Retrieving an invitation to interfaith dialogue from the work of Dietrich Bonhoeffer is as difficult as it is potentially misleading. Because the work of Bonhoeffer has been appropriated by so many strands in the last half of the twentieth century--from secular theologians and post-modernists to voices in liberation theology--one should be leery of any project that would force Bonhoeffer's thought into a mold that typifies a twenty-first-century problem. As much as the question and demand of interfaith dialogue constitutes a challenge for the new millennium, it was not Bonhoeffer's question. Though active in the worldwide ecumenical movement of his day, he did not explore the realm of interfaith encounter. At best, an interest in interfaith issues lurked on the periphery of his more explicit concern with intra-Christian understanding. (1) Therefore, to claim Bonhoeffer as an early prophet of interreligious dialogue would be as unwise as it would be inaccurate. Nevertheless, one of the ongoing tasks of constructive theology is to listen to those voices of our collective past that lend wisdom to contemporary questions. Even if the topic of interfaith understanding was not an explicit theme of Bonhoeffer's early theology, the example of his subsequent political-resistance activity, the tenor of his prison correspondence, his reflections on a "religionless" or "nonreligious" interpretation of the gospel, and his demand for Christian solidarity with persons of difference might offer one model of approach, for Christians, to interfaith encounter. If we draw out some implicit themes in Bonhoeffer's early thought and connect them with his involvement in the resistance movement, we can see how these themes reached fruition in the prison correspondence: Bonhoeffer's distinctive contribution to the current dialogical scene is not an explicit theology of world religions but, rather, a vision of "religionless Christianity" (2) and vulnerable discipleship that not only encourage s interfaith encounter but also demands it as one aspect of the new life in Christ. Bonhoeffer's Early Theology and Its Obstacles to Interfaith Encounter If we are to claim the prison correspondence as a possible entree to interfaith dialogue, we first must come to terms with the troubling implications of Bonhoeffer's early theology. During the rise of National Socialism in Germany, Bonhoeffer did reflect on the relationship between Christians and Jews. Deciphering Bonhoeffer's position here is difficult and fraught with ambiguity. Some of his remarks mirror an uncritical adherence to problematic strands of Lutheranism that profess the conversion of Jews to Christianity to be the manifestation of divine providence. The early Bonhoeffer, in short, presents little fertile ground for nourishing interfaith understanding. His early tendency to see Judaism as a prelude to the Christian gospel, I would argue, is paralleled by a wooden appropriation of the Lutheran "orders of creation" and his early reluctance to embark on the path of political resistance. Though these political and theological stances were to change as Bonhoeffer became more immersed in the crises of his day, we need to expose some ugly strands of the early Bonhoeffer if we are to understand the interfaith promise of his later work. On April 7, 1933, the Nazi regime enacted the Aryan Clauses, which forbade persons of Jewish origin from holding political or church offices. Bonhoeffer's reaction was quick, and his resistance to the Clauses was strong, resulting in his writing an essay, "The Church and the Jewish Question." Some of the theological underpinnings of his argument against the decree, however, reflect long-standing Christian biases that have inflicted long-festering wounds: Converting Jews to Christianity and "blaming" the crucifixion on them are two sides of the same spurious argument that Bonhoeffer offered. Throughout this essay, Bonhoeffer drew on the writings of Luther. …


Purpose: To test the hypothesis that there is a difference between the lung computed tomography (CT) microstructure of asymptomatic older individuals and that of young individuals as evaluated by objective indices of complexity and density. Materials and Methods: Two study groups of nonsmoking urban-dwelling individuals over 75 years and under 55 years were prospectively identified. Thirty-three consecutive volunteers (21 older than 75 y and 12 less than 55 y) were included, and CTs were performed with concurrent pulmonary function testing. Pulmonary regions of interest (ROIs) were evaluated with fractal dimension (FD) analysis (an index of complexity), mean lung density (MLD), and percentage of pixels with lung density (LD) less than thresholds of −910 HU and −950 HU. The Student t test and the Mann-Whitney test were used to evaluate for differences in mean values between groups. The Pearson correlation coefficient was used to correlate mean FD value and LD data with pulmonary function. Results: Significant correlations of ROI MLD, LD −910 HU, and LD −950 HU with age and sex were shown (P=0.029–0.003). The ROI mean FD value was greater in younger individuals compared with older individuals (76.5±1.7 vs. 70.3±1.2; P=0.004). There was a correlation between Kco (gas-diffusing capacity adjusted for alveolar volume) and mean FD value (P=0.006) and MLD (P=0.015). Conclusion: The lung parenchyma of nonsmoking older urban-dwelling asymptomatic individuals has significantly different CT density and complexity compared with younger individuals.


OBJECTIVE
To evaluate the long-term results and predictive factors of a good outcome with the use of a total ossicular replacement prosthesis in children.

DESIGN
Retrospective case review.

SETTING
Tertiary referral center.

PATIENTS
The study included 114 children (116 ears).

INTERVENTIONS
A total of 116 ears underwent total ossicular chain reconstruction with a titanium prosthesis. Cartilage was always used for tympanic membrane reconstruction.

MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES
Audiological results were evaluated according to the guidelines of the American Academy of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery. Predictive factors of audiological results were determined. Logistic regression and χ(2) tests were used for statistical analysis.

RESULTS
The mean age at surgery was 9.8 years. Ossiculoplasty was performed during second-look surgery in 91 ears (78.4%) and during another stage in 25 ears (21.6%). The first-stage procedure was always performed for cholesteatoma. Audiometric results were available for 116 ears at 1 year, for 89 ears (76.7%) at 2 years, and for 42 ears (36.2%) at 5 years. Closure of the average air-bone gap (ABG) to within 20 dB was achieved in 65 ears (56%) at 1 year. The mean (SD) preoperative and postoperative (at 1 year) ABGs were 41.0 (9.5) dB and 22.4 (12.6) dB, respectively. There were no cases of extrusion, but 17 luxations of the prosthesis were confirmed by computed tomography. Luxation occurred on average at 31.4 months. Only three 4000-Hz degradations of bone conduction were reported, with no dead ears. We examined 3 predictive factors of auditory results: preoperative ABG, footplate status, and postoperative otoscopic findings.

CONCLUSIONS
Total ossiculoplasty is a reliable technique in children. Long-term hearing outcomes are stable and satisfactory, but luxation can occur at any time. Preoperative ABG and footplate status are negative predictive factors of auditory results.


Gaucher disease, the most prevalent lysosomal storage disorder, is characterized by hepatosplenomegaly, hypersplenism, and rarely, neurological involvement. The most variable symptoms relate to skeletal disease, and both onset and progression are difficult to predict on the basis of genotype. This review describes findings from a large referral clinic (> 500 patients) and from the literature in the decade since the advent of specific enzyme replacement therapy. Such therapy is effective in reducing visceral and hematological involvement, but its greatest advantage as regards the skeleton is prevention of irreversible damage. Avascular necrosis of the joints—particularly the hips but also the knees and shoulders—and pathological fractures of the long bones including the ribs, as well as episodic "crises' of bone pain in children and young adults, are common manifestations. Various imaging modalities should be performed at baseline for life-long monitoring, and then as required because of specific complaints. Surgical interventions such as joint arthroplasties are important adjuvant treatments in this population; presurgical hematological profiling plus antibiotic cover and postoperative pain control are equally critical. Opportunities for orthopedic consultations with senior surgeons are not abused by our patients. These reflect disease-related morbidity, with greater numbers of requests being made by patients requiring enzyme therapy, who by definition have more severe disease characteristics.


Homestead agroforestry, in the form of homegardens, has a long tradition in many
developing countries. These systems are an intimate mix of diversified agricultural
crops and multipurpose trees planted, maintained by members of the household. This
paper aims to explore the species composition commonly found in the homestead
agroforestry systems in the Ganges valley of northern Bangladesh and their
contribution to local livelihoods. Three villages i.e., 'Capasia', 'Chak Capasia' and
'Baduria' were selected as the primary study area. Data were collected by (1) rapid
rural appraisal, (2) direct observation, (3) informal and structured interviews with a
purposive sample of 90 households. A total of 53 plant species under 32 families were
identified from the study area and it was found that the relative density were highest
for Areca catechu (areca palm), Artocarpus heterophyllus (jackfruit) and Mangifera
indica (mango). Financial analysis showed that homestead agroforestry net benefit
increases with the increasing landholding classes. However, no significant difference
was found between the number of species in different farm sizes, contrasting other
studies that accused this relationship. The comparison of Shannon-Wiener index
between agroforestry systems and natural forest showed no statistical difference,
reinforcing the role of homegardens in biological conservation in Bangladesh.
Therefore, increasing agroforestry practices in homesteads, should be the strategy for
enhancing tree cover in order to meet basic needs of the local people and for
environmental sustainability.


