'Connecting Concepts: Thinking Activities for Students' is a valuable classroom resource designed to help teachers turn their classroom into a community of inquiry through exploring concepts such as violence, the mind, culture, knowledge and justice. 'Connecting Concepts' includes discussion ideas and exercises suitable for whole class, group and individual activities using a wide range of learning styles. Clear guidelines, examples and sample questions provide a step-by-step introduction to conceptual analysis in the classroom. Blackline masters introduce concept games to students. Concept games can be used in any subject area and are designed to promote a better understanding of the essential concepts being taught. Easy to use, these games quickly highlight areas for consideration and clarification and allow students to think critically about and develop their own understanding of concepts. 'Connecting Concepts' is ideal for use with students 12 years of age and above. It is a particularly relevant resource for use in English, social education, science, religious education and any subject that teaches thinking skills and values education.


The retroflections of the East Madagascar Current and Agulhas Current are complex rapidly-evolving systems, the latter controlling the passage of warm salty water from the Indian Ocean to the Atlantic. The TRMM Microwave Imager (TMI) provides frequent observations of sea surface temperature through clouds,
allowing us to monitor the evolution of these systems. We develop a simple feature-tracking system that obviates the need for user intervention, and use its results to guide more focussed studies. In the period 1997-1999, we observe westward progradation of the Agulhas Retroflection (associated with ring shedding)
about eight times per year, agreeing with previous estimates from infra-red data, and many rings moving westward or north-westward. However, this behaviour is seen to change in the 2000-2001 time period, with the Agulhas Retroflection occurring further to the east. A few Natal pulses are seen, but cannot be linked
conclusively to the spawning of rings due to TMI's limited latitudinal coverage. The majority of features originating at the East Madagascar Retroflection appear to migrate southwestwards. A new observation from the data is that, although the first northward meander of the Agulhas Return Current is constrained by bathymetry, its position does vary intermittently, remaining fixed in a given location for up to six months at a time. Southward propagation of features is noted along two ridges: although eddies have been found before along the eastern slope of the Mozambique Ridge, the new results for the Madagascar Ridge indicate
an extra pathway for the eddies. Eddy-like features are also found leading from the Agulhas Return Current back toward the Agulhas Current. The narrow 'corridor' of these features suggests that it is controlled by the gyre recirculation in the southwest Indian Ocean.


The scope of the subject "radar" has expanded in the recent years in terms of its technical evolution and spreading of applications. This application note along with its corresponding white paper 1MA207 show how to use the R&S radar product portfolio to tackle test and measurement tasks in modern radar technology. Target groups are students who want to become familiar with radar issues as well as radar professionals who want to solve certain test and measurement tasks.


The gobiid fish genus Pascua Randall, 2005, type species P. caudilinea Randall, 2005 from Easter Island, placed in the synonymy of Hetereleotris Bleeker, 1874 by Hoese & Larson (2005), is validated. Hetereleotris sticta from Rapa and H. readerae from Elizabeth and Middleton Reefs are reclassified in Pascua . Thirteen Indo-Pacific species of gobies were placed in the genus Hetereleotris by Hoese (1986). The first character given in his diagnosis of the genus was "the first gill slit closed by a membrane from the gill cover to one-half or more of the lower limb of the first gill arch." The remaining characters given by Hoese for Hetereleotris are so diverse that it is likely that the genus will be divided into several genera when a thorough phylogenetic study is made. In view of the distinctive characters shared by the three South Pacific species (admitted as a probable mono phyletic series by Hoese & Larson 2005), Pascua will no doubt survive as a genus. Zusammenfassung


Abstract. For almost two decades mobile mapping systems have done their georeferencing using Global Navigation Satellite Systems (GNSS) to measure position and inertial sensors to measure orientation. In order to achieve cm level position accuracy, a technique referred to as post-processed carrier phase differential GNSS (DGNSS) is used. For this technique to be effective the maximum distance to a single Reference Station should be no more than 20 km, and when using a network of Reference Stations the distance to the nearest station should no more than about 70 km. This need to set up local Reference Stations limits productivity and increases costs, especially when mapping large areas or long linear features such as roads or pipelines. An alternative technique to DGNSS for high-accuracy positioning from GNSS is the so-called Precise Point Positioning or PPP method. In this case instead of differencing the rover observables with the Reference Station observables to cancel out common errors, an advanced model for every aspect of the GNSS error chain is developed and parameterized to within an accuracy of a few cm. The Trimble Centerpoint RTX positioning solution combines the methodology of PPP with advanced ambiguity resolution technology to produce cm level accuracies without the need for local reference stations. It achieves this through a global deployment of highly redundant monitoring stations that are connected through the internet and are used to determine the precise satellite data with maximum accuracy, robustness, continuity and reliability, along with advance algorithms and receiver and antenna calibrations. This paper presents a new post-processed realization of the Trimble Centerpoint RTX technology integrated into the Applanix POSPac MMS GNSS-Aided Inertial software for mobile mapping. Real-world results from over 100 airborne flights evaluated against a DGNSS network reference are presented which show that the post-processed Centerpoint RTX solution agrees with the DGNSS solution to better than 2.9 cm RMSE Horizontal and 5.5 cm RMSE Vertical. Such accuracies are sufficient to meet the requirements for a majority of airborne mapping applications.


The motion of cells in the aggregation phase of Dictyostelium discoideum development is complex. To probe its mechanisms we applied precisely timed (+/- 1 s) and positioned (+/-2 micrometers) pulses of cyclic AMP to fields of cells of moderate density using a micropipette. We recorded cell behavior by time lapse microcinematography and extracted cell motion data from the film with our Galatea computer system. Analysis of these data reveals: (a) Chemotaxis lasts only about as long as the cyclic AMP signal; in particular, brief pulses (approximately 5 s) do not induce chemotaxis. (b) Chemotactic competence increases gradually from within an hour after the initiation of development (starvation) to full competence at approximately 15 h when aggregation begins under our conditions. (c) Cell motion reverses rapidly (within 20 s) when the external gradient is reversed. There is no refractory period for motion. We present a new description of the process of aggregation consistent with our result and other recent findings. (d) The behavioral response to cyclic AMP includes a phenomenon we call "cringing." In a prototypical cringe the cell speed drops within 3 s after a brief cyclic AMP stimulus, and the cell stops and rounds and then resumes motion after 25 s. (e) The development of the speed response in cringing as the cells age closely parallels the development of the cyclic AMP-induced light-scattering response of cells in suspension. (f) Cringing occurs in natural populations during weak oriented movement. The computerized analysis of cell behavior proves to be a powerful technique which can reveal significant phenomena that are not apparent to the eye even after repeated examination of the film.


Background: Intestinal failure (IF) is the reduction in functioning gut mass below the minimal level necessary for adequate digestion and absorption of nutrients and fluids for weight maintenance in adults or for growth in children. There is a paucity of epidemiologic data on pediatric IF. The purpose of this study was to determine the prevalence, incidence, regional distribution and underlying diagnosis of pediatric chronic IF (CIF) requiring home parenteral nutrition (HPN) in Italy. Methods: Local investigators were selected in 19 Italian centers either of reference for pediatric HPN or having pediatric gastroenterologists or surgeons on staff and already collaborating with the Italian Society for Pediatric Gastroenterology, Hepatology and Nutrition with regard to IF. Data requested in this survey for children at home on Parenteral Nutrition (PN) on 1 December 2016 included patient initials, year of birth, gender, family's place of residence and underlying diagnosis determining IF. Results: We recorded 145 CIF patients on HPN aged ≤19 years. The overall prevalence was 14.12/million inhabitants (95% CI: 9.20–18.93); the overall incidence was 1.41/million inhabitant years (95% CI: 0.53–2.20). Conclusion: Our survey provides new epidemiological data on pediatric CIF in Italy; these data may be quantitatively useful in developing IF care strategy plans in all developed countries.


MEDIA AND EDUCATION Islamic Peril: Media and Global Violence, by Karim H. Karim. Montral, New York, and London: Black Rose Books, 2000. x + 196 pages. Index to p. 204. $53.99 cloth; $24.95 paper. Reviewed by Hamid Mowlana Muslim societies in general have a rather skeptical view of the West's information and media expansion, to say the least. The history of colonialism shows that the West extended its hold on Muslim heritage and resources not only economically and politically, but also culturally and through the expansion of their communication media and control of information. A number of studies on international communication over the last several decades reveal two essential characteristics: the ethnocentric orientation of the media systems in the highly industrialized nations, and the "asymmetric" circulation of information in the world. During this period, Western media reports of developments in the Islamic world have contained a good deal of bias, distortion, and ethnocentrism. Furthermore, the Western media (mainly the American and European media) have constituted a large proportion of the reporting of events in the Islamic world. Karim Karim should be applauded for his excellent analysis, which illustrates the key role that international mass media play in the process through which Muslim societies are portrayed. He elaborates on the superiority of Western communication, which advances the dominant view of Islam as one synonymous with fanaticism and violence. Karim examines the Western mass media from the 1980s to 2000, with particular attention to the Canadian press, and shows how their construction of events has contributed to the mistaken perception that the West is in conflict with Islam. Through studying the coverage of conflicts involving Muslims in different parts of the world, the book demonstrates the resilience of core Western images of Muslims that have recurred in depictions of Islam for over a millennium. Islam and Muslims are illustrated as terrorists, as posing a danger to society. With the advancement of globalization and the development of technology, the media-constructed depiction of the relations between Western powers and the Muslim-majority countries as essentially that of conflict is gathering momentum. The view that Islam is fomenting a "clash of civilizations" is increasingly prevalent. Terrorism, hijacking, hostage-taking, and religious wars have become synonymous with the identity of Muslims, and these narratives are supported by Western-based media networks, which have maintained their global hegemony. In this well-documented and critical volume, Karim explores the lack of historical and cultural understanding in the mass media, as he tackles a number of major events, from the Middle East to the Balkans, to show how deeply the media affects popular views about Islam and Muslims. …


