Abstract Drawing on Michel Foucault's definition of heterotopia, the article analyses the filmic and literary representation of Stazione Termini, Rome's main train station. The Fascist architectural project, which mirrors an idea of the nation as homogeneous, monolithic, and white, begins to be challenged in the post-World War II representations of Termini which depict the station as the place where liminal and unexpected experiences can occur and accepted moral codes of behaviour are put into question. The article then focuses on the recent representation of Termini as a key place of contact with and among immigrants. While migration literature describes the station as a place of belonging, other contemporary representations of Termini depict it as a non-place, revealing the fear of a globalised world. The representation of Termini either as an isolated place in the urban geography of Rome or as a place that mirrors the multicultural reality of present-day Italy highlights a tension between different ways of practicing the same space.


Precariously balanced boulders that could be knocked down by strong earthquake ground motion are found in some seismically active areas of southern California and Nevada. In this study we used two independent surface-exposure dating techniques—rock-varnish microlamination and cosmogenic 36 Cl dating methodologies—to estimate minimum- and maximum-limiting ages, respectively, of the precarious boulders and by inference the elapsed time since the sites were shaken down. The results of the exposure dating indicate that all of the precarious rocks are >10.5 ka and that some may be significantly older. At Victorville and Jacumba, California, these results show that the precarious rocks have not been knocked down for at least 10.5 k.y., a conclusion in apparent conflict with some commonly used probabilistic seismic hazard maps. At Yucca Mountain, Nevada, the ages of the precarious rocks are >10.5 to >27.0 ka, providing an independent measure of the minimum time elapsed since faulting occurred on the Solitario Canyon fault.


[1] The meteorological pathways contributing to Asian pollution outflow over the Pacific are examined with a global three-dimensional model analysis of CO observations from the Transport and Chemical Evolution over the Pacific (TRACE-P) aircraft mission (February–April 2001). The model is used also to place the TRACE-P observations in an interannual (1994–2001) and seasonal context. The major process driving Asian pollution outflow in spring is frontal lifting ahead of southeastward-moving cold fronts (the leading edge of cold surges) and transport in the boundary layer behind the cold fronts. Orographic lifting over central and eastern China combines with the cold fronts to promote the transport of Chinese pollution to the free troposphere. Outflow of seasonal biomass burning in Southeast Asia during spring takes place mostly by deep convection but also by northeastward transport and frontal lifting, mixing with the anthropogenic outflow. Boundary layer outflow over the western Pacific is largely devoid of biomass burning influence. European and African (biomass burning) plumes in Asian outflow during TRACE-P were weak (<60 ppbv and 20 ppbv CO, respectively) and were not detectable in the observations because of superposition of the much larger Asian pollution signal. Spring 2001 (La Nina) was characterized by unusually frequent cold surge events in the Asian Pacific rim and strong convection in Southeast Asia, leading to unusually strong boundary layer outflow of anthropogenic emissions and convective outflow of biomass burning emissions in the upper troposphere. The Asian outflow flux of CO to the Pacific is found to vary seasonally by a factor of 3–4 (maximum in March and minimum in summer). The March maximum results from frequent cold surge events and seasonal biomass burning emissions.


The technology for practical, short-range electric commuter vehicles (EVs) is here now! The ChargeCar project at Carnegie Mellon University aims to exploit today's technology to make efficient, clean, quiet, commuter electric vehicles available to the public, while providing a basis for local economic development and increasing public awareness of EVs. We have developed a "kit" of modular components that can be used to convert a conventional gasoline-powered car to 100% electric power in a matter of a few days, utilizing commercial-off-the-shelf (COTS) components, along with existing manufacturing facilities and automotive garages. This kit has been installed and tested in two Honda Civics, and has performed well in over 3500 miles of driving. The prototype vehicles have a range of 40+ miles, top speed in excess of 70 mph, and charge overnight on any 120 VAC receptacle. Present efforts are toward commercializing the manufacturing and conversion process, while continuing related research in compound energy sytems - e.g. battery plus ultracapacitor - and pursuing educational efforts with the public and local schools.


Urinary tract infections (UTIs) represent one of the most common pathological conditions in children. It is estimated that even in the countries with the most advanced health care programmes, such as the United States and Europe, UTIs represent the most common serious infections in pediatrics. In the earliest stages of life, UTIs represent the most common febrile illness, although the non specific clinical presentation often leads to diagnostic underestimation. Neonatal UTIs surely represent a special case among pediatric UTIs and need specific considerations and separate treatment with respect to later age: it is no coincidence that the main national and international guidelines for the diagnosis and treatment of UTIs, such as those issued by the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) and by the Working Group of the Italian Society of Pediatric Nephrology, exclude from their indications the newborn and the infant under two months of age. Low gestational age, low birth weight, association with malformative uropathies are considered specific risk factors. Breastfeeding has a protective effect. E. coli is the major responsible of UTI in term newborns and infants, followed by K. pneumoniae , Proteus spp. , E. cloacae . Finally, Candida spp. is very important in hospitalized children. Treatment includes the combination of ampicillin plus an aminoglycoside (frequently gentamicin). The article shows the main aspects of the urinary tract infections in the neonatal period and a review of the most recent literature on the subject. Articoli Selezionati del "3° Convegno Pediatrico del Medio Campidano" · Guspini · 25 Maggio 2013 Guest Editor: Roberto Antonucci


This study is, above all, about the men and women whose labour form the basis of
Nigeria's economy and social stability: the petroleum workers. Those we will come across
here, work in perhaps the most important single enterprise in Nigeria; the Nigerian
National Petroleum Corporation. The study itself was inspired by (i) an attempt to
understand what work and work relations mean for these people, and (ii) by my dissatisfaction
with the conventional wisdom in Industrial Relations analysis; which in the past
years has inspired the regulation of the working lives of these petroleum workers as much
as any group of employees in Nigeria.
The study is on the NNPC, with special attention to the NNPC Refinery at Warri.
The work itself is divided into three main parts; Part I, which is the Introductory section,
is further divided in four chapters. Chapter 1 explores the main conceptual issues of this
study, explains the research methods and examines some methodological issues that derive
from the fieldwork. In Chapter 2, the labour process literature is reviewed, and this
forms the analytical basis for the discussions in Parts II and III, while Chapters 3 and 4
provide the background information on Nigeria and NNPC respectively. Part U examines,
under four chapters, the nature of work and processes of shopfloor relations in NNPC
generally, with particular emphasis on the Refinery. Chapters 5 and 6 examine the nature
of work and the internal labour market, while Chapters 7 and 8 look at the specific forms
of relations on the shopfloor and their implications for shopfloor struggles. In Part III, I
focus on unionism in the industry and the processes of interest mediation within the
NNPC.
The study takes conceptual issues with the main contributions to the Labour
Process debate and argues for a more studied and coherent re-assesment of Braverman's
work, by recognizing its theoretical and methodological objectives. The study concludes
with a re-exposition of the main conceptual issues; first by emphasizing that it is only
within the framework of a rigorous conceptual redefinition of production relations that
we can overcome the limitations of conventional Industrial Relations discourse. Second, and central to this, is a re-conceptualized method of theory, which enables us to
understand the socio-cultural peculiarities of each national or regional context, and overcome
the limited vision of liberal-pluralist industrial relations ideology. In this sense, the
study places strong emphasis on Marx's method of abstraction, both as a method of
different levels of abstraction, and of one-sided abstraction.
The Refinery, where the bulk of the field research was done, is located in the
riverine belt of southern Nigeria. Although often referred to as Warri Refinery, the plant
is situated in the Ethiope local government area of Bendel State, outside Warri (see Map
A). This complication is a result of the settlement pattern in this area of southern
Nigeria; Warri, for instance, is surrounded by tiny pockets of settlements, each with
distinct lineage/clan history and traditional political autonomy. Two of such settlements
are Jeddo and Ekpan villages which share the north-western borders with Warri, but in a
separate local government area. It is on the territories of these two villages that the
Refinery is located, although I will continue to refer to the plant as Warri Refinery.


Although urban communities in global cities appear quite different, particularly at first glance, spatial semiotic analysis reveals similarities in 'glocalized' spaces. People change the meaning of social spaces by changing the way these places look, through their activities and by their presence. Understanding how this meaning-making happens is critical to the study of urban places and cultures. Because of globalization, diverse people frequently live within the same political boundaries, but the real test of community takes place during the course of everyday life on the streets, in the shops, and in public spaces of neighborhoods. Class, racial, and ethnic hierarchies mark urban space with differential meanings. Though disadvantaged in conflicts with elites, ordinary urban dwellers express their agency in the ways they challenge and sometimes subvert the 'official' uses of social space. This entails, in part, remaking the space to look familiar in order to make the space their own place. Through their social interactions and their material traces, urban dwellers fill social space with expressive, conative and phatic signs of their collective identity. The spatial semiotic perspective, we argue, offers a way to transcend the usual global/local dichotomy of globalization research. Immigrant urban cultures produce spaces of mixture, where both similarity and difference co-exist. We present data from urban neighborhood communities in US and European cities. Our spatial semiotic analysis reveals how micro-segregation and group interactions produce urban culture, constrained by and challenging existing power arrangements, at the beginning of the twenty-first century.