The hydrogen bond is one of nature's ubiquitous molecular interactions. Its role ranges from that of a static provider of structural integrity in proteins to that of a dynamic coordinate, along which excited state deactivation in sunscreen molecules is achieved. The work in this dissertation employs a supersonic expansion to collisionally cool peptide oligomers and a sunscreen chromophore to the zero-point vibrational level of their low lying conformational minima. These species are interrogated using high-resolution, conformer-specific ultraviolet and infrared laser spectroscopic techniques with the aim of elucidating their intrinsic conformational preferences, hydrogen bonding networks, and excited state deactivation mechanisms.Synthetic foldamers are oligomers composed of non-natural building blocks, such as b- and g-amino acids. Incorporation of such residues into a peptide backbone results in secondary and tertiary structures that are distinct from those found in nature. Herein, the folding propensity of a series of mixed a/b and pure b-peptides is presented. In each case, both the left- and right-handed emergence of mixed-helical secondary structures, the 11/9- and the 12/10-helix, are observed. Next, the intrinsic conformational preferences of a series of increasingly complex asparagine-containing peptides are characterized. Asparagine, with its flexible carboxamide sidechain, is omnipresent within the prion forming domain of the misfolded proteins associated with several neurodegenerative diseases. Asparagine's propensity for b-turn structures is discussed and compared with that of analogous peptide sequences found in nature.Methyl anthranilate is a natural product that contains an identical electronic chromophore to the sunscreen agent, meradimate. The excited state deactivation mechanism of methyl anthranilate and its water complex is determined with extensive ultraviolet spectroscopic characterization, and is discussed within the broader context of its role as a sunscreen agent. Vibronic analysis coupled with computational results indicate extensive heavy-atom rearrangement leading to hydrogen atom dislocation, rather than full transfer, on the S1 surface. This phenomenon is further characterized with infrared spectroscopy and theoretical modeling, in which the NH stretch is adiabatically separated from other internal coordinates. Extensive dilution of the dislocated NH stretch oscillator strength over many transitions and ~1,300 cm-1 is predicted. These results may have implications for similar molecules, such as salicylic acid and its derivatives.


The authenticity, confidentiality, and integrity of data streams from wearable healthcare devices are critical to patients, researchers, physicians, and others who depend on this data to measure the effectiveness of treatment plans and clinical trials. Many forms of mHealth data are highly sensitive; in the hands of unintended parties such data may reveal indicators of a patient's disorder, disability, or identity. Furthermore, if a malicious party tampers with the data, it can affect the diagnosis or treatment of patients, or the results of a research study. Although existing network protocols leverage encryption for confidentiality and integrity, network-level encryption does not provide end-to-end security from the device, through the smartphone and database, to downstream data consumers. In this thesis we provide a new open protocol that provides end-to-end authentication, confidentiality, and integrity for healthcare data in such a pipeline. We present and evaluate a prototype implementation to demonstrate this protocol's feasibility on lowpower wearable devices, and present a case for the system's ability to meet critical security properties under a specific adversary model and trust assumptions.


Aim Umbilical cord blood mononucleated (UCBMC) cells has been shown to be the stem cells originated from umbilical cord blood. To date, UCBMC has been introduced as an alternative source for stem cells used in autologous and allogeneic transplantations. Several clinical studies have demonstrated that UCBMCs required less stringent selection for HLA matches between donor and recipient with less cases of graft versus host reaction. In this study, UCBMCs are known to contain many stem cells, were characterized and compared to peripheral blood for their immunogenic profile. Methods To elucidate the potential of UCBMC alloreactivity, mixed lymphocyte reaction (MLR) assay was performed. The donor and effectors cells were HLA-typed using PCR method to determine their alloreactivity. Further, to distinguish the level of HLA class I and II expression flowcytometry was done using monoclonal antibodies against those molecules. All the analyse were carried out on UCBMCs and peripheral blood mononucleated cells (PBMCs). Results The result of MLR assay showed that there was less IFN-γ secretion detected in the co-cultured medium in the presence of UCBMCs compared to PBMCs counterpart, indicating less possible rejection of UCBMC. Further, we found that there were only 1-3 alleles of HLA match (out of 8 alleles) among the PBMCs and UCBMCs. By using flowcytometry assay, we could further demonstrate lower HLA Class I expression level with less amount of HLA Class II expressing cells in UCBMC compared to those in PBMCs. Conclusion These findings clearly demonstrate the low immunogenicity of UCBMCs, based on the low level of secreted IFN-γ in the MLR assay, low expression level of HLA Class I, and small population of HLA Class II expressing cells. The outcomes from this study would raise a better understanding in the usage of umbilical cord blood as an alternative source of stem cells for allogeneic transplantation. (Med J Indones 2010; 19:14-20) Keywords: umbilical cord blood, immunogenicity, stem cell


Placental insufficiency results in intrauterine growth restriction (IUGR), impaired fetal insulin secretion and less fetal pancreatic β-cell mass, partly due to lower β-cell proliferation rates. Insulin-like growth factors (IGFs) and fibroblast growth factors (FGFs) regulate fetal β-cell proliferation and pancreas development, along with transcription factors, such as pancreatic and duodenal homeobox 1 (PDX-1). We determined expression levels for these growth factors, their receptors and IGF binding proteins in ovine fetal pancreas and isolated islets. In the IUGR pancreas, relative mRNA expression levels of IGF-I, PDX-1, FGF7 and FGFR2IIIb were 64% (P < 0.01), 76% (P < 0.05), 76% (P < 0.05) and 52% (P < 0.01) lower, respectively, compared with control fetuses. Conversely, insulin-like growth factor binding protein 2 (IGFBP-2) mRNA and protein concentrations were 2.25- and 1.2-fold greater (P < 0.05) in the IUGR pancreas compared with controls. In isolated islets from IUGR fetuses, IGF-II and IGFBP-2 mRNA concentrations were 1.5- and 3.7-fold greater (P < 0.05), and insulin mRNA was 56% less (P < 0.05) than control islets. The growth factor expression profiles for IGF and FGF signaling pathways indicate that declines in β-cell mass are due to decreased growth factor signals for both pancreatic progenitor epithelial cell and mature β-cell replication.


This study was aimed at developing and validating a green HPLC-DAD method to determine anthocyanins using ethanol and an alpha-hydroxy acid aqueous solution as a mobile phase. The effects of alpha-hydroxy acids on the chromatographic behaviors of cyanidin-3-O-glucoside, the most predominant anthocyanin in nature, in a C18 column were investigated. Among seven selected alpha-hydroxy acids, tartaric acid exhibited potential for improving the chromatographic separation of cyanidin-3-O-glucoside. Cyanidin-3-O-glucoside was the main anthocyanin in haskap berry, mulberry, and blackberry, and the three berries were selected for further method development and validation. The optimized mobile phase was a mixture of ethanol and a 0.25 mol L−1 tartaric acid aqueous solution at the 20 : 80 (v/v) ratio. The retention time of cyanidin-3-O-glucoside was less than 1.8 min, and an optimum separation of anthocyanins was achieved in 4 min. The developed method was validated in terms of linearity, limits of detection and quantification, precision, repeatability, stability, and recovery. The calibration curve revealed good linearity (R2 = 0.9999), and the limits of detection and quantification were 0.038 mg L−1 and 0.125 mg L−1, respectively. The relative standard deviations of intra- and inter-day precision, repeatability, and stability were less than 5%. The recoveries of cyanidin-3-O-glucoside from the berry samples were between 99% and 101%, a satisfactory level. Additionally, the optimized mobile phase had a negligible effect on the C18 column stability. Therefore, the developed method was safe, rapid, and valid for anthocyanin analysis.


The deregulation of bank branching in the United States reduced the sensitivity of small-business growth to local credit supply. In urban markets, within-state deregulation resulted in a 50 percent decrease in the effect of local deposit growth on employment and payroll growth. This effect is concentrated in establishments with 20–99 employees. These results hold for states that deregulated branching in response to litigation unrelated to economic conditions. These findings suggest that the large multimarket banks enabled by deregulation play an important role in insuring firms against local shocks to credit supply.


Academic health centres have historically treated patients with the most complex of diseases, served as training grounds to teach the next generations of physicians and fostered an innovative environment for research and discovery. The physicians who hold faculty positions at these institutions have long understood how these key academic goals are critical to serve their patient community effectively. Recent healthcare reforms, however, have led many academic health centres to recruit physicians without these same academic expectations and to partner with non-faculty physicians at other health systems. There has been limited transparency in regard to the expertise among the physicians and the academic faculty within these larger entities. Such lack of transparency may lead to confusion among patients regarding the qualifications of who is actually treating them. This could threaten the ethical principles of patient autonomy, benevolence and non-maleficence as patients risk making uninformed decisions that might lead to poorer outcomes. Furthermore, this lack of transparency unjustly devalues the achievements of physician faculty members as well as potentially the university they represent. In this paper, it is suggested that academic health centres have an obligation to foster total transparency regarding what if any role a physician has at a university or medical school when university or other academic monikers are used at a hospital.


ASSOCIATION OF THE 5-HTTLPR WITHPROLACTIN RESPONSE TO CITALOPRAMIN A COMMUNITY POPULATIONEloise Peet, BSUniversity of Pittsburgh, 2004The serotonin transporter (5-HTT) is a key mechanism regulating magnitude and duration of serotonergic transmission in the central nervous system, and is the site of action of selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) used for treating psychiatric conditions. Variation in treatment response to SSRIs has been correlated with a common bi-allelic length polymorphism in the 5-HTT-promoter region (5-HTTLPR), known to modulate transcriptional efficiency of the 5-HTT gene in vitro. The alleles, designated long (l) or short (s), result in one of three possible genotypes: l/l, l/s, or s/s. The (s) allele has been hypothesized to have a dominant functional effect, and has been associated with decreased transporter transcription efficiency and poorer therapeutic response to antidepressants. Acute transporter blockade with SSRIs rapidly increases central nervous system serotonin levels, leading to hypothalamic receptor stimulation and the release of several hormones, including prolactin. The specific aim of this study is to characterize the prolactin response to acute 5-HTT-reuptake blockade according to 5-HTTLPR genotype, to further elucidate the effect of this polymorphism on serotonin transporter function in vivo. This study has been designed to test the hypothesis that, when compared to subjects with the l/l genotype, subjects with either the s/l or s/s genotype will experience a blunted prolactin response following acute administration of the highly selective reuptake inhibitor Citalopram. To accomplish this goal, a cohort of 206 community volunteers were intravenously administered a weight-adjusted dose of Citalopram. Each subject was genotyped for the 5-HTTLPR, and blood samples were obtained for prolactin and Citalopram levels immediately before and at regular intervals for 2.5 hours after the Citalopram injection. Results: Citalopram-induced prolactin response, reported as prolactin area under the curve (PRL AUC), was significantly associated with 5-HTTLPR (F = 3.08, p = 0.048). Among individuals with the s/s genotype, PRL AUC response (M±SD: 84.2 ± 51.8 ng/ml * 150min) was significantly lower (p = 0.014) than the l/l group (246.0 ± 40.2 ng/ml * 150 min). The difference in PRL AUC between subjects with the l/l genotype and the l/s group (172.5 ± 41.3 ng/ml * 150 min) was not significant (p = 0.21); the difference in PRL AUC between subjects with the l/s genotype and the s/s group also was not significant (p = 0.23). When results were analyzed as the maximum change in prolactin, the Citalopram-induced PRL MAX was similarly associated with 5-HTTLPR (p = 0.034). Conclusions: Subjects with the 5-HTTLPR s/s genotype exhibit significantly lower prolactin response in response to the SSRI Citalopram than subjects carrying two copies of the l allele. The s allele does not have a dominant effect on the prolactin response to Citalopram in a non-patient population.