This study documents the range, abundance and movements of a feeding aggregation of gray whales (Eschrichtius robustus) in the Pacific northwest. Identification photographs were collected by eight collaborating organisations between March and November 1998. Surveys extended between northern California and southeastern Alaska. Effort was variable by region and was concentrated off the northern Washington coast and Vancouver Island. Of 1,242 occasions when suitable photographs of gray whales were obtained in 1998, 155 unique whales were identified. Each individual was photographed an average of 8.0 times (SD = 8.4, range 1-42) and the average tenure of whales seen multiple times was 56 days (SD = 41, range 1-170). Whales seen longer than three months generally were seen in multiple regions. Movements among regions in 1998 were documented for 57 whales with the most frequent interchange among three adjacent areas from northern Washington to central Vancouver Island. The overall pattern of movements among regions was complex; whales were not always moving in the same direction at the same time of year. Movements within 1998 among more distant locations did occur but were less frequently observed. Total distances between resighting positions for individual whales ranged from < 1 to 526 n.miles. Most whales photographed in 1998 had been identified in previous years when compared to photographs collected by some of the collaborators. At least 86 (55%) of the whales identified had been seen previously. The rate of inter-year resightings was highest for whales identified off northern Washington and three areas off British Columbia (from southern Vancouver Island to north of Vancouver Island). In these areas, from 70-100% of the whales seen in each region had been photographed previously. Mark-recapture abundance estimates based on comparisons to samples in 1996 and 1997 were 181 and 179, respectively. The management implication for these whales has become controversial due to the resumption of whaling by the Makah tribe in northern Washington, an area used by both migrating and feeding whales. This research shows that there are a few hundred gray whales that range in summer months from at least northern California to southeastern Alaska. The mechanism by which these animals are recruited into this group and the degree to which they should be managed as a separate unit from the overall population is not resolved.


In this paper we present the EcoBioCap project and the modelling needs of this project in terms of argumentation based preference aggregation. The aim of the paper is to well describe the problem encountered in this context and to propose a preference logic in line with the expressivity needed by the application. We then show how to embed this logic within the ASPIC+ system. Finally, we show how argument by expert opinion could be integrated within our framework where preference aggregation needs to take into consideration the different expertise of the project stakeholders.


One model of outcomes research is embodied in the Patient Outcome Research Teams (PORTs) supported by the Agency for Health Care Policy and Research (AHCPR). These teams were organized around specific clinical conditions and were to include literature synthesis activities, analysis of administrative databases, prospective cohort studies, and efforts to disseminate research findings to the larger practice community. For many, the rallying cry was "finding out what works in medicine." The experience of the low-back pain PORT illustrates some of the successes and limitations of this approach. This research team documented wide geographic variations in rates of back surgery at the international, national, and state levels. We also identified important variations in surgical outcomes according to the type of surgical procedure. In particular, operations involving spinal fusion were associated with higher short-term complication rates and costs, and long-term benefits remain unclear. Nonsurgical hospitalizations declined dramatically over the past decade. The research team summarized data to support the AHCPR's guideline efforts, and also to produce an interactive computer-based videodisc for helping patients make decisions about surgical or nonsurgical treatment. The team is disseminating data on practice patterns to surgeons in Washington State in an effort to reduce practice variability. Thus, this PORT has summarized knowledge for both patients and providers, identified important uncertainties in patient management, and helped to establish priorities for further investigation. It has generated new hypotheses about treatment effectiveness and safety and has developed new outcome measures that could be incorporated into future research. Unfortunately, we did not establish "what works" in medicine and would argue for a greater role of randomized clinical trials as part of the outcomes research portfolio.


Paddlefish (Polyodon spathula) are a commercially-exploited species harvested primarily for their roe. The objectives of this study were to describe population characteristics of paddlefish in the lower Mississippi River (LMR) of Arkansas and use population-simulation software to determine the length limit required to prevent recruitment overfishing by maintaining spawning potential ratios (SPR) over 30%. Paddlefish (n = 534) were collected from the LMR in cooperation with commercial fishers during the 2008–2011 commercial seasons. Lengths ranged 150–1095 mm eye-fork length and ages, 2–24 years. Total annual mortality was estimated from catch curves at 28%, and mean instantaneous natural mortality was estimated to be 0.19, conferring an estimated exploitation of 10%. Only 10% of gravid females were under the existing 864-mm minimum-length limit (MLL), but changing the MLL to 889 mm would protect an additional 10%. Growth models predicted that fish required 10.8 and 11.8 years to reach 864 mm and 889 mm, respectively. Population simulations predicted higher roe yields for 899and 916-mm MLL compared to the existing 864-mm MLL. The threat of recruitment overfishing appeared to be low at 10% exploitation rate for all MLLs. Based on the results of this study, the Arkansas Game and Fish Commission instituted an 889-mm MLL in 2013 to protect the sustainability of the paddlefish population in the LMR. As of 2016, the effectiveness of this regulation had not been assessed yet due to lack of funding.


Abstract A model of the neuropsychology of anxiety is proposed. The model is based in the first instance upon an analysis of the behavioural effects of the antianxiety drugs (benzodiazepines, barbiturates, and alcohol) in animals. From such psychopharmacologi-cal experiments the concept of a "behavioural inhibition system" (BIS) has been developed. This system responds to novel stimuli or to those associated with punishment or nonreward by inhibiting ongoing behaviour and increasing arousal and attention to the environment. It is activity in the BIS that constitutes anxiety and that is reduced by antianxiety drugs. The effects of the antianxiety drugs in the brain also suggest hypotheses concerning the neural substrate of anxiety. Although the benzodiazepines and barbiturates facilitate the effects of γ-aminobutyrate, this is insufficient to explain their highly specific behavioural effects. Because of similarities between the behavioural effects of certain lesions and those of the antianxiety drugs, it is proposed that these drugs reduce anxiety by impairing the functioning of a widespread neural system including the septo-hippocampal system (SHS), the Papez circuit, the prefrontal cortex, and ascending monoaminergic and cholinergic pathways which innervate these forebrain structures. Analysis of the functions of this system (based on anatomical, physiological, and behavioural data) suggests that it acts as a comparator: it compares predicted to actual sensory events and activates the outputs of the BIS when there is a mismatch or when the predicted event is aversive. Suggestions are made as to the functions of particular pathways within this overall brain system. The resulting theory is applied to the symptoms and treatment of anxiety in man, its relations to depression, and the personality of individuals who are susceptible to anxiety or depression.


The practice of publishing one's earlier essays in a single volume has a long and distinguished history in diasporic letters. In 1984, Nancy Morejon published Fundacion de la imagen, a collection of previously -published essays that examine transculturation in Cuban and Caribbean culture. In 1985, Barbara Christian produced Black Feminist Criticism: Perspectives on Black Women Writers, a collection of essays written between 1975 and 1984; this volume became a major text in the interpretation of Black women's creative writing. In 1994, the noted historian Sterling Stuckey published Going Through the Storm: The Influence of African American Art in History, containing essays written over a span of twenty-five years, essays that had been largely inaccessible to scholars. This moving volume underscores the scope, depth, and unity of Stuckey's work. The act of reordering and revising one's essays creates a new and different text, a text that permits readers to explore the philosophy-the controlling idea-that undergirds the body of a scholar's work and gives it unity. Edward J. Mullen's Afro-Cuban Literature: Critical Junctures is just such a text. As the author explains, this book is the culmination of years of research in the field; it is the product, he writes, of a "long-term research agenda that has focused on the study of texts dealing with the black experience in Spanish America" (2). The five chapters that form the body of the work are bracketed by (1) the introduction, which provides the purpose, theoretical frame, and a brief summary of Afro-Cuban literary and critical texts, and (2) a concluding chapter, "Shaping the Canon: The Flowering of Afro-Cubanism," in which the author discusses issues of canon formation. The appendices contain translations into English of three texts that Mullen considers important in the evolution of Afro-Cubanism: Jose Juan Arrom's "Afro-Cuban Poetry," which Mullen calls the "first major retrospective analysis of Afro-Cubanism" (14); Simon Aguado's Black Interlude; and Nicolas Guillen's Son Motifs, in the 1948 translation by Langston Hughes and Ben Frederic Carruthers. The bibliography reveals the breadth of research that went into the preparation of this important study, for it includes texts as diverse as Richard Robert Madden's The Island of Cuba (1849), Frances Smith Foster's Witnessing Slavery (1979), and Eugenio Matibag's Afro-Cuban Religious Experience (1996). The bibliography would have been strengthened, however, by the inclusion of all the works cited in the notes to individual chapters; in Chapter 1, for example, the texts of Frederic Jameson, Jose Ferrer-Canales, Leslie Wilson, and others appear in the chapter notes but not in the bibliography. In his important study, Mullen retitles, rearranges, revises, and reconceptualizes essays published between 1986 and 1995; in the process, he makes three significant contributions to Afro-Hispanic Studies. He traces the roots of Afro-Cuban literature from its thematic formulation in medieval Spanish texts to its emergence as a discrete literary genre in the 1920s; he does so through an analysis of four foundational texts: Simon Aguado's Entremes de los negros (1602), Juan Francisco Manzano's Poems [and] History (1840), Fernando Ortiz's Hampa afro-cubana: Los negros brujos (1906), and Nicolas Guillen's Motivos de Son (1930). He also demonstrates, through perceptive readings of literature and critical responses to that literature, how racial ideology has shaped Cuban national identity and has affected the representation of Blacks in the country's literature. Finally-and this is the most fascinating (and perhaps controversial) aspect of his work-he examines, chronologically and comparatively, the formal, academic criticism of Afro-Cuban literature, demonstrating how issues of race and class have affected critics' interpretations of texts. Mullen demonstrates, through the careful reading of what he calls "nodal texts" and the meticulous examination of expository works, that afrocubanismo -as a literary movement and a critical project-was shaped, from the early nineteenth through the mid-twentieth century, by an elite, White, Cuban intelligentsia, including Domingo del Monte, Jose Fernandez de Castro, and Fernando Ortiz, whose anthologies and scholarly treatises depicted Cubans of African descent through sometimes reductive images. …


A compact power splitter based on the multimode interference (MMI) effect in photonic crystal waveguides is designed and analyzed. The device size reduction compared with the conventional MMI power splitter can be attributed to the large dispersion of the photonic crystal waveguides. The Massachusetts Institute of Technology Photonic-Bands code is used to calculate the band structures of photonic crystal waveguides. The finite-difference time-domain method is adopted to simulate the relevant structures.