This dictionary, the first dedicated to the work of Gilles Deleuze, offers an in-depth and lucid introduction to one of the most influential figures in continental philosophy. It defines and contextualizes more than 150 terms relating to Deleuze's philosophy, including "becoming," "body without organs," "deterritorialization," "difference," "repetition," and "rhizome." The entries also explore Deleuze's intellectual influences and the ways in which his ideas have shaped philosophy, feminism, cinema studies, postcolonial theory, geography, and cultural studies. More than just defining and describing specific terms, the dictionary elaborates on Deleuze's ideas to reveal the varied applications of his philosophy. The contributors, who include some of the most prominent Deleuze scholars, bring their expert knowledge and critical opinion to bear on the entries. Their work provides a range of theoretical, historical, and aesthetic contexts for anyone interested in Deleuzian thought. Contributors include: Ronald Bogue, University of Georgia; Rosi Braidotti, Utrecht University; Claire Colebrook, University of Edinburgh; Tom Conley, Harvard University; Eugene Holland, Ohio State University; Tamsin Lorraine, Swarthmore College; Paul Patton, University of New South Wales; Kenneth Surin, Duke University; Alberto Toscano, Goldsmiths College


Ball grid array (BGA) packages are a relatively package type and have rapidly become the package style of choice. Much high density, high I/O count semiconductor devices are now only offered in this package style. Designers are naturally concerned about the robustness of BGA packages in a vibration environment when their experience base is with products using more traditional compliant gull or J leaded surface mount packages. Because designers simply do not have the experience, tools are needed to assess the vibration fatigue life of BGA packages during early design stages and not have to wait for product qualification testing, or field returns, to determine if a problem exists. This paper emphasizes a rapid assessment methodology to determine fatigue life of BGA components. If time and money were not an issue, clearly one would use a general-purpose finite element program to determine the dynamic response of the printed circuit board (PCB) in the vibration environment. Once the response of the PCB was determined, one would determine the location and value of the critical stress in the component of interest. Knowing the critical stress, one would estimate the fatigue life from a damage model. The time required building the finite element analysis (FEA) model, conducting the analysis, and postprocess the results would take at least a few days to weeks. This is too time-consuming, except in the most critical applications. It is not a process that can be used in everyday design and what-if simulations. The rapid assessment approach proposed in this paper focuses on a physics of failure type approach to damage analysis and involves global and local modeling to determine the critical stress in the component of interest. A fatigue damage model then estimates the life. The entire fatigue life assessment is anticipated to be executed by an average engineer in real time and take only minutes to generate accurate results.


Olive (Olea europea L.) is grown on about 154,000 ha in Sicily (southern Italy). In the summer of 1999, a few 3-year-old olive trees with decline symptoms were observed in a recently planted commercial orchard in the Enna province (Sicily). The trees were propagated on wild olive (O. europea L. var. sylvestris Brot.) rootstock. Aerial symptoms, consisting of leaf chlorosis, wilting, defoliation, and twig dieback followed in most cases by plant death, were associated with root rot and basal stem cankers. A Phytophthora sp. was consistently isolated from rotted rootlets and trunk cankers using the BNPRAH (benomyl, nystatin, pentachloronitrobenzene, rifampicin, ampicillin, and hymexazol) selective medium. Pure cultures were obtained by single-hypha transfers. The species isolated from symptomatic olive trees was identified as P. megasperma Drechsler on the basis of morphological and cultural characteristics. All isolates were homothallic, with paragynous antheridia. The diameter of oospores varied from 28 to 42 μm (mean ± SE = 36.3 ± 0.4) when they were produced on potato-dextrose agar (PDA) and from 30 to 43 μm (mean ± SE = 37.8 ± 0.4) when they were produced in saline solution. Sporangia were non-papillate. Optimum and maximum temperatures for radial growth of the colonies on PDA were 25 and 30°C, respectively. At 25°C, radial growth rate was about 6 mm per day. The identification was confirmed by the electrophoresis of mycelial proteins on a polyacrylamide slab gel. The electrophoretic banding patterns of total soluble proteins and three isozymes (esterase, fumarase, and malate dehydrogenase) of the isolate from olive were identical to those of two isolates of P. megasperma obtained from cherry and from carrot in Italy and characterized previously (1). Conversely, they were clearly distinct from the electrophoretic patterns of four isolates of P. megasperma var. sojae Hildebr. from soybean (= P. sojae Kauf. & Ger.), from those of three isolates from asparagus tentatively identified as P. megasperma sensu lato (1) and from those of reference isolates of various species producing non-papillate sporangia, including P. cambivora (Petri) Buisman, P. cinnamomi Rands, P. cryptogea Pethybr. & Laff., P. drechsleri Tucker, and P. erythroseptica Pethybr. Pathogenicity of the isolate from olive was tested in the greenhouse at 18 to 25°C using 18-month-old rooted cuttings of olive cv. Biancolilla. Cuttings were inoculated on the lower stem by inserting a 3-mm plug taken from actively growing colonies on PDA into an incision made with a sterile scalpel. The wound was sealed with waterproof tape. Agar plugs with no mycelium were placed into the stem of cuttings used as a control. The bark was stripped and lesion areas were traced and measured 60 days after inoculation. The isolate from olive produced a brown necrotic lesion (mean size = 500 mm2) around the inoculation wound and was reisolated from the lesion. Conversely, the wound healed up on control plants. P. megasperma has previously been recognized as a pathogen of olive in Greece and Spain (3). However, this is the first report of P. megasperma causing root and collar rot of olive in Italy. References: (1) S. O. Cacciola et al. Inf. Fitopatol. 46:33, 1996. (2) D. C. Erwin and O. K. Ribeiro, 1996. Phytophthora Diseases Worldwide. The American Phytopathological Society, St. Paul, MN. (3) M. E. Sánchez-Hernádez et al. Plant Dis. 81:1216, 1997.


A team of American and Chinese experts constructed a pier-free arch bridge in China based only on a 12\ut\uh century silk scroll painting as part of a television series for PBS. The bridge consists of two arch frames—one three sided, one four-sided—that are "woven" together around cross-beams and tied with bamboo. Though the bridge is made of short, straight timbers, it gives the appearance of a gracefully curved arch. The design and construction were approached as they would have been in 12\ut\uh century China, resulting in a cross-cultural collaboration that was both stimulating and rewarding.


Due to rapid technological developments and high competition in the smartphone and advertising industry, mobile advertising becomes increasingly more important. Companies strive to better understand consumer's behaviour to develop effective mobile advertising. The current literature reveals various antecedents of consumer's attitude towards mobile advertising which in turn leads to acceptance or rejection of mobile advertising. A review of the literature unveils some inconsistencies and it remains unclear which key antecedents do exert a significant influence on the attitude towards mobile advertising. Therefore, the aim of this study is to close the existing gap. This will be achieved by analysing the empirical findings and critically assessing the significant influence of each antecedent on attitude across the relevant literature. In order to achieve this, elements of a meta analytical approach are depicted. The following metrics such as the path coefficients beta, R2 and the p-value are used to assess the empirical findings. Across the technology acceptance theories, TAM is predominating as a robust model throughout the literature. However, literature has shown that a cognitive-affective framework could best explain attitude towards mobile advertising. Affective antecedents become increasingly more important which should receive some attention from marketers and future research. Mobile advertising should create value or benefit for consumers to develop a more favourable attitude and to finally accept mobile advertising. In addition, consumers expect from mobile advertisers to mitigate concerns regarding perceived risk of privacy or security issues. This study identifies the following leading antecedents having the most significant effect on attitude: Perceived usefulness, entertainment, credibility, informativeness, personalization and permission. Finally, this study suggests a general framework by extending the TAM with those leading key antecedents that can be used by managers.


Metastasis from the primary tumor site to the brain is the most lethal complication of advanced breast cancer. There is no translational approach to detect if a primary tumor has brain metastatic potential. This is due to a lack of blood brain barrier (BBB) models that can classify a cells metastatic potential. Moreover, the mechanisms by which circulating cancer cells extravasate through the BBB are unknown. Currently used in vivo murine models are slow to manifest metastasis therefore, an alternative approach is an in vitro microfluidic model that re-capitulates the BBB niche micro-environment. Our goal is to develop and use this model to identify the metastatic potential of cancer cell populations. Therefore, we have developed a blood brain niche (µm-BBN) on-a-chip and studied the phenotypic differences between cancer cells in the µm-BBN. The device has two chambers separated by a 5µm porous membrane coated with Matrigel and a BB human endothelial cell (hCMEC/D3) mono-layer. The bottom chamber contains a brain stromal ECM and Normal Human Astrocytes (NHA), while the top chamber acts as the blood vessel. Cancer cells are introduced into the top chamber and allowed to extravasate into the brain like stroma. We measured the ability of the endothelial layer to prevent fluorescent small molecules from diffusing into the brain stromal space. The barrier measured 8.3X lower max fluorescent values than when no barrier was present and were confirmed by TEER. Using this model, we characterized the MDA-231 breast cancer cell line against a brain-seeking subclone (MDA-231-BR), normal-like cell lines (MCF10A) and brain met patient derived xenografts (PDXs) in terms of their ability to extravasate, migrate and survive in the niche for 24-48 hrs. Phenotypic and migratory behavior was recorded using confocal tomography to measure cancer cell properties (volume, shape, position) relative to the endothelial layer. Brain-seeking subclones cluster around the endothelial layer, the MCF10A cell line has no preferred location and the parent line (MDA-231) extravasates deeper into the brain stromal space than the other two cell lines. We also found significant variation in the shape of each cell line before and during extravasation suggesting differences in plasticity. The effects of chemoattractants within the µm-BBN on extravasation have been explored by omitting astrocytes in the collagen-infused brain niche and replacing with astrocyte conditioned media. These findings confirm that the system is capable of measuring both variations in cancer cell populations and individual cells. This approach may enable classification of subclone populations with higher metastatic potential, meeting a major need in Oncology. Future work will employ this emerging tool to study the mechanisms by which the cancer cells extravasate and survive in the niche. Citation Format: Christopher Ryan Oliver, Megan Altemus, Trisha Westerhof, Aki Morikawa, Xu Cheng, Jason Heth, Shuichi Takayama, Maria Castro, Sofia Merajver. Analysis of breast cancer lines and PDXs using a blood brain niche (µm-BBN) microfluidic device and algorithms to aid diagnosis of brain metastatic potential [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the American Association for Cancer Research Annual Meeting 2018; 2018 Apr 14-18; Chicago, IL. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2018;78(13 Suppl):Abstract nr 3103.