Food-processing companies are controlled by societal influences and economic interests, but their efforts with regard to reducing food loss and waste are very different. This qualitative study aims to identify basic recommendations of good practice for the food-processing industry in order to prevent and handle food loss and waste. For this purpose, a comprehensive literature review was conducted in the field of food waste prevention and data was collected from thirteen German companies. The findings summarize the recommendations of good practice, which cover the entire supply chain from supplier to consumer and beyond. The analysis showed that the participating companies are already partially aware of operational measures, even if they are applied or mentioned without a systematic approach. Furthermore, the analysis revealed that most activities relate to internal matters, like processing, employees and utilization. However, the responsibility of food-processing companies does not end with internal processes to reduce food waste. The results show that some companies are already aware of their responsibility to be involved along the entire supply chain. Finally, the results show that the needs of consumers and suppliers must also be considered in order to reduce food waste, in addition to direct reduction measures. This paper highlights nine important stages and 53 basic recommendations for companies to address food loss and waste in order to improve their practices.


From rings to modules to groups to fields, this undergraduate introduction to abstract algebra follows an unconventional path. The text emphasizes a modern perspective on the subject, with gentle mentions of the unifying categorical principles underlying the various constructions and the role of universal properties. A key feature is the treatment of modules, including a proof of the classification theorem for finitely generated modules over Euclidean domains. Noetherian modules and some of the language of exact complexes are introduced. In addition, standard topics - such as the Chinese Remainder Theorem, the Gauss Lemma, the Sylow Theorems, simplicity of alternating groups, standard results on field extensions, and the Fundamental Theorem of Galois Theory - are all treated in detail. Students will appreciate the text's conversational style, 400+ exercises, an appendix with complete solutions to around 150 of the main text problems, and an appendix with general background on basic logic and naive set theory.


Neuroscience has progressed dramatically since the time of Ramon y Cajal in 1894, and the advancement of technologies, such as microscopy, molecular biology, electrophysiology, as well as breakthroughs in biochemistry and cognitive science all aided in the evolution of neuroscience. As physicians continue to understand and diagnose neuronal diseases, scientists have diligently worked side-by-side to discover and develop innovative drugs as well as other alternative treatments.

Therefore, we at Gene Expression Systems, Inc., and Appasani Research Conferences decided to join together an array of speakers, including tenured professors, junior faculty members, postdoctoral fellows from academia, as well as entrepreneurs from venture backed neurodiscovery-based biotech companies and experienced executives from the pharmaceutical sector to maintain the motto of "Bridging Academia and Industry."

The Neuron to Synapse-2010 Meeting took place at the Holiday Inn Midtown in New York City, NY, USA, on June 7–8, 2010. An ideal location for the growing number of neuroscience laboratories; about 60 members of academia and industry gathered for 2 days of lectures on novel research techniques, new therapeutics, and drug development underway in the drastically growing field.

The keynote opening lecture was given by Dr. Robert Darnell of The Rockefeller University. Through the development of a novel technique, high-throughput sequencing of RNA isolated by crosslinking immunoprecipitation (HITS-CLIP), Dr. Darnell described how his lab is generating maps of RNA–protein interactions in living tissues to better understand how RNA regulation goes awry in human brain disease and cancer; specifically focusing on paraneoplastic neurologic disorders (PNDs). For his contributions to the field of neuroscience and upholding the true values of the role as a physician-scientist, the scientific committee presented Dr. Darnell with the "Physician-Scientist of the Year Award." This session on the "Neurobiology of Human Brain Diseases" continued with presentations from Dr. Ottavio Arancio of Columbia University who introduced the idea of amyloid-beta impairing memory in Alzheimer's disease. This presentation was followed up by Dr. Patrick May of Lilly Research Labs who presented new developments in secretase inhibitors for the treatment of Alzheimer's disease. Next, Dr. Paul Lombroso of Yale University presented his discovery of the molecule Striatal Enriched Protein Tyrosine Phosphatase (STEP) and his new novel treatments underway to improve cognition in Alzheimer's patients. Another talk was given by Dr. Shin-Ya Kawaguchi of the Kyoto University (Japan) in which he described a biophysical approach to studying the systems biology of plasticity at inhibitory synapses. The session ended with a final talk by Dr. Aiden Corvin of Trinity College Dublin in which he presented novel techniques to understanding the mechanism of schizophrenia etiology from genomic lessons.

The afternoon keynote session was given by Dr. Joseph LeDoux who was presented with the "Neuron Innovator Award" for his enormous research in determining the biological mechanisms of emotional memory. This session on "Learning & Memory" continued with a talk by Dr. Yi Zhong of Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory in which he described memory development in Drosophila and his lab's novel approach to control "forgetting." Next, Dr. Robert Hawkins of Columbia University presented work on the role of spontaneous transmitter release in learning-related synaptic plasticity. The session ended with a talk by Dr. Lila Davachi of New York University who described work performed in her lab using fMRI technology to understand the mechanisms of memory formation and "forgetting".

The final session of the day ended with three talks by Dr. Songhai Shi of Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Centre, Dr. Stewart Anderson of Weill Cornell Medical College (New York City), and Dr. Ian Scott of Accucela, Inc. These speakers all presented their work on neuronal circuits and cortical migration in the mammalian neocortex.

The second day of the conference opened with a session on Neuro-developmental and psychiatric disorders. The first talk was given by Dr. Eric Nestler of the Mount Sinai School of Medicine in which he described novel techniques his lab is using to discover the epigenetic mechanisms of drug addiction. Next, Dr. Joan Fallon of Curemark, Inc., gave an industry keynote lecture on new drug developments and therapeutics that her company is developing for the treatment of autism and disorders in the autistic spectrum. Following this lecture, Dr. Wenzhen Duan of the Johns Hopkins University presented her labs work on potential therapeutic targets for Huntington's disease. Dr. Alistair Stewart next described phase 2 clinical trials being done at Allon Therapeutics, Inc., for the treatment of Alzheimer's disease and fronto-temporal dementia. This lecture was followed up by a presentation by Dr. Youming Lu of Louisiana University in which he described the role of NMDA receptor cell death signals at extra-synaptic sites. Dr. Christian Thomsen then described research being done at Lundbeck Research on the role of neuroprotective mechanisms in the treatment of Parkinson's disease. The session ended with a final presentation by Dr. David Bloom of the University of Florida on the use of viral vectors to restore hippocampal synaptic function in Fragile X Syndrome using a rodent model.

The final session of the day – and of the conference – ended with five talks on therapeutics for neurodegenerative diseases. Dr. Dani Brunner gave a wonderful overview of the various treatments and therapeutics underway at Psychogenics, Inc. Next, Dr. Amy Arnsten of Yale University described her novel technique on rescuing prefrontal cortical grey matter in various neuropsychiatric illnesses. Dr. Kenneth Rhodes next gave an overview of therapeutics currently underway at Biogen Idec. The final lecture of the conference was given by Dr. Wei-Qin Zhao of Merck Research Laboratories on Aβ oligomer-induced synaptic loss via calcineurin-mediated endocytosis.

Our primary goal for publicizing this conference was to exemplify the possibilities for cross-fertilization of scientific knowledge. The main focus of Gene Expression Systems, Inc., is to bring together members of industry and academia to one central location where collaborations can be made to give rise to the development of new therapeutics and drugs. By holding various meetings on the hot topics of the scientific world, we hope to continue to aid in the growth of translational medicine. We are grateful to the members of the scientific committee: Dr. Paul Lombroso of the Yale University School of Medicine, and Dr. Eric J. Nestler of the Mount Sinai School of Medicine. We would also like to offer our thanks to all of our sponsors as well as the Appasani Research Conferences Organization.

We also like to invite all members of the Frontiers community and members of the Neuroscience field to attend our upcoming European Neurodegenerative Diseases Meeting at the University of Oxford (UK) on September 20–21, 2010.


While much work has been done on goddesses of the ancient world and the male gods of pre-Christian Scandinavia, the northern goddesses have been largely neglected. Roles of the Northern Goddess presents a highly readable study of the worship of these goddesses by men and women. With its use of evidence from early literature, popular tradition, legend and archaeology, this book investigates the role of the early hunting goddess and the local goddesses who were involved in all aspects of the household and the farm. What emerges is that the goddess was both benevolent and destructive, a powerful figure closely concerned with birth and death and with destiny of individuals.


Religious experience in ancient Italy was intimately connected with the production, manipulation, veneration, and discarding of material objects. This chapter argues that for a fuller understanding of lived religion it is necessary to approach these objects as more than the mere material or visual expression of otherwise intangible concepts. It consequently explores the affective relations between things, particularly how objects and human bodies assemble in order to produce lived religious experience and religious knowledge. Taking votive terracotta models of hands from mid-Republican Italy as a case study, this chapter adopts a broadly new materialist approach to the examination of anatomical votives, focusing on the tripartite affectivity of these offerings as objects manipulated in the moment of ritual, as material things, and as bodily proxies.