In the present work, a Proton-Exchange Membrane Fuel Cell (PEMFC) as a three-dimensional and single phase was studied. Computational fluid dynamics and finite volume technique were employed to discretize and solve a single set of flow fields and electricity governing equations. The obtained numerical results were validated with valid data in the literature and good agreement was observed between them. The main purpose of this paper is to investigate the effect of deformation of the geometric structure of a conventional cubic fuel cell into a cylindrical one. For this purpose, some important parameters indicating the operation of the fuel cell such as oxygen distribution, water, hydrogen, proton conductivity of the membrane, electric current density, and temperature distribution for two voltage differences between the anode and cathode and the proposed models were studied in detail. Numerical results showed that in the difference of voltages studied, the proposed new model had better performance than the conventional model and had a higher current density, in which at V = 0.4 [V], about a 10.35 % increase in the amount of electric current density was observed and the average increment in generated power was about 8 %, which could be a considerable value in a stack of cells. Finally, the discussion of critical parameters for both models was presented in more detail. The core idea of the results is that the Oxygen and Hydrogen utilization, water creation, and heat generation are greater in the new model.


Local test results for two enhanced condensing tubes (next-generation versions of the Wieland Gewa and Wolverine Turbo enhanced condensing tubes) are obtained for refrigerants R-134a and R-236fa on the center row of a three row-wide tube bundle. The "bundle effect" on the heat transfer performance of the test section is observed and described. New predictive methods for falling film condensation on bundles are proposed, based on a modification of the previous vertical single-row method with condensate slinging. The modifications performed to the experimental setup to allow for bundle tests are described. For two types of enhanced tubes and two refrigerants, the local heat flux is correlated as a function of condensation temperature difference, the film Reynolds number, the tube spacing, and liquid slinging effect.


New digital media forms have broaden new business opportunities. Internet Protocol Television (IPTV) has emerged as a major contender, from these new digital media options. Agricultural and food industries are especially excited and looking forward to employing IPTV as they see it as a viable means in promoting their markets. This study examines whether the effects of media attributes and motivations affect cognitive necessity and usefulness on viewers. 254 observations of survey were collected from members of an agriculture-related web-site which shows how media attributes can impact the cognitive necessity of viewers and how motivational factors of use can influence cognitive usefulness of those viewers. From these results, IPTV service providers can obtain insight on their future programs and the proper use of their application.


This paper documents stratigraphic evidence for Palaeocene uplift and subsidence events in the Scotland–Shetland and North Sea region, and considers whether these were generated by the initiating Iceland Plume. The Palaeocene succession in the North Sea contains two types of stratigraphic surface. The high-gamma mudstone represents a maximum flooding event associated with marine transgression. The unconformity surface is overlain by sandstone, reworked chalk or tuff, and represents submarine or subaerial erosion and missing section. Biostratigraphic dating allows these surfaces to be correlated throughout the basin, where they occur within a suite of shelf, slope and basinal sedimentary rocks. At least 14 short duration (0.1–0.3 Ma), unconformity–maximum flooding couplets are recognized within the Danian to lowest Ypresian interval, which lasted from 65 to 54 Ma. These uplift–subsidence cycles may have been caused by episodic plume-related magmatic injection near the Moho and associated fluctuations in dynamic support. Alternatively, the short-term cycles may reflect a eustatic control. Regional mapping of the 14 events is required to confirm the relative importance of plume-related and eustatic events.


The South Tibetan fault system, a family of primarily extensional faults that separates the metamorphic core of the Himalaya (expressed as the Greater Himalayan sequence) from overlying, predominantly unmetamorphosed Tibetan sedimentary sequence units, has been mapped for over 2000 km coincident with the Himalayan range crest. In most areas, the immediate hanging wall of the South Tibetan fault system sole detachment consists of predominantly carbonate rocks of Lower Paleozoic age. However, in the Bhutan sector of the eastern Himalaya (∼89°E–92°E), the hanging wall of the sole structure is instead frequently mapped at the base of a metamorphosed, predominantly siliciclastic succession (the Chekha Formation), and the base of the overlying predominantly carbonate rocks (Pele La and Tang Chu Groups) is mapped as a less significant splay of the South Tibetan fault system. Unfortunately, poor exposures throughout central Bhutan make mapping and structural interpretation of these important contacts difficult, resulting in many disparities among geologic maps made by different research groups. The South Tibetan fault system in other parts of the Himalaya accommodates a significant metamorphic discontinuity that should also be apparent in Bhutan. Therefore, as an alternative approach, we have used the Raman spectroscopy on carbonaceous material (RSCM) thermometer to evaluate the evidence for a metamorphic discontinuity across both putative South Tibetan fault system structures. RSCM thermometric data from 17 samples across three purported South Tibetan fault system klippen in central Bhutan (the Dang Chu, Ura, and Zhemgang klippen) suggest that the contact between the Chekha Formation and the underlying Greater Himalayan sequence is not a fault with large postmetamorphic displacement. We find no resolvable change in peak metamorphic temperature across the contact (∼560 °C in both the Chekha and Greater Himalayan sequence), but we see a 130–140 °C drop in paleotemperature across the higher contact between the Chekha Formation and overlying Pele La and Tang Chu Groups. This change coincides with a major change in structural style, from high-strain, leucogranite-bearing rocks below to large-scale recumbently folded marbles above. Together, the changes in deformational character and metamorphic grade suggest that the principal South Tibetan fault system detachment in Bhutan is the structural boundary between the Chekha Formation and the predominantly carbonate rocks above. The presence of a South Tibetan fault system detachment ∼80 km south of the main South Tibetan fault system fault trace at the crest of the Himalaya, with no match between correlative footwall and hanging-wall units along the direction of fault motion, implies large displacements on the South Tibetan fault system in the eastern Himalaya.


Analyzing a question about medicine (is evidence based medicine the best alternative in dealing with patients?), through an epistemological and hermeneutical approach the paper comes to an ethical answer. Patients are studied by clinicians as objects of a diagnostic investigation, while they are the subjects living their life and enduring illnesses. The paper argues that healthcare professionals (physicians, surgeons, nurses, etc.) should employ a more personalized approach in the way they provide care to patients. Scientific explanations of diseases should be integrated by human comprehension regarding what the disease entails for the patient's life. Rita Charon proposes the narrative method as an efficient and ethic way to provide care to patients, through human virtues such as understanding, empathy and attentive listening. The practice of such virtues encouraged by many pioneers of medicine since Hippocrates, will allow healthcare professionals to be touched and supported in their therapeutic tasks by their patients' desire for good.


We propose an efficient rendering method for dynamic scenes under all‐frequency environmental lighting. To render the surfaces of objects illuminated by distant environmental lighting, the triple product of the lighting, the visibility function and the BRDF is integrated at each shading point on the surfaces. Our method represents the environmental lighting and the BRDF with a linear combination of spherical Gaussians, replacing the integral of the triple product with the sum of the integrals of spherical Gaussians over the visible region of the hemisphere. We propose a new form of spherical Gaussian, the integral spherical Gaussian, that enables the fast and accurate integration of spherical Gaussians with various sharpness over the visible region on the hemisphere. The integral spherical Gaussian simplifies the integration to a sum of four pre‐integrated values, which are easily evaluated on‐the‐fly. With a combination of a set of spheres to approximate object geometries and the integral spherical Gaussian, our method can render object surfaces very efficiently. Our GPU implementation demonstrates realtime rendering of dynamic scenes with dynamic viewpoints, lighting, and BRDFs.


The limitations and possible uses of the body mass index (BMI) or Quetelet index, calculated as the ratio of body mass (kg), and squared stature (m), as an indicator of the nutritional status of adults, are reviewed. The cut-off values for overweight (BMI ³ 25) and chronic energy deficiency (BMI < 18.5) are discussed in the light of the available international literature. Even though BMI does not assess the body composition (BC) of individuals, the case with which it is measured is a strong argument for the use of BMI in epidemiological studies associated otherwise with other anthropometric measurement until such a time as simpler field methods of the assessment of BC are developed.


Natural History filmmaking has a long history but the generic boundaries between it and environmental and conservation filmmaking are blurred. Nature, environment and animal imagery has been a mainstay of television, campaigning organisations and conservation bodies from Greenpeace to the Sierra Club, with vibrant images being used effectively on posters, leaflets and postcards, and in coffee table books, media releases, short films and viral emails to educate and inform the general public. However, critics suggest that wildlife film and photography frequently convey a false image of the state of the world's flora and fauna. The environmental educator David Orr once remarked that all education is environmental education, and it is possible to see all image-based communication in the same way. The Media, Animal Conservation and Environmental Education has contributions from filmmakers, photographers, researchers and academics from across the globe. It explores the various ways in which film, television and video are, and can be, used by conservationists and educators to encourage both a greater awareness of environmental and conservation issues, and practical action designed to help endangered species. This book is based on a special issue of the journal Environmental Education Research.


This paper addresses a novel method for localizing a stationary object in an indoor office environment. The proposed method utilizes the received-signal-strength index (RSSI) of radio signals radiating from fixed reference nodes and reference tags placed at known positions to generate a precise signal propagation model. Signal attenuation parameters are updated online according to environmental variation; thus, the proposed method has environmental-adaptation capabilities. Subsequent experiments were conducted to demonstrate the superiority of the proposed technique over a commercial location-based service (LBS) chipset.