We investigate analytically, numerically, and experimentally the modulational instability in a layered, cubically nonlinear (Kerr) optical medium that consists of alternating layers of glass and air. We model this setting using a nonlinear Schrodinger (NLS) equation with a piecewise constant nonlinearity coefficient and conduct a theoretical analysis of its linear stability, obtaining a Kronig-Penney equation whose forbidden bands correspond to the modulationally unstable regimes. We find very good quantitative agreement between the theoretical analysis of the Kronig-Penney equation, numerical simulations of the NLS equation, and the experimental results for the modulational instability. Because of the periodicity in the evolution variable arising from the layered medium, we find multiple instability regions rather than just the one that would occur in uniform media.


This thesis investigates whether the use of hand-held technology affects motivation and learning in science. An innovative mixed methods approach was used to provide new insights into an emerging area of research. First, two pilot observational studies were conducted, which aimed to establish how a school currently uses hand held dataloggers, and gain further insight into how learners respond to this technology. This was followed by a primarily quantitative experiment that was concerned with the role of data ownership and the impact of 'seams' on the transformation process of the collected data. The results indicated that a hands-on experience increased confidence among students in explaining their own data, as opposed to data collected by someone else. A third study was designed to compare how student motivation and learning were affected when carrying out the same inquiry task either with or without the support of dataloggers. The results revealed no difference in accuracy or motivation for learning. The final, fourth, study was a longitudinal study designed in collaboration with a secondary science teacher, comparing three conditions: the inclusion of cameras to support student reflection, the inclusion of both cameras and the use of dataloggers to support teaching, and a control condition where the lessons were not changed. This study found that inclusion of dataloggers into modules led to increased assessment scores, while the use of cameras indicated that students are adept at taking relevant photos, and did not suffer from an extensive novelty effect. The results highlighted the importance of using a range of methods and tools for teaching students. The thesis concludes with recommendations and future research ideas, including exploring how data is visualised and the role of physical context. Of key importance is that future work is conducted in collaboration with educators in the wild.


As an independent complement to previous studies (Weisen et al 2005 Nucl. Fusion 45 L1–4, Weisen et al 2006 Plasma Phys. Control. Fusion 48 A457–66, Angioni et al 2007 Nucl. Fusion 47 1326–35), density peaking in the JET tokamak was investigated on the dataset, comprising virtually all H-mode experiments performed in 2006–2007. Unlike previous studies, this work focuses on low collisionality data as most representative of reactor conditions. The study confirms that collisionality is the most important parameter governing density peaking in H-mode, followed by the NBI particle flux and/or the Ti/Te temperature ratio. For the first time in JET a modest, albeit significant dependence of peaking on internal inductance, or magnetic shear is seen. The experimental behaviour is compared with an extensive database of linear gyrokinetic calculations using the GS2 code. The predictions from GS2 simulations based on the highest linear growth rate mode are in good agreement with experimental observations. They are also corroborated by initial results from the non-linear code GYRO.


This cumulative thesis is based on seven publications and is devoted to the investigation of turbulent thermal convection by means of Direct Numerical Simulations (DNSs). Special focus is placed on the boundary layers and the global flow in the generic setup of Rayleigh–Benard convection (RBC), i.e. a fluid, which is confined between a heated bottom and a cooled top plate as well as thermally insulating sidewalls. Under consideration of the Oberbeck-Boussinesq approximation, the RBC flow is characterized by two dimensionless parameters: the
Rayleigh number and the Prandtl number. In all the publications a large amount of instantaneous temperature and velocity fields is used for a posteriori analysis.
At first, the local and instantaneous boundary layer structure appearing in RBC in a cylindrical container close to the bottom plate is studied. For this purpose a method for the extraction of the large-scale circulation (wind) is introduced, to circumvent azimuthal reorientations occurring in cylindrical containers. The study reveals strong deviations from the theoretical approach of Prandtl–Blasius–Pohlhausen (PBP) for the description of laminar boundary layers. The latter
approach is commonly used for the characterization of the boundary layers in RBC at moderate Rayleigh numbers and for modelling purposes. This approach is also used to estimate the Kolmogorov and Batchelor microscales at the
boundary layer edge and, hence, the required spatial resolution of the boundary layers in a DNS. The theoretical PBP estimates are compared with corresponding numerical results, revealing that the estimates are not restrictive enough and therefore their improvement is desirable. This is achieved by extending the PBP approach to a non-vanishing pressure gradient parallel to the heated/cooled plates. The pressure gradient depends on the angle of attack at which the flow approaches the plates. The resulting velocity boundary layer equation is of the Falkner–Skan
type and leads to a better agreement with the DNS results with respect to the ratio of the thicknesses of the thermal and viscous boundary layers. The value for the latter ratio is derived analytically for arbitrary angles of attack and infinitesimal or infinite Prandtl numbers. This leads to improved estimates for the required spatial resolution of the boundary layers in the DNS.
Furthermore, the influence of the container geometry on RBC is studied. The mean heat fluxes and the global flow structures are evaluated for different Rayleigh numbers and different shapes of the container. First of all, the results obtained in a cubic enclosure are compared with the results obtained in the cylindrical container. The comparison reveals changes of the global flow, the mean heat flux and the mean kinetic energy with increasing Rayleigh number for the cubic container, which are not present in the cylinder. In addition, like in some experimental studies, quasi two-dimensional RBC is investigated, i.e. RBC in a container of equal height and length and rather short depth. The aspect ratio of depth per height is varied and the influence on the global flow structure, the mean heat flux and the mean kinetic energy are evaluated. The study reveals a strong influence of the latter quantities on the aspect ratio. For the aspect ratio of one fourth, a similar flow structure as in the experiments is obtained, even though the considered Rayleigh numbers in the DNS are much smaller. Additionally, the mean heat flux is found to be equal to that in a cylindrical container. Finally, this quasi two-dimensional geometry is extended by adding heated and cooled obstacles, which are attached to the bottom and top plates, respectively. These obstacles
represent regular surface roughness, which is often used in technical applications to achieve an increased heat flux. The heat flux and the velocity magnitude for varying height and width of the obstacles is investigated. It can be well described by a presented empirical relation, reflecting the result that, for constant covering area of the surface, slender obstacles can lead to the largest heat flux increase.


Different metrics to assess mitigation of global warming by carbon capture and storage are discussed. The climatic impact of capturing 30% of the anthropogenic carbon emission and its storage in the ocean or in geological reservoir are evaluated for different stabilization scenarios using a reduced‐form carbon cycle‐climate model. The accumulated Global Warming Avoided (GWA) remains, after a ramp‐up during the first ∼50 years, in the range of 15 to 30% over the next millennium for deep ocean injection and for geological storage with annual leakage rates of up to about 0.001. For longer time scales, the GWA may approach zero or become negative for storage in a reservoir with even small leakage rates, accounting for the CO2 associated with the energy penalty for carbon capture. For an annual leakage rate of 0.01, surface air temperature becomes higher than in the absence of storage after three centuries only.


We develop and test a physically based semi-Lagrangian water body temperature model to apply climatological data and thermal pollution from river-based power plants to historical river flow data in order to better understand climate change impacts on surface water temperature and thermal power plant withdrawal allowances. The model is built for rapid assessment and use in Integrated Assessment Models. We first test the standalone model on a 190km river reach, the Delaware River, where we have detailed flow and temperature data. An R of 0.88 is obtained on hourly data for this initial test. Next, we integrate the standalone temperature model into a series of models— rainfall-runoff model, water demand model, water resource management model, and power plant uptake and release model—for the contiguous USA (CONUS), with about 19,000 segments total. With this system in place, we then validate the standalone water temperature model within the system for 16 river stations throughout the CONUS, where we have measured daily temperature data. The model performs reasonably well with a median R of 0.88. A variety of climate and emissions scenarios are then applied to the model to test regions of higher vulnerability to river temperature environmental violations, making use of output from two GCMs and six emissions scenarios focusing on projections out to 2050. We find that the two GCMs project significantly different impacts to water temperature, driven largely by the resulting changes in streamflow from the two models. We also find significantly different impacts on the withdrawal allowed by thermal power plants due to environmental regulations. Potential impacts on generation are between +3% and -4% by 2050 for the unconstrained emissions case and +3.5% to -2% for the stringent GHG mitigation policy (where 1% is equivalent to 32 TWh, or about 3 billion USD/year using 2005 electricity prices). We also find that once-through cooling plants are most vulnerable to climate change impacts, with summer impacts ranging from -0.8% to -6% for the unconstrained emissions case and +2.1% to -3.7% for the stringent GHG emissions case.


