making, health care delivery and experiences of health care. Contributors are well-known innovative researchers and lecturers from the Australia, the UK and Canada. Between them they cover a wide range of topics - from the medicalisation of the menopause to the participation of consumer groups in the national policy process - to create an original and thought-provoking text for students and practitioners in the field of health care.


This electronic document is a "live" template. The various components of your paper [title, text, heads, etc.] are already defined on the style sheet, as illustrated by the portions given in this document.


Abstract Background In this article constructions of identity, occupation, and performance are explored with a particular focus on the interrelatedness of these concepts. Insights were derived from a study in which the influences that impact on the work-lives of people with a psychiatric disability were explored. Method An interpretive biography design was utilised. Data construction took the form of narrative interviews and a combination of paradigmatic narrative analysis and narrative analysis was used. Participants, selected by means of purposive maximum variation sampling, had been diagnosed with psychiatric impairment and lived in the Western Cape, South Africa. Findings and discussion Identity construction processes were explored, with a particular focus on how these impacted on decisions regarding participation in work. Conclusions Performance elements of identity, called forth by occupational demands, occurring within work environments were found to be shaped through, and expressed as, doing. The notion of Punctualized Identity was shown to provide a lens that is able to capture the dynamic interplay of identity constructs and provide a synthesised perspective on participation.


This study aimed to retrospectively evaluate a cohort of patients with prostate cancer and persistent urinary incontinence after radical prostatectomy. From January 2004 to December 2015, eighty-six individuals were identified to have received an AUS implant, provided by a private nonprofit HMO operating in Belo Horizonte, Brazil. On total, there were 91 AUS implants, with a median interval between radical prostatectomy and AUS implant of 3.6 years (IQR 1.9 to 5.5). The rate of AUS cumulative survival, after a median follow-up of 4.1 years (IQR 1.7-7.2 years), was 44% (n=40). The median survival of AUS implants was 2.9 years (IQR 0.5-7.9 years). Thirty-seven AUS implants (40.7%) resulted in grade III surgical complications. There were 5 deaths at 2.1, 4.7, 5.7, 5.7 and 6.5 years of follow-up, but none due to causes directly associated to the AUS implant. Persistent severe incontinence was documented in 14 (15.3%) additional patients. From the 51 AUS implants which resulted in grade III surgical complications or persistent severe incontinence, 24 (47.1%) underwent surgical revisions. Explantation of the sphincter or its components was observed in 6 cases (25.0%). Mechanical failure, described as fluid loss and/or inability to recycle the AUS device, was observed in 4 devices (16.7%). In conclusion, although AUS implants are recommended as the gold-standard treatment of severe urinary incontinence after prostatectomy, the observed high rates of malfunction and grade III adverse events are a matter of concern warranting further assessment on the safety and efficacy of these devices.


Up to now eight patients with alpha-NAGA deficiency have been described. This includes the newly identified patient reported here who died unexpectedly aged 1 1/2 years of hypoxia during convulsions; necropsy was not performed. Three patients have been genotyped previously and here we report the mutations in the other five patients, including two new mutations (S160C and E193X). The newly identified patient is consanguineous with the first patients reported with alpha-NAGA deficiency and neuroaxonal dystrophy and they all had the alpha-NAGA genotype E325K/E325K. Clinical heterogeneity among patients with alpha-NAGA deficiency is extreme. Two affected sibs, homozygotes for E325K, are severely affected and have the signs and symptoms of infantile neuroaxonal dystrophy, but prominent vacuolisation is lacking. The mildly affected patients (two families, three patients) at the opposite end of the clinical spectrum have clear vacuolisation and angiokeratoma but no overt neurological manifestations. Two of them are homozygous for the stop mutation E193X, leading to complete loss of alpha-NAGA protein. These observations are difficult to reconcile with a simple genotype-phenotype correlation and we suggest that factors or genes other than alpha-NAGA contribute to the clinical heterogeneity of the eight patients with alpha-NAGA deficiency. At the metabolic level, the patients with alpha-NAGA deficiency are similar. The major abnormal urinary oligosaccharides are sialylglycopeptides of the O linked type. Our enzymatic studies indicated that these compounds are not the primary lysosomal storage products.