The biography of Lance-Corporal Wijnand "Vic" Hamman is quite unique in comparison to the stories of his peers who fought with him in the trenches during the First World War (1914-1918). This statement rests on the fact that he has two full-size graves but only rests in one of them. His remains were buried in the Browne Copse Commonwealth cemetery, outside Fampoux in France, but he has another grave in his hometown of Lichtenburg in the North-west Province, South Africa. This unique attribute inspired a research study to find out more about who he was and why he indeed has two graves after he fell in battle on the 12th of April 1917. His biography could however only be based on the limited amount of sources available about him and hence not every aspect about his life could be certified with a reliable source; resulting in several possibilities being considered to write his biography. Yet, enough was available to write the story of a young man from Lichtenburg who joined the 2nd South African Infantry Regiment to fight against the German Kaiser's forces in France. His graves serve as reminders about the mysteries regarding his life, his family and why he was not commemorated by the community of his hometown.


This article explores the changing career trajectories of teaching assistants who graduated from a university in the northwest of England with a Foundation degree in Supporting Teaching and Learning. It begins with a consideration of the changing policy context in England in relation to the role of support staff in schools. This context informed the development of three key research questions that are addressed in this article: What are the perceived benefits of Foundation degree study in the present policy climate? In what ways does engagement with a lifelong learning course impact upon professional and personal lives? Does doing a lifelong learning course like a Foundation degree encourage further study? The article then presents the research methodology employed to address these questions. A research survey was conducted with teaching assistants who had gained a Foundation degree, using a questionnaire that provided both quantitative and in‐depth qualitative data. Research findings suggest that graduates have varying perceptions about the benefits of the Foundation degree and the effect it has had on their careers. Findings also suggest that age and school sector are significant factors in determining promotion prospects. The researchers conclude that despite considerable advancements for some teaching assistants, there is a degree of disillusionment regarding professional status and career progression. Nevertheless, there are perceived personal benefits to gaining a Foundation degree, such as increased self‐confidence, awareness of one's own learning potential and a positive impact upon professional 'performance' in the classroom.


The submarine accretionary wedge offshore of southwestern Taiwan consists of an intensively deformed upper slope and a lower slope characterized by mostly west-vergent anticlines and thrusts. The fast accumulation of sediment covers and seals organic material before it is oxidized within the accretionary wedge. The bottom simulating reflectors (BSRs) associated with the accretionary prism and imbricate wedge are often observed in marine seismic reflection data from continental slopes and rises. A total of 23 heat flow measurements were carried out along seismic profiles with obvious BSRs offshore of southwestern Taiwan. On average, through sedimentation-correction heat flows have increased by 10%, and the base of gas hydrate stability zone (BGHS) predicted by geotherm has up-shifted by 11%. The average depth of BGHSs is 304 mbsf versus 358 mbsf for BSRs. The average heat flow from measurements is 64 mW m^(-2), while that estimated from BSRs is 54 mW m^(-2) (16 percent less) which is reasonable compared with past results of other researchers. They are both increasing from coastal waters southward to the front of the accretionary wedge. One interesting fact found is that one of our heat flow measurements showed no indication of impact friction raised temperature on data recordings. The friction may have been absorbed by gas hydrate for dissociation.


Multicarrier signals are know to be very prone to nonlinear effects due to their high envelope fluctuations. This makes the simulation of multicarrier systems, required for its performance evaluation and/or its optimization, very complex due to the high oversampling requirements inherent to the significant spectral widening associated to commonly used nonlinear characteristics. In this paper we present an efficient approach for the performance evaluation of multicarrier systems with nonlinear transmitters. It is shown that we can accurately simulate nonlinear effects in multicarrier signals without the need for high oversampling.


SOCS (suppressors of cytokine signaling) proteins are negative regulators of cytokine signaling that function primarily at the receptor level. Remarkably, in vitro and in vivo observations revealed both inhibitory and stimulatory effects of SOCS2 on growth hormone signaling, suggesting an additional regulatory level. In this study, we examined the possibility of direct cross-modulation between SOCS proteins and found that SOCS2 could interfere with the inhibitory actions of other SOCS proteins in growth hormone, interferon, and leptin signaling. This SOCS2 effect was SOCS box-dependent, required recruitment of the elongin BC complex, and coincided with degradation of target SOCS proteins. Detailed mammalian protein-protein interaction trap (MAPPIT) analysis indicated that SOCS2 can interact with all members of the SOCS family. SOCS2 may thus function as a molecular bridge between a ubiquitin-protein isopeptide ligase complex and SOCS proteins, targeting them for proteasomal turnover. We furthermore extended these observations to SOCS6 and SOCS7. Our findings point to a unique regulatory role for SOCS2, SOCS6, and SOCS7 within the SOCS family and provide an explanation for the unexpected phenotypes observed in SOCS2 and SOCS6 transgenic mice.


[1] Moon Mineralogy Mapper (M3) image and spectral reflectance data are combined to analyze mare basalt units in and adjacent to the Orientale multiring impact basin. Models are assessed for the relationships between basin formation and mare basalt emplacement. Mare basalt emplacement on the western nearside limb began prior to the Orientale event as evidenced by the presence of cryptomaria. The earliest post-Orientale-event mare basalt emplacement occurred in the center of the basin (Mare Orientale) and postdated the formation of the Orientale Basin by about 60–100 Ma. Over the next several hundred million years, basalt patches were emplaced first along the base of the Outer Rook ring (Lacus Veris) and then along the base of the Cordillera ring (Lacus Autumni), with some overlap in ages. The latest basalt patches are as young as some of the youngest basalt deposits on the lunar nearside. M3 data show several previously undetected mare patches on the southwestern margins of the basin interior. Regardless, the previously documented increase in mare abundance from the southwest toward the northeast is still prominent. We attribute this to crustal and lithospheric trends moving from the farside to the nearside, with correspondingly shallower density and thermal barriers to basaltic magma ascent and eruption toward the nearside. The wide range of model ages for Orientale mare deposits (3.70–1.66 Ga) mirrors the range of nearside mare ages, indicating that the small amount of mare fill in Orientale is not due to early cessation of mare emplacement but rather to limited volumes of extrusion for each phase during the entire period of nearside mare basalt volcanism. This suggests that nearside and farside source regions may be similar but that other factors, such as thermal and crustal thickness barriers to magma ascent and eruption, may be determining the abundance of surface deposits on the limbs and farside. The sequence, timing, and elevation of mare basalt deposits suggest that regional basin-related stresses exerted control on their distribution. Our analysis clearly shows that Orientale serves as an excellent example of the early stages of the filling of impact basins with mare basalt.


Ambient Intelligence (AmI) is a new paradigm in information technology, in which people are empowered through a digital environment that is aware of their presence and context, and is sensitive, adaptive, and responsive to their needs, habits, gestures and emotions. In this document we present the activities, projects and research that we have addressed today, based on ideology proposed of Ambient Intelligence. The document has been classified in the following way: we present a related ambient intelligence research overview to the lines of research that we are developing. We studies aspects of ambient intelligent and ubiquitous computing; augmented reality; semantic web; health and ambient assisted living (AAL). Some projects in which it has worked, projects that are currently being developed around intelligent environments are also presented. Some initial ideas proposed as a future work plan. The inclusion of aspect about ambient intelligence in the computer science engineering is very important to explain to the students about this new and promise technology.


The central CdII atom in the trinuclear title compound, [Cd3(C14H19N2O3)2(CH3COO)4], lies on a center of inversion and is bonded to the O atoms of four acetate groups as well as to the phenolate O atoms of the mono-deprotonated Schiff base ligands in a distorted all-trans octahedral geometry. Two of the acetate groups function in a μ2-bridging mode, while the other two each chelate to the terminal CdII atom and simultaneously bind to the central metal atom in a κ3-bonding mode. The Schiff base anions N,O-chelate to the terminal metal atoms. The morpholine ring assumes a chair conformation.


The CMS tracker consists of 206 m2 of silicon strip sensors assembled on carbon fibre composite structures and is designed for operation in the temperature range from −25 to +25°C. The mechanical stability of tracker components during physics operation was monitored with a few μm resolution using a dedicated laser alignment system as well as particle tracks from cosmic rays and hadron-hadron collisions. During the LHC operational period of 2011–2013 at stable temperatures, the components of the tracker were observed to experience relative movements of less than 30μm. In addition, temperature variations were found to cause displacements of tracker structures of about 2μm°C, which largely revert to their initial positions when the temperature is restored to its original value.


This study focuses on the valorization of the organic fraction of municipal solid waste (biopulp) by hydrothermal liquefaction. Thereby, homogeneous alkali catalysts (KOH, NaOH, K2CO3, and Na2CO3) and a residual aqueous phase recirculation methodology were mutually employed to enhance the bio-crude yield and energy efficiency of a sub-critical hydrothermal conversion (350 °C, 15–20 Mpa, 15 min). Interestingly, single recirculation of the concentrated aqueous phase positively increased the bio-crude yield in all cases, while the higher heating value (HHV) of the bio-crudes slightly dropped. Compared to the non-catalytic experiment, K2CO3 and Na2CO3 effectively increased the bio-crude yield by 14 and 7.3%, respectively. However, KOH and NaOH showed a negative variation in the bio-crude yield. The highest bio-crude yield (37.5 wt.%) and energy recovery (ER) (59.4%) were achieved when K2CO3 and concentrated aqueous phase recirculation were simultaneously applied to the process. The inorganics distribution results obtained by ICP reveal the tendency of the alkali elements to settle into the aqueous phase, which, if recovered, can potentially boost the circularity of the HTL process. Therefore, wise selection of the alkali catalyst along with aqueous phase recirculation assists hydrothermal liquefaction in green biofuel production and environmentally friendly valorization of biopulp.