We have used 1H NMR relaxation and pulsed-gradient spin–echo diffusion, 13C NMR relaxation, and quantitative bulk measurements to characterize molecular mobility in unfilled butadiene rubber before and after an intense ultrasound treatment. In an effort to improve our understanding of the treatment process, we have performed the characterization at the molecular level. The 1H NMR T2 relaxation decay has been successfully described with a three-component model, which shows the evolution of the proportions and intermolecular mobilities of the changing spectrum of the motional species. The intramolecular mobility of the carbon backbone and structure has been examined with 13C NMR, which shows significant isomerization resulting from the ultrasound treatment. The diffusion rates of the ultrasonically treated samples reflect the measured changes in the molecular weights of the sol fractions. This investigation is the first to characterize the details of the delicate balance of the crosslinking, backbone modification, chain scission, and network degradation as an ultrasound treatment progresses. © 2004 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part B: Polym Phys 42: 1875–1887, 2004


In South Africa, land reform and the development of upcoming farmers are part of the country's transformation objectives. The development of upcoming farmers into commercial farmers therefore requires the growth of sustainable agri-businesses. Unfortunately, limited success has been achieved in terms of land reform and the country is far from its set targets. This study examined the factors that gave current successful, upcoming commercial farmers the advantage to grow their businesses up to a certain level. Data was collected through interviews with farmers, mentors, transformation managers and governing bodies such as Agri-West Cape. Interviews on the farms gave the researcher the opportunity to observe underlying factors that can influence their businesses. The objective of the study was to determine the critical success factors that relate to the success of upcoming commercial farmers in the Western Cape. The results identified a number of success factors, some of which were unexpected and in contrast with some of the literature sources. All the cases covered in this study – i.e. successful, upcoming commercial farmers in the Western Cape – used different business models and emphasised the importance of proper management. They also used their detailed business plans as a handbook for successful farming, and acknowledged the important role of mentors. Only a mentor-farmer relationship based on trust and respect worked in the end. The mentors took on coaching roles that were not limited to farming activities but included an equally important people development component. A sustainable market was identified as one of the critical success factors for successful upcoming commercial farmers. One of the biggest hurdles for upcoming farmers was financial management. Hence, they required dedicated financial management to be sustainable. One of the main outcomes of the study was the importance of the personal profile of the farmers and their understanding of the opportunity. Focusing on short-term financial gains resulted in failure. All the farmers in the case studies displayed a deep understanding of the long-term goal of their businesses and their role in that. Transformation, land reform and building an equal society in South Africa are burning points for the nation. The success of upcoming farmers helps to build confidence that the hard work is paying off.


The stability and release characteristics of some Miglyol-in-water emulsions were studied. The ternary
phase diagrams of Miglyol, water and the selected anionic, cationic and non-ionic surfactants provided fundamental information about the stability of the emulsions produced.

The preliminary drug release experiments indicated that release from an emulsion was governed by the transfer of the drug from the oil phase, which was dependent on the type of the interfacial film. This was proved using different surfactants or surfactant mixtures to prepare the emulsions.

The effect of the apparent partition coefficient.of the drug, which is a function of the oil/water phase volume ratio, o, the micellar phase concentration and the pH of the external phase, on release was studied. The release wass lower the greater the o or , for the same o, the higher the micellar phase concentration.

The effect of the partition coefficient on drug release was demonstrated, by incorporating different drugs in a model emulsion which showed that these two parameters are inversely related.

A trend towards a decreasing release rate from the oil with increasing viscosity was observed . However, the variations observed in the drug release from the emulsions could not only be attributed to the viscosity of the oil phase, but also to the changes in the interfacial film caused by the gelling agents.

The short and long-term and the elevated stability tests proved that, except in the case of emulsions stabilized with Span 80 or Tween 20-Span 80 mixtures to produce low HLB values, the emulsions were stable . However, particle size distribution analysis determined by photosedimentometry has confirmed that microscopy was not a satisfactory method for accurate size distribution analysis and it provided only a gross visual check on the size distribution. This was due to the presence of a large number of globules in the submicrometer range.


Using a sample of approximately 14,000 z > 2.1 quasars observed in the first year of the Baryon Oscillation Spectroscopic Survey (BOSS), we measure the three-dimensional correlation function of absorption in the Lyman-α forest. The angle-averaged correlation function of transmitted flux (F = e−τ) is securely detected out to comoving separations of 60 h−1Mpc, the first detection of flux correlations across widely separated sightlines. A quadrupole distortion of the redshift-space correlation function by peculiar velocities, the signature of the gravitational instability origin of structure in the Lyman-α forest, is also detected at high significance. We obtain a good fit to the data assuming linear theory redshift-space distortion and linear bias of the transmitted flux, relative to the matter fluctuations of a standard ΛCDM cosmological model (inflationary cold dark matter with a cosmological constant). At 95% confidence, we find a linear bias parameter 0.16 < b < 0.24 and redshift-distortion parameter 0.44 < β < 1.20, at central redshift z = 2.25, with a well constrained combination b(1+β) = 0.336±0.012. The errors on β are asymmetric, with β = 0 excluded at over 5σ confidence level. The value of β is somewhat low compared to theoretical predictions, and our tests on synthetic data suggest that it is depressed (relative to expectations for the Lyman-α forest alone) by the presence of high column density systems and metal line absorption. These results set the stage for cosmological parameter determinations from three-dimensional structure in the Lyman-α forest, including anticipated constraints on dark energy from baryon acoustic oscillations.


A remarkable property of one-dimensional (I-D) alldielectric periodic structures has recently been reported, namely, a 1-D structure can totally reflect electromagnetic wave of any polarization at all angles within a prescribed frequency region, Unlike their metallic counterpart, such all-dielectric omnidirectional mirrors are nearly free of loss at optical frequencies. Here we discuss the physics, design criteria and applications of the thin-film all-dielectric omnidirectional mirror. The experimental demonstration of the mirror is presented at optical frequencies.


PURPOSE
In interocular suppression, a suprathreshold target presented monocularly (to target-eye) can be rendered invisible by a salient competitor presented to the other eye (competitor-eye). Here we develop and test a computational model of interocular suppression and distinguish the role of feature-based and eye-based attention. Psychophysics. Observers performed an orientation-discrimination task on a small (1.5º diameter) monocular target, either presented alone or simultaneously with one of several competitors. The size and eye-of-origin of the competitors were manipulated. Three competitors-small (1.5º), medium (2.5º) and large (8º)-were presented to the competitor-eye. To disentangle feature-based and eye-based attention, large split competitor (8º) was segmented into two regions: the center (same as the small competitor) was presented to the competitor-eye whereas the surround was presented to the target-eye. Target contrast varied from trial-to-trial randomly, and competitor contrast was fixed at 23%. We measured psychometric functions: d' vs. target contrast. Computational model. Two processes contributed to the strength of interocular suppression. According to the model, the salient competitor induced an exogenous attentional modulation selective for the location and orientation of the competitor, thereby increasing the gain of the responses to the competitor and reducing the gain of the responses to the target. Additional suppression was induced by divisive normalization, similar to other forms of visual masking.

RESULTS
Small and medium competitors induced a response-gain change for responses to the target (consistent with Ling & Blake, 2012). But large competitors induced a contrast-gain change, even when the competitor was split between the two eyes. The model correctly predicted these results and outperformed an alternative model in which the attentional modulation was eye specific.

CONCLUSION
Both exogenous attention (selective for feature and location) and divisive normalization contribute to interocular suppression. Meeting abstract presented at VSS 2015.


Aminoacylhistidine dipeptidases (PepD, EC 126.96.36.199) belong to the family of M20 metallopeptidases from the metallopeptidase H clan that catalyze a broad range of dipeptide and tripeptide substrates, including l-carnosine and l-homocarnosine. Homocarnosine has been suggested as a precursor for the neurotransmitter γ-aminobutyric acid (GABA) and may mediate the antiseizure effects of GABAergic therapies. Here, we report the crystal structure of PepD from Vibrio alginolyticus and the results of mutational analysis of substrate-binding residues in the C-terminal as well as substrate specificity of the PepD catalytic domain-alone truncated protein PepDCAT. The structure of PepD was found to exist as a homodimer, in which each monomer comprises a catalytic domain containing two zinc ions at the active site center for its hydrolytic function and a lid domain utilizing hydrogen bonds between helices to form the dimer interface. Although the PepD is structurally similar to PepV, which exists as a monomer, putative substrate-binding residues reside in different topological regions of the polypeptide chain. In addition, the lid domain of the PepD contains an "extra" domain not observed in related M20 family metallopeptidases with a dimeric structure. Mutational assays confirmed both the putative di-zinc allocations and the architecture of substrate recognition. In addition, the catalytic domain-alone truncated PepDCAT exhibited substrate specificity to l-homocarnosine compared with that of the wild-type PepD, indicating a potential value in applications of PepDCAT for GABAergic therapies or neuroprotection.


Summary Th is article presents the procedure of putting valuable town parks under protection in the category of monuments of park architecture, according to the Law on protection of nature. Besides the procedure itself, the aim is to present the expert documents as the foundation for the procedure using the Sv. Jakov Park in Opatija as an example. Since this is the fi rst park to put under protection according to the new Law, and since this is the result of several years of scientifi c research, this example can be used for the future protection of parks in our country. Th e scientifi c methods used here were the method of analysis and synthesis, historical method, method of proof, case study method and method of induction and deduction. Analysis of data from the Registry of protected natural heritage at the Ministry of Culture showed that no historical parks were protected at that time in the category of the monuments of park architecture according to the new Law on protection of nature. Th e method of analysis also identifi ed the phases of procedure of protection and the need for cooperation of various experts – architects-urbanists, agronomists, biologists and jurists and also various local, county and republic institutions. Using the historical method, we collected information on the historical development, characteristics and value of the Sv. Jakov Park, and using the method of proof, we established that it was not protected. Th e case study method was used to examine the procedure of putting the Sv. Jakov Park under protection, and the method of induction and deduction showed that this particular example of protection, based on scientifi c research, should become a model for similar procedures in the Republic of Croatia.