Eglon van der Neer. His Life and His Work In his own time Eglon van der Neer was highly successful. His acclaim endured throughout the eighteenth century. Nowadays he is rated as a second-rate master. Van der Neer was born in Amsterdam in 1635 or 1636 as the son of the now more famous landscape painter Aert van der Neer. He studied with Jacob van Loo in Amsterdam. Between 1654 and 1658 he stayed in Orange, in the south of France, working for the governor Count Dohna. Van der Neer returned to Amsterdam in 1658 where he married the daughter of a wealthy notary, the following year. By 1663, van der Neer had settled in Rotterdam. In 1680, van der Neer moved to Brussels, where he married the miniature painter Maria Du Chastel. On 18 July 1687, van der Neer was appointed court painter to the Spanish king Carlos II, thanks to the efforts of Gasta, the governor of the Spanish Netherlands, his real patron. In 1695 van der Neer established contacts with Johann Wilhelm, Elector Palatine, who immediately commissioned paintings from him. During his visits to Dsseldorf the artist met his third wife-to-be, the painter Adriana Spilberg, whom he married on 24 December 1697. By this time he had settled in Dsseldorf. In 1698, van der Neer officially became court painter of Johann Wilhelm. Van der Neer died on the third of May 1703, in Dsseldorf. Van der Neer's preserved output consists of paintings only. Most of them are small and highly finished. Van der Neer treated all genres - history, genre, portrait and landscape – except for still life. His production is largely comprised of genre paintings in the manner of Gerard ter Borch, Pieter de Hooch, Gabriel Metsu and Frans van Mieris. However, during the last two decades of his life van der Neer painted landscapes which are excellently executed but little known. They betray a broad variety of stylistic sources, ranging from Jacques d'Arthois to Elsheimer and Jan Brueghel the Elder. Van der Neer was not a skilled figure painter. He successfully camouflaged this by borrowing from the work of more talented artists. His sources are often easy to identify. Another means to distract attention from his shortcomings was to fill his scenes with costly, shiny objects, colourful fabrics and oriental rugs. Van der Neer was unsurpassed in rendering textiles, in particular satin draperies. Adriaen van der Werff was van der Neer's only pupil. His autobiography, early production and van der Neer's works from the second half of the 1670s shed light on their relationship. Van der Neer was a very ambitious man who has used his art to climb the social ladder.


Understanding patterns of conflict and pathways in which political history became established is critical to understanding how large states and empires ultimately develop and come to rule given regions and influence subsequent events. We employ a spatiotemporal Cox regression model to investigate possible causes as to why regions were attacked by the Neo-Assyrian (912-608 BCE) state. The model helps to explain how strategic benefits and costs lead to likely pathways of conflict and imperialism based on elite strategic decision-making. We apply this model to the early 9th century BCE, a time when historical texts allow us to trace yearly campaigns in specific regions, to understand how the Neo-Assyrian state began to re-emerge as a major political player, eventually going on to dominate much of the Near East and starting a process of imperialism that shaped the wider region for many centuries even after the fall of this state. The model demonstrates why specific locations become regions of conflict in given campaigns, emphasizing a degree of consistency with which choices were made by invading forces with respect to a number of factors. We find that elevation and population density deter Assyrian invasions. Moreover, costs were found to be more of a clear motivator for Assyrian invasions, with distance constraints being a significant driver in determining where to campaign. These outputs suggest that Assyria was mainly interested in attacking its weakest, based on population and/or organization, and nearest rivals as it began to expand. Results not only help to address the emergence of this empire, but enable a generalized understanding of how benefits and costs to conflict can lead to imperialism and pathways to political outcomes that can have major social relevance.


Fourteen experiments were conducted at the University of Canterbury using a l.Om x l.Om x 1.5m compartment with liquid pool fires. They were conducted to experimentally study, in reduced scale, the conditions that exist in under-ventilated compartments, with a focus on smoke explosions. Ventilation into the compartment was controlled to force the fire to bum to extinction, with the temperatures and fuel mass loss rates being recorded. In the process of determining these conditions, the behavioural properties of various building materials and their limitations showed testament to the difficulties that arise when attempting to control a natural energy. Trying to build a compartment to contain fires of temperatures up to 1100°C, was in itself a testing process. The initial fire resistant building materials used, were found to have adverse effects when repeatedly exposed to fires. Although a smoke explosion was not produced, steady state mass loss values for various ventilation openings were found. These were then used to produce a very good ventilation dependent mass loss trend line. The point of extinction of these fires was found, which will be of use in further research. The fires conducted in the experiments were supplied with minimal oxygen, and all produced excessive quantities of unbumt fuel. This was due to the generation of pyrolyzates as a result of the radiative feedback off the compartment walls, diffusion flame and gas layer. The fire initially burns in the pan, until all oxygen within the compartment has been depleted. At this point the combustion transfers from inside the pan, to bum in the localised vicinity around the pan where oxygen is able to penetrate. The combustion then progresses through a transition stage, in which the flame front moves from the rear of the compartment, to the front. This involves a period where the flames oscillates backwards and forwards from the vent. Steady state burning occurs continuously within the vent. Once steady state burning in the vent is achieved, no ii degree of ventilation reduction, except full sealed closure, would result in extinction of the fire. A fire occurring at this stage is fully fuelled from the volatilisation of the liquid pool at the rear of the compartment. The mass loss of fuel due to this type ofbuming is found to be well in excess of that available to ventilation controlled stoichiometric burning. The neutral plane layer was found to be located at approximately the midheight of the opening and little effect is seen on the location of the neutral plane layer at these low ventilation limits.


Recombinant pharmaceutical proteins account for a significant portion of the multi-billion-dollar pharmaceutical industry. Among various potential cell factories, yeast has attracted great attention in pharmaceutical protein synthesis due to its unicellular and eukaryotic properties, easy genetic manipulation, fast growth, as well as capability of post-translational modifications. In this review, recent advances in glycoengineering of yeast and secretory mechanisms in yeast for the production of biopharmaceutical proteins with appropriate pharmacokinetic properties are overviewed. To further improve these two aspects of yeast engineering, strain and pathway engineering studies are necessary to unveil engineered yeast cell factories providing humanized glycosylation with appropriate homogeneity and high secretory therapeutic production with high yield. In addition, current systems and synthetic biology tools and omics technologies to enhance the production of pharmaceutical proteins are briefly discussed. Integration of comprehensive systems biology models with omics technologies will open new doors to better understanding of yeast glycosylation and secretory mechanism, which will help obtain valuable information for strain and pathway engineering approaches. On the other hand, the applications of currently available synthetic biology tools such as CRISPR/Cas9 and TALENs in yeast engineering will further help researchers manipulate yeast strains for high secretory recombinant therapeutic protein production with desired features. All in all, currently available systems and synthetic biology tools can be applied to yeast engineering for improved biopharmaceutical protein production.


OBJECTIVES
To determine the clinical, functional and socio-familiar profile of seniors from a community in a district of Lima, Peru.

MATERIALS AND METHODS
Descriptive cross-sectional study of a sample of 501 people aged 60 and over living in the San Martin de Porres district. We used a structured questionnaire in which clinical, functional and socio-familiar variables were recorded. A physical evaluation was carried out to assess performance based measures and serum samples were taken for hematological and biochemical examination. The data were presented with descriptive statistics such as frequencies and percentages for categorical variables and means and standard deviations for the numeric variables.

RESULTS
A total of 501 older adults were evaluated. The mean age was 71.5 years (±8.9 years). The most common chronic disease was arterial hypertension at 40.9%, followed by rheumatic diseases with 36.9%. 27.7% had some degree of partial or total dependence in activities of daily living, 16.2% had cognitive impairment, 8% lived alone, 58.5% had or were at risk of having a social problem.61% self-rated their health as normal, while 16% rated it as bad or very bad.

CONCLUSIONS
Seniors in the community of San Martin de Porres in Lima have frequent problems of functional dependence, have or are at risk of social problems, chronic illness and a high frequency of geriatric syndromes and problems.


Abstract The purpose of this research is to identify the reationship between cadre performance of elderly posyandu and elder motivation to visit Elderly Posyandu. Research method used in this research is corellation descriptive with cross sectional design. This research was conducted in the Technical Implementing Service Mangement Department (UPTD) health clinic of Koto Baru, Singingi district Kuantan Singing Regency. Sampling method used in this research was proposive sampling. The measuring instrument was a questionnaire which has tested validity and reliability. Analysis methods used were univariate and bivariate with Chi-Square test. The result of Chi-Square test was, p value = 0.209, showed that p value > α 0.05, therefore it can be concluded that Ho is rejected, so then the researcher can summed up that there is no relationship between cadre performance of elderly posyandu and elder motivation to visit elderly posyandu. The result of this research is expected that it can be an input to any relevant institutions, particularly The UPTD health clinic of Koto Baru to plan programmes to raise awareness on the urgency of elderly posyandu for elders as health services to undertake health examination, such as mental status, nutrition satus, and physical health on a regular basis, so then it can be detected early in case of there is health problem. Key words : Cadre Performance of Elderly Posyandu, Elder Motivation


The indiscriminate presence of radio base stations, which emit non-ionizing radiation (NIR), as well as the frequent use of mobile phones, can cause increased susceptibility of populations to the emergence of diseases such as cancers of the head and neck, biochemical, hematopoietic and hepatic changes, among others. Exposure to physical contamination, including NIR, has been implicated in numerous diseases, raising concerns about the widespread sources of exposure to this type of radiation. This paper reviews studies that have assessed associations between likely exposure to electromagnetic fields, such as radiofrequency transmissions, and many kinds of human diseases including cancer, as well as alerts to the current knowledge on the association between environmental exposure to NIR and the risk of development of adverse human health effects. This way, there appears to be an urgent need to reconsider exposure limits for low frequency and static magnetic fields, based on combined experimental and epidemiological research.