Cdc25 phosphatases are dual specificity phosphatases that dephosphorylate and activate cyclin-dependent kinases (CDKs), thereby effecting the progression from one phase of the cell cycle to the next. Despite its central role in the cell cycle, relatively little is known about the catalytic mechanism of Cdc25. In order to provide insights into the catalytic mechanism of Cdc25, we have performed a detailed mechanistic analysis of the catalytic domain of human Cdc25A. Our kinetic isotope effect results, Bronsted analysis, and pH dependence studies employing a range of aryl phosphates clearly indicate a dissociative transition state for the Cdc25A reaction that does not involve a general acid for the hydrolysis of substrates with low leaving group pK a values (5.45–8.05). Interestingly, our Bronsted analysis and pH dependence studies reveal that Cdc25A employs a different mechanism for the hydrolysis of substrates with high leaving group pK a values (8.68–9.99) that appears to require the protonation of glutamic acid 431. Mutation of glutamic acid 431 into glutamine leads to a dramatic drop in the hydrolysis rate for the high leaving group pK a substrates and the disappearance of the basic limb of the pH rate profile for the substrate with a leaving group pK a of 8.05, indicating that glutamic acid 431 is essential for the efficient hydrolysis of substrates with high leaving group pK a . We suggest that hydrolysis of the high leaving group pK a substrates proceeds through an unfavored but more catalytically active form of Cdc25A, and we propose several models illustrating this. Since the activity of Cdc25A toward small molecule substrates is several orders of magnitude lower than toward the physiological substrate, cyclin-CDK, we suggest that the cyclin-CDK is able to preferentially induce this more catalytically active form of Cdc25A for efficient phosphothreonine and phosphotyrosine dephosphorylation.


Large pore three-dimensional cage-type mesoporous carbon nitride semiconductors were successfully synthesized by employing SBA-16 templates which are prepared by hydrothermal methods at higher temperatures. These samples were characterized by using various techniques, and their photocatalytic H2 production properties were investigated under visible light (λ > 420 nm) irradiation. The results have shown that the textural parameters of the carbon nitride semiconductors can be easily tuned by simple adjustment of the synthesis temperature of the template SBA-16 silica, and carbon nitride semiconductors can be truly reversely replicated from the cubic structure of the template silica synthesized at a temperature of 180 and 200 °C. The large pore cage-type mesoporous carbon nitride semiconductor cast from mesoporous silica at the hydrothermal temperature of 200 °C exhibits a remarkably enhanced photocatalytic activity towards hydrogen evolution, as compared to either disordered mesoporous g-CN or bulk g-CN prepared by our previous synthetic approaches.


Academic Search Engines: intends to run through the current panorama of the academic search engines through a quantitative approach that analyses the reliability and consistence of these services. The objective is to describe the main characteristics of these engines, to highlight their advantages and drawbacks, and to discuss the implications of these new products in the future of scientific communication and their impact on the research measurement and evaluation. In short, Academic Search Engines presents a summary view of the new challenges that the Web set to the scientific activity through the most novel and innovative searching services available on the Web. * This is the first approach to analyze search engines exclusively addressed to the research community in an integrative handbook. The novelty, expectation and usefulness of many of these services justify their analysis.* This book is not merely a description of the web functionalities of these services; it is a scientific review of the most outstanding characteristics of each platform, discussing their significance to the scholarly communication and research evaluation.* This book introduces an original methodology based on a quantitative analysis of the covered data through the extensive use of crawlers and harvesters which allow going in depth into how these engines are working. Beside of this, a detailed descriptive review of their functionalities and a critical discussion about their use for scientific community is displayed.


Stock market prices, a measure of the marginal cost of installed capital, are procyclical. Yet, prices of investment goods, the main input into new installed capital, are countercyclical. We exploit this information to identify the driving forces of the business cycle and the nature of capital installation costs. In our model installation costs are increasing in the growth of investment, and the business cycle is driven by permanent investment-specific technology shocks and transitory neutral technology shocks. When calibrated to the capital price observations, the model does well at accounting for the main features of asset returns and the business cycle of macroeconomic aggregates. In addition, unlike most other models, our's accounts for sectoral comovement in both output and factor inputs.


The purpose of this article is to provide insight to what extent our conceptualization of the dikaiosyne theou shapes our way of understanding ourselves as Christians being the Body of Christ and living holy lives. Strongly influenced by the epistle to the Romans, we perceive holiness as being in right relation to God and righteousness being a practical consequence of this relationship. Holiness as the inner nature of God brings fruits of His righteousness, which is God's saving activity. However, in the light of Christ and his sacrificial death and resurrection, relational, and eschatological perspectives of the dikaiosyne theou concept become crucial. This concept stands at the heart of Paul's gospel and anticipates several layers of meaning, primarily God's redeeming and saving activity, but also covenantal faithfulness and restorative justice brought by God and made available for all. Wider perspective is provided through the faithfulness of Jesus and his obedience to the Father in fulfilling salvific purposes. For us, it means a transformational and relational way of living in an eschatological perspective. Christian ethics are deeply grounded in the concept of dikaiosyne theou, and Christian conduct represents its practical and necessary expression. People living in genuine Christian community are marked by the righteousness of God expressed as agape and progressively transformed by the presence and involvement of his Holy Spirit. Such people involve themselves in a continuous process of discovering new opportunities to affirm God's righteousness. Thus, the Christian community of faith needs to be inclusive in its nature.


Polycystin 1 (PC1) is a transmembrane protein that is the product of the PKD1 gene, which is one of two genes that causes autosomal-dominant polycystic kidney disease (ADPKD). Low et al. report that the cytoplasmic domain of PC1 was cleaved, producing an unstable C-terminal fragment that localized to the nucleus. The abundance of this fragment was increased in renal specimens from ADPKD patients. In cell lines expressing either a labeled PC1 protein or a chimeric molecule, the abundance of the C-terminal fragment was increased if the proteasome was inhibited. Coimmunoprecipitation experiments indicated that the C terminus of PC1 interacted with the transcriptional regulator P100 and also with STAT6 (signal transducer and activator of transcription 6). Furthermore, cells cotransfected with the soluble C-terminal PC1 fragment and a STAT6 reporter showed increased STAT6 reporter gene activity compared with that in cells not expressing the PC1 fragment. In confluent Madin-Darby kidney cells subjected to flow, endogenous STAT6 was redistributed from the nucleus to the primary cilia, which is also where a small fraction of P100 is localized and the site of the PC1 full-length protein. However, MDCK cells cultured in the absence of flow exhibited nuclear-localized STAT6. STAT6 abundance was increased in ADPKD renal tissue. Rapidly fixed mouse kidney tissue that had been perfused showed the ciliary localization of STAT6, whereas tissue samples isolated under normal conditions that lack flow (similar to those used for human kidney samples) showed STAT6 in the nucleus. Finally, injection of the soluble PC1 C-terminal tail into zebrafish embryos caused pronephric cyst formation. The authors propose that under normal conditions of flow, PC1 in the cilia sequesters P100 and STAT6, preventing transcription of STAT6-dependent genes. In the absence of flow, the PC1 C-terminal tail is cleaved, releasing a fragment that interacts with P100 and STAT6, translocates to the nucleus, and regulates gene expression. Details of this model and its relevance for ADPKD remain to be fully elucidated. S. H. Low, S. Vasanth, C. H. Larson, S. Mukherjee, N. Sharma, M. T. Kinter, M. E. Kane, T. Obara, T. Weimbs, Polycystin-1, STAT6, and P100 function in a pathway that transduces ciliary mechanosensation and is activated in polycystic kidney disease. Dev. Cell 10, 57-69 (2006). [PubMed]


The type of improvement technique that will be applied to a soil beneath an embankment depends on the nature of the problematic soil existing at the site. Soft soils beneath embankments typically present high compressibilities and low shear strengths. In some cases, geosynthetic-encased stone columns (GECs) have shown advantages over other solutions to improve embankment behavior. The aim of this study is to investigate the performance of GECs by means of numerical and analytical methods. Finite Element Analyses were conducted to evaluate the behavior of ordinary and geosyntheticencased stone columns underneath an embankment. Parametric studies were then conducted to investigate the influence of geosynthetic stiffness, column spacing, friction angle of column material and Stress Concentration Ratio (SCR) on the performance of the columns. The results obtained have shown that there are several parameters that are of paramount importance in improving the performance of GECs, such as geosynthetics stiffness, column spacing and thickness of soft soil layer.


Adult vial technique (AV t) and spray table bioassays were conducted to evaluate toxicity of selected insecticides against immature and adult thrips, Frankliniella spp. (t hysanoptera: thripidae). In AVt , technical insecticides comprised of organophosphates (dicrotophos and methamidophos), spinosyn (spinosad) and neonicotinoids (thiamethoxam and imidaclo prid) were used. the LC 50 values for contact with the insecticides were all significantly different, with spinosad being most toxic and imidacloprid being least toxic to thrips. Spray table tests were conducted with formulated insecticides comprised of dicrotophos, methamidophos and spinosad on thrips-infested greenhouse-grown cotton plants. Multiple treatments of varying droplet sizes and densities were made at 19 L/ha (2 gpa), and thrips were sampled at 1, 3 and 7 days after treat ment (dAt ). droplet characteristics (size and density) and dAt did not significantly influence post-treatment thrips densities on cotton plants. Average numbers of thrips/plant on methamidophos- and spinosad-treated cotton plants were significantly fewer than those on dicrotophos-treated and untreated plants. Spray table treatments were also made to examine effects of spray volume [19(2) and 47(5) L/ha(gpa)] and active ingredient (a.i.) rates of spinosad against thrips on cotton at 3, 5, 7 and 14 dAt . Averaged across dAt , increased spray volume rate 47 L/ha provided better control at lower spinosad a.i. rate indicating that improved coverage increased efficacy of spinosad concentrations below label rate.