The oral compartment is an interesting source of biomolecules that could support or even replace blood sampling. Although having the evident advantage of minimal invasiveness, saliva employment for biomarker recovery did not gain ground because it was believed that only few blood molecules could be recovered from saliva. Recent evidence shows that, not only most blood molecules can be found in saliva but also that in saliva there are molecules not present in blood. Moreover saliva contains molecules coming from distant sites such as exosomes. Here we discuss recent evidence that makes saliva promising for biomarker sampling.


Since oil production commenced in the middle of the 20th century Qatar's capital Doha witnessed a rapid urbanisation period. Today, new development strategies, which have been implemented to diversify Qatar's economy, have led to a new urban transformation process with the vision to establish Doha as hub within global networks. Economic transformation processes in Qatar have always caused new structures within its society, which in turn affected urban developments. After decades of urbanisation based on the export of oil, the introduction of a hub vision at the end of the 1990s marked a new process that has been rethinking urbanism in Qatar. Although current developments have attracted worldwide attention, there has been rather little scientific reflection as to how current urbanism in the Gulf should be understood in relation to its past and projected future. Therefore, this paper seeks to investigate the various factors impacting Doha's urban environment during economic transformation processes. Each economc transformation has had a large impact  on the structure of the city's society as well as its built environment. The curren transformation process can still be considered at its beginning. In order to understand the impact of contemporary economic diversification strategies, the city's past urbanisation stages and their spatial development factors had to be analysed. All in all four distinct phases of urbanism can be distinguished in the case of Doha: The pre-oil settlement, the modernisation period, the oil city and the globalised hub.


OBJECTIVE
To investigate the intraoperative transfusion requirements in off-pump coronary artery bypass grafting (OPCABG) and the cost implication of blood products and cell savers on a background of limited resources.

METHODS
Prospective data collection identified 60 patients undergoing OPCABG surgery at the Eric Williams Medical Sciences Complex, Trinidad and Tobago. Data relating to these patients (including preoperative haemoglobin (Hb), graft number, presence of diabetes, ejection fraction, preoperative serum creatinine, intraoperative blood use and blood loss) and costing for cell saver disposables and prepared donor (or allogenic) blood were obtained.

RESULTS
Twenty units of packed red blood cells (pRBCs) were given in theatre to 27% (16 of 60) of patients. Transfusion requirement was significantly lower in patients with fewer grafts, higher preoperative Hb level and non-diabetic patients. Cell saver disposables and one unit of pRBCs were estimated to cost TT$5000 and TT$1700, respectively. Each patient's transfusion cost TT$2125.00 per unit.

CONCLUSION
The study demonstrates the financial implications of routine cell saver use in OPCABG in a setting of limited resources. The cost-effectiveness of routine cell saver use remains to be elucidated, but we recommend the selective use of cell savers in patients who are at a higher risk for transfusion.


This paper studies the persistence of innovation and the dynamics of innovation output in Dutch manufacturing using firm data from three waves of the Community Innovation Surveys (CIS), pertaining to the periods 1994-1996, 1996-1998, and 1998-2000. We estimate by maximum likelihood a dynamic panel data type 2 tobit model accounting for individual effects and handling the initial conditions problem. We find that there is no evidence of true persistence in achieving technological product or process innovations, while past shares of innovative sales condition, albeit to a small extent, current shares of innovative sales.


The aims of the study were to investigate: (1) self-reported adulthood and last-year victimization in male and female outpatients suffering from psychosis; (2) relationships to perpetrators; (3) whether drugs or alcohol were involved in victimization situations; (4) places where victimization occurred. Patients were randomly selected from five outpatient units geared to patients with psychosis; 174 patients participated in a structured face-to-face interview. Experiences of victimization in adulthood were reported by 67%, 33% in the previous year. During adulthood 51% had been physically and 32% sexually victimized and 39% threatened. In the previous year 21% reported threats, 20% physical and 15% sexual victimization. Women reported greater exposure to physical and sexual victimization than men during adulthood and in the previous year. Strangers and acquaintances were mainly reported as perpetrators and half (55%) of those victimized in the previous year stated no involvement of alcohol or drugs. Victimization mainly occurred in the patients' own home (59%), outside downtown (34%), or in others homes (38%). The results of this study give reason to highlight the importance for research and clinical practices to adopt a broad frame of interpretation concerning victimization in patients, covering both individual and environmental factors.


We measured the angular distribution of light scattering from dielectric random surfaces and confirmed the existence of the quasi-anomalous scattering and Brewster's scattering angle, which were predicted theoretically in our previous work. The quasi-anomalous scattering produces peaks at the critical angle of total reflection. Brewster's scattering angle is the angle of a zero in the p-polarized scattering distribution. In the case of vertical incidence there is a dip at the critical angle in the p-polarized scattering distribution, because Brewster's scattering angle overlaps the critical angle, while the peak due to the quasi-anomalous scattering exists in s-polarized scattering.


Abstract Occupants of office buildings are exposed to low concentrations of complex mixtures of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) that encompass a number of chemical classes and a broad range of irritancies. "Sick building syndrome" (SBS) is suspected to be related to these exposures. Using data from 22 office areas in 12 California buildings, seven VOC exposure metrics were developed and their ability to predict self-reported SBS irritant symptoms of office workers was tested. The VOC metrics were each evaluated in a multivariate logistic regression analysis model adjusted for other risk factors or confounders. Total VOCs and most of the other metrics were not statistically significant predictors of symptoms in crude or adjusted analyses. Two metrics were developed using principal components (PC) analysis on subsets of the 39 VOCs. The Irritancy/PC metric was the most statistically significant predictor of adjusted irritant symptoms. The irritant potencies of individual compounds, highly correlated nature of indoor VOC mixtures, and probable presence of potent, but unmeasured, VOCs were variously factored into this metric. These results, which for the first time show a link between low level VOC exposures from specific types of indoor sources to SBS symptoms, require confirmation using data sets from other buildings.


Burnashev in 1976 gave an exact expression for the reliability function of a discrete memoryless channel (DMC) with noiseless feedback. A coding scheme that achieves this exponent needs, in general, to know the statistics of the channel. Suppose now that the coding scheme is designed knowing only that the channel belongs to a family Q of DMCs. Is there a coding scheme with noiseless feedback that achieves Burnashev's exponent uniformly over Q at a nontrivial rate? We answer the question in the affirmative for two families of channels (binary symmetric, and Z). For these families we show that, for any given fraction, there is a feedback coding strategy such that for any member of the family: i) guarantees this fraction of its capacity as rate, and ii) guarantees the corresponding Burnashev's exponent. Therefore, for these families, in terms of delay and error probability, the knowledge of the channel becomes asymptotically irrelevant in feedback code design: there are blind schemes that perform as well as the best coding scheme designed with the foreknowledge of the channel under use. However, a converse result shows that, in general, even for families that consist of only two channels, such blind schemes do not exist.


This paper explores the dynamics of organisational restructuring and the changing nature of work in distribution centres that supply the UK major multiples. Retail supply chains, involving the large supermarkets, are a central feature of the contemporary service economy. The consequences of the market domination of the major retailers have featured prominently in public policy debate. For supermarkets to meet their profit and expansion targets, a reliable and cost-efficient network of supply organisations and an efficient distribution network that ensure the product reaches the stores is essential. Grocery distribution and warehousing provides the vital link between food manufacturing and customer satisfaction and consumption within the stores. There is some research which explores the implications of these inter-firm relationships for work organisation within the sector. Referring to the instigation of 'lean logistics', Wright and Lund's (2003, 2006) studies of the Australian grocery and distribution industry highlight the impact of retailer dominance on the supply chain and illustrates a general shift in work organisation. They highlight a range of information technologies, such as supply chain management, warehouse and transport management systems, which enable the integration of data across the supply chain. This research indicates the variations in the resulting labour use strategies suggesting that within this highly concentrated product market the nature of workplace change amongst these inter-linked organisations has become increasingly complex and dependent on a range of contingencies. The Institute of Grocery Distribution (2007) also indicates that the UK is increasingly recognized for its 'leading edge performance' within the highly demanding food and grocery logistic sector. Indeed 94.3% of food and grocery stock is supplied via a retail warehouse rather than direct from supplier to store with evidence suggesting that overall warehouse stock inventories increasing (IGD 2007). Drawing from qualitative research evidence from four case-study organisations our research examines how organisational restructuring and changing inter-firm relations impacts upon employment and workplace practices with distributors and warehousing. We explore how and at whose instigation the nature of work is changing within these inter-linked organisations. The case-studies have been selected to represent the diversity within the sector; notably two from third-party distribution and warehousing companies and two supermarket distribution depots. In each case-study a number of semi-structured interviews with key managers and trade union representatives were conducted coupled with focus groups with warehouse staff and drivers. Some of these themes referred to above do recur in our study. Indeed much of the research evidence highlights classic labour process issues – notably changes in work organisation, the impact of technology, work intensification, skill utilisation, and employee voice. But we want to add an emphasis on what is under-researched: notably the impact of dominant customer in shaping the direction and nature of work restructuring within these distribution and warehousing organisations. Analytically, we wish to contribute to the growing debate on inter-organisational relations that requires a framework that moves beyond the characteristic labour process focus on immediate workplace dynamics per se. Our concern therefore is to understand the nature of work within these organisations as part of a wider configuration of production, distribution, exchange and consumption (Glucksmann 2005).