We consider the following freight train routing problem (FTRP). Given is a
transportation network with fixed routes for passenger trains and a
set of freight trains (requests), each defined by an origin and
destination station pair. The objective is to calculate a feasible
route for each freight train such that a sum of all expected delays and
all running times is minimal. Previous research concentrated on
microscopic train routings for junctions or inside major stations. Only
recently approaches were developed to tackle larger corridors or even
networks. We investigate the routing problem from a strategic
perspective, calculating the routes in a macroscopic transportation
network of Deutsche Bahn AG. Here macroscopic refers to an aggregation of
complex real-world structures are into fewer network elements. Moreover, the
departure and arrival times of freight trains are approximated.
The problem has a strategic
character since it asks only for a coarse routing through the network
without the precise timings. We give a mixed-integer nonlinear programming~(MINLP)
formulation for FTRP, which is a multi-commodity flow model on a time-expanded
graph with additional routing constraints. The model's nonlinearities are due to
an algebraic approximation of the delays of the trains on the arcs of
the network
by capacity restraint functions. The MINLP is reduced to a mixed-integer linear model~(MILP)
by piecewise linear approximation. The latter is solved by a state of the art MILP solver for various real-world test instances.


Routine snow survey and snow gauge data provided by weather stations establish snow-on-the-ground and snowfall time series but they lack a spatial dimension. Of particular importance to arctic hydrology is the end-of-winter snow conditions. For micro-scale investigations of spring breakup, slope runoff generation or gully sediment production, detailed mapping of the late winter snow cover is required. On a meso-scale, terrain exerts the principal control on snow distribution so that for catchment snowmelt and water balance studies, terrain units should be distinguished and the snow water equivalent for various terrain types obtained through ground survey. Regional dispositon of the snowline or early melt zones can be mapped from satellite but ground truthing is necessary if the quantity of snow needs to be known. Passive microwave sensor offers the potential of mapping the snow water equivalent after the signals are calibrated by ground snow data. Spatially distributed but areally integrated rather than point snow data are appropriate for macro-scale hydrological investigations. Field studies carried out in the Canadian Arctic Islands over the past decades provide the database and the experience needed to recommend appropriate methods for acquiring snow cover information compatible with the scale and the subject of enquiry.


In just a few weeks, COVID-19 appeared in China and quickly spread to the rest of the world,
including Europe and the United States. Many have rushed to describe the outbreak as a 'black
swan' – an unpredictable event with extremely severe consequences. However, COVID-19 was not
only predictable ex post: it was amply predicted ex ante. This allows us to draw some preliminary
lessons:
• First, economic policy will need to shift from its current focus on efficiency, towards a greater
emphasis on resilience and sustainability.
• Second, a more centralised governance to address health emergencies is needed.
• Third, Europe should create a centre for the prevention of large-scale risks.
• Fourth, digital technologies, if handled with care, can be an important part of both a mitigation
and a response strategy.
• Fifth, Europe should improve its science advice and communication functions.
Finally, there are many ways to pursue enhanced resilience and responsiveness, but not all of them
are compatible with sustainability and democratic values. The challenge is to find an adequate
policy mix, which safeguards individual rights and liberties, protects the economy, and at the same
time strengthens government preparedness for cases of epidemics and pandemics.


This paper focuses on the economic consequences of droughts for the irrigation sector. We develop a dynamic-recursive mathematical programming farm model that assumes imperfect mobility of capital and labour as well as rational expectations about future water availability. The model is calibrated to 12 representative farms belonging to three irrigation communities of the Guadalquivir Basin (south Spain) and used to simulate the 1991-1997 period, which included 3 years of intense drought. Results indicate that the drought imposed significant costs on farmers, but show also that water managers partly exacerbated these costs by allocating excessive amounts of water to irrigators in the abundant years. The model is also used to evaluate the benefits of a perfect water supply forecast and to simulate the economic gains of a voluntary water banking scheme. Results show that the benefits resulting from the perfect forecast of water supply 1 year ahead would represent a relative gain of 5%. However, a voluntary banking system would allow farmers to increase their benefits by 32-82% depending on the supply system. © 2003 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.


Teachers face the challenges in producing students with 21st-century basic skills encompassing communication, collaborative, critical and creative thinking, as well as values and ethical. The reasons are the teachers do not have enough knowledge and skills to implement student-centered teaching, applying 21st-century basic skills, and teachers' thinking skills which are metacognition is at a low level. To overcome this problem, the Metacogni-tive Skills Training Module in the Teaching and Application of 21st Centu-ry Basic Skills (M-PA21) was developed. The training module needs to be evaluated for usability to see if it can solve the teachers' existing problems. Therefore, the study aims to evaluate the usability of the M-PA21 module to improve the teachers' metacognitive regulation in teaching. Evaluation of module usability was conducted through field test involving 16 respond-ents consisting of secondary school teachers. The data collection was done through module usability questionnaire, micro-teaching observation, and document analysis. The questionnaires of module usability were analyzed using SPSS version 24.0 by determining mean value, while observation data was analyzed thematic. Document analysis supports the evaluation of ques-tionnaires and observation findings. Overall, the findings show that the M-PA21 module can enhance teachers' metacognitive regulation in the teach-ing and application of basic skills of the 21st century


Passive environment-assisted communication takes place via a quantum channel modeled as a unitary interaction between the information carrying system and an environment, where the latter is controlled by a passive helper, who can set its initial state such as to assist sender and receiver, but not help actively by adjusting her behaviour depending on the message. Here we investigate the information transmission capabilities in this framework by considering Gaussian unitaries acting on Bosonic systems. We consider both quantum communication and classical communication with helper, as well as classical communication with free classical coordination between sender and helper (conferencing encoders). Concerning quantum communication, we prove general coding theorems with and without energy constraints, yielding multi-letter (regularized) expressions. In the search for cases where the capacity formula is computable, we look for Gaussian unitaries that are universally degradable or anti-degradable. However, we show that no Gaussian unitary yields either a degradable or anti-degradable channel for all environment states. On the other hand, restricting to Gaussian environment states, results in universally degradable unitaries, for which we thus can give single-letter quantum capacity formulas. Concerning classical communication, we prove a general coding theorem for the classical capacity under an energy constraint, given by a multi-letter expression. Furthermore, we derive an uncertainty-type relation between the classical capacities of the sender and the helper, helped respectively by the other party, showing a lower bound on the sum of the two capacities. Then, this is used to lower bound the classical information transmission rate in the scenario of classical communication between sender and helper.


BACKGROUND
Early virologic suppression after HIV infection improves individual health outcomes and decreases onward transmission. In San Francisco, immediate ART at HIV diagnosis was piloted in 2013-14 and expanded citywide in 2015 in a rapid start initiative to link all new diagnoses to care within five days and start ART at the first care visit.

METHODS
HIV providers and linkage navigators were trained on a rapid start protocol with sites caring for vulnerable populations prioritized. Dates of HIV diagnosis, first care visit, ART initiation, and virologic suppression were abstracted from the SFDPH HIV surveillance registry.

RESULTS
During 2013 to 2017, among 1354 new HIV diagnoses in San Francisco, median days from diagnosis to first virologic suppression decreased from 145 to 76 (48%, p<0.0001) and median days from first care visit to ART initiation decreased from 28 to 1 (96%, p<0.0001). By 2017, 28% of new diagnoses had a rapid start, which was independently associated with Latinx ethnicity (AOR 1.73, 95%CI 1.15-2.60) and recent years of diagnosis (2017 AOR 16.84, 95%CI 8.03-35.33). Persons with a rapid ART start were more likely to be virologically suppressed within 12 months of diagnosis than those with a non-rapid start (RR 1.17, 95% CI 1.10-1.24).

CONCLUSIONS
During a multisector initiative to optimize ART initiation, median time from diagnosis to virologic suppression decreased by nearly half. Immediate ART at care initiation was achieved across many, but not all, populations, and was associated with improved suppression rates.


Natural disasters caused by meteorological phenomena are affecting countries of the world with increasing frequency, and they are producing severe damage to population and its infrastructure, hampering the economic development of the countries. The rainfall- induced landslides occur almost every year in all mountainous regions, and globally, 14% of economic losses and 0.53% of deaths from disasters caused by natural phenomena are attributed to landslides. For this reason, landslide risk assessment has become more applied in recent years. We present an assessment of the effect of rainfall infiltration on unsaturated soils on slope stability. Initially, a theoretical approach of the problem is presented, and a model of probabilistic analysis is described. Subsequently, an application of the model is carried out in an eastern zone of Medellin, Colombia. The probability of saturation and the landslide hazard are determined and validated considering the effect of a rainfall event registered in November 2010 that caused severe damages in the studied zone. The influence of infiltration under static scenario is evaluated using two different approaches, and the soil parameters for these evaluations are determined by field and laboratory tests. Finally, the effect of the rainfall infiltration processes on the landslide hazard assessment of evaluated unsaturated soils is determined.


We consider problems where several individuals each need to make a yes/no choice regarding a number of issues and these choices then need to be aggregated into a collective choice. Depending on the application at hand, different combinations of yes/no may be considered rational. We can describe such rationality assumptions in terms of a propositional formula. The question then arises whether or not a given aggregation procedure will lift the rationality assumptions from the individual to the collective level, i.e., whether the collective choice will be rational whenever all individual choices are. To address this question, for each of a number of simple fragments of the language of propositional logic, we provide an axiomatic characterisation of the class of aggregation procedures that will lift all rationality assumptions expressible in that fragment.