This work presents novel techniques for producing substrates for flexible antennas. The technique we propose is based on the use of an already existing and widely used substrate material Polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS), where the dielectric properties of the substrate are adjusted by loading the PDMS with low or high permittivity inclusions. The low adhesion characteristics of PDMS are overcome by immersing the conducting parts of the antenna inside the substrate, at the same time sealing the antenna against the influence of dust, or water. A patch antenna prototype is realized and characterized. The built antenna is soft and flexible and it shows good radiation characteristics in terms of input matching and total gain. Measurements are in a good compliance with the simulation results.


This paper contributes to our knowledge of teacher educators' strategies for, and dilemmas with, working with gender inclusion in teachers' education. It illustrates how gender is constructed and reconstructed in teachers' education. The study revealed that teachers' education is not only – as earlier described – a highly feminised field, it is also a discipline that is permeated by horizontal and vertical segregation typical of higher education. The study analyses how university teacher educators experience and handle consequences of this horizontal segregation, building on interviews with subject representatives at a Swedish university. The results exemplify how university teachers reflect on gender policies and their own roles when working with teacher students. Heteronormative patterns also become visible in strategies meant to facilitate gender equality and desegregation. The author argues for the need to include university teachers' perspectives in future strategies for developing gender inclusion in university education.


We present Monte Carlo numerical calculations for the near-field and scattered diffuse intensities of p-polarized light incident upon a random Gaussian correlated surface. We observe that the near field is dominated by two evanescent waves of momentum parallel to the surface Qs and ∼−Qs that in turn produce oscillations in the near field. This is in agreement with a theoretical diagrammatic expansion in the spatial disorder that included the so-called fan diagrams. Our calculations, within a resolution larger than 4° in the scatter angle, do not show a sharp peak or even an extra contribution in the backward diffuse scattered intensity predicted by that theoretical expansion, however. At present, we cannot make any firm conclusions about this because we have to increase resolution and decrease statistical error to elucidate this point.


Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) is the most common endocrine disorder associated with metabolic disorders and infertility. Evidence suggests that the adipose tissue secreted products, adipokines, play an important role in the pathophysiology of PCOS. Reciprocally, PCOS influences on the adipokines serum content, also on gene or protein expression of some of them. Finding out of association between serum levels of adipokines and PCOS will help to understand the pathology of PCOS and identify treatment solutions of this syndrome. In this paper, we review the assosiation of several known adipokines with polycystic ovary syndrome.


In this paper, we present a method for solving the power flow problem by the method of DC power flow using the graphical programming environment of LabVIEW as a virtual instrument (VI) suitable for contingency analysis. The DC power flow greatly simplifies the power flow by making a number of approximations including 1) completely ignoring the reactive power balance equations, 2) assuming all voltage magnitudes are identically one per unit, 3) ignoring line losses and 4) ignoring tap dependence in the transformer reactance. Hence the DC power flow reduces the power flow problem to a set of linear equations. The effectiveness of the method developed is identified through its application to a 6 buses test system. The calculation results show excellent performance of the proposed method, in regard to computation time and quality of results.


The eastern portion of the Namaqua-Natal Mobile Belt, the Natal Metamorphic Province is divided into four main tectonostratigraphic units. These units comprise two accreted island arcs: the Mzumbe and Margate Terranes; an imbricately thrust nappe zone consisting of four ophiolitic nappes in a hinterland-dipping duplex; and the highly deformed metavolcaniclasticlmetagreywacke Mfongosi Group directly adjacent to the stable northern foreland ofthe Kaapvaal Craton. Theories oflate-tectonic left-lateral movement in the southern island arcs are extrapolated northwards ofthe southern margin ofthe Kaapvaal Craton coincident with the Lilani-Matigulu Shear Zone. The relative timing and structural context ofveinhosted mineralization with respect to major recognized tectonic events is resolved in five separate areas, two in the Natal Nappe Zone and three in the Natal Thrust Front. The Madidima Nappe ofthe Natal Nappe Zone contains several north-northeastto northeast-trending and northeastto eastnortheast trending quartzofeldspathic veined reefs considered to have formed in a late-tectonic left-lateral shear system (main shear and synthetic shear orientations, respectively). The northeastto east-northeast-trending reefis duplicated due to infilling ofnormally-faulted steep structures in the semi-brittle, incremental normal faulting ofthe banded amphibolite component of the nappe. Later left-lateral movement has reactivated one ofthese steep structures along the southern margin ofa regional F2-folded band ofgranite-gneiss in that a southwest extension ofthis structure may be responsible for sub-economic veining for a length ofup to 9 km. The extensive flat-lying topography ofthe Mbongolwane Flats area, in which the reefs are situated, is accounted for by the accelerated weathering ofrocks which underwent sustained late-tectonic metamorphism in the epidoteactinolite facies, accompanied by pervasive shearing and block rotation to the south ofthe southern limb ofthe regional F2 fold in the granite-gneiss. A large, kilometer-scale, open advective fluid system which provided fluid-mediated exchange between co-existing rocks existed at the time ofvein formation. The fluid system was driven by early-tectonic intrusion ofa granitegneiss and amphibole-rich granite. Two areas in the Mfongosi River valley, the northern and southern Mfongosi Valley areas, contain typical evidence of deformation at the leading edge ofcollision in a mobile belt. The southern Mfongosi Valley area, at the confluence of the Mfongosi and Tugela Rivers, contains veining which resulted from pressure solution of the host metavolcaniclasticlmetagreywacke. Veining occupies predictable shear and tension fractures formed during the initial deformation of a foreland margin sequence, in addition to occupying those fractures formed by buckling on the layer-scale. The structural context ofthe northern Mfongosi Valley veining is defined by subsequent deformation and vein fragmentation such that the metavolcaniclasticlmetagreywacke was reduced to a melange in which vein segments acted as competent clasts; a large-scale porphyroblast/matrix system. Formation ofthe Manyane Thrust to the south ofthe Mfongosi Group interrupted the normal retrograde metamorphism ofthe remainder ofthe Tugela Nappe and initiated a "hot iron effect" whereby a shortlived thermal pulse acted at the thrust plane, producing a reversed geothermal gradient in the underlying Mfongosi group. This reversed gradient would have been counteracted by a steepened normal geothermal gradient in the Mfongosi Group caused by overloading of the Natal Thrust Front by the Natal Nappe Zone. These geothermal gradients partly account for the concentration ofveining in the areas ofthe Mfongosi Group which are directly adjacent to the Manyane Thrust, and directly adjacent to the Kaapvaal Craton, in the lower portions ofthe thrust front Stable isotope studies indicate fractionation between vein and wall rock under a short-lived, mainly rock-buffered, layer-scale fluid-movement system. Also forming part of the Mfongosi Group of the Natal Thrust Front, the Ngubevu area contains an apparently enigmatic distribution ofveining accompanied by gold and base metal mineralization. The structural evolution of the Ngubevu area occurred during consistent left-lateral transpression into which has intruded early-tectonic veins, formed by pressure solution , and having the same structural format as the early-tectonic veining in the southern Mfongosi Valley area. Subsequent deformation ofthe system was accompanied by 190 0 -trending tension gashes which were continually ptygmatically-folded, sheared and offset to form occasionally mineralized quartzofeldspathic "blows" and along-strike stringers in the epidoteactinolite schist. Where veining cross-cuts narrow calcite graphite sericite quartz albite tourmaline ± chlorite schist layers, gold mineralization occurred. The late-tectonic tension gashes, antitaxially filled by quartz and amorphous calcite, cross-cut the entire range of lithologies . The fluid system during vein deposition varied: during infilling of early-tectonic fractures a short-lived fluid-flow system dominated, with the emplacement of re crystallized wallrock occurring in a closed, nonadvective regime under the influence of diffusion caused by pressure solution. The fluid system changed to a more open, advective, greater than layer-scale rock-buffered one with a decreasing contribution of material from immediate host rocks. An internal fluid source is implied for the entire period of vein emplacement, derived from structural analyses which indicates negative dilation across the Mfongosi Group in this area and by comparison ofvein:wallrock 0 0 values which indicate a lack of igneous-derived fluids. The Phoenix Mine, in the central portion of the Tugela Nappe, and the Ayres Reef, hosted in Manyane amphibolite adjacent to the Manyane Thrust, are grouped together on the basis oftheir cross-cutting nature and timing with respect to metamorphism and deformation ofthe host rock, and also due to their similarity in isotopic plots. Both vein sets occur in approximately eastwest to east-northeast-trending zones which show evidence of late-tectonic left-lateral movement. Phoenix Mine veining occurs in weakly-metamorphosed meta-gabbro/meta-norite of the Tugela Rand Complex. The Manyane amphibolite demonstrates the amphibolite facies of metamorphism due to the short-lived thermal pulse at the Manyane Thrust. Both sets of veining display slickenlines which are indicative oftheir emplacement prior to the late-tectonic left-lateral movement. The unusually thick quartz veins of both deposits are the results oflateto post-Tugela Rand Complex fluids or the tapping oflatetectonic metamorphic fluid reservoirs. This caused silica metasomatism and redeposition of material in post-thrusting collapse features. A highly channelized, single-pass fluid system is proposed in the absence of intrusion-derived fluids. Whole rock geochemical data allow a distinction to be made between the Natal Thrust Front and the Natal Nappe Zone: the foremostnappe ofthe nappe zone consists primarilyofN-type mid-ocean ridge basalts/ocean-floorto within-plate basalts which were intruded prior to nappe emplacement by metaluminous orogenic volcanic arc granitiods. The thrust front displays a lateral variation in metabasite/metasediment ratio, with the ratio increasing from east to west in this inlier. In the east, in the Nkandlha area, melanged metagreywackes dominate and there is a marked paucity of associated metabasites. In the central portions of the thrust front, in the vicinity of the Mfongosi area, active continental margin/continental arc magmatogenic greywackes and arkoses are interlayered with calk-alkaline volcanic arc basalts (volcaniclastics). The greywacke geochemistry indicates little to no mafic/ultramafic influences in sediment contribution and the source of sediment is inferred to be the southern portions ofthe Kaapvaal Craton. The Nkandlha and Mfongosi area Mfongosi Group segments are considered to be in-situ or para-autochthonous. The western-most Ngubevu area predominantly hosts metabasites. The geochemistry of the metabasites indicates that they are N-type mid-ocean ridge basalts/ocean floor basalts from a destructive plate margin setting. The metabasites are interbanded with metapelitic!metacalcsilicate layers produced in a shallow water oxic environment, here inferred as a spatially-restricted shallow, marginal basin. The metabasites in the Ngubevu area are notably similar to those ofthe Madidima Nappe, indicating a similar provenance and pre-collisional mode offormation. It is proposed that the variation in the Natal Thrust Front was due to a north-eastlsouth-west distribution oflithological proportions or mixing, with greywackes dominating in the northeast (in proximity to the Kaapvaal Craton) and metabasites dominating in the southwest. Left-lateral transpressional movement within the Mfongosi Group of the Natal Thrust Front, and the Natal Nappe Zone, was continuous throughout plate collision and obduction.