The construction of a new nuclear power plant requires an excavation over 27.4 m (90 ft) deep. The excavation is backfilled with compacted sandy soils. The power plant is embedded about 12.2 m (40 ft) below grade; thus bearing on about 15.2 m (50 ft) of compacted backfill. During licensing and design of the plant, the shear wave velocity profile of the proposed backfill was estimated using results from laboratory testing [combined resonant column and torsional shear (RCTS)] and in situ shear wave velocity measurements. RCTS tests were conducted on representative samples of potential borrow sources. In situ velocity measurements, which included spectral-analysis-of-surface waves (SASW) and cross-hole seismic testing methods, were conducted on a 6.1-m- (20-ft-) thick embedded test pad of the potential borrow. During construction of the production backfill, in situ shear wave velocity measurements, using SASW methods, were taken at four levels during backfill placement, spaced nominally 6.1 to 7.6 m (20 to 25 ft) apart. The fourth and final level of testing was conducted nominally at plant grade. Cross-hole seismic testing through the backfill was also conducted at this level. This paper compares the results of estimated values made during the licensing and design phases of the project, based primarily on laboratory test results, with in situ shear wave velocity measurements made during the actual construction. In particular, SASW results from the first two levels of backfill tested [about 7.6 and 15.2 m (25 and 50 ft) of backfill] are evaluated. Results from the final two test levels of backfill, along with results of cross-hole testing, were not available at this writing. The comparison of laboratory results and in situ testing provides good agreement. The assumptions made to develop the estimated values during the licensing phase are compared to the as-built measurements of shear wave velocity accounting for actual backfill materials and construction practices reflected in the in situ values.


Interest in renewable energy resources has increased in recent years, and solar cells are one of the areas that have been subject to intensive research. For solar energy to develop into a competitive alternative to fossil fuels, the ratio between cost and efficiency has to be reduced. One of the reasons for low efficiency is the optical losses due to reflection and poor absorption of the red and infrared segment of the light spectrum. Applying more ideal anti-reflection structures and a back-side diffraction layer to increase the path length of light would certainly constitute steps in the right direction. Diatoms, a type of algae, are one of nature's most efficient light harvesting structures. It is suggested that their nano- and microporous silica shell (frustule) possess optical properties that make them attractive options for increasing the efficiency of solar cells. This project aimed at studying the structural and optical properties of selected diatom species and investigating the potential for efficiency enhancements in solar cells through the incorporation of diatoms. Two different species,emph{Coscinodiscus wailesii} and emph{Coscinodiscus sp.}, were investigated through the use of a scanning electron microscope. They were found to have different structures, with the frustule of emph{Coscinodiscus sp.} as having a more regular pore pattern and a more complex structure consisting of several silica layers. The emph{Coscinodiscus sp.} structure was chosen as the foundation for modelling a diffraction grating in GD-Calc, a Matlab implemented simulation software based on rigorous coupled-wave analysis. The diffraction simulations were carried out both on the grating in air and on the grating incorporated in solar cell-like setups. The simulations demonstrated that the diatom structure diffracted light efficiently to higher orders. It was also shown that the anti-reflection structure provided low levels of reflection for a given set of geometric combinations. The back-side diffraction grating reflected light with efficiencies of 0.9, however, the level of diffraction to higher orders was below 0.1. This study shows that that diatom frustule exhibits interesting diffraction grating properties which should be investigated further, both for solar cell schemes and for other applications.


The clear presence of vengeance as an underlying motive behind calls for self-help in the immediate aftermath of some violent homicides indicates that community protection is largely irrelevant where vigilantism is associated with these 'signal crimes'. This paper documents the characteristics of five major cases between 2006 and 2007 where the threat ofcommunity-generated vigilante activity received media coverage, the nature of that coverage, the role of police in cautioning the public to reassert their legitimacy and monopoly over the correct procedures for conducting criminal investigations and the implications of these issues in light of the moral 'outrage' associated with the status of the victim in each case. In an era of increased community concern about crime, it appears vigilantism is an important rhetorical indicator of the level of collective insecurity prompted by fatal assaults, especially in regional areas characterised by underlying racial tensions and cases involving vulnerable child victims. However, when viewed alongside the virtual victimhood promoted by stylised press reporting, it appears 'vigilantism' is a pertinent signifier of public anxiety over the timing, location and antecedents of some serious violent crimes, rather than a descriptor of any substantive community-generated measures aimed at promoting greater levels of public safety.


Minority Diabetes Initiative Act This bill amends the Public Health Service Act to allow the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) to make grants to public and nonprofit private health care providers to provide treatment for diabetes in minority communities. HHS must ensure that these grants cover a variety of diabetes-related health care services, including routine care for diabetic patients, public education on diabetes prevention and control, eye care, foot care, and treatment for kidney disease and other complications of diabetes.


As benign nerve sheat tumors, schwannomas are located mostly in the head and neck region, but rarely originate from the hypoglossal nerve. A woman aged 53 years presented with non-progressive dysarthria and unilateral tongue atrophy, which she had had for 2 years. Neurologic examination revealed left-sided, isolated hypoglossal nerve palsy. Chronic axonal neuropathy of the left hypoglossal nerve was seen in electromyographic (EMG) study. With cranial magnetic resonance (MR) imaging, a mass lesion in the left cerebellomedullary cistern was detected. A biopsy was not possible due to its critical location. Due to the non-progressive clinical course and radiologic features of the mass, it was consiered as schwannoma. Six-monthly follow-up with MR imaging and EMG was performed three times, and there was no change in the findings. We aimed to provide clinical, radiologic and electrophysiologic findings of isolated unilateral hypoglossal nerve palsy due to schwannoma.


State of the art articles such as this serve as an essential stocktaking of an academic field and, thus become good places for us to pause and consider what we are doing and why we are doing it. From a strategy perspective, such articles create an effective method for us to consider the value that we, as discourse/ communication scholars of organizations, are creating right now and how we ought to create that value on into the future. In particular, their article pushes us to consider the directions and opportunities for effective thought leadership for our field in both the short and long terms. With that thought in mind, Jian et al.'s assessment of where we are right now points us toward three very sticky and difficult thought leadership issues that we must effectively engage if we are to create the value we need to create. The first issue is also the most readily apparent in their article: 'Is it communication, or is it discourse, or is it Discourse?'


Division of Medical Oncology, Department of Medicine, Keck School of Medicine and Translational and Clinical Science Program, USC Norris Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA, USA Abstract: In recent years, new therapeutic options have become available for prostate cancer (PC) patients, generating an urgent need for better biomarkers to guide the choice of therapy and monitor treatment response. Liquid biopsies, including circulating tumor cells (CTCs), circulating nucleic acids, and exosomes, have been developed as minimally invasive assays allowing oncologists to monitor PC patients with real-time cellular or molecular information. While CTC counts remain the most extensively validated prognostic biomarker to monitor treatment response, recent advances demonstrate that CTC morphology and androgen receptor characterization can provide additional information to guide the choice of treatment. Characterization of cell-free DNA (cfDNA) is another rapidly emerging field with novel technologies capable of monitoring the evolution of treatment relevant alterations such as those in DNA damage repair genes for poly (ADP-ribose) polymerase (PARP) inhibition. In addition, several new liquid biopsy fields are emerging, including the characterization of heterogeneity, CTC RNA sequencing, the culture and xenografting of CTCs, and the characterization of extracellular vesicles (EVs) and circulating microRNAs. This review describes the clinical utilization of liquid biopsies in the management of PC patients and emerging liquid biopsy technologies with the potential to advance personalized cancer therapy.


An enduring problem facing microfinance institutions is access to funding. This study investigates the determinants of MFIs access to funding using a comprehensive measure of capital structure. The design of the study takes account three gaps in our current understanding of this topic. Firstly, despite the huge literature on MFIs corporate governance and the significant role of women on microfinance outcomes, it is perhaps surprising that no research has been conducted on the effect of board gender diversity on MFIs capital structure. Secondly, the role of standard firm-specific and institutional-specific factors in determining MFIs capital structure decision is unclear. Utilizing an alternative regression framework may provide a reliable analysis. Thirdly, our understanding of the composition of MFIs leverage is far from complete. The relationship between deposit liabilities and non-deposit liabilities have not yet been subject of investigation. In response to these three major issues, this study employs empirical research methods using panel data analysis technique. We find that female directors have significant positive influence on deposits and subsidies. Furthermore, the study also shows evidence of risk-taking attitude among female directors when MFIs have three or more of them on board. Secondly, we find that the effect of firm-specific factors on MFIs capital structure differ across countries, while prior studies assume equal impact of these determinants. We find that institutional-specific factors significantly explain the variation of MFIs leverage across countries. However, commercially related institutional factors does not affect MFIs access to subsidies. We also show that there is an indirect impact of institutional factors, as we report their significance effect through firm-specific factors. Finally, the study provides empirical evidence that deposits and borrowings are substitutes rather than complements, and that the degree of substitutability is more pronounced in MFIs operating in a developed financial sector, where the degree of information asymmetry is lower.


Dry eye, an age‐related condition, is a multifactorial disease of the tears and ocular surface that results in symptoms of discomfort, visual disturbance and tear film instability. Environmental factors are also often implicated in dry eye including exposure to pollutants, ultraviolet (UV) radiation and ozone as well as the chronic use of preserved eyedrops such as in the treatment of glaucoma. These factors increase oxidative stress and ocular surface inflammation. Here, we reviewed the cellular, animal and clinical studies that point to the role of oxidative stress in dry eye disease. The biomarkers used to indicate oxidative damage in ocular surface tissues include 8‐hydroxy‐2 deoxyguanosine (8‐OHdG), 4‐hydroxynonenal (HNE) and malondialdehyde (MDD). Antioxidative defences in the ocular surface occur in the form of tear proteins such as lactoferrin and S100A proteins, and enzymes such as superoxide dismutase (SOD), peroxidase, catalase and mitochondrial oxidative enzymes. An imbalance between the level of reactive oxygen species (ROS) and the action of protective enzymes will lead to oxidative damage, and possibly inflammation. A small number of interventional studies suggest that oxidative stress may be directly targeted in topical therapy of dry eye treatment. For example, in vitro studies suggest that L‐carnitine and pterostilbene, a blueberry component may reduce oxidative stress, and in animal studies, alpha‐lipoic acid (ALP) and selenoprotein P may be helpful. Examples of treatments used in clinical trials include vitamin B12 eyedrops and iodide iontophoresis. With recent emphasis on ageing medicine and preventive holistic health, as well as the role of environmental science, research on oxidative stress in the ocular surface is likely to have increasing impact in the coming years.