This paper focuses on the procedure and results for analyzing text-difficulty in lower-secondary chemistry textbooks in the Czech Republic. The authors use established methodology for text-difficulty analysis by Nestler, adapted by Průcha and Pluskal by adding a second independent analyser to improve reliability. Some textbooks do not follow the expected trend of either text-difficulty coherence or increasing text-difficulty between books for the 8th and 9th grade. No trend in topic difficulty was found either. The results show that learning outcomes may differ significantly when different books are used, despite the fact that they are supposed to support the same curriculum. For this reason, the results serve to support not only teachers when selecting a textbook, but also researchers as a starting point for lesson observations.


Transdermal microneedles have captured the attention of researchers in relation to a variety of applications, and silicone-based moulds required to produce these systems are now widely available and can be readily manufactured on the lab bench. There is however some concern over the potential for accidental needlestick injuries and, as with any sharp hazard, the potential for blood-borne pathogen transmission must be considered. This follows from recent governmental concerns over the use of microneedle systems in dermabrasion. Despite the piercing nature of the microneedle patch sharing many similarities with conventional hypodermic needles, there are notable factors that mitigate the risk of contamination. A range of microneedle systems has been prepared using micromoulding techniques, and their puncture capability assessed. A critical assessment of the potential for accidental puncture and the control measures needed to ensure safe utilisation of the patch systems is presented.


In translating texts for the Chess Overall Development Project (Zaretskii, 2016), we have encountered several types of challenges that may be illustrative of what translators in the field of cultural-historical psychology (CHP) may deal with. Translators use various tools and strategies in their search for equivalence. Lack of the uniform CHP vocabulary and consensus on the CHP terms: differences in transformational techniques and levels of the translators' linguistic competence and their competence in CHP as such, result in co-existence of various translations of the same concepts, which may interfere with the process of communication and become a subject of controversy. Other challenges relate to specific linguistic features of the psychological scientific discourse of CHP, i.e. the need to observe rigorous scientific requirements to style and content, and abundance in expressive, emotionally and culturally charged utterances and vocabulary. The CHP terminology is characterized by specific word formation; lack of stylistic neutrality and lack of equivalent terms in target languages. Therefore, an appropriate translation implies using a special modification technology to create a target-language term which would have an equivalent denotative meaning; meet the requirements of the scientific style and preserve its stylistic uniqueness, emotional, and cognitive relevance (ensuring congruence of the reader's experience with the author's experience as mirrored by the lexical unit).


During the past 25 years a significant amount of research has been conducted to determine amino acid requirements in humans. This is primarily due to advancements in the application of stable isotopes to examine amino acid requirements. The indicator amino acid oxidation (IAAO) method has emerged as a robust and minimally invasive technique to identify requirements. The IAAO method is based on the concept that when one indispensable dietary amino acid (IDAA) is deficient for protein synthesis, then the excess of all other IDAA, including the indicator amino acid, will be oxidized. With increasing intakes of the limiting amino acid, IAAO will decrease, reflecting increasing incorporation into protein. Once the requirement for the limiting amino acid is met there will be no further change in the indicator oxidation. The IAAO method has been systematically applied to determine most IDAA requirements in adults. The estimates are comparable to the values obtained using the more elaborate 24h-indicator amino acid oxidation and balance (24h-IAAO/IAAB) model. Due to its non-invasive nature the IAAO method has also been used to determine requirements for amino acids in neonates, children and in disease. The IAAO model has recently been applied to determine total protein requirements in humans. The IAAO method is rapid, reliable and has been used to determine amino acid requirements in different species, across the life cycle and in disease. The recent application of IAAO to determine protein requirements in humans is novel and has significant implications for dietary protein intake recommendations globally.


Plasma histamine and serum neutrophil chemotactic activity (S-NCA) were measured in ten atopic asthmatic patients on four separate occasions after allergen bronchial provocation testing (BPT). Single doses of inhaled sodium cromoglycate (SCG; 20 mg), clemastine (0.5 mg), ketotifen (0.5 mg) and isotonic saline (0.9% NaCl) placebo were administered 30 min before bronchial provocation testing in random order and double-blind. The airflow obstruction after BPT was monitored by measurement of forced expiratory volume in 1 s (FEV1). Plasma histamine was measured by the double-isotope radioenzymatic assay and S-NCA by a modified Boyden chamber technique. A highly significant decrease in FEV1 after BPT occurred on the placebo pre-treatment visit (P less than 0.001). Prior administration of inhaled SCG, clemastine and ketotifen significantly reduced the decrease in airflow obstruction seen after BPT when compared with placebo treatment (P less than 0.01, P less than 0.02, P less than 0.05 respectively). No significant alteration in plasma histamine was detected during allergen-induced airflow obstruction. Levels of S-NCA were significantly higher 5, 10 and 15 min after BPT when compared with the pre-challenge level (P less than 0.01, P less than 0.01, P less than 0.001 respectively). These levels were not significantly decreased when airflow obstruction was inhibited by the prior inhalation of SCG, clemastine or ketotifen.


1. This cross-sectional study examined the influence of alcohol intake on organ injuries in normotensive and hypertensive subjects. 2. A total of 514 normotensive subjects and 302 never-treated hypertensive subjects were screened from 4557 men who entered the health check programme of our institute during the period 1990 to 1994. According to the daily alcohol consumption data reported by a self-administered questionnaire, the normotensive and hypertensive subjects were both classified into four categories; very light and non- (0-10 ml of ethanol), light (11-29 ml), moderate (30-58 ml) and heavy (> or = 59 ml) drinker groups. In these four pairs of groups, organ injuries in the heart, kidney and optic fundus were evaluated and serum lipids were measured. 3. Although the blood pressure levels were similar among the four groups of hypertensive subjects, the electrocardiographic findings of left ventricular hypertrophy were significantly more common among the moderate and heavy drinkers but not in the light drinkers compared with the very light and non-drinkers (very light and non-drinkers 25%, light drinkers 23%, moderate drinkers 38%, heavy drinkers 40%; P = 0.026). The alcohol intake increased the serum level of high-density lipoprotein cholesterol in a dose-dependent manner without changing the total cholesterol level; however, the serum gamma-glutamyl transpeptidase and triacylglycerol levels were increased in the moderate and heavy drinkers. Urinary albumin excretion and fundoscopic lesions were not associated with the drinking habit in either the normotensive or hypertensive subjects. 4. These data suggest that habitual alcohol consumption exceeding 29 ml per day facilitates the development of left ventricular hypertrophy in hypertensive patients. Among the hypertensive subjects, light drinkers consuming 11 to 29 ml of ethanol daily showed preferable profiles in terms of organ injuries and risks of cardiovascular diseases.


Treatments of the relationship between Nathaniel Hawthorne and Herman Melville have tended to focus on it as a failed friendship or aborted romance —as inspiring in Melville hopes and longings that Hawthorne could never fulfill. Viewed as a relationship between neighbors, not only friends or lovers, and seen through the prism of unconsidered works like Melville's Israel Potter (18545, 1855) and "The Encantadas" (1854, 1856), the connection might look slightly different. For as neighbors Hawthorne and Melville may have found opportunities for greater freedom, fluidity, and festivity than friendship or love could always offer. Taking place in the carnival neighborhood of their redoubtable friend, Sarah Huyler Morewood, Hawthorne's and Melville's relationship may have explored some of her subversive energies as well.


This paper commissioned by the Netherlands Directorate-General for International Cooperation (DGIS) aims to inform stakeholders of the most pressing questions surrounding Artemisia and ACT production. In addition to outlining their potential in treating malaria this paper identifies numerous of issues and opportunities that need to be addressed in order for the production and distribution of ACT in sufficient quantity to become a reality in the near future. One of these obstacles is the slow and cumbersome implementation of the WHOs drug pre-qualification policy which has resulted in a monopoly-like situation of only one pre-qualified ACT by just one pharmaceutical company. As a result the retail price is far too high for the drug to be accessible to for the poor. In addition growing Artemisia plants is risky and will not be profitable for long because of the synthetic production that is expected to begin in the near future. Small-scale farmers in tropical Africa are the ones being exposed to these risks by poorly informed policy makers and organisations that promote the plants production. (excerpt)


Animal science is a multidisciplinary science spanning a multitude of links in the production chain from conception to consumption. The animal scientist responsible for the research, teaching and practicing of the science should therefor always be aware that a holistic approach is essential when any of the relevant aspects are involved. The animal scientist should be cognizant of the fact that the consumer's decision to buy animal products forms the basis of the various commodity industries. Consumers have widely diverging expectations of the products of which their own perception of value is the quantity and the quality of the product relative to the other comparable products. In the value package the consumer demands a regular supply of consistently good quality products produced according to the modern acceptable codes of practice (such as consumer issues of animal welfare and environmental impact) at a reasonable price available through an informative and attractive marketing service. After having scrutinized the programmes of certain research and teaching institutes involved in animal science, a holistic approach is observed in most instances. In order to appreciate the scope of modern animal science complexities one should take into account certain key issues. Livestock agriculture has come under security because of concerns related to animal welfare, food safety, health, eco systems and biodiversity. Apart from being responsible towards protection of the environment the livestock industry also needs to take responsibility for animal welfare which is a major concern to the consumer. An extremely useful concept of which the holistically oriented animal scientist should have knowledge is the tool of traceability in the livestock and product industries in order to be able to supply information at any stage from primary production to consumption. In the meat animal industry, taken as an example, knowledge of a wide variety of product value traits contributing to the final quality of the product, should receive the undivided attention of the animal scientist in teaching, research and practice. Some of these are for instance tenderness of meat, widely regarded as the most important quality trait contributing to final eating satisfaction. Certain factors contributing to the tenderness profile of beef are genetic composition of the animal: Bos indicus less tender meat than Bos taurus genotypes and electrical stimulation of the pre rigor carcass. Finally the practicing animal scientist should always be aware of all elements as well as their interactions of the biological system within which the science is being performed. Every link is of equal importance due to the fact that the weakest link determines the strength of the chain. __________________________________________________________________________________________


ABSTRACT The Beatles recorded two starkly different musical settings of John Lennon9s controversial 1968 song ""Revolution"": One was released as a single, the other appeared on the White Album (as ""Revolution 1""). Lennon9s lyrics express deep skepticism about political radicalism, and the single, with its lines ""But when you talk about destruction/…… you can count me out,"" incited rage among critics and activists on the Left. Lennon appears less opposed to violent protest in ""Revolution 1""——recorded first, though released later——where he sang ""you can count me out——in."" The reception of ""Revolution"" reflected a focus on the words and their apparent political meanings, largely ignoring the musical differences between the two recordings of the song. Moreover, the response to ""Revolution"" had much to do with public perceptions of the Beatles. Their rivals the Rolling Stones, seen as a more radical alternative voice, released the equally political ""Street Fighting Man"" at virtually the same moment in 1968. The much more favorable public reaction to the latter had at least as much to do with the way the bands themselves were perceived as with differences between the songs.