Roger Deakin's "Wildwood" is a much loved classic of nature writing. "Wildwood" is about the element wood, as it exists in nature, in our souls, in our culture and our lives. From the walnut tree at his Suffolk home, Roger Deakin embarks upon a quest that takes him through Britain, across Europe, to Central Asia and Australia, in search of what lies behind man's profound and enduring connection with wood and with trees. Meeting woodlanders of all kinds, he lives in shacks and cabins, travels in search of the wild apple groves of Kazakhstan, goes coppicing in Suffolk, swims beneath the walnut trees of the Haut-Languedoc, and hunts bush plums with Aboriginal women in the outback. Perfect for fans of Robert Macfarlane and Colin Tudge, Roger Deakin's unmatched exploration of our relationship with trees is autobiography, history, traveller's tale and incisive work in natural history. It will take you into the heart of the woods, where we go 'to grow, learn and change'. "Enthralling". (Will Self, "New Statesman"). "Extraordinary ...some of the finest naturalist writing for many years". ("Independent"). "Masterful, fascinating, excellent". ("Guardian"). "An excellent read - lyrical and literate and full of social and historical insights of all kinds". (Colin Tudge, "Financial Times"). "Enchanting, very funny, every page carries a fascinating nugget. Should serve to make us appreciate more keenly all that we have here on earth ...one of the greatest of all nature writers". (Craig Brown, "Mail on Sunday"). "Breathtaking, vividly written ...reading "Wildwood" is an elegiac experience". ("Sunday Times"). Roger Deakin, who died in August 2006, shortly after completing the manuscript for Wildwood, was a writer, broadcaster and film-maker with a particular interest in nature and the environment. He lived for many years in Suffolk, where he swam regularly in his moat, in the river Waveney and in the sea, in between travelling widely through the landscapes he writes about in "Wildwood". He is the author of "Waterlog", "Wildwood" and "Notes from Walnut Tree Farm".


As part of journalism's commitment to truth and justice by providing a diversity of relevant points of view, journalists have an obligation to provide the perspective of nonhuman animals in everyday stories that influence the animals' and our lives. This essay provides justification and guidance on why and how this can be accomplished, recommending that, when writing about nonhuman animals or issues, journalists should: (1) observe, listen to, and communicate with animals and convey this information to audiences via detailed descriptions and audiovisual media, (2) interpret nonhuman animal behavior and communication to provide context and meaning, and (3) incorporate the animals' stories and perspectives, and consider what is in their best interest. To fairly balance animal-industry sources and the anthropocentric biases that are traditionally inherent in news requires that journalists select less objectifying language and more appropriate human sources without a vested interest in how animals are used.


Virtualized cloud-based services can take advantage of statistical multiplexing across applications to yield significant cost savings. However, achieving similar savings with real-time services can be a challenge. In this paper, we seek to lower a provider's costs for real-time IPTV services through a virtualized IPTV architecture and through intelligent time-shifting of selected services. Using Live TV and Video-on-Demand (VoD) as examples, we show that we can take advantage of the different deadlines associated with each service to effectively multiplex these services. We provide a generalized framework for computing the amount of resources needed to support multiple services, without missing the deadline for any service. We construct the problem as an optimization formulation that uses a generic cost function. We consider multiple forms for the cost function (e.g., maximum, convex and concave functions) reflecting the cost of providing the service. The solution to this formulation gives the number of servers needed at different time instants to support these services. We implement a simple mechanism for time-shifting scheduled jobs in a simulator and study the reduction in server load using real traces from an operational IPTV network. Our results show that we are able to reduce the load by ~24%(compared to a possible ~31.3% as predicted by the optimization framework).


SAR is a very popular instrument for imaging of the ground surface. Possibility of high-resolution image formation makes it superior tool for various information extraction tasks. In the paper, a problem of automatic target recognition is comprehensively analyzed. An idea of azimuth and range target profiles fusion is proposed. It is demonstrated, that usage of a proper image preprocessing with appropriate feature extraction steps allow to achieve a competitive recognition accuracy while keeping a low-dimensionality of feature vectors. Experimental results are discussed for a publicly available MSTAR dataset.


Abstract: Quantitative Structure-Activity Relationships based on molecular descriptors calculated with Correlation Weights of Local Graph Invariants were developed to model the toxicity of aliphatic compounds to the 50% population growth inhibition. The relationships were computed on the basis of Labeled Hydrogen- Filled Graphs and correlation weights were obtained by an optimization to render as large as possible correlation coefficients between log(IGC 50-1 ) and descriptors calculated with correlation weights. Morgan extended connectivity indices of zero, first, and second orders, paths of lengths two and three and valence shells of second and third ranges have been tested as local invariants of the Labeled Hydrogen-Filled Graphs. The best quantitative relationship obtained from the optimization of correlation weights is that one based on the valence shell of range two. First, second, and third order fitting equations were determined and statistical results are better than other similar data for the same molecular set.


Academically, the principle of comity is all but dead. Not only is there a distinct lack of literature regarding the principle, but in circumstances where it is addressed it is considered to be of negligible importance for the resolution of modern private international law disputes. However, a review of Australian case law demonstrates that there is a significant disjunct between the academic view of comity and its actual use in judicial practice. In the last 10 years, over 850 Australian court decisions have made reference to comity – many of which relate to the field of private international law. In this article, the authors review 77 Australian cases where comity played a definitive role in the resolution of private international law issues. These cases demonstrate that comity is a relevant, useful legal tool to guide the development and application of private international law rules – doing so in a manner that helpfully mediates between the political need to uphold the doctrine of sovereignty and the commercial and judicial need to permit law to act transnationally in order to accommodate international commerce. This is the purpose for which comity was created almost 400 years ago and the examined case law demonstrates that it continues to be effective in reflecting these interests in the law.


An explicit closed-form analytical solution giving the water-table depression is obtained for the steady-state problem of seepage to a water-bearing substratum from two reservoirs separated by a strip of land over which water loss by evaporation occurs at a constant rate. Two hydrodynamic situations can occur. In the first, there is only drainage into the substratum and all evaporating water originates from the reservoirs. In the second, the substratum, while accepting water draining from the reservoirs, also supplies some water to the evaporating surface. The method of boundary-value problems is used through the conformal mapping of a strip in the Zhukovskii plane to an auxiliary half-plane and reconstruction of the complex physical coordinate by the Signorini formula. The two hydrodynamic regimes are demarcated in the solution with the shape of the water table obtained in a closed form. The results of calculations show the effect of the evaporation rate, the hydraulic conductivity of the soil, the pressure in the water-bearing substratum, the distance between reservoirs, and the depth to the substratum. The method of boundary-value problems is also used to obtain an analytical solution for the water-table depression caused by evaporation from a strip in an infinite extent of land above a water-bearing substratum under pressure.


After challenge with guiena pig basic protein (GPBP) Lewis (Le) rats, which are homozygous for the immune response experimental allergic encephalomyelitis (Ir-EAE) gene, developed positive delayed skin tests against GPBP and the 43 residue encephalitogenic fragment (EF); in addition, Le rat lymph node cells (LNC) were stimulated and produced migration inhibitory factor (MIF) when incubated in vitro with these antigens. In contrast Brown Norway (BN) rats, which lack the Ir-EAE gene, did not develop delayed skin tests to EF and their LNC were not stimulated and did not produce MIF when incubated in vitro with EF. These observations indicate that the Ir-EAE gene controls a T-cell response against the EF. Le rats produced measurable anti-BP antibody by radioimmunoassay after primary challenge. Although no antibody was detectable in BN rats by radioimmunoassay, radioimmunoelectrophoresis indicated that a small amount of antibody was formed after primary immunization. After boosting intraperitoneally, both strains of rat exhibited a rise in anti-BP antibody; which was greater in Le rats. In both strains of rat the anti-BP antibody reacted with a portion of the molecule other than the EF. Since EF primarily evokes a T cell response, it is suggested that the EF portion of the BP molecule may contain a helper determinant in antibody production.