The argument for this presentation is that a feminist technoscientific approach is vital when exploring critical, multilayered issues of postcolonial ICT, gender and user design in a sociotechnical environment of mobile development, in this case entrepreneurs located at technology hubs in Kampala. Using diffraction as a method for exploring user design, gender, and future-making among the entrepreneurs, the empirical material consists of a variety of perspectives and stories that not only tells of what is missing in terms of ICT infrastructure, smartphone technologies or national policies but also what is actually there and happening right now with hackathons, start-up companies and more women visible in the ICT sector. The presentation will also provide examples of different design processes between the actors in the environment of mobile application development, to distinguish between different design approaches, entangle design-games and figure out how and if user-centered design comes into focus.


Phenytoin and carbamazepine are rarely associated with serious hematologic side effects but can include impairment of either humoral or cell-mediated immunity. We describe a patient who developed severe granulocytopenia while taking phenytoin. The phenytoin was replaced by carbamazepine and the patient subsequently developed erythroid hypoplasia, neutropenia and persistent thrombocytopenia. In vitro studies demonstrated a phenytoin-dependent antigranulocyte antibody directly implicating phenytoin in the leukopenia. An extremely high titre of platelet-associated IgG was found which was independent of the presence of carbamazepine. Autoantibodies directed against the patient's red cells, granulocytes and lymphocytes were also demonstrated. In vitro marrow culture studies failed to detect cellular or humoral inhibitors and were suggestive of a stem cell defect. These studies indicate that anticonvulsant therapy can result in sustained humoral abnormalities as well as in nonimmune mediated marrow suppression.


Delegent is an authorisation server developed to provide a single centralised policy repository for multiple applications with support for decentralised administration by means of delegation. The author investigates how to integrate Delegent with the Rotor implementation of the .NET framework and compare the features of Delegent with those of the existing application level authorisation models of .NET. He concludes that Delegent offers help for application developers and a decentralised administration model, which are not available in standard .NET, and that the .NET model is well suited to be extended to use an authorisation server.


On losing his job, Philip Brannigan finds himself unable to return home to face the family with his news. His entire material world is about to collapse. In his confused state, and challenged by an elderly stranger, he adopts a religious sandwich board found in the park where he has spent the night.

And so begins his journey across the UK.

What at first seems like the aimless wandering of a confused man, gradually turns into a specific march towards Brannigan's childhood home. It is a journey carried out on foot over a period of five or six days and one that takes him from the west of England to the east coast. On this journey, Brannigan experiences a number of encounters which are fuelled by the message on his sandwich board: "The Meek Shall Inherit The Earth". These are experiences that range from the sublime to the brutal, the mundane to the revelatory. They are experiences and encounters that reveal a changing external social landscape, as well as an evolving inner spiritual world.

Arriving on the east coast, Brannigan is faced with the reality that there is no home to go back to, no past in which to take shelter, and in his deepest moment of despair he discovers, through his interaction with the sea that destroyed his childhood home, a new strength and a new way of understanding his life.

This is an experiential story: we are invited to immerse ourselves in the detail of Brannigan's experience and to see the imagery of the everyday contemporary world in a mythological and mystical light.


Design more coherent and dynamic research and policy agendas, and target investments more adequately to reduce poverty, and vulnerability in the face of climate change. Whilst the way in which climate change impacts on livestock systems is not completely understood we need to act even when there are large uncertainties. We need to understand how production systems will change in future: The target is moving


The Wall Street Journal Bestseller The Future is Now--Get Ready to Reap the Profits. We stand at the beginning of a consumer-centric age--an era with potentially enormous returns for leaders in marketing, advertising and media--if they get their approach right. The new media environment is "always on," digitally accessible to audiences from anywhere at any time, and responsive to their control. As consumers get used to this, the world of marketing is shifting to one of constant experimentation, fine-grained insight through new metrics, and continual innovation of the visible advertising message, as well as the changing business infrastructure beneath it. The thought leaders at Booz & Company and strategy+business magazine have collaborated to create an up-to-the-minute exploration of this turbulent yet promising new digital era and its implications for corporate executives and marketing and advertising professionals. Giving you profiles of the best in the business and deep explorations of the most effective innovations and strategies in the marketing world, Always On introduces you to the companies that are reshaping the ways we will reach customers in the future. Their secrets are in this book, including how to: Match your messages to the right media Learn the leading strategies of consumer-centric pioneers Discover the lessons of laggard marketers Explore viral marketing Track advertising spending shifts Capture emerging opportunities in a world of constant change Master the new marketing metrics Engage your customers on their terms Figuring out the best mix of strategies for any brand requires experimentation, networking, innovation, analytics, and risk taking-qualities that have never been adequately nurtured in a marketer's traditional career path. Always On puts you at the front of the race for successful innovation, with the latest successful approaches and techniques--essential competitive knowledge in a marketing and advertising world that never quits.


Abstract. Organic measurements, such as biological oxygen demand (BOD) and chemical oxygen demand (COD) were developed decades ago in order to measure organics in water. Today, these time-consuming measurements are still used as parameters to check the water treatment quality; however, the time required to generate a result, ranging from hours to days, does not allow COD or BOD to be useful process control parameters – see (1) Standard Method 5210 B; 5-day BOD Test, 1997, and (2) ASTM D1252; COD Test, 2012. Online organic carbon monitoring allows for effective process control because results are generated every few minutes. Though it does not replace BOD or COD measurements still required for compliance reporting, it allows for smart, data-driven and rapid decision-making to improve process control and optimization or meet compliances. Thanks to the smart interpretation of generated data and the capability to now take real-time actions, municipal drinking water and wastewater treatment facility operators can positively impact their OPEX (operational expenditure) efficiencies and their capabilities to meet regulatory requirements. This paper describes how three municipal wastewater and drinking water plants gained process insights, and determined optimization opportunities thanks to the implementation of online total organic carbon (TOC) monitoring.


We previously reported that TR2 and TR4 orphan nuclear receptors bind to direct repeat (DR) elements in the ε- and γ-globin promoters, and act as molecular anchors for the recruitment of epigenetic corepressors of the multifaceted DRED complex, thereby leading to ε- and γ-globin transcriptional repression during definitive erythropoiesis. Other than the ε- and γ-globin and the GATA1 genes, TR4-regulated target genes in human erythroid cells remain unknown. Here, we identified TR4 binding sites genome-wide using chromatin immunoprecipitation followed by massively parallel sequencing (ChIP-seq) as human primary CD34+ hematopoietic progenitors differentiated progressively to late erythroid precursors. We also performed whole transcriptome analyses by RNA-seq to identify TR4 downstream targets after lentiviral-mediated TR4 shRNA knockdown in erythroid cells. Analyses from combined ChIP-seq and RNA-seq datasets indicate that DR1 motifs are more prevalent in the proximal promoters of TR4 direct target genes, which are involved in basic biological functions (e.g., mRNA processing, ribosomal assembly, RNA splicing and primary metabolic processes). In contrast, other non-DR1 repeat motifs (DR4, ER6 and IR1) are more prevalent at gene-distal TR4 binding sites. Of these, approximately 50% are also marked with epigenetic chromatin signatures (such as P300, H3K27ac, H3K4me1 and H3K27me3) associated with enhancer function. Thus, we hypothesize that TR4 regulates gene transcription via gene-proximal DR1 sites as TR4/TR2 heterodimers, while it can associate with novel nuclear receptor partners (such as RXR) to bind to distant non-DR1 consensus sites. In summary, this study reveals that the TR4 regulatory network is far more complex than previously appreciated and that TR4 regulates basic, essential biological processes during the terminal differentiation of human erythroid cells.


Automated fiber placement (AFP) is a composites manufacturing process that has become ubiquitous in the aerospace industry. Compared to conventional composites manufacturing methods, the AFP process can improve design flexibility of composite structures; increase part quality and reproducibility; and increase productivity, reducing labor intensity and minimizing material scrap rate. This paper discusses the current trends and innovations in AFP technology. The applications and challenges in the AFP process are described.


Traditional theories of capital structure imply a consistent relationship between firm profitability and firm leverage. Empirical data, however, suggest that the relationship is not monotonic. In the cross-section of firms, non-profitable firms become significantly more leveraged as losses decrease; profitable firms become significantly less leveraged as profits increase until a point where the most profitable firms have again significantly greater leverage as profits increase. In this paper, we present an extension of a model of Xu and Birge (2004) that is consistent with these observations. The model assumes that firms make debt and production scale decisions that depend on fixed costs necessary to maintain operations, variable costs of production, and volatility in future demand forecasts. In addition to predicting the convex relationship between profit margins and leverage that appears in the data, the model also predicts decreasing inventory volatility for non-profitable firms followed by increasing inventory volatility for profitable firms, which is also a statistically significant result in the data. These observations are consistent with a model of firms that make early price and quantity commitments in advance of demand realization as in the classical news vendor model of operations.