The metabolism of androgenic anabolic steroids has been studied in the racing
greyhound. Various drug preparations have been investigated utilising different
derivatisation techniques, coupled with gas chromatographic analysis, to enable the
identification of key metabolites in canine post administration samples. This has led to
an increased understanding of some of the generic routes of steroid metabolism that
take place in the greyhound. This valuable information can help to support metabolism
studies in the future. The identification of specific metabolites for each compound
investigated, has provided a means for controlling the misuse of these compounds, and
contributed valuable enhancements to screening protocols utilised in the canine sports
drug testing industry.
Utilisation of the techniques described, resulted in the identification of specific major
metabolites of the anabolic steroid methyltestosterone, namely 17α-methyl-5β-
androstan-3α-17β-diol and 17α-methyl-5β-androstan-3α,16α,17β-triol. 16α-
hydroxylation was shown to be a major phase I metabolic pathway in the canine along
with phase II conjugation with glucuronic acid. Similar results were obtained during the
metabolism study of the progestatgenic steroid norethisterone. Several di- and trihydroxy
metabolites were detected in the glucuronic acid fraction of the post
administration urines from this study. The norethisterone metabolism study also
provided some insight, into the area of trace contaminants of pharmaceutical
preparations. Low levels of nandrolone metabolites were also detected in the
norethisterone post administration urine samples, leading to the discovery that the
administered pharmaceutical tablets contained small quantities of nandrolone and 19-
norandrostenedione, albeit below FDA approved contaminant levels. Modern methods
of drug screening employ such highly sensitive techniques, that they allow for the
detection of metabolites of such trace contaminants, following administration of the
drug preparation to the greyhound. It is therefore important to have a broad
understanding of the metabolism of various drug preparations, both banned and
permitted substances alike; as detection of a trace amount of a banned substance
metabolite, arising from the administration of a permitted medication, whose
iii
metabolite profile is unknown, and therefore potentially not detected, could present an
interesting case.
In conjunction with research into controlling the use of banned substances for the
purposes of suppressing oestrus in the greyhound bitch, an investigation into
normal/reference levels of endogenous hormones has been carried out. The endogenous
steroid levels in a population of 212 greyhound bitches have been studied with a view
to establishing a method for the detection of the exogenous administration of the
endogenous anabolic steroid testosterone. The major urinary metabolites investigated
were epiandrosterone, 5β-androstane-3α,17β-diol and 5α-androstane-3β,17β-diol.
Statistical evaluations have been carried out to support the implementation of a suitable
threshold for the key testosterone metabolites, namely 5β-androstane-3α,17β-diol and
epiandrosterone. The detection of 5β-androstane-3α,17β-diol was found to be a very
good indicator of the exogenous administration of testosterone to the greyhound bitch,
when compared with the reference population data for this metabolite. However,
further statistical/analytical data evaluation was deemed necessary before an absolute
threshold could be implemented for this analyte, for the purposes of controlling the
misuse of testosterone in the racing greyhound bitch.
To support the understanding of endogenous steroid levels in the female greyhound, yet
further, the endogenous reproductive steroid profiles were measured throughout the
entire oestrus cycle of a cohort of 33 racing bitches. The results of the study clearly
indicate a surge in androgen metabolites during the first 7-10 days of the oestrus cycle,
in particular epiandrosterone and 5α-androstane-3β,17β-diol. This unique set of data
has provided detailed information regarding the fluctuating concentrations of androgen
and progesterone metabolites (following ovulation), at key stages of the canine oestrus
cycle. The information obtained from this research can be used to support regulatory
decisions regarding the misuse of testosterone in the racing greyhound bitch.


Original design manufacturers (ODM) is a new form of global outsourcing. Traditional outsourcing only transfers the production of a product from brands to manufacturers. An ODM, in contrast, not only manufactures the product for a brand, but also designs the product. Using an analytical model, we investigate strategic design outsourcing decisions of firms. Two firms competing in a horizontally differentiated market decide whether to design the products by themselves or to outsource product design to an ODM. We consider two different channel structures – one in which each firm partners with an exclusive ODM and the other in which both firms partner with a common ODM. We find that both symmetric and asymmetric outsourcing outcomes can arise in the equilibrium, even though competing firms are assumed to be completely symmetric. Surprisingly, firms' outsourcing incentive can be inversely related to the cost of designing a product, i.e., neither firm outsources product design when the cost is high, one firm outsources product design and the other insources when the cost is in an intermediate range, and both firms outsource product design when the cost is low. We also find that firms are more likely to outsource product design when there is a common ODM in the channel than when there are exclusive ODMs.


We propose a new synthesis method for the hologram of 3D objects using incoherent multiple orthographic view images. The 3D objects are captured and their multiple orthographic view images are generated from the captured image. Each orthographic view image is numerically overridden by the plane wave propagating in the direction of the corresponding view angle and integrated to form a point in the hologram plane. By repeating this process for all orthographic view images, we can generate the Fourier hologram of the 3D objects.


Incarceration is an issue that affects thousands of families on a yearly basis. To date, the majority of studies examining this loss have observed the impact of incarceration on children and parents; primarily how imprisonment affects child attachment to mothers and fathers (Brown et. al., 2000). Most often overlooked within these studies have been the siblings of brothers and sisters who have been adjudicated (Brown et al., 2000). Specifically of interest to this study is how professionals understand the impact of sibling incarceration on grief and coping styles of non-offending siblings. Furthermore, how does this knowledge impact working relationships between professionals and these family members? Using a qualitative design, this study examined the impact of sibling incarceration from the professional perspective. Six professionals working through some capacity with the criminal justice were interviewed and asked to share their perceptions about the impact incarceration has on non-offending siblings. A total of four themes were identified, relating to the continual study of the impact of parent versus sibling relationships, sibling involvement related to program lengths, the various feelings and roles non-offending siblings take on, and the types of communication non-offending siblings use when incorporated into the treatment or reconciliation process. The findings of this study indicated a continued need for future research to explore the impact of sibling imprisonment on both offending and non-offending siblings. Implications for future social work practice were also discussed.


Since the beginning of transition, interregional disparities in Central and Eastern European Countries (CEECs) have increased. Particularly, the differences between urban and rural areas have grown. This paper traces the development of these disparities and discusses, based on theoretical considerations and political objectives, the need for and the design of regional policy measures. For rural development in the new EU member states, institution building, competitiveness of the agri-food sector, non-farm income sources and labour mobility are crucial. These measures should be adapted to the specific characteristics of the respective areas. Since the end of the 1990's, the efforts of regional policy in the CEECs were highly influenced by the preparation for EU-accession. The SAPARD programme has strengthened institutional mechanisms and capacity building. Nevertheless, there remain important challenges in this field.


Potassium channel mutations drive both cell growth and hormone production in an adrenal tumor that causes severe hypertension. Many endocrine tumors do not metastasize but, nonetheless, can adversely affect health because the tumor cells secrete excessive amounts of hormones. Aldosterone-producing adrenal adenomas (APAs), for example, can cause severe hypertension. The molecular mechanism coupling uncontrolled cell proliferation with hormone production in these tumors has been unclear. Using an exome-sequencing approach to identify faulty genes in human APAs, Choi et al. (see the Perspective by Funder) found that about one-third of the tumors examined had somatic mutations in the gene encoding the KCNJ5 potassium channel. The mutations allowed inappropriate permeation of sodium into the channel, resulting in cell depolarization. Because cell depolarization in the adrenal cortex is a signal for both aldosterone production and cell growth, disruption of this potassium channel explains the two prominent features of this kind of tumor. M. Choi, U. I. Scholl, P. Yue, P. Björklund, B. Zhao, C. Nelson-Williams, W. Ji, Y. Cho, A. Patel, C. J. Men, E. Lolis, M. V. Wisgerhof, D. S. Geller, S. Mane, P. Hellman, G. Westin, G. Åkerström, W. Wang, T. Carling, R. P. Lifton, K+ channel mutations in adrenal aldosterone-producing adenomas and hereditary hypertension. Science 331, 768–772 (2011). [Abstract] [Full Text] J. W. Funder, The genetics of primary aldosteronism. Science 331, 685–686 (2011). [Abstract] [Full Text]


Propolis is a bee product used in folk medicine to improve health and prevent inflammatory diseases. It has attracted the attention of researchers from the odontological field lately, reducing inflammation resulting from surgical procedures and as an antimicrobial agent in the control of bacterial plaque. Thus far, no side-effects that might compromise oral health have been observed. Chlorhexidine is an antimicrobial agent widely used as an antiseptic, but side-effects restrict its use. This work investigated the effects of an odontological product containing propolis in combination with chlorhexidine in lower concentrations on human monocytes. Cell marker expression, the nuclear factor kappa B (NF-κB) signaling pathway, the production of pro- and anti-inflammatory cytokines, and the bactericidal activity of these cells against Streptococcus mutans were evaluated. Data showed that the combination of propolis and chlorhexidine may favor the recognition of antigens by monocytes, slightly activates the NF-κB signaling pathway, and increases the bactericidal activity of human monocytes against S. mutans Also, the combination played a role in anti-inflammatory cytokine production, which can be beneficial in the treatment of periodontal diseases. These results may have implications for the development of odontological products with immunomodulatory/anti-inflammatory action, and may have further-reaching implications for the pharmaceutical industry.