Objective—The goal of this study was to determine the in vivo functions of the synaptic proteins neurexins and neuroligins in embryonic vascular system development using zebrafish as animal model. Methods and Results—In the present study, we show that the knockdown of the &agr;-form of neurexin 1a induces balance defects and reduced locomotory activity, whereas &bgr;-neurexin 1a and neuroligin 1 morphants present defects in sprouting angiogenesis and vascular remodeling, in particular in the caudal plexus and subintestinal vessels. Coinjection of low doses of morpholinos for &bgr;-neurexin 1a and neuroligin 1 together or in combination with morpholinos targeting the heparin-binding isoforms of vascular endothelial growth factor A (encoded by the VEGFAb gene) recapitulates the observed abnormalities, suggesting synergistic activity of these molecules. Similar coinjection experiments with morpholinos, targeting the enzyme heparan sulfate 6-O-sulfotransferase 2, confirm the presence of a functional correlation between extracellular matrix maturation and &bgr;-neurexin 1a or neuroligin 1. Conclusion—Our data represent the first in vivo evidence of the role of neurexin and neuroligin in embryonic blood vessel formation and provide insights into their mechanism of action


Introduction The depth limitation of conventional photodynamic therapy (PDT) with visible electromagnetic radiation represents a challenge for the treatment of deep-seated tumors. Materials and methods To overcome this issue, we developed an X-ray-induced PDT system where poly(lactide-co-glycolide) (PLGA) polymeric nanoparticles (NPs) incorporating a photosensitizer (PS), verteporfin (VP), were triggered by 6 MeV X-ray radiation to generate cytotoxic singlet oxygen. The X-ray radiation used in this study allows this system to breakthrough the PDT depth barrier due to excellent penetration of 6 MeV X-ray radiation through biological tissue. In addition, the conjugation of our NPs with folic acid moieties enables specific targeting of HCT116 cancer cells that overexpress the folate receptors. We carried out physiochemical characterization of PLGA NPs, such as size distribution, zeta potential, morphology and in vitro release of VP. Cellular uptake activity and cell-killing effect of these NPs were also evaluated. Results and discussion Our results indicate that our nanoconstructs triggered by 6 MeV X-ray radiation yield enhanced PDT efficacy compared with the radiation alone. We attributed the X-ray-induced singlet oxygen generation from the PS, VP, to photoexcitation by Cherenkov radiation and/or reactive oxygen species generation facilitated by energetic secondary electrons produced in the tissue. Conclusion The cytotoxic effect caused by VP offers the possibility of enhancing the radiation therapy commonly prescribed for the treatment of cancer by simultaneous PDT.


Business strategy can be defined as a firm's plan to generate economic profits based on lower cost, better quality, or new products. The analysis of business strategy is thus at the intersection of market competition and a firm's efforts to secure persistently superior performance via investments in better management and organization. We empirically analyze the interaction of firms' business strategies and their managerial practices using a unique, detailed dataset on business strategy, internal firm organization, performance and innovation, which is representative of the entire Canadian economy. Our empirical results show that measures of business strategy are strongly correlated with firm performance, both in the cross-section and over time, and even after controlling for unobserved profit shocks exploiting intermediates utilization. Results are particularly striking for innovation, as firms with some priority in business strategies are significantly more likely to innovate than firms without any strategic priority. Furthermore, our analysis highlights that the relationship between strategy and management is driven by two key organizational trade-offs: employee initiative vs. coordination as well as exploration of novel business opportunities vs. exploitation of existing profit sources.


Haunted by the hunger of Eden's infamous apple-eater, women have long had to contend with condemnatory attitudes towards female patterns of consumption. Nineteenth-century conduct writer Elizabeth Pennell was certainly eager to assert that when Eve stretched forth to taste the Forbidden Fruit, she unconsciously thrust the female appetite into 'ill-repute'. 'Foolish fasting,' she argued, was suddenly 'glorified,' until 'a healthy appetite […] passed for a snare of the devil, and its gratification meant eternal damnation'. 1 With the devil presiding over the dinner-table to consume, or not to consume, became a question which plagued angelic house-dwellers troubled by a grumbling stomach. However, the uneasiness surrounding women's hunger was far more than a mere dinner-table phenomenon. It entered the boudoir, becoming an indicator of sexuality, and saturated the social domain. With the birth of a consumer-crazed culture, it was assumed that women were hungry for things , corsets and crinolines, diamonds and dinner-plates, tea-cups and carriages, commodities galore. This article analyses nineteenth-century variations on the notion of consumption and all its lexical derivatives. Using Christina Rossetti's Goblin Market (1862) and Lewis Carroll's Alice's Adventures in Wonderland (1865) as literary stimuli, this article ultimately exposes the perils of allowing consumer curiosity and hunger to collide in the public sphere. I broaden the discussion to include Rossetti's other 'consumer' skewed works and, more briefly, George Du Maurier's Trilby (1894). My analysis charts the dissolution of the boundary between consumer and consumed, contemplates visual consumption and its specular economies and, finally, traces 'vampiric' veins throughout the era's consumptive corpus, focusing on the Pre-Raphaelites. 1 Elizabeth Robins Pennell, The Feasts of Autolycus: The Diary of a Greedy Woman (London: John Lane, 1896), p. 9.


A Unified Power Quality Conditioner (UPQC) is relatively a new member of the custom power device family. It is a comprehensive custom power device, with integrated shunt and series active filters. The cost of the device, which is higher than other custom power/FACTS devices, because of twin inverter structure and control complexity, will have to be justified by exploring new areas of application where the cost of saving power quality events outweighs the initial cost of installation. Distributed generation (such as wind generation) is one field where the UPQC can find its potential application. There has been a considerable increase in the power generation from wind farms. This has created the necessity for wind farms connectivity with the grid during power system faults, voltage sags and frequency variations. The application of active filters/custom power devices in the field of wind generation to provide reactive power compensation, additional fault ride through capability and to maintain Power Quality (PQ) at the point of common coupling is gaining popularity. Wind generation like other forms of distributed generation often relies on power electronics technology for flexible interconnection to the power grid. The application of power electronics in wind generation has resulted in improved power quality and increased energy capture. The rapid development in power electronics, which has resulted in high kVA rating of the devices and low price per kVA, encourages the application of such devices at distribution level. This work focuses on development of a laboratory prototype of a UPQC, and investigation of its application for the flexible grid integration of fixed and variable speed wind generators through dynamic simulation studies. A DSP based fully digital controller and interfacing hardware has been developed for a 24 kVA (12 kVA-shunt compensator and 12 kVA-series compensator) laboratory prototype of UPQC. The modular control approach facilitates the operation of the device either as individual series or shunt compensator or as a UPQC. Different laboratory tests have been carried out to demonstrate the effectiveness of developed control schemes.A simulation-based analysis is carried out to investigate the suitability of application of a UPQC to achieve Irish grid code compliance of a 2 MW Fixed Speed Induction Generator (FSIG). The rating requirement of the UPQC for the wind generation application has been investigated. A general principle is proposed to choose the practical and economical rating of the UPQC for this type of application. A concept of UPQC integrated Wind Generator (UPQC-WG) has been proposed. The UPQC-WG is a doubly fed induction machine with converters integrated in the stator and rotor circuits and is capable of adjustable speed operation. The operation of UPQC-WG under sub and super-synchronous speed range has been demonstrated. The Irish grid code compliance of the same has been demonstrated with a detailed dynamic simulation.


Abstract Vaterite and aragonite polymorphs in freshwater cultured pearls from mussels of the genus Hyriopsis (Unionidae) were structurally and compositionally characterized by Raman spectroscopy, Micro computer tomography, high resolution field emission scanning electron microscopy, electron microprobe analysis and laser ablation inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry. The appearance of vaterite in pearls is related to the initial stages of biomineralization, although we demonstrate that vaterite can not be a precursor to aragonite. It is not related to a particular crystal habit and therefore does not have a structural functionality in the pearls. Larger contents of elements typically bound to organic molecules, such as P and S in vaterite, as well as larger total organic contents in vaterite as opposed to aragonite in conjunction with larger concentrations of Mn2+ and Mg2+, imply a stabilizing role of organic macromolecules and X2+ ions for biological vaterite. Distribution coefficients between aragonite and vaterite for provenance-independent elements, such as Mn and Mg (0.27 and 0.04, respectively) agree very well with those observed in fish otoliths.


Background Health inequalities have persisted or increased across Western Europe. In Scotland, population health is poorer than in comparable countries and health inequalities are alarmingly high, particularly among young adults. Addressing health inequalities is a priority for UK and international governments. The aim was to determine the trends and socioeconomic inequalities in cause specific mortality among Scottish men aged 15–44 from 1980–2013. Methods Routine death data were linked to mid-year population estimates for men aged 15–44 in Scotland for 1980–2013. Directly standardised mortality rates were calculated for all-cause and suicide, drug and alcohol related harm. Trends in inequalities were examined for 2002–2013 using deprivation measured by the income domain of the Scottish Index of Multiple Deprivation. Inequalities were measured using the slope index of inequality (SII) and the relative index of inequality (RII). Results Overall there were 52,551 deaths in men aged 15–44 from 1980–2013. All-cause mortality decreased from 159 per 100,000 in 1980 to 130 per 100,000 in 2013. Mortality rates from suicide increased from 22 to 41 per 100,000 from 1980 to 2000, then decreased to 29 in 2013. Mortality from drug related deaths increased from 1 to 25 per 100,000 from 1980–2013; and alcohol related deaths increased from 5 to 12 per 100,000. In 1980 18% of deaths were due to suicide, drug and alcohol related mortality; by 2013 the contribution from these three causes increased to 51%. Inequalities in mortality in 2002–04 were high, with SII for suicide 59.3 (95% CI = 52–66); drug 64.0 (59–69) and alcohol 53.4 (49–57). For 2011–13 the SII for suicide remained the same at 55.4 (95% CI = 49–62); drug increased to 63.8 (59–69) and alcohol reduced to 34.4 (31–38). During both time periods 60% of the SII for total mortality was due to these 3 causes. In 2011–13 ischaemic heart disease (the next highest) contributed 7.3%. The RII remained constant for suicide 2002–04: 0.37 (95% CI = 0.33–0.41), 2011–13: 0.40 (0.35–0.45); increased for drugs 2002–04: 0.40 (95% CI = 0.37–0.43), 2011–13: 0.46 (0.42–0.50); and decreased for alcohol 2002–04: 0.33 (0.31–0.36), 2011–13: 0.25 (0.22–0.27). Conclusion Although deaths in men aged 15–44 are relatively uncommon, the use of population data enabled detailed examination of the causes of death. While there has been a reduction in mortality the underlying causes have changed and in the last decade inequalities in mortality remain high. Efforts to reduce suicide, drug and alcohol related mortality in young men living in deprived areas should be a priority for policy.