The importance of formal online education has been felt like never before because of the ongoing nature of the COVID-19 pandemic. Researchers and academics are continuously experimenting with combinations of established pedagogies, tools, and technologies to enhance or sustain the student learning process and motivation. For this study, we have designed and developed a multi-player game called CrossQuestion to explore the combined effect of applying gamification and flipped classroom pedagogies using the ARCS (Attention, Relevance, Confidence, and Satisfaction) model guidelines and its application in the obligatory IT foundation online course during the pandemic. We delivered this course to 79 undergraduate (mostly) non-IT students in Ajman University, UAE. Students were randomly divided into a non-gamified cohort (35 students gone through lecture-based instructions and paper-based assessments–Spring 2019-20–pre-COVID-19 face to face environment) and a gamified flipped classroom cohort (44 students, played the CrossQuestion game–Spring 2020-21–during COVID-19 online environment). We collected the survey data anonymously through our customized Instructional Materials Motivation Survey (IMMS) tool and then performed descriptive analysis, t-test, and regression analysis to address the research hypothesis. We found a significant relationship between learning motivational factors and learning effectiveness. We also found the positive influence of our game on students' motivation.


The study aims to investigate for the first time library staff's individual perceptions of their work environment with regard to creativity. It uses the conceptual model designed by Amabile et al. (1996) as a framework in order to establish to what extent the internal climate factors that are conducive or deterrent to creativity are identified by library staff in one UK Public Library service. This research is based on a case study and can constitute a benchmark for other library services. The ability to develop a culture that nurtures creativity is crucial and does not occur spontaneously: library managers need to take responsibility to establish the right work environment as well as to incorporate an innovation strategy for the new ideas to be implemented into value-added services for the library users.


Web search queries can offer a unique population-scale window onto streams of evidence that are useful for detecting the emergence of health conditions. We explore the promise of harnessing behavioral signals in search logs to provide advance warning about the presence of devastating diseases such as pancreatic cancer. Pancreatic cancer is often diagnosed too late to be treated effectively as the cancer has usually metastasized by the time of diagnosis. Symptoms of the early stages of the illness are often subtle and nonspecific. We identify searchers who issue credible, first-person diagnostic queries for pancreatic cancer and we learn models from prior search histories that predict which searchers will later input such queries. We show that we can infer the likelihood of seeing the rise of diagnostic queries months before they appear and characterize the tradeoff between predictivity and false positive rate. The findings highlight the potential of harnessing search logs for the early detection of pancreatic cancer and more generally for harnessing search systems to reduce health risks for individuals.


Landscapes reflect both historic and current cultural and socio-economic activities of human societies. Accordingly, as human societies change, the landscape changes as well. Agriculture is the main driver of landscape changes in the Czech Republic. Therefore, it is necessary to devote special attention to agricultural practices and define simple but effective steps to improve landscape mosaics towards a sustainable development. In this study, regional information about historic changes in landscape structure was studied to (1) identify the trends in land use/cover development since 1940 to 2010 and (2) determine the impact of land use change on the resulting heterogeneity of the landscape. The overall purpose was to find areas of compromise which would allow strengthening of landscape structure and thus stabilize its functions. We specified trends of land use/cover development in 15 catchments with varying agriculture intensity. We digitalized aerial photographs from 1940, 1960, and 1990 and orthophotomaps from 2010. Then, we used a heterogeneity index to define landscape heterogeneity in all catchments and time horizons. The results of our research confirmed increasing tillage effort in intensively cultivated areas, support of secondary succession processes in marginalized areas, and overall increase in forest area. Our study found that simplification and homogenization of the landscape mosaic took place in all studied areas, with the steepest decline found in areas with high agriculture intensity. However, linear vegetation proved to be a suitable starting point for a targeted effort to increase heterogeneity and thus seemed to be crucial for sustainable development of landscape functions in agroecosystems.