A tremendous amount of change in traditional business paradigms has occurred over the past decade through the development of Electronic Commerce and ad\ ancements in the field of Information Technology. As lesser-developed countries progress and become more prosperous. traditional . first world' countries have migrated to become strong service oriented economies (Asch, 200 I). Supporting technologies have developed over the past decade which has exploited the benefits of the Internet and other infonnation technologies. While Electronic Commerce continues to grow there is a corresponding impact on computer software and individual privacy (Ghosh and Swaminatha, 200 I). Recently. the U.S. National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) found that software bugs cost the U.S. economy approximately $59.5 billion, or .600/0 of the annual Gross Domestic Product (U.S. Department of Commerce, 2003). In addition, we have witnessed a rise in the strength and impact of Denial of Service and other types of computer attacks such as: viruses. trojans. exploit scripts and probes/scans. Popular industry surveys such as the annual Federal Bureau of Investigation/Computer Security Institute (Gordon. Et. AI.. 2006) confirm the growing threats in the Information Assurance field. In addition to these concerns our increased reliance on the Internet enabled systems (loudon and loudon. 2000). E-Commerce systems and Information Technologies an integrated suite of risks which must be managed effectively across the public and private sectors (Backhouse. Et. AI. 2005. Ghosh and Swamintha. 200 I. Parker. 200 I. Graf. 1995. Greenberg and Goldman, 1995). Previous research (Rumizen, 1998. Haver, 1998, Roulier, 1998) examined InterOrganisational, Web Infonnation Systems and Government Information Systems in order to assess how companies and other organisations can effectively design these information systems such that maximum benefits can be achieved for all participating organisations. Furthermore, Davenport, Harris and Delong (2001) and Davenport (1999) explained that collaboration is central to the results of a knowledge management system in which open, nonpolitical, non-competitive entities are involved in environments to achieve optimal individual and collective results. Before this memorable event. some related programmatic initiatives were already in-process at that time. The United States government built upon its active leadership in the areas of computer security and information assurance when it launched a number of important efforts to manage information security threats. This was clearly evident when President Clinton made the U.S. National Infrastructure (Nil) a major national priority in the 1 990s. One critical development occurred in 1998 when the National Infrastructure Protection Centre was established to be the central point for gathering, analysing and disseminating critical cyber security information and built upon the previous success of the national Computer Emergency Response Team (CERT). Earlier research (Rich. 2001, Soo Hoo, 2000. Howard. 1997 and Landwher, 1994) addressed various aspects of information security information and incident reporting. Also. Vatis 0001) addressed some research considerations in this area while investigating foreign network centric and traditional warfare events primarily through Denial of Service and Web Site Defacement attacks. However. areas for new exploration existed especially as they related to U.S. critical infrastructure protection (Karestand. 2003. Vatis. 200 I. U.S. General Accounting Office. 2000. Alexander and Swetham. 19(9). Finally. Information and Network Centric Warfare (Arens and Rosenbloom. 2003. Davies. 2000. Denning and Baugh. 2000. and Schwartau. 1997) are increasing national security issues in the \\' ar on Terrorism and Homeland Security in general.


Context Biopsies provide histological diagnosis and as such may guide subsequent management of breast lumps. Regular audit of such biopsies are necessary to document epidemiological pattern of the histological diagnosis within a population. Objective To review the histological diagnoses of breast biopsies in two referral centres in the Niger Delta region of Nigeria. Methodology This is a descriptive analysis of retrospective data obtained from the Central Hospital Warri and the University of Benin Teaching Hospital, Benin City, all in the Niger-Delta region of Nigeria between 2005 and 2010. Results Data on 367 biopsies were analysed. Patients with benign diagnoses aged in range between 14 and 48 years and those with malignant conditions between 20 and 85 years. Fibroadenoma was the commonest histological diagnosis (36.0%) with a mean age at diagnosis of 22.9 5.5 years. Just one case of fibroadenoma was recorded beyond 36 years. years. Malignancies were seen in 29.4% of biopsies with Invasive ductal carcinoma being the dominant histological type, 89.8%. The mean age at diagnosis of breast cancer was 46.0 12.1 years. Incidence of malignant findings ranged from less than 1 in 10 biopsies below 30 years, 1 in 2 biopsies at the 31-35 years age range to nearly unit in those 56 years and above. Conclusion Fibroadenoma is the commonest breast biopsy finding in the referral centres in the Niger Delta. Breast cancer occurs commonly among premenopausal women. Key words: Breast, Biopsy, Fibroadenoma, Invasive ductal carcinoma.


BACKGROUND: For over 20 years the association between sarcoidosis and malignancy, particularly lymphoma and lung cancer, has been disputed with misclassification being the major concern. The aim of the present study was to analyse the incidence of malignancies in a cohort of patients with sarcoidosis by linkage to a nationwide population based cancer register. METHODS: The cohort comprised 254 patients followed for a median of 25 years until death, emigration, or 31 December 1992, whichever came first. The expected number of cancer cases was calculated using the annual age and sex specific cancer rates from the Danish Cancer Registry. RESULTS: Thirty six cancers were registered, three of which were misclassified as sarcoidosis, leaving 33 cancers compared with 23 expected (standardised incidence ratio (SIR) = 1.4; 95% CI 0.99 to 2.0). Five lung cancers were observed compared with 2.5 expected, yielding an SIR of 2.0 (95% CI 0.7 to 4.7). There was no incidence of lymphoma and only one case of leukaemia. There was a significant excess number of pharyngeal cancers based on two cases (SIR = 15.4; 95% CI 1.7 to 56). CONCLUSIONS: This study does not support the theory of an association between sarcoidosis and malignancy, and the main reason other studies have shown such an association is most likely to have been due to selection bias and misclassification.


In this Postface, one of our primary objectives as editors, is to weave together into a coherent whole the insights and analyses of our contributors. We aim to show how the chapters in the volume complement each other, highlighting both similarities and differences in the patterns of the nominal system of various creole languages. A second objective is to try to formulate some hypotheses regarding the use of bare nouns in creole languages and the role of Universal Grammar in shaping the linguistic properties of the creoles under study. To the degree that creole bare nouns have common properties, we try to identify the grammatical options that UG makes available to natural languages in the domain of the Noun Phrase.


A method to find out which species is more likely to start egg laying in a certain nestbox is described. Nestboxes were visited daily and the behaviour of the birds (Great, Blue and Coal Tits) that appeared around the nestbox was observed. The birds' response consisted mainly of giving alarm calls and showing inquisitive behaviour (i.e., approaching the observer and looking at close distance). Proximity of the individual (or the pair) to the nest and inquisitive behaviour of the female bird were found to be associated with nest ownership. Alarm calling and inquisitive behaviour of males were less selective and therefore not diagnostic. Nocturnal check of nestboxes provided useful information about the nest owners, but they were more reliable at late nest-building phases, when the female was closer to egg laying. It is suggested that this observation method may be used in field studies of species breeding in nestboxes or even natural cavities. This work emphasises the importance of observing small details of behaviour as symptoms of the condition 'inside' the individual (motivation).


This paper estimates the pass-through relationship between exchange rates and import prices for the United States using recursive techniques across a variety of specifications to examine structural and coefficient stability in a systematic fashion. Results of estimations: 1) indicate that pass-through at the macroeconomic level is a complicated amalgamation of disparate industrial structures that involves more than one long-run equilibrium relationship between the variables of interest, and 2) call into question the prevailing wisdom that foreign firms changed their pricing behavior in light of the large appreciation in the exchange value of the dollar in the early 1980s.


The purpose of this study was to compare traditional classification training for a set of abstract concepts with multiple-relations training consisting of inference practice and the use of a content diagram. To examine this, 200 undergraduate and graduate psychology students completed a Web-based tutorial covering the abstract concepts of a psychological theory of language and cognition. All participants received the same core instructional content and practice activities varied by experimental condition: some participants received classification training, some received multiple-relations training, some received a combination of both, and some received neither. Performance on a posttest with three subsections was evaluated. Participants who received classification training were significantly better at identifying new instances of the concepts than participants who did not. Neither classification training nor multiple-relations training had a significant effect on ability to identify concept definitions or answer application questions. Implications for the development of instruction for abstract concepts are discussed.


While comparative studies on purity and impurity presented in the last decades have mostly concentrated on the ancient world or on modern developments, this volume focusses the hitherto comparatively neglected period between ca. 300 and 1600 c. E. The collection is innovative because it not only combines papers on both European and Asian cultures but also considers a wide variety of religions and confessions. The articles are written by leading experts in the field and are presented in six systematic sections. This analytical categorization facilitates understanding the functional spectrum that the binomial purity and impurity could cover in past societies. The volume thus presents an in-depth comparative analysis of a category of paramount importance for interfaith relations and processes of transfer.


When integrating data from autonomous sources, exact matches of data items that represent the same real-world object often fail due to a lack of common keys. Yet in many cases structural information is available and can be used to match such data. Typically the matching must be approximate since the representations in the sources differ.
 We propose pq-grams to approximately match hierarchical data from autonomous sources and define the pq-gram distance between ordered labeled trees as an effective and efficient approximation of the fanout weighted tree edit distance. We prove that the pq-gram distance is a lower bound of the fanout weighted tree edit distance and give a normalization of the pq-gram distance for which the triangle inequality holds. Experiments on synthetic and real-world data (residential addresses and XML) confirm the scalability of our approach and show the effectiveness of pq-grams.