Social-network analysis generally helps researchers understand how groups of people interact. In this article the author uses small-scale egocentric social networks, based on volitional, explicit connections, to understand how people manage their personal and group communications. Two research projects using this approach show that such networks can give researchers important insight into the people who communicate online. Soylent, a project based on email, shows several common patterns in social interaction. The Roles project, based on Usenet newsgroups, suggests that various online social spaces can behave very differently from each other.


The present work researches the taxation and tax planning of foreign-invested holding companies in the People's Republic of China. The scientific field of the work is the science of Tax Management. The research is undertaken with the goal to deliver a profound presentation of the corporate taxation of such foreign-invested holding companies established in the PRC. Based on such presentation, internationally known tax planning methods are examined to find clues for valid tax-planning means and methods for such holding companies. The scientific approach is to be seen as content-analytical with a strong reference to the basics of corporate holding taxation as exercised in Austria. The author describes the legal nature of holding companies, as they exist in Austrian and Chinese law setting the focus on incorporated holding companies. The legal conditions of establishing a foreign-invested holding company in the PRC are explained and clues for the tax examination are presented. Based on the finding that the Austrian "Gruppenbesteuerung" offers a tax consolidation model, which allows the setting off tax results amongst qualifying members, the author researches the Chinese tax laws for a similar group-relief system. However, as the research shows Chinese law does not contain any form of tax group-relief regime for foreign-invested holding companies. Therefore, the work continues to research further tax facts and tax events of Chinese tax legislation for means that allow foreign corporate investors to efficiently structure their investments from a tax point of view. In order to conduct such a search of alternative tax planning clues the research, basically, follows the systematic of the balance sheet of corporations determining the taxation of the individual balance sheet items. Finally, the work hints to the coming introduction of a new Chinese enterprise tax law which may change the situation of the taxation and tax planning of foreign-invested holding companies in the PRC altogether. (author's abstract)


Abstract—Students work in sloyd [slojd] class represents unique areas of learning. The creative, hands-on design work, as well as a mix of both individual and collaborative processes, provide options for developing multiple skills. But these multilevel learning processes are difficult to capture. This study explores how a mobile application, the Talking Tools (TT), are used for documenting students own reflections during sloyd class. The study targets what, why, and when a group of teacher students (N=11) use TT for microblogging about their work. Their subjective reflections from a questionnaire using open-ended questions are used for validating earlier analysis of their blogs created using TT. As TT is still under development, the objective of exploring students' documentation behaviour with the application, is to understand what the added value of TT could be for capturing various areas of learning. Suggestions for teacher guidelines for implementing TT are discussed based on the findings. The article also describes the development of the application in terms of the inter-disciplinary cooperation and collaboration. The TPACK framework is used for illustrating the know-how transcendence between collaborators in the TT application development.


This study of the book of Daniel examines the ideology of divine and human rule in Daniel's historical resumes or reviews found in chaps 2, 7, 8, 9, 10-12. It seeks to uncover the concerns that motivate the resumes and the strategies the resumes use to resolve cognitive and experiential dissonance. Loose Ends argues that the source of dissonance in Daniel stems not from failed prophecies (as has been commonly argued), nor do the visions function as symbolic theodicies to address a contradiction between divine power and divine goodness in the face evil. The study proposes, instead, that the historical resumes address profound contradictions concerning divine power and presence in the face of Hellenistic/Seleucid rule. These contradictions reach a crisis point in Daniel 8's depiction of the desecration of the temple (typically Daniel 8 is seen as a poor replica of the triumphant vision of divine power found in Daniel 7). This crisis of divine absence is addressed both within the vision of chap 8 itself and then in the following visions of chaps 9, and 10-12, through the use of narrative (both mythological narrative and historical narrative).


A dilatable form of bilateral branch pulmonary artery stenosis was created in 27 newborn lambs. Nine lambs were long-term survivors and were dilated with modified Gruntzig balloon dilation catheters. They were allowed to recover for 6-9 weeks, during which time there was no significant change in the mean systolic gradients across the narrowed sites. Thirteen arteries underwent dilation. Dilation was associated with a decrease in the systolic gradient in all cases (from 34.9 mm Hg to 8.1 mm Hg) and an increase in the diameter of the narrowed site (from 4.6 to 7.6 mm) as estimated by angiography. Flows and flow distribution were measured in four lambs before and after unilateral dilation using 15-p radiolabeled microspheres; in each case, the fraction of total flow to the dilated lung rose after dilation (19.2 to 45.4%), as did the total flow to the dilated lung (30.0 to 69.2 ml/kg-min). Four lambs were catheterized every 2-4 weeks for an average of 16 weeks after dilation; the average gradient in these lambs remained below 10 mm Hg despite considerable growth (from 9.6 to 25.9 kg). Gross pathologic examination showed an intact vascular adventitia in all cases; there were multiple linear tears in the intima in recently (less than 7 days) dilated cases, but complete intimal healing had occurred by 2 months after dilation. No significant morbidity could be attributed to the dilation procedure. These results indicate that clinical trials are warranted.


This study analyzed the visibility of mother, father/ partner, and child(ren) in child welfare practice during the placement process, using ethnographic content analysis of case records. Little information concerning the quality of the parent-child relationship before the placement of the child was found. Social workers worked with mothers as the main clients, while fathers/ partners and children were less visible in case handling than the mothers. The construct of the foster care trap was introduced to highlight the fact that eventually mothers were also neglected by the workers; after the placement of the child, social workers focused on the foster family. Along with the parent-child relationship breakdown, marital relationships broke down as well. In Finland, as in many other countries, two main ideologies exist that guide child welfare work. The first ideology is that the best interests of the child are the paramount consideration, which presupposes including the child in practice as subject, not merely as an object in interventions. The second ideology highlights the concept of working with the whole family and including all family members in case handling. This family-centered approach has been highly encouraged and appreciated in Finnish child welfare practice [Utriainen 1989; Kemppainen 1991]. It has often been said, however, that social work in general and especially in child welfare practice has been mothercentric, with little attention paid to the fathers/partners [Jaffe 1983; Kristinsdottir 1991; Lazar et al. 1991; Wolins 1983] and, surprisingly, little attention paid to the children also [Andersson 1991; Kristinsdottir 1991; Petr 1992]. This study analyzed the visibility of mothers, fathers/partners, and children in Finnish child welfare practice during the placement process. Kristinsdottir [1991] analyzed the case records of children (N = 154) under 18 years of age who were placed outside their homes by the child welfare agency. The empirical findings supported the criticism in the literature: family members got systematically biased attention in child welfare practice. The family was not considered as a whole. Mothers were focused on, but fathers were neglected and children were pushed aside in the case handling. Kristinsdottir visually depicted this triangular dilemma of family-centered child welfare practice (figure 1) and named the phenomenon the child welfare trap. Some additional empirical information exists concerning the visibility of all family members in child welfare practice. Based on questionnaires completed by social workers (N = 98), Lazar et al. [1991] found that fathers were less involved in the intervention process than mothers. Social workers considered fathers to be secondary caregivers, and the workers' outlooks were slanted toward the mothers. Andersson's [1991] study of child welfare work with young children (N = 189 children ages birth to three) found that social workers seldom had contacts with the children. In interviews with the social workers, Andersson found them unable to describe nearly one-third of the children because they had either never seen them or had developed no impression at all about them. It should be noted that information about the family members and their role in child welfare practice was gathered from social workers by questionnaires [Lazar et al. 1991] or by interviewing them [Andersson 1991]. Thus, results may have been influenced by recall and socially desirable biases. The neglected position of fathers as well as children has been reported in the research concerning child welfare practice. The phenomenon has also been recognized, however, in psychological research [Russell & Radojevic 1992; Silverstein 1993] and social work research [Greif & Bailey 1990]. To quote Silverstein [1993: 267]: "The recent ideological transformation of parenthood into motherhood has dramatically influenced research in the social sciences. Although there has been an increase in the number of publications on fathering, fathers still continue to be underrepresented in relation to mothers. …


As a first year medical student at the University of Tasmania in 1984, I
learned of the rare autosomal dominant disease - multiple endocrine
neoplasia type 1 (MEN 1), then newly recognised to be at high
prevalence in the island state of Tasmania. MEN 1 had been reported
to be an "all or none" syndrome characterised by the triad of
parathyroid hyperplasia, pancreatic neoplasia and pituitary tumour. As
an intern undertaking a term on the professorial surgical unit, I was
struck by the diversity of MEN 1 phenotypic disease. Whilst some
patients survived to advanced age with minimal clinical disease, others
developed aggressive polyendocrinopathy early in life. Some four
years later in 1994, as an advanced trainee in endocrinology at the Royal
Hobart Hospital, I was again surprised by aspects of disease expression
in this disorder. In some families specific disease manifestations
appeared to be particularly common, whilst rare in others.

The research presented in this thesis was undertaken by myself
between 1995 and 1998 in an attempt to establish the extent and
aetiology of phenotypic variability in MEN 1 disease expression. My
role in this work spans all aspects of the research - conceptual planning,
submission of applications for funding and institutional ethics
committee approval, patient recruitment, clinical screening, collection
and collation of biomedical data, statistical analysis, and preparation of
manuscripts for publication. In conjunction with this research, I have
established the Tasmanian MEN 1 Register.

AIMS
1. To assess the extent and significance of disease homogeneity and
heterogeneity in families with MEN 1.
2. To determine if a role exists for heritable disease modifier factor(s)
in the pathogenesis of disease associated with MEN 1.
3. To identify factors influencing the clinical behaviour and response
to treatment of endocrine disease associated with MEN 1.
HYPOTHESIS
Whilst a mutation of the MEN 1 gene is central to the pathogenesis of
disease in MEN 1, disease modifier factors have an important role in
determining the development and clinical behaviour of MEN 1 disease
phenotypes.